Into Cats Country

On a bit of a wild Sunday morning I struck out across The Bridge for Kilkenny. In a country which is routinely scattered with the colours of the local GAA county team, Kilkenny has a profusion of yellow-and-black chequered flags mostly everywhere. With unprecedented recent hurling success the Cats pretty much lord it over their blue-and-white Waterford neighbours, who are no mugs themselves.

On beyond the point that I reached a few weeks ago and - here be quiet country lanes! A pleasant surprise to be able to trot along the roads without having to deal with traffic continually flying along, a feature of modern Ireland. But just before the lanes proper, another stark symbol of the times that we're in. Ross Abbey Shopping Centre - a modern, spacious mall in mothballs and fenced off, though still showing a list of shops and apparently 'opening early 2009'. A little further on the road was flooded for about 50 metres ahead necessitating a retreat and a diversion up another pleasant lane. Over a long-disused railway bridge - it would be nice to see these disused railway lines opened up, as in many places in England.

But I was not running well and I decided to turn around about five miles in. A shame as it was otherwise a pleasant outing despite the howling wind. Back into town with only 9.2 miles on the clock and 27 on the week.

I listened to a very good Fighting Talk episode, broadcast live from Hull. Three big hitters in John Rawling, Greg Brady and Martin Kellner, with local legend Dean Windass who could do no wrong. Canadian Brady won by audience acclaim. But a less than memorable Phedippidations for a change.

Earlier in the week I took a group of ladies from Energie Fitness out on Week 1 of a Couch to 5k programme. Happily most turned out on both Tuesday and Thursday and hopefully they will have done a third session over the weekend ahead of Week 2 when we step it up very slightly.