The bird of prey

While the runners were in Rome for the marathon, the Black Knight was running alone near the sea thinking that in the same moment he could be there to conquer the Capital. He felt like the hawk in the picture: a "predator" with a short leash.

By the way that is a welsh hawk and I disagree with his cruel owner who forces the animal to keep still without any possibility to make a little movement!

As I wrote in the last post this week was better, I trained 4 times. Monday and wednesday 2 tempo runs: 10.250 km (6.36 ml) and 11.250 km (7 ml); saturday a relaxing slow run: 13 km (8.07 ml) and today 24.8 km (15.4 ml).

The injury is over and on the next Sunday (Apr. 2nd) the Black Knight will race again. The enemies are warned!

Another injury

As this is a bad period for my trainings I decided to slow down and to enjoy my free time.

Saturday, after a nice lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe of Rome, the Black Knight with his son went

to the Flaminio stadium to watch the rugby match Italy - Scotland, but what a delusion, the Scots won 13 - 10 and the Azzurri finished last in the 6Nations Tournment.

About the runs, the Black Knight had to face another problem: a strong cervicalache that blocked his neck. The cure was physioteraphy (one hour every day) and thermal baths. This morning the first workout with Sir giorgio after the 23 km. (14.3 ml) of tuesday: it was a good job, 13.3 km. (8.26 ml) at 5.06/km pace (8.12/m) on a difficult lap with many uphills and half distance through the country. The next week will be better........

Cardiff

The Black Knight is back. The vacation was wonderful, the match was wonderful, the italian team was brave. The Welsh were (are) friendly people.

By the way the Italian rugby team was in my same flight so they had the opportunity and the honour to know the Black Knight who, kindly, talked with them.
There I could run, between a rain and another, around a little natural lake named "The atlantic wharf" long, in my opinion km. 2,200 (1.36 ml) and, during the snowy day, on my nightmare: the dreadmill!!!!
Today I came back on the road but the 23 km. (14,3 ml) were painful and slow.

(The cliff of Cardiff)

(The Black Knight before the conquest of the Cardiff Castle)

(The Black Knight inspects the Cardiff castle after the conquest)

(The central tower of the Castle)

(The Black Knight and the Black Prince -his son- after the conquest)

(5 minutes before the Wales-Italy kick off)

(The Black Knight before the match)

Goodbye Rome Marathon

(The Black Knight announces in worldvision the decision not to run the Rome Marathon)

After the Roma-Ostia half marathon where the Black Knight arrived painfully tired he had to take the important decision about the Rome marathon. After a day off he ran yesterday and today but the tests were not good so, after a consultation with the doctor, he decided to surrender definitively. The inflammation needs time and cures and the necessary medicines get the warrior weak because fall the blood pressure. For this reason he had to change his battle plans: no more the ultimate fight of Rome but many shorter races.

In the enemy world there are celebrations, fireworks, dances, human sacrifices to celebrate the saved danger.

By the way the Black Knight says hi to the Blogger people because tomorrow he leaves with his son for Cardiff to watch the rugby match Wales-Italy. They will come back on monday night. But he doesn't forget his attitute: he booked a hotel with the treadmill!

Come on Italy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The surrender of the Black Knight

(The crowded start: how can we get a good time result with all those runners?)

Serious report: The Roma-Ostia half marathon battle was a nigthmare; everything was wrong. When the group (Anna Baby Running Team Civitavecchia) arrived in Rome found the streets closed to the traffic and we lost a lot of time before arriving near the start one hour before the shot. In that moment our "drivers" went to Ostia to wait for us. We spent 45 minutes in line shoulder to shoulder with thousands of people under the rain and the wind: no stretching and no warm up. Few minutes before the start, we left the clothes into a bush but when we came back to take again them the ..... bush was empty!

At last at 09.30 a.m. the coveted shot but the crowded start didn't permit....to start. It was only a very slow walk.

All the race was painful, I had to stop twice to urinate and to drink many glasses of water. On the 13rd km. ( 8.07 m) it began the crises that followed me until the end. The last km. was a real nightmare, the legs moved by themself without the help of my brain. All the run was disturbed by a strong wind from south (left) and a light rain.

I learned a very important lesson: no more long distance races after an illness and without the appropriate training. The cures (I took 2 different kind of pills for the stomach this morning before the effort), the pain and the weakness played an important role.

(The loot)

Results. Final official time 1.46.44 - microchip time 1.45.08

3369°/6617 runners - 370°/801 in my age group (MM50)

The split km by km: 5.07 - 4.54 - 4.57 - 4.57 - 4.34 - 4.42 - 5.34 (pee-pee) - 5.20 (uphill) - 5.02 (recover after the uphill) - 4.36 - 4.41 - 4.47 - 4.54 - 4.55 - 5.01 - 5.02 - 5.32 (stop to drink) - 4.57 - 4.58 - 5.07 - 5.09 - 30" (last 97 metres).

New entry: Sir Rob the Runner will be the messenger that will run from town to town and warn the good people of any danger that may fall upon them. He will only warn the people that the Black Knight is there to protect!

The mother of all the battles

The mother of all the battles. Tomorrow is a very important running day: it is the Roma-Ostia day, the most important italian half marathon. Every year the organization cannot accept all the partecipants who ask to enter the event. The press calls this race the mother of all the battles!

Unfortunately the Black Knight is weak because of the health problems, the flu left a pain in the stomach that doesn't permit an appropriate training. The last week he could not run the long distance and yesterday he had to stop the run after 8 painful km (4.9 m). However he will go because the enemies must always find the Black Legion on their way. Indeed my club needs me for the group-prizes. Well, I hope to finish in 1.45'-1.47'.

New entries. The Black Knight Army is impressive: other 2 invincible pirates joined the group. Lady 21st Century Mom and Sir Kurt!!!!