Thursday 1st March

Bad nights sleep after a late night icing, massaging and washing kit! Up with alarm at 6:15, pressed snooze and finally up at 6:45. Legs felt good last night after a good massage but woke this morning and could hardly walk! Spent 15 minutes massaging both areas, right shin and left lower calf/achilles, and strapped both lightly. Kit on and hobbled out of Hotel. Headed west up the main high street, another day, another different town. Very slow and painful. After 15 minutes it felt a bit better but still hobbling along and very slow. Reached the end of the street at the junction with the main road, 3k I turned and headed back. Strange town, it is coastal but it has not got any part of the town facing the sea! It looks a bit industrial, large lorries up and down, but I cannot see any industry. Not a great run a tall but still good to be out as everyone is getting ready for the day. There seems to be a lack of cafe's here, I only spotted one at the garage, one near the end and one in our Hotel! Not a lot for a high street that is well over 3k long! Back to the Hotel, 6k complete but I struggled to climb the stairs to reception. I knew at this point I was going to have problems running today. Back to the room, dad was ready to go to breakfast and get on our way. As soon as he saw me he said we are not going anywhere! Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I should have made the decision to divert one day earlier! Showered, down to breakfast and talked through our options again. Could not walk down the steps to get to the cafe, decision made! I have completed 40 marathons plus 18k. If I can get my legs back in some sort of order, I still have a chance to catch up, keep pushing now and I will struggle to carry on. Four days ago it was all coming together and my running was getting more fluent!! Had a very down day, dad has not stopped coughing, we went to a Pizza bar opposite the Hotel at lunchtime after a morning icing and massaging where I managed to flick liniment massage oil in my left eye, not pleasant, and soak the bed! We tried to explain the wet bed to the maids but gave up, we were digging ourselves a bigger hole! Anyway the waitress found it very difficult to smile, the food was terrible and they forgot dads meal! On top of this it was overcast and cold, which always makes dad grumpy! We did find a phone shop and managed to buy a phone, pay as you go, so dad can get hold of me in emergencies. Very helpful people in the shop, set up phone, paid and due to go live in 5 minutes. Back to the Hotel, turned phone on, all in Spanish and could not get it going! Back to the shop, shop shut and did not open for the rest of the day! Hope to catch them at 10am tomorrow before we leave. Back to the room, rested then more massage and icing. We both get very down when things get tough but we are working better together now, no arguing, lots of silence but no arguing! Oh, I forgot to say about the book I read, The Litigators by John Grisham, it was good.

More waiting around! Food at 9pm, I must get on my way tomorrow whatever!!! All washing up to date though, which is good!