I’d like to say I sprang out of bed in one joyful bound into my trainers, but that would be a lie. In truth I’m still trying to shake off a cold which is making the left hand side of my face ache and when the alarm went off at 6.10am, I didn’t want to go anywhere other than back to sleep. But I got up and felt like both a hero and a victim as I plodded round the streets wearing my high-visibility gear in complete darkness. Marathon training has begun.

It always surprises me how many other people are up and already starting their day when I get up earlier than usual. It seems even weirder when its dark. The busses were already half full and the traffic was steady. The other runner count was just four though today. I expect this to rise steadily as we make our way towards April with its numerous marathons, perhaps with an influx of good intentions after New Year.

So my run was pretty good. A lot better than expected to be honest. The cold weather wasn’t cold enough to bother me, I was just pleased it wasn’t raining. My legs felt good, and the stiff knee that had been bothering me last week had subsided.

My training plan has me doing three more runs this week: 4 miles, 3 miles and 5 miles. The good news on the horrizon is that next Monday is the shortest day of the year. After that the mornings get lighter ealier and evenings dark later. The bad news is this week is forecast for snow!