As its feeling all springlike here I felt the call of the wild and an urge to escape into the countryside today.  The thought of trogging round the roads didn't appeal, so to keep the motivation up I followed my urges and headed off to my nemesis - Bredon Hill!

When I originally started training for the marathon I had visions of running up there at least once a fornight for a good hilly workout with fantastic views.  But then the weather and niggly feet got in the way and suddenly I realised I have not been up there since November - how did that happen?  It is a really hard run but one of my most favourite places.  I wasn't sure if I should do it after racing on Sunday and a 20 miler lined up for this weekend, but what the hell, I wanted do it, I was feeling good (I fought the cold off overnight - phew), and who knows what will happen tomorrow - so I siezed the day.

Well I had had time to plan this one as my youngest daughter woke me up at 5 am shouting "is it 7 o'clock yet?"  Noooo it most certainly is not!  Then we had a small battle of wills over the exact position she wanted her bedroom door to be left in and eventually she went back to sleep.  Only my husband is now on day 2 of his training plan for his 100 mile bike ride so he was up at 6 clattering round the bedroom. Funnily though he suddenly has taken more of an interest in my training now he has started his own - only 12 weeks in!!!

Shaking off my tiredness I set off on my hilly route.  The first couple of miles are fairly flat following fields, then there is the first up which I always find really hard. Today though I felt okay and didn't collapse in a heap at the top.  Then I followed a road for a mile or so before starting the proper ascent to the top.  Strangely there was an old lady sweeping up leaves on the pavement halfway along this road.  There are no houses for a mile, so it seemed a strange way to spend your time, especially as when a car went past her neat pile was sent swirling.  Who was going to notice her hard work? I wanted to give her a hug and say go home and have a cuppa, you mad woman!  But then she would have been in her rights to say to me, don't bother running up that enormous hill you doubly mad woman!

I got this route out of a walking book, which stated that all the ascents up the hill are gentle.  Well I beg to differ!  It is pretty steep in places.  I wonder if I will ever manage it without walking?  Maybe one day.  My tired legs needed a bit of a break so I walked the steepest bit and carried on running to the top, up to Parson's Folly at the very top.  The last few times I have stopped here to admire the views, which are amazing, but I pushed on today looking forward to running downhill. 

There were lots of helicopters were flying over to Cheltenham races, which are just down the road from here.  Despite being a big fan of National Hunt racing I have never been to the festival.  The one year I had tickets was the year it was cancelled due to foot and mouth - typical!  They were a present from my husband which he has never repeated - I must remind him of that!

On the run down I passed two runners on the way up.  It was wierd, we looked at each other with mutual respect and a small amount of shock that someone else would be doing this.  If we had been able to stop I would loved to have had a chat, but we runners can't stop mid run can we?  The final descent is quite hair raisingly steep, but good fun.  I got back to the start in 1:39:28, a full 7 minutes quicker than the last time.  I am very pleased with that.  The route is approximately 9.5 miles, a bit further than the planned 8 miles, but it was so worth it.  I'll take a pace of 10.28 m/m over that terrain.

I am so tired now though, so off to bed for me and fingers crossed there are no early wake up calls!

Happy trails xx