Don’t worry, you haven’t done a Rip Van Winkle and fallen asleep and woken up in December. UJ M2S is still some two months away.

However, in a never-ending bid to keep improving the events we organise, we are pleased to announce that online registration is available from today for December’s UJ M2S (Urban Jungle – Mdina to Spinola). Actually online registration has been available since October 1, but this is the first public announcement.

Now it is not obligatory to register online for M2S. To keep the event as traditional as possible, registration will still be available in the Mdina car-park on the morning of the event. But, there will be a limit of 400 participants.

Last year we had a record entry of 300 runners, so we’re hoping that capping the entries this year at 400 should be a large enough number to accommodate everyone who wants to take part, but you never know.

Distance running in Malta is going through a boom (the recent Ladies 10k race just had a record field of 157). So, trying to estimate how many people will apply is starting to tax the brain. Simply because every good organiser wants to ensure they have enough medals, drinks, officials, marshals, police... you get the point.

We cannot just throw open the doors and accept all-comers, much as we’d like to.

Why register online?

Guaranteed entry – no need to risk getting turned away on race morning because the entries are closed.

You can also book transport online for a minimal €3 per head to get you from Spinola to the start of the race.

This allows you to drive to the finish and leave your car where you want to find it after the race, rather than the hassle of having to coordinate with a buddy to go up to Mdina in one car and then drive back up again after the race in another vehicle to retrieve the first one.

Easy registration at the start-line in Mdina – since you’ve given all your details and paid your fee, you just need to pick up your race number.

Participants can only enter the team event through online registration. No teams are accepted on the day.

What else is new?

For the first time, we will offer team prizes, under the same system as the Malta Marathon.

Baggage transport from the start back to the finish for everyone – again similar to the marathon.

All in all, taking care of those little details that you find in better quality events.

Go to www.maltamarathon.com and register as soon as possible.

Get in the habit

Most of us have heard the adage, “you are what you eat”.

In these days of worldwide obesity, those words gain more credence every day. However, let me offer another alternative, “you are what you repeatedly do!”

The declaration is not mine, but was made by the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, almost 2,500 years ago.

One cannot be afraid of your shadow every day, he would say, yet suddenly become brave should you, or your loved ones, be attacked. Things don’t work that way. Courage, according to Aristotle, is simply a habit.

So are health and exercise. Which gives us all hope, because inside every older person is a younger person.

Research shows we can slow the effect of ageing by 50 per cent if we exercise regularly, so keep up the good work.

I recently wrote of Interval Walking and provided enough details for the first two weeks.

For the next four weeks, assuming you go out walking a total of 3-4 days per week, on two other days per week, do this:

Day 1 – warm up with at least 10 minutes of Easy Pace. Walk for 30 seconds at 80% pace; recover by walking for 30 seconds at Easy Pace. Repeat 10-12 times. Cool down with at least 10-15 minutes of Easy Pace.

Day 2 – warm up with at least 10 minutes of Easy Pace. Walk for 30 seconds at 90% pace; recover by walking for 60 seconds at Easy Pace. Repeat 8-10 times. Cool down with at least 10-15 minutes of Easy Pace.

Be careful on the roads and enjoy your training.

johnzwalsh@yahoo.com