Running in Spain, football, cocktails and lots of swimming

Well sort of an ok week training -wise although more of a cross training experience than running per se. Managed 2runs early morning, the first I wished I hadn't as at 7am you see the depressing side of the resort we were staying in as well as the serene beauty. Unfortunately the former vision overwhelms the latter. As I stepped out of the apartment I could run at the shore side to the beach or take the road to the beach and I chose the road where I met a bloke whose day was just ending , drunk and depressed (possibly by lack of any action with the ladies or maybe he had just been dumped...?) who looked at me in my running gear with an expression of total disbelief that someone would go running so early, or possibly at all. Then further down into the resort, I was surprised to see a bar still open and in full party swing, beer being consumed at 7 am.... Followed by 3 Brit girls in teeny tiny outfits , totally hammered , stumbling home and trying to find a lapost to lean on , then each one in turn vomited ... and then laughed and carried on staggering to their apartments. Gross really. At this point I was cheered to see quite q few other s out running, mostly local Spanish probably disgusted or maybe immune to the embarrassing Brit behaviour. I also felt slightly smug abut my efforts versus their post boozing states(this is not to say I haven't had quite a few wild times myself but I I don't think I was ever that bad.. ).THe running was pretty slow but ok until I started running on the sand. After a return leg via the beach front, I ended up just plain depressed by the number of drunk tourists still sleeping beside whomever they got lucky with on the sun beds, the evening meal of McDonald's still in evidence at their feet. A grim sight. This kind of put me off the resort which I have been to for years and years as a family base and the bay, which is very pretty usually outweights the general slide towards tackiness which has increased over the years, but for some reason, I was down well depressed by it all this time. So for my next run, I decided to head out of the resort and was much happier, hugging the rocky coast as long as I could and enjoying the early rays of sun with out any drunk tourists in sight. Both runs we're fairly short and sore on the knees -probably 6 or 7kin total but I did use every set of stairs I could on a daily basis ( and there were a lot between the rooms where various members of my family were based ) and of course, lots and lots of swimming. The 8am swims were the best, the sea was totally calm and clear and the only people up at that part of the resort were a few other early swimmers, usually in their 60s and 70s and very pleasant with it. So I have returned feeling pretty toned, not as much cv work as I would have liked, but endurance and stamina from the swimming and steps should help in some way. The copious apple pancakes and cocktails will not have helped the scales. Ok , so now I am back home and here is where the hard work really starts. Countdown to the great north begins. 16th sept is closer than I can believe. Keep the faith nova, keep the faith!