Where have I been?

Did I forget I had a blog?

Yeah I don't know what happened. I'm going to take some photos from every set I've taken since I last saw you and work my way through them.



The day after the Parkrun we went a run up into the Pentlands to photo-spectate the Skyline. This got kind of hectic as we set off in plenty of time and then got caught up in the diversion off the A702 down past Bush and into Penicuik. By the time we got back on the A702 and were heading back towards Flotterstone, the clock was ticking. We thought we might park at the start of the Carnethy 5 and run up from there, but then tried to push on to Flotterstone. We ended up taking tiny B roads - if they even are B roads -  and getting to Flotterstone after the race had already started - so we set out at full tilt instead of gently warming up - and headed up Turnhouse as fast as our legs would take us. It turned out Peter's legs would take him faster than mine would take me, so I stopped a mile up where the witchy trees are and Peter pressed on to the top.

It was very exciting seeing Eion Lennon in contention early on. He had the presence of mind to say hello whereas my workload (chewing gum and walking, something like that) had used up all my channels of intelligence and I couldn't respond.

Peter and I regrouped at Carnethy and headed down to the Howe and between the hills and up Phantom's cleugh to Harbour Hill. We'd missed the leaders but saw the front of the field coming through.

This photograph caused quite the stir on facebook, with a caption competition. Anyway, Nicola strode home to victory after doing the Manor Water Hill Race the day before. I like nearly everything Carnethy HRC does but I kind of think they could do a Manor Mouse and (wo)Man or Mouse prize, because Nicola did such a good job, but I didn't hear her complaining. It's not like she's never won anything before.

and then during the week I went a wee run up Calton Hill

and it's nearly winter because I've started seeing sun-rise again. I think this house across the road has a baleful look in its eyes, which is how I feel about the winter coming too.

And then one Sunday I went a run up the Water of Leith and saw this lovely apple. I don't know where Peter was. Maybe on a Tynecastle Bronze with Nick.

At the end of that run I saw this lovely tree.

And then there were runs up Arthur's Seat with all the autumn leaves falling.

And I was seeing sunsets as well as sunrises. Pretty, but I don't like what they mean.

Spring took such a long time to come this year I feel like I'm being put back in my cage too early.

Peter and I went a run round Yellowcraigs and back through the woods and saw these pretty deer.

And then another day I went a run on my own along Portobello and ran into Tony Stapley and "the boss". She didn't look nearly as stern as he'd always made her out to be.

It was an odd day. I'd had some kind of a funny turn at home and entered next year's Edinburgh Marathon. Then I went out for a 15 miler round the lagoons. Meeting Tony was excellent, and....

then meeting Aileen Ross was also excellent. We had a long chat about how we knew we should be doing strength training but just kept not doing it.

But running round the lagoons wasn't so excellent. God I hate that road. I know every inch of it. Like I know every inch of the Edinburgh Marathon. I hope they change the route. I don't care where it goes. I hope it goes over Corstorphine Hill and the castle and Arthur's Seat, just not along that bloody road to Aberlady and back.

Next Sunday it's due to be the very last Tynecastle Bronze. Peter was kicking around ideas for making a route that would start out of town and make its way back into Edinburgh. He was thinking about a route he knew from West Linton. As it happened, last Sunday there was due to be a stiff South-Westerly wind which I quickly realised would blow us over the Pentlands from West Linton to Balerno nicely, so I proposed we go and recce it.

It was a great day out. We ran along at a bimble, stopping to take photos whenever we liked. At Balerno we stopped at the Grey Horse and, uncharacteristically, I had a pint of Wee Beastie and a packet of peanuts, after which I was for staying in the pub, but Peter persuaded me we'd be better off going home. It was good fun though, and whetted my appetite for getting out on more adventures.

Nearly there. Yesterday I went out a recovery run but the weather was so nice and warm I stayed out for ages taking pictures up Arthur's Seat.

And today it was an altogether more moody day and, having taken the week off my NHS work, instead of heading to work, I headed up to Corstorphine Hill.

My legs are feeling surprisingly good and the running bug is biting deeply again. There are a few adventures ahead planned that may well sort that out. Next Sunday is 11/11/18 and we're heading out en masse to do the 30 miler from West Linton back to Leith. I'm going to try to do the whole thing.

Then in December on the weekend of the 8th and 9th, it's the Water of Leith half followed the next day by the new Blackford and Braids trail 10K.

And then in January I've signed up for the Feel the Burns Hill Race. I think I've entered it 3 times, but I've never actually run it yet.  Wish me luck.

Dunbar Doonhill 10 mile race and a wet, wet parkrun.

I was really tired after the Dumfries Half - probably more the sleepless night in the hotel than the race itself - but I didn't develop any new injuries afterwards. It seemed possible that I could maybe do the Dunbar 10 miler.

This is a great race and the only thing that's interfered with me doing it over the years is it tends to clash with the Skyline - if not directly then by being too close for comfort. No need to worry about that this year so I entered. Peter had been toying with the idea of going to a school reunion the night before, which involved splashing the cash left right and centre for the event itself and dressing up in a kilt. He seemed to be going along just to show his old school friends how fit and young he still was, although afterwards he told me there were some people he wanted to see. Anyway, he didn't go, saved himself probably £120 and was fresh enough for the race. I better just talk about the race. I'm already probably in trouble.

So it was nice weather for the race. I had no idea what to expect from myself. I thought that my Dumfries result was probably off even for me in my current state of fitness, so maybe I could expect a little more from myself. Still I started conservatively and "let the race come to me". I began to feel some strength as we got off road and on to the uphills, and I could see I was gaining on some Porty vests little-by-little. This gave me a clear goal and I was past them by the top of the hill - but I knew that this small glory would probably be short-lived. Never mind. Better small glory than no glory at all. Dunbar Running Club is full of nice people and it was very heartening to see friendly marshals Anne Hay and Brian Davidson and Theresa and new(ish) baby. The handing out of the race numbers was handled ably by Nick Williamson and results wizard Stuart Hay. :-). 

I got thoroughly re-overtaken at about mile 9, but there wasn't much I could do about it except spin some philosophy and keep on keeping on.

Towards the end I overtook a traffic cone. Left it for dust.

The boys did well and Peter has made good inroads into his box of Stella.

The Porty Ladies likewise did well. All I could do was look on in admiration.

My pace - I know - yawn - well it matters to me - was 40s/mile quicker than Dumfries - which made me happy. 

I don't for a moment think that it's a good idea to start racing regularly again, but I must say I've got a taste for getting out and seeing folk. The forecast for today was pretty dire. I thought it might be an idea to get up early (for us) and go and do a Parkrun, thus getting some exercise and air early in the day so I could enjoy a guilt-free rest of my day slouching about inside.

The weather was as promised. We had some worries about getting there in time. I set my alarm for 6.30 and then accidentally went back to sleep for 40 minutes. We were racing leaving the house and then there was the odd queue of traffic along the way. The coffee and race adrenaline was saying GO but the 20 mile an hour speed limit and misted up windows were slowing SLOW. We probably timed it about right. Just 15 minutes to go for a pee, warm up and take some layers off.

We knew Nick W might be coming but little did we know he'd set off running from Portobello thinking it was about 5 miles to Cramond. Imagine his surprise, then, to realise it was more like 8! I never saw him before the run so thought he hadn't come at all, but I saw him at the end. He'd just made the start by the skin of his teeth and then incorporated it into the rest of his run. He set down a fine set of splits, nearly every mile being quicker than the last.

Ah parkrun - such a short run and yet such a long run. I knew early on I was not going to be setting any records. I can't blame the conditions because they were nearly ideal. The rain kept it cool and what wind there was was coming from the east. There is plenty of crowd cover in my part of the park run so I never suffered from a head-wind at all. George Lupton was out with his running children looking a damn sight more comfortable than me. I passed them briefly at about the half way mark, but they passed me back shortly afterwards and then beat me by a good margin.

I did my best. It was a park run PW, but too bad.

A big treat was seeing John Forker who I have not seen for years, and Shelagh McLeish who I maybe saw briefly at the Edinburgh Great Run 10 miler last year...or it might have been the year before. It was also great seeing other Porties who are just regularly out racing.

Next we went to pick up a parcel from Telferton. I thought it was going to be a book but it's a DVD of "Running the Sahara"; a film made about runner Charlie Engle, who's an ex alcoholic drug-addict turned ultra-runner who did some jail time for alleged mortgage fraud. I've been reading his book and I don't know what to make of him. What he says rings true enough to me, but I'm always cautious since I stood up for Lance Armstrong for years. Still, Lance Armstrong wasn't innocent, but I can see the innocence in him. No need to get too binary. Charlie says they made him look like an arsehole - sorry asshole - at the end of the film just to create some dramatic tension. I'm away to decide for myself.

Emmmm, next races? WOL half? This new traily one in the Braids? They're both on the same weekend in December. Could that be fun, or is it nuts?