It´s the taking part which matters...

South Africa - Rugby World Champions, originally uploaded by CharlesFred.

Yes, South Africa are Rugby World Cup Champions, England not.

Russia looks like they will qualify for next year´s European Football Championships, England not.

Lewis Hamilton was poised all season to win the Formual One Championship in his first season. He started off today in the lead and ended it in third place.

These things were not meant to happen, it seems.

England scored a try yesterday at the start of the second half which would have taken them into the lead, but it was disallowed. A very close decision which whether it was right or wrong, possibly turned the game. England could have won but they didn´t and, apart from that try, they didn´t really deserve to win. Well done to South Africa. Next time they turn up at the World Cup, let´s hope there are more non-whites.

Today there was the Amsterdam Marathon and Half Marathon. For many years I would have been running in the Half Marathon and although the last few kilometers were very difficult, I always got such a thrill, particularly if I could run a good time. I would usually start off somewhere towards the back, run safely and ecoinomically for about 5-8 kilometers before I would start exerting myself, all teh time running past other people slower than myself. And then there was always Fred, Henk and Piet to look forward to at around the 10 km mark, near vour house cheering me on... and also at the finish where Fred would be there cheering me on over the last few hundred meters, before a sprimnt coming into the old Olympic Stadium. Great times.

Today, I spent the whole day sneezing - I am sure I have an allergy to alcohol. I am not fit and haven´t run for over two years, my knees being now too weak to carry the excess kilos which I now carry around. My knees having suffered from too much pounding during Half Marathons, 16 k´s and 10 k´s.

It is not so much that I ever wanted to win.. although I did enhjoy running a good time... it was the taking part and the sense of achievement.... so while it is a pity (for us English) that England did nto win in Paris yesterday, there was a great sense of satisfaction and achievement at havbing made the final and done their best. So well done England, we are proud of you.