The ultimate fight

At last on may 7th I made a magnetic resonance at my knee and now I know that I have a stress fracture on the highest part of the shin bone with liquid between the knee and the bone. It means one month of stop: no swimming, no bike and no run. I can walk avoiding, as possible, the stairs.
But never mind the Black Knight heals and recovers. Many battles and new countries to conquer are waiting but on the corner there is the most difficult and shameful fight. The Black Knight Army during the campaigns saw many bad things and many coward enemies but never faced such unbelievable ambush.

He used to run with Sir Giorgio through beautiful streets and one of these now is in the situation that you can see.

Some “very important persons” decided to cut down the wonderful eucalyptus trees because “dangerous”!!! In this period on those trees there are (were) many birds into their nests. Now we can see those birds flying over the zone looking for their lost "home"! The major told that he will put other trees. But I don’t want other trees, I want those trees, I want those nests! Some trees were our marks for the runs and we enjoyed to watch the bird over them. Now there is the desert!Tomorrow I will go to sign the petition and to garrison the zone to prevent new cuts.

Goodbye to race (sorry for the long post)

My running life changed on 18 Sept. 2007 when the motor-bike incident broke my leg. I had the illusion to come back to a normal running life, for this reason I decided for another surgery to remove all the prosthesis (28 Nov. 2008). The recover was long and I began a running program; day after day the run was easier and faster but on 29 Marc. 2009, during a hilly race I damaged my left knee (the injured leg). By that day I could not run anymore. I tried with the bike but the pain is always strong. Only swimming helps a little to stay in shape.

I am sure that the knee heals but I need time and I will always be scared of injuring again the leg.

After many thoughts and considerations I made the sad decision to say goodbye to race. I cannot risk to rest for weeks because of an effort to finish a little bit before. I am not so wise to slow down when the pain "calls".

Now I want to stay fit and when possible I will begin to alternate running, biking and swimming but without pushing.

I think that this is the right moment to weigh up successes and failures of 24 years of running and 172 races. In this period the Black Knight conquered Athens (10k), Edinburgh (10 ml), Berlin (half marathon) and many italian cities.

Highlights:

• 15 oct 1989: For the first time 1st in his age group;
• 18 nov 1990: My first marathon (3.48.04);
• 09 dic 1990: The first race under the 4'00"/km (6'26"/ml);
• 01 apr 1991: The best marathon in 3.34.09;
• 17 mar 1991: The best half marathon in 1.31.58;
• 13 feb 1996: Qualified for the National Navy cross team (8 members) The B.K. was in the Navy in the period 1977-1997;
• 12 nov 2006: Half marathon italian champion of the port workers (age group).

Failures:

• 14 apr 1985: The first race and ... last at the arrival;
• 17 mar 1996: Italian championship of cross (La Maddalena naval base as member of the official Navy tem) 80° of 90;
• 1993 and 1998: no races;
• 1994 and 2002: only one race.

However this is not the end but the start of a new different sport life. The Black Knight never surrenders.

Here you can see the Black Knight (making "hi") with some collegues in Barcelona: