This weeks run!

This week I felt better prepared mentally for my Saturday morning run. I'd told myself all the right things

• You're doing it for you and no one else
• You are improving every week
• Just give it a go
• You can do it

When I got there, my trainer had hurt his ankle and couldn't do the run. Instead he sent us on our 4km time trial, a whole two weeks earlier than we were supposed to do it, apparently! I had no idea, this was the first time I had heard of it.

I knew that the park we train at, or rather start from is exactly 4km if you run two laps, and it is more undulating than hilly so I wasn't feeling too bad about it. I was also beginning to think that feeling a bit flu-y might be in my favour, at least I could improve next time. See always the positive!!

Then he told us the route. And guess what - it wasn't 2 laps of the park, it was half the park and then up a massive hill and then on the way back, up another massive hill (conveniently avoiding acknowledgement of any down hill bits here).

Off I went, keeping up with the front pack until my shoelace came undone and I had to re-tie it. From then on I was playing catch up.

The result, I ran 4km quicker than I have ever done before (when not on a treadmill). Of course there is still room for improvement but I am pretty proud of my efforts.

When we had all finished, there happened to be 30 minutes of the class left. No early mark? Nope! SPRINTS!! 25 minutes of SPRINTS!! My legs are so sore.

I did manage a slow 4km run today though. Must be crazy! :-)

So ok, that wasn't the actual hill, but it was close - honest!