Reasons for running are as clear as mud

As gyms the length and breadth of the country strain under the pressure of the reissuing of memberships that have lain dormant for the past 11 months, the Diary brings news of Gavin Wheeler, managing director of Richmond-based marketing services agency WDMP, who participated in the Grim8 race.

The race basically involved running through ponds and bogs for eight miles, and Wheeler finished 201st, 30 places behind fellow WDMP director Peter Hollins.

Wheeler says “The best moment was seeing the guy in front of me falling head first into a pond, enabling me to sprint past him to take his place.

“The low point came towards the end when I was overtaken by Elvis.” Wheeler, sadly, goes on to claim that Elvis was cheating as he was riding on Shergar, and was receiving special instructions from Lord Lucan.