long run

Since the end of the Tynecastle Bronze era, doing a 30 miler every month for nearly 5 years, things have slipped. It has been ages since I have run over marathon distance. I blame a dull grey Winter and weather that fails to inspire. Crappy weather really colours my soul. And the difference a little sunshine makes to both running and photos should never be underestimated. Looking back to this run on 7th March I can see the dull weather was more discouraging than even the Corona Virus for getting outside. I have been running much more since lockdown than back then; when you could catch trains to scenic places and have pints of beer in pubs.

It would have been Mary's idea to run from Longniddry to Dunbar. Can't remember the reason for it but she gets an idea into her head and I either go along too or she'll do it on her own. I was running only once or twice a week back then so desperately needed a longer effort to remove some waistline flab. Getting the train to Longniddry removes the first handful of dull urban miles: in no time at all you are on sandy dirt trails along the coast into Aberlady then across the bridge and heading beachward. It steadily improves for the first 10 miles. 

quick photo stop at the hammock tree

We must have called in at the Aberlady shop for snacks or juice, this photo being the evidence.  Only 3 miles into the day we didn't stop for bacon rolls and a pot of tea like last time. Sadly this was the only evidence of butterflies on the trip. 😢

Ann and Michael (unusually in a car, not on bikes) stopped to shoot the breeze.

a Little Egret

a little windy

sanderlings

stone chat

phone chat

Nick knew of our plans but had to do some stuff with his dad that morning. However as soon as possible he planned to join us. He phoned us around Archerfields and we estimated a time to rendezvous at North Berwick. He would catch the train to NB. We were a bit concerned that we were fast tiring and he would be keener than our slowing pace.

coltsfoot

junk shop in NB

Maggie and the Falklands fleet

Somehow I've forgotten to take pics of the good stuff in NB. Prob too busy filling my face. We went to the chip shop at the far end of the High Street. Despite only doing the least healthy of foodstuffs (no brown rolls, ffs!) we really enjoyed a fantastic chip roll. And then to double up on the health kick went into the Ship Inn next door and had a pint with Nick who had arrived by then. Much to our relief he was a bit crocked and not looking to push the pace and was as much along for the beer as the running. I was wearing a pair of shoes that were past their best and gave me sore i.t. bands. Not sure why, but the lack of cushioning gave me jip for a lot of the last few miles into Dunbar.  

maybe go round the other side of the hedge

took about 25 photos of this wee chap in the hedge and
they were all pretty bad! Hate dull flat light.

Nick knows these roads well from marathon training out from Dunbar and took us off the JMW and up this way. It worked well - we were all interested in the least painful / quickest route.

Seeing how well Mary and Nick were coordinated (2 above) I got them to jump up while I tried to time the photo to catch them in the air. This was the least bad of those but it passed another half mile of fun. I stupidly forgot to take a photo of all us together; we were all dressed in a similar manner - blue tops and black shorts.

about here I realised where we were about to rejoin the Tyne riverside path

then along the estuary, Belhaven Bay and through Dunbar

we had been contemplating the beers for some while

and they lived up to expectations

I quickly took my drybag change of clothes into the loo and got changed. Again I forgot to take pics of the many bowls of bar snacks that were scoffed down with the beers. 28 miles defo gives you a decent thirst and appetite. The 2 station miles made this the first 30 miler since the last day of the Spanish holiday I did with Nick back in Sept. The 2hrs waiting for the train zipped by with much hilarity and I have very little recall of the journey back or the run down the road after it. A great way to pass a gray day!

28 miles