Having missed out on Keith Burns competitive duathlon several years ago Billy was keen to resurrect it, albeit a social version with more manageable logistics, but possibly twice the distance and lots more uphill! Whoever said East Lothian was flat??
11 of us met at North Berwick train station (although no-one actually trusted the trains to be on time or even turn up so everyone arrived by car, except Michelle who cycled to the start!) We set off under cloudy skies for the Garleton Hills and Byres Hill in particular – our first hill of the day.
The gate to the Hopetoun Monument was open so most of us clambered up the twig covered stairs, groping blindly for handholds as we were enveloped in darkness on several occasions. The views made it all worthwhile.
Back to the bikes to meet up again with Gareth who had lost us when we disappeared inside the monument and we made our way upwards to the Lammermuirs.
We had suffered 2 mechanicals by now – our first saw one of Martha’s spokes break (dealt with in a flash by Ex-president Willie) while Gareth’s mudguard sheared in half, luckily not impaling anyone. While chat on how to record multi-duathlons on a garmin fenix would last the rest of the day and beyond!
The sun was now out and the temperature was rising. Cries of “it was raining in Edinburgh when we left so I didn’t put on any sun cream” were heard.
We made it to Gifford where el presidente Mark had to leave us to retrieve Barra. We were now 10! A final pull and we made it to Blinkbonny and the end of the road. Willie guarded the bikes (kept company by a field of vociferous cows and bulls!) Gareth made a sharp exit as his back was now playing up. We were now 9!
With the breakfast roll order placed at Lanterne Rouge in Gifford we were up and down Lammer Law in record time. We could now enjoy the marvellous free wheeling descent.
Rolls, coffee and cake were consumed under blue skies. None of us were particularly keen to remount and Willie now bade his farewell. We were now 8!
A steep climb out of Gifford and we were on our way to Traprain. Heading east for the first time we realised it was windy after all. But we were still descending, the sun was shining and our bellies were full. Unintentionally we became 7 as Sandra was dropped – a quick phone call later and a regroup and we made our way up Traprain – hill 3 of 4. The Exmoor ponies posed for photos at the top and Michelle led us back down “broken finger alley” to our waiting bikes.
A quick stop at the Co-op in East Linton to refuel with coke, ice-cream, doughnuts and pork pies (food of athletes) and we were on the home straight (with a few surprise hills for good measure). A few final hundred metres on the John Muir Way took us to the base of North Berwick Law. We were on the summit for 7pm and we were glad of the breeze.
But a few photos later and chips were calling. Sandra resisted and headed to the car for her swimsuit. We were now 7. Gareth met us (having been held hostage by the chip shop mafia when he couldn’t pay so we were back to 8). Chips followed by ice-cream have never tasted so good.
Truly a grand day out!
Dorothy Elliott