Day Eleven

and it all went wrong... I did not get away from work until gone six thirty. That meant I couldn't make it across the Bridge to the Caerleon LCL race. Suffice to say I was - and still am - disappointed. I was well up for it. As I drove home my heart sank. From the eagerness to race, by the time I neared home, I was ready for a night on the sofa...

But I rallied. As I drove over the final hill into the village I had a revelation.OK, that's a bit strong but I did realise the hill on the edge of the village, despite being a pretty busy A road, would make a pretty descent hill rep without having to travel far. Suddenly my enthusiasm returned. I donned my kit and headed out for five reps of 500m by 150 feet ascent (as measured on my altimeter). Not quite as steep as my Flaxley Wood hill rep but the same distance - and a damn sight nearer home and thus, less daunting - and hence, more likely to happen on a more regular basis.

Pretty pleased with the result. I managed almost identicle pace throughout - 2:35-2:37 per rep - off a three minute jog back to the start. Forty seconds a rep quicker than last week's set but then again it was flatter so not really very comparable. I've definitely a warm glow inside just now having managed training on the type of day that would have seen me hit the sofa a month ago. Still pretty gutted I didn't manage to get to the LCL though. A set of five hill reps doesn't quite match up to a 10k race, letting your team mates down in the process...