This morning I appear a sad and pathetic creature. My head hurts, my lungs are raw and I just did my slowest ever time at Parkrun. Inevitably, I stink of last night's booze.
I'm with GB who is refusing to sympathise. He's conveniently forgotten what a state he was in on new year's day. He throws himself gleefully in to the water as I gingerly dip my toes in, I reckon the shock could kill me. I'm in, the water feels great but my head disagrees, I try getting hysterical, it doesn't help, getting hysterical never helps. We swim a couple of lengths and laugh about England's exit from the World Cup. We've been rubbish for years, someone has been selling false expectation at inflated prices, they must have made a fortune. Didn't anybody watch the qualifiers?
GB leaves me mumbling to myself on a bench as I ponder whether fried bread could possibly help me in my predicament. I get text from a friend, BBQ this afternoon, better sort myself out.