Quick hillwork

My husband came home for lunch today, which allowed me THIRTY GOLDEN MINUTES to escape my babies and get outside on this beautiful day to "enjoy" a quick little workout. I had swapped out the evil new knife-edge bike saddle, and need to road-test the more comfortable old one that I put on Buttercup. However, I need more time for that ride.

I opted for a quick series of hill repeats up the quarter-mile hill by our place. It's steep. It's steep enough that I have never yet been able to cycle up it, nor run up it without doing a significant amount of walking. History tells me that four repeats of the hill climb is enough to give me a seriously Sore Butt. So off I went.

1. First attempt, walking as a warmup. I smile when I notice there are Hash House Harrier Marks in purple chalk: a series of -+-+-+-> leading up the hill. Somebody who laid this trail is Pure Evil. I laugh out loud when I get to the top of the hill and notice the reward for the harriers who made it to the top: "Beer Near!" 3:42 split.

2. I try to jog up it, taking teensy tiny steps, and I'm forced to walk by halfway up. 3:01 split.

3. I try to jog again, keeping the pace relaxed from the start. I walk, but pick up a jog again, working hard toward the top. 3:01 again, dammit.

4. I'm slowing down now. I try power-walking the second half of the hill, to see how much time I actually lose. Only 15 seconds: 3:16.

My fat butt is going to hurt tomorrow. Note to self: Add "jog up entire hill without walking" to list of 2005 goals.