What did I do?
A hike along the River Lee followed by a run with hill sprints.

What was it like?
I was on the trail by 6.30 this morning and by 11.00 had covered over 12 miles on foot. Accompanied by my mum I walked along the River Lee towpath, a place I used to run on summer mornings when mist still hung over the water, and which can get very congested with people - particularly on bikes. Thanks to an early start we had the route to ourselves.

Although the terrain was flat it was good for getting used to walking a significant distance in one go. My boots are well worn-in so I didn’t have to worry about blisters but the heat made me think about how much water I might need to carry for the challenge if it happens to be a hot day. Safe water sources may be few and far between in the mountains. 

To make up for the lack of incline on the walk I decided to head out for a run and hill sprint session afterwards. It helped that I’ve had one of those days where I can’t sit still. I don’t like hill sprints (does anyone enjoy it when their lungs burn?) and it was super hot, which made it super tough. I warmed up with a 2.5k run and then took on two hills. The first was out in the sunshine with an uneven surface and the second in the shade on a tarmac surface - only slightly easier!

How do I feel now?
Tired but motivated, and in need of a good dinner. 

CV