Writing and Running

Hurray! I've finished Own Goal, the fifth Foul Play book. Now it goes to Lindsey at Puffin, so she can cast her intelligent eye over it.

I feel pretty good about finishing it. My wife suggested we have a BBQ this evening to celebrate. She is at the supermarket as I speak buying charcoal, or whatever that black stuff is taht you burn in BBQs. I still have loads of beer left that I had bought in to watch England in the later stages of the World Cup.

As I have been writing the book I have also been training for a 10K race. Three runs a week, mostly.



This is my number. It's in Mytholmroyd on Sunday - birthplace of Ted Hughes. Alice's Run in aid of Epilepsy Action.

I hope to do it in under 50 minutes, which would be good for me and maybe a bit beyond me... and nothing special in the greater scheme of things.

My great focus, however, is not this race. The big one for me is 27 December: The Hot Toddy. A punishing 5.8 miles over the tops in Todmorden. I did it in 52'00 last year, my first ever race. This year I am targeting 42'00, a ten minute improvement. It is possible, so long as my bad knee holds out.