smash hiits

H.I.I.T.s are how we roll. Every serious athlete and fun runner knows that the way to improve, to get faster, is to do some High Intensity Interval Training. Short bursts of flat out race pace (or faster) running with intervals of recovery between. Get those legs moving! Get those lungs burning! It hurts like hell but you feel lighter and better afterwards. And it puts engines in your legs for next time.

I tend to do longer slower stuff at the weekends and speed work at club on Wednesdays and hill intervals on Thursdays. Jeff, pal from Maine, was passing through Edinburgh arriving Thursday and leaving Saturday morning, but managed to make it along to Thursday evening. I took the camera but he was so far ahead I didn't get much of a chance to get his photo!

I knew Jeff would be sharp on the hills because I had seen this photo of him (below) at a race recently. Not carrying any surplus there! This is how I imagine I'd look if I took off my shirt but ...em just haven't felt the need. Just to make us all feel worse, (Jim) Jeff is in his fifties although I think he was looking younger than when I last saw him. Anyway he managed fine on Thursday in a session of 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1 minutes up the Dasses. I was particularly grateful the 4 minute rep wasn't repeated - thanks Fergus!

To add insult to injury folk were doing BBQs and fanning the aromas up the hill.

After the reps Jeff and I climbed back up to the summit and I pointed out a few of the local landmarks incl. the Bass Rock where a distant uncle of Jeff's (a long time ago) was incarcerated. It was a very pleasant evening. We ran back down the Commie Pool side of things and delivered Jeff to his wife and pals at the Salisbury Arms.

partial parhelia and 22' halo

On Saturday Mary and I went along to Gullane. It seemed a while since we'd last sampled Falko's finest (no raisin brioche - had to settle for cheese tongues) and a run along the beach. The wind was blowing from the west so we ran to Aberlady with a plan to do longer miles down towards Yellow Craigs but somewhere along the way that changed into the 5 minute reps session. 

photo Mary

photo Mary

photo Mary (of mint humbug)

So the 5 minute reps: Start at one end of the beach. Press start on your stopwatch and for 30 seconds run at tempo pace, brisk but not full on. After 30 secs run for 20 secs slightly faster - about race pace. Then 10 secs at eyeballs out, fastest possible. This will fill a full minute. Repeat 5 times; no stopping, with only the tempo pace as recovery. Have 2 minutes rest. Do another 2 x 5 minutes. Lovely! Or it is when you stop. 

Stopping between 5 minuters while a gull takes Harry the Crab to visit relatives.

last one - all the way to the end of the beach!

my that feels good!

Afterwards we prepped the berlingo for its MOT by taking it for a wash and vacuum. Surprising what a difference it makes....