Super-fast Bush has his staff on the run

Love him or hate him, it seems you just can't stop George Bush, at least when it comes to the treadmill. In an interview yesterday, the President has revealed an unlikely silver lining to the terrorism of 11 September: his time for his daily three-mile run has improved since the attacks on New York and Washington.

"It's interesting that my times have become faster right after the war began," Mr Bush told Runner's World magazine. "I guess that's part of the stress relief I get from it.

"For me the psychological benefit is enormous. You tend to forget everything that's going on in your mind and just concentrate on the time, distance or sweat."

Mr Bush's depressingly industrious fitness regime is well-known to the White House press corps and his Secret Service security staff.

At his ranch near Crawford, Texas, where he is on holiday this week, Mr Bush was hunting volunteers for his "100 Degree Club", those who can keep up with him on the daily three-mile run during the 100F (38C) heat.

There are T-shirts, certificates and no small amount of kudos for those who manage it. Texas heat is notorious. One saying has it that if God owned Hell and Texas, he'd rent out Texas and live in Hell.

Mr Bush told the magazine: "When I run, I run hard ... On Sundays, if I'm at Camp David, I'll go for a hard morning run and then I'll walk two to four miles with Laura afterwards."

The interview took place just after a three-mile run at Fort McNair, Washington. Mr Bush, 56, whose fitness level places him in the top 1 per cent for his age group, completed the race in 20 minutes and 29 seconds, having made a fast start.

The article's author, Bob Wischnia, wrote: "He's a very competitive guy and he's known for starting too fast and trying to burn off the competition.

"I talked to one of his bodyguards from Texas and he said, 'He does this every time. He goes out like a maniac.'"