AND ALL THAT I KNEW WAS THE HOLE IN MY SHOE WHICH WAS LETTING IN WATER...

What is this I see running towards me – arms outstretched – ready to embrace me?

Why, bless my soul it’s a long weekend. Thank feck.
Many people have, “careers”, “callings” or “vocations” etc. I’m not one of them… I have a “job” and it isn’t one I exactly enjoy. Truth be told I can barely tolerate it. So a nice three day weekend to recharge the old batteries is long overdue.

Starting the weekend tomorrow with the Edinburgh to North Berwick race, so while everyone else on “planet long weekend” might be looking for wall to wall sunshine for three days, I’m going to settle for cool and overcast with a nice stiff westerly wind. At least for the duration of the race – after that it can do what it wants.

I’ve ordered a new pair of shoes and, according to the wondrous “track your parcel” type thingummy on t’internet they just might arrive today.

This is good. Particularly as there is now a large hole in the upper of my “good” pair. A hole the size of a ten pence piece right on the little toe of my right foot. Usually it’s the soles that go first on my shoes, but this particular pair of Sauconys have been quite robust and instead it’s the mesh upper that’s suffered. Probably constant soakings during the winter/”spring” months.

Anyhoo. IF the new shoes arrive today I’ve got a bit of a quandary. Do I stick with the old pair for the E2NB? Or do I turn up at the start line with a pair of fresh-out-the-box shoes, in the hope that the “virgin” cushioning and fresh EVA in the midsole gives me that little extra “bounce”??

There are a few good reasons for NOT wearing new shoes for a race.

“a” While they are supposedly the same make and model as my last few pairs manufacturers always make stupid little adjustments and so called “improvements”. It just might be the case that they change your gate a wee bit. “b” Flaws – one tiny, tiny flaw in the stitching might be the thing that causes blisters and pains until you’ve sorted it out. Not something you really want in a race (bad enough in a training run – but certainly not a race). And “c” – the sum of "a"+"b"=… you look a complete tit if you turn up at a race in new shoes J Turning up at the start of an event in pristine, shiny new, matching gear is for middle aged lady moonwalkers – not for runners.

Old shoes it is then. Think I’ll just give them a little “smear” with a bit shoe-goo tonight, to stop the hole from fraying and getting any bigger. Maybe a wee bit of duct tape.