Many runners detest the term ‘fun run’. They think it describes an organised run of less than three miles where most people are running (or mostly walking) in fancy dress and raising money for charity, but not really concerned about how quickly they finish the course. But I’d like to reclaim the term. I’d like to be able to say proudly ‘I’m not bothered about time – I’m doing it as a fun run’.

When does a marathon become a fun run? Quite obviously when, regardless of speed or whether you’re raising money for charity or not, it’s fun.On sunday I ran the Brighton Marathon with my friend SportyGirl. It was her first marathon and my third. She wanted to finish it in under 4 hours 30 mins and I wanted to run it at a conversational pace as a long training run for Edinburgh Marathon. So we ran together.

Running at a speed slower than my marathon goal pace was an interesting experience. I wasn’t as nervous before we started, I stayed relaxed the whole way round, I was able to look out for other runners I knew on the way round and give them all a cheer and, most importantly of all, I was able to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy it.

I was able to laugh at the signs that read ‘Feet hurt? That’s because you’re kicking so much ass’ or ‘May the course be with you’ and ‘Go complete strangers’ then thank the supporters for turning out. I danced with my arms to the music being played along the course and I high-fived every kid that stuck their hand in my direction.

Running through the last couple of miles everyone around me was giving it their all to get to the finish line and I felt a bit bad that I was still bounding along quite calmly and, in my mind, stealing cheers that they needed. But that’s not to say that running a marathon at a slower pace than I’m capable was easy, because it wasn’t. Your energy levels are higher but your feet and legs have still run 26.2 miles and, however fast or slow you run it, that’s still pretty far.

Sunday’s Brighton Marathon was the most enjoyable long run I’ve ever done. And, although I wasn’t walking or raising money for charity, I’d definitely call it a fun run and be proud to do so.

As for SportyGirl – you can hear from her how she got on.