THE best laid plans of mice and men went totally bottoms up this week.

Originally the plan had been to run at the historic Grasmere Games event in the Lake District. This had been one of my early pencilled in definites; a two-mile fell race which is steeped in history for an event which is part of Lake District culture stretching back 150 years.

The hotel had been booked, I had even planned to take my children to Grasmere to enjoy some traditional pastimes such as sheep dog trials, dancing and wrestling.

What I had never quite fathomed out was the race time which I had assumed was at around 2pm, since we had been asked to register by midday. It was in fact 4pm, and those two hours made all the difference in the world.

Because of a family holiday to Holland the following day, and an early morning departure from Hampshire, it meant we would not get home until close to midnight.

I agonised long and hard, but in the end practical considerations ruled the race as a no-no.

It meant I had to find a replacement race and I found one in Somerset.

The Battle of Sedgemoor 10km race takes place in the village of Langport not far from where the last pitched battle took place in England in the 17th century.

The battle took place in July but for some bizarre reason the race itself is held on the August Bank Holiday weekend.

For once the weather befitted an August race. Hot and humid. I chose to run the race pushing my 10-year-old son, Ross, in his sports stroller. Either he has put on weight or I am losing fitness. I was struggling towards the end and my arms really hurt.

By and large this was a flat course around country lanes, starting and finishing in Langport.

I kept a reasonable pace going, halted a kilometre from the end when the pushchair wouldn't follow the pavement which weaved its way under some scaffolding. The buggy crashed into the building and two runners behind me followed up! Fortunately, no-one was hurt.

I ran just under 51 minutes for the race, and the organisers, the Langport Runners, gave everyone a fantastic memento; a lush green embroidered towel. Very nice.

Right, I'm off to finish the packing. Where are my clogs?!!