Sunday Solstice Swim

Me no like!

They've got Santa trussed up like a turkey ready to be burned on a bonfire on Christmas Night. There's no way out Santa, no way out at all.

Peter has been to the Dive Shop and got us new hoods and gloves. Thicker, warmer, better, more restricting, harder to put on...

He was away with Graham Henry and Richard and maybe some others to run every hour of this short day. I think they were planning about 38 miles. I say short day because I notice from the weather forecast that tomorrow is actually going to be a wee bit shorter, and the day after, and the day after. So it's only notionally the soltice. Bah Solstice Humbug!

I went off in the car to do a wee recovery run and then go in for a dip. By now you know the script. It was blowing a hoolie and it was threatening to rain, but it was a good bit warmer than it was yesterday.

The sight of the dark sea and sky was daunting me and I kept changing the plan. It's hard to stick to a plan that keeps changing. First of all I was going to run 6 miles and get back to the car, suit and boot and new hood up and get in the water. But a little way into the run I thought again. The sea was as choppy as ever. There was no way I was really going to swim today - just duck in and out for the sake of it...and if that was the case, maybe I'd be better going minimal rather than maximal. I thought maybe I'd go in in my undies 5 miles into the 6 mile run. But then...but then...well what if it was too cold...and I wouldn't have any goggles, wouldn't it be better to have a towel and goggles along? Well yes it would...so I circled back to the car having run a couple of miles already and picked up my goggles and towel. The tide was coming in fast and high.

I ran along to Aberlady bay just in time to see a family leaving the beach. I willed them to go away quickly because the sea was nearly up to the top of the beach and I wanted some seclusion for stripping off and going in. It was blowing hard and the waves were breaking. It was really quite frightening wading in. And because I didn't have my usual layers of rubber I was doing all the hyper-ventilation of old. It makes it much more exhilarating though. After a while of over-breathing I ducked in and under, and then did it again for good measure. I made no attempt at swimming and ran out. What a rush!

I actually felt quite warm trying to crouch out of the wind and get my running stuff back on. Then I ran very spryly for the mile back to the car.

Home and it's getting dark again. I wonder how Graham and his army of men are getting on.