NYR results - August

Again, a bit into the second week of the following month, here come the August results:

• NYR # 1 - Run

1a. Carrera Popular Barranco Quíquere on the 3rd of August.

OMG! I have never felt as unprepared for a race as this one. But I HAD to do it. Its course was practically the same as the route that I did when I first started running in Lanzarote. I love the views from the dirt track that borders along the ocean from Puerto del Carmen to Puerto Calero. At one point my feet seemed to know every stone, every little bump in this... bumpy path.

I started by walking only a fraction of it. Little by little I increased the distance. And then one day I started jogging. At every corner I discovered new  things. Until I reached the "Barranco de Quíquere". Wow, I could see Puerto Calero from there!  This is actually about a third of the way. Eventually I manage to do it all & almost back!

The "Barranco" bit is a bit tricky for runners, because of the narrow & irregular steps going down the ravine & then up again. Other than that I always thought it would make a beautiful course for a race. And then, I read that they were organising the very 1st one. Right there. Although I run along the strip mostly these days, the PDC-PC route was my first (running) love. I couldn't not do it!

I considered even changing my 10km registration for a 5km one, after the first (& sadly) only training session that the organisers did the week previous to the race. But my pride (& shame, in equal measures) prevented me from requesting it.

after the 1st (& only) training session

And the day of the race arrived, I felt as unprepared as ever. I did almost every thing you are not supposed to do before a race. But I didn't give up. Instead,  I decided to enjoy the day & try to make it to the finish line... alive! And I did. Among the last 5 participants. But I don't care. I did it.

starting the race, up hill - why not?

Result: passed. 

• NYR # 2 - Read

I read La cabaña by William Paul Young, in English The Shack, over the last couple of months. Hardly a mega achievement, but I finished it!

I have also started reading short stories from a blog. But more of it next month, as I'm tempted to switch to it from book reading... we'll see.

Result: passed. 

• NYR # 3 - Eat

Mmmm, nothing really springs to mind, except for a couple of batches of muffins, banana and courgette - no, not together! And a failed chocolate one that we shall never speak of (ever) again.

Result: Passed. 

• NYR # 4 - Walk 

Kept walking the mutts daily. 

Also I attended the 2nd "Quedada" (meeting) of the Cochinilla Trail on the Sunday the 25th. Because I hadn't been training I decided to just walk the 10,5k race course, at least to familiarise myself with the route. But some of my friends arrived late so about 15 minutes into the walk I went back to pick them up. And then we got lost, taking a turn to early. We estimate we just walked about 7k. But we made some friends along the way and we have a great time. 

Result: passed. 

Runners & walkers at the 2nd Cochinilla Trail meeting.
Everybody  minus my friends!

Sumarising... passed x 4 = happy month. 

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Here is the post that started it all: New Year Resolutions for 2013.