07-02-2004, 10:16 PM
Saturday. Today I had to do a long run. 12 miles. I was a little afraid of having to do such distance alone but , actually, it´s been a wonderful experience. I couldn´t go early in the morning as I´d have liked, then I had to put it off for the afternoon. It was a sunny afternoon. I preferred starting in a different place so we went to Costacabana, which is a resort by the sea near the airport. My wife and son left me at the end of the sea front and I walked to a path that goes towards Retamar, Cabo de Gata. The same one I took on Friday 30th January but the other way round. It is usually a quiet and lonely place but today there was a 4X4 raid and there were many cars and people over there. Then I went to an deserted old building which used to be a "Guardia Civil" headquarters. It took me 37 minutes. Then I went back to Costacabana. In minute 40 I stopped to walk for one minute and drink some water. I was wearing a sort of strap with a pocket to carry water and cereal bars and so on. When I got to the start point, I continued along the sea front which must be 1.5km long. I stopped in minute 76 to walk for two minutes to eat a cereal bar and some water. Later I plodded along the road to the university where the half marathon gets for about another 1.5 to take the sea front to my usual starting point which is about 6 kms long. In minute 124 I walked for one minute while I was drinking a little water. I got there in 2 hours 24 minutes. I continued until I had done 2 hours 30 minutes doing in all about 20 kilometres. I went quite slowly but I enjoyed being alone such long time. Although sometimes I felt the loneliness of the long distance runner, I think it is a great experience that I wouldn´t mind doing again although perhaps on another occasion I may ask someone to come with me on bicycle so that I don´t have to carry water and food and I can talk a little from time to time. Perhaps for the 20 mile run, it could be advisable.