I've had a couple of really great runs this week but Thursday's run is the one i usually dread - HILLS. My nemesis! But in the spirit of my last post I vowed I would stay in the moment and enjoy the company and appreciate the amazing views.
It's getting darker in the mornings now so I was sure we'd be running on the road. (I'm not keen on the trails - especially since we've had all that rain at the beginning of the year and they've become really rutted) Well, I was wrong! We were running on the Channel 9 trail (named that because it starts near the Channel 9 tower). It's a challenging trail - heading downhill for about a kilometer till we get to a road. We turn around at the road and do reps up the steepest bit. Coach Chris was at his most sadistic best and had us do 5 long reps then 10 shorter, faster reps.
So how did I go at staying in the moment and appreciating my surroundings? I did really well at enjoying the company. But that's easy. Appreciating the surroundings? Okay, it was pretty dark on the way down the hill to start with so I couldn't see the surroundings, couldn't see my footing and was pretty intimidated by running on precarious, skiddy gravel so I guess that was a fail.
It had lightened by the time we got to the bottom so I could see our beautiful bushland. It was a brief moment of appreciation - once the pain started the only moment I was in was one that was saying nasty things about Coach Chris in my head. Another BIG FAIL!
Actually the only time I really stayed in the moment and appreciated all the beauty was on the drive home. I listened to my CD (Newton Faukner) and just basked in the beautiful morning and the gorgeous city views. SUCCESS!
I'm not sure who does love hills, so you're not alone. I do like the feeling I get AFTER a hill workout.
ReplyDeleteGosh, that would make me nervous, running down a rutted trail in the dark. Good job getting through it. Hills are tough. I certainly don't do enough of them!
ReplyDeleteThat does not sound like my idea of fun - hill reopeats in the dark on an uneven surface?? Yikes! Glad you had good company though and great job getting it done!
ReplyDeleteOh well, at least you enjoyed the views! Sounds like a tough hill session.
ReplyDeleteWe call the local hilly route: the lap of the death, so you can imagine how we love the hills!
ReplyDeleteDark, hilly, uneven surface and repeats: you love running!