I signed up for a half marathon a few days ago, with three weeks left for preparation. Objective: to stay within ten minutes of the time I ran three and a half years ago (1.16,35). I was in OK shape then, but this course is less hilly, so the goal sounds realistic. 1.26,35. I've run a whole marathon at that pace without much special training. But fact is I am in worse shape now than ever in the past 15 years. Sad.

The life of the heart shouldn't be going downhill at 31 years of age. I mean it in two radically different senses (which for me, however, have been practically interchangeable). To remember the heart beating only once in two seconds, like a big organic bass drum...

BOOM! ............................... BOOM! .................................. BOOM! ................................. BOOM!

(I really don't know how to convey the real heart sound in written English - BOO-BOOM?)

A unique feeling. My resting heart rate, 45 at age 14, reached the all-time low of 31 (dear friends, don't try that at home) in July 1998, when I was 24 and running new personal bests in middle distance races. It must be back in the neighbourhood of 45 by now. 21:33