-one-one lessons, and swam by myself three times a week and got up to doing 100 lengths,” he says.So far so good – now he needed to test himself. At the end of May, Ratbag entered the Blenheim Triathlon, his first open-water event.“I put my face in the water and I

went off with a faint pop and for a second my heart stopped... and then I swam. Before I knew it I was cruising, and since I'd never done the distance in open water I was quietly pleased when I saw my time. On the bike, it was lovely to hear people

weight loss 54.5 lbs, ran 10 miles last Sunday and also completed a 32 mile bike ride. On Friday 26th May I completed a race; it was a spur of the moment decision and I entered online after finding the event on the Runner's World website… It was good

-minute mile. I think it's silly. I agree with Wilkie though - runners put more into it and take it more seriously. It's like those annoying people who go swimming in training lanes, and do a bobbing breastroke with their heads about the water so

am stuck between 10- and 11-minute miling. I've been running for about four weeks since stopping smoking (20-30 a day). I feel and look old as I trundle the streets. When will I start looking like a proper runner? – Hard Boiled 'eggartyFour weeks