With the Thame 10k coming up in a little over a fortnight, I thought it best to go for a quick training run. Besides, isn’t cross-training what it’s all about these days? So, in the best tradition of ensuring that I can do more than I’ll actually be asked to do I ran 11k – and bloody hell! To think that people actually run for fun! It was excruciating. And I was slow.
I understand (and maybe some runners will be able to correct me on this) that a man of my age should be able to run a 10k in less than an hour. I can’t. It took me an hour and eight painful minutes – which doesn’t, it must be admitted, bode well for any other strenuous excursions that I might have planned. Like, say, a bike ride from Newcastle to London.
Safe to say that I’m feeling a little disheartened, and utterly staggered that anyone can enjoy running! I needed a consolatory bacon sandwich just to cheer me up. Speaking of which, a good friend of mine (James) asked me if I intended to alter my diet in the run up to the event. The answer, of course, is no. I enjoy eating far too much, and I have no intention of curtailing that pleasure. I had a medical recently, and I’m all clear on BP, heart rate, cholesterol and so forth – so if it ain’t broke, don’t meddle!