Dunbar XC and 10 mile "warm down"

If we wanted to be counted in the Borders XC series this year we had to make a start today. But we needed a bit more mileage for the weekend. The obvious solution was to do Dunbar and then go for another run afterwards. Michael G. thought he might come with us.

It was a bright, beautiful but horribly cold morning. I had some iffy goings on in my abdomen and thought I might not run the XC, hoping to feel better for later on. The start was delayed by half an hour because of the huge volume of entrants today which gave enough time for some pain-killers to get working for me and get me on the start line. The only concession I made was to wear a long sleeve top under my racing vest. I wouldn't normally do that.

It wasn't a top performance but I came close to enjoying the race. It was a nice course, interesting, flattish and fastish to start with (no rocks and rock-pools this time!) out and back on the beach and then down the coast, past the lighthouse, on the beach again, off the beach again, back on grass nearly to the cement works - then turning around onto tussocky ground that required more concentration - I enjoyed this bit the best making up a bit of time on those around me. Concentrating on where my feet were going took my mind off the distance. A couple of steep rises. Before I knew it the lighthouse was passed and I was nearly at the finish. And then I was finished.

We'd planned to get moving fairly quickly after finishing in order to get running in time, but those plans were formed before the post-race relaxation took over. Really, who could be bothered hurrying. There were lots of people to chat with. Michael saw sense and realised he didn't need a 10 mile run before driving down to Sheffield tonight. We decided to head half way to home before setting off. Well it was me really. I like running around Aberlady and I hate driving in the dark, so it made sense. So to Gullane we went to do a 10 mile loop round the coast. It was hard to go out in the cold, but once we were out and running it was fine. The day was closing down around us but its a nice time to be out. Peter kept haring off. He had some things on his mind. People who had beaten him, things like that... I wasn't haring anywhere, and had very little on my mind. We timed it pretty well. It became fully dark just as we got back under the lights of Gullane.

We had originally thought we might run 15 miles after the XC but that got trimmed pretty smartly. Quite pleased with doing the 10 anyway.

Thanks to the Dunbar folk for a friendly, enjoyable day out.