Run, Dad, Run

I've stepped up the exercise regime in my pursuit of a body which will not cause embarrasment to Cheesey Weasle, child-to-be of Blogdad-to-be.

Earlier this month I wrote fit for fatherhood to express my bewilderment at an unexpected desire to reduce my mass.

Now I have decided to expose the world to the sight of blogdad emerging from his front door in shorts, a vest and his first adult pair of trainers.

(...and a second, perhaps greater, distress at seeing my return twenty minutes later: red, sweaty and unsteady following a 1.8km stumble/run to the park and back.)

The Wii Fit must share some of the blame/credit for this development having developed my ability to run on the spot while circling a virtual circuit for half an hour (apparently covering 9k in 30 minutes).

The pleasure of this achievement has finally been diminished to vanishing point by the pain of performing this daily feat barefoot on my wooden floor, and resulted in a trip to the unfamiliar surroundings of "the trainer shop".

The learning curve on the path is shockingly steep and today I discovered the folly of setting my iPod Touch songs to shuffle after the momentum raised by Alien Ant Farm's Smooth Criminal collapsed when followed by Beatles' ballad In My Life.

All this likely seems obvious to the most casual athlete but given I thought exercise went by the names "Games" or "PE" for 39 years, this is all new to me.

So, a "running playlist" beckons. Any suggestions what I should listen to when I'm stepping out?