The lack of any semblance of planning in my running is summed up in this last week – only two runs for a total of 22.8 miles. One of these fine days I’ll target a race and set myself a programme based on some sort of logic. At the moment it’s a case of setting off around the city when the fancy takes me.

Thursday was slightly unusual though as I headed out in the early evening after darkness had fallen. This involved a couple of miles of unlit country lanes in the early stages. Not kitted out with any sort of torch it became a bit of an adventure, taking my chances with conditions underfoot. However I made it out to the Old Kilmeaden Road unscathed. On the Outer Ring the darkness continued though with the streetlights out all the way along to the Tramore Road. Not a major problem though on the wide, light-coloured concrete sidewalk and with the passing car headlights. I trotted along quickly enough to Ardkeen at the hospital end of the road.

At which point I broke the run to take my Couch to 5k group – we are now on Week 3 and most of the ladies are doing very nicely. Week 4 will be a bit of a step up though and the mantra will be, more than ever, SLOWLY does it. Speed means nothing at all at the moment. If these new runners carry on beyond this programme then they will have a base from which they can consider speed as an element of their running if they so wish.

This morning was another circumnavigation of Waterford, this time more laboured. However I have reached 938.4 miles for the year and only if I do a Devon Loch can I fail to reach the 1,000 for 2009.

On other, personal levels things have gone somewhat pear-shaped and I need to hang on to some running metaphors and to remind myself that there is always light after darkness.