5am boot camp

My life has turned upside down...

Always a night owl, working until 1 or 2am, I am transformed. My alarm goes off at 4.55am and I am out of bed, into my running gear. As the Muezzin in the mosque across the road starts his call to prayer, I am ready for fitness boot camp.

I have never been one for crunches, squats and press-ups and couldn't touch my toes at the age of 5, let alone 55. So this has been quite an experience for me. Around 10 boys, 10 girls, coach Susan and I start with a run in the half light - either round the school perimeter, up and down some flights of external stairs, or a few lengths of the basketball court. Then onto various semi-painful exercises and stretches.

My only previous experience of such things was a ruthlessly competitive circuit class at a local gym back in the UK - this is much more enjoyable and friendly, with my running buddy Unathi who is half my size, but has the biggest smile to make up for it.