tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72239116801993661662024-03-19T11:38:28.760-07:00Hooves of DestinyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-16735918519143133222013-07-01T15:10:00.001-07:002013-07-01T15:12:54.432-07:00Long time no postWell it appears that I've grown lazy at updating my blog. It was bound to happen and I can only apologise to those few people who were actually nice enough to read it. I will try to keep it up to date in future, but as I'm off to France on Friday I'm not sure if July will be a very fruitful month in blog terms.<br />
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As for running I have been out there doing it, just not as frequently and not as many miles as previously. I've still been doing regular short faster runs with the Cani Sports Edinburgh group, including a splendid run this evening at Dalkeith. I took my neighbour's Fox Red Lab 'Oakley' and he was a great puller so I was flying! Nethy wasn't happy about this and certainly wasn't happy about the attention Oakley was paying to her rear end so eventually I took her of the double line and let her free run beside me.<br />
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It's been quite warm for dogs recently so last Monday some of us humans went up Traprain Law for some hill reps (without the dogs). It was awesome but tough! I'm not naturally built for hills but I really enjoy the challenge. It's the same on my bike and once you get into a rhythm it feels really good. Was watching a clip of the vertical kilometre race that took place in Chamonix the other day. The course is actually 3.8km but there's 1km of vertical ascent. Last year we got the cable car up the mountain in question and I remember commenting how I wished I was walking up the zigzag path instead of dangling precariously over it. This year I might try to 'run' up it just to see how my legs and lungs cope! lol<br />
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As I said my running distances have been pretty low recently, but on Thursday evening we were in Edinburgh seeing my niece and nephew for their birthday. I had my running gear with me and although after birthday pizza and cake I was tempted not to bother, I got Matt to drop me and Nethy off at New Winton on the way home. I thought it was about 5-6 miles home on the trails from there, but it turned out to be almost 10! Given we started our run at about 9pm it was almost dark when we got home! I loved every minute, especially running through Butterdean which was dark and silent and quite spooky! I was glad to find that 10 miles didn't tax me despite the fact I'd not done more than half that distance on foot for weeks. My cycling has obvioulsy been keeping my fitness levels topped up nicely.<br />
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Talking of cycling I had a great trip to Glentress at the weekend. We went on Friday night with some friends and their kids and after a very nice evening drinking Leffe and eating barbecued mussels the ladies got a rare chance to go for a ride on Saturday morning. My 2 friends are old hands when it comes to mountain biking. Both of them have raced in the 'olden days' and one of them is the partner of the man who 'built' the trails at Glentress. Mountain bike royalty I guess :) Even though they are good friends it's always a bit intimidating going riding with people who are better than you. Turns out I needn't have worried cause I nailed the climbs and the descents! All those hours I've been spending on the bike have really paid off and I felt strong and confident on the trails. We did a combination of the red and the blue routes, which made for a wonderful 3 hours of riding. We even got to go and have our lunch like proper grown ups before the men folk brought the kids down to meet up with us. <br />
Twas a fab weekend :)<br />
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3 days at work and then we're off to France for 2 weeks in the camper van. We have our ferry booked but haven't made any other plans, other than knowing we want to go to Chamonix and Morzine and to Alpe D'Huez to see a stage of The Tour de France. As always I'll not be taking a holiday from exercise and will be packing all of my running and cycling gear. Would be rude not to....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0xr1GMf08rhl7rfEf7_XU1mr0gWL8BexhjCtRwwMcNMUcN08EMazxyviXFgoHu_FlcwLIhj694DgXswQ6WHmy6CDQgxKG9i-7liF_LRxkFqqZY-ca0Kiy2aobErR8MMZYJqzUbWq2ZM/s960/night+run3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0xr1GMf08rhl7rfEf7_XU1mr0gWL8BexhjCtRwwMcNMUcN08EMazxyviXFgoHu_FlcwLIhj694DgXswQ6WHmy6CDQgxKG9i-7liF_LRxkFqqZY-ca0Kiy2aobErR8MMZYJqzUbWq2ZM/s320/night+run3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-68896799498175422322013-06-09T14:55:00.000-07:002013-06-09T14:55:36.195-07:00Ride of my lifeWell what a weekend this has been for me. I entered the Selkirk mtb marathon because I wanted to do a mtb event and this one seemed a great option as the course designer is a friend of ours - Pete Laing. I chose the 25k not as an easy option, but because that's what I thought I'd be able to manage with my abilities. Little did I know...<br />
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The event was not a race as such, more a sportive. The British mtb marathon champs were being held on the course so for those men and women it was well and truly a race, but for the rest of us mere mortals it was just a chance to ride on some amazing trails and singletrack in a very beautiful area of Selkirk. We massed in Selkirk town centre at the very civilised time of 12.30 and the sun was beating down. There was a field of about 350 folk of all shapes and sizes including some ridiculously skinny elite athletes who were taking part in the british champs. Luckily they were allowed to go off first. It would have been embarrassing to knock one of them off their bikes during the 4 mile de-neutralised zone!<br />
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This 4 mile start is supposed to allow riders to sort themselves into some sort of natural order before we hit the trails. I found myself moving up the field quite comfortably so I just went with it. I was really excited and felt pretty confident I was going to enjoy the ride. At the 4 mile point the race split and the 25 km riders went off one way through Bowhill Estate while the other riders (50km and 80km) went off in the opposite direction. I found myself in a small group of 4 but no-one was riding very fast so I nipped past them and then caught a few guys in front. I reckon there was about 5 men in front of me and I was definitely the first female. It was very early days but I felt strong so I really pushed myself. I gave some of the men a run for their money on the uphills and then our first descent of the day I nailed it. It wasn't particularly technical but there were some quite tricky bits and I couldn't help wonder how some of the other 25km riders I'd seen at the start would cope.<br />
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Before long the group of guys had built up a few minutes lead on me and I was on my own. This turned out to be a good thing as there were some bits of trail along the river that were quite tricky. The trail was very thin and rooty and there was quite a drop down to the water, so I was glad I could negotiate it without anyone around me to put me off.<br />
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Before long I was heading towards a welcome bit of road where I knew I'd see Matt marshaling. Just as I approached it another female came up behind me and we ended up side by side on the road. We seemed pretty well matched and I asked if she'd seen any other females from the 25k group nearby. She said no so in my head I thought "ok, I could at least be first or second"! I kept pushing and when I reached the junction where Matt was he said I looked strong and he really hadn't expected to see me so soon. A few hundred yards after Matt we reached feed station 1 where my friend Ali was handing out goodies along with her daughters and Ruby. It was great to see the kids and I took a cup of water and guzzled it down. I asked Ruby to give me a gel which I wouldn't normally have, but it was so hot and I'd not eaten much that morning. I tucked it away just in case and headed off. This is where it all went a bit wrong, but in a good way!<br />
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Basically just after the feed station there was another split in the course and I was supposed to take the left fork. Me and the other girl didn't see the signs and we kept going straight on. We were now on the 50km/80km route! We had no idea we'd gone wrong so on we rode. By this time we were being passed by a lot of elite riders and where we were pushing our bikes they were spinning up the hills looking fresh as daisies! I kept glancing at the numbers on the rider's bikes that passed us and they were all low numbers which meant they were doing the longer courses. This made me rather pleased as it meant we were still the leading female riders, of course we didn't realise the other 25km riders were on a completely different (and much less severe) course!<br />
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The ascent went on and on. I had to push my bike up most of it and eventually I wondered if I'd actually be able to get back on and ride ever again. The other girl was doing the same and we were well matched. Just when I thought it couldn't go up any more the single track went up again! We were climbing for such a long time and all the while the sun was beating down on us. After one last very steep ascent I reached the top of the '3 Brethrin'. I had to stop at the top to catch my breath, even though the other girl had disappeared on the downhill by this time. I had been looking forward to some downhill, but this wasn't like anything I'd ever done before. A very narrow channel of loose rocks with high sides covered in heather. It was so difficult and I really had to concentrate, especially as other riders were on my tail and they were desperate to get some time back after the long climbs.<br />
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The open hillside finally gave way to a forest and the trail narrowed even more and the joy of roots and low branches added to the fun! I managed to up my speed for a while until the track got steeper and more technical. I didn't care who was behind me at this point I just needed to get down in one piece. At the bottom of this section there were some Mountain Rescue guys who gave me a big smile and said well done. I didn't dwell too long on why they'd been stationed there, but again my mind wandered to think of all the 25k 'rookies' who I'd seen at the start. How the hell would they cope with that descent? (yip...answers on a postcard!!)<br />
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I kind of hoped that the descents would keep coming and I'd be on my way back down towards Selkirk at this point. Unfortunately I'd forgotten my Garmin so I couldn't even check my time or mileage. If I had my assumption that I should be continuing my descent to the town would have been spot on, but unfortunately I wasn't on the 25km route so what should have been a fairly straightforward ride back to the finish turned into a bit of an epic! The fire road continued uphill and this bugged me cause Pete had told me there was only one climb on the 25k route. It didn't bug me enough to stop and ask questions, and actually there were no marshalls about, so on I went.<br />
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There was no sign of the other girl who I'd been riding with and for a while I just assumed she's nailed the downhill and got some time on me. After a while (and more climbing) it started to dawn on me that perhaps I wasn't going the right way and I had visions of her having taking a turn off that I'd missed and her speeding her way back to the finish to take all the glory!! I kept climbing and finally I reached some dibber points. That was the moment I realised I was on the wrong course! I started to ask other riders if they knew what distance we were at and none of them knew, but they did know that they were all doing the 50 or 80km ride! PANIC!<br />
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I got my phone out and called Matt. I was upset cause I had used up most of my energy and I was really worried that I'd got to a point in the course where I'd have to keep riding for another 20 or 30km to get back. I also felt upset cause I was standing at the dibbers that marked the beginning of a descent that had red signs saying 'Warning. Gnarly trails'. Matt couldn't offer anything other than sympathy as he had no idea where I was so I called Ali. She didn't really know where I was either but said she'd phone Pete and come back to me. At that moment I found a local rider who talked to Ali and confirmed our location and to my relief he said that at the bottom of this descent (of doom) I could bail out onto the road and get back to Selkirk. I felt better immediately and I even dibbed my dibber so I could record my time on the death descent!<br />
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The downhill was indeed 'gnarly' and had it not been for my recent mountain bike skill course with Andy Barlow I probably would have face planted on some rocks. I took my time and remembered what I'd been taught and even managed to enjoy some of it. I was put off by a female ride who looked the part (muscles/lycra/spds) who kept falling off infront of me. She kept saying 'damn, this always happens!' and I did the obligatory 'are you ok?' and passed her and then when I had to stop she'd overtake me and fall off again! lol <br />
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Finally I reached the bottom of the descent only to find the other 25k girl being comforted by a marshall. She'd followed the same route as me and had just crashed and taken a chunk out of her ankle! First thing she said when she saw me was 'I think we went the wrong way'!!! hehe, no shit Sherlock! Bless her, she was still walking but the marshall had alread called mountain rescue so she wasn't allowed to leave. She was really upset when I told her I knew the way out and back to Selkirk and I intended to ride back. I saw her arrive later in the land rover with her bike tied to the top. Not quite the ending she'd hoped for I'm sure!<br />
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When I finally got out of the forest and back onto the road I was buzzing! I knew I'd achieved something that I never imagined I could. I'd ridden harder and taken more risks than I ever thought I could and I'd survived to tell the tale! It may not seem that remarkable to some people but this was the hardest thing I've ever done and looking back I feel really proud that I managed it without hurting myself! Matt came to meet me on his bike and was delighted to see me smiling (he thought I'd be in bits after our telephone call earlier!). We rode back to Selkirk together and I crossed the finish line in 3hrs 26 mins which for a 25k is pretty poor, but for a technical 35-40k isn't too bad for someone like me :)<br />
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The picture below has been posted on the event website today. I hate pictures of myself doing anything sporty, and this one is no different but given that no other images of me or my lovely bike at this event are available then I'm just going to put it out there! This was just before the point I realised I was way off course, so I was tired but still enjoying myself! <br />
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I'd highly recommend this event and I may even enter the 50k next year ;)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-56529880310521659132013-06-03T13:09:00.001-07:002013-06-03T13:09:30.228-07:00Doing the dirty on my running shoesI just realised it's been well over a week since I last blogged. I have to admit that my running has been pretty limited during that time, but I'm happy to say it's not cause I've been sitting on my arse it's simply because of my new love affair...with my mountain bike!<br />
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In the words of Depeche Mode..I just can't get enough! I've emmersed myself in mtb'ing and am loving every minute of it. Attending several events in the Tweedlove festival certainly helped feed my addiction. Although I didnt actually ride myself Ruby did, and being around so many enthusiasts made me want to get out and ride even more.<br />
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Yesterday I decided to head out and explore some of the local trails that I'd heard about but never ridden, and I wasn't disappointed. I spent 4 glorious hours in the sunshine (well mostly in the shade of the woods, but it was still warm and sunny!). I could have stayed out all day but decided my family might miss me so settled for 25 miles. On Saturday I'm doing the Selkirk mtb marathon. I'm only riding the 25km course but I'm really looking forward to it, especially as I know the course organiser and he certainly knows a good trail! <br />
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I will go out running soon. I feel like I want to and I miss it, but there's just not enough time to do everything. Meanwhile here are some images from yesterday...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-80546130237999554682013-05-24T16:15:00.000-07:002013-05-24T16:15:04.367-07:00Missing satellitesEarlier today Nethy and I went to Butterdean Wood to do a recce of routes for Trailblazer's kids club next Friday. It's still pretty dry in there, which is always a miracle in Butterdean! The addition of a dog poo bin at the car park also means that there is hardly any crap on the paths which makes a huge difference. Why they didn't do it sooner I have no idea. We used to have to take our crap home in a bag in the van, not pleasant!<br />
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Driving home from Edinburgh this evening the sky was so blue that I decided I needed to go for a wee run before settling on the sofa for the night. My running mojo still isn't at full capacity but tonight certainly helped boost it. I only did a 5 mile loop but I felt like I was running fast and strong. Trouble is I have no way to prove it as my Garmin failed to find a satellite for most of the run! Come on! There must be satellites above Haddington! Surely?! And why is it that on the occasions where you are satellite-less or you forget to put your watch on you feel like a super hero? That can't be a coincidence. Maybe I should just leave my Garmin at home all the time!<br />
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My body is suffering from the HIIT workout I did the other night, and although it didn't affect my running I suspect that tomorrow morning I might struggle to get my old bones out of bed! Ho hum.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-8400001925227367342013-05-22T14:28:00.000-07:002013-05-22T14:28:16.938-07:00Lazy bloggers recap of the week!I haven't run much since I did my 17 miles last Sunday. Mostly it's been due to lack of time, but also didn't feel like I wanted to. My legs were fine and I didn't feel too tired but I just didn't feel I wanted to go out. I did hoof it out on my bike though with a bit of mountain biking on some local trails and the regular road ride on Thursday night.<br />
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At the weekend I was stuck indoors (not a bad thing on Saturday given the horrendous weather) doing a '12 hour wilderness first aid course' in Dunbar. I need this so I can complete my Trail Cycle Leader qualification. It was really good actually and I finally feel the info I'd learned at previous first aid courses has really sunk in now. One complaint would be the amount of gorey videos and photos! I only became squeamish when I had Ruby, and I had to close my eyes several times during the course. Obviously I'd not do that if faced with a real life degloving (when the skin on your fingers is peeled off exposing the bone, due to a ring being caught on something) or a compound fracture (when the bone pokes out through the skin!) EEK!<br />
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We finished early on Sunday so I drove into Edinburgh to meet Matt and Ruby at the Meadows for the start of the Pedal on Parliament. Due to Matt's injury they'd got the bus into town but I brought my bike and Ruby's and we had the pleasure of riding with several thousand other cyclists along George IV Bridge and then down the High Street to the Parliament. We met up with lots of old friends from the Edinburgh Road Club and listened to Graeme Obree and other speakers talk about their passion for cycling. It was actually quite emotional and I felt very privileged to have been part of it.<br />
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This week I've been out running twice. Nethy and I headed out on our Longniddry Railway path/Letham loop on Monday after dinner. It was like pea soup! Warm and foggy and very little air. I really struggled to get breath into my lungs and Nethy was foaming at the mouth! It wasn't my finest hour, but it was good to be out on my hooves again. Just under 6 miles in the end.<br />
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Yesterday Ruby had a day off so we went to Saughton skate park. It was brilliant and I wished I could have gone on with her, but I don't do anything that well and I would have looked like a big jessy so I just watched. I'm learning to skate so one day I'll shred it up with her! :)<br />
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We'd stopped at Decathlon earlier in the day and I bought Ruby some running tights and a tshirt so when we got home we harnessed up the dog and headed over to the park near our house. Ruby is really fit but struggled to run the full distance so we did a combination of walking and jogging. When she got bored I decided to use the time to do some hill reps. It's hardly a steep hill, more an incline but I did about 10 reps with only a jog back down as recovery. It was better than nothing and I'm looking forward to going out with Ruby again and seeing her doing the full route without stopping.<br />
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Tonight was bmx club and it was raining again when we got back so I did a HIIT workout in the lounge. It's been a while since I did one and I found it tough. It's disappointing to have lost so much strength since I gave up boxing and I've decided I need to get back into it. I feel fit enough but my back's been getting sore a lot and I think it's my core being neglected that's causing it. I guess there's just not enough time to do everything so I might need to work out a plan...double EEK!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-61879409717536277892013-05-12T14:36:00.000-07:002013-05-12T14:36:10.209-07:00Upping the milesI wanted to crack 20 miles today so I'd planned out a run from Haddington to North berwick via Longniddry, Aberlady and Gullane. My idea was to do the run and then to catch the end of the novice triathlon as I know some people who were doing it.<br />
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When I realised my only options to get home from North Berwick were to wait for a bus (dodgy at the best of times but almost non existent on a Sunday!) or to run back I threw a mini hissy fit. Normally my lovely husband would have picked me up but he happened to fracture his collar bone on Thursday after crashing into a punter on a bike (very strong distinction between a 'cyclist' and a 'punter' IMO) so he is out of action as far as driving is concerned.<br />
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By 10.30 I still hadn't come up with a good alternative route and was ready to take my running gear off and forget the whole thing but luckily my broken husband came up with an idea..run to Danskine Loch and back. At first I rebelled as I don't really like out and back runs but as I looked at the map I realised I would be running almost 98% on trails and very nice trails at that. So it was settled!<br />
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Nethy and I set off and at first I thought I was underdressed as the cold wind ripped into us as we ran towards the river. I always overdress though so I resisted the urge to stop in mile 1 and put on my jacket and this proved to be a good decision. As I ran along Grants Brae on a lovely little bit of trail I saw 2 women up ahead of me who were going out of their way to avoid the trail and instead were running on the road. They had to stop several times as cars whizzed past and it made me wonder what was going on in their heads. I know some people prefer road running but why would you risk being run over when there's a really nice trail right next to you?! Needless to say I didn't stop to ask!<br />
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Running on the trail from Bolton to Gifford was a real treat as it's normally a mud bath and today it was bone dry. I'm getting used to dry trails and hate the idea that at any moment the rains will come and everything will turn to shit again :(<br />
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We had to run for a bit on road into Gifford and then into the Yester Estate. I've never ventured in here before because I get a bit worried about roaming through Estates. I am a bit fan of the Access Code and I'm always quoting it to people who dare to tell me I'm not supposed to be somewhere, but obviously there are rules when it comes to houses and the people who live in big houses can often be very aggresive if you get too close. I've experienced it before at Gosford and it kind of upset me. The fact that there are signs at the gate saying Private Property and Strictly No Dogs says a lot and it put me on edge straight away. Luckily the surroundings were so stunning that I managed to relax until I came within sight of the big house and I saw that there were some cars in the driveway. I checked my map but couldn't work out which track to take. Both options looked like they'd take you really close to the house so I ventured onto a dirt trail that rose sharply to our left into the woods. It skirted around the house and I finally chilled and enjoyed the surroundings.<br />
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The trail started to get very muddy the closer I got to Danskine. It obvioulsy never dries out and although it was much better than the last time we'd been here walking it was still pretty awful. Thankfully the foliage is so unbelievably green and vivid and the stream that bubbles and falls alongside the trail is so pretty I forgot about the mud. I let Nethy have a swim on this stretch as it's not near any fields so there's no danger of there being any pollutants in the water. As we approached the last stretch of our run - Danskine Loch my watch was showing just over 7 miles so I knew my run back wouldn't take me to 20 miles but it would still be a decent mileage, and trail miles are harder anyway!<br />
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A lap of the Loch and a wee stop to refuel then we headed for home. The great thing about trail running is that it looks completely different when you run in the opposite direction! And I guess the great thing about an out and back route is that if you've been running uphill to get to the turning point you get the pleasure of running downhill to get back home (tough luck if your run takes you downhill for the first leg!)<br />
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By the time we approached Haddington we were both feeling very tired and I was soaked through thanks to a combination of drizzle and a leaky hydration pack nozzle. My Garmin was running out of charge too and as I ran into the town I noticed my distance was 16.1 miles and if I ran the normal way home I'd miss out on 17 miles so I started winding my way through some back streets but still as I reached the hose it was only 16.7 so to the bemusement of Nethy I passed the house and did a lap around the block! Unfortunately my Garmin died before it could log the full run which I'm guessing must have been about 17.3 mile! The funny things that Garmins make you do!!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-20163446902826608182013-05-06T14:50:00.000-07:002013-05-06T14:50:34.268-07:00Roots bloody rootsTonight I didn't feel like driving to Dalkeith for the CaniX run so after dinner I went out for a ride on my mtb. I've been feeling quite ropey today and didn't want to go too far so I decided to head to Butterdean Wood.<br />
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I thought I'd try to be a bit more adventurous en route and investigate trails that I'd never been. The first one was a bit of a disaster as I had to lift my bike over a barbed wire fence and then belly crawl under it. I survived this only to scrape my shin on a jaggy tree stump! I wonder what it's like to be a woman who doesn't have skint shins and bruised legs. I guess I'll never know! It would have been worth it had the track been decent but it was unrideable so I cut my losses and climbed over a less jaggy bit of fence back onto a quiet lane.<br />
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My next adventure took me into a field and I rode down the very dry and bumpy margin towards a wood. Unfortunately there was no way into the wood so I had to ride on the field margin for about half a mile. It wasn't very glamorous and I was feeling a bit dejected by this time, but I consoled myself in the fact that it's better than being on roads.<br />
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More farm tracks ensued as I made my way towards Butterdean. At least these ones were well defined and I felt a certain sense of satisfaction knowing I'd struggled on this section last year when it was super muddy. Finally I reached the wood and in I went. It was utterly deserted which was good as it's mostly frequented by dog walkers who often don't like bikes being on the trails. I remembered the wood being quite rooty but it's totally insane now. There has been so much erosion on the trails that the tree roots are all exposed and this makes for a very interesting ride. I used to hate roots, until I learnt how to navigate them properly and now I actually enjoy them (except when they're wet and slippy!).<br />
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Amazingly there were still some vaguely muddy patches in places, a sign of how bad the drainage in Butterdean is. I made my way along the paths to the south of the wood and finally when you can't go any further you turn to the West and here the path gets very narrow and winding. My legs were suffering at this point but I was enjoying the technical trails. There's a brilliant long straight that's got crazy roots running across it and I had a great time riding that bit. By this time the sun was beginning to set and it was shining like laser beams through the trees. I was tired but had a big grin on my face by the time I reached the car park marking the end of my loop.<br />
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I retraced my route back towards Haddington, adding in the trail that leads through Letham. It's a lovely path with nothing technical on it so you can get a good speed going through the low hanging trees. I thought how nice it would be to video this bit and decided I might try to find someone who's willing to lend me a Go Pro camera. I'm not a huge fan of these cameras as nearly everyone is wearing them on mountain bike trails now and they can make things a bit dangerous if the rider is looking to give the viewers a thrill, but I think they are good if used carefully and sparingly!<br />
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Just made it home in time before the light completely faded which was lucky as I didn't have lights with me. My legs are well and truly shot to hell now but I have 2 rest days coming up so time to let them recover before I subject them to more punishment :)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-37203306241538070122013-05-05T12:48:00.002-07:002013-05-05T12:54:38.418-07:00Foxlake Tri Trail 17km raceWhat a beautiful morning in East Lothian! The sun was shining and I was excited about the Tri trail race which was being held at Foxlake. Viv from the CaniX group picked me up with her gorgeous Husky 'Storm' and off we went, talking all the while about how we just wanted to treat it like a regular run rather than a race, and to ignore all the fast people at the start. That was my strategy and I stuck to it!<br />
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Foxlake looked particularly stunning today. It always seems to be sunny in Dunbar, and windy! I was particularly taken by the colour of the water which looked impossibly blue, and as it turns out it is impossible and aparantly the colour is thanks to an organic food colouring they add to the water! Weird (but effective)!<br />
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The pre race was fairly relaxing with everyone sitting around in the sun, I didn't feel nervous at all despite all the fit looking people. Lucky for me it was a relatively small field, so not as many fit looking people as there could have been.<br />
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At 9.30 we were off and it only took a few hundred yards for me to realise my shoelace was undone, so without having to strategise I was immediately dropped and had no need to worry about keeping pace with the group! It took the pressure off me a bit but I was a bit miffed that I was off the back so quickly. With the exception of the first few kilometers today's route is one I know well so I was comfortable pacing myself, although when I did check my Garmin it did appear I was running a bit faster than normal.<br />
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It was really warm and I regretted wearing my gilet but I had nowhere to put it and my number was attached to it so I just sucked it up. There was a woman in front of me who I ended up tailing for about 1.5 miles. We were running at the same kind of pace and as we were on a bit of singletrack I couldn't get past her so I just stayed put. I had a chance at the 7km mark where we both stopped at the aid station to have a drink, but we seemed to do that in sequence too so I ended up behind her again for a bit! Eventually I got past her after apologising for heavy breathing so close to her for so long. She just laughed and said no problem. <br />
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As I ran towards the toilet block in the John Muir Country Park I could see Ruby Matt and Nethy. It really lifted my spirits and I was delighted to get some more water and a kiss from Ruby. I told them I couldn't stop, mainly because I didn't want the woman I'd finally passed catching me again. I also knew I'd see them on the way back.<br />
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Part of the route took us out across the bridge at Belhaven Bay and by the time I reached it the tide had started coming in so I had to wade up to my knees to cross. It was very cooling and I was glad I had on my Inov8 Roclites as the water just poured out of them. On my way back towards the Country Park I came across 3 runners (2 women and a man) who had been doing walk/run up ahead of me. I passed them while they were walking but they caught me again and squeezed past me on a really narrow bit of track that runs alongside the Llama field at East Links Family Park. Then they ran close in front of me and made it impossible for me to pass had I wanted to. When we got onto a slightly wider farm track they stopped again and this time I had to go out of my way to get around them! I was really annoyed cause they're behaviour seemed downright rude to me. I decided to up my pace knowing there was only a few miles left. No way I was going to let them sprint past me on the line! haha! As it turned out they were spent and I think they walked the entire way back to the finish. <br />
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I managed to do a mini sprint over the line and felt pleased I'd finished, although slightly disappointed the organisers had shortened the route by a mile to avoid a bit of farm track that was being used. Never mind, it was a lovely route and it was a beautiful day and there was a little group of fellow CaniXers there to chat to afterwards (including Alison who made us all proud by taking first female). So all in all a very nice morning. Turns out I was 11th out of 19 women, so not too bad. I don't think I'll go back to do it again in June, but I may enter the Pentlands race in August.<br />
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The other thing that made my day was getting my new CaniSport decal for our van. Viv's husband Ali found them online and organised one for us all. Mine is especially great as the runner has dreadlocks and the dog looks exactly like Nethy!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-91258545002534494652013-04-30T15:21:00.000-07:002013-04-30T15:21:05.076-07:00Swallows and stingsThe wind had died down today and the sun was shining so I informed Matt early on in the day that I intended to head out on my mtb this evening when he got home. I've been keen to try out my new skills so I chose a nice (but tough) loop starting on the River Tyne path.<br />
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I'm pleased to say it's still as dry as it was when I ran on it last week, but the sunshine and light showers means the plants are growing fast and the path seemed much narrower in places tonight. The Tyne path is very bumpy which I don't really notice when I'm running but on the bike you really feel it. I remembered what my coach had said about using the attack position to stop yourself being thrown about on the bike so I was standing as much as I could but my legs were really tired and my back was sore because my stem is too long (getting new short one on Friday).<br />
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I really noticed the difference in my bike handling today, using as many of the techniques I'd been taught as I could. I felt much more in control and didn't have to stop for as many obstacles as I would have previously.<br />
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Wildlife was abundant on my ride and best of all was the sight of 3 swallows at Hailes Castle. First ones I've seen this year and they were having a great time swooping down on the river to catch flies. I stood and watched them for a few minutes before pushing on. I also saw a very cute Dipper living up to its name on the river.<br />
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I turned off the river path at Over Hailes and headed up the long hilly road to pass under the A1, then a bumpy track led me around the back of Monks Muir retirement park towards Beanston. At this point I almost literally bumped into a female Roe deer who ran across the path about 3 metres in front on my. She was so silent, and joined a friend in the field before they bounded off into the distance at top speed. Beautiful!<br />
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A bit more on road and finally I turned onto the ridge trail which leads you onto the Garelton Hills, past the ruin where my bike did some more posing. This is where I had my second 'first of the year' experience when I got off to take a picture and accidentally stood in a patch of fresh young nettles. Cue much swearing and itching and then the realisation that this was just the first of many stings I would get this year. By this time the sun was setting and East Lothian looked stunning. A long climb past the farm up to the top of the hill and then into the bumpy cow field. My thighs were filled with lactic acid and feeling very heavy. Luckily after a brief stop at the telephone masts I was ready to start my descent back into Haddington. At this point my camera went into the bag and never came back out again. You can't stop to take pictures on a great descent like this!<br />
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The shelter belts are an awesome way to end a ride. The single track winds tightly down through the trees and some kindly trail fairies have been adding berms and jumps near the top which I took great pleasure in trying out. A few times I did stop and push my bike back up so I could do bits over again!! I was glad the trail was deserted and no-one heard me whooping!!<br />
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I arrived back in Haddington with a huge smile on my face and rode back home feeling like I'd done more than 11 miles. Unfortunately my Garmin ran out at the top of the hill, I keep forgetting you need to charge it.<br />
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There will be more bike rides working their way onto my blog in the future. I may be using my hooves in a different way, but it's all part of me getting out into the great outdoors and enjoying a good workout. if you don't like it you know what to do!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-16394200287313355972013-04-29T14:41:00.001-07:002013-04-29T14:41:49.957-07:00Two timing bitchYesterday I did a 6 hour mountain bike course down at Glentress. I've never had any tuition in mountain biking and although I feel fairly confident riding on trails I always feel I'm relying on luck rather than skill. Given what I learnt yesterday it appears I was right.<br />
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I did my course with <a href="http://www.dirtschool.co.uk/">Dirt School</a>'s Andy Barlow and wasn't disappointed. He is an amazing rider and a fantastic coach. He's very animated and enthusiastic and really knows his stuff. We spent a lot of time standing on the trails going over specific skills like riding corners and berms (sloping sweeping corners). Then we did drop offs (slow and fast), manuals (lifting front wheel without pedalling), wheelies (we all know what they are) and bunny hops. I'm pretty useless at wheelies and manuals but managed to do my first bunny hop (at the age of 40 that's not bad!).<br />
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By the end of the 6 hours we were all mentally and physically exhausted so we didn't really get a good chance to try out what we'd learned on an actual ride, so I'm desperate to get back out and practise. I did show Ruby my Bunny hopping on the way to school this morning but she wasn't as impressed as I'd hoped saying "you're not lifting your back wheel very much Mummy". Kids!!<br />
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I've just entered the <a href="http://www.selkirkmtbmarathon.com/">Selkirk mtb marathon</a> in June. I'm doing the short course (25k) and according to my friend who designed the course I should manage it no problem. We shall see.<br />
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My legs were very heavy today after my hill run and all the cycling so I'd intended to rest, but it was such a lovely day so I decided to meet the CaniX group at Dalkeith. As Nethy is is season I was dogless but thankfully one of the members very kindly agreed to pick me up and lend me her Malamute 'Skye'. Score!! Thanks Viv :)<br />
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Skye and I were both pretty tired this evening so we had a plod, and even walked at times. It was just nice to be out with the group in the sunshine, and it was especially nice to be running with my dream dog (sorry Nethy!)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-26212637886585439592013-04-27T13:59:00.000-07:002013-04-27T13:59:56.437-07:00Run for the hillsToday Nethy, Ruby and I were supposed to be racing at Duncarron at a CaniX race. Unfortunately the pup came into season on Friday and was therefore not allowed to race. The song 'My Milkshake brings all the boys too the yard' kept popping into my head for some reason! :)<br />
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After a nice relaxing morning visiting the School Fair and Farmers market I had a spare few hours as Ruby was going to a party and Matt was riding with the <a href="http://coastkid.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/3-sleeps-to-forth-fat.html">Fat Bikers</a> down at North Berwick. I thought about attempting a long run but it was such a beautiful day and the hills looked stunning so I jumped in the van and off I went to Hopes. <br />
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I haven't run in the hills for ages, and I think last time it was snowy. Today it was bone dry even though there are still a few snow patches dotted about. I ran through the spooky wood towards the reservoir. It's not really that spooky but there is a little abandoned 'house' that Ruby always says is where Voldemort lives! I was feeling quite good as I ran up the track, but as soon as the going got steep I was tired. It's not surprising really given that I went to my bed at 1.30 am last night after drinking half a bottle of Prosecco and the same of red! I blame Green Day who were live at Irving Plaza in NY on Scuzz tv.<br />
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I recovered again on my favourite bit of single track that runs parallel to the reservoir on the North side. It's such a nice little trail and takes you through some really nice gnarly trees. The next bit is always a struggle as there's only a very thin sheep path which winds part of the way up a cleugh then you have to battle your way through the heather to get to the main path high above. I did see a very cute lizard just by my feet and as it scuttled away I started to freak out that there might also be Adders about as it was so sunny. I've just looked up what would happen if I did get bitten by an Adder and it's not deadly, but could make you pretty sick. The advice is to call 999, which would be interesting if you're in the Lammermuis with no signal! On the NHS website it also tells you not to attempt to remove any of your clothing (eg trousers) but I can't imagine why you would do that anyway unless the snake had slithered up your trouser leg! <br />
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I finally got up to the main path, without being bitten by a snake, and broke into a run again. I thought about a detour to the top of Lammerlaw but decided against it as there were quite a few walkers about. I countinued on the main path until a left hand turn takes you down to John's Cleugh and then finally back around towards Hopes. The path was really stoney at this point and a few times sharp stones seemed to penetrate the thin sole of my Inov8s and it was really painful. Dreamy visions of Hokas appeared in my head a few times, but I cast them aside and carried on. I do enjoy the last part of this loop which takes you back towards the reservoir. It's nicely undulating and you have to hop over a few streams which always adds to the sense of adventure.<br />
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A nice downhill section and a flat run back to the van saw me at 6.45 miles. Not a lot, but the terrain is very demanding and probably I put in more effort than if I'd done a long flat run.<br />
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My legs are heavy tonight and I have a whole day of mountain biking tomorrow so that will be interesting. I'm off to bed soon to let my legs recover. No Green Day for me tonight!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-79865296207086209302013-04-24T15:24:00.000-07:002013-04-24T15:24:00.603-07:00Get out while you can!!!This evening I had an almost spiritual experience, I ran 6 odd miles on a trail that was bone dry. This is a trail that is almost always muddy, slimy and covered in either weeds or debris from the overflowing river. The trail in question is the River Tyne walkway which leads from Haddington to East Linton. This evening Nethy and I ran it in reverse as Matt and Ruby were heading to North Berwick for bmx club. I always find running home is psychologically much easier than running away! Anyway, it soon became apparent that the trail had taken on a new lease of life. The dry weather meant the puddles and mud had disappeared and the cold meant that the Spring foliage that would usually have engulfed the trail by now was still only in it's early stages of growth. Hooray!<br />
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I'd decided to follow the old adage about not casting a cloot and opted for longs, but I was a bit sneaky and wore a running tshirt under my gilet with my armwarmers. They were rolled down at about mile 2 as the warmth of the sun cancelled out the chilly wind that was blowing in my face. My longs were rolled up at mile 4 and I made a mental note that I need a new pair of 3/4 tights for the Summer (I don't do shorts!). The trail was so green compared to last time I was out. The wild garlic smelled delightful (another mental note to pick some and make pesto before it's too late). The trees are still really bare but it won't be long before the narrow path disappears under knee high nettles.<br />
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There was not another sole on the entire length of the path so Nethy and I had a little chat as we ran (as you do!). She finds it incredibly difficult to run alongside the river as her natural otter instinct is constantly telling her to jump in. I told her she'd get her swim when we were back in Haddington so she relaxed a bit. By the time we got back to Abbey bridge in Haddington I had a huge grin on my face. How wonderful to be out in the sunshine running without being covered in dirt! Nethy got her swim and was a happy girl too. If there's a trail you've been trudging along all winter I'd urge you to get back out onto it now while the conditions are so good. God know what weather we'll get next. There are forecasts of heavy frosts at the weekend :/<br />
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I left my Garmin at home by mistake and didn't want to use my phone to track my run as I was listening to a Trail Runner Nation podcast so it would have zapped the battery too much. It was nice not looking at the time and how 'fast' I was running but I did miss looking at my route afterwards (although I've run that so many times I have it recorded) but I like to keep it as a record. I did take some pictures though that show the big changes in the path since last time we were running on it.<br />
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The Tyne path in January...
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-16075172892036594872013-04-22T15:14:00.000-07:002013-04-22T15:14:30.764-07:00New route with the poop otterWe had a fantastic weekend of mountain biking at Glentress and I was feeling very tired this morning but I knew I wanted to run this evening. Usually I go with the CaniX group to Dalkeith but I didn't fancy driving there and opted instead for a local run on a route that we found when we did a family ride with the Trailblazers.<br />
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As usual Nethy accompanied me, and as usual the start of our run was hampered by poo action. This time she opted for the middle of a road (albeit a quiet one) but as much as I was very pleased she decided to do it there instead of on the pavement it was a bit embarrassing when a car appeared and I had to mouth my apologies while Nethy finished and I scooped the poop. Even more mortifying when she squatted again and a bit got stuck!! Haha TMI??<br />
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We finally got going and struggled into the wind along the Pencaitland Road. I hate the wind - it's so tiring and noisy, I had to turn my podcast up and tighten my cap! Finally we turned into the Clerkington estate. The dirt road is like a pump track and I have no idea how people drive up it to the cottages. The paths are so dry just now and it's wonderful not to be ankle deep in mud for a change. There are definate signs of Spring, but it was still depressingly cold and I was glad I'd put on my Montane jacket. <br />
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I saw my first Sand Martins in the river bank as we passed over the new footbridge, they're probably wishing they were back in Africa sunning themselves! We ran through the Lennoxlove Estate and it was nice to see the daffodils have finally appeared, even though they were a bit sparse. Nethy was looking a bit hot under the collar at this point so I promised her a swim in the river when we reached it.<br />
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As soon as I took off her harness and shouted go she was off! I've never seen her move so fast and a huge splash let me know she'd reached her target. I didn't let her stay in too long as the river was flowing pretty fast and she was struggling to stay in one place. She did look very happy though (she is part otter after all!)<br />
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The run ended at 5.22 miles. Not very far but it's early days post tonsillitis plus I had some tough Mountain bike miles in my legs so I'll settle for that.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-76950942950710866612013-04-16T15:13:00.000-07:002013-04-16T15:13:34.644-07:00Getting back into the swing of itI've not run since last Monday when I went out with the CaniX group and had a wonderful 5k 'sprint'. At the time I thought how great it was that I'd not lost much form despite 2 weeks off due to my tonsillitis hell. Stupid me didn't take into account that I was being pulled by a large Malamute and my own dog Nethy!! D'uh!<br />
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Last night I was out with the group again and this time I had no Malamute to haul my sorry ass around the course, and Nethy was obviously feeling tired so she wasn't pulling at all. This made me feel like I was running with lead in my shoes! I managed to get round in 30 minutes which included poo stop (Nethy not me) and getting lost for a few minutes so not too bad given it's an off road course with a hill in it.<br />
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I decided I'd get out again tonight as I'll be at bmx club tomorrow with Ruby and road bike training on Thursday, but the gale force winds were really putting me off. Luckily Matt came up with a great idea - to drive me to Longniddry and let me run the 5 miles home with a tail wind!<br />
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It was a really lovely night (apart from the wind) but the first 3 miles of the run were HELL! It's slightly uphill and despite the tail wind I was totally struggling. I felt like I'd never run before and I just felt wrong! Thankfully at mile 3 the trail starts to head downhill and at that point everything changed. My pace increase and I started to really enjoy myself. My form came back, my legs eased off, even the tension in my upper body disappeared. By the time I arrived back in the town I was flying and we even managed to sprint the last 100 yards back to the house!<br />
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For me the joy of running is about how it makes me feel mentally as well as physically. I've had some really low days over the past few weeks while I've been recovering from my virus and I know that's mainy because I haven't been getting my endorphin rush. I'm hoping this will be the start of my recovery and that I'll be back to doing my regular runs over the next few weeks.<br />
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I think I'll also take this opportunity to shake things up a bit and to start doing intervals and hill training again. My longer slow runs are great and I'll still do as many of them as I can but to be honest I would like to be faster, and I certainly think my body would benefit from some short fast runs. We'll see how that pans out...<br />
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Don't want to close this blog entry without mentioning the horrific events in Boston. It's been weighing heavily on my mind today, and was especially in my thoughts while I was out on my run. My heart goes out to all the people affected x<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-65282754569448006432013-04-04T14:00:00.002-07:002013-04-04T14:00:47.052-07:00Not quite dead, but almost!Just a short post to say that I've not died, although it did feel like it at the weekend as I got a very nasty bout of tonsillitis :( It's not something that had ever bothered me in my lifetime until I had Ruby and now I've had it every year since she was 1! I have to say it's the most ill I've ever felt and this time I could barely even swallow water for 2 days :(<br />
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It's very typical that you run throughout the winter (and the extended winter) and then as soon as the sun does decide to shine I get sick! I'm trying to be relaxed about it all as it's outwith my control and the rest won't do me any harm, but I am starting to get itchy feet and hope to get out for a wee run over the weekend. We shall see how I feel.....<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-36990348511522587862013-03-27T14:38:00.003-07:002013-03-27T14:38:24.783-07:00Fore!!Every year we come to Gleneagles to stay in my parent's holiday home for a few days. It's always a strange one for me as I really can't be doing with posh folk, but over the years I've come to realise the snobs go somewhere else and instead the resort is full of footballers, builders and 'new money'. I can cope with that lot even though they are sometimes more badly behaved than the toffs.<br />
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I had hoped to go for some nice runs while we were up here, but the bloody snow is still falling so heavily and there's just no way I'm confident or capable enough to head into unknown hills when it's so bad. My options were treadmill, roads or golf course trail. I chose trail! The good thing about the snow is that the golfers are nowhere to be seen, so I had the 3 mile loop all to myself (apart from another runner who was going the opposite way). You have to run the gauntlet when the golf course is in use as you cross the fairway in several places, but today it was quiet and white and rather nice.<br />
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I only had an hour before dinner so I chose 1 lap, but I think tomorrow I may do a couple. I doubt the snow will have thawed enough to let me go anywhere more exciting, and right about now I'm happy with any trail miles especially ones which allow me to soak up such beautiful scenery. The run was just under 4 miles in total, nearly all off road.<br />
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We're off to Aviemore on Saturday so that should be even more of a challenge. Hopefully I shall rise to it, as I packed more running gear than anything else!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-77359184202099808402013-03-24T12:38:00.000-07:002013-03-24T12:38:13.727-07:00Doggy styleI was supposed to be racing at Carron Valley today with Ruby and Nethy, but unsurprisingly it was rescheduled due to the freakish weather! So this morning I ventured out in the cold to Longniddry where the CaniX Edinburgh group were having a run and a Scooterjor tester. For those of you who don't know Scooterjor is being pulled along on a big 2 wheeled scooter by dogs. It was brilliant fun!!<br />
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I had decided not to tie Nethy to the scooter as I really don't want to put too much stress on her back end (her pelvis was smashed in 7 places when she was hit by a car 2 years ago) so I got to scoot with the beautiful Malamutes - Skye and Tamaska. Those who know me know I'm rather obsessed with Mals and Huskies and I'm currently working on Matt to get a rescue dog to add to our family, so to be hurtling along the Longniddry railway path being pulled by such a gorgeous duo of dogs brought a great big smile to my face!<br />
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By the time everyone had a go I was absolutely frozen so it was great to finally start running, although after only 5 seconds Nethy had to stop and take a dump and then I had to stop to tie my lace! So it was a sprint uphill into the wind to try and catch the group. I didn't quite make it, but luckily they stopped at the turn off point to regroup before we ran our short loop around the woods. Back onto the railway path for our return journey and the lovely Alison was chatting away to me and I was really struggling to respond! So a good hard effort for me, not so much for her!<br />
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It was only 3 miles in the end but it was really fast and it reminded me why I love running with the caniX group. It's the only time I've really pushed myself and that's what I need just now. It's also really nice running with a group, although I have to admit I'd be more reluctant to do it if it wasn't for the dogs. Not that I don't like the people, they're a great bunch, but I've just never been into running with others. Having the dogs there somehow makes it more fun :)<br />
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Only 2 days at work this week and then we're off to the North for a wee Easter holiday. I'm taking my running stuff but I have a feeling I may be hampered by the weather :(<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-13062489502503543532013-03-22T13:18:00.001-07:002013-03-22T13:18:15.911-07:00Short sharp shockI'm getting pretty fed up with this weather! This week I've hardly run at all.... on Tuesday I had to come home from work after only an hour because I was feeling terrible. My body was aching, my head was spinning and I just wanted to lie down - so I did! Wednesday I felt absolutely fine but I decided to rest just in case, then on Thursday I wanted to go and do the local caniX run but Matt wasn't due home until after 7 and local Granny wasn't available so I couldn't go.<br />
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So that left today and with ruby off school sick I was thinking I'd have to miss yet another day, but having watched the highlights of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc on Eurosport I was feeling inspired so I called local Granny and this time she was available. I'd love to say I drove up to the hills and recreated my own mini UTMB, but I didn't have that kind of time and I decided a local run was better than none so Nethy and I headed to Lennoxlove and then added the Amisfield loop on at the end. <br />
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I have to say I struggled for the whole 6 measly miles! There was a bitter South Easterly wind which was chilling me to the bone but generally my body just felt sluggish and heavy. Nethy wasn't looking too sprightly either which somehow made me feel worse. We made it round our route and now I'm home and have had several hours to recover I do feel better for it, but it wasn't my finest hour!<br />
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I've been thinking a lot about my running lately and how despite the fact that I'm out there more than I've ever been I don't feel like I've got any better at it. I know some people will say you need to add in sprint training and hills to get results, well I get my fair share of hills but sprinting isn't really my thing. I guess I need to decide why I'm actually running, and to be honest it's because mostly I really love it. Do I need to get better? I don't know! I think if I could shift a stone (or 2) I reckon I'd be a better runner and I'd be able to get more miles in with less effort. That's easier said than done though.<br />
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I'll just keep at it and hopefully as the weather gets better I'll be able to do more interesting routes, maybe even push myself harder and try to do something 'epic'. My hooves certainly fell like they need a change of scenery!<br />
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No pics from today...too cold!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-25522781592019173182013-03-17T15:31:00.001-07:002013-03-17T15:31:33.989-07:00Some miles are harder than othersYes Morrissey I'm thinking of you when I write this! It's absolutely true though and my run today was spectacular proof.<br />
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I was slightly hungover when I woke up this morning after a very pleasant evening in the pub with a couple of friends. I could have curled up in a ball on the sofa and eaten cake and drunk tea all day, but the rain eventually stopped and my head wasn't in a good place so I asked Matt if he minded driving me to Dunbar so I could run home. He didn't, so off we went.<br />
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I was thrown out the van with Nethy at Belhaven and by this time the sky was blue and there was some heat in the sun. We had to negotiate our way over the wet sand to start with which wasn't the easiest start, especially when Neth decided it was a good place to poo so I had to carry her steaming present with me for a good distance before I found a bin!<br />
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I could tell my legs were going to give me problems today, not only because of my hangover but from the 28 mile mountain bike ride I'd done on Friday. I decided that it didn't matter how fast (or slow) I went so I just relaxed into it and enjoyed feeling the sun on my face.<br />
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The route from Belhaven to Haddington is almost entirely off road. It includes a section of the John Muir Way and then the Tyne river walkway. You would think the John Muir Way would be quite a salubrious path, given the greatness of the man it's named after but you'd be sadly mistaken. It consists mainly of paths which are generally no more than field margins and they are mostly very very muddy. It's annoying and I've mentioned it on here before so I'll not get on my soap box again!<br />
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The mud was pretty bad all along my route and trying to keep myself upright was taking it's toll. My legs were like lead and the rest of my body was following. By the time I reached East Linton I was tempted to call Matt and ask him to come and get me, but I'd set my mind on the full distance so I shuffled on.<br />
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During the last 5 miles we were snowed on, there was rain and hail stones and then it got sunny again. Nethy didn't seem to mind, she was more intent on trying to jump in the river! I have to admit I'm getting pretty damn tired of the terrible weather. What I'd give for a day on some dry rocky paths.<br />
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We eventually made it home, and despite how hard the 12 miles had seemed I was pretty happy to have done it. Nethy and I are both exhausted tonight and I may have problems walking tomorrow, but it was worth it.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-2268543664812206152013-03-12T15:19:00.000-07:002013-03-12T15:19:25.133-07:00Recovery jogWon't get out tomorrow so I thought a very short recovery run would be a nice idea. In the end it was 3.2 miles at a very leisurely pace with the dog. We ran along the River Tyne towards Abbey Bridge and then up the road for a bit and back along the farm track that runs parallel to the A1. Out in the light, back in the dark. Very civilised :)<br />
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Wore my Vivobarefoot shoes since it was a short run. They still feel odd when I'm on tarmac and I feel like I'm running very strangely. On grass and trail they feel great and they are very grippy thanks to the rubber 'spikes' on the bottom. I love the wide toe box and they fit very snugly over the rest of my foot. They also look really nice which I know shouldn't matter, but I'm a girl so it does! I'm going to keep running in them on shorter distances but will stick with my Inov8 Roclites for longer runs. <br />
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I also remembered to do some core work tonight when I got back. I've been really neglecting that side of things since I gave up boxing. I was pleasantly surprised that I could still comfortably hold the plank for over a minute, and managed 3 sets of 20 full sit ups (then got bored!) I also tried some push ups which didn't work out so well. I was up to about 20 full push ups when I was boxing twice a week, and today I struggled with 1! I did 10 modified and will try to build up again to a more respectable number. I love feeling strong so I'm going to start working on that side of my fitness again. Will get the barbell and kettlbell out into the garden again <strike>if </strike>when the weather improves!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-70540828440380402902013-03-11T13:51:00.000-07:002013-03-11T13:51:33.061-07:00Spring has sprung?!Not going to say too much about today's run - not because I didn't enjoy it, on the contrary I really did but I'm feeling sleepy and can't face typing!!<br />
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It was a short run of only 5.29 miles (although I think it was actually 6 miles as I accidentally stopped my Garmin again!) but there was a very long hill and it was very cold so my energy was being zapped with every step. The countryside looked stunning and despite me cursing the heavy snow earlier today I had a great feeling of joy at the top of the Garelton hills looking around at the beautiful scenery. It was over ankle deep at the top of the hill and Nethy and I stopped for a snowball fight. Fun!! :)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-9799299053089210092013-03-10T15:12:00.000-07:002013-03-10T15:25:11.859-07:00Any run is better than noneThis weekend I'd decided that I wanted to spend time with the family, so no long runs were planned. I didn't actually know if I'd run at all, but after a lovely afternoon climbing at Alien Rock we got home and the sun was out (mixed with flurries of snow!) so the running gear was pulled on, the dog was harnessed up and off we went.<br />
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It was about 5.30 so the light was already fading and I'd opted not to bring my head torch so I knew I'd not be out for long. I just headed out to the river and onto the short Lennoxlove loop. It was bitter! There was only a dusting of snow on the ground, despite the blizzards earlier, but the Lammermuirs looked spectacular in the distance and I kind of wished I was there instead.<br />
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It was only a mere 4.5 miles in the end, but it felt good to be out. I need to make some time to get a few long runs in over the next few weeks. I'm feeling a bit frustrated that I'm not able to get out more, but it is what it is, sometimes life gets in the way.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-54280151065178695302013-03-08T13:24:00.000-08:002013-03-10T15:26:12.641-07:00Navigating my way through wind and rainToday I wanted to combine a nice run with some navigation practise. When I was on my recent Trail Leader Course my lack of navigational skills were exposed and now I'm determined to finally get serious about learning how to read and follow a map.<br />
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I chose Aberlady and Gullane as I felt that having the sea close by would mean that even if I was struggling with the map I shouldn't actually get lost (in theory!). Initially I'd wanted to start at Aberlady reserve and run right out to the headland near Marine villa at Archerfield then back again, but I only have 3 hours while Ruby's at school so I had to modify my route to allow for navigation, photo stops and travel time.<br />
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I parked near Gullane beach car park (I say near because I can't actually get our van under the barriers!) and then ran West to Gullane Point and then doubled back and ran East out to Marine Villa. Because I was avoiding the nature reserve I'd brought Nethy with me and she was determined to go in the water, even 'though the angry waves were crashing against the rocks. The weather was awful! It was misty, windy, wet and very very cold. When I turned at Gullane Point I was running into a howling head wind and it took all my will power not to stop at the van and just settle for the 3 miles I'd done.<br />
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I knew I'd soon be out of the wind and I could start my fun navigation exercise so I ignored the van and soldiered on. I used a combination of maps to get through the last part of my run including an extract Matt and Ruby used last week for their orienteering in the same area, an Explorer O.S map and a screen print of a Google Earth aerial image. They all helped in their own way, although I'd say the O.S map was the least useful as hardly any of the tracks were shown on there. While I was running through the woods I came across the freaky tree people that I'd seen pictures of on <a href="http://yakhunter.blogspot.co.uk/">this blog</a>. They are really interesting, but slightly disturbing. I wouldn't like to meet them at night!<br />
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When I finally reached my turning point I had a few wobbly navigational moments and while I was looking for the path I'd marked on the map I really chilled down. After a few minutes, some debating and some self doubting I decided on a track and just ran as fast as I could to get warm again. I knew I was going in the right direction and some of the features around me made me feel quite confident that I was at least on the correct path. I finally reached Muirfield golf course and the big metal shed that I'd marked on my map, so I felt really chuffed. From there it was a very straightforward potter back to the van.<br />
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When I downloaded the data from my Garmin I was really pleased to see I had in fact chosen the right path and I'd followed it exactly as I'd marked on my map. This has given me confidence that I'm not a total moron and that I can read a map when I need to. Up yours men who say we can't do it!!<br />
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Tonight I'm feeling physically exhausted! It was only 8 miles, but it was hard miles and the weather was awful. I was hoping last week's weather was the start of a glorious Spring, but apparently Winter isn't ready to loosen it's grip. This is extra disappointing as I just picked up my new BMC mountain bike and it is far too pretty to be messed up with East Lothian farm crud :/<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-67922201181675258122013-03-05T14:03:00.001-08:002013-03-10T15:26:31.072-07:00Run for CubaYesterday the thing I never thought would happen (for a long time at least) happened...our 15 year old cat 'Cuba' was put to sleep. She'd developed kidney failure and was very sick, so the vet said it was the kindest thing to do. It didn't feel kind, and it was devastating for all of us. We'll really miss her and there's definately a feeling of something being missing in our house.<br />
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I didn't go for a run yesterday, despite the fact it probably would have helped. I was really tired from my weekend Trail Cycle Leader course in Linlithgow and I needed a rest. Today however was a different story. It was a gorgeous day and as soon as I could I was in my running gear and off into the countryside.<br />
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I decided on a fairly straightforward 8 mile loop along the Longniddry railway path to Cotterburn car park and then some road running up Bangley Brae, and onto a track leading to my favourite shelter belt singetrack. It was just before 6pm when I headed out so I had my head torch on over my wooly hat. It didn't have much charge though so I saved it for the last couple of miles which are all off road on tracks which have lots of mud, roots and rocks. Luckily there was enough ambient light when I was running on the road that I didn't need the torch, although I made sure I switched it on whenever I saw a car as I was virtually invisible in my black tights and my dark teal Montane jacket.<br />
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I felt like I was running fast, and looking at my Garmin stats at the end I was (for me at least!) The main difference on tonight's run was that I didn't stop once to take any photos. There wasn't much point to be honest, as the light was pretty bad from the start. I was also listening to a Trail Runner Nation podcast which was an interview with the amazing <a href="http://frostysfootsteps.wordpress.com/">Anna Frost</a>. I'd learned to run without listening to anything, but sometimes I just want something to distract me.<br />
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By the time I'd run down the shelter belts in the dark I was feeling great. I practically sprinted home (again sprinting by my standards!) and I was buzzing when I got in. I feel like I'm back on track and just need to make some time to get out more. Luckily the nights are getting lighter, so I'll be able to get out after work. Only problem is my lovely new BMC mountain bike has finally arrived from Switzerland so I'll be wanting to get out on that quite a bit! Not a bad problem to have really!<br />
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I certainly feel like my run did me the world of good as far as feeling sad is concerned. I'm not sure if it was because I was out running or if it's just that exercise is generally good at chasing the blues away, but whatever it is I'm thankful to be able to tap into my endorphines so easily.<br />
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CUBA 1998-2013</div>
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WE'LL MISS YOU xx</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7223911680199366166.post-23837376397853121472013-03-01T15:43:00.001-08:002013-03-01T15:43:22.634-08:00New route comebackAfter our weekend in Glencoe I was feeling wiped out so I decided to have some rest. The good thing about not racing is you can have a rest whenever you want and not feel guilty. I certainly didn't have any feelings of guilt but I did miss getting out, especially as the weather has been gorgeous this week.<br />
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I decided to run without the dog today, as I just wanted to do it without having to stop and pick up poo or shout at her for jumping in and out of the river. It turned out I missed her and wished she'd been with me, but given how tired she was all day it's probably better she stayed in bed. During the first mile of my run I was thinking I should have stayed in my bed too, my body was not happy.<br />
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I headed from Ruby's school, through the golf course and down to the river. It was such a glorious day and even though my body was telling me to stop I soldiered on. Once I was on the Tyne path I started to enjoy myself. I was accompanied part of the way by 4 Jays who were 'screaming' at each other and slightly spoiling the peace and quiet, but they are very pretty so I didn't mind too much.<br />
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I had set myself an 8 mile target and had thought about running out and back on the river walk, but as I reached Sandy's Mill (about 4 miles in) I thought I'd like to do a loop so I headed up the track towards the A1. I lost my satellite signal in the very strange tunnel that passes under the A1 but that didn't matter too much as I'd stopped to take a photo anyway! I crossed the old A1 and then into the wood that leads to Beanston House. The house is really nice and is where we've bought several Christmas trees over the years. You can actually cut them down yourself with a big saw :)<br />
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The next part of the run is a bit tedious as you have to run up the side of a field. Like most farmers in East Lothian at least, there is no way they'd leave even the slightest bit of walkable path so people can actually enjoy our wonderful Scottish access laws. Instead they plough right up to their boundary so you end up having to run in the mud! Ho hum!<br />
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The next bit makes up for it though as you run up into the Garelton Hills on a nice grassy track, and the stunning views of East Lothian appear all around you. There's an old ruin at the top of the hill which is really pretty, but also very spooky. I did stop and take some pictures but didn't hang around for long just incase the chainsaw weilding freak I always imagine in abandoned buildings appeared! You have to keep climbing until you finally reach a smelly cow field at the very top of the hills. Lucky for me the cows were in their barn, but they had left some rather large 'gifts' for me :/ At this point it's just a case of negotiating your way though some dense gorse and then it's all downhill through the shelter belts that lead back into Haddington.<br />
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By the time I got home I felt really good and was glad I'd chosen the harder, but more interesting route into the hills. I really need to explore more and find myself more new places to run. It was certainly a good way to comeback after my rest. It was 8 miles in total, although my Garmin said 7.69, but that was because I stopped it for about half a mile by accident!<br />
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This weekend I have a Trail Cycle Leader course in Linlithgow. It should be fun, but at the moment I'm just feeling anxious about it. I've been cycling for years without ant serious incidents, but somehow I imagine I'll keep falling off or crashing. Let's hope I prove myself wrong!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09630093448904426986noreply@blogger.com0