I need to  tell you about a fabulous couple of days of running in Northumberland but I haven’t sorted the photos yet so for now – here’s today’s fartlek session. What possessed me to think it would be a good idea to do this after a night in Manchester with theatre and wine and a day looking at the People’s History Museum fuelled by mostly coffee and cake? Nutter! However, I will run for rhubarb and apple pie and it seems I will even do fartlek for that! I had a bit of a meltdown in the 4 minute section and briefly stopped and then got my act together and got on with the job (slowing down a little on the 5 minute section might help with that!). Quite happy with this really – previous attempts in brackets

• 10 minute warm up: 11:47 (12.27, 12.20, 12.43 pace);
• 5 minutes:  9.43 (10.37, 10.26, 10.27);
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 4 minutes: 10.50 (10.30, 10.11, 10.18) pace;
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 3 minutes: 10.11 (11.03, 9.56, 10.18) pace;
• (then 5.5 minute rest);
• 2 minutes: 9.51 (10.17, 8.56, 9.52);
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 1 minute 30secs: 9.07 (9.41, 9.09 ,9.47) pace;
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 1 minute: 9.01 (8.41, 9.28, 9.29) pace;
• 1minute 30 second rest
• 30 seconds: 8.03 (7.39, 9.17, 8.37)  pace;
• 1 minute rest
• 30 seconds: 7.49 (7.38, 8.28, 7.39) pace.
• 10 min cool down 12.34 (14.23, 14.17,15.16) pace

Overall 4.24 miles and an average of 12.08 pace  –  and coming home to this (made by Kath) wasn’t at all bad!