Wednesday 29th February MARATHON 40

Food was at the Hotel restaurant last night, very nice place and very nice food, Chicken Lasagne. Back to the room, right shin starting to bite as I walk, a bit like the other shin was when infected! I have looked all over my foot for signs of infection, I cannot see anything and I have no problems or pains with blisters or anything else, no glands up either. I assume it is just the sheaths of my tendons aggravated with the swollen tendons due to the way I have been running? Left soleus and achilles very sore and swollen! I iced both areas twice each for 15 minutes, dried off and put voltarole on to try and reduce inflammation. Went to bed at 12:20, too late again but needed to do treatments. Dad fell asleep as soon as he got into bed and put his headphones on to listen to, I think Placido! I removed headphones, dad woke startled and thought I was trying to kill him, drama over he went straight back to sleep without a cough or wheeze, all good. Up with alarm at 6:30, great nights sleep, one of the best so far. The room was a nice temperature. Dad woke and declared, that was the best nights sleep he'd ever had and this was the best Hotel by far that we have stayed in! Only did a quick strap on my left ankle, I shower after and would waste too much valuable strapping! Kit on and out by 7:15 for my early morning run. Still dark but as this is quite a big town every where was lit.  I ran through the Bronx and on to the main high street of Sarria. Back to people setting up for the day, delivery trucks and street cleaners. I really do like this time of day. Very uncomfortable run, left ankle did not feel any comfort or support from the strapping and right shin was worse! As I ran I thought of a way to strap my right ankle to give support to the tendons running up from my right foot, we will see if it works later! Back to the hotel at 8.10ish, now light and 6.5k completed. Up to room, showered and checked shin. Big red patch over mid shin, It can't be infected it must be bruising! Down to breakfast not too bad, usual buffet. Back to the room dad started to cough alot and had an uncomfortable 45 minutes. The tablets seem to make him cough then feel better? Strapped up both legs, did not feel too bad, dressed, packed, paid and drove to the finish of yesterday. Beautiful day again, a few fluffy clouds and a great big dog looking at us from 5 feet away! Turned out to be a friendly, when he had seen enough he moved away, dad peeled himself off the side of the van and we prepared to leave. Due to my leg injuries I thought I would break the run up in sections, down to 5k if necessary.  The route today was all up or down, not a lot of flat. To start it was not too steep a bit like dunstable downs then it would get much worse, total climb shown on the walking map was over 1000m! 3300ft! Anyway video done I set off at 11:50. First 100 metres were level then down hill for about a kilometre, right shin hurt straight away! It levelled for a while then a long up hill section, not too steep but about 2 kilometres long, left lower calf started hurting at this point! Settled in and up to 9k without too much bother. At this point we reached Samos, a very beautiful place with a huge Monastery in the centre, set at the foot of some very large mountains, we stopped stretched and took photos. Out of Samos was a climb for 3 kilometres, everything started to bite by the top, the level section was well needed but not long enough! The descent started and the pain in my shin became unbearable, I staggered on to 20 kilometres and a place called Triacastela. I stopped at this point to try and relieve the build up of pain, it worked but when I tried to run again up a very long very steep hill I knew I was beaten! Dad and I sat down and went through our options. If I tried to carry on in the mountains my injuries will have no chance of recovery and I will have no chance of completion! We had a conversation with our team in England (Tony) and decided to give me the best chance of completion, we needed to get to the coast. We worked out roughly where we needed to be to get to France in 15 days to keep with the programme. We set the sat nav for Burela and off we went. Dad drove and I iced, the route was on the local and 636 to Becerrea, on to Meira on the 750, then the N640 to Ribadeo through the mountains, great scenery. Then the E70 and N642 to Burela. Anyway we are now in Bruela, booked in to the only Hotel in the area, not great but a bed and a bath and cheap! Very disappointed to have only achieved 26.5k today and to have been beaten by the mountains but I have now completed 40 marathons and 12k towards the 41st. I am up against it to be able to run tomorrow but I have a better chance on coastal roads than I have through the mountains. The route now will still have climbs but only a few hundred metres not a 1000 and not every day. Back to massaging my legs and icing, no time to go out to eat so we have settled for shredded wheat and half a ham and tomato roll each from earlier! It does not get any easier but I am still going!