I wrote Do The MOK Run after a request from Mull Of Kintyre Run organisers for performers to sing songs to the runner on route. So I wrote the song, and sang it to the runners as they passed near our house.

The MOK run is a yearly event that brings together both the local community and running enthusiasts from all over. I ran the main 10k event myself, 10 years ago this coming May, as a way of “celebrating” the fact that I was about to turn 50.

Running for distances is not a thing I particularly enjoy doing. And doing it seems to go against the interesting wisdom a friend imparted to me a while ago. In reference to an ancient life form he remarked - “I just follow the example of the Amoeba”.

Apparently the Amoeba has only two kinds of movement. Either away from things it doesn’t like OR towards things it does. Away from suffering, towards pleasure. Away from enemies and towards friends. Away from danger and towards food.

Running definitely feels like something that this particular Amoeba (me) should be running away from.

But we advanced life forms (lol) have discovered that sometimes short term pain and suffering, in the right doses, can lead to long term benefits. So, counter intuitively, we sometimes move intentionally towards the apparently harmful thing.

I only did the MOK run once, preferring to keep fit in other ways. But I’m thinking about doing it again when I’m 60.

But if I’m not doing it for fitness, then why? Possibly some weird sado-masochistic hit. Or simply a jolt to remind myself that this ageing fella isn’t quite deid yet.