Reasons Why

It is time that I examined why I entered for the Bath Half Marathon.

At first I was inclined to blame a list of others who had influenced me in different ways. But after a little thought I am now sure it was due entirely to my own best traits:-

1. Showing Off - a surprise bombshell for friends and relatives
2. Obstinacy - fighting back against the inexorable march of time
3. Wilfulness - deliberately doing something foolish and difficult
4. Auction Fever - bidding to get a place in the race
5. Controlling - a project over which I can have full control and am not dependent on others

Showing Off - There is much fun and satisfaction to be got out of a surprise. To step out from behind the stereotype. The gratifying reaction of friends. To have a new subject for conversation.

Or a blog.

Obstinacy - In retirement my intended regime was to include regular daily exercise of the mind and body to do battle against the decay wrought by time. In practice this has not worked out as planned. Wet days provide an excuse not to walk to the shops or work in the garden. Power tools take much of the effort out of gardening. Contrariwise the sunny summer has discouraged my project to learn PHP, MySQL and JavaScript and I have not got beyond Chapter 1. Also, I want to challenge my own settled habits and prejudices. My view that heavy exercise causes injury and is bad for you. My distaste for jogging in all weathers, and scorn of those who puff their way along slowly and agonisingly in the midday sun.

Now I shall discover for myself.

Wilfulness - My father had a joke that ran: "Go and find out what the children are doing, and tell them to stop." I loved his dry deadpan style. My mother, who claimed not to understand his jokes, said that I was a well behaved child. Or so she thought. 11th commandment - don’t get found out.

That was then this is now - time for me to join Peter Pan’s Pensioners.

Auction Fever - It was the Bath Chronicle that made me aware that entries for the 30th Half Marathon were about to become available. Affectionately known by locals as "The Chronic" the weekly local paper was promoting the Bath Half, encouraging readers to enter. I knew anecdotally that the race was usually sold out almost as soon as tickets were available and I had little or no chance.

Well, you know what it is like bidding against a deadline online.

Controlling - For the last 10 years of my working life I had to influence, cajole and pursued others to do things they and their managers were reluctant to do but which were necessary to enable me to do the tasks and meet the targets imposed upon me. In each of the 3 teams that I served during that period we won awards for what we did - even when we got no bonus. So we must have got something right.

Anyway, the point is that my Bath Half project depends solely on me. I set my own programme of training, my own milestones and targets to achieve. I do not have to do cold calling, organise meetings and presentations, cajole sceptical team leaders, chivvy their overworked team members, demonstrate and teach clunky software to reluctant users, prepare and analyse customer questionnaires, set up and run a help desk, or endure interminable, repetitive, irrelevant discussions without screaming.

Success or failure is mine alone. There are no excuses.