Read the story about Neil.
At first, it seemed positive. Neil said he wanted to “get healthier” and “sort his routine out a bit”. He said he wanted to “feel healthier”. He stopped buying crisps and chocolate and started filling the kitchen with things like bananas, eggs, yoghurt and huge bags of brown rice. He’d spend ages reading labels in supermarkets and checking ingredients on his phone. I actually thought it was quite impressive.
Then came the mornings.
Neil used to think getting up before eight was completely uncivilised. Now he’s out of the flat before sunrise most days. At first, he’d disappear for half an hour and come back looking freezing cold and miserable, but that changed quite quickly. These days he’s gone for hours. Sometimes I wake up and find messages saying:
“Out doing a long one. Back later.”
Whenever he gets home, he looks absolutely exhausted, but also weirdly energised at the same time.
The transport thing was what really convinced me this had become serious. We used to get the bus everywhere together, especially if the weather was miserable. Now Neil refuses unless there’s genuinely no alternative. Even if it’s pouring with rain and blowing sideways, he says he’d “rather move than sit down”.
And honestly, the clothes situation has become ridiculous.
Neil never used to care about what he wore. Now parcels arrive almost every week. Tiny waterproof jackets. Fluorescent tops. Compression socks. Watches that apparently measure sleep, breathing, stress and about twelve other things nobody needs to know. The other night he spent twenty minutes explaining why one pair of trainers had “better responsiveness” than another. I just nodded and pretended this was normal conversation.
Our social life’s changed as well. We used to stay out fairly late, especially during the weekends, but now Neil is constantly talking about “recovery” and “energy levels”. If we go for a pint, he’ll nurse one drink for an hour and then suddenly announce he’s heading home because he’s “got an early session tomorrow”.
And lately, there’s only been one topic of conversation.
Distances. Split times. Hydration. Carb loading. Heart-rate zones. Personal bests. Honestly, I don’t know when this stopped being a hobby and turned into a full personality.
I know, objectively, this is probably healthier than our old lifestyle. Neil seems happier in some ways, and he’s definitely more disciplined than he used to be. But lately it feels as if every conversation, every evening and every plan revolves around this one thing.
Sometimes I miss the version of Neil who thought climbing the stairs at Waverley counted as cardio.
Vocabulary
Can you find a phrase in the text that means:
- to organise or solve a problem
- socially unacceptable, rude or unreasonable (this is often used ironically)
- extremely tired
- raining very heavily
- to hold something for a long time or to do something very slowly over a long time – this is not a good definition (Jack will explain)
- very bright and easy to see
- to have something as the main focus of attention
Comprehension
Answer the questions:
- What was Neil like in the past?
- How has his routine changed?
- Why is the narrator frustrated?
- What clues suggest Neil has become obsessed?