I am conscious that I have put on a few pounds during the summer, that my blood sugar is too high – though not off the scale as it once was – and that action is needed to lose weight and to get/keep my type 2 diabetes in check. Thus it is time to visit Perry, the stalwart of the local Tory party, who runs a gym half way between Joshua’s nursery, aka the borstal, and our house here in Bristol.
Actually I headed there on Monday before picking up Joshua in the evening and managed 3.5 kilometres in 30 minutes on a 1 gradient. That is in addition to the 1.5 m ile round trip of a walk gto pick Joshua up. Today Joshua is on a half day and he loves the gym because, as I run, kind Perry fixes up a big screen to show Thomas the Tank Engine or Peppa Pig. I am not sure how this goes down with the other clients, a burly bunch of muscle men, but Joshua loves it.
Anyhow, today I managed 3.7 kilometres on the same gradient in half an hour. I see my daughter tonight who will, I am sure, suggest that this is pathetic and that Joshua would do better on the treadmill and that I should watch Peppa. But I reckon for a 50 year old that is not a total disgrace and I am building up steadily – one run every two days, as my 75 year old walking coach Brian Basham advocates.
Do I have any right to be even vaguely pleased with myself?