Villains

In a very modest and unspectacular way, my little running challenge has all of the elements of a traditional sports film. Determination, an underdog, adversity, breakthroughs and and a number of girls in tight running vests (not including me!). The thing it doesn't have is a villain. The reactions of people I talk to about this range from mildly interested to surprised to very supportive. No-one has openly scorned or questioned my ability to do this, although I'm sure some of them are thinking it. The worst reaction I've had was an eyebrow raised in scepticism, quickly corrected.

That's where the Americans go wrong when they use middle-class English people for their movie villains. English people are rarely openly nasty or negative. They don't shout 'Pah! I scorn you, lazy fat person - you'll NEVER run 13 miles! Mwahahaha!'. They wish you luck while their mind quietly dismisses your chances, to be discussed with mutual acquaintances at a more polite and appropriate time. Maybe. So I don't have a villain and it seems unfair to focus on that eyebrow to give me the 'screw you' sort of motivation that sports films depict. I'm sure I can live without it. What would be much more useful is one of those 80s-style montages where all the hard training is done in about 30 seconds. That would be sweet.