Stamford 30k 15 February 2009 Alistair Cooke reports: Whilst many would've been enjoying a thoroughly deserved lie-in the morning after Valentines night, I along with 700 other hardy souls was to be seen running up hill and down dale in Stamford Lincolnshire, in the aptly named "Love Run" organised by the Stamford Striders. Unfortunately, there isn't "a whole lotta love" on this course, as it's 18.66miles of undulating hills, with very little in the way of flat sections to plateau off into a steady more usual stride. However there is a small ounce of comfort with a little love heart at each kilometre marker, although that said by the time I made it up the biggest climb at 25kms I was more keen to kick one of them over if only I had the energy. Click here for the course profile. But I was pleased overall with my time, because if you turn the clock back two years to my first marathon attempt in '07, I was unable to run the whole distance at Stamford, struggling over the line in over 3 hours and 11 minutes. This year, I ran the whole the way, felt quite good (up to the big hill at 25km), and ended up finishing in under 2 hours 46 mins. Which is on-pace for a sub-four-hour marathon so considering the hills and the fact London is flat...I'm feeling today quite buoyant (with strong undertones of tight quads and calves).