It’s hard to know which has been slacker, my running or my blogging. For the past few weeks I’ve managed little more than a short run on a Sunday, and no other running in the week. Consequently it was almost a relief to have to withdraw from today’s Folkestone half marathon, which I was to have run with a group of tweeting runners. Only three went to post, @jogblog, @helsieboo and @knittingpenguin.

This week was the 2,500th anniversary of the Battle of Marathon, marked with the last in the Marathon2500 projects series of webcast lectures. That has made me buck my ideas up and, seeing that there are four events left in this year’s Sussex Grand Prix, I have entered them all:

• the Lewes Downland 10 mile, next Sunday.
• the Barns Green half on 30th October
• the Crowborough 10k on 6th November
• the Brooks Brighton 10k on 20th November

This will require some hard training, not least to get ready for ten miles next Sunday. My six miles today were exceptionally hard work.