i have some very difficult decisions to make

these are regarding work. the first one is regarding potential industrial action over pay and privatisation. royal mail have just announced the biggest profits in their recent history in spite of apparently falling mail volumes (don't believe what you read in the press i haven't seen any evidence of it). on first issue, whilst it would look bad when the rest of the country is getting wage decreases or freezes, which is what we have been offered, and i can certainly understand why that would look bad, postal workers earn well below the national average wage and if the profits have doubled, then i think it is fair that some of the money is filtered down to those who make royal mail or indeed any company what it is. also someone may go in to work during an industrial dispute doesn't make the same sacrifices that the strikers do but still gets the same reward and my conscience would also find that difficult to deal with. on the issue of privatisation, hypothetical scenario is that we may force the government out next year, but then we will end up with the lib dems or the tories who both want to privatise fully which could mean having to go through the same thing all over again. according to mike newport our area cwu rep though, tnt and cvc the potential buyers have seen the hostility from both the public, the union and the royal mail employees and are apparently now not so keen on the idea now.

the other issue going on in my mind at the minute is forthcoming european elections and specifiacally with regard to the british national party. as is the normal situation with royal mail we have been told two completely different version of the rules, one by the union who say we don't have to do this because of the 'conscience agreement' and royal mail who says we do because of freedom of speech under the representation of the people act. my personal opinion of the bnp is that they're the biggest hypocrites and hatemongers in politics and are just the modern day version of the national front or oswald moseleys blackshirts under a different name. this after all a political party that a) claims not to be racist but has it written in to its constitution that members must believe in segregation of all races b) has a leader that confesses that he admires hitler c) denies the holocaust d) claims to believe in the principle of free speech but are always the first to condemn muslims for speaking out about the iraq war saying that these people should be shut up. this is also an organisation that claims to be democratic but would probably become a dictatorship if they ever came any where near power and would quite probably introduce 1960's style apartheid in this country. with that in mind i wonder how any person who is of sound mind could ever contemplate voting for them. i appreciate that there is a problem with immigration in this country but the bnp solution of repatriating every foreigner will only lead to violence as it is unlikely that they will all go quietly as many of them have built lives for themselves over here.

on the runnin front i have had a couple of easy days after doing 11 miles on wednesday night, the longest i have covered after my come back started. i felt good after the end of the run but come thursday morning i was rather tired and this lasted right the way through til last night. the thought of doing a marathon is still something that is very much at the forefront of my mind and with this in mind i will be looking a training plans for a sub 3 hour marathon some time soon, hopefully planning for london either next year or 2011. not doing any speed work at the minute concentrating on getting the strength up for the winter season, but once again this is all if i am running again next year and anyof the rowing clubs haven't been in contact.

swine flu

not to worry i haven't contracted it or at least not yet. it has though made an appearance in the bristol area, which has been all over the news and i have just spent yesterday delivering the leaflets containing all the information that you need to know. there is having had a quick shufty through it my self a section for the government to wallow in self aggrandiosement (is that how you spell it?) saying how brilliantly well they have done in controling this crisis. still at 2.45p per leaflet plus my normal house hold deliveries for 500 odd houses it should make a nice boost to my weekly wage packet.

running wise i'm still building up the miles no fast efforts just want to get stronger for the minute. i have made up my mind that i want to have a crack at the marathon either this coming winter or the one after. with that in mind i have formaulated a vague training plan of the sort of training i want to be doing. this though is on the proviso that i'm not rowing competitively by then as if i have an opportunity to do that it is some thing that will take priority over every thing else sport wise because i believe that i can be exceptionally good at either rowing or sculling. with this in mind i have started a programme of weights both upper body and leg with the aim of eliminating some of the body fat that has accumulated over the past couple of months and generally building a more all round athletes body that you would need for rowing. i am training with the portishead club at the minute and whilst at the minute me and a few others are well ahead of the majority of our group in terms of our standards but i have no realistic hope of hitting the heady heights of a year ago some time soon. did one long run last week was hoping to do a second on sunday morning but felt rather tired having been woken up on sunday morning. two individuals who read this blog regularly know why, and i wont bother explaining, i'll let them explain to you lot who read this, but i will say it took me over an hour to get back to sleep!