Hoops!

Today started in a rush. I washed my hair and didn't have enough time to dry it so I left the house looking a bit like a lion. I sorted a few things out at work that have been on my mind for a while and when 5pm came round I was ready to try out the new watch.

I got my trainers on, switched the watch on (remembering instructions from Flino as to what buttons to press) and jogged over to the Pride Park loop to start my 6x1 min intervals. Watch was working fine, telling me how fast I was running and how far I'd covered. Which was great, until I realised that for intervals I wanted it to tell me how fast I was running and also how long I'd been running for, or better yet, how long I had left to run. I pressed some buttons and managed to get it to tell me when a minute was up by beeping at me.

Great, I started running quite fast looking at my wrist - it said I was running 11 min mile pace. I don't think I was. I decided that I'd just run pretty quick for a minute and then walk for another minute. Repeat this six times. Jog back round the loop to cool down and remember how to breathe again. Session done. Although it was short, I felt like I had worked hard.

Interval training is meant to be one of the best ways to increase your fitness and improve your endurance.

I clearly need to learn more about the watch but overall a good days running.

Tonight we went to Jack Rabbits for dinner to say goodbye to Peaky as she is off on her travels for a month. What a brilliant evening, the food was amazing - it's all cooked on an Aga and everything is delicious! I was very close to cracking on the no drinking but managed to find some resolve at the last minute. I didn't want to have to write that I'd given up.

I've met some great friends through Derwent Runners and whenever we go out we spend most of the night laughing and not really talking about running. It's a very friendly, sociable club and has helped me to realised that not everyone that runs is a 'serious' runner.

I'm full of lovely food now and feeling very tired and happy. 9am PT session tomorrow to burn off the huge piece of Apricot Tart and Cream that I had for pudding. All this exercise has to have some benefits!