Italy

So I think I just visited two of the most beautiful and romantic places in the world.......Cinque Terre and Lake Como.  I really loved Milan, mostly because it's not a natural tourist destination.  It has great sights to see, including the Duomo.

Which is amazing in it's detail.

The marathon village was cool too, in part because I got to share it with my pals......who left a little message on the wall

Milan is a fashion, design destination, the shop window displays were quite something.

And the ice cream "tasting" choice post marathon was quite something else....

                                         

But the delights of Cinque Terre, while different, were equally and perhaps a little more unexpected.

More later.

Beyond tired

I know I've been slack on the blog.....coming back from Italy and then running Big Sur, well, I'm beyond tired.  But I do want to share all the adventures.  Top of mind, this weekends marathon - it was fantastic fun from beginning to end.  It really is a tough hilly beautiful course.  We had sun, fog, wind.....no rain thankfully.  The adventure begins having to catch a bus at 4am to the start line, for a 645am start.  I stayed in a swanky expensive hotel (this because I didn't get it together early enough to book and get the marathon rate.....), that was 5mins from the shuttle pick up point.  Dozens of buses ferried the 4000+ runners to the start, no cars allowed.  They close State Highway 1 for the race so everyone has to bus to the start.  I decided to go with a Pace Team this time.....I should have done this long ago.  Basically you choose a finish time and start with a group who has a pacer whose sole task in life is to get you across the line on time.  It was totally awesome.  The guy was fantastic, joking, being a tour guide, asking questions.  You find yourself running with a bunch of strangers who you end up chatting with.  I was very nervous about this run, given I ran a marathon two weeks ago.  But the pace team was great.  We lost some folk along the way (there are some mean hills on this course) then at mile 23 someone in front of us had fallen and was bleeding from a knock on the head - our pacer dropped to help and told us to keep going.  A group of four of us kept chugging along.  Best moment was when a voice from behind said "I've been with you guys for 23miles, I'm not letting you go now.......".  It was a woman from NY, in the end her and I paced each other to the finish, including the very gnarly hill that is part of the last mile.  It's an odd way to meet folk but for 2miles we were best friends, keeping each other going and determinedly crossed the line together, 5 mins under our goal time (5hrs).  It was totally inspiring and fun and worth every step.
Italy pictures next.

I've seen the rain........

In case anyone is in any doubt that it did rain, a lot...........

Around mile 17.  Laughing because the puddle was so big it stretched across the entire road, no place to go but through the middle of it.
Off to Big Sur Marathon this weekend, drive down to Monterey after work.  I'm a little afraid, it's a tough course.  Slow slow slow BUT this year we get to run the entire course (last year the road was flooded out so only an out and back, this year, point to point.......).  Going to be beautifully scenic, crowd is always fun and and and...
Will add other holiday pictures over the weekend (assuming I survive the marathon).

I haven't forgotten

The blog is here.....I am back from Italy, awesome awesome trip.  I have pics and adventures to share - had to take some primitive less than "1st world" phone and internet not easily accessible.  Downloading pics etc and will do a BIG data dump of adventures later in the week.

Marathon done

I woke to a very very wet marathon day! Early breakfast at the hotel then I caught the subway to the marathon start - located near a very cool expo building that was definitely an architectural highlight. Given the weather hundreds of us milled about in the carpark waiting for the start. I had paced some of those little sack things that heat up when you expose them to the air, so mostly kept the chill at bay. The course was flat a wound through farmland initially, including a sweet little town that was a picture perfect image of a "little Italy". Coming into the city I saw a bunch of other sights as well but the real highlight had to be running around the Duomo. It really is an impressive building. Given the weather I was surprised at the number of folks out cheering. It really is true, Italians are very expressive - even if I didn't know what they were saying ('go' does sound a lot like 'die' when you are running tho....). Rose and Jo met me at mile 20, so a real boost to get me through the last 6. It really did rain the entire time and some puddles were unavoidable. Yay for the best running socks in the world, no blisters! Rose and Jo met me at the end with my chocolate milk (and dry clothes) then we caught the subway back to the hotel. Now to find somewhere to eat!

Milan day 1

Got to the hotel at midnight and happily fell into bed. Took the path of least resistance and stress and cabbed it from the airport; not cheap but guaranteed fast, safe and efficient. Met up with Rose and Jo in the morning and we headed off to the marathon expo. That after we got Jo some crutches. Seriously the girl has plantar faciatus and it has flared up. Didn't hold her back tho as she rented some crutches from a pharmacy down the road. Took the subway to the expo - small but efficient affair. This year the marathon is combined with a relay so about 10k running, so a nice crowd and along way from NYC or Big Sur for that matter. Rego done we did some sightseeing - Duomo (big arse church), pizza and people watching for lunch, wandering around the up market shops including some very impressive shop fronts (photos when I get home). Evening (when the rain came) we headed down to the canal to partake in the Italian tradition of aperitifs, which turned into dinner as these proved to be impressive buffets. Enjoyed two non-alcoholic cocktails before we headed back to the hotel. Tired but happy with the days adventures. I think the marathon will be a wet one, which is nicer than a hot one....will see, hard part will be making the call what to wear at 6am before a 920am start.

Marathon flight

7 hour delay at SFO. Now at Frankfurt with a 4 hour layover. Arriving in Milan around 11pm - ditching all thoughts of the fast train into the city and will cough up the cab fare. Such is life. It really hasn't been unpleasant and United staff very pleasant. I navigated the change of connecting flight etc thanks to the uber efficient Germans. Food at the terminal is fresh and yum after mediocre plane food. Rose & Jo will be in Milan hours ahead of me (not the original plan but I emailed the hotel so they should be able to checking (all in my name). So just chilling and enjoying the adventure. Oh and United offered up a pretty sweet compensation deal, so no complaints from me.

Milan update

Actually it's really SFO update - engine broken. Depart at 2pm....nah.....430pm....nah....8pm....nah....830pm... Promises promises. They did take us off the plane after 2 hrs son some part of the system is working. Got a meal voucher. Not sure about my connecting flight yet. Some folks got a little angsty - jeeze. I think the airlines done fine myself (at least they picked the fault before we took off!). I'm relaxed, on holiday after all. I'll arrive eventually and the only thing I have to do between now and the marathon is pick up my bib.

Milan.....

Sitting on the tarmac waiting to fly. Flight delayed for 1.5hrs.....sigh. Nothing to be done about it but wait. I have a connecting flight Frankfurt > Milan. All going well I will still make it, time will tell. Rose & Jo flew out Monday, heading to Venice. It was great to show them San Fran. Hung out in the Mission Friday then kayaking Saturday near Monterey. Lots of baby seals and otters, schweet. Michelle also flew up from LA to say hi. Afterwards we went to Santa Cruz and road the wooden roller coaster. First time I have visited for a while - kind of surreal to think I lived there for two years. Sunday I went running and the others headed out for brunch. Met Rose and Jo later and did the mandatory Golden Gate Bridge. All up a fun time. I meet them again in Milan; marathon Sunday then more adventures. Not a bad life!

7 hour extravaganza

Sunday a group of us headed to Oakland to watch a 7 hour silent movie accompanied by a live orchestra. Napoleon was made in 1927 and has been restored. It was fantastic and I am as surprised as anyone that I actually sat through it and was riveted. There were two intermissions and a dinner break so all up 9hrs worth. Beautiful theater too.



Saturday went to see Boy again....interesting to see it through American eyes!
In-between kept at the training and enjoyed a mixed bag of weather.

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Working from home

Just back from my acupuncture apptmt, saw this:




Made me laugh!
Was sporting a cold all week...so not much running grrrrr. Going to see Boy (again) on Saturday then a movie extravaganza on Sunday. Write more about that when I get back on my laptop.


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Back from Reno

Flew to Reno Friday night after work.  Always forget that Reno has more than its share of casinos and has the obligatory pokie machines in the airport.



Irene and her folks picked me up at the airport and we went out for Thai.
Saturday I'd mapped my 22miler/35k run from MapMyRun - where folk publish the runs they do and share them.  Irene and Lotte drove me to the start point and off I went.  Thought it was going to be way colder than it was so stopped at a random public restroom and removed a thermal layer.  Still had a long sleeve technical shirt and jacket on, long shorts and my compression socks.  Seemed that was sufficient.



The views along the way were beautiful, particularly along the river.  Gorgeous sights to be seen and the odd fisherman as well.



It was mostly roadway with great views of the snowy hills at every turn.  First 7 miles flew by as I was navigating through various suburbs and onto the main road.



Some really rustic looking places too.

I did get a little navigationally challenged.  This was actually the very abrupt end to a two way cycle way  that had wound its way alongside the river.  Kind of odd way to finish the trail with a picnic table and a "roundabout".




I started and ended in the city and came across this little gem....click on the pick to pop it out and read the words.



22 miles done with Irene and Lotte picking me up (most grateful for the chocolate milk and water......ran out of water with 2miles to go, that was a little tough going).  This shot taken at the backdoor of Irene's folks house.  Gorgeous views.......and I'm still standing, love my compression socks btw.  Really I felt remarkably good.  Given this was at around 4000ft and I'm training mostly at sea level I was amazed that the altitude didn't really seem to impact me (ultra will be between 6-7000ft).


Which isn't to say I wasn't tired - me and Lotte lounging before Irene cooked us all a very yummy dinner of Morracan Chicken.



Sunday after a feast of bacon and eggs we bid farewell to Irene's folks and headed to Truckee to meet a friend of Irene's who took us snowshoeing.


The setting was awesomely beautiful - Irene looking the part.  We were at about 7000ft, hiking up a good sized hill.


I really do love this snow shoeing thing.


And Lotte has the best time.
Around a 4 hr drive back to San Francisco and I'd confess to feeling a little tired tonight.  I'll head up to Reno/Tahoe a couple more times between now and September in preparation for the ultra.  Meanwhile I feel good about Milan and feel like my fitness has come along way from January when I could definitely feel the Xmas/NY excesses taking their toll!!!!



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This is cool

This guys art is fun.  Scroll to the end to see my favourites.
I am home today, got a cold. Arrrrgh doesn't seem fair given all the exercise I do but then I guess I work in a little incubator for germs.
Friday I fly to Reno to meet up with Irene.  I am going to run 22miles on some new route (that's my longest run before Milan) on Saturday and then we are going snow shoeing on Sunday.  Yay, going to ignore the cold, well battle it and hopefully tone it down before the weekend.  We are staying with Irene's folk and will drive back on Sunday (it's about 5hrs, Irene and Lotte drive up today - Thursday).  It's really pretty around where they live and where we snow shoe (if we go to the same place) is lovely. This from two Xmas's ago!

Happiness is....

A footbath....


Seriously always thought they were a bit of a gimmick...not so....


Quite happy making....with a little company to observe the proceedings!

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Lotte gets a bath

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For the record....she hates it!

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New levels of running geek

Spot the socks! Actually not socks, more like "sleeves"!  This before I ran my 20 miler/32 km today.  I read about compression socks helping recovery and circulation and noted that some of the folk in the Ultra Running mag wore them so coughed up the cash and got some.......sold!  At the end of the 20 my legs felt way less fatigued than usual.  Also, and ignoring the TMI - my dodgy ankle would normally puff up quite alot after a long run....well any run really.  So, ignoring the veins, I thought I'd share the pic to the right post run.....woohoo.  Could also be partly attributed to the acupuncture I had on Friday.  That, among other things, focuses on circulation.  So, all up, most happy with the purchase and the fact that I felt no pain (well no more than to be expected) post the cortisone injection.  Tomorrow easier times......6miles/9.6km.

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs

Seems the last three weeks have been all about my health!  I am now back on to acupuncture and chinese herbs.  Today was my first session and it was great! I didn't think I was going to be able to get the time to do the herbs consult but turned out the acupuncturist had some extra times so I did the full consult.  I forgot just how much I love the acupuncture - once the needles are in I generally doze while they do their magic.  First dose of herbs this evening....really just some kind of liquid concoction mixed with water.  Doesn't taste at all vile so that helps.
This weekend running 20miles.  The progress to Milan continues. Also starting to gear up for Rose and Jo to arrive in advance of heading to Italy.  Going to take them kayaking down at Elkhorn Slough, then Phils Fish Market for lunch then off to Santa Cruz boardwalk.  Will be a fun day.
Work ticks on, I'm a little ambivalent - doing what's required and happy enough as I still have time to run (yeah what happened to that mega ambitious self.....think I've got other ambitions right now).

More birthdays

Lucas and his edible arrangement....






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Woohoo

No stress fracture and no serious injury! 1 x very painful cortisone injection into the joint of my big toe, Anti inflammatory and maybe orthotics.....happy beyond belief!


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A tentative 8 miler

Over the past few days I've been doing some fairly extensive stretching/icing of my foot to try and alleviate  whatever is going on.  I don't know if this has taken off in NZ but on a daily basis (and depending on what you subscribe to) a bunch of "discount" offers land in my inbox.  A few weeks back I got one for a spa......basically offering an $80 treatment for $39 - pretty good!  So took it up and ended up doing THE most intense massage session I've ever had!!!!! OMG it was totally amazing in that it really got to some of the heart of the pain points I have as a result of running so much, it also made me increasingly optimistic that I don't have a stress fracture.  Massage done and 4 days of no running I tentatively headed out for my 8 miler.  What a relief.  By no means 100% it seems the stretching/massage has had a significant impact.  Running has become such a huge part of my world I can't explain the sense of relief I felt to be out there and having more confidence that this injury may not be the end of the Milan Marathon after all.  Still have my appointment with the podiatrist tomorrow - see what insights he may have.......in the space of 4 weeks I've shifted my world to having a GP, acupuncturist (yes, I still think prevention is better than cure and I am a total believer that this really helps my circulation and to deal with niggly things before they become big things), masseuse (not the one from Saturday but a little closer to home) and podiatrist.  I'm also toying with the idea of getting a nutritionist to help me with the 50 miler prep.  What a strange and unexpected world I have created for myself.......