It was an early start for Victoria, Simon, Charlotte & Tim this morning as they travelled to Edinburgh to take part in Scurry to the Sea – a 12m race starting on the west of the city, finishing on Musselburgh beach. There were three mandatory check points on the course but the route taken between them was up to the individual. For some, the days running up to the event were spent meticulously studying maps strewn over kitchen tables to plot the quickest path. Others decided to wing it, formed a retinue and followed the person in front of them.
We set off from Hillend Ski Centre at 9am slogging up the calf-burning slope to the summit of Allermuir Hill hoping for views of Arthur’s Seat. However, the sullen sky put paid to that. It was a slippery and technical descent before we ran through residential areas, around parks, over railway lines, across copious traffic lights and down cycle paths. The final 500m was a compulsory beach run over the soft sand, which was energy sapping and soul destroying. The wet weather didn’t dampen our spirits but did find a flaw in relying on directions written on paper, which had turned to papier mâché by the finish.
We stopped at Bostock, East Lothian for coffee and cake and we even had time to go round Home Bargains before we headed home. Lovely stuff.
A big thanks to Simon for chauffeuring.
Wooler Running Club 