Starting out is always the worst bit. I set Trails running on my iPhone, set the HR monitor going and head off down City Road and onwards, towards the River Dee. Taking it easy as legs realise what’s afoot. Breathing stabilises as I cross the river over the footbridge and then it’s down to the Meadows – a huge expanse of rough grassland that fits in a loop in the river. Almost flat, there are enough devices – gates, hedges etc – to give me my next target point as I gradually increase the heart-rate peak before pulling back a touch.

Under the A55 and on towards Ecclestone, turning away from the river and passing through the red-brick, peaceful village that is part of the Grosvenor Estate. It’s a slight uphill gradient and a chance to give a different set of muscles a push. This village is too quiet – a bit like a set from The Avengers. You expect to catch a curtain twitch back from the corner of your eye. Kula Shaker on the iPod (Peasants, Pigs and Astronauts – the spirit of George Harrison truly alive in Crispian Mills songs and arrangements).

The return is via a road, and then a long stretch of woodland track that becomes a majestic driveway as it approaches the Grosvenor Bridge. This stretch gives me the chance to open up a bit, my body fairly warmed-up by now, pounding to Hawkwind’s Space Bandits album. More woodland, under the bridge and back home to pore over the stats and enjoy the Fulham v Liverpool game.

I averaged 5.7 mph tonight – I’m happy with that.