EMF

Well, that was some day.

Up at 0530, porridge, coffee and energy drinks, frantic drive to Edinburgh, the excitement of walking to the start line just as the heavens opened, after the start it was strangely quiet for the first mile but when we reached Arthur's Seat there were many beautiful, supportive people cheering us on and it stayed that way for the next twelve miles, people hanging out windows, standing in their doorways with a cuppa, teenagers in Leith hammering on a bus shelter, people handing out cups of water from their houses, people handing out jelly babies at the side of the road, none of them had to do that and yet they did for 9000 people just running past. Seeing Mr Crackpot outside Espy in Portobello, being given a quick hug and shouted at to run faster was a boost (sorry I was too fast for F, T and WFT and Dr T but appreciated their efforts), crying when seeing a man running in memory of his daughter, getting supportive texts from family and friends midway through, being overtaken by a chicken, the seemingly interminable torture between mile 10 and 12 not knowing when the turning point to the finish was then blasting LCD Soundsystem's All Of My Friends in my headphones to force myself to go faster, sprinting to the finish line and bellowing "Fuuuck" when I crossed it, some guy patting me on the back and handing me his water bottle, everyone congratulating each other, hitting myself in the forehead with the very pointy finishers medal, hugging my friends, marvelling at myself for doing something I had no idea I was capable of. A life-affirming 2 hours, 10 minutes and 47 seconds.

Afterwards we went to F and T's to shower and change then to the Caley Sample Rooms for lunch, into town to the Regent for more beer then champagne and oysters (plus bonus accidental bonus oysters) at Cafe Royal, bumped into a stag night on the train home and being poured more drinks, home for rhubarb gin and listening to records till we gave up and went to bed.

Yeah, that was good.