Tales from the Fitness Camp with Dan Sheridan

Week seven, and my shins aren't speaking to me. They're in pain, you see, but that hasn't stopped me running, skipping and lifting weights on them and generally demanding more than they can offer right now.

The week before that it was my calf muscles that were on the offensive and threatening to unleash their secret weapon – cramp – at any given moment.

I've come to terms with the fact that running for running's sake is not something I'll ever get used to, and despite its obvious popularity, it's a state-of-mind I'm clearly not accustomed to.

Take a trip to the Mount on any given day of the week and you'll be blinded by an array of sportswear pounding the pavements and boardwalks. Confident, seasoned runners who make it look easy.

Then there's me – easy to spot. The reluctant newcomer with the pained look on his face. And don't get me started on running on dry sand!

Of course, running is an integral part of my ten-week fitness camp and therefore a necessity, and I've even developed a habit of jogging down the Mount (but never up it) after one of my many jaunts to the summit with my wife and daughter.

But when push comes to shove, and when my ten-week stint is up, I think it's safe to say running will return to the shadows for me. Maybe then, and only then, will my shins start to forgive me.