THANK heavens I wasn't running this weekend. As I write this, I feel like Babyshambles' Pete Docherty after a hard night's partying and sound like Jade Goodey's mum!

I've got a doctor's appointment later this afternoon.

It could be flu - although I had a flu jab six weeks ago, it is more likely a chest infection, so I'm hoping to grab some antibiotics to be fit for this weekend's half marathon in York.

This past weekend was one of two in the whole calendar when I would not be running - the other is the Race for Life event in Southampton this summer, which is ladies' only and where I will be following a runner whose life has been touched by cancer, for that is what the event is all about.

The other race was this past weekend's Stubbington 10km race.

My mate and training partner Gary is the race director, and for the past 12 months I've tried to be the sounding board and gopher as he has pulled together the various elements of the race.

To be fair, when he took over the running of this prestigious event in January last year, it was an organisational nightmare.

Sure the race worked, but God knows how. Even the finances were written on the back of a fag packet, and the actual organisation was threadbare.

Gary had to start from scratch, and it has been an unbelieveable 12 months putting this race together.

I've attended meetings on his behalf, written copious letters, written and designed leaflets and brochures, and spent several Tuesday evenings at his Southampton home surrounded by oddments of paper trying to put together a race that worked. It's been fun and it has been an education.

The fact that it came together on Sunday with a race entry just short of a record 1,100 runners, is nothing short of miracle, but a credit to Gary's organisation. He pulled it off and did brilliantly.

There was no way I could run the race, I knew that Gary would need a hand on the day, and he was keen that I was stationed at the most critical pinch point on the course - a sharp right turn across a main road in Lee-on-the-Solent.

The day went well. The sun was out, the sky was blue, there was barely a breath of wind, it was a glorious winter's day and perfect running weather.

Another reason I didn't run is that I wanted to write something from an organiser's perspective having been so closely involved. There are tens of thousands of people who act as volunteers in their sport. They don't necessarily participate, but without them, you wouldn't have your sport.

I got to the race start at 7.30am to help set-up and within an hour Crofton Community Centre in Stubbington was buzzing with runners.

The main road around Stubbington was sealed off, the start and finishing scaffolding towers built, police came in and briefed everyone, tables were set up, banners erected, everything was put in place for the start.

At my marshalling point with three other helpers, and two policemen to stop the traffic, everything went smoothly.

In fact the main disappointment from the race was reports that one runner had endured a close encounter with a car which had got too close and suffered minor grazing. This was in full sight of police and marshalls, and yet you cannot account for this. It was regretable, and is just annoying that motorist despite ample signage and notice about the race, are so impatient and dangerous.

The guy didn't need hospital treatment and walked home.

That apart, the race went pretty well. It was won by Alton's Toby Lambert and looking on the Runner's World website, the feedback has been pretty encouraging.

I would have loved to have fun, but I wasn't feeling great on Sunday, and now I'm feeling worse. Let's hope I can grab some anti-biotics to sort this little winter nasty out.