Running training tip #3. Sometimes it's just shoes. I've been putting leg and esp. achilles pain down to too much treadmill. But it turns out my not-so-old Air Pegasus (left) had lost their spring, notably left shoe. The replacement Pegasus pair (right) are already fixing the issues. Yesterday was another running Sunday, 30k steadily in the evening after 10k on the Heath in the morning. No after effects during this morning's jog, but a long way to go (to say the least) on underlying fitness. Now we're through the winter, should be ok. So, on with the show. For what it's worth, I've tried many cheaper and more expensive running shoes, but for 20 years these have worked. In 2013 they are way more comfortable but apparently don't last as long.

Yesterday another 12k and gym; this was a day off proper running (20k and 40k coming up in next three days). So running training tip #2: walk a lot. It works.

Working day, eating all the time,  meetings around the Adelphi. Met Jody Williams, nobel prizewinner and activist. The land-mines lady. She was very funny about reality tv. Inspiring woman, I thought.  Now she wants to ban killer robots. Stephen Sackur chaired a discussion with her, and they both used the f word (she called it the f bomb) on camera at the RSA. Which was refreshing, amid the doom and gloom. Sat in Trafalgar Square afterwards, thought of my old running routes, across the square to the royal parks, long ago when I lived around the corner. I'll re-run that, one eve next week.

Managed to fit in a 10k on the deserted (nearly) Heath on Monday afternoon - an odd mix of open country springy turf feeling, and crawling parks police vehicles.  Making sure we joggers and trees don't get unruly I guess. From there through Highgate, past Graham Chapman's old local,  The Angel. The plaque says the ex-Python "drank here often and copiously." On to the gym for a few more k at intervals, and stretching the dodgy left hamstring. It all took my mind off caffeine withdrawal. Have you had one of those headaches? Goodness. Next day weather warmed, took a short turn around the park in shorts to celebrate. Wrestled with iPods phones and all that, settling on the runner's real friend, the original shuffle with lanyard, recommended for comfort and great sound.

Was asked about training again - which is currently just getting out for longer runs, esp. at the weekend, and doing progressive work on the treadmill a few time a week, a bit harder each time. Caffeine and alcohol were given up this weekend, for the rest of the training period, but that's a fairly normal state for me down the years. Yesterday was typical Sunday active, starting at the local park ...

... where the Japanese Maple is budding again ... 

... running through the Jewish area, bustling street cafés in the sun .. 

 ... to Hampstead Heath Extension, which gives a good impression of the countryside ... 

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... past Dick Turpin's tollgate near the Spaniards Inn ...

... resisting the chance to jump on one of these, which stop near the gym ... 

 ... into Kenwood Park with its closed-for-refurb house ...

 ... and its views of the Shard ...

 ... to the Highgate side of the Heath ...

... through another park ...

 ... to the gym for a fast 5k then off to the tube station .. 

... crossing packed London diagonally south west ... 

... getting out at Mortlake, heading south on foot to the Sheen Gate ... 

 ... of Richmond Park, where I did most of my running, then headed back north after dark. 

Cold wind later did not help, but a relaxed weekend day out. Covered a lot of ground, as much as poss. off-road. Times and distances? Next time. Phone, cables etc. were a pain but legs weren't, thankfully - which is some kind of satisfaction.

Try to carry as little as possible when running - still have RSI in right shoulder from doing otherwise on the coast through '07. This weekend unlike last, jogging with a phone, tho that still feels a bit much. Crossing Hampstead Heath, admiring trees in the sun (at last), one was modified, sympathetically.

Pain in right leg taking my mind off discomfort down the whole right side. Old injuries bite back,  but it's really not as bad as it sounds. Looking for the point in this rather irregular schedule, moment when there's enough spring back in the body to do some gentle jogging in the hills in a couple of weeks. Not  there yet, but not yet out of time.

First proof of spring, long shadows in Finsbury Park after the gym last night. Just stretching my legs on a Saturday (as you can see) before doing more miles today. Across town, thousands of amazing folk doing the marathon in the sun. It's just great that running, getting out and doing it, is such a focus for all of London, on this day each year. I don't watch the TV coverage of the astounding serious race, mainly because ... PI training secret no 1 ....

.. I don't watch telly.

Always a tough choice for me, passing this sign while walking or jogging to the gym. We'll come back to that. But a stranger on the way today asked me how I stay fit. Which I'm not, huge work needed re. basic fitness, for this run. I just run for the freedom of it, anyway. In the north, I run all over the moors and coast, the crazy stuff on springy stuff. In London I run through Highgate to a treadmill at the excellent Factory in Finsbury Park, gym chosen 10k from home.

Tomorrow, marathon day.