I'm determined this week to prepare properly for Sunday's half marathon. I have no illusions about beating my time from...I can't even remember what year. But I want to give myself every chance of putting in a non-disappointing performance.

So yesterday I got up at the crack of stupid (6 o'clock, if you must know) to do the first of the week's sessions, a 40-minute jog. The programme's structured this way to give you an easy session to help work out any kinks from the long Sunday run. Which I did not do. But I do appreciate these easy sessions. They remind me that this is not all about endless pain and suffering.

And what a glorious morning it was! Cool and 'crisp' (how did that word ever get associated with the weather?) and clear, with a tiny breeze. I trotted off, the tension eased from my muscles and I ended up moving nice and smoothly. At the 20-minute half way point, I was about a quarter of a mile short of where I had reached in the same time on Sunday's harder run. And that's where the boring stats have to end for this report. The batteries in my GPS died at 32 minutes, so all I can really say is I was out for 40 minutes (or more).

And I saw quite a number of other runners out before the sun rose. (It looked lovely when it did, by the way.) Including a guy with waist-length dreadlocks. I cut my hair when it gets long enough to looked messed up when I get out of bed. This guy must have been carrying pounds and pounds of extra weight on his head. It's a wonder he could keep his head up. More power to him, but it must be like carrying...loads and loads of hair around everywhere you go, or something. The only extra weight I can possibly be doing with is the midriff padding from my 'comfortable' lifestyle.

So I hope to do one more early-morning run tomorrow and then take Saturday off before the half marathon on Sunday. The forecast looks acceptable for now and if Sunday is like yesterday was, I'll be a very happy man!