Gullo, Abbo, Archo. 20/04/13

Saturday, and opted for possibly our favourite weekend run: park the van at Gullane, run down the JM trail over the wall from the golf course, then across the bridge at Aberlady. From here its all beaches and trails to Archerfields where we leave the coast and skirt the golf course on a trail that rises to the main road back into Gullane.

There was a stiff breeze and it was sunglasses and gloves. We originally planned on maybe 12 but by the time we got to Archerfields we thought we would keep the road miles into the cold strong wind to a minimum so headed back then, rather than along to Yellow Craigs. It was probably a good decision.

New tree troll - reminds me of Mr. Rusty of Magic Roundabout.

Latest update on Rapa Nuis is: I'm in love with my new shoes! They are bedding in nicely. (I bought a new pair of Thorlo Thin Cushion (actually they are quite thick) socks for the Fling while picking up shoes and combined, they feel like running on plush carpet with extra underlay in soft carpet slippers.)

This chap was taking his turn on the telephone post next to Tesco's car park.

With a lot of willpower and a little regret we had a banana instead of a Falko's cheese tongue. Then off to Tesco's for a shop. Mary was wearing a strange mix of attire (and hair styled by the wind) and I hoped we didn't bump into anyone I knew. Of course before we even got past fruit and veg there's Dougie Flett (ex-Stornoway RC). The other point of interest in Tesco's was a family size bag of Basmati Rice. We are big fans of Basmati and have it 4 or more nights a week at present. Mary's tea-time name is Mrs. Basmati. However we are not quite ready for hefting home the 20kg bag (£25) seen here.

Base to Apex 19/04/13

At last the new Hokas – Rapa Nui Comps – appeared in Run and Become. Adrian has been expecting them for quite some time and texted Wednesday to say they'd arrived. I took an extended lunch break and zoomed along with Mary to try them on before they hit the shelves. Slightly refined from the Evo Stinsons. So a narrower and fractionally thinner sole (the Hoka trade mark) making it perhaps more flexible and lighter: 275g at size 8. This I hardly noticed as I'd run the last ones bald with around a thousand miles. And if it wasn't for the split between upper and outsole I'd still be running in them. Last Sunday's 34 miler was their swan song and a fitting last run. The ingress of grit, sand and water through the split meant the precursor of a blister threatening to spoil the unblemished record of the Stinsons which got me through six and a half months of running, saw off the PF foot and were worn for every distance from Parkrun to, well, last Sunday's 34 miler.

This one was working away on a laptop.
(Should get out more.)

First outing for the Rapa Nuis was club and a tough Willie Jarvie session borrowed and pimped from Edinburgh AC to accommodate the ridiculous winds ruffling our feathers. I got home with a hot spot between the knuckle and nail of my big toe. After such a long wait for new shoes I had imagined them to have magical properties and frankly was a bit disappointed they were merely shoes. Then I remembered my first few runs with the Stinsons and it taking a while before I really appreciated their rather lumbering looks yet leg saving qualities. The Rapa Nuis similarly disregard the minimalist fashion (though do boast a minimal 5mm drop from heel to forefoot) opting for a bumper car design and cushioned ride. Their ability to absord impact and therefore reduce fatigue is legendary and they are becoming commonplace on the European ultra circuit.

Getting a decent night's sleep last night and knocking off this afternoon, tradesman early, gave me the oomph I have been lacking lately and although nearly sidetracked by a phone call at 7pm I rallied and was out the door about 7.35. I have been finding it hard to get out, and up the weekly mileage for no other reason than I can't be bothered. It seems easier to flop in from work and diddle about till dinner than get out the front door into the dregs of the Winter and bust a gut. Especially when I'm 2 blogs behind and there's a video to edit. And 500 pages to read before book club. I need a holiday.

So I left the flat, flat out. At some point I must have decided on the Base-to-Apex run. I only do this challenge once or twice a year (generally while on form) as it hurts and probably isn't to be recommended (no warm up just race pace over the threshold). It goes from my front door to the trig point of Arthur's Seat. It's a mile up Easter Road over Abbeyhill to Holyrood Palace then pretty much another from there to the trig point. First mile is a gradual up hill and several road crossings, taking over 7 minutes; the second mile is considerably steeper. I usually take the Dasses then either straight up the steep diretissimma or left and up the tourist trail. Tonight the latter and I only walked the last dozen yards over the rocky summit plug. Every couple of minutes I would look at my watch thinking there was no way I'd be anywhere near my pb of 17.45. I cleared the single-track path of tourists shouting “thank you” as I ran towards them. There was a bit of headwind at places which I intended to justify any time over 18 minutes. So I was well pleased when I touched the Trig Point at 17.41 – a new record. And another first – I was carrying the camera and took a few blurry snaps on the way.

Pentlands

The A Path

The thing about this run is, that's it over. I jogged round to the crags injecting a tempo dash or 2 but there was not much left in the tank. Even once home there was still a tremor of oooh – I've overdone it again in my limbs. However before I got there I took some photos of the sun going down and silhouettes of folk on the A path, a speed of light reference for the uppermost path round the edge of the Crags.

Hoping for some decent weather this weekend and to run a few trail miles in the new shoes.  

Alternative John Muir Way. 14/04/13

I'm in danger of getting out of sync with runs and the blogging of them, so I'll keep this short. I got an invite to run with the Carnethies (again) on their wonderful Alternative John Muir Way run. The route is around 34 miles although a lot of the team jumped on their bikes once we left the coastal trails, with only a handful running the whole distance. The minibus carried bikes and equipment shadowing the runners and rescuing those who reached their limit before the end of the day.

Gio gave me a lift which was really appreciated. We arrived before 9 and set off around half past from the bridge and small car park at Aberlady. A rainbow across the bay was a good omen. The forecast had changed its mind over the preceding week going from excellent to mixed, but settled for a rainy start with sun later, and this proved to be the case.

I had a couple of concerns (the weather, and whether to carry my bulkier but better camera, and the state of my shoes) but with the back up team and available transport, quickly relaxed into the business of the day, watching the skies as the grey clouds moved around then slowly dispersed. I kept a poly bag over my camera for the first part of the day as there were light showers. After North Berwick (11.30) the skies cleared and the poly bag was packed away. The size of camera and tripod raised a few eyebrows but it has a nice balance and is not as much of a burden as it looks. I shot some video but it was so windy all day it was tricky to get smooth hand held shots.

Tantallon

Seacliff

My other concern was a 4” split between upper and sole on my right shoe. I was desperately waiting for the new delivery of Hokas to Run and Become and had hoped they would have appeared by now. They hadn't and the split let in quite a bit of sand and water (crossing the Peffer Burn) nearly causing a blister. The split didn't get any worse and after a spot of maintenance at lunch the shoes were no further trouble.

I was hoping the blue skies would arrive before we got to Ravensheugh beach. It has to be among the top ten Scottish beaches and not only was the sun blazing by then but the tide was out making huge vistas backed on one side by massive dunes and the wind blowing the tops off the waves on the other. Gio was the only person bold enough to strip off and go for a swim. I had been in at Gullane the day before and have rarely felt the water so cold. So I'm afraid I opted out. I think the shallow shoreline of Ravensheugh must have warmed the water slightly, or maybe Gio is just made of sterner stuff than I. Hats off to him.

Tyninghame House

For me its difficult to match the splendour of the coastline and perhaps the second half of the route doesn't have the same visual beauty. I knew some of the route to East Linton. We passed Tyninghame House which has a non-symetrical gothic look about it, on the other side of the road from Binning woods where my late dad resides. I reassured Tim this was an official resting place and not a clandestine middle-of-the-night installation.

Preston Mill

Phantassie Doocot

A1

We were down to a handful of runners now as most took to their bikes after the minibus met us coming off the beach. Mark was leading the navigation with only scant reference to the map and I felt even though we got to the lunch time rendevous (Keith's house, East Linton) he was doing it more by instinct than knowing absolutely where we were at any given moment. We arrived ahead of the bikes who were led by Keith on a muddy scenic route judging by the tyres.

Lunch (around the 20 mile mark) was brilliant. I was well ready for something other than the sweet snacks I had carried and some great hot soup from the kitchen hit the mark. Thanks to Keith's other half Bärbel! Lots of sandwiches, cakes, homebakes and cups of tea. (We had all contributed homebakes and the like: I took along a home-made loaf.) We all sat around in the sunshine listening to the birds chatter before refilling waterbottles and setting off stiffly past Preston Mill and the Phantassie Doocot, both of which I've seen from the John Muir trails but never actually gone past as closely as today. My legs eased off after a mile or so and started to work properly again. We crossed the bridge in East Linton and followed the riverside trail raced along in the Traprain Law Hill Race. Instead of crossing it we carried on until Sandy's Mill then re-crossed the A1 and headed to the Hopetoun Monument.

Quite a lot of windy exposed climbing here but lovely views to Traprain and then over to the coast and Aberlady – and our finish. The bikes had taken a more direct route and having been behind, had got ahead. Graham and I managed to catch a couple on the long climb past some troglodite looking ruins. I was looking out for the Hopetoun Monument which only reluctantly appeared after far too many miles of farmlands, choppy trails and gate climbing. I think being on foot was an advantage at times as the bikers had to negotiate gates and fence climbs with bikes on shoulders. As a result Nasher and I were first to the tower and up the dark spiral staircase to the battlements and marvellous views of East Lothian. The howling wind did not encourage a lengthy stop at the top. In fact on the way up the stairs there was the feeling you might get most of the way up the long tube then be sucked out the top by the massive updraught. Took a few photos then crept down squeezing past those on the way up.

There's where we are heading.

The last few miles were a bit achy: Tim and Mark chose to skirt a field – a more direct line than Graham and I who followed the road. The Hokas were preferable on such hard ground. A couple of miles on and we caught them just before Luffness and final mile back to Aberlady. The cyclists (with spot on timing) overtook us just one junction before we all arrived back at the start / finish. It was after 6pm and we all had had a splendid day out. Many thanks to Keith for organising this, providing a great lunch and letting me tag along. A brilliant route for a long day out with some truly spectacular scenery and great running/biking trails.  

VIDEO HERE