It was a uphill run, but my woodland jog-without-a-dog was just about sufficient. I confidently left the blocks remembering that 400 meters was th eoptimum distanc efor a young and fit Pat...

Note to self: bring Femke Bol.

Unfortunately the years and excess weight caught up with me in the back straight, But luckily the security man was a fellow fat boy and he lifted the rope separating the picnics allowed area from the stage and I staggered under rather than through the official gap.