It has been an uphill battle, a series of unfortunate events, a fight for the finish line.
This blog is based on a true story.
Today was a landmark day for me. And my dog.
My fight for fitness has been more than a little fraught, leaving behind me a wake of littered bodies along with several bits of me...
After a false start 4 years ago, whence my failed attempt at running a 10K ended in hospital, I am now nearing my goal. Others, who have tried to help, have failed.
Take, as an example, my first running mate Paul, he of triathlon and Iron Man fame. Once he saw my fleetness of foot, easily outpacing all molluscs, he gave up, stating various excuses such as having to be at the side of his wife whilst in hospital and having major knee surgery himself. Poor excuses indeed.
And then Geoff. After his first attempt to keep alongside me, his gastrocnemius gave way. (His version of the story would have you believe this happened on the ski slopes, hah!)
Then fate itself tried to intervene. On finishing my first 8 kilometre jog but two days ago, my feet ended up soaked in blood. Details have fortunately been redacted, suffice to say that one of my secondary sexual organs had a slight relapse. I now look forward to a camera being thrust somewhere where the sun never shines. No, not my bottom....
Leaving hospital, we travelled to the Pyrénées, via several toilet stops...
picking up Luke and Marta on the way.
Yesterday was a day of recovery, involving sliding down slopes rather than jogging up them.
Leading to today.
It was to start with a gentle jog up the mountain. Luke was to be my latest victim, but he suddenly discovered that remaining in bed was preferable to assaulting the mountains. There was only one to turn to. My trusty dawg, Sky.
When I say 'trusty' I mean that she can be trusted to eat anything. Alive or dead, moving or still. Anything. She is the very definition of a black hole. Forget global warming, our planet is gradually disappearing into Sky's gob.
Thus we set off. My jog was interrupted by the occasional poop stop (for Sky) and pee stop (for me). After jogging about 2K horizontally and what felt like 10K vertically, Sky came hopping past me.
Passing me was quite understandable, but the hopping bit struck me as odd. Last time I looked, she was not of the rabbit persuasion. I stopped to give her a cursory glance (what us medical types call a full examination). This is one of those cases that jumps out and grabs you by the throat. 10 seconds to diagnose had to be spread over 20 minutes in the consultation room back in the day. Not necessary now, isolated in the middle of the thrusting mountain peaks. Her anterior cruciate had gone or, more technically, her knee was buggered.
Another had fell by the wayside.
The return home was kept to Sky's new hobbling three legged rate (a fast jog for me). Once settled in, I set off once more for the mountain tops, completing my first ever 10K. Yay for me!
Well, we've now returned from another day on the slopes with the usual amazing views...
of the inside of a cloud...
Celebrations were somewhat reduced by Sky's debility...
Good night all...
Oh yes, thank you all for your amazing donations. Two weeks to go and already over one thousand dollars. I am humbled.
If any more wish to help save the planet, click
here...
THANK YOU!!!
