ridden hard and put away wet

I keep forgetting that when Richard and I go running together it can get serious. He texted me on Thursday to ask if I fancied getting the train to Dalmeny and running back along the coast. Ahhh, lovely route, the sun is shining, great stuff. Let's do it.

We hopped off the train and down the path to the bridges. We had been rabbiting on, on the train, but as we got onto the trail proper the chat stopped apart from Rich asking what I reckoned of the pace. "Ambitious" I replied "and I won't keep it up". Richard has had a strong year doing good times at the toughest Ironman events he could find followed by a marathon pb of 2.49. I feel I shouldn't jog in his company. I can't run faster than him but it would seem I can run just fast enough to do us both some damage. Like myself, he enjoys a good tempo run and we have got into this habit of setting off fast and seeing how far we can get before one of us dies.

It wasn't just fast road stuff - there is a path early on that goes down to the beach round a bay and up over some grass before rejoining the path. I took some photos but they are just plain bad. There was no question of stopping for photos - they were all taken on the hoof so you'll have to excuse the quality and squint horizons.

The big house

Quite a few muddy sections on the dirt trails. We were both in road shoes.

This hill up from the coast was around 5 miles (35mins)
and about the only section Richard got away from me

He was kind enough to slow and let me catch up but shamefully for these 2 cyclists

we caught up and overtook them.

I recovered from the long drag up the side of the Almond then almost enjoyed the descent past the Cramond Brig and down onto the other side of the Almond. Later Rich said this was the section he was feeling it. We did the Salvesen Steps in 2s and I just had time to turn at the top and take his photo.

Down through Cramond and along the Esplanade which was fairly busy in parts

favourite trees

daft wee dug

Rich took the left turn of the parkrun and I thought he was just following that out of habit, however he then continued along the shoreline path - I had never taken this route, which nicely misses the climb up the Granton end of the esplanade. 

pretty much how I was feeling

Richard said he was feeling unwell just before ten miles and I said I was more than happy to reduce the pace. He kept it going till 10 and I'm not sure we slowed that much afterwards. It wasn't like ahh now that's better. And then there was the climb up to the tunnel on the cyclepath. I was relieved there was no further mention of the original plan to run along to Portobello. Richard said he might benefit from a drink and I told him there was a Tesco's at the top of Macdonald Road. So I was disappointed when he ran past saying something about finishing the 13 miles. We ran down Leith Walk and finished 13 miles in just over 90 mins, just over 7 min/miling. I jokingly suggested there was plenty time to have a lie down then make Wintervals. Rich actually made Wintervals. Being older and wiser I saved my trashed legs for the following morning's run.