Running in the dark

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions about "running in the dark". I've stumbled three times on stones and roots while I've been running through the countryside :( Moreover, three years ago while I was running along trail paths I fell during a "dogs attack"!! But I think that running on the road is more dangerous than running through the countryside. Most runners have stumbled on those circle wires which I mentioned in my last post. While we are running on the route we sometimes see those parts of the car which I show in the first photo below. We can also find dangerous wires along the route (second photo).

Running in the dark through the town is amazing! But we would have to follow some suggestions. For example, Julie from Minnesota said if she run in the dark she will make sure to have a running lamp and Christine from Arizona will sometimes run along a street with lights.
My friend Stefano wrote in his comment that Bruce Springsteen dances in the dark and the Black Knight Army will always run in the dark :)
Have a nice running weekend!

Wire rim iron

The question of this post was inspired by Char, from Brisbane http://char-mylifesamarathon.blogspot.com/ , with her post of the 23th of May. She wrote about her relaxed 12 kilometers run in almost total darkness.

During our training sessions we sometimes run along the route. As you know, car wheels sometimes lose auto spare parts, such as wire rim iron. This is a danger! If a runner didn't see this wire rim iron he'd stumble. In this way some runners fell while they were running along the route. Moreover, the problem with running in darkness is that you can't see a pothole. That's why I don't like to run in almost total darkness.

Maybe I haven't bored you with this short post :) Thanks to everyone for last comments and advices about stretching. I hope you all blogger friends enjoy your runs next weekend!

Hamstring stretch

I've planned to go to Tuscania on Sunday, where a 10 kilometers race started at 10:00 a.m. Although this morning was sunny and beautiful I didn't run that race because I didn't feel very good. This morning while I was waking up I felt weak, so I decided to do a relaxing long run. After I had run 18 kilometers at an average pace of 05:50 I did stretching near my house. I did one of these stretching drills with one leg up on a fence trying to reach for my toes. I think that this is a classic hamstring stretch but someone says it may do more harm than good. I don't understand why.

Other runners advise to stand on one leg with knee slightly bent and hold our other leg under or knee. Our hamstring is parallel with the floor. Of consequence, we would have to hold for two second and then we would bring our heel back under our knee. I'm curious to know what do you Think about this. I hope that all you are getting an effective stretching :)

A special good luck to Anne and Amy for their first half marathon :) Have a good running everyone!

Running team dinner

This weekend I haven't run races. Although the weather wasn't nice, this morning I ran 16 km long run. I'm trying to maintain the long distance running. It's very strange that the weather has been so cold and rainy since last Monday. We ran the first two kilometres in the light rain, then the weather became sunny and from the 4th to the 8th kilometer we ran through the countryside. After the rain the smell of vegetation was more intense. From the 9th to the 11th kilometer we ran near the sea. The sea air smelt good while we were running along the coast.

On Saturday evening we had a dinner with the running team (somebody is sending me the photo of the dinner and I'll post that image as soon as I receive it). We went to a small village situated on the hills near the town, where we could eat boar meat. Stefano wasn't there because he had gone to a wedding. For the reason he's angry because he would like to be there with us.

Next Sunday I'll try to run the Tuscania's 10 km race. In the photo below you can see the Tuscania's mediaeval castle and the old church. Near that old town there's a gren valley, which I showed in my post of the 5th of May. It is a nice protected area. That mediaeval city dominates the area, with its perfectly preserved old centre. Behind turreted walls and towers there are ancient churches, palaces, alleys, arches, portals and fountains which you can see in the image below. I took this photo one month ago.

I hope that all you'll enjoy the rest of this weekend!

Rome's Campus race

Yesterday 1115 people ran that 10 km race through the southern part of Rome, near the Campus. It was a beautiful and sunny Sunday, perfect. The track was actually nice and pleasant although the last 2 km were up-hill and this was a very challeging part of the route. I enjoyed the race and the time taken was 44:06 minutes. Stefano is posting a more detailed report on his blog.
Today I ran again. I did 45:57 minutes slowly ... but I ran in the rain. Thank you to everyone for all of your support and comments.

Campus

Tomorrow I'm going to Rome with my friend Stefano and his son. The 10km Campus race starts at 10:00 a.m. and the weather might be sunny.
In the meanwhile, I've posted the link of Julie's blog because she posted her first giveaway to celebrate getting over 100 awesome followers. You can see that link in this page (down the clock).
I hope all my blogger friends will have a nice running weekend!

The Marta river valley

Last Sunday I ran 15 km (long run) and Monday I ran 1 hour and 10 minutes (relaxing run).
This afternoon I had run 50 minutes (tempo run) before it rained and next Friday I'm running 1 hour slowly. I'm going with Stefano to Rome next Sunday where the Campus 10km Race starts at 10 a.m.
Maybe I'd need to go swimming once a week. I'll try to go swimming next month, so I'll run four times a week and I'll swim once a week. As a consequence, twice a week rest.
In the photo below posted you can see that today clouds are covering Central Italy. The image shows the Marta river valley which is situated between Tuscany and my town. This morning I went there for job and that valley does look ideal for a run.
I hope all my blogger friends will have a nice training!

Simple potatoe dish

As requested by Julie I write here below the recipe of the potatoe dish which I mentioned on this blog last Friday.

Ingredients:
2 pounds small potatoes, white or red
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon (scant) dried leaf thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Preparation:
Heat oven to 450°. potatoes cut into slices.
In a large bowl, toss potatoes with the oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Transfer potatoes to a baking pan and arrange in layers. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until potatoes are browned.

As you know, runners need to eat carbohydrates, so I'm glad to write on my blog this recipe of a very simple potatoe dish :)

Yesterday was a beautiful and sunny Saturday and I didn't run. We went on the beach where we spent a lazy Saturday. On the contrary, today the weather is rainy and this morning I ran 14 km in the soft rain. I didn't race this Sunday.
Now I'm going to read your training sessions and races' reports on your blogs :)

Water and bananas

We've sometimes received water and bananas after a half marathon or a marathon. While we're running the last two kilometers of a long run race we could feel weak and our legs might start to cramp. Thanks in part to that water and bananas the body's imbalance returns to normal in about an hour. Of course water hydrates and bananas supply potassium which is of particular importance to runners. Potassium is a mineral which maintains fluids and electrolyte levels within the body. It helps in recovery and may also protect against hearth disease.
As I'm sure you're aware, we could find potassium in so many common foods such as spinach, carrot, orange and yogurt. Moreover, I've recently read that dry figs and other dried fruits have a high concentration of potassium. But how could we keep our potassium optimal levels every day? I don't know, but I'm sure that lots of fast foods are low in potassium. Of consequence, it's best to concentrate on eating a wide variety of whole foods every day.

After I had wrote this post I tried to find potassium in the meal :) So, we cooked potatoes with garlic, low-fat cheese and olive oil. And we didn't lose much time to cook it.

Running and advanced thinking

I've always read on your runner's blogs that running makes you feel good. As you know, most runners wrote that they feel extremely relaxed after they run. Other blog's friends said that running helps their psychic equilibrium. What I'm trying to say is that running makes you happier.
It's scientific fact that the use of exercise improves cognitive functioning in both young and old people. I've read on a runner's magazine the relationship between phisical activity and mental penformance. In other words, active people are better problem solvers and think fast.
Some professionals say that their craft depends on running. While they are running they get into a "zone that allows them to solve problems". I sometimes feel that the spatial imagination is activated by running.
A scientific analysis of the University of Ulm, in Germany, shows that brain's neurotrasmitters increase during phisical activity. That's why running would enhance our ability to solve problems.
In this perspective, if I have a learning or memory problem I will run more :)
I hope that I haven't bored you.
Have a nice running weekend.

Tarquinia's 11.2 km race

A very hard race was held this morning in Tarquinia, an old small town near the Tuscan border. In this sunny morning about 400 people ran 11.2 km with three hard up-hills. The runners met dangerous steep slopes along the track and I didn't run fast those down-hills. On the contrary, the landscape was beautiful during that race because we ran through the old town and around the medieval wall. After the race I visited the old side of the town where we had run. The time taken was 51:19 minutes.
Ultimately I enjoyed that race and improved slightly the averaqe pace. While I was crossing the finish line I felt good. I hope that all you will have a nice week and a good training.

12 kilometers "green" race

I think that I have to run the races which are held in my town. Although since the 1st of April I've got weight, this morning I decided to run the "Vivicittà" 12 kilometers race. Before we began to run the warm up I and Stefano had met some friends who wore green T-shirts. They were "green" runners because the race had been held in support of environmental protection. The atmosphere was very friendly and the weather was cloudy. I show you some photos of those "green" runners and I am near the two dogs with green T-shirts.


In the next photo you can see the two black knights before the race.

The track of the 12 kilometers race was hard and we ran four steep up hills. The time taken was 55:20 minutes.

Training through the protected area

This time I didn't improve my running time and I didn't enjoy the training. I ran 10 km and the time taken was 54:39 minutes. Maybe I gained weight during last Easter weekend because I had eaten plenty of Easter's pastries, chocolate eggs and other Easter food. The main part of the track which we ran this afternoon was inside the protected area.

After we had crossed the Southern Suburbs we ran a hard up hill. Then we followed the path through a green valley of the natural reserve and we ran along the mediterranean forest. Today the landascape was better than the training. In the first photo above posted you can see a view of the small protected area with some typical Italian cattles. Then I showed you the spring colours of the mediterranean forest

and the hard up hill above mentioned. I hope that I'll improve the next training.

Easter time

I arrived at the Park early enough to do a short warm-up on my own before meeting up with the small running group. The time taken during that training session was 1 hour, 14 minutes and 26 seconds. This time I didn't improve the speed but I maintained my pace. We run 14,12 km along the Southern side of the town and through the countryside. My average pace was 5:16 min/km.

As you know we need a well balanced meal after running. If you see the photo below posted you can see the Italian Easter’s pastry which contains both proteins and carbohydrates. It is made from a very special and old recipe which has two particular ingredients which make it unique: moisture taken from the orange tree blossom and cooked wheat. Also used in the recipe are "ricotta" cheese, candid fruit and classic short pastry. Making the Easter’s pastry does not require any great ability.
Happy Easter to you all.

Wild asparagus

Thanks all blog's friends for the happy birthday wishes! Yesterday I wore the new running clothes which my family gave me for my birthday. After I had run 2 km warm up I ran 14 km throught the countryside in the Southern surrondings of the town. In that sunny afternoon the average pace was 05:14 min/km. Our running team wasn't there and I ran with a friend of mine this relaxing training.
There were some wild donkeys along the track. They live in this special patche of Mediterranean forest and this environment may become a small protected area near the town. While we were running we saw a lot of wild asparagus near the path. Today I've sought them and maybe we'll prepare the Asparagus salad with potatoes this evening.

Now I have to help my family to prepare the pastry of Easter. Its name is "Pastiera" and it has to be cooked with some days advance. This pastry takes time to prepare and requires presoaked grain. I'm going to buy its exotic ingredients such as cinnamon and vanilla extract. This is my contribution.

In the first photo above posted you can see the new running clothes. The other two photos show you the wild asparagus and the protected wild donkeys.

New running clothes

It's a particular day because I was born 49 years ago today. It's my birthday.
In spring we will see a temperate climate without extremes of temperature, so my family has given me new running clothes as a present. The shorts are black and I'm sure that my friend Stefano will be happy because it's the colour of the Black Knight running team which we founded in 1996. I'm having birthday dinner with my family and some friends this evening.
You can see the birthday's gift in the photo below posted.

10 km tempo run

Yesterday in the afternoon we ran actually 10.01 km after we had run the warm up. Them we ran 10 km around the Southern part of the town, through the tourist port and next to the see. I've improved slightly again considering the last three trainings: the time taken during yesterday's 10 km tempo run was 50:08 minutes. The average pace was 05:01 min/km.
Tomorrow in the afternoon I'm running a long distance run and of consequence about 800 calories will be burned. In this perspective, we have made a cake that you can see in the photo below posted. So, I'll have some carbohydrates at breakfast before tha training. :)

Slight improvement

This week I've run two times until now: on Monday 8 km and on Wednesday 10 km and the time taken during these training is improving slightly. Thanks to all blog's friends for their encouragement. Today I'm beginning the training at 05:30 p.m. with my friends. After the training I'll go to home quickly this evening because today is the "Festa del Papa", the Italian name for Father's Day. It's is celebrated on March 19, St. Joseph's Feast Day in Italy. This is the day when families show their gratitude to their fathers with favors and gifts.
This day starts with a delicious breakfast. Then we prepare "Zeppole", the most common pastry treat for Father's Day in Italy. I show the pastry above mentioned. I think that I'll have a lot of carbohydrates during next dinner. :)
Today for Father's Day my children and my wife have given me a nice running gift which I show in the second photo below posted.

The beginning

Yesterday at 05:30 p.m. I began to running again with other two members of our running team. In that sunny afternoon after 2 km warm up we ran slowly 10 km and the time taken was 58 minutes and 25 seconds. It's a good training considering that I didn't run from the 1st to the 11th of March because of a sore throat.
Last Wednesday while I was travelling by helicopter for job from Rome to Tuscany I saw an uncontaminated beach. I took a photo that I show below and thought that it would be a beautiful running track next to the see and through dunes and mediterranean forest.

In support of a social cause

Since last Monday, 2 March, I haven't run because of a sore throat. I think I have to change my running time. Last Monday I ran from 02:00 to 03:00 p.m. and before I got out to take my daughters to the tennis club I had had a shower. Maybe I got out while the body's defences were decreasing. Every day In the afternoon there is something to do such as shopping, working, socializing and so on. Of consequence, I'll try to run in the early evening so I haven't got out after the training while the weather is rainy and cold.

Next Sunday, the 14th of March 2010, the first edition of the Race for Haiti starts in Rome at 10:00 a.m.. The overall earning of the race will be given to the people of Haiti. It'a a race in support of that territory which was recently destroyed by the earthquake.
My photo above posted shows the hills near the town where I live.

Running slowly

In this sunny afternoon I did a short training. Today I ran slowly about 59 minutes because I didn't feel good (I've a sore throat).

We've just begun to plan the next holiday and we have to decide the time and the place. Although we live in a town situated near the see we'll probably chose an Island.
Meanwhile I post the photos of our trip to Berlin last year.

Ladispoli's 10 km race

A thousand of runners enjoyed this morning the Ladispoli's 10 km race in support of Ucraina's children of Chernobyl. In a nice and sunny Sunday we ran this beautiful race through the natural reserve of Palo Laziale ( http://www.agri-net.org/parco_en.asp?idparco=84 ) where the track wasn't hard. Before we crossed the finish line we had run the last 2 km next to the see. Unfortunately Stefano didn't run because he was hill but I tryed to defend the Black Knight team: time taken 44 min. 52 sec., but there weren't up hills and down hills. :)

As request by Alexandra I posted some photos below. In the third photo you can see the soft path of the natural reserve above mentioned, which is an environment with the last surviving patches of tyrrhenian plains forest. There are numerous nesting and migratory birds too.
That is why I like running.

Next race

Before it rained again I had slowly run 10 km. on Monday. Time taken 57 min. 58 sec.
Now I'm deciding to help Stefano next Sunday during the Ladispoli's 10 km race. Although I don't run fast now I'll likely follow him. I know there aren't up hill and down hill and it is an easy track.
Running makes me feel good.

Rainy again

During this rainy winter we are always running on wet streets in this part of the world. I ran today 55 minutes in the rain from 1:40 to 2:35 p.m. around the suburbs which are situated in the Southern part of the town where I live. While I was running I saw different colours of the small new houses which were built there. In one of theese suburbs, people painted their front houses with pastel colours such as pink, orange, bottle green, etc.

Running makes me feel good. As soon as the weather will be nice I begin running drills which give strenght and help legs.

An old small town

As you know, I like sharing photos of where I run. In a cloudy morning I went to an old small town (42 kilometres North from the town where I live). But I wasn't there for my training. Unfortunately I was there because I had a particular task at work and I didn't run around this beautiful place which is surronded by medieval walls. Every year in May there is a 10 km around this town and the two black knights will likely run there. Although I'm running three times a week and the speed is slowly coming back I will not run the race with Stefano the 21th of February 2009.
In the photo above posted you can see a particular old fountain where I drank fresh water. The two images below show a side of this small town and a view of the houses which were made with tuff stones.

Running and biking off-road

I began to run three weeks after I had had a bronchial flu. I slowly ran 50 minutes yesterday around the town while the weather wasn't rainy or cloudy and this morning I rode my bicycle across the hills. So I'll try to run next week and sometimes I'll likely go swimming or ride a bicycle.

Running and riding a bicycle off-road, often over rough terrain, through mediterranean woods, country roads or natural parks offer us enormous environmental opportunity. We can discover a lot of sites which are "significant" from a landscape point of view. If we run or rode a bicycle around historic centres we can see monuments and sites which are considered "non-traditional tourist attractions" of the old town.

Although I've lost my running speed it's important I've begun to run. I didn't run quickly yesterday but I understood that I hadn't lost the strenght.