NO sooner had I finished the Blaydon Races and got my photograph taken with the Blaydon Belle, than I was in the car driving south to Stoke-on-Trent, the destination for the next race in the schedule - the Afford Rent-A-Car Potters Arf.

I didn't arrive at my hotel on the outskirts of Stoke until 10.30pm. It was a bit of a ropey hotel which had seen better days, but I couldn't complain as the chef went out of his way to conjure up a late night steak and chips for me just as he was about to wend his way home. A shop alarm from a nearby store also kept me awake for a fair bit of the night, and what with feeling pretty tired and achey from the race in Blaydon, I wasn't looking forward to a half marathon in Staffordshire.

The race is based in Stoke-on-Trent city centre, or Hanley (I couldn't really get my head around what the difference is). Anyway, the place must be twinned with Blaydon. It's bigger than its Geordie rival, but the town is a 1970s shopping centre, and surrounding area is lifeless. Some of the shops and homes don't look as though they've seen a lick of paint this century. The brickwork is brown and dirty, and there were a couple of buildings which were derelict shells.

At one time there used to be a Potteries Marathon, but now it has been replaced with this tough half marathon which attracted a good-sized entry of about 1,000 runners. Listening to the guy on the microphone chatting to the runners beforehand, they would like to see the entry field quadruple in size to become a leading race in the country.

Anyone who does enter should be warned. This race is hilly, very hilly! The shopping centre in Hanley sits on top of a hill, and during the race there are three very stiff climbs - including one at three miles which is a mile-long ascent, and then a stinker of a climb up Milton Road a couple of miles from the finish which leaves a lot of runners walking.

I was aching after Blaydon and after a couple of miles I nursed serious doubts whether I would make the distance. I felt drained of energy, and the knowledge of the big climbs was morale-sapping. Fortunately I started off slowly, very slowly, and that tactic worked in my favour. It allowed me to work my way through the field, picking off runners. I am a good hill runner, even though I hate them, so with the mile-long hill I overtook a good 25 runners.

I was soon joined by a fella called Stewart, who lives nearby in Leek. He had run the race a few times but admitted he wasn't fit, and he stuck in behind me. Stewart's story was an interesting one. Six years ago he was a smoker - 20 a day - his marriage was doing down the pan, and his parents were not well. He faced a big life crisis, and decided to give running a go. He gave up the cigarettes, moved on with his relationship, and found through running that his life was all the better for it. "People were coming up to me a few months after I'd taken up running to say how well I looked," he said. "That felt good, and gave me the incentive to stick at it."

It was good to have Stewart's company because the miles ticked by. I left him at the final hill at Milton Road. I have one pace going up hills, and I couldn't slow for Stewart.

The crowds were wonderful along the route. Many had set up their own impromptu water stations, and everyone was very enthusiastic. For once the route started and finished in the city centre - I lamented earlier this year how races in Stratford and York where it would have been wonderful to run through the city, had instead been forced to move out into the countryside. There was no countryside running in Stoke, it was all urban hills and a shopping centre.

My time was slow, very slow. One hour 41 minutes, but I was glad to have finished. Another nice goodie bag to add to my one from Blaydon included a nice t-shirt and a Potteries plate.