NUMBERS

Birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, even Easter ... I love them all. But for sheer excitement you just can not beat the thrill of sitting watching digits tick over from 23:59, 2011 to 00:00, 2012. Oh be still my beating heart!! I sometimes find myself trying to recreate these golden moments by turning on every electrical appliance in the house and then sitting with my head in the airing cupboard watching the digits on my electric metre just tick by! Magical!

Not "New Years" biggest fan, it should be said. I simply don't "get it". Is there some giant fairy Godmother like entity that I don't know about? Who with the wave of her wand changes everybody's life expectations and goals at the stroke of midnight. Even if she does; the magic appears to wear off by about January the 15th. The calendar gets changed - feck all else.

Anyway. If you do "get it" and it is your bag then "Happy New Year".

Last night saw the last race in the twelve monthly reference period known as 2011. The "Black Bun Run". A 1.5 mile "sprint" through the streets of Dunbar and West Barns. 16 runners took up the challenge this year and a good pace was set. I ended up in a two man tussle with Ian S for most of the race but managed to pull away [just] in the last stages to claim the coveted Black Bun.

Then, this morning it was the first race in the twelve month reference period that we imaginatively refer to as 2012 - the Portobello Prom Race. 4 mile from the back of the dog and cat home along the prom towards Joppa ....and back.
There seemed to be a very large turnout this year.

Got slightly boxed in at the start this time, but that was probably no bad thing -  it just gave me something to aim for and I spent the first two miles getting runners in my sights and picking them off.
At the turn point I was running with a Lothian RC runner and we pretty much worked together all the way back.
A bit confusing this one if your used to the similar race in the summer. In this one you get back towards the swimming pool and arcades ... and then realise you still have a mile to go! I knew it was 4 miles. I knew it was slightly different route. But I still wanted to stop just after the bowling club!
I was initially disappointed with my time today (22:38) as I was convinced I was faster last year. I wasn't! This years was actually slightly faster.
A great race and, even if you don't celebrate the increase in the annual reference, a great place to meet up with loads of other runners at this time of year.