Always troubles

I apologize, but I won't be able to write or comment posts for a while. Yesterday, during a workout, I fell on the ground and fractured the humerus in my left shoulder. Have a good week ahead.

Holiday in Tuscany - Part 1: Castiglione d'Orcia

In my last post I wrote that during the Easter week my wife and I spent 7 days at the Navy Club in Chianciano Terme, Tuscany.

Around Chianciano Terme there are many charming towns immersed in the green country. Today I'm showing you some photos of Castiglione d'Orcia, a town of 2038 inhabitants in Val d'Orcia (Siena province):

Once a sailor always a sailor

In my last post I wrote that before the running races I use to wear the jacket that I got when I enlisted in the Navy in 1977. Well, I stayed in the Coast Guard for 20 years and then I changed job even if I continued to work in the ports.

I am the second from left

I am the sailor at the helm of the Patrol Boat

Thanks to these 20 years of service, I have acquired the right to attend all the Navy Clubs located throughout Italy. The closest to my city is in Rome:

During the Easter holidays, my wife and I spent a week at the Chianciano Terme Navy Club, Chianciano Terme is famous for its thermal baths. The city is located in the heart of Tuscany so we were able to visit dreamy towns and villages around it. It felt like we were living in a fairytale. Attending Navy Clubs is a pleasure for me because it is a step back in time that allows me to meet again old friends in an environment that I have never forgotten.

Chianciano Terme Navy Club

Chianciano Terme Navy Club

Chianciano Terme

Chianciano Terme

Walking through the narrow streets

Tired after the thermal bath

I can also say that, for me, the Coast Guard was and remains a family, while the job that followed was just .... a job. I still meet up with the old colleagues and it's always a pleasure to spend time together remembering the good old days. As the saying goes: "Once a sailor, always a sailor"!!!!

The cake after a meeting among the old colleagues of the Coast Guard

The pictures of the other cities in Tuscany will follow soon.

Questions: 

- Do you like to spend your time in the Thermal Baths?

- Have you ever visited a Navy or Army or Air Force club?

HAVE A GOOD WEEK AHEAD

 

After the troubles. Coming back to life.

It's been two years since my last post and it's been a very difficult time, marked by various health problems: some resolved, other stabilized.

Unfortunately, I cannot anymore run competitively, and this month, after more than two years, I returned to race, even if in a no-competitive event. Now I'm only running twice a week, at a very slow pace and no longer than 7 km (4.3 m). The goal is to enjoy running and, for this reason, I'm choosing routes in the suburbs where I can smell the atmosphere of the landscape and the 1960s-style neighborhoods, where all the buildings are surrounded by green parks. In the future, I'll be able to increase my distance, but not my speed, because the "bouncing" could cause problems at my fragile bones.

This was my last competitive race on May 05, 2024: Vetralla a very tough 10 km with a terrible uphill. In the first photo you can see the jacket that I wore for the first time in 1977 when I joined the Navy (in my next post I will say more about this topic):

And this is the no-competitive race that I entered in Civitavecchia on April 12, 2026. It was a flat race 4,1 km. long:

Have a good week

Running again - January

Running again - After the positive diagnostic tests (X-ray of the ribs, color doppler ultrasound of the aortas, MRI of the skull) I got the medical authorization to run again 32 days later the fall which caused the fracture of a rib and the head trauma.

However I was not lazy, a week after the incident I started to walk one hour every day until Jan. 21 when I could run again but, as usual, I didn’t listen to my body so, after 2 crazy workouts, I had to reschedule all the activities increasing step by step mileage and speed. My favorite paths are the roads at the edge of my city where, sometimes, I meet some friendly critter.

Before the first run after the fall

One of my favorite paths

A good friend

January 2024 - These are my workouts in January for the (poor) total of 54 km (33.5 m):

Jan 21: 9.5 km.;

Jan 23: 9.5 km.;

Jan 25: 7.2 km.;

Jan 27: 8.4 km;

Jan 29: 9.7 km.;

Jan 31: 9.7 km.

The current plan is to run every other day for not less than 10 km and then gradually increase the distance. The goal is to participate in as many races as possible in the Viterbo province. There the races are very interesting for the following reasons: they take place around and inside beautiful ancient towns; the fee is not expensive; the swag and the age groups awards consist of local food/craft products and the post race parties are always rich.  Sometimes we also get a medal.

Ancient memories – January 1990:

11.2 km in the ancient Etruscan city of Tarquinia. After the end of my race I accompanied my son Paolo Giulio, who at that time was 11 years old, to the finish line. A fast son and a very proud dad!!!!!!

 HAVE A GREAT FEBRUARY

One day in Tuscia

One Day in Tuscia - On January 2nd my wife and I spent one day in Tuscia (Viterbo province) and we visited 2 beautiful ancient towns: Soriano nel Cimino and Capodimonte.

In the morning we visited Soriano nel Cimino, a town that develops in height on the slopes of the Cimini mountains, where we bought the typical “ciambellette”, a delicious local treat.

Later we went to Capodimonte, where we arrived at 07:00 p.m., to see the Christmas lights: we were surprised to see the town completely deserted; as you can see from the photos we didn't meet a single person on the streets. I must admit that I was fascinated anyway by that unreal atmosphere brightened by the lights.

Soriano nel Cimino

Stefano a Soriano nel Cimino

Soriano nel Cimino

Ciambellette

Capodimonte

Capodimonte

Capodimonte

Capodimonte

Injury update - I'm slowing healing. I miss running, but I've been walking about 1 hour a day, covering more than 5 km each time. Tomorrow I will get the x-ray control and then the doctor will decide if and when I can start to run again.

Do you like to visit ancient towns?

Which was the last hamlet you visited?

Have a good week ahead

Broken - Happy New Year

Broken - After 2 weeks of absence I am back to “blogland”. Why this silence? On the morning of Dec. 19th I went out with a friend for a morning run and, after 9 km at normal pace, I decided to run other 3 km at race pace. Unfortunately, at the 11th km, I tripped over an uneven sidewalk and I fell breaking a rip, cracking my eyebrow and injuring my knee. I was taken by the ambulance to the emergency room where they kept me under observation for one day. At the moment the prognosis is 20 days, but my doctor has already said that they are not enough for healing.

At this point all programs related to running have been cancelled. It's a shame because I was increasing my mileage and the speed considerably.

The wound 10 days after the fall

The uneven sidewalk

Now, during this period of rest and recovery, as schools are closed for the Christmas holidays, I enjoy the company of my grandson. Cannot wait for spending my time with the other 3 grandsons. Here are 2 photos taken in Tarquinia:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!