Summer's Back Sunday Run and Impromptu Swim

It was a beautiful warm day yesterday. I had run 13.5 miles the day before and was just up for a pootle about for a recovery run, so I headed out (how many times have you heard this) in my car with the leaky radiator, to Gullane. I hadn't thought about swimming but I keep swimming stuff permanently in the boot these days, and when I arrived I realised that this was maybe a good opportunity to do my "Ice-Bucket Challenge." I'd been nominated the week before and I was supposed to only have 48 hours to complete it, but I'd been working. I think the sanction, if you don't do the ice-bucket challenge, is the devil takes away a little bit of your soul every day you run over the agreed time-limit - kind of like using your overdraft. I could feel that my soul was a bit moth-eaten, but still in basically good shape and thought I should keep it that way.

I put swimming stuff (not a towel) in a rucksack and went out for a slow 5 miler first. I've never seen the tide out as far as it was yesterday. Not really ideal for swimming as it happens as you have to wade out miles to get any depth. Also, as I didn't have anyone to hold the camera, I knew I'd need to prop it up on a rock on shore and just get the whole thing done in one take.

It was lovely and warm and I really enjoyed the run - ripping along at 11 minute miles, wondering what it would be like if the whole Forth emptied, would it be like this all the way over to Fife? By 5 miles I was back on Gullane beach and I thought I could go up to the car and get organised and get a towel and stuff, but I couldn't be bothered, so decided to work with what I had. It probably meant the accidental flashing of some white bits at some dogs. I had to leave my shorts with my car-key in the pocket on a rock, along with my camera, which was a worry.

I like to take my time and enter the sea "like a girl" (Peter also prefers this method). This entails shouting about how cold it is and making a big big fuss until eventually you duck under for a few seconds and then reappear screaming before doing it again. Having the camera running meant I didn't have time for these niceties though. I kind of missed it. A quick in and out.

Anyway. The water was actually pretty warm. Ssssh! Don't tell anyone. And I "should" probably have tried going for a proper swim, it was a perfect opportunity and the water was lovely. However. I was starving and still had to run the gauntlet of Leith Tescos before getting home to eat. There's something about going in the sea that makes you super hungry.

Back in the car the radiator warning light flashed on again and I had mysteriously lost more radiator water. Back to the Citroen garage with it. That being yesterday, and this being tomorrow, I know what happened next, but I'm not telling you.

Sunday Run

Life got in the way of my Saturday long run this weekend. Life in the form of something else to do. I have been churning out longer runs without even knowing why anyway, so I thought this weekend I'd do about 13 instead. Sunday turned out to be a much nicer day than forecast anyway, so I was glad about it.

Peter had raced on the Saturday (twice!), so he came along too. En route we texted Amanda to see if she wanted to come and she texted back to say she'd be leaving shortly. I thought that it might be nice to have a coffee and a bun right away, to pass the time until Amanda came. Then it turned out she was going to meet us further down the coast so there was no need to wait for her, but by this time the thought of coffee and buns had lodged firmly in my head. I was tired and hungry, so I just went with it!

We never found Amanda. We found her car but not her, although I know she's still alive because we've made contact since, so don't worry.

It was much warmer than it has been, perfectly comfortable to run in a vest. There is a big moon hidden somewhere beyond all the rain-cloud that is going about and this has been affecting the tides and we hit a really low tide. This is a real treat as it means being able to run below the rock-line rather than stumbling over big pebbles on the beach and getting spiked by the sharp grass that grows in the dunes.

Today I forced myself out for a 10 miler round the seat. It was a struggle. I think I had a cumulative lack of sleep to make up for so I spent the afternoon trying to read about Foucault and his power relations and succeeding in having a long, long snooze stretched out on the sofa.

I've got another yoginjury in the form of a sore neck this time but I'm off to yoga in a few minutes because I can't bear to miss it. Hope I survive in one piece.