I won a race at Crystal Palace, the national sports centre, the home of British athletics. Alas, it wasn’t this Crystal Palace…

… but this one – Crystal Palace Park. The event – the weekly Saturday morning 5k race that is run over two laps. These park runs are a brand; dozens take place around Britain every week, even through the winter. The Crystal Palace version was my first taste of a ‘park run’. About 50 or 60 people turn up to run each Saturday. Which is impressive, considering the undulations of Crystal Palace are no place for PB-hunters. I trotted around in 17,41, trying to focus on the autumnal colours rather than the lactic in my legs. The time won’t set the world alight, but I can now always say: ‘I won at Crystal Palace.’ 

Not a bad way to start the weekend.