The last time I listened to Meat Loaf’s amazing, full-length concert version of Bat Out Of Hell it was in the lanes above Cork. On that occasion my earphones packed up on the third run through of the track.

Well the midweek runs are getting longer and this morning I clipped on the iPod along with the luminous bib. It’s beautiful running along St Aubin’s Bay in the dawn. 2.5 miles on the flat then 1.5 miles up the long gradient of the Railway Walk. A pretty desultory pace really and I turned just beyond Don Bridge resolving to pick it up a little. And what track should come along just as I started back? So of course I looped it and, for the first time in a couple of weeks, I found a bit of speed. My LSRs I want to be running at slower than PMP (10m/m) but it is good to run faster on the shorter efforts.

I would have given plenty to have been standing in front of the speakers the night this track was recorded – you can keep your Eye Of The Tiger. So, inspired by the music, the contours of the first part of the return journey and a succession of good-looking lady runners (was one of them the legend that is Claire Lidster?) I completed a pleasing split of 41/34. What’s not to like about running?