On Tuesday evening I left work a little early, and headed across to Falkirk to meet Helen for a run in Cally park. The parkrun route is, of course, 5km, and we agreed that was a reasonable enough distance for a mid-week evening run, especially considering she's got a 12-hour race to run on Saturday! So we set off slowly, and Helen decided early on that we'd increase the route a wee bit by continuing up "heartbreak hill" (HBH) to the top, instead of cutting off midway like parkrun does. The first mile was the same, though, a long slog up an incline, and we did it slowly but without walking. A few minutes later, on the flat along the hill, we took a short walk break, then started runing again, and kept going down the hill as well. At the bottom of HBH I just had feelings of general dread, I was hot and sweaty and tiring and hungry, and we were still running. Trying to stick with tip-tap-tip-tap type little footsteps, I ran for a bit of the hill, but soon reduced to a walk. I walked the rest of the way, then, as Helen ran off, waiting for me or slowing her run down, so she wasn't too far ahead. At the top of the hill, I started running again, and we headed down. At the bottom of the hill, I'm normally far too worn out to run the 500m flat to the finish line without walking, but today I'd ran slower on the downhill, and also I don't think I had any choice in the matter, lol. We ran along, turned at the steps and continued to run up to where parkrun normally starts. Helen then ran abotu a wee bit to round her Garmin data up nicely, and I stopped to do a couple of lazy stretches. I'd done 3.7 miles, in a slow (but good enough for a sociable wee mid-week evening run) 48:38 - I'd purposely been running slowly, to try and run further, so I'm not too worried about the average time, despite coming to the conclusion recently I need to do more speed training, etc. :) Nice wee run in the evening sunshine, with good company.

Wednesday morning came too quickly, and with it, my weekly personal training session. I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep these sessions going, but for now they keep me motivated, and a wee bit accountable, and I get some good ideas for things I can do myself in other sessions. On top of that, my trainer is great at assessing the limits of my capabilities, as seperate to my perceived limits, and making me work to them instead of the latter. I just have to deal with the banter... some days it's easier than others, but I tend to give as good as I get....

Anyway, after a couple of 'wasted' weeks with him, I'd told him I was renewing my focus etc. and turning up to our session with my notebook, to keep proper records. After a warm-up and stretches, he had me doing squats and tricep pushdowns on the cable machine - a pyramid set, 20 reps of each, with heavier weights each time, then back down again, doing 240 reps in total - squats without any weight, then holding an 8kg kettlebell to my chest, then two 8kg bells, and tricep pushdowns at 5kg, 7½kg, and 10kg increments.

We also did a tough little compound move - holding a 10kg barbell, it involved lying on a low-incline bench, doing a chest press, then doing a sit-up, then standing into a shoulder press, and returning back into place for the next rep. It was a lot harder than I thought, but I found the sit-up (particularly the reverse, lying back down) the hardest part, so I suspect my core isn't as strong as chest and shoulder muscles. Managed 15 hesitant reps, but will try this exact same move again sometime, to see if I can make an improvement. I complained a lot during the set, stopping in between every single rep, and my frustrated trainer scribbled a note in my book - "Attitude to adversity - 6/10 - much room for improvement!" - and you know what? I think he has a good point.... :)

Wednesday evening was a late night at work, so just straight home from there (ummm, via the chipshop, sigh), and this morning I was a wee bit tired and DOMS from the squats kicked in, so I came into work early instead. Tonight I think I'll go for a swim, as I've got my long run tomorrow night after work, so don't think a tough gym session is on the cards. Onwards we go.... x x