Sunday 22nd January MARATHON 9

After looking for accommodation without success, we stopped in the centre of Setubal, (a big coastal city situated on the north side of the sea estuary called Rio Sado), overlooking the peninsula and the village Carrasqueira where we stayed in last night, chalk and cheese at what we thought was a parking space and found a cafe. Two omelettes and a ham and cheese toastie later and we decided against a night in a camp site sleeping in the van, unanimous decision! We paid our bill  and headed back to the van to go out of town to the Ibis we saw on the way in. As we approached the van all the vehicles that were parked around it had gone leaving ours and a blue pick up tow truck! Dad had a panic but no one in site so we moved on!

We have ended up in a Hotel in the town we saw as we drove out. Again very basic but big room, 3 beds with bathroom, no heating on but the room is warm. I have hidden the remote for the heating unit so we should get a good cool nights sleep, loo roll earplugs at the ready! Restaurant looked good but shut at 9pm we did not realise this until ten past when we went down to eat! So back to the van, decided against smuggling in The Cooker and got out the "just add water" noodles. Basically a healthy pot noodle! Anyway well fed! and legs well iced in bed by 10:30. Right thigh really worrying me, legs very sore, inner part of quad has gone a bit numb! a good nights sleep and marathon tomorrow should sort it out!

Up at 6:30 feeling very jaded, legs very stiff and sore. A good night but still too hot for me, dad feels the cold so I resisted opening the window as I normally would. Very little snoring and no cramp, which was good. Did my warm up, went down to breakfast, toast jam and honey and small bowl of Alpen. Showered and left for the start at 9:15 travelled to the finish point of yesterdays run near Monto Novo Palma. Fantastic weather again, not a cloud and bright blue sky. I did not fancy the run at all, behind both knees at the top of the calf's were very sore and stiff, added to my continuing right thigh problem and the fact that I thought I had wiped all runs from my Garmin watch, laptop! I was not in the best frame of mind. Anyway set off at about 10:10 towards Palma, I had not thought too much about how I was going to run but settled in to a comfortable pace and after the normal pains of running faded away, (normally 15 minutes), I cracked on and 10k passed without looking at my watch for distance or pace in about 55 minutes. Now on the main road N10 much more traffic and not as nice scenery but I felt good. Normal pains under control I bobbed along at what felt comfortable up to about 28k. Dads stops went without a hitch, apart from one! He told me after I had finished that "there was a young girl begging, she came up to the car and would not go away" I said that happens a lot here and in most places now," yes" he said "but I thought it was strange this girl was late teens early twenties and very dressed up!" I said I do not think she was begging dad, I think she might have been selling!

Back to my run, all pain started with 12k to go so I set my mind at managing it and changing how I ran to cope with the most painful. We entered Setubal, pronounced Shtubal, with 8k to go I led and tried to avoid the busy roads as dad is a bit panicky with them. However without much success and finished in a main street having just been through all the little one way back doubles. The warm down followed with dad looking like he needed it more than me!

Marathon distance in 3'47"13 still very painful but enjoyed the run and felt great. We went to find food, which seems more like a job now rather than pleasure, on this occasion it was not a pleasure, but ate quite a bit. Now back in the Hotel with a nice cup of PG and a shortbread. Added bonus, have not lost Garmin data, my watch downloaded 6 stored runs in one go!

The feeling I get each day when the run is completed is like the feeling I used to get when I was at school. Sunday lunch everything is great and feeling really happy then within a few hours it is Sunday evening and you start to dread school on Monday morning! Anyway I am going to bed now for a couple of hours then off to pick up Cliff from Lisbon Airport, he lands at 10:30! It should be interesting with the 3 of us in one room! Cliff can talk for England and as you know my dad likes a chat, we could have a talk off!