Monday 27th February MARATHON 38

Downstairs to eat last night, this place is basically a transport Cafe with accommodation. Place was full of lorry drivers, council and factory workers from the adjacent very large industrial estate. A bit put off, we milled about a bit and went to leave, deciding on pasta cooked in the car park with the return of "The Cooker". We were stopped at the door by the owners wife, a very nice petite lady, she ushered us through a door behind the bar into a very nice dining room! We sat down, part relieved that "The Cooker" was not required but also disappointed. The menu came out and of the 3 starters and 3 main courses only one of each was on tonight! We agreed to both, ordered water with gas, tough as our table was in the corner surrounded with two walls of red wine, and waited to see what food turned up! Very pleasantly surprised, the starter was an earthenware pot, full off some sort of bean, vegetable and meat on the bone, actually falling off the bone. Big chunks of fresh bread in the middle of the table, dad and I got stuck in and filled ourselves forgetting it was the starter! The main course turned up which was surprisingly different again. It was thin delicate slices of beef in a thin sauce with 3 carefully positioned balls of fresh potato mashed and drizzled in the same sauce. We could have been at Claridges! Anyway well fed, we were again about to leave when our deserts arrived! Coffee cake, again positioned and dressed expertly. To be polite we sat back down and decided to take a bite and then leave. Two cleared plates and a coffee later we eventually left. Walking back through the bar, which was now very busy, dad spotted that Barcelona were playing live on TV! Needless to say we found a position with a decent view and watched Barcelona get bashed about until Messi scored with one of the best free kick's I have ever seen to win the game! Good night had, we eventually returned to our room above the bar and set about our washing duties! Eventually got to bed just before midnight with the bar still lively downstairs with what seemed to be a heated card game! Slept well and up at 6:30 with the alarm, strapped left achilles quickly, kit on and left for my early morning hobble! Pitch black and very cold I set off up the main road towards the centre of the village. Lorry's again were out in force so I took a random left and headed up a hill into the country. It turned right and entered the back of the town, very pretty and the only sign of life was a big shed with lights and noise of people chatting. As I got closer I could smell it was the local bakers, I ran as slow as possible past so I could take in as much of the smell as possible! On with the run round the village to the main road overlooking the misty hills and rising sun in the distance, stunning, I stopped and tried to take a photo with my phone, not too sure how good it came out but I will send it anyway. Back through the village, down the hill past the bakers and back to Suzies. 5k in 38 minutes, again a nice warm up but achilles not good! Quick shower and down to breakfast in the bar. I took my Porridge Oats and asked if I could cook them in his kitchen, after a minute or two of confusion he let me in, lit the stove and motioned for me to get on with it! It was spot on, I cooked a big bowel of Porridge Oats and warmed up milk for dads Shredded Wheat. Very nice people and a very nice breakfast. The sun is now up, the mist has gone and the sky is clear and bright blue. I can now see the fantastic views of the hills only interrupted with the odd fleet of articulated lorry's trundling past every few minutes! Back to the room, packed, strapped up left ankle and shin with more tape and my foot slightly straighter. See if that works? Down, paid and said our goodbye's to a very nice couple, video taken and in the van off to the finish point yesterday. Strapping felt good and I felt good for having a more substantial breakfast. Weather was back to the heat and clear skies of 2 days ago and not a breath of wind! I set off slightly down hill on the N547 Before a very long steady climb! The first 5k was mostly a climb and both my calf's felt it but strapping was holding up well. The route skirted most villages, the N547 is a newly laid black tarmac road, good underfoot but radiated heat! the Pilgrims Way ran along side the road occasionally disappearing for half a mile or so then reappearing, I decided to stick to the roads to keep close contact to dad. All went well, first 10k passed in 56 mins and second in 55. Quicker than lately, I found a nice rhythm and just let it flow. Still not a smooth action but getting better for longer periods. We reached a town called Palas de Rei where we had to turn right onto a local road to follow the path as the main road veered left sharply and would put on a good 8 miles to the overall distance of the Pilgrims Way. On the map it looked easy, it was not! Dad and I stayed close and took the road we thought was the one, it was not! It was however a very nice lane that ran south of our desired road and had a lot more twists and turns also a lot more ups and downs! I had 15k to go when we left the main road, with 8k to go the change in terrain was having an effect on my legs! Not my left shin or achilles, the strapping was doing a fine job, it was my right calf, knee and upper shin! It was a beautiful route, we encountered a heard of cows that decided to go in all directions when I ran towards them! The old lady shepherding the herd, just sat down, waited for me to get through them then she waved her stick about and they all slowly headed back in their original direction. We rejoined the correct route just before Ligonde and completed the last few kilometres, up hill mainly and in pain, to our finish just west of Vantes de Naron. Considering everything, a good enjoyable marathon completed in a good time, 3'53"33. Usual orange and warm down in the still very hot sunshine. I said the route yesterday was a bit samey due to being inland. I take that back, today's mountain views were equally fantastic as any coastal! We finished on a country lane on a south facing hill overlooking a valley partly forest and farmland, stunning! Dad's chest cough had subsided and all was good, we headed off to find accommodation in the closest town which was 8 miles further on called Portomarin. We stopped at the first Cafe we came to, had a ham and cheese toasted sandwich and a cup of coffee sitting in the blazing sunshine, perfect. Drove into the square, stopped at the first place we came to and booked in. Not bad, recently renovated but very cold. Dads cough started within 10 minutes of being inside! Hopefully the heating will come on soon! Now about to have a hot bath, I have iced my legs and now need warming up. No food here so we will go into the square to see what we can find. On another note, my daughter went to a school local to where I used to live called Cavendish to give a presentation about our Charity and my little challenge. I hope it went well, I am very proud of you India. Thank you to Mrs Markley and Cavendish for inviting us.

Thanks also for the positive reaction to my coffee habit!