Hill training

According to Runners World - http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?uan=159 - hill training is good for you. Yes, I know that, and I suppose if I am going to survive my Brecon Beacons run I must show some willpower and hit the hills. I have found the ideal place to train near my home - Leigh Woods and Ashton Court in Bristol. There are lots of ups and downs, some steady and some steep, and the area is generally shady. Running has been pretty hot this week, so shade is one of my priorities in this beautiful weather.

I have done 2 sessions so far this week - one with my 32-year old ex-army PT trainer marathon buddy, which of course involved some very strenuous hill reps - a number of them starting at 80% effort, increasing to 95% and then tapering down again. I think it must have worked, because my run up the same hill today was quite manageable. Either that or it seemed easier because I was on my own!

Anyway, back to the important things in life - food. Last night was a simple supper of barbecued cumberland sausages (decent ones, not those ones in the packets that seem to taste unbelievably salty to me) and a very fresh-tasting 'green' couscous salad. I bought the most enormous bunch of parsley and some delicious tender courgettes from Reg the Veg. I sliced the courgettes lengthways, chargrilled them and added them to some couscous which I had soaked in chicken stock. I threw in tons of chopped parsley, the juice and zest of a lemon, some olive oil and some black pepper. A fresh, delicious and healthy accompaniment for the sausages and put together in a flash!