THE PAST IS ANOTHER COUNTRY, BUT I'M DREAMING OF REVISITING

Hitherto, there have been two stages in my running life: the period when I was 14 to 17 years old, and then the return to running from my mid-thirties to the present day. Now comes the third stage of my running life.

- PAUL TONKINSON

Teen Tonks was an extremist, doing more than 80 kays a week, and double sessions. The times I achieved then shine like distant diamonds. But I have a tendency to judge present efforts against those achievements and imagine a world where I could get close again. Of course, this is madness. The past is another country; and in all aspects but running, I prefer this one.

Then came the second coming, peaking with my sub-three marathon. It was a joyous episode in my running life. The gentle ascension to the foothills of hard training, momentum slowly building. It was exhilarating to run hard, join a club and push myself. Post-sub-three, my body kicked back a bit. Then came Covid, weight gain, injuries, and a what-am-doing period.