Prance dos Praias: August 14, 2013

Wednesday, August 14, 2013, 06:30AM: I'm standing on the rooftop of the apartment building looking east along the resort area towards the Riveira Oxiadere, in the distance the silhouettes of the white painted high rise holiday palaces of Alvor, here in the Algarve, Portugal. The sun will soon rise, foreshadowed by the orange glow on the eastern horizon, but the streets are lit up at this early hour. Below me is Meia Praia, a 5km stretch of unbroken golden sand, between the rivers Oxiadere and Bensafrim at Lagos. In the half light before sunrise I scamper down along the road onto a gravel track beside the local railway line, and after a couple of minutes I cross the tracks onto the boardwalk which takes me down to the beach.

Looking east from the rooftop before sunrise

Gravel path beside the railway, popular with the local runners

Crossing the rail tracks ...

... onto the boardwalk and down to the beach

In just a few hours this beach will be teeming with happy holidaymakers, having fun, relaxing in the sun, playing in the sea, a lovely and sometimes lively scene, its good to see folk having a good time. Yet, right now, at this early hour, for me the beach has a special, almost magical, allure. So peaceful, I hear just a few sounds. The sea washing on the shore, some bird songs, a distant cockerel, my feet on the sand, and my breathing. The scent of the sea fills my nostrils, I can taste the air.

I've run so many miles along this shore over the last couple of weeks. Most days I've set out early in the morning while the family are still asleep, and returned to the apartment for breakfast. This morning I am a little earlier, there is no sight of the sun on the eastern horizon at the moment. I'm impressed by the number of runners here, of all ages and all abilities. I've seen individuals, couples, groups of friends, and families happily running together. Most mornings I've exchanged "Ola!" with a lady runner and her dog in a kind of CaniCross arrangement, swim suit clad (the lady, not the dog, haha). That dog is a strong runner! I observed a battle of wills between animal and human. The dog almost always wanting to run into the water, the lady wanting to remain on the beach. Most of the runners have been wearing trainers, although quite a few have been barefoot. I've done a fair number of barefoot miles along these sands. I would waddle down to the beach in flip-flops, tuck them under the edge of the boardwalk, and enjoy the feeling of natural running on the damp sand near the waters' edge, along sandbars, and splashing through shallows.

The beach, so peaceful at this early hour

Now I'm aware of a different sound, crunch-crunch, and the feeling underfoot has changed. I'm running on sea shells deposited by the retreating tide. I feel confident running over the shells in my trainers at the moment. Running barefoot I've been dodging the shells. I think a broken shell could easily cut the sole of my foot. I suppose the same broken shells could ruin a pair of trainers but I'm not bothered about that at the moment. My feet are shod in my old Saucony road shoes and today is their final outing. The treads are worn down where my foot strikes the ground (the heels are about as good as new) and the uppers are torn. They've been good shoes, at the end of this run they will have done about 650 miles in three continents, in all kinds of conditions, all kinds of terrain. They will rest in peace here in Portugal, they will not return to Edinburgh with me tomorrow. My mind wanders as I contemplate the wear pattern, the outside edges are so much more worn than the inside. Maybe I should put a bit more effort into training for a balanced foot strike.

Crunching over the shells is alright in ...

... my old saucony shoes, the treads are so worn ...

... and the uppers are torn.

I remember one barefoot morning when a chap strolled past me with such ease, his legs hardly seemed to be moving. I estimated his cadence at about 140 while mine was around 180. Looking at our footprints in the sand I compared our stride length. I seemed to be taking about five steps for each of his three, A little bit of arithmetic ... (140/180) * (5/3) =~ 1.3 ... so he must have been going about 30% faster than me. I need longer legs or something!

I could run all the way to the river along the shore, and the going ahead gets better there as the sand is flatter, but this leads to a dreary road section around the back of the fishing harbour and dry dock. Instead I choose to leave the beach a little earlier, some more boardwalk, back over the railway line, then a couple of kilometers of over roads and wastelands into Lagos.

Leaving behind the beach its time to knock the sand out of my shoes and put on my socks. The plan for today is to run between Meia Praia and Praia da Luz. I spent too much time yesterday contemplating the pros and cons of which direction to run. The start at Praia da Luz (running east) has a positive in terms of transportation but the sun will be in my eyes and there's a good chance of a stumble on the cliff top trails. I did a partial recce in this direction a couple of days ago, a few stumbles but luckily no full-on plants. The start at Meia Praia (running west) has the sun to my back, but most of the run will be with sand in my shoes and socks and probable blisters. So this was my solution, start at Meia Praia, sockless along the beach, then after the sands, clear out the shoes, clean up the feet, and on with fresh sand free socks. A fine plan, but before long to be undone by a moment of foolish exuberance.

Looking along the beach toward Lagos

I'm approaching the sleek new Lagos railway station on wasteland, where there's a sight for everyone who ever played with a train set as a child. Its old, rusted and disused, but here we have a genuine, full-scale, railway turntable. The route today takes me through the outdoor plaza of the new railway station (with unplanned welcome diversion via bathroom). Nearby the elegant old station, also disused, it looks such a romantic place. Just around the corner is Lagos marina, replete will millionaire leisure yachts. Here I cross Riveira Bensafrim on a small footbridge. This is a drawbridge which often opens to let the masts of the leisure yachts pass through. I've waited here a few times in the morning. Now I make left on the prettily paved promenade beside the river on Avenida dos Descobrimentos toward the ocean. This pavement is another favourite with the runners and again I'm remembering how impressed I've been by the number of folk out here running in the early morning.

The new Lagos rail station, my route goes through the outdoor plaza

Rusted, disused, rail turntable

Elegant, romantic, disused rail station

Lagos marina, and the leisure yachts of the well-to-do few ...

... the footbridge opens to let the masts through

Prettily paved promenade, a favourite place for the local runners

I can feel the temperature rising and my shirt is already soaked in sweat. Glancing to the east the sun has risen above the fishing harbour across the river. Its going to get very hot very soon. I decide to make a brief diversion to splash my hands and head in the cool water of a fountain pool, and take a look at a Lagos landmark. This statue is Dom Sebastiao, a young king of Portugal killed in battle, but at first glance you might think, maybe a spaceman? Or, if you're a Brit of a certain age (like me) you might be wondering whether this is Bill or Ben! I'm not feeling fully awake, I've acquired a head cold and chesty cough which is interfering with sleep a little, but luckily the pastelaria is open already and I can enjoy a jolt of espresso. The dog here always seems to have the best idea about how to deal with the heat.

Looking east to the fishing harbour, sun is up now, and I'm hot ...

... so its nice to splash hand and head in the cool fountain pools

Knight, spaceman, or Bill, or Ben?

I'm still sleepy, the pastelaria is open already ...

... so I enjoy a jolt of espresso on the terrace ...

... the dog knows how to deal with the heat!

I continue along the avenida as it bears right and ascends. To my left below are a couple of sandy beaches. First, the "town beach" Praia da Batata (I think it means "potato beach"). Second, Praia Estudantes, with a man-made arch in the cliffs. Beaches, cliffs, and arches are all features of this run. Also steps, and stacks. Just a few minutes later along a side road and rough tracks I reach Praia do Pinhao, perhaps my favourite around Lagos. This is a beach of three coves, the first two accessible on steep steps from the cliff tops. I decide to head down to the middle cove for a bit of show and tell. I must move quietly as there are quite a few people sleeping on the beach down here, some in tents, some in sleeping bags or under blankets. The first cove can be accessed from the middle cove through a natural arch in the cliffs. The tide is high and the water washes against the eroded bottom flight of the steep stone steps down from the cliff tops. I'm trying to take a photograph, dodging the waves with camera in hand ... no photo this morning but now I have wet sandy shoes and socks. I'll have sore feet later this morning after all my careful planning last night. The third cove is accessible around the rocks only at low tide. The beach is narrow and cliffs here are deeply undercut by erosion, to my eye they look a little precarious, perhaps ready to collapse.

Praia da Batata

Praia Estudantes, the arch is man-made

Looking down to Praia do Pinhao

Praia do Pinhao, my favourite beach around Lagos

Sweet little grotto ...

... and door between the coves

The tide is high, the water washes on the lower flight of steps ...

... steep, exposed, and eroded.

The cliffs are undercut by erosion at the third cove.

Back at the top of the steps the dusty dry cliff top trails start proper. I've grown accustomed to running through gorse, brambles and nettles, scratching and stinging my legs, but the flora here looks rather more aggressive. I'll need to take care. Attractive but often overcrowded Praia Donna Anna soon comes into view. The beach is pretty much empty at the moment and for sure its a stunner in the early light. Leaving Donna Anna a couple of hundred meters uphill on the road then a sharp left takes me back onto the dusty trails with more spectacular coastal views.

The dirt trails above the cliffs start ...

... I'd better take care near the flora! 

Praia Donna Anna to the west ...

... sights of sea stacks ...

... and Praia Donna Anna to the east.

Back onto the dusty dirt trails above the cliffs ...

... with more wonderful coastal scenes below.

The next beach along the coast will be Praia do Camilo, another little charmer. I stop a few minutes on the way to chat with some walkers, who kindly take a photograph. The terrain just before Camilo is weird, and a bit challenging - I am imagining running on the surface of Mars. The beach is easily reached from the cliff top on a long wooden stair. I'm running like a little metronome down the even steps to the sand. The views out to sea are lovely and there's another attractive little door down here. This is a beach of two small coves, joined by a man-made tunnel to the left of the door. Here again I find folk sleeping on the beach, and I tip-toe past them. There's more activity at the other end of the second cove where a chap is fishing from the beach.

Running on the cliff top trails.

The terrain here feels alien

Wooden stairs down to Praia do Camilo

Lovely views from the beach

Another pretty little door here

This tunnel joins the two coves of Camilo

The second cove of Camilo

For me now, its back up the steps and back onto the trails, and the magnificent coastal scenes around Pointa da Piedade. I've seen a lighthouse winking from the headland every evening and here it is, quite a small affair. Nearby another long flight of steps down to sea level, to the stacks, doors, windows and grottoes below. Continuing west around the point more stunning coastal scenes and a great deep hole in the earth. I gingerly creep toward the edge and point the camera down for a photo, fighting off a twinge of vertigo.

Pointa da Piedade

Spectacular coastal scenes here

Steps down through the cliffs ... 

... lead to wonderful views at sea level 

The abyss

Yet another arch

Charming inaccessible cove

Soon, Praia do Canavial comes into sight. I did a recce of this part of the route, in reverse, a couple of days ago. Its just as well I did. The other side of Canavial, I followed small often overgrown tracks above the cliffs until I ran out of track, all of a sudden, a sheer drop before me. Looked like perhaps there has been some erosion, some collapse. It took me a while to backtrack and find a diversion along the back roads. Today I know which way I will go. On these dry dusty trails I've found some mud, amazing! There are a couple of walkers carefully treading around the edge of the wet, I happily squelch right through. The water comes from the rotating sprinklers which help maintain the pristine lawns of the health and well-being resort on the other side of the fence. I chuckle to myself a little, but each to their own eh? I reach the turning point for the diversion around Canavial and here there are so many sprinklers spilling out over the boundary fence. I have two choices, run through and take a cold shower, or wait and count and sprint to stay dry. I choose to count and wait and sprint and my little old head fills with amusing memories of the chompers from Galaxy Quest.

Praia do Canavial comes into sight

On these dusty dry trails I find some mud ...

... created by the nearby sprinklers.

I have about a kilometre of road work from here down to Praia Porto do Mos. I was hoping to refill my water bottle at the cafe here but I'm too early, its not yet opened for the day. Oh well, I'll just have to be thirsty over the last leg of the run. Looking ahead the trail is clear and it feels good to climb on the rough, without steps, for a change this morning. It is nice but at the same time it is hard, much harder than it should be, I'm hot, I'm thirsty, my half blocked nose and congested chest are interfering with breathing here, and my left heel, both achilles and plantar, are sore. I need to sort out my left heel, I love running, but I hate hobbling. On the bright side there are lots of runners coming in the opposite direction and lots of friendly waves and hellos are filling me with happy runner feelings. The views down to the sea from the cliff tops are wonderful.

The obelisk above Luz comes into sight and I'm happier now, it will be easier going downhill from here. Just a brief pause to swig the last drops of warm water from the bottle and then the down. The immediate descent is steep, looks like it will be fun, my kind of run. Best to stow the camera now, my arms will be flailing around like insane windmills helping me stay upright while off balance for the next few minutes.

Diverted on the roads down to ...

... Praia Porto do Mos, and ...

... back up again on nice rough trails.

Lovely views down to the end of Praia Porto do Mos ...

... and along the cliffs.

The welcome sight of the obelisk above Luz.

Steep slippy descent here.

I wish I'd been wearing trail shoes, or at least road shoes with decent treads, for that descent. I slithered down. I managed to stay on my feet but that was more luck than anything else. Oh well, its easy going down to Praia da Luz now on a track at times dirt and at times cobbles, to the eastern end of the promenade, and the run is done. I'll enjoy an iced coffee now and then on the buses back to Meia Praia.

Easy speedy last few hundred metres ...

... down to Praia da Luz.

Leaving the bus near the apartment at Meia Praia I'm remembering mornings when I ended my early beach run with a dip in the sea to cool down and wash away the sweat. Well, I'm hot and soaked in sweat, so bring on the sea this morning. The crowds of happy holidaymakers have started to arrive, the tide has retreated, and its time for the old plodder to have a bit of a "Reggie Perrin Moment".

Back at Meia Praia the holidaymaker crowds are arriving ...

... and the old plodder has a Reggie Perrin moment.

This was my last out on our family holiday in the Algarve, and on the whole it was a super holiday, and a super run this morning. I've really enjoyed running on the beaches and the trails and the coastal scenery has been a wonderful change from the wee hills of southern scotland. This morning I've been on the go for just over two hours, about 17km, and with all the ups and downs between cliffs and beaches I've climbed about 550m. Its been good but hard this morning, breath was difficult with nasal and chest congestion, the left heel was a problem, and and the heat became a challenge toward the end of the run. The sounds and the smells and the sights were more than ample reward for this happy old plodder.

Enjoy!