It’s been 10 years since I first ran the Run The Blades Half Marathon and, in that time, I’ve become 16 minutes slower, which is either a fair reflection of athletic decline or more easily explained by it being BOILNG today and I didn’t want to run fast.

Honest, it was a choice, not a reflection of my decrepitude…

The UK has been in the midst of a series of heat waves and while Glasgow has not experienced the high temperatures recorded in London and the South of England, it has seen the mercury hit 27 degrees most days this week. It was so hot, the Run The Blades bog almost dried up.

The Run The Blade bog is at the furthest point on the course. A deep, muddy bog that crosses the track and causes runners to tread carefully in case it sucks down their trainers.

This year, after three weeks of dry weather and a heatwave classed as a dangerous to life, it was still there, just a little bit smaller. Bog 1 heatwave 0.

As it was warm I wore a race vest with two water bottles. I thought it would be overkill, but it turned out to be just right, as I drank both bottles and refilled them twice on my way round. Without them, I would have been on my hand and knees and lapping the bog with my tongue to get some relief…

Run the Blades was sold out this year so, if interested for 2027, make sure to get your entry in early, especially you, Iain TwinBikeRun, who tried to apply after entries closed.