weekending

I'll try and keep this brief I have a few things to blog this week. Going back to last Saturday I didn't go to Goatfell race. A combination of a late night Friday after BR5 then a poor forecast and I really couldn't face a 12 hour shift to get there and back for just 90mins running. So we parked at longniddry and did the run we had planned last weekend. The weather was better than expected and it was ok although Mary was tired.

Now: compare the following photos. Mary has a new phone (with camera) and it is giving her grief. It keeps spending her money and saying it has messages when it probably doesn't. And the photos are NOT as good as a camera. Then again it cost 1/4 of the camera. 

Modelling the new back pack. So far ok though I have issues. Perhaps a review in due course. 

Mary and new phone. Now recently when I bought some boxers I was non-plussed to get them in a wee bag of similar material/construction. Surely that adds to the cost not the value? And what are you supposed to do with the bag? One of the pressing questions of contemporary culture. I was pleased to donate it to Mary to carry her phone and help avoid screen damage. (There must be a contemporary phrase for the scratching on your screens?)

rabbit farming

Marywell

antelope on the savannah

2 x Mary

The forecast promised a downpour at 3. This was it. Wonder how they knew?
However it had passed by the time I got my waterproof on. 

Quick stop and raisin bun at Falkos. I wanted to head back to the beach but Mary was a bit tired and wanted to go by the shortest and fastest route to NB, with the concession that we could take the trail at Archerfields.

This positioned us perfectly to catch East Lothian regular Jim McT land his Jungmann just as we were passing. We had seen him looping around the sky earlier, as he seems to be most Saturdays. I saw he was coming in to land and given the windspeed thought it might be worth filming. He made a really nice job of it approaching at a hectic angle and straightening out perfectly. I stopped to review the video I'd shot and was gutted: I couldn't find it and presumed I hadn't captured it after all. This put me in a foul temper all the rest of the run to the station. It's like being passed the ball in front of an open goal and slicing it over the bar. Basic schoolboy error. I was just about over it by the time we got on the train and, with room to have a proper look, found that I had indeed recorded the landing...

Tree at Dirleton.

Mary still wouldn't have any detour away from the road despite the lovely run across the golf course I was trying to sell. I find that last 2 miles into NB on road a poor choice - perhaps the memories of the E2NB race. However it was brightened up by Mary realising we only had about 15 mins to make the train and about 15 mins of running. Always a popular game and keeps you from flagging over the last bit.

And we made it with at least 90secs to spare. 

SUNDAY

Felix

I am currently finding it hard to keep an enthusiasm for the day-to-day runs. The small 5~9 milers that are necessary to fill the week with fitness and keep things turning over. The grand-days-out look after themselves and fill the sunny days but when the clouds are low and there's a coldness in the air I can easily miss the day's activities hiding in front of the computer looking at rubbish online.

So when Mary suggests something daft like a run to Princes St. leaving the flat in the wrong direction to get to Princes St. I am only too happy to follow her lead and see what nonsense she has in mind. Just out the door and we bump into Felix, our first encounter with Jamie's new baby.

tunnel at Tesco's

this I like

Princes St. will never be a particularly good venue for running. We were in search of H&B which stands for Holland and Barrett not Horse- and Bullshit which you might be mistaken for thinking. I'm not sure a "health food" shop should have this much chocolate in it...

In sight of our flat and M makes a sprint for the door, taking advantage of the fact I was carrying her purchases and camera and fishing out my keys, and not racing her. A triumphant Mary is watched by an indifferent neighbour. Well at least the rain has stopped and we have knocked out 6 miles.

MONDAY

More of the same. A short run round the Seat. Leith Academy Fitness class is not on tonight so I must go for a run instead. M suggests we do push-ups and sit-ups to make up for missing my class.