We know Zena’s granddaughter Olivia. She was there when we arrived at Zena’s Hampstead flat, and they’d gone for a coordinating white shirt with black-ribbon-necktie ‘look’. It was like walking in on a couple of excitable 15-year-olds. We began with tea and biscuits, as is traditional, and quickly got on to the subject of exercise. Zena made the giant claim that she can hold a plank for 300 counts. A few counts later she was on the floor with a cushion under her elbows, proving that small people can indeed have extraordinary strength of core (and mind).
