It’s pleasing when a good habit becomes a tradition. Last weekend I completed my third Great Scottish Run half marathon in a row, and once again I thoroughly enjoyed it. Of all the running events I’ve done, the Great Scottish Run stands out as the best organised, most friendly and most fun. Importantly too it isn’t just a single event, rather it is a whole weekend of different running distances suitable for all ages and abilities. For the first time all my family took part. My daughters (aged 7 and twins aged 3) ran in the family mile and I’m proud to say they kept up a good pace running the whole distance, which is quite an achievement for two girls who last year watched from a pram. I’m equally proud of my wife, who ran her first 10k finishing 7 minutes ahead of her target despite having to run an extra 3k just to get to the start in time for the gun after traffic chaos on the M8.

So we all got a medal to go with the sore legs and sense of achievement. If the running bug sticks, and I’m sure it will, the new family tradition of pounding the streets of Glasgow in the last weekend of September has many years left to run.