Personal trainer

I haven't done much running this week, well not proper running training, but rather running down mountains with walking boots on which doesn't really count. Yesterday was one such day. For the first time ever after years of pestering everyone, I finally managed to take part in a climb up the Pointe Percée. This mountain is fantastic: a clear 'V' shaped top with a sharp ridge and a strong reputation as being a difficult ascension. Last year, there was an accident when a walker slipped on the descent and fell off the cliffs that surround the summit, dying from his injuries. Its reputation is not unfounded.

The walk was fantastic with the last 250m of ascent being a rock-climb rather than a walk. I loved every moment of it and then finished the last 3 km of the descent by running. The guide didn't believe that I could get down under 20 minutes, so I proved him wrong by bounding down in 18min45 !

Pointe Percée in all its splendour

Today was a different affair, as I accompanied Laurence on a morning run to Megevette and back. I was acting as her personal trainer and encouraging her up the hills. It was extremely hot again today and I was really pleased not to be running hard. It's great to be able to run with Laurence again now that her knee has completely recovered. She has returned to form rapidly over the last month and is now running as fast as she could prior to the Paris Marathon. Her endurance is also improving quickly and next month she'll resume the full marathon training programme in preparation for La Rochelle.

We set off up the main road to Megevette, being careful on the bends where the road narrows and the rock overhangs. I ran just behind Laurence, letting her set the pace and watching her style. She runs so much more fluidly than in the past, it's a pleasure to run with her. We were running at around 10 km/h up the hill, slowing to 6:40 pace on the steepest section when we left the main road to take the minor road to Megevette.

On the way back down the hill, we sped up to 5:15 - 5:20 pace, letting gravity pull us along. Laurence intended to just run 10km, but I managed to persuade her to run another kilometre and include the last hill up to Les Chavannes to finish. Despite her initial reluctance, she ran well up the slope to finish at the holiday centre.

11km all up in 1:05 or an average of 5:49 per km. Most pleasant for me in the heat and following yesterday's exertions. I really wasn't motivated to running any further or harder today.