THE ROUTE
Schedule for the final day, Wednesday April 21st now available
Each marathon will be run on small B roads as much as possible and avoiding too many steep hills! The overall journey by foot will be 1310 miles in 50 days, which equates to 50 marathons.
Portugal: (approx 10 marathons) From
Lisbon up the coast to Porto and
Spain: (approx 15 marathons) Turning east at Santiago de Compostela following the pilgrim route backwards towards Irun, passing the coastal towns of Santander, San Sebastian and Irun.
France: (approx 22 marathons) Through in to Biarritz in France towards Bordeaux. Then up through mid France towards Paris and Calais
UK: (4 marathons) Dover or Folkestone towards central London
The London needle is quivering at sea level. The Lisbon start is 50 metres above. All in all, this makes it downhill. Don't mention the historic volcanic activity that forms Europe's haphazard geography. Hugh hasn't spotted the bleak plains and never-ending horizons of northern Spain, the full span and peaks of the Pyrenees. Then there are the cobbled streets and aromatic boulangeries across France, the vineyards appellation superieur. Last to conquer, the slow-winding chalk hills of the South Downs.
Where is Hugh today?
Check below to see a more detail on Hugh's planned run for the day.
Portugal
| Day | Date | Start Point | Finish point | View Maps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 3/3/10 | Poets' Park, Oeiras, Lisbon | Praia Pequena de Rodizio | MAP |
| Day 2 | 4/3/10 | Sintra | Egidio | MAP |
| Day 3 | 5/3/10 | Torres Vedras | Sao Bernadino | MAP |
| Day 4 | 6/3/10 | Peniche | Foz do Arelho | MAP |
| Day 5 | 7/3/10 | Foz do Arelho | Vale do Paredes (minus 2km) | MAP |
| Day 6 | 8/3/10 | Sao Pedro de Moel | Leirosa | MAP |
| Day 7 | 9/3/10 | Armazens | Videira do Sul (minus 2km) | MAP |
| Day 8 | 10/3/10 | Praia de Mira | Angeja | MAP |
| Day 9 | 11/3/10 | Furadouro | Porto | MAP |
| Day 10 | 12/3/10 | Leca de Palemira | Estela Golf Club | MAP |
| Day 11 | 13/3/03 | Criaz | Montedor | MAP |
Spain
| Day | Date | Start Point | Finish point | View Maps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 12 | 14/3/10 | Montedor | Tomada (north of Pazos) | MAP |
| Day 13 | 15/3/10 | Praia America | A Calle | MAP |
| Day 14 | 16/3/10 | Pontevedra | Cambelas | MAP |
| Day 15 | 17/3/10 | Santiago de Compostela | Mesla (finish 2.5 km to east) | MAP |
| Day 16 | 18/3/10 | Curtis | O Campo de Feira (Moman) | MAP |
| Day 17 | 19/3/10 | Vilalba | Lourenza (finish 5km to west) | MAP |
| Day 18 | 20/3/10 | Trabada | Boal (finish 6km to west) | MAP |
| Day 19 | 21/3/10 | Navia | Cadavedo | MAP |
| Day 20 | 22/3/10 | Aviles | Norena (finish 4km to north-east) | MAP |
| Day 21 | 23/3/10 | Villaviciosa | Nueva (finish 6km to west) | MAP |
| Day 22 | 24/3/10 | Llanes | La Revilla | MAP |
| Day 23 | 25/3/10 | (Campo de) Comillas | Barcenilla | MAP |
| Day 24 | 26/3/10 | Argonos | Ambasaguas (finish 3km to east) | MAP |
| Day 25 | 27/3/10 | Basigo | Elantxobe (finish 1.5km to north west) | MAP |
| Day 26 | 28/3/10 | Lekeito | Zumaia | MAP |
France
| Day | Date | Start Point | Finish point | View Maps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 27 | 29/3/10 | San Sebastian | Bidart (finish 2km to south west) | MAP |
| Day 28 | 30/3/10 | Biarritz | Le Penon | MAP |
| Day 29 | 31/3/10 | Vieux-Boucau-Les-Bains | Pelindres | MAP |
| Day 30 | 1/4/10 | Mimizan Plage | Le Clerc | MAP |
| Day 31 | 2/4/10 | La Vignolle | Villenave d'Ornon (Bordeaux) | MAP |
| Day 32 | 3/4/10 | Asques | Clerac | MAP |
| Day 33 | 4/4/10 | Pouillac | Chadenac | MAP |
| Day 34 | 5/4/10 | Cognac | Mazeray | MAP |
| Day 35 | 6/4/10 | La Touche | Le Chiron | MAP |
| Day 36 | 7/4/10 | La Rochelle | Taugon | MAP |
| Day 37 | 8/4/10 | St-Michel-le Cloucq | Courlay (finish 3km to south) | MAP |
| Day 38 | 9/4/10 | Chambroutet | Panreux | MAP |
| Day 39 | 10/4/10 | Villebernier (Saumur) | Avrille les Ponceaux | MAP |
| Day 40 | 11/4/10 | Couesmes | Ponce-sur-le-Loire (finish 3km north) | MAP |
| Day 41 | 12/4/10 | Saint Calais | Charbonnieres | MAP |
| Day 42 | 13/4/10 | Nogent-le-Rotrou | La Puisaye (finish 2km south-west) | MAP |
| Day 43 | 14/4/10 | La Bonneville-sur-Iton | Pont de L'Arche | MAP |
| Day 44 | 15/4/10 | Buchy | Saint-Leger-aux-Boix | MAP |
| Day 45 | 16/4/10 | Querrieu | Hem-Monacu | MAP |
| Day 46 | 17/4/10 | St Omer | Les Hemmes de Marck | MAP |
England
| Day | Date | Start Point | Finish point | View Maps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 47 | 18/9/10 | Brighton | Brighton | MAP |
| Day 48 | 19.04/2010 | Brighton | Mayfield | MAP |
| Day 49 | 20/4/10 | Mayfield | Crockham Hill | MAP |
| Day 50 | 21/4/10 | Richmond Park | Trafalgar Square | MAP |
A typical day for Hugh once the marathons are under way
| 07.00 | Breakfast (2 large bowls of porridge) |
| 08.00 | Drive in van to start location - strapping feet / morning physio treatment & massage |
| 08.30 | Support team plug in daily co-ordinates. Assess route. Hugh starts his exercises and stretching |
| 09.00 | Start running. Hugh will take energy gels and energy drinks. |
| 15.00 onwards | At some point Hugh crosses the line! Consume recovery drink
and sandwich / energy bar
Assessment of feet and any other problems. Drive to hotel / B&B, shower Ice bath for 15 minutes at 10 degrees C. This is essential each day to re-circulate the blood. This is followed by dipping feet in surgical spirit. After, compression socks on |
| 20.30 | Dinner - loads of carbohydrates and protein to repair muscles |
| 22.00 | Sleep |
