I hadn't been out for my Sunday run. We had been out on a 3 mile walk and sledge pull to go sledging this morning, but that wasn't like the effort of a normal Sunday long run.
Our road is about 300 metres long and on a fair incline. 250 metres to avoid the ends and steer clear of cars.
So, being the glutton for punishment that I am, I decided to combine kids fun and my training.
I added an extra long rope to the sledge string and harnessed myself up as if I was their reindeer. I then set about dragging them up and down the hill at a pretty decent speed.
I only took one child at a time (i'm not insane!) but I knew all three would want a go, and none of them would settle for less of a go than the others.
I was jogging down the hill and sprinting back up (as much as you can sprint in the snow dragging a child laden sledge!).
4 reps in (4 down and 4 up that is) and the first child was cold enough and happy enough to stop. On that basis I knew I had 8 more reps to go.
Luckily the kids were disorganised enough to allow me to get my breath back whilst taking off coats and wellies and then getting the next passenger prepared.
A few adults asked the price for a ride up, I could have made a killing.
One fellow fool (another dad) tried one hills worth near my pace. Then he was gone. One was enough for him!
I have to say that I am an idiot. But it was good fun, the kids loved it, I enjoyed it in a way only a runner could, and it was a really good training session.
All in all it was 12 hard hills dragging a sledge for 250 metres.
I must be mad! No, I was just making the most of being a pretty fit Dad!
Brilliant! I thought I was mad running on the canal in snow, no hills involved!
ReplyDeleteI assure you it's perfectly sane....I have to take them seldging of course and I don't want to miss training just because there's snow, so it's the obvious solution.
DeleteNext to the canal rather than "on" I hope!