April 2019

April 2019: As usual my monthly mileage is low because, to avoid injures, I only run 3 times per week. However I alternate the workouts with long walks. Such workouts are mainly through ondulate paths with challenging uphills to be ready to race in the hilly towns around my city. The place of the next race will be Vetralla always in Lazio region, Viterbo province (see the pic):

No more swimming, the lanes in the pool are too crowded and I don't want to risk to receive blows on my shoulder. I will do it this summer in open sea.
Stats: 117,2 km (10 workouts + 2 races) and 13 long walks.

Old memories - April 1987: Below are 2 photos of a 11 km race I ran in my city 32 years ago on April 27, 1987: only 73 participants and my finishing time was 50:47.

As you can see we were pioneers: no volunteers, in the middle of the traffic, no runners behind and beyond. Another time: ancient cars, outfit in cotton, no Garmin but .... my shoes were the legendary Nike Elite Classic.

Maratonina Acquapendente Race Recap

April 25, 2019 at 10.00 – km. 7.2

    Acquapendente is another beautiful little town, with a population of 5.500, in Lazio region, Viterbo province.

 

    I made the decision to enter, when possible, the races organized in such province for many reasons: not far from home, beautiful places, good food, friendly people, good post race refreshment and usually rich swag with local products. The routes are not so good even if shorter than the usual: heartbreak uphills, cobblestone, narrow streets and few participants (this depends by the difficult routes).

    The Acquapendente race had all the features listed above, none excluded, but the worst were the uphills and the streets with cobblestones flooring. Moreover it consisted of 5 laps through the town.

    At the moment we don’t have yet the official restults however my finishing time was 40:16 (5:36/km – 9:01/ml) and, what a surprise, I received the prize for the 10th place in my age group: a bottle of Chianti wine.

     Unfortunately I have lost all my “speed” because of the incident in my shoulder (January 2016). As you can see in the pic, after the surgery the right shoulder became lower than the right one and also the conformation is different because in place of the rotary capsule I have a prosthetis. But never mind I don’t give up.

Here are other pics of the race:

Last but not least a very well refined gentleman who ran without the bib:

 

Maratonina Piansano Race Recap

Sunday April 14, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. – km. 8,6

Piansano is a little town in Lazio Region, near the Bolsena Lake, with a population of 2.200.

I arrived alone in early morning at the reception desk of the organization and, after I have paied the bib (12 euros), they said that I couldn’t receive the “swag” because they didn’t have anymore. Well, we were only 87 at the start and they didn’t have enough “swags” for all the participants!!!! 

Ok never mind I was there only to enjoy a morning of sport and the race atmosphere.

Of course, as I was alone, unfortunately I don't have any pic of the race. Besides there were not photographers along the way.

The path was ondulate and scenic: 7 km in the countryside and 1,6 terrible km through the streets of the town at the end. I have never seen a series of uphills, inside narrow streets, like those during a race!

Official stats: Finishing time 47:23; 73° of 87 overall.

My running paths

 A friend of mine few days ago asked why I prefer to run alone and not with a group of friends. The answers are many: 1. The start is out of my door and I don’t have to go to the meeting points; 2. I can run at any time without worrying to be late at the meetings; 3. I have a record of my workouts for every route with an all-time and an annual top 10; 4. I can run where I want: near the sea, in the country, on the hills, through the streets of the city ecc.

He said that I am “asocial”, maybe he is right but I like the feeling of freedom that only our sport can give.

To better explain what I mean and my feelings I show  some pictures that I took in my “country path”: no noise and no traffic but only the sing of the birds, many colors, flowers, animals and beautiful landscapes:

And last but not least I introduce you Nathan, my 4th grandson, my son’s puppy: