The Lammermuirs with the Fast Boys and the Sunday Seal of Disapproval

So on Saturday we'd made this plan where me and Graeme Dunbar and Nick and Peter were all going to go for a run in the Lammermuirs. In which universe did this make sense? Not in this one. Not for small me. Also we were going to set off very early.

The weather forecast was good though.

So early on Saturday morning it was time to get up. The sun got up somewhat later. Happily Graeme had slept in so we were a little en retard. It gave me a chance to take care of some household chores.

We stopped en route at the Lanterne Rouge which recently won a much deserved award as Best Bike Cafe. I voted for it. Because refills of coffee. We all had 2 cups of coffee and I certainly felt more braced for the adventure to come.

It was icy cold and we were in shadow to start with. The boys were all very considerate but there was no-one who would naturally be jogging along at my pace. I tried to send them off ahead, but then they waited for me. Oh my giddy-god. At 11 miles or so I set them off up to Lammerlaw giving me a 1 mile head-start for the last few miles home and that's when I took 90% of my photos because I wouldn't be holding anyone up.

It was a beautiful day. Here are all my photos unfiltered with a lovely Bjork track called Vokuro on top of them. The music is very solemn but actually the atmosphere was more comedy than lament because coffee. I would do this differently next time but time is racing on so here is the imperfect product.

Today (Sunday) was another beautiful day. I got more sleep and was more well rested so more chipper and less frightened. We were planning to go to Gullane for a lope around. Nick said give him a shout too so we did. He'd been up until late and was a little subdued. His phone battery gave out and Peter's camera started to act up too. We were all tired and so it was quite a business-like canter round the usual circuit.

Coming back along the beach I reminded Peter that he had claimed there was a dead seal on the beach last week. I hadn't seen it and didn't really believe him. It was at the end of our 11 mile run and it was nearly dark. There was no sign of it today. I pretended to think the seal was a figment of his imagination and asked him if it had spoken to him.
He immediately shifted into character and it said in a slow, rather sardonic English accent. "Hello Mr Buchanan. I have some criticisms to make of you if you don't mind."
"What were they?" I inquired.
"You should have stuck in at school, you could have made something of yourself." it began.
"Instead you have let everyone down."
"And you've let yourself down."

Aaaah.