Not The Roman XI

Can I manage ‘Not The Roman XI’? Are my knees are up to 12k? There’s only one way to find out I suppose. L reassures me that she'll pick me up as she goes past.

We head to Stratford Upon Avon for the 11am start, which is a long walk from the race HQ. I remember it well from when we were here a few years back.

It’s hillier than I remember. Cough cough wheeze wheeze. I walk several sections, partly as a precaution when my knee/calves come under too much strain but also out of necessity when my lungs are ready to burst. How did I become this unfit?

The upshot is that I cover the 12kms in 1:07:11 at a rate of 5:36 per km and finish 468^th. In 2012, I completed it in 53:21 at 4:27 per km and came 148^th. Compare and contrast. How the 'mighty' have fallen.