Having sat on a sofa for the last twenty years I have actually played two games of badminton one afternoon when bullied by some friends. And this week Cathy and I have together accomplished Week One of the NHS "Couch to 5k" programme.
Have you come across it? We think it's brilliant: thirteen podcasts, and some great encouragement to accompany music that we are choosing to regard as catchy instead of cheesy. Of course, we have only done the three runs of the first week so far; but we have done it without a call to 999 or an oxygen infusion. (We are concerned, though, that we may be the ones responsible for the Japanese earth tremors this week.)
Anyway, we are doing the programme together, to the mild surprise of the kids, and convincing ourselves that we don't look ridiculous. (I only have bright blue swim shorts to run in at present as my pairs of Crew and Eddie Bauer canvas shorts are too heavy!)
The best bit, of course, are the rest days in between. I really look forward to those.
But Cathy tells me I'm becoming a bit of a bore now I've found out I'd have to run for over an hour to lose the calories from the Twix I ate the other day. At least I was able to put a pair of work trousers on the other day without cutting off the blood supply to my most precious parts.
So, cheer us on: and hope you won't recognise me when you see us next!
