Driving up the long tree lined road to the Chateau was an experience. It was beautiful. To the left were trees with hammocks, archery, bike sheds, a shed with umbrellas wellies and all different sizes of running shoes, games a plenty... and the Chateau itself was truly gorgeous.
We were met by Gerald and Carolyn and shown our rooms... very nice... a 4 poster bed! The rooms had a large living room attached where you could all meet up, which had a coffee maker, fridges full of beers, coke, orange juice, mango juice... sweets, you name it. I also had a big basket of bottled water outside of my room... a room that you didn't need to lock as there were only the 15 of us there!
The pool was stunning, and as the Chateau (or Castle as the staff called it) was on a huge mountain (describing it as a hill does not come close really), you could see for miles as you swam in the lovely water. The pool had a bar and they even had spare swimming costumes of all sizes here in case you'd forgotten your own.
In the Chateau you could easily get lost in the myriad of rooms (and I often did). There were bars everywhere and bottles of wine on practically every surface. The spirits were accompanied with a cocktail book and again... big jars of sweets everwhere ranging from chocolate to liquorice to flumps and haribos.
The meals were a relaxed chilled out atmosphere where you took your time and the staff were totally at your disposal. You asked for a certain type of wine, and they went into the cellar and found it for you!
I was rather reserved on the first night as my plan (of course)was to do around 21 miles at 7am. Unfortunately being reserved was not enough, and I woke up feeling terrible after a very restless night. My toes felt very sore after wearing a pair of heels the previous night, and as I was awake for 6:30 this was too early for breakfast and I had to resort to dried bread and a coffee. My stomach wasn't feeling good at all after the richness of the food, and I really didn't want to go for a run at all. However, I couldn't afford to miss the opportunity, so before I left the Chateau I made the bargain with myself that I would treat this the same as my up and coming 30 miles in Scotland... if I need to walk, I'll walk... if I need to stop for a break, I'll do it... if it takes me 4 hours to do 16 miles, then so be it. I think that knowledge got me in the right frame of mind to "man up" and get on with it!
The run started in a farmers field and then once on the road it started to up and up and up. Within 11 minutes I was already walking... but that was OK. I had my XL vest on and also carried double the water I'm used to, so it was bound to be hard. At 7am I saw a sign saying it was 18 degrees. It felt very comfortable.
A couple of miles down the road I had a very steep windy road to run down and I enjoyed that. There wasn't too much traffic at this point but those who saw me didn't seem to look at you in such a "What a total idiot" way that you often get looked at in England. I wondered if it was quite normal here to go off running in a backpack around the hills!
I'm soon on a long slow incline and it looks like it's going for miles. I run bits, walk bits, jump over little snakes that are getting in my way which seemed quite random, and I'm enjoying the scenery. It doesn't seem long before I'm turning around and have already done 11 miles.
The run/walk back was tougher. The temperature is now 27 degrees and although it occasionally is noticable, overall I'm managing well. At 16 miles and running through a little village called St Clair de-la-tour, I trip on an uneven bit of the path and literally launched myself at a Frenchman walking along minding his own business. This really hurt my toes, which wasn't good as they had already been feeling tender. I had to limp for a mile until it wore off.
At 17.16 miles I get cramp in my calves and it's quite severe but quick. I walked again and was quite surprised that I'm getting cramp when there has been so much walking going on. Fortunately this was the last of the cramp and it didn't bother me again.
So, I carried on (power walking as much as I could when having to walk) and got back to the Chateau after 4 hours and 23 minutes... and 11.58mm pace overall which I was very pleased with. I was given huge congratulations from my work colleagues who couldn't believe I'd managed to go so far in the heat, and the first thing I did when I got back was jump into the pool fully clothed... always wanted to do that after a run!
My shins, bum and shoulders are aching loads (shins are the worst) and my chest also felt a little tight yesterday (as if I'd done a lot of heavy breathing). I'm really quite pleased because I said I would do it and I did... and the important thing... if I had had to go on to do 75K I could have done it in that heat. I would have walked a lot and it wouldn't have been pretty... but I can do it... I now know I can!
And, as promised to my colleagues, as soon as the run was over I let my hair down... in fact I let it down so far that my dancing was described by my area manager as "very athletic". I have decided not to ask what he meant by that... all I'll say is I can't even remember dancing! Sign of a bloody good night I think! Apparently I was last to bed and the first up for breakfast... I'm proper hardcore me! ;-)
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