Martin Smith
by Martin Smith Previous Episode At the 40K marker, Hare reached the top of the last incline and looked down upon a sleepy valley. In the distance he saw a long, long stretch of green bordered by stands, and at its end, a marquee and a throng of dotted bodies.
Martin Smith
by Martin Smith Previous Episode At the 34K marker, a motorcycle roared past Hare, only to brake and swerve and settle at Hare’s pace five metres in front of him. The pillion passenger sat with his back to the driver and pointed a large TV camera in Hare’s
Martin Smith
by Martin Smith Previous episode As he passed the 30K marker, Hare felt good—no, not good, great. Nothing stood between him and the finish line and a glorious victory. Toot! Toot! Hare turned around and saw a speeding car coming towards him. What now? he thought. Toot! Toot! The
Martin Smith
by Martin Smith Previous episode All episodes By the 20K mark, Hare found himself out alone in the open plains and powering ahead. No Tortoise. No crowd. No worries. ‘Keep your form,’ he said, and he straightened his back and checked his pumping arms and legs. ‘Keep your focus,’ he
Martin Smith
by Martin Smith Previous episode Up hill and down dale, Hare ran. Across bridges and through tunnels, Hare ran. Past the 5K marker. Past the 10K marker. ‘Quarter of the way there,’ he said, rejoicing as he picked up his pace. He passed the 11K marker as the sun disappeared
Martin Smith
by Martin Smith Previous episode All Episodes When Hare arrived at the starting line, he found Tortoise standing motionless, ready to race and staring forward with blinkless resolve. Hare puffed out his chest, jogged into Tortoise’s field of vision, dropped and completed a dozen push-ups on the fingertips
Martin Smith
By Martin Smith Previous Episode All Episodes 588 BCE (With A Splash Of 2020 Foresight) ‘Rise and shine, champ,’ a sultry voice said. Hare stirred in bed, opened his bleary eyes and saw a blurred, shadowy, buck-toothed face appear before him in the grey dawn light. ‘Up and at
Martin Smith
by Martin Smith Next Episode All Episodes Present Day Hare and Mrs Hare, both stooped and wielding canes, stood on the footpath across the road from a thatched-roofed cottage with a red door. ‘Off you go,’ Mrs Hare said. ‘Pardon?’ Hare said. ‘Off you go. All you need to