100 mile challenge
When I read about the 100 mile challenge in 100 days that MarathonDan wrote about, I thought it could be good to motivate myself to go for a run in the summer, which is usually hard here due to the heat in that season. It started on 22nd June at the beginning of summer and it ended yesterday 29th September at the beginning of autumn. Although I have been quite irregular, especially in July and August, which have been hotter than usual, I´ve managed to do 168 km, that is, 101 miles and even took part in a 10 K race in Almería last Sunday in order to run with other friends wearing a t-shirt from "Ojos rebeldes" ( rebellious eyes ), which is an association that helps blind people. I did the course in 68 minutes which is quite slow even for my poor marks but I ended better than I'd expected since my last runs are quite slow at a nearly 8 minute pace a kilometre.
Last Sunday, the race, which was in support of ASPAPROS ( an association in favour of intellectually disabled people ) started at 10:30 am. It was a sunny hot day. It started at the Mediterranean Games stadium, the same start as the half marathon. A friend of mine, Felope, went at my pace for seven kilometres. From kilometre 3, Sophia, from Hungary, told us if she could keep us company. "Of course", we said. It was a pleasure to go all together talking about so many topics such as how she met her Spanish husband in Edimburgh, the way she spoke Spanish so perfectly or about the fact that was her first race ... After seven kilometres I told Felipe he could go faster and reach our friend Antonio G. since Sophia had to slow down a little and I didn´t feel like leaving her behind. So we arrived at the athletics track together where Sophia´s husband, who had already finished the race, was waiting for her. There I saw Felipe and Antonio G.Afterwards, I went to have water, melon and nuts provided by the organisation. I was glad to be able to take part in a race after Almería half marathon on the first Sunday of February.
My aim for the next 100 days is to be able to run at least 200 miles.
Saludos desde Almería.
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