Leicester City players reported back for the first day of pre-season training yesterday with striker Chris Wood admitting it is a day he dreads.
Apart from Kasper Schmeichel and Sean St Ledger, who were given extra time off after international duty prolonged their season, the players were put through their paces with some gruelling running tests by manager Nigel Pearson and his staff.
Wood said he always finds the running sessions tough. However, the players, who all passed a fitness test last week to assess their condition after their summer break, did get to enjoy a second session with the balls in the afternoon at Belvoir Drive.
"Nobody likes the running work and if anyone tells you they do, then they're lying," said New Zealander Wood.
"They're not nice, but you just get on with them and do them.
"Even on the training pitch you can't hide behind other players or anything like that, because you have got the GPS on and they are making sure that you're working up to the right standards."
Wood said the players were already in good shape having followed their fitness programmes during the summer, but the key was to rest and recover after last season's exploits.
Wood said he had returned raring to go, and added: "It's been a good month off to rest and recover mentally more than anything, and we've all come back in good physical shape, and it's good to see all the lads.
"We spend every day with each other for 11 months, so a month away from everything can be much-needed at the end of it. But they're all good lads and they have come back looking good.
"We've all had our programmes to stick to over the summer and it showed with the lads coming in (yesterday) in good form. We have all been doing our work and we'll be pushing on towards the start of the season.
"I think it's a bit too early to start setting targets. I think first we've got to come in and do the business and get the team working well, then we will all have to fight for places."
City begin their pre-season fixtures at Leamington Spa on Friday, July 12.
