Training in El Hierro

I am just back from El Hierro. Even though I was there with 32 children (Geography field trip) I managed to get in 4 unforgettable runs. On the first evening there I set off at 6.30pm to try to run to the highest point on the island (Malpaso 1501m), however I misjudged the available light and had to turn back about 1 km from the summit, and had to finish the run in the dark (1h40).

The next day after walking for 3 hours with the kids I ran back to our hostel. This was an amazing run, I climbed over 1000m in under 5km, taking 45mins. The rest of the run was through some of the nicest pine forests I have ever seen (2h).

Probably the toughest run on the week was from a fishing village called La Restinga, which is a world famous diving area, back to the hostel. Although this run started in the baking sun it was long before I was running through the clouds! I can't remember a training run like it, as it climbed the whole way. This run was 100% climb, and at times was some of the steepest climbing I have ever done (1h20).

Today I only managed to fit in a 30hour jog through the forest. The pine forest of El Hierro are amazing, nothing on the ground but pine needles! the perfect recovery run!