A script straight out of Hollywood as McIlroy wins

Sport creates scripts that Hollywood would struggle to get signed off.Glory, heartbreak, tension, bravery, failure, brilliance and tears – and that was just on Sunday at the Masters.But even the finest scriptwriters would marvel at the story of Rory McIlroy as he finally realised golfing immortality at Augusta this weekend. The final scene of his motion picture came after 14 years of incredible scenes.The much-loved Irishman has been chasing that elusive final Major for more than a decade and just needed to get his hands on a green jacket to complete the famed quartet. It was being measured up as far back as 2011 when he sauntered into a four-stroke lead as a 21-year-old before he blew up on the final day.A number of near misses elsewhere have plagued the confidence of McIlroy – who has won the USA PGA Championship twice. Last year’s US Open was perhaps one of the most painful as he bogeyed three of the last four holes to gift the crown to Bryson DeChambeau.And it seemed like it was all going to go, oh so horribly wrong on the last 18 holes as he opened his final round with a double bogey.You could cut the tension with a knife as the demons appeared to be circling around one of the greatest golfers and British sportspeople of all time. The crowd were desperately trying their utmost to drag him across the line. A chip into the water on the 13th and a missed putt on the 18th, coupled with countryman Justin Rose’s phenomenal round, done for his hopes temporarily. It took the pair to a play-off. It was heartstopping stuff. How either could swing a club, let alone find a green – and then the cup – is remarkable given the avalanche of pressure that were on both of their shoulders.Throw in the fact that Rose has been part of his own incredible Masters tale; two runner-up finishes, now three, and a defeat, now two, in the sport’s version of a penalty shootout. His redemption story fell just short and he was more than just a supporting act.The tears of relief and joy quickly poured out of McIlroy while his Ryder Cup team-mate acted with exemplary grace and humility. Perhaps his eyes were less dry when he was alone in the dressing room. Rose will forever be remembered for his part in one of the greatest Masters finales of all time.But the real hero of the piece was the star turn who laps up shouts of “come on Rory!” around the course. The 35-year-old became only the sixth man to complete the Grand Slam and who would bet on him chasing down some of golf’s other greats now he’s finally got the Masters monkey off his back?What a player. What a person. And what an incredible story with more chapters yet to come. Maranoia is a running-related term you maybe haven’t heard of.It refers to the pre-marathon anxiety and paranoia felt by runners during the taper period ahead of completing a 26.2-mile race.This spell of time refers to the gradual decrease in training load and intensity to allow the body to recover from gruelling training in order to get ready for the big race.During the taper, many runners will start to second guess whether they are ready, ponder if they have done enough in the build-up to the marathon and become extremely worried about getting ill. But it turns out that ‘maranoia’ applies to other endurance events as well – including 10k races.So if, like me, you’ve been training fairly religiously for the GEAR race on Sunday May 2, I have plenty of sympathy for you if you’re starting to feel mentally concerned about your own big day.My partner has come down with a throat problem and I would take it to my grave that I have been suffering some similar symptoms.But they appear to have not wiped me out in the same way and I’m starting to wonder if I suffered with my own version of maranoia. There’s not really a lot that can be done now to be race ready, other than tuning up and staying injury and illness free.And I guess the thought of months of training going up in smoke through getting the lurgy is doing me no favours at all.So if you spot me wearing full PPE anytime soon, at least you’ll know why!Like many people who grew up in the 1990s, I absolutely loved Gladiators. Wolf, Rhino, Warrior, Jet, Lightning and referee John Anderson were a staple of my Saturday nights before my mum, dad and twin sister and I headed off to watch the King’s Lynn Stars.We watched it live at the NEC in Birmingham and am certain that a foam finger from that trip still exists – or perhaps it’s lost. Another one bites the dust!Naturally, I was exceptionally sceptical about the TV show’s reboot as we enter the era of reunions aplenty. But it turns out it’s actually fairly decent.It helps that my two boys, almost four and eight, love it and we’re enjoying the modern world of catch-up allowing us to watch it whenever we want (usually Sunday mornings). What’s exciting for me is seeing the first real flickerings of excitement about sporting action, albeit entertainment, flashing across their eyes. I only hope that this part of life provides them the memories, friendships, challenges and career that it has for me as I edge closer to 40.The final was a great occasion and we were all delighted to see ‘Joe F'(ishburn) and Amanda (Wah) triumph in the showcase.Disappointment was incredibly evident when my oldest realised that it was over for another year. At least he didn’t cry like I did at the end of the 1994 Winter Olympics.Who knows if they’ll still be into the now-BBC programme when it returns next year? But they’ve learned plenty already from this series about the dedication that’s needed to become a competitor or Gladiator – a key lesson for all youngsters as they grow up.