Hello funsters and welcome to a new week. I trust the Bank Holiday was good to you - I certainly have no complaints. Indeed a week on from yet another and new running nadir, this time in Edinburgh, I have been running twice and inevitably performed unrecognizably better. I did two miles in the gym on Thursday and three miles out on the highways and byways of South-West London on Monday morning. Annoyingly I felt as fit as the proverbial flea during and after both. Why oh why is it always so?

Indeed I've had a fairly active weekend, because I found myself playing badminton with my children and two of my godchildren yesterday. Now I haven’t played the sport since about 1987, but I think it’s fair to say it never leaves you…….. well I say never…… I don’t think Gail Emms has anything to worry about. And the absolute high point of the proceedings came in the early evening when my husband and I were having a rare and very noisy rally on our own. He had just informed me (dishonestly as it turned out), that he had been Under-9 champion in Sheffield. I was of course desperately trying to batter him into submission, but in my haste to retrieve the shuttlecock I accidentally lent on my racquet and snapped it……

Oh the shame and humiliation. I had to fess up to my 13-year-old and 10-year-old god-daughters, that Aunty (or is it Auntie?) Sue had broken one of their racquets…… Fortunately they giggled, a lot. My punishment was being forced to play an impromptu game of 3-a-side with a tennis racquet, which didn’t really help. Ho hum.

Incidentally thanks for all your kind words about my marathon relay efforts. And your alternative fitness suggestions are also top notch. I am mulling as we speak and will let you know in due course what madness I decide to attempt next. As my children keep getting up at some ungodly hour, a sponsored sleep is fairly high on my list. Speaking of which, I am off to take the little darlings swimming. ‘Tis half-term and inevitably pouring with rain….happy, happy days.