22.55 km race

This photo shows a bottle of olive oil (two liters) and it's the loot :) which I got today after I had run a 22.55 km race around three villages. I got a dish too (2nd photo) and other things such as croissants, orange juice and yoghurt. There were 2400 runners and the organization was good. I enjoyed the race although the weather was cold enough and distance of the running track was really strange: 22.55 km. Why not 21 km? Anyway, I crossed the finish line after 1.49.50.   

There were a lot of volunteers who gave water and warm tea while runners were running next to hazelnut trees, along a beautiful countryside and through the historical centres of  three villages. From the 15th to the 17th km the running track was tough because it was totally up-hill.

Stefano , who likely got knee pain after he had run that tough race, will show the chart of the hilly running path.

I hope all you blogger friend will have a nice week and pleasant runs!

Asics Cumulus

Retail prices sometimes decrease after holiday season and  running clothes and shoes may be less expensive. That's why I planned to buy new running shoes in January. So, last week, on Wednesday, 11st, I went to Rome for job and in the afternoon, I visited the running shop "LBM Sport" which is located in the centre of the town (its  official website is http://www.lbmsport.it/ ). Running shoes' prices are really interesting there!

After I had tryed Brooks and New Balance I bought a pair of Asics Cumulus 13. Although I couldn't choose the colour I was delighted with those green shoes which you can see in the photo :)

This morning I ran the Ostia's 15 km race with my new green running shoes. Of course,  I  tryed them on Friday, 13rd, when I did 10 km relaxing run with the group. The weather was perfect for running and the organization was excellent. I ran along a beautiful running track and through Mediterranean woodlands of Castel Fusano and after 1 hour and 8 minutes I crossed the finish line. 

From the 6th to the 9th km the running path was soft: wonderful! I got a blue running T-shirt and after the race I had a cup of tea and an apple, but there were a lot of things such as bread with jam or honey, cakes, muffins, sandwiches, ect.

In the photos you can see me, Stefano and other running friends.

On January, 14th, an Italian cruise ship hit a sandbar and now it  lies partially submerged next to Giglio island (50 miles North-West from Civitavecchia). Its captain had made errors of judgement and the route followed by the ship was not the right one. Authorities have said that at least six people died.

Most of the passengers are Italian, with some German, Japanese and French nationals!

Chocolate shoes

On January, 6th, I was delighted with the tempo run: I ran 10 km at 4.48 min./km, time taken 48:09 mins. I hope it might be the beginning of the improvement (I didn't run during the last week of 2011 and had a temperature). Today I did a pleasant 18 km long run at an average pace of 5:37 min./km. It might be useful for my next 15 km race which I'm running on January, 15th.

The photo above was taken during the last edition of the Montalto's 10 km race.

 

Chocolate shoes

   

Since January, 5th,  companies who produce chocolate have gathered the pedestrian area of the town. Along the streets we've seen sellers of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and ... "chocolate shoes" (as you can see in the photo).  Yesterday my wife and I had a good chocolate drink there. In the photo below you can see the chocolate manufacturers along the street. They will be there until January, 8th.   



Chocolate sellers along the street

As request by Stefano  with his post of December, 30th, I show here the T-shirt which I got last Summer, on August, 6th, after I had run the Pisterzo's race. Pisterzo is the name of a small village situated on a hill 80 km South from Rome.

You can read on the T-shirt "the seven soups Pisterzo 2011" (the Italian word "minestre" means soups) because after we had run the organization offered us seven different soups: lentils, chicory, onion soupe, pumkin, etc. I would have never thought that runners could eat soups after a race instead of bananas, tea, orange juyce, cakes and healthy drinks! The track of the Pisterzo's race was very very tough: 7.5 km entirely up-hill and I ran it at 6 min./km although I hadn't followed a specific training. After I had crossed the finish line I didn't have any tea or fruits ... I had seven soups :) That's why Stefano gave me the title of Duke of Pisterzo :)

View of the small village of Pisterzo

Have nice runs!

New Year's Day

I didn't run since December 21st to December 27th because, firstly, I had had a temperature as I mentioned in my previous post, and, secondly, the weather was rainy and cold enough. On december, 26th, beautiful live nativity scenes started in the historical centre of the town of Tarquinia (20 km North from my town). It was really interesting and the event was well organized. You can see some scenes in the first two photos here posted.

On December 31st I did 15 km relaxing run and this afternoon I didn't follow my running group because I finished working late.

Anyway, I hope all you blogger friends had a pleasant New Year's Eve celebration.

We enjoyed the dinner to celebrate New Year's Eve which we had with friends and other families. The photo above shows my friends with their children who enjoyed New Year's Eve fireworks in the streets:  I'm sure that similar scenes took place from New York to Hong Kong.

Lentils and pigs' trotters are traditionally eaten in Italy on New Year's Day as a symbol of good luck, because many cultures believe that round objects symbolise money.

May all my blogger friends have an Happy New Year!