the rules of nature

rule #1 if you don't go before you go out running you will get caught short before your run finishes.

rule 2# if you don't make sure you're balanced properly you will fall over

rule #3 if you do fall over and there is a bramble bush nearby you will fall face first in to it.

so you can probably work out from that what happened to me tonight. the net result is that my upper body is currently covered in cuts and scratches. what made it worse was that the bramble bush i fell in to was below foot level, making it doubly difficult to get out of without shredding my skin. no real harm done though.

on a more positive note my long sunday run is now up to 13.5 miles. i said to my old coach mike a couple of weeks ago that this coming winter i aim to run more miles than ever to really build up for a proper assault on the longer distances. for a half marathon the long run ideally needs to be a minimum of 15-17 miles, maybe even up to 20 as long as it isn't compromising too much on your speedand i aim to be doing a lot of that this winter and so far, although it isn't winter yet i am holding true to that promise.

the situation at work is now deteriorating fast. unfortunately and to my eternal embarrassment portishead delivery office is the weakest and always has been historically in terms of support for industrial action. during the last dispute the office had about 20 scabs out of a staff of about 50 people. compare and contrast this with other local offices. clevedon 5 miles away had a staff of about 60. 1 person broke the strike. avonmouth a staff of about 40, 3 scabs, 2 of which have now left the business. one of them developed a mystery illness after he had flicked a double 'v' sign as he walked across the picket line. not a wise idea.

the vote will be close though. this is not officially a national dispute like last time although it may well become one. i voted for strike action and i hope that the majority would have the sense to vote for it but there are far too many people in our office who a) can't see the long term and b) are too selfish to see past the end of their own noses. in spite of the scabs though there are some real hardcore srikers in our office though like my self, i would have too fmuch pride to ever contemplate crossing a picket line, so the vote could be close. what has annoyed me though is two non strikers from the last dispute, saying that the union has never helped them. well one of them has had nearly half his round taken off him in the past year because its too big and the other after an accident at work is suing royal mail for negligence with the help of, ahem, the cwu...make your own minds up