Run Number Two at the Greek Hovel

As I detailed yesterday this was also pretty much run number two of the past two years. My joints felt a little stiff this morning and so I waited until the early evening before setting off.

It was the same route as before. I guess it is about a mile from the hove down to the spring. I ran that happily enough and had a breather at the bottom. It is heading back up the hill I have problems with. This time I managed 200 yards up before the slope got the better of me.

That is about twice as far as yesterday. I walked the next 500 yards of steep slope and then ran the rest – a gentle rise back to the hovel where I bumped into my gardeners and the shepherd.

I sense that he is not a jogging man although he is clearly fitter than me notwithstanding the fact that he is 95.He seemed rather surprised to see a sweaty topless me arrive at the brow of the hill and spoke to me in Greek knowing full well that I do not understand a word he says.

I patted my still too large - but getting smaler -  tummy and made a running motion with my arms. “catalaveno”. He understands.

A quick shower and then off to the tavern for a salad I could not finish. On standing up I really did feel very stiff indeed. But I am not giving in. Tomorrow will be the same route and this time it will be 300 yards running up the steep bit and only 400 yards walking.

By the end of this summer I want to be as fit as your average 95 year old local resident. I do not regard that as too ambitious do you?