Today

Actually found myself going for a run this morning. Yesterday, out for a walk with my best mates and their 10-year old. I discovered that the best way to stop him whinging was to challenge him to a race. So, for the first time since I fell over the dog in 1999, I ran along the road.

Lovely weather this morning so, at 7.30 I donned shorts and T-shirt and set off at a mixed trot, run and walk. Felt OK as well, although my buttocks ache a bit from yesterday's exertions.

Since I like to go up the lane, whether walking or running, I might just see if I can do it every day.

In My Day

I never was much of a runner - the Dixon family album features a picture of me coming last in a race at sports day with the caption "tis better to have run and lost than never to have run at all..."

Back in the '70s jogging was all the rage, so my best mate, my sister and I decided to get up every morning and jog round the housing estate. We didn't go very fast - we were able to converse, and anyway had to go at the pace of the slowest. I've no idea whether it did us any good, but I guess it was great fun for the neighbours. I do also remember that it was very boring. Endless identical houses are not as interesting as the lanes around here.

With shortish, slim, long-bodied Beverley, tallish, top-heavy, very long-legged me and the spherical Beatrice trotting along the pavements of Willingdon Trees at 6.00, there can't have been any better entertainment in town.

It just remains to be seen whether I've the will power to keep this up for more than a day or two.