I found myself awake a little after 5 but spent the next few hours drifting in and out of slumber before getting up around 8am. After a small bowl of porridge and a toasted chicken sandwich I had my coffee and prepared myself for today's long run. Was looking forward to trying out a route which took me along the coast into Fuengirola before turning right and running along by a river for a while, bringing me into the hills and then back through the countryside before coming down to the coast again further South than where I began so I would have another couple of miles to get back to base. I reckoned it was between 10 and 15 miles so would do 2 laps if it was at the short end of the scale.
Once I got going I was quickly down to sub 7 miling and felt grand. Heart rate was high 130s, the sun was shining and there was only a light breeze and I was enjoying the run. After about 5miles was able to go onto a dirt road for a few miles which was nice although it was a little off camber. Once I got to 7miles the hill really kicked in and my pace started to slow from a fastest of 6.43 and by the time I got to the top was at 6.51. Just before the top I can remember feeling great and thought I could run all day long. At this point I took a gel that I'd brought along. It was the same that's being provided at the marathon so just wanted to make sure it didn't have any side effects. Just then as I was heading downhill I went under a bridge that I thought maybe I should be on. Came across an extremely steep road which appeared to head up to the bridge. After a few hundred metres I spotted that it didn't but also noticed I had been right all along.
Despite heading downhill again my rhythm was broken and I had the first inkling of suffering. I was back at the coast at 10 miles but wasn't half the man I was 2 miles earlier. Got back to base at around 12.5 miles and picked up a bottle and set off towards Fuengirola once more. Pace had dropped off to 6.55 or so but now it was just about keeping going. Once I got to the river again I had 16miles done so I doubled back. Was really starting to suffer now but decided to run past the hotel for a mile so I'd be almost at 20 when I got back. The primary objective is always to get to 20 and then see what I'm good for!
Not much as it turned out but I struggled on, and reminded myself why I was here. Decided I wanted to do 2hrs35 and this coincided almost exactly with 22 miles as my pace had sunk below 7 minutes per mile. Not that I really cared!!
22 miles @ 7.02 HR 135
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