In this month’s Runners’ World, there’s a feature on the UK’s best running cities. The semi-scientific analysis takes into account running participation, number of clubs, races, green spaces, air quality and safety.

The top ten are:

1. Nottingham
2. Cardiff
3. Leicester
4. Newcastle
5. Stoke on Trent (presumably fuelled by oatcakes)
6. Sheffield
7. Swansea
8. Edinburgh
9. Bristol
10. Belfast

It was good to see my old city Leicester do so well.

Leicester’s a quiet kind of town that might have slipped under many runners’ radars - but with over 20 running clubs (more per capita than any other on the list) and a glut of green space, it certainly deserves a look-in.

I’m off to the home of Pukka Pies and Walkers Crisps tomorrow to run with Em and Stav, who are training for the Hastings Half and London Marathon respectively. They’re both doing better than me, but then they’re in good company it seems.