running up that hill

Thursday evenings are hill intervals at Holyrood. Fergus is usually the ringmaster. To keep it interesting he will choose one of several grassy hills up which we will run in some combination of interval reps from 30secs to 4 mins. Occasionally we will finish the session with a series of 30s reps or a sustained climb. It is attended by 5~20 brave souls and although there is chat on the way to the venue and back there is rarely breath enough for anything other than running, during. The jury is out as to whether it actually improves your running, but it seems to get you used to extreme unpleasantness, so that when you come across that in an event it is less of a surprise.

The last couple of weeks the weather has been so spectacular I have taken the camera along. Not sure the sunshine helps with running up hills but it makes for better photos. Given the nature of hill reps most of the pics are at the point we stop running uphill and catch our breath before returning to the bottom and starting again. The first week here was running up from Dunsapie on the tourist path towards the summit. I think the session was 1min, 2min, 3min, 3min, 2min, 1min, then down to Duddingston and a handicap climb (slowest first, quickest last) to the summit of Crow Hill (about 8mins.) Jim was Fergus's stand in, in his absence.

I noticed the guy in jeans was watching us with keen interest and so I asked him did he want to join in for the last 1 min rep. To our surprise he said yes and did the 60secs wearing jeans and casual shoes. Seemed to enjoy it, which is probably more than I can say for myself.

then we descended to Duddingston and ran up the steps to the top of Crow Hill
with something of a staggered start. 

While it is fairly painful you do end up with a spectacular view.
And it makes your dinner taste so much better!

Rich leading the descent

Next week (5th July) and I was nearly late. The session starts 7pm prompt and does not hang about for latecomers! We meet at the octagon beside the Palace car park. Fergus was back in charge and had us do 30s, 60s, 90s times 3, before ten times 30secs. There are fewer photos because I didn't have the strength to hold the camera up. 

The first 5 thirty second reps I could cope with because we returned to the start point giving a little recovery. The second five we regrouped and continued up the hill with less recovery and I was definitely falling apart by this stage. We finished with a sprint in 2s up to the shoulder below the summit where everyone stood about breathing heavily and looking at the ground.

now that feels better!?

then back home.
Rich obviously has something good for dinner!

30, 60, 90; 30, 60, 90; 30, 60, 90; 5 x 30s returning, 5 x 30s climbing

Never easy, often brutal, these sessions are short but rewarding, and the company is always lively. See you Thurs, 6.58!