60 minutes past Gorilla!

[Fionamags]

Its a beautiful, sunny day in Edinburgh today and all is right with the world!

I set off to do my long run of the week and today I was going to reclaim my canal. I figured that since Covid numbers are now low in Scotland and I should now have a fair bit of immunity 4 weeks post-jag, I could risk the odd passing without proper social distancing.

It was absolutely splendid - there's no other word for it. Loads of families in the park as I ran past and folk of all ages having a whale of a time on paddle boards and canoes. I was enjoying myself so much that I completely missed my target to run to the Gorilla (at the bottom of a garden on the edge of the canal) and went way past it! Must have been in the zone.

I realised that I'd overshot when I reached the viaduct quite a bit further on and thought I'd keep an eye on the time and see how I felt as it was meant to be a 55 minute run today. But it was just one of those fabulous ones that keep us all going - so I kept on to 60 mins and 7k!

Happy days - spring has sprung, the days are lighter and it looks like the swallows will definitely still come.

[PeggySusi]

That sounds like a wonderful run Fiona - and I’m guessing you’ve had a good week off as you give the impression of being relaxed and happy.. that’s a great omen for your plan to wind down a bit at work..Fabulous weather here too, if a tad chilly.. carry on relaxing and enjoy the rest of your weekend..😊

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to PeggySusi]

Thanks Peggy. It was brilliant! And you are so right, winding down will make a new woman of me - I've been working flat out for far too long. Happy days!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

What a lovely run and wow at that Gorilla

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Hilarious isn't it? I must have run past it loads of times without noticing it. But when you see the size of it, I don't know how I could have missed it.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Fionamags]

I thought it was real at first

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Ha ha ha that would have made me pick up speed that's for sure....

[Phdgranny Graduate10]

Sounds wonderful!!

[nowster Graduate10]

All I could think about when seeing that photo was the Esso Blue jingle, even though I'm not really old enough to remember it when it was originally used.

♫ Bum bum, bum bum... Esso Blue ♫

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Sorry you've lost me. I'm going to have to google it now. I think the folk have a hot tub or something up there by the Esso sign. Would be rather exposed to the multitudes of walkers on the canal though....

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Fionamags]

And I've just googled the Esso Blue jingle - God we knew how to make adverts in those days, didn't we???

[CBDB Graduate10]

Nice! Sun, weather, canal path, Saturday morning and a Gorilla thrown into the mix as well! There‘s everything to love about this route! ✔️👍🏽🏃🏽‍♀️📸

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

Yes you are so right. It's not every day you get to say that you ran to the gorilla and back. 🤣🤣

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Fionamags]

🤣👍🏽I love that! 😂😂

[CaptFrey 60minGraduate]

Excellent and mighty fine gorilla action going on.

[Hareshaw-Granny Graduate10]

Great post Fiona. Your run sounds amazing. I'm through in Edinburgh myself today at my daughter's in Balerno. The weather is fabulous and ideal for running. Glad you enjoyed yourself.🌞😁

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Hareshaw-Granny]

Lovely day for a trip - hope you had a lovely time. It is such a relief when we can meet up so much easier with the weather improving. It won't be long until we can actually share a meal with our nearest and dearest! I might even wear a dress!!!!

[sparky66 Graduate10]

Brilliant well done, sounds like a wonderful run..and great pic!!!Lovely to see families out enjoying themselves again 🙏

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to sparky66]

I know - everybody just looked so happy - it was wonderful!

[Hidden]

Wonderful post Fionamags, I love your hopeful note at the end, very poetic, so glad you had a happy run today 🤗

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks - I had been letting the old self doubt gremlins get at me a bit as I hadn't run for about 10 days but it was a cracker today. Sadly, I can't claim to have invented the phrase about the swallows - a friend's husband did a beautiful print of swallows with that phrase on it. I think it might have come from a poem but haven't found the source.

[Hidden in reply to Fionamags]

Those beastly gremlins, they’ll never win 😉, we’ll keep on bouncing back, just as those swallows will keep on returning, whoever penned it well worth sharing and passing on, and perfect timing 🤗

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Yes I must ask my pal where he got it from. He designed the print back during the first lockdown so it was very poignant.

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Hidden I got a message back - it was his own thoughts.

[Hidden in reply to Fionamags]

Inspired ❤️

[GigglyBFC Graduate10]

Sounds like a lovely run Fiona, it’s definitely warming up when the gorillas start to appear 🤣

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to GigglyBFC]

Ha ha ha hadn't thought of that side of it. As long as the brute stays on it's own side of the canal....

[Doris8 Graduate10]

Well done Fionamags on your run. Great weather for running . Thought at first you were at the zoo🤣 but thought I can’t be there with canal. Where in Edinburgh is this run ? It looks like it could be a good walk as well😀

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Doris8]

The canal basin is just off Gilmore Park/Leamington Bridge and it goes all the way to Glasgow. Its a lovely place to run or walk and is very popular. It feels like a little oasis of nature in the middle of the city, which is why I love it. That and the fact that it is as flat as a pancake....😉

[Doris8 Graduate10 in reply to Fionamags]

I don’t think u will be running all the way to Glasgow or unless ur feeling fit. Thanks for info will look on mr google

[Doris8 Graduate10 in reply to Fionamags]

Oh yet I get your flat as a pancake not like Arthur’s seat🤣

[BaddieThePirate Graduate10]

Fantastic. Well done. Sounds like the perfect run.

[Gwenllian1 Graduate10]

Sounds like the perfect run and you have got to 7k!! That’s great. I managed 6k yesterday so I’m on my way but still only had one of those lovely flowing runs since I got back to it. But one is enough to know they are out there!

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Gwenllian1]

Yes it keeps the spirits up and helps to remind us why we do this.

[Scruff55 60minGraduate]

😊 lovely run for you Fiona so glad the 🦍 didn’t chase you. Happy running 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️ and so looking forward to the swallows returning.

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Scruff55]

Thanks. Knowing that I can get back to the canal is fab.

[Oldgirlruns Graduate10]

I love the idea of running as far as the gorilla! How many people can say that?!

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Oldgirlruns]

Ha ha ha I know - great isn't it?

[Frenc Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Fab run! You sound super chilled and you reclaimed the canal to boot! And what would a run be without a gorilla to cheer you on 😄. Well done 👏🏼.

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Frenc]

To be fair, the gorilla looked pretty chilled as well. 😂😂😂

[dijep Graduate10]

Whoop whoop 🙌🎉 that's fantastic news Fionamags. It's such a wonderful feeling when everything comes together and you ate trashy in the zone 👍

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to dijep]

Thanks Dijep. Not sure what the last bit means though.... "ate trashy in the zone"???? 🤔😂😂

[dijep Graduate10 in reply to Fionamags]

Ha ha 😂🤣dyslexic fingers and phones that auto correct have a lot to answer for."are in the zone". The zone could be trashy if you want it to be 😂

[Peter44 Graduate10]

Sounds a nice 7k, it's great when everything feels good like that, i did a 7k last night, but not so comfortable, as it was still quite hot, but this spring weather 🌞 really gives you a boost!!! 😃

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Peter44]

Perfect temperature here - rarely ever gets too hot. The sunshine really does lift your spirits though. That and easing restrictions....

[9weeks2Run Graduate10]

Aww what a beautiful read and run. I so love that all is right with the world, that is so lovely.

You are doing amazing. Loving the Gorilla 🦍

Bring on loads of Happy Days for us all x 🤗