Hill training: My God it actually works

So, I went to go on a jog with Let’s Go Run on Friday morning, but due to heavy traffic on the school run, I was a bit late and never made it. Instead, I went for a bike ride and then took a little jog up to Perfect View and around the block. 

The road to Perfect View

Interestingly, I noticed how much easier this little hill was than when I tried it a few weeks ago. In the time since first running up it I've done a few small runs and plenty of cycling, and that little bit of work seems to have paid dividends because I relatively flew up the hill on this occasion, as opposed to struggling up last time; this bodes well methinks.

Morford Street

Yesterday, on the way back from visiting the Moscow State Circus, I ran a mile home to fetch the car because my 3-year old was cold and my 7-year old wasn’t feeling well and the half-hour walk home with them would not have been a pleasant experience, believe me. However, after running up Morford Street and then to the top of Camden Crescent wearing (the highly inappropriate) Converse trainers and jeans and carrying a rucksack full of stuff, I found myself questioning the sense of this decision. Still, to quote a much over-used, but-oh-so-true phrase: no pain, no gain. I guess any kind of hill training is handy for the Bath Half.

I also made a couple of notes to myself when out running:

• The right tunes are very important – Before going on a run  I need to make sure the iPod is stacked with bangers that push you on and not slow stuff that… well… slows you down. Save that for dinner parties.
• I need a bum bag - Carrying my phone, iPod and keys in my hands while running is, quite frankly, a pain in the arse.

I also have a couple of questions:

• Do you just run through a stitch, or should you stop?
• How can I make myself less flat-footed? (I can hear my shoes thudding on the ground even over the music in my headphones)
• Why does it always rain on me?

Balloons in Victoria Park - nice.

 Photos courtesy of my lovely wife.