Thursday 16th February MARATHON 27

 PLUS ADDITIONAL 8K - Therefore with previous 4 days Marathon 26 has been completed!

Up at 6:30 prepared and packed, shin felt stiff but not too sore, the rest of me still ached! Breakfast at 7:30 tried to get Alpen out of the van but it was buried too deep so settled for scrambled egg, bacon, plate of fruit and a few pastry's! Not probably correct but it was nice! Cleared out the room, met our maid again she maid a fuss of us and said she had seen us both on TV, I think she had a thing for dad! Anyway Andy did another soft massage on my legs and we went out to the pitch. Good warm up then ran 5k in 29"11 Felt ok, shin did not hurt but everything else did, hopefully all will settle down and I can get through a marathon today! Dad looked quite relaxed at this point, actually asleep in a chair by the pitch! Back in the hotel, said our goodbyes to all the staff who were great, loaded the final bits in the van, said thank you and goodbye to Andy who set off for the Airport and off we went to our start point just south of Castelo do Neiva. Weather seemed hotter than any previous day! Sun cream on, final preparations and a quick stretch and warm up then I set off at 11ish. The first few kilometres were mostly up hill and winding! Felt good, dad went ahead, happy with the sat nav now directing him away from all motorways, got to 5k and only pains were in the right side (outside) of my right knee and the right side (inside) of my left knee. Ran along great roads not too busy through to Viana do Castelo, very nice approach across a great bridge, then left down to the seafront. Looks like a good place, lots of great architecture set on a hill side facing south. I keep saying it but the views were fantastic, hills and mountains to the right and coastal to the left. Ran through 10k in 58 minutes feeling ok, shin felt tight but no pain. Although I felt very jaded and legs heavy. I thought of about the many times I ran with Cliff and at these moments he said just shorten your stride, bob along and find a rhythm. I did and the next 10k passed quickly, a few pains here and there but no major problems. Met dad and said I was fine and told him to go ahead 3 miles, he did and I felt light headed within minutes! I had not taken into account the 5k warm up run and needed food and electrolytes quickly. Eventually met dad at 26k and stopped for a quick pee and refuel, could not find a banana so filled up with loads of nuts and raisins, too much as it turned out, 2k further on and a couple of handfuls made a reappearance! Anyway got going again and apart from the slight sickness got into a good rhythm and settled down and enjoyed the views. Completed the marathon just past a lovely village called Seixas which overlooks the river and Spain, after running up the coast through Afife, Ancora, Moledo and the big town of Caminh, in a time of 4'13"49 very pleased, a part of me was wondering if I would ever get going again! Had a 10 minute rest and a drink then stretched off and set off for another little run. I ran back to the village of Seixas, this is on the Pilgrims route to Santiago, I have never seen so many Churches, grave yards and tombstone makers along one road!  Total distance 3.13k in 20'01 felt good but generally sore but no big pains, which was nice. Got changed and iced, about to go for a coffee and something nice and sweet when an English chap came over and started talking about the van, he then remembered seeing our photo in the Portuguese Newspaper! He was joined by his very nice and friendly wife. They were Charles and Barbara Small and believe it or not they knew Dave Butcher the Head Master from Porto! Dad somehow got the school into the conversation when we were talking about Spain! Anyway both their children had attended the British School and their eldest daughter is now a teacher in Lisbon and knows Dave well, small world excuse the pun! They offered to put us up for the night but we declined, dads snoring along with our strange routine is best not inflicted on anyone else if we can help it! They did however direct us to a nice hotel that had a good offer on and also where to get a lot of good food cheap! We took their advice,  booked in to the Hotel then went to the petrol garage as instructed, parked and walked down the bank behind the station and into what looked like a truck stop cafe! Had vegetable soup and a big chicken dinner that was spot on, all for 16 euro's! Back to the room now, dad fell asleep watching Porto v City and is now snoring! Back to the running, so pleased to have completed another marathon plus a 5k and a 3k run, 50k done today. Still not back to fluent running but running non the less! Hope I feel ok in the morning. Tomorrow we leave my beloved Portugal and our journey enters spain! Adeus Portugal , a minha segunda casa, obrigado por todo o teu apoio ao longo do caminho, o carinho que me demonstraram foi fantastico e deu-me animo quando mais precisei. O meu muito Obrigado

I will no doubt now join dad in a snore off once I have sent this, so goodnight.