DAYS 11 AND 12 - 1-2 JUNE 2013

This is my friend Natalie, my new running partner.

 Natalie started cycling, walking and running about a year ago, but lost a bit of motivation when her daughter got bored with going out with her. She figures that as I've committed to this lunacy, then it will give her the motivation to start up again.

So I've sacked Dean, aka Mr Demotivator.

Natalie is a lot fitter than me, which isn't hard seeing a sloth is fitter than me, but she was very kind and stayed at my pace. We were doing so well, that after we finished the days course, we turned around and
                                                      did it again!

I'm feeling like this could actually be possible. OK a serious runner lapped us twice, but then again we managed to overtake a young boy who was walking backwards, so hey, we weren't the slowest people out this morning, and hey, dont forget we did the course twice...4.6 miles to be precise.

 And I'm feeeeeling good  !!! (Da dum...da dum...da dum).

So we planned a 10k walk for the next morning.

 You see I need to know what a 10k feels like, even if I just start by walking it. I've promised that I will try and walk 'fast'. Mr Demotivator planned the course, and him and the girls came along too, with Natalie and her daughter.

Weather great, sunnies on, off we go....fast walking pace...by 200 yards I'm huffing and puffing like a steam engine.

                                                 I don't understand.

 I ran/walked 4.6 miles yesterday and was feeeeling good (da dum..da dum..da dum). Now I'm shattered and we've only just began walking. Dean and Natalie are striding ahead..Rosie is trotting along behind, Chloe and Kelcy are strolling and chatting at their own pace. And then there's me. Gasping for air like a beached whale.
              Legs like lead..
                                     .then it became all so clear.

                                          I've only got little legs.

 I may look quite tall, but my height is in my back. They may be sturdy legs, but they arent very long.

                                          Even Rosie's legs are longer than mine.

 Some peoples legs are said to go right up to their armpits. Mine in comparison only go up to my knees.

                        Therefore I'm having to work twice as hard as everyone else to keep up.

 So when everyone else is doing a 10k run, I will actually be doing a 20k one. So there we go. Makes so much sense now. My disadvantage is not my weight or my arthritis. Its my legs. And there is not much I can do about that except this...leg lengthening operation . Ouch...kind of make your eyes water a bit!

I think I'll stick to working twice as hard as everyone else!