ROAD-RUNNING reporter Rebecca Cain may have completed half marathons in fabulous times, but she has been barred from joining a gym in High Wycombe – on the grounds of not being fit enough.

The reason: her blood pressure goes through the roof whenever she is tested.

Doctors have assured her she is as super-fit as she believes, but the nerves take over and her heart starts pumping madly whenever any gym experts test her health.

Last time a GP saw her, she managed to calm Rebecca down with general chit-chat, so our girl has to return to her doctor’s surgery to get a note before she can join the gymnasium.

Rebecca, who finished her last 13.1-mile race in 1.41 and was in the top couple of hundred runners in the last Wycombe Half Marathon, tells me: “I can’t explain why I get so nervous when they strap the blood pressure machine to my arm. It’s really embarrassing to be thought of as unfit in this way, and I wonder if anyone has any strategies to help me to calm down.”

Yes, Rebecca, I have one – take a copy of my column in to the gym and read it before the next test.

That’s bound to put you into such a deep slumber that they’ll probably not pick up any life readings from you at all.