Dan Robinson has admitted defeat in his dream of making a comeback to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The two-time Olympic marathon runner from Nailsworth admitted that not only had time run out but also his desire wasn't there to do the training necessary to get back into the sort of shape to be a realistic contender.
So Robinson, who is a member of Stroud and District AC, won't be running the Virgin London Marathon, which is effectively the trials race for the Commonwealths, two weeks on Sunday.
"I got into good shape before Christmas and had some really good sessions with Tom Curr and Tom Purnell when they were home from America (where they are both students)," said Robinson.
"But then I came down with a bad cold, fell out of the routine and just couldn't get back into it.
"Also all the bad weather in January and February didn't help. I guess I have become a fair weather runner now so maybe that is telling me something!"
Robinson knows only too well the amount of hard work needed to succeed at the marathon. He spent thousands of hours pounding the roads to become one of the best marathon runners in the country and fulfil the rare honour of competing in all the major championships.
But it is the Commonwealths that will always have a special place for the 39-year-old as it was eight years ago in Melbourne that he won a magnificent bronze medal.
That memory was one reason that prompted Robinson's comeback and when he clocked an encouraging 71 minutes in Stroud off virtually no training then he really felt he had a chance of returning to the big-time.
But Stroud proved to be a high point and Robinson was unable to push on and produce the performances he wanted.
"It is a shame as I was getting fit, but no worries," added Robinson.
"You really have to want it and be single-minded so maybe it is time I tried to do something different like mountain running or something, but marathon was always what I was best at.
"I will keep on running and help out the club at events like the Welsh Castles and the Cotswold Relay and see how my motivation goes."
Robinson had effectively quit top-flight running after the 2011 Brighton Marathon in which he finished fourth in 2:19.11.
First there were the demands of helping his wife Jess look after three young children plus a degree of almost 'burn-out' after seven hard years of marathon running, which included the Athens and Beijing Olympic Games, wining a bronze in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, selection for two World Championships in 2005 and 2007 and also the 2006 European Championships.
Robinson was also twice British champion and boasted a personal best of two hours, 12 minutes, 13 seconds which is still good enough to put him in the top 50 of the UK all-time lists.
