I loved being off a bit at Christmas and the New Year. Let's put down a representative selection of photos taken since Jan 1 and I shall weave some commentary around them...
January 1st, Peter was up to some Shenanigans on Hogmanay night and didn't get home until late. I had had a big long sleep so I was fine. We went to Gullane and ran around late on in the day and there was a dramatic sunset on the beach, which was kind of fun.
That evening I casually mentioned that the weather was looking super-duper for the next day, if you like bright and cold, and really what we should do is get up into the Pentlands before dawn and take pictures. Now it was a big ask for Peter who, even normally, is no early bird, and who had trundled home the night before somewhere around 4am. To my surprise, however, he liked the idea. We were out the house just after 7am the next morning and needed head-torches as we set off in the cold and dark from Flotterstone. Even at the top of Turnhouse, it was not truly dawn, and even at the top of Carnethy, there was a bit to go, because of the cloud on the horizon. So we were on our way up Scald Law when the sun really began to shine on us.
Peter had said there was a runner behind as we were running up Scald Law. I had a look over my shoulder when I was 2/3rds of the way up and to my horror they were catching fast. Fergus Johnston passed me just before the top of Scald Law last summer and for some reason I didn't want to be overtaken just at the last moment like that again, so I put in every effort to hold off this runner before the top -
whoever he was. Well he turned out to be Stewart Whitlie!
The sun came out at last but it was still very cold and not the weather for hanging around. We ran on a little way together and then Stewart took off up East Kip while we headed down to the Howe and then on to Black Hill.
It continued to be a lovely morning - we carried on over Bell's Hill and Harbour Hill and whatever the next one's called and then down the wee path that skirts past Castle-Law on the right hand side. We were very impressed with ourselves to be finishing a longish run just about noon.
Then there was another run at Gullane. We set off much too late. I had meant for us to run 13-14 miles but there was no way in hell. We were already behind but the tide was way in and the water was very still and Peter suggested we run round the outside of the nature reserve at Aberlady, close to the water, which turned out to be challenging. We only had time to run 6 before it got dark. You can't win them all.
Then I had some new hill shoes and we both had Wednesday off and it was a nice day so we headed back up into the Pentlands. It was a good run but we were both a bit tired and perhaps a bit nippy with each other. The views were spectacular. I was tired the next day and glad to just do a wee run on my own and then go off to work.
Shangri-La, this is the top of the long climb up from the Howe to the shoulder of Carnethy Hill proper, and the worst climb of the Carnethy 5 Hill Race.
Yesterday we planned to go to Gullane but a whole series of things happened which ate into our running time. Then the weather closed in and it started to rain lightly so we cut our losses and ran locally - running 10 miles round Arthur's Seat. It was late, dark and un-scenic so no visual record exists. I remembered how sore running on the road can be and tried not to think unhappy thoughts about marathons and all that.
Today we headed for Gullane as soon as we could rouse our idle bones to do so. It was very blowy and there was dramatic low light. Finest kind.
Jake the Peg.
Zombie Apocalypse.
Best be getting on. Happy New Years All. :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment