A long, tough but rewarding marathon… For 5-hours I climbed up a cobbled mountain road. The views were spectacular to say the least. The air was cool and the road seemed to wind endlessly upwards. I had ‘the munchies’ on a few occasions and goodness knows how many calories I burned on the way up! My heart-rate was certainly much higher than usual. In the afternoon, with the extra help of Hannah’s Mum and Dad, we pitched our tent by a mountain lake. With aching legs, I went to bed early feeling pleased to have scaled the first Alpine mountain pass without injury after over 500-miles of running in the last few weeks. It’s a day none of us will forget!
Just after dawn we dragged ourselves up and hit the road under a cloudy sky to start marathon 20. We followed a steep-sided valley for the first three hours and Hannah was a star, passing croissants with nutella out of the car window and cheering me on... Pain-free for nearly 13 miles, the rest-day had certainly paid dividends. The last part of the marathon was tougher, however, as the road steepened dramatically and I navigated the tight hair-pin bends with a nagging pain in my right hip joint! I now feel old and decrepid!! I was thrilled to see Hannah, video in-hand, signaling the 42 km-mark (26.2 mile-mark) and we avoided a downpour by minutes. This afternoon the heavens opened and we all sheltered in the tent as a huge thunder and lightening storm played out around us. We now have a damp matress but the rain has seemingly cleared for now. I’m not sure this is quite what Hannah’s folks signed up for but we are all in high spirits! Tomorrow the map shows numerous hair-pin bends and a lengthy ascent; I will need to be in good form to make it to the marathon finish-line. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed my second rest day after 19 marathons! We slept in until 7.30 am, had a fabulous breakfast of croissants and Weetabix as Hannah’s mum, Lesley, opened her birthday cards. My legs ached so deeply all I could really do today was potter on the campsite; very nice too! I had a dip in the chilly camp swimming pool, washed the car and uploaded the blog. At midday I refueled with a traditional fry-up, courtesy of Hannah`s folks. We continued the birthday celebrations in the evening with a bottle of Chianti wine that we picked up whilst in the Chianti wine region of Italy two weeks ago and we tucked into a terrific barbeque. We’ll see tomorrow whether not running a marathon for the first time in a while will help my legs to recover a little!
After a much-needed cuppa and a bowl of cereal, we quietly downed the tent and set off on marathon 19. The sunrise revealed views right across Lago di Lugano and the cloud cleared gradually from the mountains which surround the lake. The first hour was cool (20 degrees Celsius) and the road actually crossed the lake and wound up and down to the city of Lugano. The views of the mountains were unforgettable but I do wonder how exactly I will find the strength to traverse the Alps; my legs are now extremely stiff and I have grown used to running with various deep aches and pains! One day it’s my lower calf and upper quadriceps, the next my hip joint and the inside of my knee – each different part of my legs seems to be complaining by turn… We finished the run in Belizona, an historic city which has three splendid castles. After a steep climb and a lengthy descent (90 minutes) we entered a huge valley and pitched up on a riverside campsite. At 6 pm Hannah’s Mum and Dad, Lesley and Keith, arrived from the UK. They have spent two days on the road to get here and have brought us plenty of goodies including bacon (with a white sliced loaf…), Boddingtons and a new supply of ibuprofen tablets! We headed out to the town for the evening and enjoyed catching up with news from home over a great meal. The first of August is a national holiday in Switzerland and we joined the locals in the main square for a concert and firework display. The castle which overlooks the Belizona was lit up dramatically and with ice-creams and tired smiles we eventually slept under canvas after a night that will live long in the memory! We were absolutely blown away by the hospitality that Marta and her family showed us in their home in Galbiate near Lecco. We slept comfortably in their camper van which saved us having to pitch our tent and inflate the airbed. The run today passed lovely lakes and we glimpsed spectacular views of Como, a city on the hillside overlooking Lago di Como. We climbed steeply and traversed to Lago di Lugano as we think that a route over the Swiss Alps which avoids motorways and tunnels may be possible from here. Eventually we crossed the border from Italy to Switzerland and, looking back over the journey so far – the heat-waves, hills and blisters and the places, people and amazing experiences we have had – it’s hard to believe how far we have travelled and how many miles my legs have covered! It has been a true team effort; I could have achieved nothing without the unbelievable support Hannah has given and she continues to be amazing! Approximately 10-miles after crossing into Switzerland we completed the 26.2 miles and with agonisingly sore legs (the miles are taking their toll gradually!) we found a little campsite on the shore of Lago di Lugano. A swim in the cool water of the lake and a hearty meal were much appreciated and we enjoyed a relaxing afternoon here in sunny Switzerland. |