Not very long long run and not very dual duathlon

Friday night dawned, or dusked, or whatever nights do, and it was a lovely gusting gale force wind plus rainy, sub zero, black night. So Matt and I rescheduled our long run for Saturday. I proceeded to have an utterly frustrating Saturday morning as I tried to find a new watch battery for my Timex Ironman (sounds tough, huh? - not so tough with a rundown battery it ain't).

Al had assured me that a jewellers in Ocean Terminal would be able to supply the necessary and I duly trotted off to jeweller number 1, who told me that no, they only did Casio digital watches and I should try jeweller number 2 or 3, also in Ocean Terminal. Both jewellers 2 and 3 told me that the didn't stock lithium batteries and I should try jewellers 4 or 5 on Rose Street. Nae bother, I thought - I'll get a bus to Haymarket, buy my new trainers and walk to Rose Street.

Oh no. I had forgotten that Shandwick Place was closed for tram roadworks, but remembered on the way. But assumed, silly me, that the bus would simply skirt the closed off block and emerge at Haymarket. Lothian Buses had other ideas though, and completely rerouted the 22 down the bloody Western Approach Road, at which point I got off and asked the driver if that was his nearest stop to Haymarket. He answered 'yes' in a 'but it's still miles away you eejit' sort of way and I spent half an hour walking back.

Having finally got to Dalry Road and bought my trainers (in the five minutes it took me to say 'I'll have another pair of these please'), I headed for Rose St, via McDonald's loos. There jeweller number 4 did sucky teethy and recommended jeweller number 5 who is, apparently, 'into watches'. And jeweller number 5 told me to....try a jeweller on Dalry Road. Aargh! I had just come from there and now had no time to return before meeting Matt. Well how about jeweller number 1, he suggested helpfully, at which point I huffed off to the bus stop with my useless watch. There I was made yet more irate by a passing junkie* telling me to cheer up and then calling me a 'Stupid fucking wee blonde' when I failed to comply. What is it with the blonde thing? Would he have called me a stupid brunette if I had dark hair? Maybe brunettes smile on demand and thus avoid these situations.

So in the end I had no watch to time my long run or my duathlon, and will probably not have one for the Edinburgh Half, though I may just buy a cheap new one for that or I'll have no chance of pacing myself. So annoying, because it was a good watch. The Timex website holds no clues as to stockists, either. And even if I can get it done in town it won't be waterproof any more.

I ran off my frustration down the Water of Leith with Matt. We only did about 11 miles (he claims 12) but it felt easy the whole way except the last mile, when my right knee started showing signs of ITBS. I think that's the other knee from last year, so maybe that's progress of a sort...Wasn't too bad anyway. Runfinder.co.uk has been AWOL for days now though, so I fear I will have to find another site to measure my runs on. Any recommendations?

In past years I've fairly often done a training session the day before or after a long run so didn't think the duathlon on Sunday would be a problem. In fact it was a slog, but I think that was more down to the gradients. The worst bit was waiting in the sleet for 25 minutes at the changeover, desperately hoping that each approaching cyclist was Matt so I could get running and warm up! Then the ran began with a hugely steep ascent to pick up a token (a clothes peg) at the summit and come back down. Patches of path were knee deep in a type of mud that was particularly black and sticky - it somehow got inside my shoes and I later had to shave my legs to get rid of it. One guy lost a shoe. Back down, we did the whole of the loop from the short duathlon last time. Which was good in a way because at least I knew how far it was to the end. We also had to pick up another token, which was a fluffy Easter chick - a nice touch I thought. I was fine through the trees and so on - it really is just the hills that get me.

I passed a couple of people (who, unlike me, had just cycled for an hour, remember) but was passed myself by a couple so thought I'd maintained our overall placing. But the results show I picked us up from 63rd to 59th. Possibly I passed others at the changeover without noticing. Or their dead bodies were just lying by the roadside where I couldn't see them. And we weren't the last team! One other team failed to finish, so I count that as an improvement on our part. Plus we all got an Easter egg. As value for money and friendliness (and supply of hot soup and burgers) go, I would definitely recommend this series. No way I'd ever do the bike section as well though.

Gym tonight, after a rest yesterday. Need to get as much done as I can before the running-free alp trip on Thursday. I read an article which preached good running posture and went determined to run with my head up, looking at the ground 20 metres ahead, chest forward, arms pumping straight and not across my chest. All of which lasted about 30 seconds before my normal lazy running style resumed. New trainers ok - slight rubbing on inside right foot, which is my foot's fault. Did:

• 6 mins cross trainer, level 12, above 10 mets. Found a setting which changes the angle to work all the muscles in your legs, not just the quads.
• 45 mins treadmill, 6.7 mph, while watching Sky Sport football line ups (surprisingly mesmerising)
  
• 2 x 12 each of biceps, triceps and back all at 20 kg
• 15 mins treadmill, 6.7 mph

Was knackered but buzzing from a final sprint. Slight knee pain at one point but it faded. Now have to do speed work tomorrow.

*Sorry if this is not PC. He was definitely high though. I think I riled him by moving to a defensive position on the other side of the bus stop after he yelled at another guy two inches from his face.