Shift workers unite ( if they can get the time off )

Earlies, lates, nights, seven day shift patterns, four on four off. Confused? I bet you are. Let me guess, you work Monday to Friday and have week...ends to your good selves? Well, good for you, hope you enjoy them. There`s always Saturday to do that DIY job but then football, shopping or a social invite may mean you have to do the B and Q trip on Sunday but then you`re back to work on Monday, so by the time you get home from the hassles and frustrations of retail madness, half the day has miraculously dispersed, well, there`s always next weekend!

I`ve been a shift worker since I left school. Monday to Friday doesn`t mean anything to me in that sense. I don`t really get that Friday feeling that radio reminds me one should be having at around 3pm once a week but then I don`t get that enevitable Sunday evening sorrow creeping into my mind to remind me of the impending morning blues. By the way, I`m not intending to offend or upset the the majority of good working folk of the nation who work the normal nine to five, oh no, my issue is for all the people out there who feel SORRY for us! Can I make a stand on this here day and by rightfully declare and shout out loud: `ON BEHALF OF MY FELLOW SHIFT WORKER - PLEASE OH PLEASE DO NOT FEEL SORRY FOR US!!`

Sure we work strange hours to you but maybe you work strange hours to us? It always seems like we`re at work, we`ll actually, I probably get more time off than you. In fact if you would care to spend some more time with me, you might actually dare say that I`m always at home. You see the thing is, I get really irritated by people who feel sorry for me or give me that sobering expression of`poor thing` after I tell them I have to go to work at some unusual hour. Listen here my good people, IT`S NOT THAT BAD!! I`m fully aware of the cons of shift work. Sure, you`re social life does take a pounding, you can`t always get the time off with everyone else and there is the feeling of slight isolation and disruptive sleep patterns. Remember though my young apprentice is that there are Pros. Shift work is a major force in the UK now. Many industries depend on it and could not thrive without. There are such things as a 24hr operations in out midsts.

I work a seven day shift pattern for example. Read and digest. Seven days does seem like a long time to be at work, trying to explain this concept to people is hard sometimes but keep up you`ll get there in the end. After an early shift I`m home at 14:30 so the rest of the afternoon is free time to do whatever I want, be it walk the dog, go for a windy walk or phone a friend. Lates is not quite as good. I`ll hold my sleepy hand up to that statement but I can have a nice lie in the morning if the choice dictates. I can relax, watch morning TV or better still I can get up early and do something productive in the morning, maybe invite the postman in for tea or perhaps plan a hassle free trip to B and Q while everyone else is at work. Nightshifts mean during the day I can do whatever I want. I can take a nice day trip somehere, persue that burgeoning hobby or second job which many of us wish to do. Ok, so I`m up all night but then I can sleep all day if I so choose. If I don`t, well, whilst a few hours would be lost, these can surely be made up. Just think, when you`re sitting on the train being crammed in like a sardine and having to put up with stench of a right guard vacant commuter, I`ll be tucked up in bed dreaming of a better world. To make your day even better, I then have five days off. That's one, two, three, four, five people!! Plenty of time do that DIY job, further that hobby, fix the car, socialise or experience the simple pleasure of shopping with less people or traffic around. I might decide to take a trip to New York, maybe Dubai if spontaneity decided to come knocking at the door and what`s more, I`ll still be back in time for tea a few days later. When work eventually beckons, getting to my destination is less stressful. I don`t tend to sit in traffic like some poor unfortunate souls. My shift start times are a world away from rush hour and road rages. I can just calmly drive into work without a care in my little world and leave with the same little thoughts. Sigh, there is never enough time to do anything in the evening, especially during the week they all say. Hate to make you feel worse but by then we`ve already had dinner, polished up nicely or run our errands. Now, this evening is my oyster. By the time you see me, I`ve already hit the gym or done my class. Perhaps I might go out for a drink, catch a movie or a show, I could even make the cheaper early showing perhaps.

So you see you might want to think carefully next time before you feel sorry for a shift worker. I think the tables have been turned slightly and it`s safe to say we could and maybe we should feel sorry for you. I`ll give you that sorrowful look next time I see you running for that bus on dreary Monday morning or moaning that the weekends go too quick. By the way, don`t bother writing in or coming round to complain. I`ll probably be at work...

A right royal running riot!

The words`never again` came into my head as I closed down the final mile of the magnificent Long walk toward the finish which by the way never seems to arrive in this royal great park of endless tarmac and greenery. One was certainly not amused.

I was taking part in the Windsor half marathon which is held annually in the Queens` `back garden` that is Windsor great park in Berkshire. There was no mass barbecue or game playing on this typically british grey day, rather a immense kenetic swarm of panting bodies with goals in mind, personal achievements to be fulfilled or personal best times to be beat. There are creatures young and old, from every back ground they come foward, from all walks of life they come calling, supported by friends, families and mascots of gleeful cheer. Prior to the race, I shook hands with a runner at the start line, an old boy of sort who had travelled down from Brighton and we were graced with the musical presence of Fatboy Slim aka Norman Cook to `praise us like he should` or better still chant `you`ve got a long way baby`. Micheal Parkinson, who lives in the area was also there at the start to kick or `shoe` off the proceedings as he has a special running squad who were racing for his particular charity. So there was a flavoursome mix of celebrities and mortal runners all eager to set off.

This was the 28th Windsor half marathon and with a healthy ( one hopes ) number of participants always exceeding the 5000 mark, this is a very popular race due to location, proximity to London and the infamous finish where you do really feel like you`ll be joining maam for afternoon tea. The 1pm start is an annoyance to some ( especially as last year was a typical September Indian summer day causing many runners to pull out due to heat stroke ) but there are some advantages. One can afford to have a later night to bed the evening before if desire commands it and there is no dreaded morning rush. A leisurely perhaps even a large breakfast can be consumed and digested in good time hopefully resulting in less cramp or pre race indigestion. Facilties wise, there were plenty of marquees including massage tents, running shop vendors, fast food vans and bouncy castles to keep the young guns entertained. There was also no issues in storing bags and personal belongings which was quick and painless. The area takes up a majority of the park known as `The Gallop` which is nested between the long walk and Queen Anns ride, think one vast clearing in the centre of it all. This enabled plenty of walking space and there was ample room to meander around in and out of all the various establishments until such time as the need for the dreaded portaloo which always gets to `cosy` the nearer one gets to start time.

The route itself is scenic, starting with a gentle jog ( you have no choice due to the sheer amount of runners at the start ) with an incline towards the majestic copper horse and a left turn toward Bishops gate, passing the royal lodge which was once official residence for the Queen mother and now to Prince Andrew. From there, a swift glide takes the particpant on a loop around the back of `Snow hill` and to a rather steep incline to the copper horse once again. Here, you are barely halfway, although the encouragement from spectators partcularly at this stage is amazing and injects a much needed lift of spirits to tackle the second half. The prior route is taken for a while until around mile 7 whereby a detour is taken toward `Cumberland gate` passing the silent but proud white edifice that is the royal polo ground. A nice run downhill from here is a welcome retreat whereby the border of the park rests on the fringes of Virginia water. The loop back to toward the copper horse is a mixture of slight undulations and teasing hills, the water stations offer a comforting diversion. What makes this race special though is the finish. A spectacular view of the castle in all its glory awaits and the one mile downhill run toward it. It`s almost like a never ending runway with a speck of a finish line in the distance which never seems to arrive. Due to the long walk being fairly minimal in width this creates a certain closeness to the cheering spectators on either side resulting in a unique atmosphere. The pain is there but is certainly retracted somewhat and is a great distraction for the running minds and their depleting energy levels.

So time to gather my trumpet and blow. How did I do? Well, last year was my first Windsor half marathon which I completed in 2 hours 4 minutes and in rather searing heat. Since then, I`ve completed three further races elsewhere including one abroad and have noticed an improvement in my times. I started off well this year, almost to well. I did feel I was slightly flagging during the second lap and practically walked up the last hill before the finish. Telling myself that I hadn`t beaten my PB ( 1 hour 55 mins) and that it would be good to just to finish, I was rather pleased to see 1hr 46 mins in all its digital might perched above the finishing line. My chip time was 1 hour 45 mins, a new personal best, thank you very much!

So apart from that last painful mile, I`d recommend any one to take part in the Windsor running experience, after all , it is my local and I`ll always feel at home taking part in the royal run. So will I be doing it again next year? Just try and stop me...