keeping up with the Joneses

photo credit Mark H.

(we are standing on a sloping path, not swaying due to festive cheer)

Mary Jones posted a suggestion for a Friday (the 30th Dec.) morning 10 miler. There were a few positive remarks and I deliberately missed Thursday eve Wintervals with a view to attending (having run 13 hard miles earlier on Thurs.) Richard opted for Wintervals and messaged afterwards that his legs did not require an early start and some hills. However he then texted the following morning to say he was sufficiently repaired and did I want a lift. I did. I had been about to jump on my bike but that would involve the complexities of helmet, lights, pump and repair kit, padlock and how to stash it all while running; so getting a lift made life easier (thanks Rich!) and I would arrive at the ungodly hour (8.45am) fresh and ready to run. Rather than soaked through and shredded. (It's decidedy uphill for 37 busy minutes from Leith to Bonaly.)

Having asked for it to be as early as possible Mike had then messaged to say he might now be late. But it was such a lovely morning to be standing around in the bitter cold that hardly anyone held it against him. I think there was general surprise at the large attendance - around 14. Good turn out and nice that Matt and Mary managed to get childcare sorted so they could both run. They had a 10miler in mind that I didn't recognise although I didn't scrutinise the map. A hilly fig 8 round some familiar summits, I thought I would know most of the paths. As it turned out about 50% I had run on (not in that order) and the rest were new to me. Which is very pleasing on a range I have run for the best part of 20 years. Makes you realise you do tend to follow the tried and trusted routes. Quite a lot of climbing to start with which warmed everyone up.

10 miles and 2hrs

very windy at times

Rich had run hard Weds eve, Thurs morning, Thurs eve and now Friday morning.

I had done the descent from Allermuir many times but then the direct line towards Glencorse missing the ugly descent from Castlelaw summit was new to me and very much appreciated. 

I also liked the line round Castlelaw and the bottom of the figure 8. We then followed a path before randomly heading up hill and climbing a fence through a wood and over some tussocky ground before rejoining a path on the way past Allermuir again.

Before heading back down the hill to the car park at Bonaly.

Well done and thanks to the Joneses for organising and choosing a route that was a good mix of hills and trails, and introducing me to some new paths. Only one question remains, are the chorus line below doing Mamma Mia or Sunshine on Leith?