I have seen the symptoms and dread catching it myself. It isn’t anything fatal or scary, just the tears, the sneezing, short of breath struggle. It isn’t the flu either – “just” hay fever. I dread having it as it looks do debilitating. With just 1 month before spring, and with my body itching to return to a more frequent run schedule, I have been thinking about resuming gym membership. About 2-3 weeks ago I dropped a slip into a bowl strategically placed by Fitness First in a part of The Glen shopping centre with loads of human traffic. Someone called me last Wednesday and I went for a free trial that evening. I enjoyed it so much I was in such a hurry to return home to tell wifey about it. I left without collecting my driver’s license (left with them for identity). So I went again on Thursday night for another free trial and this time they got hold of me. I signed up. I now have a little tag in my key holder with a Fitness First bar-code on it. I have flashed that tag twice so far – once on Saturday morning and once this morning. It’s nice to be pounding a threadmill in relatively warm conditions, in my running shorts and vest, instead of hitting the pavements out in the cold, in my fleece top, track bottom, beanie and gloves. Plus, I catch some news on the tele as well, while running.

All this, over a weekend which was very eventful. But more of that later.