Hello from Font Romeu

This morning's track session

We set off from Manchester Airport at 8am yesterday morning and after a long delay, eventually arrived in Barcelona where we picked up a hire car and made our way up to the Pyrenees along the winding roads. We stopped for something to eat along the way. I ordered a tuna sandwich, which was brought to the table in Spanish style on massive hunk of crusty bread and smeared with a sort of tomato puree. This meant that once we arrived at our accommodation the last thing on my mind was eating and the first thing was to explore the trails in the evening sunshine so whilst the others went into town for dinner I got straight into my running gear and hit the trails.

I have been here twice before: once when I was running at my best in 1997 to train hard and try to make the team for the World Half Marathon (and I did!) and again a few years ago when me and my partner went to an ultra race in Massif Central and then came here afterwards. So I know this place a little but I found some trails last night that I hadn't been on before. They took me quite high up and I was so inspired that I ran until it was almost dark, by which time I was running into the path of the odd startled deer. It is totally inspirational up here and I really should spend more time in this sort of environment. It is good for the soul!

We started today with a walk to the nearest boulangerie for croissants and coffee and then had a talk from George Gandy who is overseeing the athletes training at the camp. George encouraged us to learn as much as we can whilst we are here by working with other coaches, observing the athletes and picking the brains of the medical team. He also told us to gain inspiration from the environment, the history (the first time the UK brought athletes to train here was in preparation for the Mexico Olympics in 1968 so our heritage with this place goes back a long way) but most of all he encouraged us to gain inspiration about the future!

We then went off to the track to watch the athletes, who have been here for a week, execute their training sessions. After a very thorough warm up that consisted of running and dynamic drills they worked in three groups, 800m athletes, 1500m athletes and those aiming for 5000m and above. Later on we will go with them to Lake Matemale where they will do a recovery run around the lake but before that we're off for a talk with the physiologist to gain more understanding of what is happening to their bodies whilst they are here.

I'll report more on this later....watch this space!