Good training week in Tenerife with excellent weather. Deliberately ran a "half marathon des sables" - not just the total distance but each day was half the equivalent day in the MdeS with a rest day after the long run.
75 miles in total, divided up as 8 miles, 10 miles, 12 miles, 25 miles, rest day, 13 miles and 7 miles. The big one was on Wednesday when I did 25 miles. Planned to get up early and head up to Teide National Park which is about an hour away. Left at 7 - for "warm weather training", but the closer I got and the higher I went the lower the temperature. Started dropping into single figures and before I parked up ice warning light had come on and temperature was 2deg C! Had risen to 7 by the time I set off - wearing 2 shirts and a hat which I thought was too protect me from sun!
However great run in beautiful scenery though still in shade for 7 miles and desperate for sun to shine where I was actually running. Didn't see anyone for 10 miles from Parador running along tracks by side of volcanic mountains until I reached turn round point at El Portillo and got further water supply at the visitor's centre. Another 7 miles back along the same track before I saw anyone else. Got back to car after 20 miles. Did a quick inspection of my feet and as no sign of any blisters did another section of just under 5 miles to make the 25. Temperature in car on return was 30 deg C!
What was particularly pleasing was I was running not only on rough terrain and in the heat but at an altitude of about 7000 feet for my long run. Also all my runs were with a pack on my back - even if only about 3 kgs at this stage.
So half a Marathon des Sables in heat and with a pack - and 6 months to go, so well on schedule. Hoping for another high mileage week starting tomorrow before heading back to UK.
And England managed to win 5 -1 !!
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