Accidentally running to the pub

[ArthurJG]

Well almost but not quite but it got your attention

I love to walk along the Angus coastal path and for a while now I've thought it would be nice if I could run from Arbroath, where I live, to Easthaven. The same route in reverse is a favourite walk, taking a bus to Easthaven and walking home. Running it seemed a reasonable target for September or October, before the clocks change.

So today the plan was to run 45 minutes or 6.5k, whichever came first, and walk the rest of the way. As it turned out 45 minutes and 6.5k arrived almost simultaneously but I had slowed down a lot by that point, and I felt I could continue further at that pace. So I got all the way to the bus stop in Easthaven Even felt I could go further, but ten per cent rule and all that, didn't want to overdo it.

HOWEVER - there is no bus service at Easthaven on a Sunday. I did know this, and normally I would walk back to Arbroath. But it had rained most of the way and was still raining so I decided instead to walk on to Carnoustie, which is nearer (a bit over 3k from Easthaven) and catch a bus or train home.

When I got to Carnoustie it was an hour till the next train so I thought I might as well have lunch. Now, when I run I don't carry my wallet, but I do slip a credit card into my phone case in case anything goes wrong. However my favourite cafe in Carnoustie only takes cash - hence, the lounge bar at the Station Hotel. Being a hotel it takes plastic. But also, being a hotel, the kitchen closes between lunch and dinner. So lunch was two pints of Best and two packets of crisps. But hey, it's healthier than sitting in the rain for an hour and anyway I had just run over 7k for the first time in my life so I reckon it balances!

[Dizzysmum17 Graduate10]

Yay of course it balances! Well done. Sounds like you had a great time doing it too! What a nice way to spend a Sunday. 🙌🏃🍺🍻

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to Dizzysmum17]

I really did enjoy it. That's two runs in a row that I've really liked - the other one was totally different, intervals of very fast running with walking breaks, and I was really surprised how much I liked that. On this longer, slower run - well, I find I start at one pace and slow dow to another - no matter what I do, I don't seem to be able to do the slower pace from the start and my first km is always the fastest. But after about 25 minutes when I've slowed down - then on a good day I feel as if I could run forever.

[UpTheStanley Graduate10 in reply to ArthurJG]

You need to run the first K with a Dexy5, it works for me ….. the time I didn't, trying for 8k last week, I broke myself

Whose Best was that at Carnoustie?

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

Only Belhaven I'm afraid

[UpTheStanley Graduate10 in reply to ArthurJG]

Ahh, memories - 80 shilling?

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

No it's called Belhaven Best. There was McEwan's 80/- on the next tap though.

[UpTheStanley Graduate10 in reply to ArthurJG]

Belhaven 80/- from the Ship at Limekilns was the beer of choice when I served in Rosyth in the 70s. McEwans only did Tartan then 😫

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

Think you’ll find Tartan was made by Youngers not McEwans

[UpTheStanley Graduate10 in reply to ArthurJG]

Doh …. you're right of course, did they also do the keg "Scotch Bitter", or was that one McEwans? The Belhaven, I'm sure I remember, came out under gravity straight from the barrel.

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

Dunno - I was still at school for most of the seventies and my dad doesn't drink

[Empem Graduate10]

Love it....so totally balances!

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

You are right, the title caught my attention. It sounds a nice way to spend a Sunday Arthur. If this type of run becomes a habit you will have to out a £20 note in your phone case too. He he 🏃‍♂️👏🍺

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Oh it's a habit already, I just ran further this time. I'm well able to tell the time and turn round half way but I almost never do, I always end up walking my running route in reverse which is amazing because when you walk it you really realise how far you've run! Downside of course is you have to allow two hours for a 5k run once the warm up walk and the 5k return walk are added!

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to ArthurJG]

Do you take something warm to wear once you’ve stopped running. Don’t want you getting a chill now the heatwave is over.

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

No, don't like carrying stuff when I'm running. It was OK today though even though I was being rained on most of the way.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Lovely place, Arbroath, I went there regularly on holiday from the 1960's to the late 90's. My favourite walk was from Arbroath to Authmithy along the cliff tops past the Devils Heid, One day about 1966 I walked to Lunin Bay, about halfway to Montrose, it took me 3 hours to get there and back, happy memories of those days. 😀

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

Aye there was a landslip or something on that route a few years back. It's still passable but last time I did it you had to go down to the beach at one point to bypass the dangerous area then go back up to the path. More often than not though I just walk the cliffs as far as Seaton then follow the roads back.

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

You should do the Montrose parkrun some time, for old times sake

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10 in reply to ArthurJG]

A bit far away for me Arthur, I live in Cumbernauld where we don't have a 5k park run. I wouldn't make Montrose for 9.30am Saturday, I could run the Dunfermline, Falkirk, or one of the many 5k park runs in the Glasgow area once I have actually ran for 5 kilometres. 4.2k and 4.3k is the furthest distance I have ran in 30 minutes, those were on my graduation run and the first post-graduation run.

[ArthurJG Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

Ha! I lived nine years in Cumbernauld. No I sussed that you wouldn't ordinarily be in this area, you'd need to be around for another purpose already to fit a parkrun in. But you don't need to run 5k in a parkrun. My first two were in week 8, I walked 5 minutes, ran 28 as per the programme and walked the rest, finished in 39-40 minutes and probably ran 4k or just over and walked 1k or just under. Find a nice flat one to begin with though! (Drumchapel is the hilliest parkrun in Scotland, statistically even hillier than Ganavan Sands at Oban!) Strathclyde Park is a very flat course but you'd need a car to get to it.

[linda9389 Graduate10]

Love it! Nice reward for a job well done