; that was 1000 of us who not only faced the challenge of the actual distance, but also the paralysis of self-doubt. That’s 1000 people who needed to know they had a cushion – a safety net of time. And I needed it more than most.All around me others were filled

at the same time.Why? Testosterone? Fear of ageing? Mindless machismo? Nope. It’s just great to annihilate someone who challenges you. And it’s just as much fun in a running event as it is behind the wheel of a car.Okay, I admit it – I’m a closet competitor

just minutes before the gun sounded, he seemed distant, alone and focused. There was little about him that suggested what lay ahead. Nothing distinguished him. This unlikely hero blended in with the other runners waiting to take on the challenge

just minutes before the gun sounded, he seemed distant, alone and focused. There was little about him that suggested what lay ahead. Nothing distinguished him. This unlikely hero blended in with the other runners waiting to take on the challenge

at the same time.Why? Testosterone? Fear of ageing? Mindless machismo? Nope. It’s just great to annihilate someone who challenges you. And it’s just as much fun in a running event as it is behind the wheel of a car.Okay, I admit it – I’m a closet competitor

flight to the tip of South America, and then 11 days on a ship – four of them sailing the roughest seas on the planet.Eager for a new challenge, I spent months training in cold, snowy conditions and experimenting with clothes, kit and shoes. I even

This section is adapted from No Need For Speed - A Beginner's Guide To The Joy Of Running, by John Bingham. Buy this book!Many adult-onset athletes believe that living an active lifestyle would be easier if they could trade the body they have

Extract from No Need For Speed by John Bingham (Rodale International Limited, £8.99). To order direct from Runner's World for the special price of £7.99 (inc P&P), call 0800 731 0622 and quote 55174-0.Those who know me well know that I enjoy