After what might be described as a bit of a first week slump, was revitalised on Monday after a really good weekend – on Saturday and Sunday I had run with Alison and Linda in the Dell, managing to squeeze in runs between showers – runs with friends always cheer me up. And on Saturday with him indoors, we had gone to a lovely Humanist wedding in the Fife countryside- beautiful ceremony, sun shining, hog roast and and some good dancing.
Day 9 3.12 miles total mileage 29.81
Day 10 3.01 miles total mileage 32.82
Monday I was running alone but the weather although a bit chilly for June was quite nice for running. I took a slightly different route and headed along the road to a farm before dropping down to the Dell to complete my required 3 miles. I was not in the mood for any heroic endeavours as was slotting in my run between work finishing and then off to see my younger daughter dancing in Princes St Gardens.
Each Monday throughout the summer the Scottish Country Dancing Society hold outdoor ceilidhs, or perhaps opportunities to dance is a more accurate description, at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens Edinburgh. The format usually involves a club or ‘professional’ dance group demonstrating a particular dance , followed by everyone else joining in.
Despite living in Edinburgh for many years, this was the first time I had made it down to the gardens to see this , and it is like something from another time – not quite a tea dance, but the whole event is focused on dancing and friendship, as it is a ‘dry’ event, and not really what I remember ceilidhs to be . I was surprised to see how many people were there on what was a very cold Monday. I imagine if the weather was a bit warmer and sun shining it would be a lovely way to spend a June evening.
As it was , I enjoyed watching E and her fellow dancers very ably demonstrating a variety of Scottish Country dances. As I had run for 3 miles earlier, I did not feel the need to join in, but did find my toes tapping and slipping back to the remembered steps of my youth.
Maybe need to think about picking up the dancing shoes once my running days are over !
Day 11 3.03 miles total mileage 35.85
Tuesday I was back at work and the weather was looking a bit more promising for running. I don’t seem to have managed many early morning runs so far, and the one time I did run early I found it quite hard. When considering running daily in June , I had thought that it would involve runs at the crack of dawn, me and the birds watching the day come alive, but the schedule has not turned out that way.
I have been trying to work out why I am finding June running harder than in December, and so far don’t really have an answer – maybe it is a bad idea to try and do the same challenge twice, and looking back, in December I did have more time off work with holidays etc and it is definitely easier to do your runs when you want to – rather than shoehorning around work and other stuff.
But a big factor has been the rather unseasonable weather – I am quite a fan of winter and cold weather running, so in December was quite prepared for anything the elements might throw at me ( which it often did – thanks wind )- but being June I was looking forward to running in, if not sunshine, at least in lovely summer daylight, making the most of the long Scottish summer evenings.
After a lovely warm spell in May, June has been pretty rubbish for weather and instead of the balmy summer evenings of my imagination, it has often been cold or rainy and it is amazing how big an effect the weather has on your mood and motivation.
Anyway – Tuesday is a regular running day for me , and today the sun was shining after a fashion and I enjoyed the catch up with Linda and Alison as we trotted along our favourite Dell route.
Day 12 3.05 miles Total mileage 38.9
The unfinished sentence... 