|
|
|
|
|
|
our surprise) 7.47 then 7.43 with a sprint finish! Back to apartment, shower and change and head out for dinner. Meet up at Falesia and head to restaurant for organized barbecue. Good food, lots of sangria, fall into bed!
Sat 10th March
We are all awake early this morning. We are all stiff from track session yesterday but decide to try the morning run anyway, it is so beautiful. We reverse the run today and finish with the cliffs, awesome! Quick shower and breakfast then Angela and I have a massage booked. Absolutely wonderful. We booked the next session straightaway.
Wendy chills out by the pool. Angela and I go to supermarket to buy water - sneak a quick coffee while we are there. Then its cozies on - the sun is shining!!
The pool is VERY cold but its lovely and warm to sunbathe and read. Wendy gets a fidget on and wants lunch - we all seem to be permanently hungry! We walk down to the Neptune bar. We have to choose between a wicked chicken sandwich or a great toastie! What a choice. Coffee is wonderful too. We sit in the sunshine and watch the world go by. Terry and Phil wander up to join us.
Angela and I decide to miss the afternoon session because of the long run tomorrow. Wendy joins in with the hill session but doesn't have the legs - so drops out. We potter about in the apartment then set off to listen to Bruce Tullohs talk. We are late (surprise!) and can't get into the bar, so go to another bar for a beer! Meet the others in a restaurant. Everyone 'carbo-loading' for tomorrow. We promise to be on water all night - but Wendy has the willpower of a gnat and hits the red wine with gusto!
Early night - we are apprehensive about tomorrow, but so knacked we fall asleep instantly.
Sun 11th March
Up at the crack of dawn. Drink some carbo drink (tastes like medicine) and swallow a few ibuprofen then off for a 7am start. It is a beautiful morning, not a cloud in the sky and mist over the hills - stunning!
We all set off for a 3hr run, but Angela and I get left behind and get lost. We change direction a few times and eventually tee up with the runners - thank goodness!!!
Bruce (Tulloh) has found a nice loop round a golf course and residential area which is about 3 miles and very shady. We manage 3 loops and then start back. It is very hot now and the last 4 miles are all in the sun - but we manage 3 hrs and are really pleased with ourselves. We all shower, have breakfast then walk to Falesia to crash by the pool. Wendy lunches on a White Magnum but Angela and I need food, so we walk to the Square to feast on fish - Yummee!
We head back to the pool. Dave, who had encouraged us around the track and up the hills is on hand to heckle us and nickname us "Cagney & Lacey". Wendy finishes the fish in the goody bag and we crash by the pool until it starts to get cool, then back to apartment to shower and change.
We have spotted a small local bar and decide to stop in for a beer!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Get to Falesia bar in time to listen to Joe Beer. He is wonderful, and rapidly elevated to God like status along with Bob Fenton (massage) and Wendy Davies (Girls on Tour Team Coach). We head up to the square for dinner with Sarah, Phil, Janet & Dave. We are all tired but laugh all night, what fun. Back to apartment for good nights sleep.
Mon 12th March
No run for us this morning. Wendy goes for a walk. We drive to airport to pick up Andrea. Quick update on the way back to the apartment. The sun has gone in and we have a short, sharp shower, oh well! Quick stop at supermarket - we buy lots of fruit but no biscuits!!! Let Andrea unpack, quickly 'cos the suns come out! And set off along the beach to find a place for lunch.
The beach is beautiful - its sunny and warm and you can see for miles. The tide is out so we walk all the way to a fishing village. Its really peaceful so we settle down to read and snooze a while. We have worked out that Wendy's concentration span is about 20mins, so by the time you set your stall out and get comfy she is ready for the off!!!
Find lovely restaurant overlooking beach. Order fresh mackerel, salad and potatoes and fish soup to share. YUM!
We start to walk back, but tide has come in so we have to trek over cliffs to get back. Angela, Wendy and I have a massage booked, then it's down to the track for the afternoon session. After the warm-up I am knacked, so I sit and watch Angela and Andrea hurtle round. Wendy has gone to Almond Blossom track for hill reps.
Back to apartment to shower and change then down to Falesia bar for talk by Spencer Duvall - ex steeplechase athlete now training for marathon. Runs 125 miles per week, sleeps in an oxygen tent and throws his trainers away after a months wear!!!! Normal kind of guy then!!!! His talk is very amusing and he gives us some useful tips. We walk to Pinhal restaurant for fish dinner. It's a bit of a hike, but we are glad of the walk on the way back after overdosing on fish stew with rice and red wine. FAB!!!! Sleep well!
Tues 13th March
Up for 8am, 5 mile run along cliff tops, it's so beautiful. Sunny and warm again today. The plan is to walk to Villamoura for lunch at the marina, but no one can be bothered! We are all tired, so we decide on an easy morning lounging by the pool. Wendy and Andrea talk to Mike Grattan about their training. Angela and I snooze in the sun - lovely! Move on to Neptune bar for chicken sandwich then back to change for pm session. Angela, Andrea and I are doing a heart rate monitor session with Joe Beer. Very useful - he is very laid back and calm and gives us some good tips to try. The thing that worries me most is the training. I've got the rest days down to a fine art…..but I'm struggling with the rest of it!!!!!!!!
Back to apartment to shower and change. It's quiz night - we decide to opt out - don't want to show everyone up by winning!! So we hit the bar (again) and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
