It was a beautiful morning for a run along Hayle beach. We have had our share of rain down here during the last couple of months but today it feels as though spring has arrived.
Last week I decided to run a marathon to raise money for St Julia's Hospice in Hayle. I met Paul Brinsley, the Chief Executive of Cornwall Hospice Care, for a briefing on their work. What is striking is just how many people St Julia's and Mount Edgcumbe support in any given year - around 500. I was also surpised to learn that the average stay is actually quite short at around two weeks. They aim to help people suffering from terminal illnesses have as normal a life as possible and so much of the emphasis is on short stays to work out the most effective treatments that then allows patients to return home to their families.
I used to run a lot when I was younger and have always kept running a day or two a week and done the occasional race. But I have a bit of work to do to get in shape for a marathon in October. I had wanted to run the Duchy marathon - but that is in March which is too soon for me to get fit.
About 12 years ago, I used to run a lot on Hayle beach with my old training partner -a pet border collie called Mono who came from the RSPCA rescue centre at Perranporth. Mono loved the beach, had a lot of energy and would charge ahead and then back again to bark at me impatiently for being so slow. Everything you would expect from a collie really.
I have to confess that I needed to stop to walk once or twice during my run today. If he were still around, Mono would not have been happy.
