Heart of the matter by Simon_Doyle

I've had so many false starts trying to get fit, due in part to achilles problems that have blighted me for a number of years. The achilles problem seems to have cleared up and I've been doing my best Stretch Armstrong impression (do you remember him?) for a number of months.

Part motivated by heart problems which affected my dad (he had a heart attack last year, but is much better now) I thought I'd do my best to get fit, and not being much of gym-goer (much prefer the outdoors and playing tennis and football) I decided that I'd get back into the running.

Prompted by the realisation that I'm not getting any younger, I decided to enter the ballot and was lucky enough to land myself a place in the Virgin London Marathon for 2010. Hope my body holds out.