It was an early start on day 48 in order to get an 0540 train from Edinburgh to Morpeth. I was pretty tired off the back of 2 nightshifts and some late days of running. Of all of the weeks so far during the 365 campaign, this was the one that I was most nervous about.
We got to Edinburgh in good time and I set off running from Waverley Station at 0715. It was really cold but at least there was no rain for once. I felt surprisingly good and reached the airport after 10.9 miles in good time.
The remaining miles for the day were done in Istanbul airport. The main terminal had a half a mile straight section which I used. It was quite busy so a fast walk gave a final time of 03:26:14 for the day.
We landed in Baku at 0300! It was gone 0400 by the time we checked in to the hotel. It had been a tough day. Swollen feet at altitude together with over 35,000 steps left me in a lot of pain and discomfort.
Day 49 was done at a very slow pace and split in to 2 sections. Consecutive late nights and travel had taken it's toll. I decided that this was the best approach to keep 365 alive.
The first section of 7 miles was in and around the Baku coastline. It was part sightseeing and part reccy for a better run the following day. The remaining miles were done to and from the Newcastle match with Qarabag.
The travel, the lack of sleep and the disrupted miles were all worth it following a 6-1 victory for Newcastle.
Damage to my average times so far during this campaign was limited with an 03:44:52 effort.
Day 50 was another one to be split into two sections. The first section was quite hilly with a route around the old town and up to the Flame Towers.
The lack of rain was obviously a novelty, as was running in daylight. The real shock to the system was the lovely warm weather. The sights and sounds of Baku were very pleasant indeed. I didn't have to go far to get away from busy city centre traffic to some quiet parts of the city.
Tiredness after just five miles really kicked in. It was time for a tactical snooze back at the hotel for a couple of hours.
The second session of the day started just as the sun started to set. The drop in temperature was remarkable. That might explain why there was hardly a soul about.
A succession of landmarks really helped to take my mind off just how tired I felt. First up was the Daniz Mall (pictured below)
The Baku Eye was next up at the 6.5 mile point for the day. It was at this point that the wind off the Caspian Sea started to pick up.
At mile 7.5 it was very gusty indeed. I managed to reach the Ruby 360 restaurant where sadly no photos were taken. I didn't think that risking my phone getting blown out of my hands into the sea was worth it.
The landmarks kept coming and realling came into their own as the sun set. The Flame Towers on one side and Baku Crystal Hall (below) provided some light entertainment. Literally!
I crossed State Flag Square in near total darkness. I hadn't brought by head torch to Azerbaijan so every step was a leap of faith. I ran up and down the stairs making sure that I stood at the base of the world's second tallest flag pole. I'm not sure where the flag was mind. Perhaps it had blown away in the wind!
This part of Baku was so quiet that I did wonder if I should be out there running. Imagine my shock when I saw a hooded figure coming out of the shadows as I made my way away from the square. In reality, Baku is one of the safest places I've ran.
I made it as far east as the Crescent Hotel building. It was around this area that I saw a poor dog who clearly only had the use of 3 of it's 4 legs. It was a really sad sight to see. It was one of many stray dogs and cats that I'd seen while in Baku.
I made it back to the finish line at the hotel after 03:35:01. It was yet another day that I'd rescued with a quicker effort in the later session.
After a quick bite to eat, it was time to make our way back to the UK. In hindsight, a 0400 flight wasn't the best idea I'd ever had.
After a flight to Istanbul then to Edinburgh I was stopped after UK border control by a man in a florescent jacket. He asked if I would mind filling in a survey about my experience in the building. It took me quite a while to do as I was part doing the survey and part telling him about my running exploits. The result was a completed survey and a promise to make a donation to St. Benedict's Hospice. A promise he absolutely kept with a kind donation the following day.
The kind encounter at the airport really put a spring in my step and I made my way to the train station in Edinburgh city centre. I was amazed at how good I felt given the lack of sleep and food. I put a lot of effort in which meant that my mid layer, hat and gloves soon came off.
I met Donna in Edinburgh city centre (she got the bus!). The sun was shining and it was nice and warm. That first session of the day was 8.6 miles.
There were a few hours before the train home so Donna and I had a slap up meal at Miller & Carter. It was absolutely tremendous and very much needed.
The final session was done on the treadmill back home giving a total time for day 51 of 03:24:41. With no sleep whatsoever on day 51 I did wonder if I'd be able to keep the relentless schedule going. Work, football and running means my life is very full on in 2026. I've said it many times - I wouldn't have it any other way.
Seeing the much needed donations coming in to St. Benedict's Hospice is absolutely brilliant. So much kindness is being shown. There are quite a few anonymous donations over at www.justgiving.com/page/rungeordierun365. If that's from you, dear reader, then thank you. A total of £1,144.70 has been raised so far this year.
