Running beer-foot.

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

I have been inspired recently by the running of my favourite race (sadly sans MLC Man), but I feel a grim determination growing in my beer gut. The annual Point to Pinnacle race here in Hobart is held each November, and is a very nearly half-marathon from sea level to the summit of Mount Wellington (1270 meters) with no downhill sections. With added publicity, it is beginning to attract larger numbers (1200 runners and walkers this year), and if I only ever ran one major race, this would be it.

So, dodgy knees or not, I feel the need to run this race. Having now moved house to the side of a very steep hill, I am at least getting plenty of general fitness walking to and from work (8 km round trip) but running is still a painful
assault on the bones and cartilage, which my doctor cheerfully asserts will never get better. However, "soft surface" running may be acceptable... and as there's not much sand or grass here on my hill, I am considering the possibility of a treadmill. Not sure if that constitutes a "soft" surface, but at least it's not concrete or bitumen.

Oddly, it's not pain that bothers me nearly as much as the weird, freaky noise that the cartilage makes after a run. It goes all crinkly and sounds and feels like my knee is suddenly full of cellophane, and can be easily heard in a reasonably quiet room. Young children start backing away nervously and calls are made to the Men In Black department. My doctor just smiles and says "ah yes, that knee will need replacing in a few years".

Well sod it, maybe I can get a half marathon out of it before it's supplanted by a titanium hinge...?

In the meantime, beer helps enormously. Very therapeutic stuff, and as I said before, the harsh drink/driving laws ensure that I get plenty of walking done. You are all very welcome to call in for a few next time you pop over for an Aussie marathon.

Dipping into runningcommentary.net always lifts the running spirits too, even if I seldom have any running news to contribute these days. Just hanging on for an Andy sub-5 hour marathon keeps me on edge too. A bit like waiting for England to win back the ashes... one day you're thinking it's never going to happen, and then *bang*, Freddie, Skunk (Kevin Pietersen) and co prove you wrong, so all things are possible, clearly.

New Zealand scoring 332 to beat us in the second last over of the final match of the one day series also proved that the impossible is possible. Over 660 runs in one day of cricket! Even Seafront Plodder would have found that game scintillating, I'm sure. (Though he would never admit to it of course! )

Tomorrow I'm off to scare myself looking at treadmills.

On on!