Saturday Run

Up early Saturday once again to go for a longish run. I couldn't think what we should do. We've done the Lammermuirs, done East Linton to Dunbar and back, done North Berwick to Aberlady and back to death nearly...I can't afford to hand the reins back over to Peter. If I do it will be an afternoon/evening run of no set distance and no clear route, with dinner at midnight.

Then I remembered a 12 mile run in the Pentlands we tried in the winter which takes in Turnhouse, Carnethy, Scald Law and South Black Hill, then sneaks down to the Howe before East Kip and goes back down the road until you can climb left up Phantom's Cleugh (???), over a roundy hill (Capelaw?) and then back to Flotterstone via the red road that winds round the side of Castle Law.

Despite the met office saying there would be very little wind and no rain it was blowy up the tops and there were frequent rain-storms. We had considered wearing long-sleeve tops but the weather has been so warm it was hard to imagine that there would be any need. I thought I might have made a mistake as my arms went numb as we summited Turnhouse. 

I had secretly hoped that I could get up to the top of Turnhouse in 25 minutes which would mean a near return to form - but it was 26 minutes and quite a lot of change before I made it. The wind was in our teeth however, so this might account for some of it.

Neither of us felt that special and the weather was so hostile, particularly on the way out, that it was more of a forced exercise than fun.

It was a relief to drop down to the road and get the wind behind us although the metaled road under thin-soled inov8s was not pleasant.

The climb back up to Capelaw was unwelcome and I thought about how I'd been thinking about doing the Skyline in October and maybe that wasn't such a good idea. 

The run along the army road at Castlelaw is quite fast but really sore underfoot as someone has put down a load of new stone chippings.

Back in the car park I saw we'd run it 7 minutes quicker than in January. That was something.

Back at home, Peter headed off out to do half a day's work and I had a delightful snooze. I feel much better now.