NB18

I found your make-up bag by the way

Peter was away for some punishment in the Pentland Hills with Gareth Green, which meant I got to mosey around the coast tout seul. I wanted 18 miles. You know the routine. I parked up behind Ben's house and set off into the cool, light west wind back along the road to Gullane.

At Gullane the triathlon was on. Specifically, where I was, the cycling bit. The police were doing a very  nice job of stopping the traffic so the cyclists could take a right turn down to the beach for the running leg, without having to wait at lights or wait for traffic. I sat and watched with approval, drinking half a cup of strong coffee and eating a cinnamon pastry from Falko's. I had to stop myself asking for a cinnamon danish as clearly it should be a cinnamon german. I was trying to remember if the danes hate the germans or is it the other way round. Actually I think it's the dutch. Historically I mean. Stereotypically I mean.. My brain was having a Fawlty Towers moment.

I don't think I really needed any coffee, I was already kind of high. I don't know why. Maybe seeing the sun out again after a sombre grey week. But I couldn't resist it anyway. It's my Saturday treat.

There's not a new thing to be said about running round the coast. Except today everyone was very smiley. Maybe I was smiley and didn't know it. When I got to Gullane I joined the running route of the triathlon (or they joined my route really, it's just where I normally go...) so I got a few cheers. Always nice.

At 16 miles, just along from Yellowcraigs I ran into Uncle Eric. I don't know why I call him Uncle Eric, he's actually Marc Grierson's uncle, but it fits him. He's such a nice man. He's aiming to run 60 marathons before he's 60 and I've already forgotten how many half marathons and 10Ks. He says he has 50 marathons in the bag and 2 and a half years to get the rest done. And he's looking great.

At North Berwick I had a bit of distance to make up so I ran to the far end of the beach. There was a regatta on (which I was too lazy to photograph) and a thing for the life-boats. Don't ask me what kind of a thing. There were bag-pipes. Then I ran back along the main street in North Berwick - a bit hectic on a Saturday afternoon - and then round the block at Ben's to make it to 18 miles.

Just over 40 miles for the week. It felt like another good week's work. My heart rate has taken a while to settle down today though. I don't know why. I guess I need to go easy on the coffee...