Edinburgh Day 3

Monday, 15 July 2024

We didn't do too much touristing today as we had a long trek out to the event centre to watch the sprint relay and then have our own runs.

We started the day with a 20 minute walk into town to a recommended bakery for some cinnamon scrolls. We ate these in one of Edinburgh's many (slightly dilapidated) parks before jumping on a bus for a 45 minute trip out to a big university campus way out of town.  

The event organisers had set up an amazing indoor arena for the relay with a grandstand looking over an artificial soccer pitch which had a temporary maze and the change over area for the athletes as well as a big screen for the spectators. 

we're in the top right above - photo credit IOF / Kristina Lindgren 

It was all really great except for one hitch - you had to have a ticket to get into the venue and they were all sold out well before the day so at least half the spectators were outside in the fanzone (which was also pretty good as there was another screen and the athletes ran past them on every leg).

(photo credit: IOF / Kristina Lindgren) 

The outside people didn't get to see them doing the maze or changing over which was a shame.  We were lucky enough to have tickets as Zali had insisted we buy them when we got an email from the organisers about a ticketed arena months ago - it was hard to know if it was going to be worth it but we bought them anyway and it turned out to be fantastic.  Watching athletes run into the soccer pitch and have to navigate the not-very-difficult maze section with an onlooking crowd and other athletes breathing down their neck was pretty cool. The race came down to the very last few controls when Switzerland got a little bit of a break - enough to avoid a sprint finish and get their first gold medal in 10 years apparently.

(photo credit: IOF / Kristina Lindgren) 

After the event we had our own longish courses to run throughout the campus which were fun then we had to hot-foot it back to the bus stop for our 1 hour bus ride home.

Walking back down our street on the way home I encountered some of the resident cats - it must have been the perfect time of day (pre-dinner) as they were all hanging around at the front of their houses.

At home we uber ordered some takeaway curry which was delicious and celebrated my birthday with some cake from the supermarket. My birthday wish was to wake up today without the cough and cold I've had for a few days but that wasn't to be unfortunately.