Last week’s hill training showed me that my hills aren’t big enough, hard enough or painful enough. Finishing the tenth repeat at seven incline (after doing the other 9 at five) sadly demonstrated I was slacking. So its outside for you Carpenter.

Cape Town is a city of hills, and there are plenty to choose from, but if you really want to be sadistic you’ll pick Bellevue Road. This teeny cut through from Gardens is the highest junction opening out on Kloof Nek Road. Its so $£@*! steep I can only drive up it in second gear, and everyone drives down it with their foot on the brake. Yes, you’ve guessed it, this is my new hill repeat venue.

So there I am at 6am wondering whether I should venture out in the dark (I’m looking for a decent excuse to go the gym and not Bellevue Road) when I tell myself I only have to do it the one time, and back to the gym next week.

So I get outside and I feel good, I feel good all the way past De Waal Park and I feel good when I reach my nemesis. ‘Hurumph’ I think, this is unusual. I begin at the top stop street and run to the steps. Not bad, down I go (I need steep down runs to strengthen the legs). Up, down, up, down, up, down etc. I cannot believe this, I actually enjoyed it, and I didn’t even walk.

Running notes
Route: My flat to Bellevue road, a ton of hill repeats and then home via Buitengracht
Height climbed: A lot
Time started: 06:11
Total time: 1:10 ish
Total distance: Don’t know because my nike+ ipod is rubbish
Temperature: 20˚ and a stiff southeaster
Runner’s condition: Good
Song of the run: Eye of the Tiger (If I had it!)