Is it just me or are we being plagued by pidgeons? I even tried eating one the blighters last night in an attempt to do my bit to cull their kind. They’re everywhere (or at least evidence of their being everywhere!). I went for a run this morning and nearly came a cropper under their low flying exploits. Does anyone else fear that we are being taken over? I might be looking over my shoulder, but it’s not the credit crunch I’m losing sleep over, it’s the cooing grey army!

Back to the food variety though - it was really nice. And I was surprised. It was a set menu (at abode in Manchester), so I had no choice - I would never have actively chosen pidgeon, but I’m glad I did. Not that I’ll be trying it again too soon, or abode for that matter. Abode is a new hotel/restaurant on Piccadilly opposite the Malmaison. It’s a stange area full of new, modern, expensive buildings alongside the old, run-down, decrepid buildings - not for me.

And as for the pidgeons, I hope they go back to trafalgar square, where they belong.

With a few weeks to go before mid-summers day, nothing can dampen the spirits of the hard core runners at Access. And the training intensified this week with several of us entering the Warrington Road Runners 10k around Woolton Park - a beautiful quiet part of North Cheshire. This is the best time of year to be running, from 5am to 10pm there’s no excuse to catch some daylight, watching the world go ’round and nature waking up or bedding down, albeit listening to a bit of Bruce Springsteen or The Fratelli’s at 100 decibels!

Anyway, we’re off and training, so watch this space for some intense talk of achilles tendons, shin splints, groin injuries (maybe?) and fastest times over the next four weeks - i bet you can’t wait

It started out as a bit of fun. A chance to get a bit fit, lose a few pounds and make a few for charity. But at £30 just to enter, is it becoming a victim of its own success? There’s no doubt that it is a great success - 31,000 people running/jogging/walking for themselves, for charities and for the sake of it - but it’s not one for the the purists. Firstly the cost - does anyone know where the £30 goes? I’m sure the cost of marshalling such an event doesn’t cost £1 million? I’d rather run around a country park for a fiver!

Secondly, with 31,000 runners, and some very tight bends early on - how can anyone get a decent time? It’s a run for the masses, not for runners.

Finally, it’s not the prettiest of routes - it should be called the Great Manchester/Trafford & Salford Run - the sight of some container yards as you ran into Trafford Park was hardly New York?

I love Manchester, it’s a great place to live, work and enjoy, but it isn’t a Great Manchester Run and nor will it ever be!