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Yesterday afternoon I cracked it. I set out from Stephen of Glastonbury’s house and headed west out of the Glass Town to the Somerset Levels, which used to be the Sea of Glass.

Beautiful swans and a cygnet, budding daffodils, fluorescent cyclists. I used my Garmin to program a Jeff Galloway run-walk workout and ran walked 17 miles to Wells, down quiet lanes, dodging cars on busier roads. Along the way, I saw an articulated lorry distressed in a ditch, a swannery of a thousand swans who must go and ring the bell at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells when they want their food, a German girl who told me the way; a very Sebaldian moment.

A bottle of Lucozade and a bottle of water in Wells perked me up and I decided to run the five miles back to Glastonbury, rather than get cold and wait for the bus. Into Glastonbury, I half mistakenly took the Old Wells Road into town. Only half a mistake as I felt like an old Wells. It took me up a steep steep hill next to Glastonbury Tor. The pay-off was the majestic sunset view back west over the Somerset Levels, where I had spent the afternoon training.

I arrived back down in the centre of town, endorphin-crazed, euphoric and stiff-legged. After a glorious soak in a hot bath, we made a delicious supper of steamed brocoli with butter and salt and pepper as a starter, smoked cod stew with Puy lentils and carrots, cheese and celery leaves and sticks, pineapple and melon fruit salad.

More than the physical challenge, I now know what the mental landscape of 26 miles is going to look like.

Feeling a bit creaky again after a fairly quick 7 mile run last night round Hyde Park, St James Park and Green Park. London has such a wealth of open spaces to go running.

Have been remembering the Jane Fonda film They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? about the Depression era dance marathon. Will try and dance my way around the course. Have spoken at work to a couple of runners who have lost their jobs and are running to keep fit and focussed.

Looking forward to reading AGE MATTERS in Runner’s World.

Hip hip, hooray, I found my Garmin GPS running watch in my bike pannier, where I had so carefully packed it for accessibility, but couldn’t remember all last week.

The upshot is that my runs around Hyde Park were shorter than I’d guesstimated. On Friday I ran round the outside of Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park and clocked up 4.15 miles. So around Hyde Park alone must be somewhat less.

On Saturday, I cycled five miles over to my brother’s place in Dartmouth Park, then with him and my sis-in-law we ran our usual 9 miles in 16 half mile laps and a bit more to start and finish. The weather was lovely and we all felt on good form, but didn’t run any faster than usual. Back to their place for delicious vegetable soup with my mum who’s down in London for the weekend, then cycled the five miles back to Baywater.

Training definitely back on track!

Nice after work drink (alcohol-free) at The Crown on Clerkenwell Green last evening for a new colleague. Cycled home, donned the running garb and trotted round the park again. This time I went on a wider loop taking in Rotten Row.

Probably about 4 miles, but as I have still not found my Garmin I can’t be sure!! Hope to find it tomorrow, ahead of Saturday’s long run.

Despite the fact that I couldn’t find my Garmin GPS watch, I ran round Hyde Park last night, probably about 4 miles from my new pad in Bayswater. More big city feel than Hampstead Heath, but a good trot nonetheless.

Five and a half miles at nearly 6 mph this evening. Getting back up to speed. Still slow, but it is very hilly. Time for bed, said Zeberdee.

Finally got rid of my cold after a quiet, relaxing weekend in Glastonbury and Wells where they thoughtfully built a cathedral for me about eight hundred years ago.

Walked in the beautiful Somerset countryside near Butleigh and looked over the land.

And after a busy day back in the office at Justgiving today, I ran five and half slow miles around the Heath in an hour this evening. Good to be back training.

Despite my cold it was good to manage once round the Heath this evening warmly wrapped up. Early to bed tonight.

Too much delicious food last night and a slight cold this morning made me want to go back to bed after breakfast, but I’m glad I didn’t. Managed nine miles around the Heath with Andy and Mia, followed by more delicious food for lunch at their place. So this week I totted up 23 training miles, which is not bad, but I’m going to have to keep an eye on my left foot.

Went to the London Marathon Golden Bond weekend yesterday and the lovely people at Adidas took a computer print of my gait and gave me some good advice and sold me two pairs of new running shoes for the price of one. Tried my Supernova Riot trail shoes on the Heath this morning. The added grip is just the job for the mud, slush and remmnants of snow.

Need to keep the training momentum going.

Treaded another 10 kilometres in the MaxFitness gym downstairs this evening. Shaved two minutes off and ran it in 57 mins and 47 seconds.

And Sopie at Justgiving has launched the new new London Marathon microsite