April 23rd - Bike

Pushed for time, so nipped out for a quick half-hour on the bike before dinner. Hilly and windy. A bit jelly-legged at the end.

April 22nd - Bike

Cycled down past Bowmont Forest sawmill and past Marlefield to Morebattle to post a couple of parcels, then home via Linton. 50 minutes in total. Can't believe how hard it is.

April 21st - Bowmont Forest

Ankle really troublesome. Went into Bowmont Forest with Anna and horse and jogged with regular stops for a shade under half an hour. Even this modest effort left me limping, and I resolved to take to the bike for a few days.

April 20th - Bowmont Forest

Manic morning's work racing to ship some big orders before the weekend. Mum and Dad arrived last night for a week, and we took them into Kelso after lunch for a bogle about. Nipped out for a run immediately after dinner. Ankle not great all day, and it ached throughout the half-hour run through Bowmont Forest and out to the garage to collect Anna's car.

Think I should see the podiatrist. Foot / ankle feels very similar to how the other one felt for several months in 1994, until the day before The Comerades Marathon in South Africa, where a podiatrist at the race ragistration put my cuboid bone back into its socket. Turned out I'd dislocated it five months earlier on a run in New Zealand!

April 19th - Track

Hamish's first Gala Harriers track session, which he's been nipping my ear about for weeks. First rain this month started falling just before we got there, unfortunately. Left him in the care of a clutch of coaches, with several dozen shouting contemporaries for company and joined the adults for a warm-up. The drills played merry hell with my foot, however, so I decided against the session and instead jogged a couple of laps then went into the gym and did 15 minutes on the exercise bike (sweaty and mind-numbing), 3 minutes on the rowing machine (pointless - didn't quite understand what it was supposed to do other than hurt my wrists!) and a few sets of leg-thingies on one of the machines with the clanky weights. Quite good fun watching the posers checking themselves in the big mirrors. Even had time to go back outside and watch the end of Hamish's session, which seemed to involve quite a bit of standing around with his hands down his trousers, punctuated by brief periods of running frantically and looking desperately behind him to see who was likely to come past.

April 18th - Bowmont Forest

Worked all morning then went en masse to Cranshaws for dinner. Anna's car's in the garage, so we all had to pile in mine, with muggins here drawing the short straw and travelling in the boot. Felt pig-sick with a couple of miles, and positively green by the time we arrived. Thought three large portions of fish pie with salad and veg might help, but strangely it didn't. Gallantly allowed Ellie to ride in the boot on the way home!
Ran around Bowmont Forest (again!) immediately we got back, still stuffed to the gills. Ankle behaved pretty well and maintained a decent pace throughout, although with a lump of lead in my belly, the time for the same route as yesterday was a minute or two slower.

April 17th - Bowmont Forest

Ankle a lot better today, and after a gentle morning's work I managed a good hard 28-minute stomp around Bowmont Forest with no ill-effects. Good and hard refer, of course, to the workrate, and not necessarily any great speed. We'll get around to that!

April 16th - Bike and easy run

Another lovely day, although it started a lot cooler. Worked all morning in the office then cycled pretty hard to the village and back (about 9 miles in total). Finished the go-kart with Hamish then spent the next hour or so trying to stop the kids killing themselves on the slope down beside the house. Bloody thing goes like a rocket - and has no brake! Ankle pretty grim by this point, so I asked if Hamu fancied a run, and repeated Monday's jaunt into Bowmont Forest with him. Hobbling in a pretty pathetic fashion and feeling pretty feeble. Going to have to think seriously about junking the Boat Race if things don't pick up soon.

April 15th - Road run

Spent most of the morning making a fabulous go-kart / guider / bogey with wheels and axles from one of the twins' redundant prams and timber off-cuts from various recent projects. Hamish had been nipping my ear wanting to build something - anything, and this was slightly more achievable than his ideas: a miniature "spy tape recorder" or a laser that could cut metal!
Very warm sunny day. Almost regretted not having to cut the grass. All went to Cranshaws in the afternoon to lend a hand and see what damage Boo had sustained when a sheepdog bit his eye when he got a bit too close to a tasty-looking pile of after-birth. He'd spent the night in hospital and had it stitched up.
Didn't run until after dark when the kids were all down. Dropped my car at the garage and ran the 4 miles home on the road at a reasonable lick. Ankle behaved surprisingly well, with just a single sharp spasm early on which made me swear and hop for a while.

April 14th - Bowmont Forest

Took the head-staggers this morning and suggested a family trip to the swimming pool. This is always met by high-octane excitement from the kids and inward groans from Anna (and me). Hamish has recently learned to swim, Oscar isn't far behind and Toby quite likes the idea and talks a good game, but soon remembers that he's not actually all that fond of water.
Managed to avoid breaking any bones this time (unlike March 17th), and we all emerged unscathed at lunchtime. The gorgeous and unseasonably warm spell shows no sign of breaking, and after spending a good couple of hours unpacking and setting up my whizzo new sliding compound mitre saw and associated stand (wake up!), I asked Hamu if he'd like to join me on a run. Opted for Bowmont Forest again, and thought it best if the wee man brought his bike for the easy bits at the start and finish, and just ran the loop in the woods with me. Worked very well, and with my ankle in the state it's in, it wasn't really an imposition to have to run at his pace. He's a bit too exuberant, which Neil Renton will soon beat out of him when he starts training with Gala Harriers next week! Total running time (for me) was 24 minutes.

Hamu in Bowmont Forest

April 13th - Bowmont Forest

Yet another lovely sunny day. Anna had a wedding in Traquair House, so after a busy morning in the ofice I took the afternoon off and enjoyed the garden with the kids. Spent a couple hours cutting the grass, then when Anna came home at 5 I nipped out for a run on the road. Thought this would be easiest for my ankle / foot, but quickly discovered that the hard ground was quite the wrong thing. Headed instead into Bowmont Forest and trundled around a gentle 27 minutes, with occasional stabs of pain. Seems worst when I stop and start again, or when I change direction suddenly.

April 12th - Track session

Busy day in the real world, with three jobs all over in the Berwick area. Knocked them all off and arrive home just in time for a visiting customer. Anna over at Cranshaws with the weans for the day. Set off for the track and arrived sufficiently early to have a 20-minute doze in the car. Still warm and sunny. Warmed up with a couple of laps, with ankle twingeing gently. Aggrevated it a little during some plyometric exercises with the group, then started the session proper. Three pyramids presribed, but on the last effort of the first set the ankle went bananas and left me hobbling at the trackside. Really pissed off. First time in 20 years' running that I've aborted a track session. What a crappy few months' running I've had. Just can't understand it.

April 11th - Local

Ankle and foot feeling very vulnerable and sore, so trundled around the local farmland for half an hour. Several sharp spasms from the ankle, and had to walk for a minute or two to let it settle down. Absolutely no idea what it can be. No swelling or bruising, and difficult to pinpoint the epicentre.

April 10th - Hownam Hills

The hundredth day of the year, and therefore my hundrenth consecutive day's running. After the dismal time I've had over the last couple of months, I was determined to do something significant. Drove out to Morebattle and ran up Wideopen Hill at a good lick. This was the hill that revealed the full extent of my decrepitude a couple of days ago, and my hackles were up. I reached the top in a shade over 11 minutes, which I think is possibly the quickest I've ever done it. Carried on running hard to the top of Wideopen Hill, reached in another p.b. of 16 minutes and a few seconds. Eased up a little on the way down to Crookedshaws stile, then turned into the teeth of a blustery wind and charged back up Wideopen Hill and across to the ridge climbing gradually to Hownam Law. Reached the trig in about 55 minutes, after a battle with the wind the whole way along the ridge. Has this been the windiest winter ever? It's definitely the blowiest in my memory, but that aint saying much, as my memory only extends as far back as last Thursday lunchtime! By now I was running late for a drop in Kelso, so had to peg it down off the hill to Hownam Grange and along the road to the car.

Running time was 67 minutes, and it's certainly the best run I've put together in several weeks. Lungs clear of sludge, rib almost normal, foot just a little crampy on the climbs and ankles only made me cry out in anguish a couple of times! Felt like the end of a period of stagnation and the start of something new... or something!

April 9th - River Teviot

Rachael asked if she could run with me again, so I drove her to town and ran out along the Teviot to Roxburgh, crossed the viaduct and came back along the north bank. Nice steady run, with a few little balsts to keep the legs awake. Having lived in the city (London and then Liverpool) for the last 6 year, she's bowled over by the scenery here. Ankles still giving me gyp.

April 8th - Home from Morebattle

Annual church visit in the morning with all the scallywags for Anna's easter service. Took Rachel to see the plot on the way home, then later she ran me into Morebattle so I could run home via Grubbit Law, Wideopen Hill, Highside and Linton Hill.
From the moment she dropped me I realised it was a mistake. Both ankles inexplicably stiff and sore, and legs utterly devoid of bounce. Trudged in a desultory fashion up Grubbit Law, having to walk a large part of it for the first time since we bought a house in the village over five years ago. Jogged on to Wideopen Hill and down to Crookedshaws, then had to walk once again for most of the usually runnable climb up Highside (see first photo). Blustery wind had picked up, which did nothing for my progress or my mood. Found a vestige of a rhythm along the ridge to Linton Hill (see second photo), then descended sluggishly and gratefully to the house. Total time of 1:46 included a few photo-stops and a couple of long spells of walking, and should have been well under an hour and a half in normal circumstances. No idea why I'm so knackered at the moment, but it's a bit demoralising when the rest of the guys on the One Pound Challenge are all reaping the benefits. Think I'll take some iron...
Took Anna to Edinburgh for a grand but chaotic Christy Moore concert in the Usher Hall in the evening.

April 7th - Bowmont Forest with Rachel

Took Rachel (aka Lara Croft - see photos) for a flat 37 minute jog around Bowmont Forest. Nice to have company - even of the chat was thin on the ground!

April 6th - Bowmont Forest & Heiton

Warm hazy day. Ran through Bowmont Forest to the sawmill then across the fields to Heiton and back by the road. Legs pretty disinterested and lethargic. Rachel (neice) arrived from Liverpool in the evening while I was down at Claire and Jean's "spontanuous gathering". Kids very excited to see her!

April 5th - track session

Another glorious sunny and warm day. Spent most of it indoors tying up loose ends and getting a few last-minutes orders out before the holiday. Every time I thought I could go and enjoy the sun, something else cropped up.
Drove to Gala for a track session, arrived way too early and killed half an hour snoozing gently in the car and listening to PM. Rudely woken by some scallywag junior squirting me with a water pistol through the open window!
Session prescribed was 12 x 400m off a 2:45 turn-around (i.e. start each 400m 2 mins 45 secs after the previous one, so the faster you run the more recovery you get). Felt like I was running in soft sand, and just couldn't seem to get the legs turning over properly. A couple of strides off the pace on most of them, with an unusually speedy Graeme Murdoch dragging me along. A cruel novelty was that Laura Goodson and Alice Haining, two of the best juniors in the country were drafted in on occasional reps, fully recovered from their last effort, to humiliate us!

Times were:
73, 71, 70, 70, 71, 71, 73, 73, 72, 72, 73, 72.

Rib much improved, and no repeat of last week's post-session sieze-up.

April 4th - Local fields again

Worked most of the morning, spent a couple of hours cutting the grass, had a furious exchange of emails with the head of Planning, then drove fizzing with rage to a job near Holy Island. Stunningly lovely day - the first of the year with any real warmth. Developed a headache on the way home, which cleared when I took both dogs out for half an hour around the fields. Rib seems to appreciate the easy running of the last few days and has settled once more to a low-level throb.

April 3rd - Local fields

Saw the quack in the morning. He’s a competitive cyclist, so knows there’s absolutely no point telling me to rest up. Felt my ribs with freezing hands (and a glint in his eye) and said that it was no wonder that it was sore, and that ribs generally take 5 or 6 weeks to mend. Agreed that I’d probably overcooked it a bit at the end of last week, and suggested I take it a bit steadier for a couple of weeks. Took the family to Alnwick Castle Gardens for the afternoon, which were splendid. Kids charged around in their new knights' suits killing tourists, dragons and each other with their bows and arrows.
Stayed local for my run and spent 32 minutes trotting around the local fields and hills at a moderate pace. Gorgeous evening. Erected the trampoline in the garden today. What a joy to see the kids expending so much energy in the sunshine without coersion!

April 2nd - Kelso paths

Another day of gorgeous slightly hazy spring sunshine, but rib giving me terrible gyp all day. Clearly feeling the effects of a track session and two hill runs in four days, so resigned myself to a few days of gentle flat stuff. Drove into Kelso and followed the old disused railway to Sprouston, then took signed paths to Mellendean and Windywalls, then back the way I’d come. Took it easy, and rib seemed to have eased a bit by the end. 40 minutes in total.

April 1st - Yetholm Hill Race route

Ten years ago today I packed up my Astravan with all my worldly chattels and left my barn in Gloucestershire for good, destined for Cranshaws in the Lammermuir Hills, half an hour south-east of Edinburgh. I was an impecunious batchelor with little prospect f finding any work and nothing to take me to Cranshaws other than the thought of running for hours every day in beautiful hills, and the proximity of my best buddies Mark and Julie in Edinburgh. Ten years on, Mark and Jules are both married (though not to each other), I have a wife, more children than I can keep track of, more bloody animals than I care to think about, a steady business and a self-build project in the offing. Some ten years! I wanted to do something significant to mark the anniversary, even if it was just a run around the old trails in the Lammermuirs. Anna was working in the morning and Ellie had to be collected from Edinburgh in the afternoon, so the best I could come up with given the limited time available was to nip out to the Yetholm Hill Race route – which occupies a special place in my heart being the only race in Scotland I’ve won twice – and blast around it as best I could. Time really was against me, so I followed the route faithfully as far as the nasty descent of The Curr, then cut right and joined the low-level Pennine Way alternative and pushed back to the car via Halterburn Head. Lovely run in perfect cool and sunny conditions, although I’ll need to get round it a fair bit quicker in June to retain my crown! Out for an hour and ten plus photo-stops.
Oscar provided the real landmark for me by riding his bike without stabilisers for the first time – a genuine right of passage. Toby, always a bit more timid, needs a couple more days’ practice.

Yetholm Hill Race route 010407

March 31st - Wideopen Hill

Beautiful sunny afternoon, so I drove out to the ford and ran up Wideopen Hill and down the other side to Crookedshaws stile, the back up the same way. Took in a ocuple of small tops on the way back to the car to try to stretch it out to the hour, but arrived at the finish in 55 minutes, by which time the dog had had enough. Felt fine on the run, and moving uninhibited by the rib, but once again it, along with my back and shoulder stiffened up badly afterwards. Met three Glasgow women on the track who are walking St. Cuthbert’s Way. They raved about it, and reminded me how lucky I am to live in such a bonnie part of the country. Pictures below will show you why.

Hownam Hills