Saturday night torture

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I was going to call this one "Six of the Best" but I only did 5 so I've had to rethink. "Five of what?" I hear you ask, which brings me to my great idea. My great idea when thinking about "How can I train for the Ben Nevis race AND a marathon at the same time and all on Saturday evening when I have some spare time?" ; Run 6 times round Arthur's Seat.
Peter was horrified but if I was going to do it then he was going to do it so after a sleep after work and some household chores we set out shortly after 7pm into the mean streets of Leith on a Saturday Night.

My achilles are a little grungy and were complaining for the first lap. Everything eased off by the 2nd lap. By the third lap it was starting to get dark. By the fourth lap it was very dark and the traffic on the road round the seat was starting to annoy me. Cars cruised by too slow or boy racers whizzed by too fast. Peter and I had agreed to go at our own paces and see each other at home as communication would become impossible as soon as we were a few hundred yards apart.

By the 5th lap I was starting to feel pretty hungry and cranky and there was no slackening in Saturday night car action round the seat - which was a pity as the moon had come up and the rabbits and bats were out and it would have been quite peaceful and nice. I'd underestimated how far it was going to be anyway and when I saw, at the shoulder of the seat that I'd already run 16 miles I realised I could go straight home and cover 18.5 miles or carry on and do somewhere nearer 22, which had not been my aim and did not appeal. So I bailed. Not without some regret...but I think it was the right thing.

I am starving. Time was slow but hey it was hilly and half of it was in the dark. 18.5 miles in 3hrs 05 minutes. Need to stretch, shower, eat, watch telly and sleep.
(Forgot to mention, Peter did do the 6 and arrived in the bottom door just as I had climbed the 3 flights of stairs to our flat, so that worked out well.)
It was very cool out. Autumn definitely on its way.