eclipsing the eclipse

I have been feeling blessed of late. Or call it fortunate. Being able to take time away from work while the weather has been pretty spectacular, and able to get out running and take photos. And plenty of rest between hard sessions. One such was Wednesday evening and the club session, moved to our Summer venue of the Commie Pool, and so the running is often in Holyrood. Willie opted to run round the oval below "Salisbury Hill" finishing each 3 minutes with a push up the steep incline. 8 times. A good tough workout. The 9.8 miles on the Garmin took the week's total from last Saturday up to around 92 miles. So, Thursday and Friday left to make a hundred mile week.

Holyrood Abbey

Iain posted his usual encouragements to attend Carnethy Thursday evening intervals. Normally I wouldn't take the camera to a session where we don't even chat much due to the severity of the workouts, but since it was such a nice day I did. I forgot to wear the Garmin but reckon by the time I got home I had just about covered that 8miles. 

are you winking at me?

Thursday evenings start here, 7pm all welcome.

And what was the session? One minute on the flat round that oval then one minute pushing up Salisbury Hill. Hells bells. Oh and 8 laps. Oh well, no point in complaining. It is rare the 2 nights cover such similar ground. And it's all good training.

Arthur's Seat ...gone.

Towards the end of the session we noticed that there was a mist rolling over the crags, which grew in density. As we did the last lap it was becoming something of a pea souper and beginning to block out the sun. I said my goodbyes to the nearest runner and said I was heading up the hill to get a better view.

That hump of cloud is the Crags, seen from a bit more than halfway up, above the gutted Haddie.

The crags completely shrouded.

From the coll between Crow Hill and the Summit

the beginnings of a Brocken spectre

Although this looks like the backdrop for one of those worthy, spiritual or inspirational quotes that litter the internet the dude in question was smoking a cigarette and texting.

The haar was rolling in from the sea

The majority of folk up the hill were overseas visitors sitting around like this happened every night, although there was the occasional local like myself running around totally gobsmacked saying stuff like wow I hadn't expected this!

Crow Hill from the summit.

The fog eventually rose to the point where it swamped even the trig point. It was also very chilly - I was only dressed in a vest and shorts and while I was anxious not to miss any further developments it was clear as the mist rose that that was the end of the show.

But what a show - this was the visual spectacle that the eclipse wasn't. An amazing finish to a hundred mile week. I jogged home slightly skewed by the mist. Really familiar paths on the hill became less readily recognisable in the swirling clouds and all the cars had their headlights on by the time I crossed the Queen's Drive. Oh and thanks Iain for the session. Always tough, always worthwhile. Very glad I took the camera along.