While 20 or so of our fellow Glasgow Tri Club athletes headed out to the warmer climes of Club La Santa on Lanzarote today, eight of those left behind in Scotland braved a chilly and sleety run session tonight.

Led by Major Tom, aka the Captain of Communication and one of our fab coaches, we completed a 30-minute speed session, with one minute of fast running followed by a minute’s recovering. Now I know that doesn’t seem like a long time to to be running but speed intervals are always tough.

The session is as much about gauging pace (ie starting at a pace you can manage for the whole set) as it is about mental resolve over physical pain. These sessions are always the same for me. I set off thinking that the first three reps are really quite nice, then by the halfway point I start to think I’ll probably puke. By the time we get to the last few reps I am close to actually puking … and then on the last two reps it’s mind over matter that always wins and I find I can just about make it to the end of the last rep before my legs give way.

Ah, and while it is painful, these sessions do work wonders on overall speed. We’re starting to build up for the triathlon race season – and the aim for many will be to pull off a decent run time at the end of a triathlon event (swim, then cycle, then run on wobbly legs).

Thanks Major Tom for keeping our motivation up tonight – while we all tried to forget about the warm weather training our fellow members will be doing this week in the Canaries. Hurumph!