LE JOG

[Nigel]

December began with an aching head and a rueful jog south out of Cromarty into a painfully chilly dawn. The thermometer was plumbing -20 C as I limped back a few weary miles to collect my glaciated running kit buried deep within a Scottish snowdrift.

By the time the Royal Burgh came back in sight and a plate of haggis and neeps had been dispatched for breakfast, I found no appetite remaining for the long lope west beside the Cromarty Firth to regain the A9, and so instead I hitched a brief lift aboard the gently rusting Cromarty Rose to reach the northern bank.

And there I was in Nigg. Well.

The month dragged northwards. Across another giant bridge, I paid homage in the fleeting northern daylight to Royal Dornoch, and then skirted Skelbo Castle and found time to run across the famous links at Golspie.

There I rested up four days, gathering strength for the final fortnight as I left Sutherland behind me, with only Caithness still left to run. I toiled on beside the coast in appalling weather through Helmsdale, Brora and Dunbeath, finally and reluctantly seeking shelter again by heading inland, avoiding Wick with its famous shoreline tidal swimming pool (unlikely to be used). The route was a few miles longer along the A9, but the change of tack brought welcome relief from the endless blizzards blowing in across the Moray Firth.

Christmas Day was spent in Thurso, and on Boxing Day morning I caught the morning ferry to Orkney out of Scrabster, lunching in Stromness before returning to the mainland for the home stretch.

This morning, New Year's Eve, began at the Queen Mother's much-beloved Castle Mey, her favourite bagpiper roused bright and early to greet the dawn on the last day of this long journey.

Just eight miles east to go, along flat, silent roads, with a North Sea swell rising wild to my left and a strong headwind in my face. It was perfect running.

Finally, just before dusk, I limped wearily into John O'Groats just after 3 pm, to catch a malt whisky and reflect on the long road behind me from Cornwall.

December 2010 distance run: 121 miles
December 2010 days run: 20

2010 final total: 1294 miles
2010 days run: 223

Weight at 01 Jan 2010: 95 kg
Weight at end of November: 91.4 kg
Weight at 31 December: 89.6 kg

Running average: 3.54 miles per day
Average run: 5.80 miles

LeJog 2010 -- A year of running