Monday 20th February MARATHON 30

Yesterday was cancelled due to illness! Felt rough during Saturday night and woke aching head to foot, feeling sick and full of cold! Got ready to go but decided it would not be a good idea. Did not want to stay here another day, not a nice place but really had no choice. In bed for most of the day then out to eat at 8pm. Had a good meal and felt a bit better. Up at 6:30 this morning, head still full of cold but feeling generally ok. Had Alpen and a croissant and a nice cup of tea, all done by 7:45. To the room got ready put jogging bottoms on and went for a nice 6k run in 37"13. Felt stiff but soon warmed up. All usual things hurt! Back to the room, stretch and body work. Loaded the van and set off from Hotel Miramar, Playa America (3* not as good as the 1* we stayed in), at 10:20. Met a couple of English lads on their way home to Derby after a 2 week stay working, they wished me well and said they would donate, which is good! Weather was hotter again! Ran north on the P0-325. Good roads, not much traffic and great Atlantic views. Felt quite good and kept a good pace, all problems under control and 10k complete in 56 minutes. Looked all quite straight forward on the map so dad felt good. We approached Vigo and all good, 20k in 1'54. We hit Vigo and roads not quite as map! We kept close and ran through the residential area going the wrong way down one way streets! We kept calm and picked our way through to the main town and the port. Now very busy but again dad picked his way through the town like a local taxi driver! Views of the harbour, bridges and natural bay were stunning! Dad negotiated his way through the main shopping area and out through a suburb called Chapela, did not look the most prosperous area! Anyway we then joined the main road N-552 and headed to Redondela. Dad did a great job, we then joined the N-550, following the sat-nav. However dad was a bit over confident and turned right, south, ignoring the sat nav! I thought it was too good to be true! I then had a quick loo stop, without stopping the Garmin, and managed to stumble down a bank and tweaked the top of my right calf and jarred my shin!!!! I had 9k to go and every step was agony! I asked dad to get ice for the finish so he shot off to get it without giving me my full drink bottle. A few texts and an attempted phone call, my phone is on the blink and only works now and then, and dad returned just before I passed out with 3k to go and gave me some fluid! Finished with the sun in our faces near Millarada in 4'09"09. Last 9k very slow, felt great up to that point and was on for a comfortable sub 4hr! Anyway another one done plus 6k. I was due to run another 6k tonight but now icing calf and shin! Found an amazing little Hostel called Antolin, very quaint and Spanish, In a little waterfront village called Cesantes, just north west of Redondela. Very cheap but spot on. Really enjoyed the day even though we ran south instead of north for about 6 miles! Dad said sat nav went off! All good now apart from more injuries and a stinking cold!