A couple of 5k beach runs to report. Fivefingers saw some excellent surf/ sand action along Ipanema front. +30 degrees a tad warm for me but lots of great sights to distract from the heat. Planning another tomorrow and a last one on Saturday making 20k for the week - impressive by recent standards, and all 'barefoot' to boot.
Some great moments to share from my time in Rio. They really need a roaring fire and pints of foaming ale to do them justice. Highlight was crouching in the back of a taxi whilst hurtling through traffic at break-neck speed. Strange radio commentary coming from the front so I peeked over the driver's shoulder only to see he had a small television set playing in the corner of his dashboard. Oh, my, and indeed, God.
Yesterday I learned the terrible truth that me and Caipirinhas, the local rocket fuel, don't mix. Mother of all hangovers yesterday only soothed by a head-long launch into the violent Atlantic ocean followed by a toasted ham & cheese sandwich. Residual thumping nursed in Shenanigans, Ipanema's last standing Irish bar and purveyours of a decent drop (6.5 out of 10) of the Black Stuff. The tepid fare offered by the Manchester Derby almost rocked me to sleep so I hit club 40 Degrees in Lapa, the favela-based club district. Salsa, samba, games of pool and unfeasibly large bottles of anaemic lager abounded. Topped the evening off at the Marina Hotel al fresco bar with a monstrous plate of sushi and a bottle of two of a most agreeable Argentinian Shiraz, ably abetted by my customers.
Brutal? Oh yes, just received an e-mail from the organisers of a
number of UK off-road 10ks, one of which, the
Hard as Snails, I took part in this summer. Take a look - they're well organised and put the fun back into this, for me at least, difficult distance. I particularly enjoyed the phrase 'The inaugural Brutal run series comprises of 3 running events, across 3 fantastic MOD training venues.'
Unexploded ordnance? Just another hurdle to these Johnnies.
