Saturday 3rd March MARATHON 42 & 43

3rd March, Day 50.  Happy birthday to my sister Louise, I hope you have a great day, I hope Jamie is ok, I hope Milly wins whatever gym competition she is in this weekend and I hope Andy has a good game of golf!

Out last night for early food, 3 recommendations all looked good all did not serve food until 9pm! We left the hotel at 8pm and walked around the vibrant town looking to see what we could find. They have cafe bars that are like KidZone with ball pits! Anyway found a ranch looking place that sold pasta and Pizza, completely empty we thought it would be rubbish or we were early. A bit like TGI's, bubbly but a bit over the top service, we did not of course understand a word she said but we pointed to our choices and hoped for the best. Drinks came quickly, dad had a beer I had sparkling water! 185 days since my last drink, a pint of London in the boat pub in Berkhamsted at 9:30pm on 31st August 2011, 50 days until my next! Forget about the training I put in before and the work now, that's dedication! Anyway, the food came along with hoards of people, we timed it just right, and it was surprisingly very good. All fed and watered by 9:30 we walked back to the hotel. The town was now getting busy and it had a great vibe. Back in our room and in bed by 10pm! Our road is quiet but there were a few people outside talking, dad wanted to tell them to be quiet but I explained we were in bed a touch early for England and very early for here! All stopped and a good nights sleep was had, more or less! Dads coughing kicked in at 5am, it would not ease up so lights went on and I got ready for my morning run and dad propped himself up in an attempt to stop. Left hotel at 6:20, it must have rained over night, all the roads and paths were wet, it was also a lot colder. I set off out of the town towards the bridge across the estuary that we will have to take. I could not see any bridge that was not a motorway! Should be fun. I ran down to the harbour and marina past a bar that was still open and lively, a few very drunk people staggered out and I think hurled some abuse at me, then they all laughed, as you do when you are drunk. One tried to run with me, him very drunk and me limping, we looked a match! Anyway great marina, I love boats and there were alot of nice ones sitting in the births. No one about at all, I ran along to the working docks and round the back of town, wind in my face and up hill! Back in the old part of town, normal scene of street cleaners and cafe's setting up. A good run through all the back streets and back to the hotel. 12.3k 1hr 30mins, felt looser but shin and achilles are still very sore! Back to the room, now nearly 8am dad fast asleep. Quick shower and down to breakfast by 8:30, they opened half hour early for us, which was nice. Good continental breakfast in a lovely dining room and back to the room by 9:30. Really nice place. Packed, paid and loaded by 11am, took a bit of time going through route with dad, a few potential problems, first being we have to cross a bridge that is a motorway with signs saying no people on foot! Quick video done, the owners of the hotel came out to see us off so I tried not to hobble too much until out of site! We left Ribadeo town and approached the bridge, there looked like there was no other option, so plan was to get on motorway, get over the bridge and get off at the next exit. I ran up the slip road got on the motorway looked right and behind a high chain fence was a walk way with enough room for a horse and cart and people! I waved at a few who walked in the other direction looking at me in astonishment! Anyway across bridge and dad had gone past first exit! 5k later and off at the exit with only mild abuse from drivers and their hooters. I felt ok but not great, I took it slow and tried to keep loose. The N634 was not as busy on this section due to the motorway running parallel. Still boring though! We turned onto a local road towards Tapia de Casariego, nice little 5k along the actual coast and away from traffic. The weather was not good but at least not raining, along this road the sun broke through and made it quite pleasant. Back to the main road and a grind through to Navia. On the map it looked like a good plan to turn left as soon as we got over the bridge and run the local coastal road. When we got there it was far hillier than we thought, we turned left and gave it a go. Big mistake, I managed the first hill and with only 10k to go I thought I would be able to battle through. The second hill much shorter and steeper made my right shin tighten and my left lower calf feel like it was going to detach from my achilles! I turned and hobbled back down, my knees, hip and thighs all coped the hump at this point so with 8k to go I stopped and stretched for a few minutes. A spanish lad and his dad came over and talked about my run, they had seen it in the paper and I think he said on the news? Anyway they wished me luck, however they did not donate! I carried on, now back on the main road N634. Hardly any traffic but there was a long slow hill that took a bit of getting up! Legs in general really hurt, bones, tendons and muscles! But I got there and marathon completed just past Villapedre in a time of 4'31"57 not bad but very painful my legs were shot by the end. Normal orange plus dad stopped at a shop and got a fresh baguette and some ham, all good. The sun came out for 10 minutes while we ate with my legs up, not a good view this time, road side hard shoulder! 20 minutes passed and I got ready for my warm down run back to a Hotel I spotted as I ran passed. It was about 3k back and I needed 4k to make up a further catch up marathon so off I went very slowly. Time passed quickly and I reached the Hotel as predicted in just under 3k so I ran past and dad waited. I returned and had completed a further 4.25k. So today I ran 12.3k at 6:20am, 42.2k at 11:00am and 4.25k at 4:00pm total for the day nearly 59k, no wonder my legs hurt! Half way now, 43 marathons in 50 days! 7 to catch up over the second half, I am still in the game! Eddie Izzard ran 43 marathons in 51 days!

Anyway Hotel shut! So we drove on in search of accommodation with the knowledge that we would not match last nights! We were right, we have just booked into another transport Cafe Hotel. Perfectly ok, hot water, clean and nice people. Not a patch on last nights but the same price! Showered stretched and now going to the Cafe for dinner. All good!
Oh nearly forgot to say - I have a Radio 5 Live interview tomorrow morning at 7:45 so I hope you can all catch it (or record it on sky)