Reflections on running

Reflections on my current running. Now I am at a point of my life where running has to be a way to stay fit and to relax my mind. Until now the goal has been reached.

Many friends of mine keep on running fast and racing regularly but for me it's different because all the injures I got. But this doesn't mean that I give up, I run and I race as I can even if I am not anymore competitive.

This month, after more than 3 years by the surgery on my shoulder, I started to swim again both to train the upper body and to restoring the movement of the right shoulder. As usual I pushed too much and now the arm hurts but this time I have learned the lesson: the swimming sessions must be 2 per week (+ 3/4 running workouts). The program includes some long walks too.

I think that my next race will be at the end of September in Vulci, an ancient Etruscan town with thermal baths and good local food. It is an easy trail 10 km long.

What I received from running.

Bad: 

1. I became addicted;

2. I broke 2 times the same shoulder because of 2 stupid falls.

Good:

1. A sense of freedom;

2. Mind and body relax;

3. To stay healthy;

4. Finding new good friends (included all of you: the blogger friends) and good running mates;

5. Possibility to exploring interesting routes during the workouts;

6. Possibility to visit new towns and cities to race through. I also raced abroad: Edinburgh (3 times), Athens, Berlin and Cardiff;

7. Enjoying the post race and the swag;

8. Making the unforgettable experience to finish 3 marathons. Here are the pics of the Rome Marathon in 1991:

9. Making the experience to be member of the official Navy Running Team;
10. Wonderful memories;
11. And more and more.......

Critters:
I introduce you "Lady" the mom of my favorite cat. One day she arrived to my garden pregnant and since then she lives here.

What is your best running memory?

Trail

Enjoying nature. The workouts continue regularly every other day, a little bit faster and no more longer  than 10 km.: I don’t have to be in hurry. I have also begun to swim in open sea to try to recover the complete movement of my right shoulder: the arm hurts but the things go better even if i know that the recover is impossible.

To enjoy more my workouts I made a couple of trails with my son: watching the nature, the critters, the plants and in good company the time flies.

We also had a dog attack, luckily with no consequences: we left slowly the place and the 5 attackers came back home.

Here are some fruits we saw on the trail:

And here are more friendly animals that we met:

Have you ever had bad experiences with dogs during your runs?

August 15th - Feast of the Assumption

Running again. In Italy aug. 15th is a national holiday, the feast of the Assumption. I spent the day at the Bolsena Lake with my wife. In early morning (06.30 a.m.) the temperature was perfect and unusual for this period (18.3 C - 65 F), so I had the possibility to make a "normal" workout by the lake, inside the wood and through the scenic ancient town of Capodimonte.

At last now I can run regularly even if slowly and for no more than 10 km. Better times will come. 

The celebrations. At 11.00 p.m. we attended, sitting on the shores of the lake, at the fireworks show. It was really amazing.

The town was crowded since the day before with outdoors markets and street food.

Pets. With pride I introduce you my sweet cat, the king of the garden and the owner of the house:

Hot August

Running update - I don't remember a hot august like this. On these days the temperature is between 32° and 36° C. (89,6 and 96,8 F.). Running is very tough also in early morning. The problem in my tongue is not totally solved but I am improving, so I can do my workouts every other day: very slowly (about 6:30/km - 10:28 ml) and short (about 9 km - 5,6 ml). Better times will come when the heat has gone and I am completely healed.

I miss a lot the races, my last one was in may and I don't know yet when the next will be. Here is a photo taken in august 2011.

Not only running, today I have swam for the 4th time (2 in open sea and 2 in the lake): the arm hurts and the movement is not complete but I must come back to swim.

Pets - Below you can see my grandson Filippo and his best friend Nathan.

Running again?

Mouth sores update. Thank you my blogger friends for the support. The cure worked very well and, at last, I feel good with no pain anymore on my tongue. All the doctors said that I don't have to worry for the problem I have had but I must increase my diet drinking a smoothy every day, taking a tablet of zinc for 30 days and drinking an immune active drink  for 20 days at the beginnings of every season. They also said that I don't have to stress my (old) body.

Running again? Yesterday I tried to run few minutes on the beach. The test was positive (beyond me you can see my 3rd grandson Gabriele). My wife took a pic and complained about my posture: after the incident my right shoulder is no longer aligned with the other. She is right and very soon I will start another physiotherapy treatment. However by tomorrow I will run again, with moderation and without pushing, I think 3 times per week until next fall.

Critters. Yesterday and the day before yesterday, I made 2 long walks with a friend of mine and we met these "charming beauties", as you can listen my friend felt in love with them.