ONE week on from the marathon and a trip to the west country was the perfect antedote.

I've done no running at all since London, and when working out my schedule for the year I had looked closely at the race the week after.

Normally after a marathon I would take a break of at least a fortnight. But that was not possible.

I needed something with low mileage, not too hard, and not a huge travelling distance from the south coast.

In the end I struck on the Bull Run 4 which is organised by the Hogweed Trotters and based in the village of Horton, right on the edge of the Cotswolds - just a stone's throw from Bristol.

The occasion couldn't have been further removed from the huge and glitzy affair that is the London Marathon.

This was distinctly low key. A friendly race featuring more than 200 runners, some as young as 12-year-old, taking to a beautiful and hilly rural course.

I had been in touch with the organisers, David and Linda Morgan, and they were very pleasant company when I caught up with them in the village hall.

The smell of bacon was coming from the kitchens, a barbecue was being lit, and it was wonderful to see so many families milling about in the bright sunshine.

I felt re-energised, back in the heart of the running community, as opposed to the abstract mass of a huge corporate extravaganza that is the London Marathon.

The race itself was a very gentle four-miler with two drinks stations on route! The standard wasn't high, but I didn't care. My body had just about got rid of its aches and strains by Wednesday, and I wanted a nice gentle run.

I stuck to the task of seven minute miling to come home in 27th place in a time of 29min 15sec. I overtook a 15-year-old boy on the final stretch who had been threatening to humiliate me in a sprint finish by telling him the race was two laps!!

This was a terrific race. Everyone was extremely friendly, and the bacon rolls with mugs of tea afterwards while sat on the grass was fantastic.

I'm starting to feel really good about this project. Getting over the London Marathon without injury was a major hurdle cleared. That's not to say I have to be careful with my schedule, but now I can really enjoy the running and the travelling without the Damocles' Sword of the London Marathon hanging over my head.