Day 42 / Bostens - Saint-Sever / 39.81 km

I slept well in the refuge Neuf Fontaines. I wake up at 7.00,have breakfeast and start walking. My right heel is still painful. I shave take some Ibuprofen but hasn’t kicked in yet. In order to limit the distance today I take a shortcut to Mont de Marsan. Instead of 25 it takes me 19 km. The first 10 kilometres I run on small roads. The alternative route which I have plotted should be all small roads but somewhere along the way I take a wrong turn and end up doing 9km on a busy departemental. Cars and trucks passing by. The last 5 entering Mont de Marsan is like running on the boulevard of supermarkets, I pass all imaginable brands active on the French market. Finally I arrive in the city centre. Mont de Marsan is a considerable city with strangely a lot of statues (I’m not in photo mood today so no pictures to show). 

I buy some pain de Raisins for immediate consumption and a sandwich for lunch. I exit the city via another busy road the other side of town. 

This morning I called Wouter my physiotherapist for advice regarding my painful feet : massage, compeed and Ibuprofen should keep me running. This morning, after the Ibuprofen kicked in running was ok. Today’s  route is not bad not special. I must say that the last couple of days my main focus is to get to Saint Jean Pied de Port. The landscape of the Landes was quite monotone and I exchange the Landes pines with green fields. Not bad but nothing which I didn’t see before.

The day becomes special eventually, by surprise. When I exit a small forest I suddenly see in the distance the Pyrenees. Snow covered mountains. I guess around 100 k away. I’m thrilled. I start running faster. OIGO. If you look on the picture below you can see the Pyrenees in the distance.

The weather today is fine. Even warm. Next week above 25º is expected in Saint Jean Pied de Port. I continue running and arrive around 13.30 at Saint Sever. The tourist office, where I need to get the key of the Gite communal, will only open at 15.00. I buy something to drink and have my lunch which I bought at Mont de Marsan. When the OT (office de tourisme) is open I check in, have shower, wash my sweaty running shirt. I’m sharing the room with Yvonne from the Netherlands. Saint Sever is a small village on top of the hill, two old cloisters, some old buildings and more importantly 2 bars with a terrace in the sun. 

Oh, And I have finally a “coiff” which was in reality the hire of a tondeuse for 2 minutes at the local barber. 

Today is Friday. Weekend. At least 3 restaurants are open. I think I will treat myself. Tomorrow I’m not entirely sure what I will do ; either run to a village 15 km before Orthez and the day after just do the 15 km, or run directly to Orthez, 46 km, so I can stay 2 nights. Will see.

Lessons Learned :

- The Pyrenees are close.

- The price of clementines are increasing the further I go south. Doesn’t make sense to me.

- I’m getting grey.

Song of today : I keep a close watch -John Cale

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