doing it with the coach

Often after a big event or run there is a post-natal-like sense of flatness where nothing measures up to the recent excitement and it is difficult to return to normal life, or in this case, some short and dull local runs in ordinary winter weather. Luckily I have the coach who gets me out the door by suggesting we do the Musselburgh lagoons, or whatever. Usually we manage sufficient banter to enhance the dullest of runs, burning off a few calories, and are surprised by just how gloomy the scenery was when the photos are uploaded later. 

On Monday, following on from a 72 mile weekend I ran 5 with the coach and even some short sprints, and felt, all things considered, pretty good. Not so on Wednesday evening when a mile or 2 into the tempo run with club I could feel all the sore bits in my legs from the weekend begin to hurt to the point where I was obliged to ease back and contain the pace.

too dear? 

On Saturday I was happy to be doing a low key weekend. Sandwiched between the Great Glen and the Water of Leith Race (and Borders XC) I was enjoying just pottering around the usual 5 or 6 miles with the coach. We nearly did some sprints on the beach but coach threw in the towel after a very short distance and I wasn't insisting. It's going to be a difficult and possibly hurty return to racing next weekend.

frozen windows on the beach

stick and ball fun

(new)hailesland half
btw, loving the full screen maps (as above) you can screen-grab from Suunto movescount

So on Sunday the coach says she is taking me on a mystery tour. I did suspect this was another cunning way of calling the shots (yet again) with no redress or input from myself. However the coach actually had a plan and a route in mind she had done before. And parts of the route I had never been on, which at least kept my interest. Although the last few miles could defo do with improving: along the front, the godawful familiar prom, from Musselburgh. However it was 13 miles I prob wouldn't have got out the door and done myself. So thanks to Mary for the run and chat. Pity the sun didn't stay out.

round the seat and down innocent railway

simply, well, or just bo...

similar to the glove tree on the coast, a winter flowering bra tree

here comes the peloton 

The Brunstane Burn seemed to have been cleaned up recently and for a short while I thought maybe I wouldn't get the classic trolley shot.

pug swapping meet?

never been here before!

The good thing about the prom is bumping into Porties!

Gav and Ellie remarked upon us wearing his-and-hers Hokas. (Claytons)

There were big waves crashing over the prom.
This is the nearest I got to snapping any after making Mary stand there for ages!