A Walk in the Park

In a somewhat delayed attempt to lose our Christmas pounds, my colleagues and I have decided to take up running on our lunch break. Oh naïve enthusiasm. It was such a good idea in theory.

After successfully executing an elegant and seemingly practised 5 minute warm up, we trotted off along the Thames feeling suitably smug and lifting our chins at passers by as if to say “Yes, you’re right. We are fabulous and successful and always have time to fit an effortless jog into our lunch breaks”.

We set ourselves the goal of running to the end of the path. Really quite achievable. But after about 40 seconds of jogging-smugness, the light-hearted conversation subsided, breathing became more strained and the unnerving experience that is jelly-legs began. The unease was palpable, but we battled on. Until the heavenly, shining moment when one of us turned and said “How about just to the green bin?”

Yes, we may have returned to the office as bootroot-coloured shadows of our former selves, but it was an incredibly valiant effort. And we can only get better. First step green bin, second step end of the path…come Summer we will be svelte, toned and ready for the beach. Or perhaps a well-hidden swimming pool.