The march of time is catching up with me

LIKE a hibernating bear I got heavy, slow and lazy over the course of the winter. I ate and drank too much, and there were too many days when I found other things to do rather than lacing up my running shoes and getting out on the tracks and trails.

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Now, in this magnificent early spring of bright sunny mornings and fresh sea breezes, I am paying the price for a long winter of indolence.

It is a smidgeon over 25 years since I last ran the London Marathon, and as always watching this year’s model on TV the other day made me wonder if I should get out there and give it a go again.

But these days the chances of a bog-standard club runner with no huge sponsorship pledges behind them getting a place on the entry list are remote, and in any case my marathon days may be done and dusted.

At the weekend I tried one of the old training routes I used to run through the winter of 1999-2000 in preparation for that year’s London. Before starting a late shift at work I would head out from Paignton to Windy Corner, then go out through the lanes and paths to Churston Cove.