Yes, the summer’s on the way out: I had my first run in the dark tonight. Unfortunately, my usual route goes through the lovely Hill Garden, which is shut at night, so I have to circumnavigate around the edge. Apart from missing out on the lovely gardens, which were also used as some of the scenes for the film Scenes of a Sexual Nature, it makes it difficult to know whether my time was any good or not. I think if I had run it I might have managed a PB as I completed my alternative route in 39.17 (the gardens route comes in around the 43 minute mark, so I’m guessing it’s a little shorter).

I attribute my speedy time partly to listening to Muse’s new album, but also having some new footbeds in my trainers. I’ve been having real problems with blisters while hiking recently and bought some new sock liners and Super Feet footbeds. Eager to try them out I popped them in my trainers and I have to say they seemed to add a bit of support and comfort, so I’m looking forward to (off) road testing them in my hiking boots at the weekend. If you do buy some Super Feet I recommend getting them fitted. I got my feet checked out in Snow + Rock and the chap there recommended the black ones to mostly closely fit the shape of my foot arch.