2 weekends and a Wednesday.

Hello again. Not sure exactly why I haven't been blogging, maybe I've been busy. Other people have been away doing big, huge marvellous things - like Nick W going away and running the WHW by himself over the course of 2 days, or the Manchester Marathoners, or on Saturday the Highland Flingers. Meanwhile I have been cultivating the art of the small. I don't know what that means either. Anyway, 2 weekends ago the sun came out, even though it was mighty chilly. My legs are still a bit dud for running, but as long as there's no hurry I can do a bit. Given how broken my running has been of late it's given me time to think about just exactly what I need it for. In the end I think it's best quality is it's the best way to get off road. A fat bike might be good too but there's no more room in our hall. 

Back to 2 weekends ago. Chilly, sunny, nice. I had gone a bit daft and bought another wetsuit - this time a shorty - it was on sale ffs. Since I'd got it, I wanted to try it out. Peter wasn't for it at all. There was a cutting easterly wind. He went trotting about inland while I took my wetsuit in for its inaugural ducking. I was proud of myself for going in, and I discovered a shorty wetsuit is infinitely easier to get on and off, which is pleasing. But perhaps not unrelatedly I woke up with a cold the next day. I'd only just had one recently, so I was a bit cross with fate. What exactly was its point? Why was it picking on me?

The next day wasn't all that nice and neither of us could be bothered to go running, so I set us a challenge - cycle 3 times round Arthur's Seat and try to do each lap faster. Peter was on for it.

Instead of doing every lap faster, I went as fast I could on the first one and then slowed down. Peter managed every lap faster however. It wasn't a bad way to get out the house and do something.

I can't remember now when we actually went to the Botanics - and frankly who cares? But it might have been about Wednesday. Yes it was because I went out a run on Monday and I was moving the best I had been in some time. That got my hopes up and I thought on Wednesday I might be really fine - but I wasn't great. Humph. So let's look at some flowers and a cute squirrel.

It was a hectic week at work because we moved base from Clermiston to Craigroyston. Stuff happened, as stuff does, so the key had gone missing out of my set of drawers - ooerr Mrs - meaning I couldn't get into my card that gives me access to the computers. That was a hassle. And then the printer didn't work. And I'd moved everyone who I was going to see on Tuesday to Friday so they wouldn't end up waiting ages longer - but it was a bit too much. I spent Friday typing like crazy in between seeing people. I'm usually pretty good at being careful about my posture when I'm working on the computer because I've had my share of sore shoulders and funny necks from spending too long in Cyber-world in a trance and forgetting I've got a body too. Anyway, I forgot, I think. I felt fine on Friday night and was really looking forwards to getting out a wee run and hopefully going a bit better, but on Saturday morning I was standing in a trance in the kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil when "TWANG" something nasty happened in my neck and shoulder on the right hand side. Noooooooooooo!

I was still able to drive, although I couldn't look over my right shoulder easily - had to swivel from the waist. I was in a dark mood anyway. My legs were alright but not great. Peter was darting around complaining about there being no butterflies and I was stewing on why all my bits keep breaking.

I stopped for a stretch and saw this hideous, black fungus growing out of a fallen section of tree. It was so horrible it kind of cheered me up. I thought I would make a point of taking a photograph of anything horrific or dark for the rest of the run.

And then before I knew it I was noticing nice things.

So in the end we had fun. I discovered a way to tire Peter out which is to get him to leap as high as he can over and over again "for the camera". Similar to throwing a stick, I guess...

And then I had a wee leg bathe which always feels great. Afterwards at least.

I wanted to get out for longer though, and long runs are just not an option, so yesterday I persuaded Peter to come with me on a reverse of the route I did last time on my good bike.

There was a cold north-east wind blowing so we headed inland for the outward journey and went to the new Falkos at Haddington and had big egg and bacon rolls. Then we went up the Hopetoun monument. I'd been up it once before with no light and had to come down the worn spiral staircase on my bum like a child because I was too freaked out by it. I had a bike-light this time so I managed to stay on my feet for the downward journey - but I was....cautious.......

Is that the shadow of my monument or am I just pleased to see you? Ask yourself that.

Then we had a long, fast swoop down to the coast and came back with the wind behind us this time.

Nice, although I need to think of a new route now.