Saturday 31st March MARATHON 75

31st March
Day 78
No return of the cooker, dads brother Ted and his wife Kath, called and confirmed they were on the way and wanted a better address than dad had given? Turns out dad gave them just the town name, Les Essarts, unfortunately that is the place we finished Thursday, not the town we were staying in! I gave them the full address and postcode, Ted was shocked at the distance 110 miles from them! Dad had told them, in previous days conversations, that we would be way up above Nantes so they changed their Hotel booking from Nantes to Rennes! Dad and Directions! They turned up around 6pm, I had pinched a table and four chairs from the seating area at the rear of the hotel and placed them in our lovely little enclave, in the sun, dad and Ted caught up and laughed a lot, Kath asked me how the hell was I running so far every day? My reply, I did not know! Nice 20 minutes chat, in a car park, behind a hotel somewhere in France. The owner of "Les Colonnades", I do not know his name, came over, I apologised for borrowing his table and chairs but he did not seem to mind. I asked if he could recommend a restaurant as his was shut, he did, a Pizzeria! Good for me and no one seemed to mind so that was that. I asked for some ice, 5 minutes later he returned with solid ice packs, not quite the thing but I was thankful for anything. Quick shower and we walked into the village. There is not a lot it St Fulgent! We found the Pizzeria, a new building out the back of the main high street, it looked like a doctors surgery! Anyway, we sat down and ordered, 3 pizzas, Lasagne for dad plus a pasta bolognase for me. The place filled quickly, a good sign, the food turned up, Pizza very nice, the pasta bolognase a bit tasteless but did the job and I had hot apple tart, the right way up, and ice cream for desert, spot on. Dad and Ted soon dropped into old story time, Ted commented on the story about uncle Freddy's teeth and asked dad if he remembered when both uncle Freddy and uncle Nobby came back from the war, both had been in prisoner of war camps. Uncle Nobby had been imprisoned by the Japanese and they said he was never right again! In the camp he had to pee in his boots during the night if you needed to go and it seems he could not get out of the habit when he came back! Ted asked dad if he remembered when they were kids, dad 15 and Ted 10, and they shared a room, the attic, with both returning uncles? Dad, quick as a flash remembered and finished the story off, Uncle Nobby getting up during the night and peeing in Uncle Freddy's shoes and uncle Freddy not finding out until he put them on in the morning! More good laughter, Kath said you have got these two started now they will never stop. It seems Ted is the same as dad, can't remember yesterday but every detail of 50 years ago he can recite without pause! A very enjoyable couple of hours had and it was time to say goodbye due to the long journey they had back to Rennes! By the way, It turns out Ted is not quite up to speed with sat nav's either! Back to the garage room, that is growing on me by the second, finished the washing and set it out to dry, massaged both calf's, applied voltarol and in bed by 11pm. A bit later than I intended but still ok. A good, but still tough, day. Behind our nice little hotel car park is a massive church, with a massive bell tower, with massive bells that announce the hour and the half hour, every hour and half hour! Beautiful setting and you soon get used to the bells! I digress, not a bad night, solid sleep to 4:30am when I had a cramp attacked! Slept on and off until my alarm went at 6:30. At that point I felt I could sleep for England! Up, got legs going, kit on and out at 7:10 for my run. Same start, no one about today, Saturday, it was much colder with a lingering fog. I reached the top of the high street and the roundabout but turned left into open countryside just for a change. The sun was starting to rise lighting up the mist laying across the fields. I took a right at the next roundabout and enjoyed the run, apart from my knees feeling like bone on bone, down a country lane to what I think would be classed as a village, very small! Up and out the other side rising slowly. At just over 4k I turned and ran back. The rising sun over the rolling misty fields and roof tops of the few houses was energising. I thought of all sorts of things and before I knew it I was back bobbing along the high street, towards the big church and our Hotel Garage Room. 8.31k in a very enjoyable 53"34. Legs feeling sore though but soul refreshed. Quick shower and into breakfast. Only us in as guests plus his children, one kitted up ready for Football and the girl in her PJ's looking like she did not want to be up. The owner came up and talked about the van, the web site and me running, very nice chat, dad went to pay, saw the bill, came over to me and asked why so cheap? The owner then told dad that he and his wife looked properly at the web site and decided to give us the food free of charge! There are still good people about! Anyone travelling through this place, "Les Colonades" is worth a visit, basic, very clean and great hosts. Ask to stay in Le Garage! Back to the room, packed and loaded van and set of for the start point near Cholet. Quite a long drive, found our spot, got ready, took forever, needed the loo, found a bush up a lane, finally ready to go at 12:20, still too late! Quick video in the sun and off we went. Nice country lanes through farmland, mostly cattle grazing, loads of flies! The terrain was good for me to start with, not too flat or hilly and not too straight! I got into my stride quite quickly, with the first 2k well under 10 minutes. I settled down to a 5:10 pace and bobbed along. We travelled east to Saint-Leger-sous-Cholet, then north through Le May-sur-evre. I got to 10k feeling ok in about 52 minutes. Our route was more or les north through La Jubaudiere, Jallais, La Poiteviniere, Le Pin-en-Mauges, Beause and completed the marathon just past Le Mesnil en-Vallee on the D71. The pain in my knees, front mainly, both hips and both outside thighs really kicked in just before half way. I asked dad to reduce down to 2 miles ahead at a time just in case I needed pain relief! I got to 29k and had to have a quick pit stop to apply Voltarole to knees and hips! It took a while to get a pace back and the pace I got was a lot slower than before! There were a few steep climbs which were ok but they were followed by equally steep descent's that murdered my knees! Anyway another marathon complete, number 75! In a running time of 3'55"28, legs need serious attention! Must get ice and later get on the foam roller. Anyway, dad stopped on a slip road, just off the main road, in the sun and out of the little wind there was. Orange, banana and a baguette dad bought from the great little Boulongerie in St Fulgent, consumed and enjoyed. Dad and me had a nice 10 minutes talking about our journey so far remembering the early marathons and wondered how the hell these legs are going to get me home! Back in the van and off to our pre booked accommodation just west of Angers. A bit of a trip and we find our Premier Class Motel, very cheap and very cheap, the room is 7ft by 12ft including the pod bathroom where I can have a shower while sitting on the loo and have a shave at the same time! The hotel is in the French version of Milton Keynes City Centre! Nothing wrong with MK, I just do not want to run through the French equivalent! Good thing is, "The cooker" will make an appearance! I need to rest tonight with my legs up as much as possible, unfortunately we could not get ice! Good home cooking and an early night is needed, dad is already asleep! Day 78 and marathon 75 done and dusted!