Rainy run with a little sun.

 Today's run was surprising and fun. We were going to head to Gullane but the forecast was terrible. It was forecast to be wet here too, but not as wet and not until later. We were thinking of going round Arthur's Seat and then I proposed a detour past the station for a coffee and then  a quick trip to the West End and back just to see what horrors Christmas was throwing up, working on the "so bad it's good" principle. Peter was up for it, slightly to my surprise...so we got coffees and stood on the top of the Waverley Market trying to figure out if a swan dive from the Scott Monument into one of the bucket seats on the "ride" right beside it would be possible. Then we tried to make our way through the crush...

We had thought about taking a look at the German Market - but the crowds even on the pavement of Princes Street were too impossible, so we headed up George Street to see the Silent Disco. I can't imagine that anyone is going to pay £4.50 to get a set of head-phones to dance in a silent disco in this structure of light. Maybe I'm wrong but...why would you? Peter marvelled that someone must have screwed in all the light-bulbs. Then he started making noises about Corstorphine Hill. Well actually, when you're at the West End it's not that far. We took a route that avoided Shandwick Place but expected to have a clear run along St John's road - the pavements are ample and there's never anyone there except at the bus-stops...or so I thought.

We hadn't bargained with there being rugby on. The pavements were four and five people deep all the way along to Murrayfield, so we ran most of the way towards the traffic in the bus-lane. The odd taxi drove towards us on purpose, but mostly the traffic left us alone. It was noticeable how much more good-natured this crowd was than the usual crowd of Hibbies on Easter Road. We got a few smiles and hellos and exhortations to run faster. Mostly cheerful men in skirts having had beer for breakfast. Just the thing to put you in a good mood.

I was running at top speed so have no record of that part of the journey. 

At the wee gate that takes you up C Hill beside the zoo we had a change of gear. For a short while the sun came out and it was quite warm and bright. 

 As we rounded the top of the hill, however, the first rustle of rain in the tree-tops started and quickly gathered momentum as the skies darkened. We took shelter under some trees at the edge of the golf-course for a short while, but when it became clear that the rain wasn't for stopping we set off again. The 4 or so miles from Ravelston to home were more of a grind with the north wind and the rain in our faces, but we both knew we'd be home soon.