Trail running..Yippeeee

Day 241 Tuesday 28th August 6.6 miles : miles to date 1596.4 As I was coaching tonight, I had assumed I wouldn't be putting in the effort and encouraging instead. I was wrong. We ran over to an area where they are building a new Centre Parcs just outside Fliwick, which they are calling Woburn something or other as it sounds posher. Whilst the planners have destroyed an old trail, they have built a new three mile undulating trail around the perimeter which is even better. We met at the entrance for a lucky dip session. The coaches each had a card with twelve numbers on, with a time next to each ranging from thirty seconds up to four minutes. One of the group randomly picked a number and we then ran hard for the time next to it with a half time recovery before the next random number and time were selected. This meant that I had to run as well, whilst carefully watching the time and making sure we stuck to the right amount of recovery, including twenty two seconds only after the forty five second effort. We ran a total of twenty four minute efforts on what is quite a tough and challenging course. We ran twelve minutes one way, turned and came back. We somehow managed to save the thirty second burst until the end, which was on the steepest part of the trail. As it was only thirty seconds, we all ran up it hard so by the time we finished, the lactate was pumping all around the body. Speed sessions don't have to be on flat, even ground running loops around a track. This was a really interesting and engaging way to run a hard session and I wish I could take credit for it but I can't. I was just following orders. Now where have I heard that before?