Tip-toeing onwards

I'm not sure that the following is quite what athletics coaches would suggest as the ideal pre-run fuelling - peat-smoked haddock and Morecambe Bay shrimps with sautee potatoes and green beans with a small glass of Chilean sauvignon blanc - but Mrs HF and I just happened to be passing the excellent 'George and Dragon' at Clifton, near Penrith, at lunch time and, well, it would have been silly to drive on past. It was delicious.

An hour and a half later I was lacing up my Salomons and heading out for what the training schedule calls '5 miles, easy' around the lanes near home. The wind was scything across the snow-covered fields and seemed determined to lance straight through my two thermal layers and Pertex top as I started up the hills. In places there were runnels of ice across the road which meant slowing right down and going very carefully, but I got into it and felt good enough to push on in the second half of the route - which was a lot flatter and along gritted roads.

The Garmin data showed I did 4.92 miles, at an average of 9.32 mins/mile, with a best pace of 6.27 min/mile. Not great, but not too bad. I'm a sufficiently old hand at this running lark not to obsess about times; I know in my bones that this was a good run. I felt strong at the end, and capable of pushing on further. I wonder if the interval sessions are beginning to have an effect or if peat-smoked haddock etc. should feature more often in my diet?

Smileyrating 8/10