The End Of The Year Is Nigh!



Welsh Vest Oct' 2007



Most people, especially athletes tend to get nostalgic at this time of the year (including me!) taking stock of their season highs and lows, their injuries, wins, losses and........most importantly, the best cafe! Yep, if you hadn't already noticed, runners are cake addicts. Whether it be Anna Frost friend and well known endurance runner, Andy Walling, friend, coach, mentor and physiotherapist or any one of the Sunday gang as we call ourselves. Every one of our runs seems to revolve around the cafe that we will visit at the end of it. After all, what's the point of all that effort if we can't reward ourselves with copious calories manifesting themselves in lemon drizzle cake or chocolate cake or short breads or, or or...yes I am getting a little excited. 

Whether or not the run is a short 5 miler, or a prep run for a marathon, the knowledge that a cafe will be waiting at the end always makes the effort that you have put in all the more worthwhile. The fact that you have spent two or three or even four hours out on the hills using up 2-3000 calories only to eat the same on return is somewhat academic. The fact of the matter is, that providing that you do in fact exercise, you can (within reason) eat whatever you want. I hear all the time the excuses from overweight and or obese people that they cannot help the way that they are, or they have an inherent health problem....the truth of the matter is...if you want to eat what you want, then you need to offset it with exercise. I know that some of you may be saying, 'what does she know?'.....well the truth is that indeed  I do!.....I've been there......it wasn't too long ago that I was, lets say larger than I am now but with dedication, determination and a great deal of physical effort I was rewarded with the honour of running for my country. This is not a lecture, it is merely an observation. I love to run but I also love the cafe at the end of my runs. I only wish that I could go to the cafe everyday, but that just wouldn't be right.....would it?