Hip hip hip hooray!

In a rare display of common sense, I elected not to run on Friday or Saturday for fear of exacerbating my cold. However a perfect storm of new kit arriving from Sportsshoes.com on Saturday afternoon, Stuart and Brian inviting me to join their planned 22-miler, and the forecast promising that the sun would have his hat on, meant that there was no way that I wasn't coming out to play.

And perhaps some fresh air would help to dry out my lungs.  

I wasn't sure how warm it would be at 9:30am (our chosen start time), and very nearly wore a long sleeve top.  Although not remotely necessary for a run that was going to involve 90% tarmac, I wanted to try out the new gaiters I'd ordered, and also elected to brim the new hydration bladder with 2 litres of water to simulate Fling carrying weight.

Which was all very fortunate as it quickly became apparent that this was indeed going to be a warm one.  While the air temperature probably didn't get much above 13 or 14 degrees while we were out, the fact that the sky was completely clear meant that we were getting the full effect of the radiated heat from the unforgiving Scottish sun.

 

I don't often get the chance to do a long run with Brian, so it made a very pleasant change.  And it was nice to have the option to just roll along and listen to Stuart and Brian when I was feeling wheezy.

Three bridges

We made our way along the cycle paths and inland roads parallel to the A1 towards Cockburnspath, and then turned inland towards Ecklaw and Oldhamstocks.  The chat continued, and we were admonished by a couple of guys out doing a bit of gardening who reckoned that we couldn't be going fast enough given the amount of talking we were doing.

 

Fact No.1: Oldhamstocks parish church was consecrated in 1292

 

I particularly enjoyed the section after Oldhamstocks, through the valley that the Flower Show Hill Race follows, and then taking in the views towards the Berwickshire coast from near the top of the hill on the other side.  While still in the valley we came across various families rolling Easter eggs, and further along a chap who was practising his golf swing.  Given that there were a few stray balls near the footbridge over the burn, we were a little concerned about our safety.  But we needn't have worried, and he was very friendly as we approached - happy to shoot the breeze and quick to agree that it was a lovely day.

 

 

Fact No.2: The Borders has the second highest cliffs on the east coast of Britain

Spring is undoubtedly my favourite season of the year, and today felt like it had arrived in style.  Appreciable warmth, a resurgence in greenery, the vivid yellow of new flowers on the gorse, and fields full of lambs.

There were a variety of numbers painted on the lambs, even in the same field - wonder if that signifies the ram that sired them?

Innerwick Castle with Torness behind

 

Unfortunately I am a little unconditioned to that warmth, so started to toil a little towards the end.  And my joints were "singing" rather more than I would have liked.  So when Stuart pointed out that the natural route back to his and Anne's would bring us to about 20 miles, but that he could offer us a loop up the back to Weatherly that would add on 2, I had to agree with Brian that 20 would do me fine.  Sorry to disappoint Stuart!

 

There was no disappointment at the Woodhall Cafe though.  Despite leading the organisation of a very well received Dunbar 10K yesterday (including baking and icing 50 biscuit medals on Friday night for the Family 3K race), Anne still found time to bake last night for our visit.

Penguin Classics Mug of the Week: Brave New World (****)

Mrs H's Cake of the Week: Gin and Lime (*****)

 

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A quick product review to round things off.  As mentioned above, I was testing some new gear on this run.  Top of the pile came the new hydration bladder - a really well-designed bit of kit, which surpassed my expectations of something that you'd think you'd struggle to do badly (although see the one I have just replaced, which suffers greatly from the comparison).  The full-length opening at the top makes filling very quick, and you can get a full hand or scrubbing brush in should you wish to clean it. The quick release tube attachment self-seals to avoid fluid going everywhere, and the valve/mouthpiece doesn't leak. Hooray - no more suspicious wet patch down my leg!

 

 

I'll spare you a photo of the borderline indecent compression shorts, but they came in in second place today, and I am hopeful that they'll help with the fatigue I've been feeling in my thighs of late.

An unexpected and disappointing third went to the gaiters.  The blurb said that they'd been designed for a particular model of Inov-8 shoe, but that an adaptor was provided to make them universal.  The adaptor turned out to be two pieces of (different length!) inelastic cord, which came with no instructions explaining their intended use.  I couldn't see how you could use them to thread through the laces, and they are too short to reach down and under the sole.  Suggestions on a postcard please! I may have to try a bodge-up involving cable ties (the thinking man's duct tape).