Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas!

Alternative to running

As I mentioned in my previous post, I gave up running last summer: I'm aware that running can sometimes be hard on our joints and can cause some injuries. On the contrary, cycling is one of the top five  alternatives to running.

It's great at burning calories, lowering our body fat percentage and improving the health of our cardiovascular system. 

Since August I have been cycling in the Hills ... Unfortunately, in fall the paths are flooded because of rainy weather.

Non-acidic fruits & vegetables

I've been cycling since I noticed  that osteoarthritis of my feet is strictly related to running. So during the second week of July I gave up running and began cycling in the Hills,  through tall oaks and olive trees.

Cycling is great exercise but hard work when it is windy and the path is up-hill. It gives me the same endorphin production as I experienced when I was a runner. 

Just a picture of  the Southern Italian Coast which I visited in August:

And with regard to August, people who live in the Northern Emisphere  can enjoy in Summer time a huge list of non-acidic  fruits & vegetables. As it is known, we always have to consume non-acidic food in the aim to maintain our body pH level normal.
Lemons, lime and kiwi are  categorized as highly alkaline fruits and are therefore non-acidic. Other non-acidic fruits include bananas, cantaloupe, coconot, grapefruit, grapes, watermelon and berries (exceptions are cranberries and blueberries which are classified as acidic).

Apple and orange are non-acidic fruits which we can find in Winter. In addition, in Winter there are a lot of non-acidic vegetables, such as cabbage, carrots, artichoke, pumpkin, lettuce and garlic.



 

Damaged cartilage of toes' joints

I haven't been running any race since 2nd June, and four days ago I ran the last training session. I thought it  was really my last running training, after my feet had been visited by the orthopedist in Rome on 12 July. Actually, the doctor said I can't run because of  the early stage of  the arthritis of  toes. The articulations of my both feet are damaged at 50%, and over time, if  I were to run again,  walking would be a problem because of damaged cartilage of toes' joints. In other words, If I continue to run, articular cartilage injury will increase.

That's why I can't run  any more.

The picture here shows the number of my last running race, which I did last month, on 2nd June.

I don't know whether I will go swimming or cycling. I may also go to the gym. I'm still astonished as I can't believe I have to give up running.

Street view

View from the window.
On this sunny Sunday I did 13.5 km at 5:37 min./km average pace.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1732391023

Running along the seashore and next to ancient Roman ruins

I continue to show the route that I usually run when my running session lasts more than one hour. It's a running track along the seashore and next to ancient Roman ruins (on April 24th I showed other Roman ruins).

The pictures were taken when the water flows away from the shore (Ebb tide).

With regard to running, I've got two pictures of  the12 km race which I ran last month. I was running I wore the red outfit. My running pace was 4:40 min./km

Spring weather makes me feel fine, but just a little tired. That's why  I haven't been running any race since April 2nd.  The following picture shows how I was tired while I was running the 12th km.

Two months ago my son and my two daughters gave me some goji berries, and since then I have been having them at breakfast in addition to other food, such as honey, walnuts and yogurt.

I have learnt the antioxidant power of goji berries. With regard to my Spring weakness, I am looking for some food which berries could be helpful. Have you ever been tired in Spring?

Nice weekend to everyone!

snorkeling close to ancient roman ruins

The Spring temperature this week gives me the opportunity to go running. It's definitely good to be outside! The two pictures show the route close to the sea, where I sometimes run with my friends. Ancient Roman ruins are still there in the sea, although people don't care about them. It is a good place to go snorkeling and have a nice underwater adventure. The water is so clean, and the ruins  are located 60 km North from Rome. 

The pictures were taken from the helicopter, and a colleague of mine gave them me.

Social lives of networked people

Nowadays we can always see people attracted by texting, Facebook,  Twitter, instant messaging, and other social media. We see them completely "networked" everywhere: along the streets, in open plan offices, and inside restaurants and department stores. Sometimes we can see them inside the church. We are surrounded by awkward images of people who now go online to connect other people in their community. They don't  see the world around them. Since the late 2000s I have seen people who send text messages while they are running. How do they carrying mobile phones while they are running?

I would like to carry a camera while I am running instead of a mobile ... I took the picture of the seagull above while I was running this week.

Happy Easter to the blogging community!

Tuscania 10 km race

I hadn't run race through the rain since February 9th, 2014. And I wouldn't have thought I can still running a 10 km race at a good pace, as I am not adequately trained at the moment.

After I had run the first km through the old town of Tuscania, along dangerous hilly roads covered with wet cobblestones, I ran close to organic farmlands and through green fields.

I enjoyed a beautiful countryside and at least 2 km of soft running path. 
I crossed the finish line  completely wet  because of the rain. 

My average pace was 4:40 min./km.

The three last pictures have nothing to do with the 10 km race which I ran today. Some friends of mine sent me them after they had run the 2017 Rome's Marathon today ...  They also ran in the rain!

Happy outdoor adventures!

Rice and potatoes instead of white flour

Although wheat is the most widely grown cereal grain, occupying 17 percent of the total cultivated land in the world, people in many countries are dropping familiar grain for other food, such as potatoes and rice. This trend is mainly related to health, social behavior and agricultural technology.
Many runners sometimes try to avoid white flour because it makes them feel bloated (I do the same), and other people in Western countries favour  brown rice, quinoa and amaranth. Furthermore, the rise in coeliac disease and gluten intolerance shows  that wheat may be dangerous.  For this reason, peoples in developed  countries are eating other grains, such as quinoa, amaranth, millet, and sorghum, which are healthier. That's why rice production has more than doubled since 2000s around the world.

According to the FAO, rice consumption is growing faster in Africa and Europe. On the contrary, in some West Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand, rice consumption has fallen since 2000: wealthier Asians are switching to another grain.

Also in Italy it's easy to see that people, who are eating less white flour, will consume more brown rice and quinoa. Unfortunately, such healthier food, which provides carbs, is more expensive.

I always try to get carbs mainly through potatoes and rice before each running session. I have  white flour at lunch twice a week. Do you eat more rice or white flour? 

Post script: I took the picture above in the local market in my town. It has nothing to do with rice, white flour, carbs and running. It shows some types of beans: red beans, small purple, green beans, red speckled beans, white American type, long shape, ect.  The picture  is simply related to healthy food ... there weren't any beans labelled as organic production.

Leisure trip to Edinburgh

As requested by Stefano, I wrote down this post with the aim to show some pictures which I took in Edinburgh and its surrounding areas. I was there last week, four days, and visited the main part of Lothian, a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying close to the southern shore of the Firth of Forth river. Edinburgh, located in the Midlothian area, is a clean,  functional and businesslike town, and its people is really friendly.

Edinburgh's castle was the focal point of the old Edinburgh and has been the site of some sort of fortress since Roman times. It is Edinburgh's most famous attraction, which contains the Crown jewels, the stone of destiny and the ancient dungeons.

The weather was a little bit cloudy, but not too cold. I saw a stunning view from Edinburgh's castle, and after I had left the town, I realized it is one of the best town in Europe for environment and infrastructure  ...  and there are beautiful  places to run and walk close to the town.  Perfect!

We also visited some places through Edinburgh's surrounding areas, such as  Cramond village, Rosslyn Chapel, Newhaven and Leith.

I think I will go there once again.

How getting older affects our running

I've just read an interesting post about things only runners, walkers and bikers  "who are getting older will understand". The blog's author is a runner who is turning 50 on February 22, and she mainly explains how getting older affects our running: recovery takes longer, sleep times decrease, and hormonal deficiencies slightly rise. The good news is that by running, we are decreasing our risk of so many other conditions such as diabetes and various cancers. It also strengthens our joints.
Unfortunately, in relation to hearth disease, she wrote that, according to statistics issued by marathontrainingacademy.com, marathoners over 50 are twice as likely to have a heart attack while running a marathon than those under 40 years old.

She summarizes very well in her post those interesting points above mentioned. This is her link: 

www.shutupandrun.net

In the meanwhile, Winter cold is increasing here in Central and Southern Italy, and I am not so able to run outdoors three times a week.

Naples, Vesuvius volcano with snow on the top.
The old building on the left is the Royal palace. 

And last but not least, this month I joined a new running team in Rome, ASD ATLETICOM, that's its name.

Happy running, walking and cycling to everyone!

Happy New Year

This is my first post of the new year. It shows Vatican Square in the morning ...

... and the same Rome's landmark at night.

Happy New Year!