Smile Reps

A tough track session lay ahead of me this evening of mile repeats and at a good pace. With the words of one of the coaches ringing in my ears telling me to get out of my comfort zone I decided lets not think of these as mile reps but smile reps. Possibly even tougher for me to maintain a happy face for such an extended period!
I would push myself and run hard but even if it wasn't showing outwardly, on the inside I would be smiling, smiling because I am out doing this and I am trying and hard work pays off, I know it will. This feeling left me moments before starting and I started to feel a little peculiar and doubted I should even run but soon enough I pulled myself together and got on with the task in hand and began to run...
I smile because I know Jerry is lurking on the sidelines or running in the opposite direction, ready to throw quips and encouragement at us as we circle the track. Mostly tonight he was shouting different sorts of cakes at me... chocolate, fairy, rocky road, and the list went on!
I smile because I see my running buddy friends and we are doing this together.
I smile because once again Mike shouts at me to pick my knees up.
I smile because while I am lapped I know these speed demons and typhoons started somewhere too and with hard work maybe one day I can gain on them (probably never catch them but maybe make up some ground!).
I smile because while Peter leads the stretching, people are making cracks, joking and happy, and look like they are doing the hokey cokey. 
I smile because I know it is working! Last time we ran this track session on the 29th December, so our very first one, my reps were 7:50, 8:04, 8:07 and this time they were 7:25, 7:30, 7:33 so I was over the moon to have made such a big improvement, if there had been any walls near by I would have been bouncing off them!
So, tonight I ran and inside I smiled and before I knew it I was done, I was feeling all the better for it, then headed home, sweaty yet buzzing and ready for my supper and a nice cuppa.