Running at ease in Costa Teguise

It’s Easter Saturday and I’m away in the sun. Sometimes I have a guilt about being away, leaving extended family behind or friends who haven’t been away, but this time I don’t. Everyone in my house needs a break, particularly my husband who has well earned his holiday. Working outdoors all winter and spring in hammering wind and rain, lambing a big flock of sheep and the daily errands that business and farming brings.

For the youth, a heightened busyness also exists, winter sports now colliding with summer and school sports, with homework, schoolwork, discos, farming and everything else in between. Sometimes I’m driving the car over the road and need to ask the passengers which road am I taking this evening. It’s all in a day’s goings on!

I like to make the most of every moment – I don’t believe in wasting opportunities or time in life – so sometimes it’s only when one you get away, and you get to read, or run without a schedule, or have food served up, that you then realise the fullness of the home schedule.

I could – and have – run for miles out here in Lanzarote. The early mornings are amazing with its breeze (sometimes very strong winds) which is refreshing yet has a warmth. It takes your breathe away but is nothing like the wet, cold and wind of home. When it’s at your back it’s like putting Duracell batteries into you.

A few days in, one climatises to the routine of directions, routes, possibilities, the planning, the fun and the challenges. I’m asked down to do a 9am fun run in Costa Teguise on Saturday. Sure how could I say no? An early morning start, perfect to be back for the family activities (I think Go-carting is being planned) and to first have a few hours to myself.

When I am in a faraway place I like to travel on foot. There’s no better way to see a place than to move through the countryside where you can see, feel, smell and hear what the place is like. Costa Teguise back to where I am staying is about eleven miles and the best part is you can run all the way off road, by the sea. I have a buzz about me, a need to do this. I’ll get the bus down, carry very little and jog back.

The time change has brought a darker morning start and I tiptoe out. A white moon lights up the sky, the wind has died down, bringing a real warmth to the air. I hear the ocean splashing the waves against the shoreline, the sound of tea cups from the kitchen, the birds singing, footsteps on the prom, all natural, beautiful sounds. I sit on the sand and stretch – I’m stiff from all the cycling, swimming and jig-acting with the youth – before walking slowly up the hill, tea in hand.

A redness emerges from the sky, the sun saying a little hello as it rises slowly like myself. I walk up and down waiting for the bus – everything seems to take a little longer here – but finally I’m on my way. As the bus flies through the stops I take it all in before hopping off at the post office and jogging towards the music down at the start of the fun run.

Some familiar faces are setting up. I leave my bag with the crew and head for a stroll. It’s beautiful here, with sailing boats behind me, cruise ships to the left and cargo ships out at sea. People are happily, leisurely and mindfully moving their bodies along a shoreline of beauty. Jogging back to the start, there’s a lively warm-up of dancing, singing, stretching, where people get to know one another around a common goal of movement.

A quick instruction similar to the parkrun back home, out and back route where you shout your number at halfway. A nice few of us at the front, I tuck in beside a mate. I know how he runs; this is fun today but I know an element of competitiveness will creep in.

The siren goes and we start along the marina, a sharp uphill to the prom, across a road, then a cycle lane and now a chance to get into a rhythm, I let the two lads off, it’s early days yet and I’m feeling good so far. I keep out wide to the left, it’s shorter inside but there’s too many people to be passing and avoiding. I like to be out where I’ve space. A dirty uphill but then a lovely downhill, I open up, let the arms free, and just run. And what a feeling it is, to run quickly, the sun beaming through me. A mile done and it feels good. I’m in behind the lads.

My mate’s breathing heavy, keeping moving to my own flow, and we pass a few. A lady we know coming towards us encourages my mate to push on. Now I’ve a real pep in my step. We’re halfway, I shout my number, a good split I’m told, but the bollard slows us down. As we tightly get round it, the breeze is not so bad, lighter than normal but refreshing.

I move out beside my mate who tells me to catch the man ahead, but he doesn’t know the plan to run eleven miles home after this. Still, my steps get quicker, my body gets stronger and I’m moving away. I stay in the good feeling zone, with arms pumping, the legs lifting and the head clear. An uphill take it handy, the corner push around, the marina past the next guy and now it’s head for home. I can hear my mate behind, a bit away but pushing hard. A fast few moves, then a sharp uphill, the last stretch I run for home, a push to finish, a loud cheer, I embrace.

Three males in ahead, my mate comes in, then another, cheers, applause, photos. What a feeling.

The music begins, the cool down in the ocean, laughter, beauty, happiness. I gradually depart from the buzz, thank everyone, tell them I’ll be back, fill up on water, gather my bag and begin to jog on my path along the ocean, to bring me through an island of beauty.