The trails were swarming with runners this weekend. With the London marathon now just four weeks away, it was key long run time for many people – me included. And I'm sure I'm not the only one whose body feels like it is hanging together by a piece of string right now. A tight achilles, blisters and a sore throat all contrived to put me off, but in the end I managed 22 miles at a decent pace.
It helped that I ran with a colleague from my local running club, rather than on my own. And I was also fortunate to be in one of the few corners of the UK with decent running conditions – no wind, 6C and light drizzle, lovely.
But what about the rest of you marathoners? Did you have to plow through snow drifts to get in your long run? Or perhaps all this talk of 22 miles makes your head spin. Were you, instead, speeding reps around the track? Or managing to run a lap of your park for the first time? Let us know what you were up to in the comments below.
Also, I'd be interested to know if anyone watched the world cross country championships on BBC2 on Sunday. On a snowy, muddy course in Poland, some of the world's best athletes put on a show of old-fashioned grit and determination, and I for one found it inspiring as I look forward to London. My old friends the Kenyans won three of the four races, as is their wont, floating across the mud with all their usual grace, while the British junior women put in a brilliant performance to win the team bronze medal.
