Ice cream

Most men dream about playing for the football side they support, scoring a goal and hearing their fellow fans chant their name. That's why it rankles when you sense those lucky few that do get that chance take it for granted. Or when Ashley Cole describes being offered "just £55k a week" as being "treated like a slave".

I always thought though that the footballers that live the real life of luxury weren't the stars you read about every day, or even the likes of 'Cashley' Cole. No, if I wanted to earn the most amount of money for doing as little as possible, I'd be the reserve goalie. The perennial bench-warmer who knows all they need to do is keep fit during a week to get the best view of the match on a week-end.

But even so, they risk being called upon to play when the 1st choice goalie gets injured or in meaningless cup ties when the manager might want to give you a bit of a run-out. So what could trump being someone like Carlo Cudicini, who as reserve Chelsea goalie 'earned' £40k a week for doing just that? Well how about being a star player... who is injury prone?

Steven Gerrard this week returned to the team after 6 months out, mostly spent resting an injured groin. I won't suggest how a footballer might strain that particular area, but what is known is that, from basic wages alone, he received £140k each week for putting his feet up. Or about £3.5m. Not bad! You'd think he'd be grateful wouldn't you? Of course not. This week he claimed "the last six months have been the hardest of my career."

You know what Steven? I'm struggling to find it in my heart to be sympathetic. You might also suspect that I'm struggling to find much about running to talk about either. And you'd be right.

That's because the last time I updated you all I was carrying what footballers would call a "niggling injury" in my knees. However I don't like to think of myself as a 'fancy Dan' so went out the next day to 'run it off'.

It was a full 50 yards before I realised it might not have been the brightest idea. I persevered and managed to stick it out, in the same stubborn way that I look at a car boot full of shopping as a challenge to see if I can carry all the bags, close the boot, lock the car and open my house in just the one trip.

The next morning as I walked downstairs from my bedroom my knees almost buckled beneath me. I'd exacerbated the pain on the bottom/inside of both my knees and so reluctantly listened to the nurse in the household who recommended rest.

That was 5 days ago and although I could still feel my ligaments behind my knees feeling weak I hoped to go out for a run today. My opportunity inadvertently came when an hour or so ago I heard my cat squeal in pain outside as her bully attacked her*. I quickly put on my trainers and went running after her tormentor but just 50 yards later my knees are as bad now as that morning after the last run, hurting every time I extend them, especially as I go up or down stairs.

You'd think therefore that this week would be a setback in my training. Not so. Because I haven't had to look far for inspiration. It hasn't come from 'inspirational' Steven Gerrard returning to full fitness but from someone as far removed from that as possible.

Every day at 4pm a local ice cream van comes down our street sounding his chime (for kids reading this the chime means he's run out of ice cream). It's been much colder this week and it will get much colder in the weeks ahead but that doesn't stop him. It must be a combination of determination ("those kids are relying on me!") and optimism ("today's the day Keith, you'll find a pregnant woman with an ice cream craving!") that helps him overcome the obstacles, the adversity and worst of all our weather.

So when I am fit enough to get back training again I won't be dreaming about being a footballer, rather worryingly I'll be dreaming about Keith. My hero.

MM

* We now believe she was being attacked in an 'I want to be really good friends with you' way by a male.