Spag bol won’t get you pasta finishing line

LEARN WITH KEV:

At this time of year running along a street is almost as popular as running up debts and you know how much we enjoy doing that.
For months people have been in training for the Great Manchester Run and I’d like to say well done to anyone who completed it yesterday, especially if you didn’t stop after 15 minutes and say, “Why did I sign up for this? Hardly anyone has sponsored me anyway.”

In the early days of training it’s likely you saw them looking sweaty and bothered, stumbling along as if they were always going up hill. In recent weeks, though, they’ve been striding ahead, imagining they might beat those Kenyans if they have a good start.

Running is similar to walking but for most people it’s significantly faster. Others, not so much. The thighs and calves power the legs as the arms and shoulders propel the upper body forward. Attire should be comfortable yet sporty so limbs are free to express themselves. Make sure you’re hydrated and that you’ve had some energy food but I wouldn’t recommend spaghetti bolognaise before you set off.

I tend to begin with a light jog before moving into a trot and then I sprint for about 10 seconds every time someone I know drives past. Watch out for dogs, their business and lampposts and should you get a stitch, announce it dramatically to anyone who’ll listen before vowing to battle on.

Male chauvinists baulk at the fact that women generally run as if they’re holding a handbag on one side while using the traditional horizontal swinging arm technique on the other. Ok, so there might not be the well balanced athleticism of many a male runner but the stamina they display in the jaw region is impressive to say the least.

Even up steep hills, they’re able to continue talking at full throttle about Susan who lives down the road and that window fitter. Well, he says he’s a window fitter anyway.

Men on the other hand prefer to run on their own, pushing themselves to their physical limits. It’s a battle of wills between body and mind. You’re head tells you you’ve got to keep going and your body really minds.

Wherever you’ve been running there’s nothing quite like seeing the home straight. At a big event like the Great Manchester Run you get a bag of goodies as the finish line which makes you feel pretty special. When arriving home after a normal run it’s likely the reception will be a little more subdued. You can wrap yourself in tinfoil from the kitchen drawer but it really isn’t the same.


Next week: The Art of Letter Writing.