Mind game TV

“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the brand new game show ‘In the long run’ from Mind Game TV. Each week our vict, sorry contestant [audience laughter], will attempt to run 18 miles while we throw a few surprises at them. In the studio here we have our ‘virtual environment’ with the waterproof treadmill the centre feature. We have the full sensurround screen providing the visual stimulus, while we have a few extras to add to the mix, such as a wind machine and sprinkler system.”

“So let’s meet our contestant. Welcome Susie from the south coast of England.”
“Hi Brendan”
“Do you think you can handle the full 18 miles?”
“I’m feeling good. I had a slightly easier gym session yesterday, so my energy levels are high. I think I can do it.”

“Well little does Susie know that we turned the gym temperature up yesterday. Her Turkish bath of a gym run is going to make today seem something of a contrast!”

“Well she’s passed the first test before even starting the run. We showed her a weather forecast which was windy but dry with sunny intervals. Having chosen her windstopper top which was not waterproof, we offered her the opportunity to swap to her Gore-Tex jacket. Having seen the grey clouds in the distance she accepted. We didn’t catch her out.”


“Welcome back folks. Susie has now been running for 10 minutes in bright simulated sunshine and reasonably mild temperatures and is about to get her first shock as we turn on the sprinkler system. Just look at that! On goes her hat and she’s smiling! We are going to have to try harder! Let’s turn on the wind machine”

“Well that doesn’t seem to have phased her, so this is where she is going to get something of a shock. What Susie doesn’t realise is that the ‘studio’ is actually an industrial freezer. Things are about to get a lot colder!”

“Will you look at that! Our technical crew have done an amazing job. That’s horizontal hail sandblasting her. But wait! She’s pulled down her hat to cover her eyes and has carried on as if nothing has happened. Can anything stop her?”

“The psychological game now starts with another spell of sunshine. Can we lull her into a false sense of security before really pulling out the stops? Join us soon as we really let rip!”


“Welcome back folks. Susie has had 10 minutes of sunshine and is about to get another shock! Down goes the temperature once more and yes, there it is, snow! That’s a real blizzard out there. Still Susie keeps going. Let’s see if we can grab a word. How’s it going Susie?”

“Well Brendan, it’s certainly a bizarre combination of weather you’re managing to throw at me. I do wonder if I’m going to be warm enough if the wintry showers keep going as I only have a single layer under my jacket. I’m determined to do this though.”

“Well Susie has had another 15 minutes of sunshine and is about to hit her first hill. Time to turn up the wind machine again and turn on the sprinklers. That’s 25knots of wind and rain she’s running uphill into, but still nothing can stop her. I don’t think we are going to break her.”


Strange the mind games you play trying to keep yourself focussed when things get tough. After a full house of weather conditions during the first half, the rest of the run was dry and actually quite sunny and warm in the last few miles. My longest run of this year’s training passed off quite well in the end!