A good day

I've never used a training plan for running before. There was a time when I constantly strived to improve my speed, sticking to just two or three routes, and then I switched to distance. And on those long runs, I've always run at a comfortable pace.

When I was first running with Hannah, I would run at her pace, even when that meant walking, but now she has developed as a runner to the point where I don't feel like I'm going at a pace significantly different to what I'd do on my own. 

However, I have recently signed up to a training plan on the Runna app, in order to give myself a fair chance of being ready for the Kielder marathon in October. I've struggled a bit with running to a specified pace, but that's nothing compared to today's requirement: hill sprints!

I jogged down to the (steep) path that goes up from Devil's Bridge to the caravan park and started my exercises there. Eight thirty second sprints and then five ninety second sprints. Hm, that doesn't seem so bad written down.

Afterwards, I ran back up to the house on significantly tireder legs and then surprised myself by mowing the lawns, a task I had mentally filed for later in the day.

Thus, by eleven o'clock, I felt I'd done a full day and happily settled on the sofa for a nap. 

After that, I had a very pleasant day. Dan and I went for a lunchtime drink and mooch around Kirkby, then I played on my new guitar pedals (pictured), and we went back down to the Royal Barn to have pizzas for dinner.

And we finished the day by watching 'About Time', which Dan has recommended to me in the past but I've never made it beyond the first fifteen minutes or so. But actually, it was excellent.