More August

 Somehow or other I've up-loaded my photos all out of sequence. I can't be bothered to change them around so I'm afraid we're going to be going backwards and forwards in time.

This photographed marked me finishing the Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee earlier this month. Tennessee is just like home. 

Earlier in July I had done a 24hrs heart tape. I'd been dodging this for some time as I felt fine and I didn't want them finding anything. I didn't want any medication. I didn't want any interventions. I didn't want any doubts in my mind. After I'd done it I was on the alert for communications for a wee while, but then I forgot about it. I was delighted to get this letter through the post the other day. Also a little surprised to find out that I am now married. I wonder if it's to Peter or if it's someone else.

I got this book tucked under the door-mat from Amazon today when I arrived home from running. Peter rolled his eyes at me. 

This, friends, is the magnificent belt buckle I got for finishing the GVRAT. It was fun. It was quirky. It wasn't 1000K it was 1021K I think, and Lazarus Lake didn't care. He quite likes having a bit of fun at the expense of people who don't pay attention.

What is Mr Crow looking at?

Why this spectacular rainbow, that's what.

Mr Seagull watches from a different vantage point.

Yesterday was one of the days when you feel like you are being jerked around by fate. I didn't want to do the same old run. Just needed  a change of scene. I suggested the Pentland low level route. That's when you go round on the roads and trails rather than the high tops. Peter was reluctant but couldn't come up with a better suggestion. He was a bit off as it was grey and windy and there was very little chance of butterflies. He has an actual addiction. We were both tired from the week and not that enthusiastic. There was foot dragging. We didn't arrive at Flotterstone car park until 2pm, 

 Meantime I had made us some very strong coffees. I drink coffee every day but Peter doesn't. I was treated to a rather wild, passionate and uninterrupted airing of his views, anecdotes from the week, up to date detailed news about people I don't know..... I had to let a lot of it go just simply because I was driving. When we got to Flotterstone there was no where to park. Peter was yelling that we'd be driving round and round there for an hour. I threatened to just take him straight home.

After 3 rounds of the car park I gave up and drove away not knowing what the next move was. We drove across country, heading approximately for the coast and found ourselves on the outskirts of Dalkeith. It was at that point it popped into my head that we could go and park at the Edinburgh end of the Pencaitland cycle path and do a run that incorporates a circuit of woods at Winton which we used to do many moons ago. I had clean forgotten about it.

This proved to be a good plan, and we enjoyed the first bit a great deal.

Towards the end my feet were starting to hurt. I think it's achilles pain, although it's fairly diffuse. When I moved my hips more, my tendons hurt less. I was pretty grumpy for the last 4 miles and Peter wisely just gave me space.

I couldn't have been more glad to see this wee bullock as he marked 200m to go back to the car.

Below are photos from another run from Gullane to Yellowcraigs and then back along the dunes. We'd been intending to come back up through Archerfields but it was closed for the Open. (Ironically). This was round about last week. I don't know why my photos are all out of time sequence. And I don't care. And I doubt you do either.

I shut my eyes every chance I get.

Peter's gesture indicates that he is remonstrating with a butterfly.

This Puffin had been Picassoed, to add insult to injury.

August

 I've not been very posty this year. I don't know why. It doesn't matter so much, but I like having the blog as a record of events. Things generally seem normal at the time and it's only later when you look back you think "oh yes THAT!"

So what's been happening?

Well we had a mad thunder and lightening storm the other night. I made some videos but they're not very good because I was scared to lean out the window. I kid you not. The hairs on the backs of my fingers were tingling! And we're 3 floors up. And I've got a lot of fillings. Didn't want to chance it.

The next day we woke up and there was no internet - it was terrifying. But let's back up a bit.

I've still been doing some runs around town - but it's not like the early lockdown days. The centre of town is busy again. 

Now that people can travel out of town there isn't the same pressure on the space. There has been a noticeable influx of visitors though - despite there not being a festival. I know this is good for business but it's difficult not to resent it.

Covid 19 hasn't stopped the festival weather - so sunny, humid days are interspersed with downpours.

My castle is no longer a refuge.

!!!

I went a run around town last Saturday as Peter was off on a butterfly hunt. I thought I might run 17 miles or so and I had a good route planned out, but it got so hot and my feet hurt, and so I curtailed it. It was disappointing. The thing that stops my long runs these days is a growing, grumbling ache up from my feet to the bottoms of my calves. For a while I was doing  feet strengthening exercises and I thought I'd found a solution - but the the foot strengthening exercises started to make my achilles sore, so I stopped them. There's got to be something I can do. Well there might be something I can do. One thing is that I think I do too many plodding runs and I don't think my feet like it. I had a deep dive into internet land and ordered a step so I can try and do more with my feet and calves. I've resisted buying a step for years just because it seems likely that it'll end up being consigned to wherever gym balls and those nasty little knobbly massage balls go when they die. We'll see.

Sunday I went to Gullane with Peter and at first my feet were broken but they mended up as the run went on.

The Holly Blues put in an appearance and Peter's day was made.

I found this thing astonishing. 

Hello.

From the start of the week there were thunderstorms forecast and thundery looking clouds, but for us, no thunder.

The humidity grew. I went an 11 miler on Tuesday  which was so hot, airless and humid it left me limp as lettuce for hours afterwards.

Until the storm broke.

The next day was beautifully clear. So we went back to Gullane to see how the butterflies were.

Turns out they were fine.

Although my feet were protesting a lot. I'd given them a fair slapping the day before and it was H-O-T.

I'm a bit worried about the gull chicks that have been growing on the roof across the way. I haven't DEFINITELY seen them since the storm, and it must have been a rough night.

They tend to parade in the evening, so I'll be keeping an eye out.