how to beat the monsoon

As the rather dreich weekend approached the team decided to postpone any trips to the Lammermuirs and stick to low lying roads under the banner of marathon training. E2NB. Then on Friday night Angus sent a text saying as the monsoon was due over in the West could he jump ship and join us for whatever we had planned. I warned him about the rather drab run and that he was welcome. He opted to come along and so I ran up to Waverley and met him off the 8.55am while Mary set off from home round about the same time. (Although there was a dirty rumour she sat back down and looked at facebook for a bit before leaving home.)

There was an informal idea to meet at Aberlady. Mary often prefers to run at her own pace rather than with pals. She would text from Aberlady when she arrived and if we were on her heels we might meet up and run the last handful of miles into North Berwick together. I was surprised that we managed to get to Aberlady before Mary's text. (Maybe she was having a terrible/brilliant run and couldn't face company/slow down.)

There is not a huge amount of scenery along the roads from Edinburgh, although it continually improves after Prestonpans. Angus got his camera out at the magic forest (above) before Aberlady. We were so busy blethering that I took only 17 photos the whole run - a minimal record surely, although the grey skies and grey roads didn't really inspire photos the way the beach trails, or hills do.

Just where Gullane golf course crosses the JMW we saw Bruce and Brian taking their fat bikes to Aberlady and the subs. Angus ran on while I stopped for a chat. After giving Angus a long head start I set off, but then the phone went and I had to stop again to get it out the backpack and call Mary who had only then arrived at Aberlady. I reckoned she was 10minutes behind but she was about to increase that time by stopping for a snack and drink.

Angus not taking a business call at mile 21.

I caught Angus at the other side of Gullane. The wind on our backs and the constant banter made the miles fly by and although the pace had dropped off towards the end we knocked out 22 miles and earned a glass or 2 of red wine later on. We let the first train go thinking that Mary would catch us up shortly, however when she hadn't appeared by the time the next train was on the platform I called her up and asked if she was walking! I was told she had met up with Dr Neil and they had been running together (with Harry the black lab.) Rather than hang around any longer we caught the train and celebrated the mileage with a swift pint in the Cafe Royal once we got back to Edinburgh. When I see the photos of those windswept and damp folk coming off the Pentlands I know we made a good route choice and the most of a rather drab day. Great marathon training and great to catch up with Angus!