Day 5 - Run for Glory!
A lazy start to the day was the way we started. Our main objective was to conserve energy for tonight.
Fortunately daytime television is a wonderful motivator - three hours of watching pond life argue about bringing up the eight kids by thirteen different fathers is enough was enough to persuade us to get up and do something. It was time to visit the Bagpipe factory....
Alison had mentioned that there was such a facility within a close proximity to the apartment - fantastic! After a quick lunch of toasted bagels (oh yes!!), we clambered into the Kia for a quick jaunt to Loch Lomond...again!The Bagpipe factory is just outside the small coastal village of Luss - it had something to do with 'Take the High Road' but as we're in our early thirties, we have no idea what that was all about!! There is a huge sign advertising the factory...they make kilts too!! Thankfully (and for once), there was also a large sign that, in large friendly letters, decreed that the Bagpipe emporium was indeed 'Open'.
Unfortunately the huge 'not-so-friendly' padlock and chain locking the gates into place was an indication that the 'Open' sign had well and truly broken several trading standards' rules. Another give away was that the 'factory' looked more like a disused bomb shelter.After remarking to each other about the strange way that business seem to close down the moment we arrive, we hopped back into the car and drove the village of Luss...which is more of a mobile hot-dog stand with an annex - there is a 'glass factory' however. If you're ever in Luss, and want to visit the glass factory, don't make a day of it - you won't need that long. I think 'factory' is perhaps pushing the description a little too far...they obviously use the same team of advertisers as 'Bagpipe World' up the road!!!
Luss wasn't a total washout as we did get to see some ducks (always a bonus in my book and second only to rabbits!) and I had another ice cream. Alison burnt her tongue on her coffee and had to 'rest' it on my ice cream to prevent swelling...as if I was born yesterday...a 'rest' is as good as a lick in my book...calories are calories!!!
From Luss we tried to find a nice tea-shop, balanced on the bank of the Loch - but that had obviously been washed away too!In a last moment of desperation - in an attempt to justify the diesel cost, we went to a 'outlet village'. We just never learn...
Somehow we stumbled upon some glass blowers. They were doing a roaring trade in glass thistles. To cut a very long story short - we ended up buying a £15 thistle which isn't even glass - they use perspex or pyrex or some other material which isn't glass!! I've even dropped it and it doesn't break (damnit!) - I'm sure we'll find somewhere to stick it!!
So back home for a cuppa and a chance to relax before the big event - the Polaroid 10k.
The race started at 7.30pm but as we had to register I got us to the Hermitage Academy by 6pm. We found a pleasant little man who was searching desperately for our shirt-numbers...but guess what...oh yes!!Thankfully we were on 'the list' and he had a big black marker pen. He found a couple of blank sheets and skillfully wrote on some numbers...who knows, they may even be ours!! He thrust a handy guide regarding race procedures into our hands and he skipped off.
Having now familiarized ourselves with the rules, starting and finishing procedures (and how to collect our medals!!!), we headed back to the car to await the line up.
There isn't much to say about the actual race apart from the fact that Alison performed out of her socks - I'm really, really proud of her and she did really, really, really well - she ran all the way and didn't stop once! It's amazing the motivation a medal can generate.I was particularly delighted as I reached the finish as they thrust a bottle of water into my hand AND A MARS BAR. You'll know how gutted I was not to get one in London...
The one thing that seemed to be missing was a medal. The Turner curse had struck again - no medals. They had arrived this morning from the 'medal maker' and they were all half-marathon medals...bugger. Hopefully they will arrive in the post...
After a celebration drink...lovely water - we got back to the flat, had a shower and went to Helensburgh's other curry house...the Lahore! I think this one will come back to haunt us. I've had some crap curries in my life - in some cases they probably were 'crap curry' (and can I have a 'Turd Tandoori' please...not monkey shit though, I have a peanut allergy!) - but this one was one of the worst. The Andrex is in the fridge already!!Tomorrow is Glasgow - what could possibly go wrong?
posted by Unknown @ 4:01 PM
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