Sweet Agony: This Novel Won an Arthur Koestler Literary Award by Paul Sykes

Author:Paul Sykes [Sykes, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Lofthouse Publications (Oct. 1990)
Published: 2015-10-03T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

There is more rubbish written about getting fit than any other subject. I should know because I am an expert, a veritable expert and nobody could tell me anything that I hadn't already tried and analysed using myself for the guinea-pig. The most important aspect of the job is getting fit for a purpose and it's no good a little fat feller saying high-jumping or a tall skinny feller saying weight-lifting. Either could train for ever and all they'd do is make people laugh. There has got to be an end result, a target to aim for, or you're wasting time. Women poncing about in aerobic classes and people jogging through the park are doing no more than pretending, kidding themselves they're fit and disciplined.

The lads on the rugby team up at the Manor had turned ashen after I'd demonstrated what I'd like them to do and shown their reluctance to such a degree I hadn't gone again. The quick, intensive burst of all-out action had satisfied me I could soon attain the level of physical efficiency needed to fight providing I didn't abuse myself. I hadn't, but the task facing me was daunting.

In a few months I'd be 32, and starting out on a career in professional boxing. I had to be barmy, a feller my age, but deep down I knew I could. I could feel it burning deep inside, that providing I trained with the same dedication, the same total concentration that I'd had in the years I'd been away I could still do it. I could still show everybody I was a force to be reckoned with. Injuries or age couldn't and wouldn't stop me.

The weather became wintry the day Christmas was over as if God had deliberately prolonged the mild weather so I could work and save enough to see me through to my first fight. Snow, sleet, freezing cold gales couldn't prevent me from the course of action I had to take and that was to stretch my lungs and build up my glycogen reserves. Cath and Wendy were shoved to the back of my mind and locked away as I prepared myself for the first session, the 4-mile run through Ossett

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.