Weekendo Running

Irrelevant picture, but I didn't want to waste a nice sunrise.

On Saturday Nick W was coming with us to Gullane for the full experience...scones, coffee, chat'n'run. The boys were very considerate and I could just about keep up, but there wasn't any down-time, so just a handful of photos. 

Peter has been saying for a while that my panoramas had suddenly started looking kind of old fashioned. I finally sat down and had a look at my camera settings after I saw the photo above - and found it was set to retro. Well how did that happen?

Anyway, yesterday's run good. Then today it seemed I should be starting the long run thing for marathon training. Peter and Nick were going to do the PRC group long run. I dreamt up a route which I thought would be about 16 miles. There was to be a strongish SW wind and a bit of rain in the middle of the day. I thought I'd tough it out by setting out uphill and heading SW so that I'd have something to look forwards to for the 2nd half. It occurred to me to run out past the RIE and then up the road through Ferniehill and Gilmerton that turns, at some point, into Captain's Road. I've cycled down it and remembered that it was straight with wide pavements. The reality was a bit twistier, but it wasn't a bad route. 

Continuing west this turns into Frogston Road and it occurred to me that I could continue on down Colinton Road and come back along the WOL - that would likely make it up to 20. Maybe another day. As I was approaching Fairmilehead I was just shy of 9 miles and I tried to figure out how I would find another 7 miles to get back to Leith.

I took a detour through the Hermitage and it looked for a while like I had sufficient mileage. But as I was nearing home it was becoming more and more apparent that I was still going to be about half a mile short. I was out of patience and my legs were sore, so there was no way I was going to go and run round the block a couple of times to find another half mile.

I arrived, rather grumpily, home, feeling tired and not too optimistic about how much fun marathon training is going to be. Then my Garmin wouldn't sync and for a while I was in serious trouble. What if I had to put my pitiful, short run into Strava by hand? Then I wouldn't even have the elevation figures and there would be no excuse for my woefully slow pace?

Actually, I should know better than this. This kind of talk is very bad for morale. Upon mature reflection what I did today was an ambitious and well-conceived route on tired legs and it will stand me in good stead for my excellent marathon journey this year. Smiley face.