Flying through February!

Wow it's hard to believe we're half way through the month already! My mum used to tell me that the time flying in was a sign of old age, well I must be getting really old, time is just passing by so quickly!
I had a good second Bootcamp last Wednesday at Linlithgow with lots of work on the dreaded Preston Road (it's a hill!!) then Thursday was a trip to the donor centre in Glasgow and Friday was a rest day. Saturday was a 20mile long run and it turned out to be a really good day. The weather was pretty grotty here at home before we set out but by the time we arrived in Falkirk it had dried up and was trying to clear. I got dropped off at the Falkirk Wheel - a scenic start and has convenient conveniences :-)
If you look closely you can see the guy on the very large horse which is the first horse I've seen on the canal path although often hurdled evidence that they've been there!
After about 7 miles or so the sun started to filter through and it turned out a really pleasant day. The ice had eventually disappeared from the canal - The Union Canal runs all the way to the River Clyde at Bowling a total distance of about 31 miles, I went as far as Bishopbriggs and then back on myself a couple of miles so that I finished my journey at a canalside pub just outside of Kirkintilloch called The Stables. It is about 16miles to the pub, but I had to run past and back to make the total 20miles I was after. This is a handy finishing point as there is a safe place to park the car - John parked there after dropping me in Falkirk then ran towards and past me, then turned at High Bonnybridge and came back totalling 27miles!! As I am a much slower plodder, he arrived only about 15minutes after me and we had a very welcome bowl of delicious warming mushroom soup before heading home to watch a very disappointing Scotland performance at Murrayfield.
Sunday morning dawned wet and cold and Diehard Bootcamp beckoned :-) fortunately by the time we got to Bathgate the rain had stopped but it was incredibly muddy as it had rained all night, so the red cloying mud was prevalent once more! Another good hill workout for Sunday followed by circuits then home to a much more entertaining rugby match Ireland v France. Sunday was rounded off by a good pilates session and then a solid night's sleep!
It's Tuesday now and I had a really good treadmill run yesterday at lunchtime which was really reassuring as I started with tired legs but they worked well and I felt really good about it when finished, tonight was Bootcamp in Stirling, another cold and windy session, but the sleet at least stayed away until I was in the car coming home. There is snow and more cold conditions forecast so will see how it pans out for the rest of the week...