Saturday 28 October 2017

Mental Health Day

I was signed up for the Cumbernauld XC relays for today, but as the week went on my heart was sinking. What I was needing was a nice long run in the autumn wind, not a drive up the motorway and a 2.5 mile sprint against youngsters. And it's happening - on Friday I got into work before it was fully light and it was getting dark again by the time I came out. We're rocketing into the long season of darkness.
It had been a lovely day. I know because I saw other people's photos on facebook.

Here's the view from my desk, although not on Friday.

The gardens out at Carberry Towers where Peter's sister Caitlin was getting married.

The two photos above are the only ones I seem to have taken of Caitlin's wedding last Sunday.
I don't know who the man at the window was. Someone was waving from the window and I thought it was someone from our wedding party, until Peter pointed out the window was on the floor above. I wonder if he's ever allowed out.

Anyway, back to today. Despite having been warned by Mark Fry at club that he didn't want any drop outs for the cross-country this time, I decided to take a mental health day and cried out of it. 

definitely vampires I would say, parked next to the graveyard on Pilrig











I thought I might run about 12 miles and set out on the cycle path to Cramond to get the maximum wind cover, and then take advantage of the strong West Wind to get blown home.

It was an overcast day, but it was warmish and it was as good to be out for a solitary run as I hoped it might be. I'd almost forgotten how your mind runs over the events of the week, and sorts them out without conscious direction, while your feet tick along at an even pace.

I was slightly dreading getting to Cramond because at times I can find the Prom and then the next mile to Granton pretty grim. But today it just ticked by and before I knew it there were just 2 miles to go.

I had brought my Cashline card so I could get anything I wanted for lunch from Scotmid. I know how to live it up. The perfect thing turned out to be fried egg on toast and a cup of cocoa.

A surprise 14.6 miles done with a minimum of suffering.

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