The Last Chance

Marathon: the last chance. I planned 3 months of training, since september, to run this sunday the Florence Marathon but many health problems (teeths and bronchitis) didn't allow to follow the scheduled plan and I had to give up. I skipped many workouts included long distance and tempo runs. As second possibility I thought to enter Latina (dec. 4) or Reggio Emilia (dec. 11) but the first is psychologically tough because there are 3 laps to do and the second is far from here. The last chance is the Pisa Marathon on dec. 18, a beautiful city of art and only 2 hours of (fast) train from here. But .... between the Black Knight and the Pisa Marathon there are 33km to run tomorrow or sunday.

Surfing the web, I have found these two pictures of the Trofeo Todaro that I ran last September with Sir Giorgio. As usual in these places there were few (only 75) but fast runners.

Happy Running Everyone

A week end to forget

Prologue. The last was a week-end to forget for 2 reasons: the first for the workout 33 km. long to confirm my participation at the Florence Marathon and the second for the Mark Knopfler’s concerts. But both the things went wrong. In chronological order:

Dylan-Knopfler’s Concert. I bought the “limited visibility tickets” because all the others were sold out. But, what a surprise, when I arrived at the auditorium in Rome (Palalottomatica) I found 2 sites with no visibility at all!!!! They were at the far right and under the stage hidden by a lateral curtain. When I complained at the help (???) desk the woman said: “send a letter” and I replied: “I don’t want to send a letter, I want to see the concert”!!!! No way. I left Rome and I came back home without following the concert. The day after I wrote to both the organizers ticketone.it and www.dalessandroegalli.com The first affirmed not to be responsible and the second that I knew that the visibility was limited. I argued that limited is different than nothing. No way, no refund. Now I am studying a legal action and I will start a press campiagn against those dishonest operators. On the first picture (I am under the arrow), took 4 days later during the Zucchero concert, you can see the 2 sites I bought and on the second Mark Knopfler (from the exit gate) before I left the Palalottomatica:

Running and Marathon plan. The day after (sunday) I was upset again for the adventure at the concert and I tried to do the workout 33 km. long but, after 25 km (15.5 mi), I gave up and I came back home. The other workouts during the week were: 11.4 km (7.1 mi), 12 km(7.4 mi) and 26.1 km (16.2 km) this morning. It means goodbye Florence!!! Looking at the calendar my last chance is the Pisa Marathon on dec. 18 if I succeed in running those “damned” 33 km on the next sunday.

Zucchero’s Concert. At last a very good concert, last wednesday I saw with my wife Daniela the Zucchero “Sugar” Fornaciari’s concert. 2 hours and half of wonderful rock and blues. Fortunately I found the “right” tickets to follow the performance from a good central position. Here are a couple of pictures of the concert in Rome:

This singer is also famous because he sang with the Queen "Las Palabras De Amor" during the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert:

The first photo

Training update. I am trying again to run a marathon despite all the days off for the bronchitis. This week I have done tough workouts: sunday 28 km (17.4 mi), tuesday 15.1 km (9.4 mi), thursday 17.3 km (10.7 mi) and this morning a recovery run 9.3 km (5.8 mi) long. If I succeed in running 33 km (20.5 mi) on sunday, I will enter the Florence Marathon.

The First Photo. Few days ago I was putting in order some pictures and I found my first running pic: 25 years ago when I was 30. Another era: few runners (we were pioneers here); all the cars look like toys; on the right now we have an open market; all the buildings are different and on the left now there is a building 5 floors high.

The Clandestine. In spring he arrived to the garden wounded and shy. He was fed and cured. Day after day he became always more friendly and affectionate. Yesterday we found Red at home, on the chair under the table with Gioconda who controles the situation. Welcome home Red!!!!

Happy Running!!!

Troubles and doubts

October. October had to be the month to load mileage for the marathon but I only ran 196 km (121,7 ml) for a bronchitis: 9 days off!!!! Now I don't know if can enter the Florence Marathon because I also skipped 2 long distance runs. However I have the plan b: Latina Marathon (dec. 4) & the plan c: Reggio Emilia marathon (dec. 11). Now Italy is under a strong rain storm and it will not be easy to follow the scheduled plan.

Gioconda likes the artichokes:

Mark Knopfler and Bob Dylan. On nov. 12 I will go with my wife Daniela to the Mark Knopfler and Bob Dylan's concert in Rome. This is the Daniela's favorite song:

Ciao a tutti (what does it mean?)