NOT seen Lee Merrien pounding the roads lately?

You would be right if you thought so.

The reason has nothing to do with injury or a sudden lack of impetus on his part, simply that he is away demonstrating the level of commitment to his sport that most of us could barely imagine, let alone follow.

He has kissed goodbye to his wife and young son and the island’s best ever distance runner is in the middle of a five-week spell away, training at altitude as he prepares to slog himself over 26.1 miles of Barcelona tarmac, most probably in temperatures which would have us heading for the nearest roadside bar in search of shade and a cold beer.

In the month he represents Great Britain at the European Championship Marathon it is a prudent time to consider the remarkable transition the 30-year-old has made from promising runner being blown away by Jersey’s Ian Carter in the 1,500m final at the 2001 Island Games in the Isle of Man, to this virtual full-time full international mixing it with the Kenyans and Ethiopians and other world distance stars.

This is a sportsman who has made the most of his ability, steadfastly overcoming all the hurdles required to reach the top.

Perhaps not as naturally gifted as some, he has focused fully on where he wants to go and that could well be the London Olympics in 2012.

Along with Heather Watson and perhaps second to the young tennis star, Lee is perhaps our best hope of representation at the next Olympics and he sets an example to all budding young Sarnians.