How was your weekend running?

I love running at this time of year. Early October always seems filled with sunny, crisp mornings with that lovely warm autumnal light. And you can always guarantee a sunny Sunday morning in London on the weekend of the Royal Parks half marathon. I don’t know what pull the organisers have with the weather gods, but it’s clearly a pretty substantial one because I swear there’s never been a rainy day for this race – even though by afternoon it was tipping it down.

Alas though, while this is one of my favourite races – as is the Oxford half marathon which also took place yesterday – I didn’t manage to make the start line. Blame a weekend of birthday partying, a streaming cold and the hip niggle I’m still nursing post-Berlin marathon. I was really jealous of all the race bling and PBs I saw from both races- and more – on social media yesterday – special shout out to Rose for nailing marathon number five in Yorkshire.

Still, at least I’m getting more sensible with age – a few years ago, I ran the Royal Parks half with the start of what turned out to be a really nasty bug, and ended up in bed for a week. Being overtaken by a giant squirrel still probably ranks as my racing nadir. Many of us have probably done races we really shouldn’t – whether because of lack of training or illness. We wouldn’t, after all, be runners without a healthy streak of stubbornness, right? So as always, share your weekend woes and triumphs below the line – and also your tales of the one (race) you really shouldn’t have let get away …

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