thursday double

the best place to observe Leith's finest

Mary and I were on holiday last week - choosing to spend it at home. It has been a great success (so much so, I am proposing an extension this week,) especially considering the lack of time spent hanging about airports, chasing lost luggage, and tracking down the local mini-mart. The weather hasn't quite been up to abroad standards but there have been good days. Last Thursday was one. We went for something of a recovery run around Gullane. I'm not sure from what I was recovering as I'd accidentally missed club training the night before. Too much holiday sangria or something? So Gullane it was. And it was delightful. 

No sign of dragonflies at Marl Loch as yet, but there was a nice selection of butterflies on the thistles and nettles at Toad Corner. Mary didn't last long and said I could catch her on the beach. Not so much chase me chase me!, as don't spend all day here. Fair enough. I stayed a little longer then did tempo strides, only to find madam sat on the beach chilling out. If I'd known that I'd have taken 10 more minutes.

big skies

Hunter chilling.

another of the letters in this time based art project has disappeared

Mr Era is now M R    R A. The tension builds.

So I was feeling a bit guilty about my application these days. While my life is crammed full of stuff and very busy, sometimes a week passes and I've only done 10 miles running. How can that be? I should probably do a bit more. Otherwise racing will become painful and a chore. It did occur to stop racing and this is a tack I have been following of late - just not going to races. However, I'm not sure it is the right answer. Feeling a tad guilty about missing yet another Wednesday evening at club I put my trainers back on and went out to hill intervals with the Carnethies. Such a nice evening I took the camera too. Normally this is just an intense hill sprints session over 30~40 mins and so does not require pics. 

The format is simple. Fergus spells out what we'll do (run up a different steep grassy bit for a designated time or distance until nearly dead) and we do it. This week we were doing a parlouf type workout; in pairs, first runs up to turn, turns, runs back, then second does same. Ten reps each. Rich and I flaunted the instruction; one fast, one slow in each pair. Although technically I wasn't far off slow. And it meant less recovery if your partner was faster. Anyway, everyone ran the same distance and felt the same pain. Which was considerable. But it makes your dinner taste better. Actually your whole life improves immeasurably as soon as you stop. So instant gratification. Needless to say much better than ANYTHING at the festival. Even the tattoo in the rain. 

up up up

down down down

repeat x 10

contemplate the sun shimmering on the grasses blowing in the wind 

watch out for that tussock hiding rabbit holes

man down! (Happily no damage done.)

Richard and I finished first. Won is too strong a word.

meanwhile the festival continues in the background

This (above) is the altitude read out from my suunto. Several times I have noticed returning from a thurs night session that Abbeyhill (the first and last bump at the start and finish) is lower on my return. This can't be just because I am higher after a workout. I suspect the measuring equipment is contaminated by my overwrought condition. I should try it with the suunto in a back pack rather than on my sweaty wrist. Also I see I forgot to put it off before climbing the tenement stairs and sitting down.