Mild Marathon Jealousy!

Every autumn I consider entering the London Marathon, firstly becuase I think it would be a great day out and secondly its something that I think I could do but am not really sure whether i really could do it. anyway although i have entered once and failed to make the ballot, I have always on every otehr oaccsion eitehr manufatcured the ability to miss the deadline or come up with a truly justifiable reason why i could not take part that particular year. Every year I meet someone who has achieved the distance or is about to and always admire their dedication and confidence in partaking.

Norammly the pride of Britain AGM coincides with the Sunday of the Marathon and apart from cursing the traffic disruption I watch the television news to imagine that it could have been me or maybe one day will be, although I am more liklely to be keeping the pantomime horse company or the man in the diving suit!! Anyway this year I will definitely be monitoring the screens as there are two runners we feel have a direct link to Eriska and botha re running for really great causes. 

The first, Doreen Henderson, is a member of our leisure club and is running for Coeliac UK which is the only charity in the UK, which supports those with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. We have not seen much of Doreen over the last month as she pounds the pavements but I am sure she will deliver a good time and complete the course.

The second, Ailsa Paterson, is a direct decendent of the Clark Hutchison Family who owned Eriska at the turn of the century and really were the family who have the longest history with the house and island, she is running for Alzheimer Scotland which provides a range of services around Scotland including specialist day care, help in the home, befriending, carer support, counselling and a confidential 24-hour Helpline. According to Ailsa she just decided one day that she would sign uop and help raise funds for the charity and thought of no better way than both setting herself a target and getting out there and doing it.

Anyway we will be watching out for both fundraisers tomorrow and cheering them on and wish them both well. Hopefully the promise of ideal weather conditions, cool calm and dry will come true and the hot summer conditions will only be at Eriska. So another year goes by without an entry but at least we can be there in mind this year if not in body!