https://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/ en robs@notbbc.co.uk Tue, 19 May 2026 06:49:45 +0100 https://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/16/5/2026/index.html Sat, 16 May 2026 16:49:00 +0100 8568/21487I tried to do Park Run, but my weird chest injury combined with unexplained fatigue meant I was in too much pain and I quit after a sluggish 1km. Catie did the whole thing, like a champ, but both of us were totally knackered for the rest of the day. We might have picked up a bug from the kids or maybe we're just not managing time off very well.I fell asleep in front of the FA Cup, which sounds like it might have been for the best and though we'd pitched staying up for Eurovision, I was in bed by the time it started. https://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/15/5/2026/index.html Fri, 15 May 2026 14:46:00 +0100 8567/21486I spent the day preparing for studio podcasts on Monday, reading books about growing older, life philosophy and death. All very enjoyable and thought provoking.I am going to be talking to Cally Beaton about her book Namaste Mother Fuckers which I suppose is mainly aimed at middle-aged women , but which resonated with me too. Our challenges may be slightly different, but I think most men become invisible as they get older and certainly have to cope with changes in their biology and status. So the book is for everyone. https://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/14/5/2026/index.html Thu, 14 May 2026 10:42:00 +0100 8566/21485I managed to play tennis through my pain and my serve was slightly restricted (though I won every game I served). My tennis partner who has never won a set off me, is getting better and got 3-2 up in the first set. I then won every game to win 6-3, 6-0, but I think my days of predominance may soon be over. He's still in his 40s so if he can't beat me before July 12th 2027, he will be being defeated by a man in his 60s (who has [redacted] Paid subs know what this is). https://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/13/5/2026/index.html Wed, 13 May 2026 12:49:00 +0100 8565/21484I played tennis for the first time in about 6 weeks today and though there was a definite decline in quality, I played adequately. At one point I reached over a bench to retrieve a ball with my racquet and it was a bit further away than I thought. I stretched a bit and it felt like the bench slightly gave way. But the weird sensation and pop that I had felt had actually happened within me. I'd pulled something in my chest. It hurt a little bit, but everything hurts a little bit now, so I carried on. https://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/12/5/2026/index.html Tue, 12 May 2026 08:33:00 +0100 8564/21483I had woken up super early and my eye was really hurting. I don't know if I had punched myself in the night or some kind of evil fairy had got into the room and put fairy dirt in there, but I was tired and grumpy. I drove the kids to school and really had to concentrate through the pain and fatigue. As long as I could get them there in one piece, it was fine. If I crashed and died on the way home then so be it. I was treating this like a doomed mission up Everest or like I was Captain Oates. My kids survival was the trade off I made with fate. https://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/11/5/2026/index.html Mon, 11 May 2026 14:45:00 +0100 8563/21482Into hospital today to try and get to the bottom of my low white blood count. I had thought the fact that no one had been in touch with me after my bone marrow extraction was probably good news, but actually no one had had a look at the results. Once prompted they suddenly seemed keen to give me a ring. And then suddenly decided to see me in person. So I had to drive to fucking Hertford to see a haematologist. Who'd want to specialise in blood? Better than specialising in balls, I guess.I was ready for bad news. It wasn't entirely good news. https://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/10/5/2026/index.html Sun, 10 May 2026 16:33:00 +0100 8563/21482I am a big fan of Windmill Hill Park in Hitchin. It's a steep incline that I sometimes see people running up, but which currently leaves me out of breath if I walk up too quickly. There's a rainbow bench at the top and you can look down at Hitchin's main thoroughfare Hermitage Road and then or up at the surrounding countryside. I can't say too much about it yet, but it may get a mention or two in the Pottery show I am doing and every time I am up there it makes me want to draw stuff.