🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 My first tourist run 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 W6R1/3🍀 and it was blowing a hoolie 💨 !

It was blowing a hoolie but I did it!

This was my first tourist run of this C25k journey. I have always had a romantic notion to run by the sea and my mental picture of this perfect seaside run involves blue sky, sunshine and a calm sea......🏖☀️

Last night Storm Dennis was blowing a hoolie up here on the Ayrshire coast where we are staying with my in-laws. The wind 💨 was strong and the waves 🌊 were high (did anyone sea that clip of the Arran ferry⛴ ?!!! If not, Google it!) and this morning my 'perfect seaside run' dream seemed a long way off.

Then lo and behold! An unexpected mid-morning break in the weather saw me, my husband and the dog spring into action. I jumped into my running gear 👟 (many layers) and he grabbed his coat, the pooch🐶 and her lead 🐾 and off we went.

I took to the Ayrshire Coastal Path and they headed for the beach, with the dog in pursuit of seagulls and the waves 🌊. Listening to Radio 2 and Sarah Millican's encouraging words, I leaned into the wind and as I started my 5 minute walk the sun came out 🌞. So far so good.

A gale 💨 picked up and the sun went in ☁️ as I started my first run section. All of a sudden I found myself battling against the wind for my own breath. I lost my rhythm completely, the wind and sand blew into my eyes , making them water and my nose run. Not pretty. It put me completely off my game and I thought "meh!!"🥺 It wasn't looking good.

Then I gave myself a stern talking to🤨. I put my "I can. I will!" running mantra into action as each foot hit the path, and I bent my head into the wind...... Before I knew it Sarah was slowing me down to a brisk walking pace and the sun was putting in another appearance.

When I turned round at the half way point I had the wind and the sunshine on my back and the rest of the run was wonderful 😊🏃‍♀️ . For the first time I felt I could have kept running..... but a soggy tired pooch was being bundled into the car as I returned to my starting point and they were both ready to head into the warm. I felt exhilarated.

I'm feeling relaxed, warm and cosy as I write my post from the safety of the indoors, as the hoolie rages once again outside, and the pooch sleeps by my feet.

Happy running everyone 😊🏃‍♀️!

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Hello Delly-dot I remember you saying you were visiting family in Ayrshire . The weather is crazy and even more so if you are running by the water. Being in Scotland has made you tougher 🤣 and you got the run done. Hope you have a nice time 😊😊

[Hidden in reply to Buddy34]

I don't know if it has made me that much tougher as I did wait for the rain to stop!! However I haven't run in wind like it before 😊💨🏃‍♀️✅ so that was a first! Certainly glad not to be running now as it's hailing and wild. I'm watching all the kids walking home from school in it, poor things!

[Buddy34 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Just watched the ferry clip. Now I've been on one of those ferries from Oban to Mull but there is no way I would go on that in this weather . They are mental🤣

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Very bracing the wind at the coast, I don't live at the coast but I did my graduation run along the prom at Helensburgh which is further up the Firth of Clyde, well done to you Delly dot on facing the gale and running run 1 of week 6, that run catches out some people with the interval walks and runs after the non stop 20 minutes of W5R3, I did see that video of the Arran ferry struggling to berth at Ardrossan in a Force 10 storm, your next run is 6/2, the last run with interval walks 🚶 and runs. 🏃🏾

[Hidden in reply to AlMorr]

Thank you Al. I can't believe they let that ferry leave Arran! Unbelievable footage.

A run at Helensburgh must have been very scenic. I was hoping I might glimpse Arran or Ailsa Craig today, but no chance. Perhaps on Thursday when I am due to run again.

I'm really looking forward to completing this week and getting into the longer runs. That elusive graduation badge is mine this time, I know it!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I have been to Ailsa Craig, it was when I was on holiday in Girvan way back when I was 10, there was a boat who took people to the small island, Ailsa Craig is most famous for its curling stones.

[Hidden in reply to AlMorr]

I have a wonderful painting of it hanging up in my home. A little reminder of home 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 for my husband.

[Claireep Graduate]

Congratulations on your run. If you can do it today you are a true runner! Well done

[Hidden in reply to Claireep]

Thank you! It was a case of head down and plough on because I was determined it was not going to get the better of me. I felt great for achieving it afterwards.

[Jennypenny2]

Hi that reminded me of one of my runs, when I did Couch to 5K it's a great feeling when you battle through the weather ,and win .well done 👌

[Hidden in reply to Jennypenny2]

Thank you. You are right and it felt great to get through it. 😊 Now that I have run through that wind it has made me braver! 🤣

[Sadie-runs Graduate]

Brilliant! You did it! Bravo that woman! 👏👏👏

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

Thank you! I'm standing a bit taller after that run!🤣

[Wenderwoo Graduate]

Well done for getting through it, though it sounds very exciting tbh 👍😁

[Hidden in reply to Wenderwoo]

It certainly blew away the cobwebs and has given me rosy cheeks for the rest of the day 😊. Nothing like a bit of sea air.

[Nilsam Graduate]

What a fantastic post and picture with it. It is brilliant that you got out and did your tourist run...So very motivating for all. Well done. Keep going. 🏃‍♀️

[Hidden in reply to Nilsam]

Thank you. By the time I took the photo on my homeward stretch, looking back from where I had turned to head back, the wind was blowing the clouds away and the sun was shining. The better weather didn't last long though after this photo was taken!

[Nilsam Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Well you certainly captured the moment...It looks like you can breathe crisp fresh air there. 🌬

[Comfortnotspeed]

My goodness, it looks beautiful but perhaps conjures up the word “bracing”.

I’m glad you felt so exhilarated; your post is alive with positivity.

To be fair I’m not sure what a hoolie is, or why it gets blown around so much...

[Hidden in reply to Comfortnotspeed]

Hoolie - one of the lovely Scottish words I've picked up from my lovely in-laws and which perfectly describes today. As the online dictionary says....

hoolie (plural hoolies) (slang) From the word hooligan ▼ A very strong wind ▼ Blowing a hoolie outside.

[Evol Graduate]

Well done to you all! The picture (actual, and created by your words) fantastic .

[Hidden in reply to Evol]

Thank you. 😊 It was a memorable run, for all the right reasons 😊.

[Timotea Graduate]

Get you! Well done and your story telling skills had me gripped. Week 6 seems like infinity to me just about to start week three, but hugely inspirational . Thank you for posting.

[Hidden in reply to Timotea]

I think of the runs in thirds, so by the end of this week’s runs you’ll be an amazing third of your way to your goal and I shall be two thirds of mine. You are doing brilliantly! Happy running 🏃‍♀️ 😃.

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

How lovely to get your run in and what a gorgeous place to run, picture perfect, shame about Dennis though

[Hidden in reply to SueAppleRun]

It is lovely. Dennis did his best to put me off but I told him I was having none of it!

[mom24uk Graduate]

What a lovely post and picture! Well done for pushing through it. Hopefully, the next time you go to stay, the weather should (it is Scotland, so maybe not 😁) be lovely, you'll be a graduate and you'll have the run you envisaged.

[Hidden in reply to mom24uk]

Oh, I hope so, on all counts 😊🤞🏼.