has become integral to how we define the success or
failure of our lives. Of course, you’re right, it’s really
just another run, but we just can’t see that at the time.
And it doesn’t mean that we value our 10K PB over our
friendships or relationships. And yes, we are sorry.
hen there are the times when we are there,
but not really there. The weekend afternoons
when we stumble back from our long run, only to
enter a vegetative state in the armchair. We realise
that you may have been hoping for some effervescent
company, or a tornado of enthusiastic energy laying waste to
the domestic to-do list, maybe even an amorous glint in the eye.
Instead, you get to share the rest of the day with a heavily sedated
turnip. Later, we’ll rouse from the stupor to decimate all edible matter
in the house and then, as the evening arrives laden with new promise,
fall asleep in the bath. Again.
At least we had fun last night. Except for those times when we’ll admit
that maybe we didn’t have quite as much fun as we could have
had if there hadn’t been an early morning run in the diary.
So, apologies, too, for the early party exits and missed post-
dinner nightcaps that fall victim to our dawn runs. We’ll
acknowledge now that no matter how much exchanging
Strava kudos may have spiced up our social lives, our
running probably hasn’t done much for yours.
Also, an apology to any of those in our wider social circle
who have had their evenings lit up by our quaffing of beetroot
juice and dizzying conversational spins through the transfixing
subjects of VO 2 max and vertical oscillation.
And just when you thought you were getting away from it
all, let’s not forget the runners’ sleight of hand that turns
a weekend break into a destination race trip; or the
sneaky squeezing of running kit into suitcases to add
early morning beach runs to the holiday itinerary.
Home or away, we just can’t help seeing any outing as
an opportunity to log a few miles. I’ve got plenty of previous
here. Like the time I ‘watched’ my son playing cricket while also using the
markings of some adjoining football pitches to frame an angular interval
060 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK SEPTEMBER 2019