Warming up for the Half

Did a four miler with Dr. Ken. I went out on my own for the first mile at a leisurely 10+ pace and then we picked it up with the last mile being at 8:45. I'm feeling ready for the half on Monday.

Seven Miles to Work

I had a big leg workout yesterday and was sore. I thought of not going but commenter JLow pushed me out the door and off I went to the agreed meeting spot, going at more of a long run pace. Once we connected I picked it up to average more like 9:30 the rest of the way. Friday I will try to do a six miler at a nine minute pace as preparation for Monday's half. Perhaps a n easy three miler to Starbies on Saturday would help as well.

Running for a Cause

In running the marathon I'm also fundraising for the people who made it possible for me to do so, namely cardiac program at Toronto Rehab. If you'd like to support this worthwhile cause and don't yet have the link to sponsor me, please send me an e-mail (home or work e-mail, if you have it, or use the blog e-mail below) and I'll forward you the link.

E-mail: markymarkincanada@gmail.com

Oakville Half Marathon-One Week to Go

Only seven more days until the Oakville Labour Day Half Marathon. Looking forward to it. The distance will seem short compared to a twenty mile training run!

Finishing Off a 35 Mile Week

Took it easy with a three mile run to the usual neighbourhood coffee spot. Nice to have some company. Loosening up the muscles also was good. Not having Italian espresso at the end was not so good.

The marathon is five weeks today. The long run portion of the training has a Labour Day half, a 20 and then runs of 18 and 12 during the two week taper period. The training is very doable. Getting in an extra 6.2 miles on race day will be tougher.

The Snub

JFK picked LBJ. He won.

Reagan picked Bush. He won.

Mondale did not pick Hart. He lost in a landslide.

The Messiah, running a platform of change, picked a 35 year veteran of The Senate instead of his opponent who carried many swing states that a Democrat needs to win.

Strange. Disastrous. Predictable.

Then came the rolling out ceremony. Obama referred to Biden as the next "President" of the United States. Freudian slip I guess, given that Biden is to the Messiah as Cheney is to Dubya.

No mention of the fact that Biden ran against the Messiah as not yet qualified or experienced enough to be President.

Also no mention of the fact Biden had to pull out of the 1988 primary campaign after he was caught plagiarizing speeches.
(If you're going to cheat you might as well pick an orator like Churchill rather than a failed UK Labour Party leader-bad judgment too.)

Change you can believe in.

The delegates still can choose the more deserving candidate. Nominate Clinton!

If not, go get 'em McCain.

20 Miles-Second Attempt

The "Old Man Running Series" calendar actually called for a 24 mile run today but I had pretty much decided that given my layoff, that would be too much. Still, when I was strolling yesterday and feeling good I thought I might throw in a 21st and maybe even a 22nd mile if all was well. However, one of the juniors is sick and I felt a little less confident in case I'm brewing the same bug. Plus when I finally got going it was after 8am and I knew that heat was going to be a factor. I considered going tomorrow instead of today, as it's meant to be cooler and cloudy, but it also could rain tomorrow.

Off I went to the usual Belt Line/Mount Pleasant Cemetery route, exiting across Bayview onto Sutherland and back north past Eglinton until Broadway. I descended into the Don feeling okay but not great, and decided I'd take the Don south river trail rather than going southeast to the eastern beaches via Taylor Creek and Victoria Park. It got hot and inexplicably I hadn't brought a hat. Once again I had lots of trouble opening my Cliff gels but I managed to get all three down plus half of a banana, some electrolyte boosting pills and, towards the end, a Gatorade.

When I hit the lake I took the path on the north side of Lakeshore until Leslie. It's pretty barren and will be part of the Scotia route. I then, also as per the Scotia route, went into the Leslie Street spit, the site of last Saturday night's race, and enjoyed the scenery even though I was tiring. As I exited I bought the above mentioned Gatorade from a hot dog vendor and pretty quickly I experienced the same cramping or stitch that I battled last Saturday night. But with some stops to stretch and more frequent walk breaks I managed to get back north to Queen and west to the 20 mile marker. Extra distance wasn't in the cards today but I must have walked another cool down mile before hopping on a streetcar and then the subway, where I stretched without shame for the entire ride.

Now the eating has begun.

I was slightly slower than the last 20 miler at 2:41 and change. My pace most of the time was about 10:45 but I slowed down at the end. I also think I may have left the watch on during one of my stretch stops so in fact I may have been the same or less than my 2:39 four weeks ago today. Unfortunately unlike four weeks ago I'm not off to Italy tonight.

Stroll in Sandals for Food

That's right-no attention to pace, form, time or distance Just an enjoyable stroll in pleasant conditions to Kensington Market. I stumbled across a new location of Wanda's Pie in the Sky and went for a curried lentil soup and slice of veggie pizza. Then I hit a place across the street for some non-fat frozen yogurt with blueberries and a cappuccino. I considered an empanada as well until I realized I'm running a minimum of 20 miles tomorrow. I think I'll do the Belt Line/Mount Pleasant Cemetery/Don Valley route with a finish along the Leslie Street Spit (and the hope someone will pick me up at that remote location). John???

During the stroll I decided that if Obama snubs Hillary he deserves to lose to McCain and for the first time in my lifetime I will root for the Republican.

Pace Calculator

This pace calculator is fun to noodle on as it allows a fade portion of the race. If I allow myself a 20 second fade from mile 10 on then I have to run at 9:05 the first ten to meet an overall pace of 9:10 per mile and hit a two hour half. It is doable but will depend on race day variables such as wind, heat or cold and rain. I'm excited about it. On the other hand I'm not excited about my 20 miler this weekend.

Also, looking at the the elevation changes for Oakville it looks like there is a 500 foot climb. While I'm told they eliminated the bigger hills it may still be a tough spot to do a personal best.

Oakville Half Marathon-12 Days to Go

I'm looking at my trainer prepared schedule and see a 24 mile run this weekend. No way-I'm reducing it to 20-maybe 22 if I'm feeling strong-but the humidity is supposed to return this weekend.

The following weekend I'm signed up for the Oakville half marathon. It's a bit of a pain because there is no race day pick up so I need to head out there both Sunday to pick up my kit as well as early in the morning Monday for the 7:40am start time. Still, I'm looking forward to it. I'm starting to consider how to approach that race. Options: 1. Do as if a long slow distance with walking breaks and a pace no faster than 10:30 minute miles. 2. Do the full race at a marathon pace of 10 minute miles including walking breaks, so I build up confidence in my ability to stick to my intended pacing (assuming I run both halves of the marathon at a constant pace). 3. Go for the glory and try to beat last year's 2:03:55 and in fact go under two hours. That would mean sticking to my Sporting Life 10K pace (or close to it) where I had a time of 53:15 for double that distance and a bit more, all without the downhill element of that 10K race.

The latter may be doable but the half isn't my real goal race this year so I'm thinking that option #2 may be the prudent way to go.

If the full goes well then I can always sign up for the half at the Toronto Marathon three weeks later and go for the two hour mark on that day (although as of now I'm signed up again for the zoo 10K the day before).

Meanwhile the Oakville half course is supposed to be a nice run.

Seven Miles to Work

Fall was in the air with a cool morning. Perfect running weather. I decided to go west on the Belt Line and then headed south through the Cedarvale park and ravine. I was like being in the country. Eventually I hit the end and had to ascend to Heath and then descend back into the connecting ravine south of St. Clair, where I eventually linked to my normal route south on Russell Hill to St. George and through the U of T campus. I got it done at an under 190 minute per mile pace, which makes sense since it was net downhill, with a couple of fairly steep uphill portions. No walking breaks other than one of the hills. Legs are a bit sore after the return to my normal routine but that is to be expected and no injuries (knock wood).

Punishing the Pavement

I did a "re-do" of the last five miles of the 30K race and stepped it up to a 9:33 average pace for a five miler. (The first mile was closer to 10 and the last two were almost down to 9.) My average heart rate stayed under 150bpm despite the heat but by the end I was up into the 160's. Dramatically faster than my runs in Italy which feels good.

Predicting a Marathon Finish Time

Running a first marathon isn't at all about the time-it's not like I'm going to win. But it is important to have a time in mind in order to pick a sustainable pace. Using my 30K time from last night this Runners World prediction tool estimates my finish time at 4:43. The same tool predicts my times for 10 miles and for the half to be much slower than the times I've actually run, so it's an imperfect tool. I'm going to have to decide whether to aim for 10 minute miles (or a 4:22 finish time) or 4:45 and, practically speaking, if I run with a pacer, whether to go with the 4:30 group or the 4:45 group. My next time long runs will be useful for that purpose as will my Labour Day half marathon. In that regard, rather than running that even to better my time last year of 2:03:55, it might be more useful to run it all at my intended full marathon pace so that I can get those miles in the bank.

Not all formulae realize the same result as this one brings me home at closer to five hours. It also predicts a 2:22 half when I did 2:03:55 and a ten miler of 1:46:37 when I was more like 1:38 as I recall. But I don't think I should go out with the five hour pacing group.

What's odd as both links are to Runner's World except the first one is to the .uk site and the second is to the .com site.

Playing around with other sites including this one and plugging in my actual time for the half, my estimated full time is 4:19:31.

Lots to think about.

30K Race-The Morning After

I'm feeling great this morning! Not perfect, as I have a small injury in the bottom of my right foot as a result of an awkward step, but it is manageable. I'm glad to be back on track and, for the most part, it was a great evening.

I arrived early at the parking lot for the shuttle bus. I ran into Al from work and we sat on the grass chatting before he race. I was a little concerned when he proceeded to eat a Power Bar, a banana and a bagel, when I'd had a thin bagel with almond butter and half a banana some three hours earlier and was not going to have dinner at all. Part of the difficulty with approaching the event was the fact that it was an evening event, as I have done all of my long runs first thing. Eat too much before and that could be a problem-eat too little and that could be another problem. I was pretty sure that with breakfast, lunch and two snacks that I'd be OK.

With half an hour to go we went to check our bags. Mistake. There was a very long line and I was concerned that we wouldn't make it in time. Fortunately they decided to delay the start of both the 15K and 30K races to allow people to get through not only that line but the line for the port-a-potties. I made it to the starting line with little time to spare and found that there was a pacing "bunny" in full costume aiming for 3:30. Having done my last 20 miler in 3:39, I thought that would be a very comfortable pace for me, especially with the recent long run layoff and possible remnants of jet lag.

I started out at what seemed like a very leisurely pace but noticed that the first mile was done in 9:25. For me that's fast for a long run. But I was ahead of the 30K pacing group and decided to stay there, especially as they seemed to be the last of the 30K runners. I figured I had the endurance to be a bit faster.

It was a bit warm and the city streets we were on were somewhat desolate. Miles two through four were done at or under a ten minute per mile pace and while my legs were feeling a bit sore, overall I was feeling quite good.

We then headed into the Leslie Street spit and almost immediately I really started to enjoy the scenery. I had noticed a bit of a feeling of disappointment that I would be among the slower 30K runners but as we merged with the 15K runners and walkers, I was easily able to tell myself that 30K was a much more difficult challenge and so I shouldn't think that way about the event. It was easier to think that way as I passed many of the 15K runners. But I also wanted to enjoy the evening and not fret about the time, so I stopped to take a few pictures during my walking breaks.

In mile five I had a ton of trouble opening my Cliff gel and almost gave up, but eventually with some assistance I got it open and took in some carbs. That mile was above 11 minutes due to the wasted time and effort. Still, it was now increasingly gorgeous and I was running along "in the zone" enjoying the scenery and the overall run. I returned to a pace at or under 10 minutes per mile for the next several miles and was feeling quite enthusiastic about the event. There was some uneven surface on the spit but not enough to ruin the experience overall.

As we came out of the spit it really was getting quite dark and I assumed that there would be better lighting the rest of the way. That wasn't quite the case. Ashbridges Bay was quite dark even if the nearly full moon was a beautiful site. At times I wouldn't have known where to go if it weren't for the blinking lights of other runners ahead of me.

We eventually hit the boardwalk along the beaches, which I've run many times, but in the dark I found the surface very difficult. I think it was there that I had a bit of a misstep and felt a twinge in the fascia area of my right plantar near the toes. I kept going. Fortunately I had no problem taking in my second gel.

Shortly after the 24K mark we hit the turnaround spot to head back west, except now we were on the bike path rather than the boardwalk. I was starting to tire pretty rapidly and was finding the darkness to be a real problem. They also had run out of water and had only Gatorade, so I took in some Gatorade rather than a third gel. My pace, which had slowed to 10:45 by Mile 14 (no big deal, as that is actually around my average pace in my long runs), now slowed even more as I fought a stitch and the dark. In the 18th mile I was close to a 12 minute per mile pace as I stopped to walk and stretch out the stitch several times. At that point I was passed by several people who I had passed a lot earlier. That's OK I thought-I'm not doing this to win it and it's been great that I've been able to jump back in so successfully.

In the last stub mile I caught sight of the finishing line spectators and that helped me pick up the pace a little bit and I ran it all the way in without having to walk. I stretched it out for a good while and then hit the bananas and the bagels (which were surprisingly good at this event, being from Kiva's).

In the last four or five mile stretch when I found it hard I tried to tell myself that compared to a run in hot Italy with difficult surface conditions, this was a walk in the park. True, but it was still tough.

Overall, the race showcased the beauty of the Toronto waterfront especially the spit. For me, it was good to get in a long run after missing them the last two weekends. Like I already said below, it's too bad I spent any time at all on vacation worrying that the layoff would have undone the benefits of all the training I had completed before we went away. But it was still good that I got in the shorter vacation runs that I did manage to get in, as that maintained my fitness level.

If I look at my relative placement for my age group on the stats page I could get depressed, as I'm in a much lower percentile than in my 5K and 10K runs earlier this season. But that's to be expected given the fact that most of the runners in those groups can't do this longer distance and those who do complete it tend to be more experienced, having done the distance and longer for many years. So I'm not troubled in the least. It's fun to be able to participate.

I'm wondering if 18 days of Italian pasta and gelato was any help last night. I'm including some photos of my Italian running spots: San Casciano in Tuscany (twice, throughout the centre of the village), Venice (along the Grand Canal including traversing countless bridges and then ending up in their "green space"), Rome (once to and through the Borghese Gardens (no photo) and once along the Tiber) and lastly in Positano up and down the hills there.

An Evening of Contrasts

The first part of the race (at least half) was spectacular. After a few K's on deserted port streets we went out onto the Leslie Street spit and saw greenery and many birds, all while surrounded by water and the skyline in the distance. Eventually there was a spectacular sunset (see photo below).

The only mishap in the first half was in trying to open one of my gels and being unable to get it open. I probably lost a couple of minutes until someone helped me. (I'd been doing sub-10 minute miles and that one was over 11:00).

Then it got dark. While the moon was bright the fact is that it was hard to see. I brought along my distance glasses for better vision but what I really needed was a hat headlight. Also, some of the surface was uneven and at one point I landed awkwardly and felt a twinge in my right plantar. Just icing it now but nothing serious.

With about 5K to go I developed a cramp or stitch and really fell back. Not sure if it was the Gatorade or general fatigue with a bit of residual jet lag, or perhaps not eating enough beforehand. So my pace went from about 10-to mid-10's to close to 12. Not sure whether that means I started too quickly or I had a non-pacing issue related to the other factors I mentioned. So my average pace was 10:31 but it was not at all evenly distributed. My average HR was 149 which is higher than for my training long runs but lower than my 10K in May or half last year.

All in all, it was great fun for a large part of the evening and good experience for the remaining part. Considering it had been three weeks since my last long run I'd say it was a smashing success. It's too bad I spent some of my vacation worrying about it...oh well.

Thanks to yumke for saying hi along the way (as I was taking one of my sunset skyline photos). Somehow I think he finished before darkness was an issue.

One annoying observation was that my Polar seems to overstate my distance (unless the course was improperly marked). My watch says 18.83 miles but 30K is 18.64 miles. Not a huge deal though.

Meanwhile, now the www.sportstats.ca times are up and online: chip time was 3:17.26.6. I did in fact miss the mat at 21K-I thought of going back and touching it again but then wondered whether if I indeed stepped on it twice, that would create other problems. Mind you I don't know if others have their time at 21K on the stats page either, so now I'm not sure why there was a mat there anyway.

Finished

Ran out of gas in the dark and got a stitch or cramp so walked a lot in the last few miles. Loved the first half. Dark was hard. Chip time of 3:17 and change.

Home stretch

3K more.

Oops

So dark I missed the 21K timing chip mat.

One third left

Getting dark.

Half Way

1:35 and change. So far so good and very peaceful.

One third done

No problem and nice night.

Gorgeous Night

This should actually be fun. There are long lines for port-a-potties and to check bags so the 15K start time has been postponed by 20 minutes and the 30K by 5 minutes. I need to make certain markers by certain times to be allowed to continue but should be ok. Possible blog posts during walking breaks if the mood strikes and it isn't too hard to type.

Race Prep

Back in the 'hood with a short morning run with an accelerating pace. Legs were tight but the idea was to loosen everything up before tomorrow's 30K event. It felt pretty good and I'm confident I can get it done tomorrow night. I see that the sked calls for a 24 miler next weekend-we'll have to assess whether that's too aggressive given what I['ve done the last three weeks. The following weekend I'm signed up for the Oakville half and then I'm into one more long one and then the taper. Having said that, my sked has me doing an 18 miler two weeks before race day-not sure that's much of a taper at all.

No run today...

However, I did snag a Bills in Toronto tee shirt in the free tee shirt toss. The guy in front of me had butter fingers.

Getting Back on Track

Well I've felt better but the trip was worth it. As far as running goes, I will take the positive view that the relative rest will have done me some good. I haven't run since last weekend and I plan to get one in late afternoon or early evening as my 30K race is Saturday night and I'm typically more of a first thing in the morning runner.

The best part of returning home from vacation is going through all those bills in the mail. Not.

The Joys of Flying Air Canada

What is the point of registering for a text notification of any flight delay, and putting one's e-mail address on file with the booking, if no notification is actually sent out in advance of a lengthy delay?

So far there is a five plus hour delay in our flight that was meant to have left 10 minutes ago and I still have not received any notice of the delay.

A delay in and of itself isn't the end of the world and delays are part of travel. The issue is the lack of notice when notice could and should have been provided. As a result of not receiving notice, we now we are stuck at the airport instead of spending extra time in Rome.

There is no excuse for Air Canada not providing the notice once it has promised to provide notification by text message. Their contract disclaims responsibility for delays but I will be checking it regarding any disclaimers for not providing notices where passengers have signed up to receive notice. I believe that that arrangement is also part of the contract.

In fact, when we checked in at our hotel last night there was a group from a cancelled Air Canada flight. I checked into whether that would affect our flight today and was assured that that was not the case. But the check in agent advised that they knew last night of the delay due to crew rest requirements under the applicable Air Canada collective agreement.

It feels like Air Canada disrespects its passengers. The plane leaves when it leaves. Too bad if you don't like it.

Next time we will fly another airline.

More important, this time I will be seeking a meaningful amount of compensation and, if that goes nowhere, I will be registering complaints under federal and provincial consumer protection and business practices legislation.

Gross Food Selection Error

Last night in Italy. All sort of delicacies were possible. There were gelato flavours I had not yet sampled.

We had burgers and fries and club sandwiches at an American chain hotel.
Feh.

The hotel also has a fitness centre. In theory I could get up early and do ten miles on the treadmill. Especially after that dinner.

Or I could spend extra time in the effort looking for limoncello to take home and sample all the espresso there.

Better idea?

Today's exercise

Jumping off a boat into the sea and swimming back to the boat. Since I inhaled salt water I needed beer.

Loss of Momentum

So I've done a 20 miler the day of our departure, two three milers and three five milers. I've also done a ton of walking.

That would be spectacular if I weren't aiming for a marathon in seven weeks and maintenance of fitness were the sole objective.

I'm now 16 days removed from that 20 miler and have a 30K looming in five days in a place where it seems to rain every day when something isn't exploding. Some days there are both thunderstorms and explosions so people aren't sure what they are experiencing.

So a 30K event isn't appearing on the horizon as something that has become routine but feels more "make or break" to me.

One option if weather conditions are poor is to skip the event and fit in the run another time on the weekend (assuming the weather isn't rain all weekend).

Another option would be to run 15K in the morning and then run the 15K event in the evening, which would ensure not running in the dark.

One thing is clear-I can't miss a third consecutive weekly long run at this stage. On the other hand, if I can get it done I will feel back on track. I'd better take it slowly like a training run so that I can complete the distance.

On the positive side, I'm now enjoying my second cappuccino while enjoying the view of the coast before going to Capri in an hour. Too bad Jackie O is no longer with us. No celebrity sightings thus far.

I need to monitor my food intake today to make sure I'm hungry for dinner tonight at Donna Rosa.

Bonus Hill Run

It was too beautiful not to try and reports of the weather in TO were so grim that I put the freshly drip dried Mizuno back on and took myself out for a spin. There was some running on the flats along the beach but basically it was an up and down hill run at a slow pace around 11:30 with a heart rate average 135 or so. I limited it to three plus miles. Not quite classic hill training but a good effort.

There was one other jogger.

It is much less muggy than in the big cities so showering actually has an effect.

About to hit the scrambled eggs and fruit at the breakfast buffet with a great view. I see some crispy meats out there too.

Photos to be put on site in a couple of days.

Fiver Along the Tiber

Sounds like a soft rock melody but it was hard. First, I had a full day of touring. Second, at 7pm it was still hot and sticky even if I wasn't running in the sun. Third, the path was hard and uneven cobblestone with a noticeable camber.

After a slow first mile I settled in for three sub 10 minute miles and then topped 10 the last mile due to a needed walking break.

Since my 20 miler I have done five short runs as scheduled (although one was only 3 miles) but no long runs. I've missed two of those. I'm scheduled to run an evening 30K race a week tomorrow but that will depend on jet lag and weather conditions. So I'm concerned that I will have lost endurance right at the peak time for building endurance for a September 28th race. We shall see.

Another way to look at it is that I've had some memorable Old World runs that also show a good baseline of fitness.

No Run Today

I stirred at 6:30 but couldn't bring myself to get up plus I didn't want to wake up everyone else in the process. I even skipped the post-midnight portion of yesterday evening's festivities to put myself in a position to get up in time. Rest and a good night's sleep may be good for the body, more so than another run at this point. But a 30K a week from Saturday is now looming on the horizon as a big challenge. I may have to shorten to the 15K alternative course, especially if the conditions aren't optimal with a 6:30pm start time.

Off to visit the Vatican today including a look at some underground caves.

Last night's memorable evening ended with our best gelato so far at a place that the Globe and Mail had said was the best in Rome. We just happened on it so couldn't resist.

We will return.

Lest Ye Think I Whine

It turns out the high today is 36 and I'm in the middle of a record heat wave. Not to mention the humidity and pollution. I will try to get in another one early tomorrow morning but it depends on how late we turn in. Meanwhile a midday walk that concluded up a long hill was the same effort as a short run. So I just had a gelato as an afternoon snack.

Fiver before 8am

It is hot and muggy here and at the end of my run I looked like I'd just dived into a swimming pool. Still, it was easier than the last one as I had company and it was a lot flatter, with no bridges to traverse.

Fueled by last night's bruschetta, pasta combo plate and veal with mushrooms (and some shared birthday cake), washed down with lots of water and rose, I set out for the Borghese gardens. The streets were relatively quite including Via Corso so I headed there in a northeasterly direction. As I ascended into the gardens there was a memorable view of the city including St. Peter's. I meant to stop and take a photo on the return portion of the loop but I descended a different way. Next time.

There was quite a few other runners as well as people walking their dogs. I had the spiffiest outfit, being the Mizuno acquired at Fair Play in San Casciano. I actually needed the good technical gear given the humidity and used a full Camelbak fanny pack in just 50 odd minutes. Heart rate averaged 140 at a 10:20 pace with some miles done at a sub-ten pace. Feeling good!

Meanwhile courtesy of CBC Radio and John I'm now aware of a "sweat tourism" company that offers guided running tours. A trainer meets you and takes you for a run with commentary en route. Maybe tomorrow or Friday!

Business idea for TO?

Bridge Workout

I haven't been doing any hill training but today I woke up for a 6:30am run along the water with dozens of bridges. It was very muggy and the run was as much of a challenge as any long run. The first mile was perhaps my slowest in years at close to a 12 minute pace but when I reached a park I settled in at a more typical 10 minute pace. Part of the fun was seeing quite a number of other early morning runners who also had committed to getting up early. In my case that also meant that the planning affected last night including the time we ate (not 10pm) and when we went to bed. I tossed and turned quite a bit, not wanting to over sleep, but it all worked out. Well not quite everything-the famous cafes at San Marco were not yet open as I was finishing up.

I still haven't done any runs over 5 miles and that is worrying me a bit, but given the conditions and time constraints I'm going to give myself credit for fitting in the runs to date.

Runner's Low

Having trouble fitting in another run. Yesterday 2+ hour wait to pay a toll on the highway could have been better spent racking up some miles. Not to mention the peanut butter and baguette ate while waiting....

When in Florence/Firenze You Must Eat at Ristorante Dino

Dining at Ristorante Dino is a must. We had a large party of 10 for a birthday dinner and the food and service were excellent. Massimo, the owner, also arranged for taxis to take us back to where we were staying outside of the city and for a reasonable price. I started with the green salad, then had the incredible onion soup (without cheese or bread in it) and then Mrs. MM and I shared an incredible steak. Others had the wild boar in a chocolate sauce which was indescribably good. The Tuscan bread is unique as it is prepared without salt. I've already commented on the "to die for" dessert. Check out the menu and salivate.

Runner's High

No running yesterday but I must have walked at least 10K. In new sandals. And extreme heat. But it was a wonderful day capped by a memorable meal at Ristorante Dino. The birthday dessert for our guest of honour was an incredible flourless chocolate cake that tasted like a custard or pudding and was not at all too rich. And some Chianti Classico. And an Italian beer. And a Port type wine after dinner. Fortunately breakfast and lunch were quite light. Not much appetite in the heat.

I woke up this morning and got in five miles at a much faster pace than the other day when I was slower than at the end of 20 miles. Still, with the heat and the hills I took it easy with an average pace of 10:30 and an average HR of 138.

The village was alive with mothers and babies in strollers and grandmothers doing their marketing. Men sat outside and drank espresso.

I ran. I felt like I could have done 10 miles but thought it better to take it easy since I hadn't started all that early.

I finished at a sports store where I bought some European running gear including a pouch to pack running shoes. Great idea! The gear is Mizuno and isn't available as far as I now in Canada so that's kind of cool.

Then I hit the bakery and got some Tuscan bread, raisin brioche and croissants. Very far from Wonder bread.

Life is good.

UPDATE: I'm told that the gear is Japanese and not Italian. I'm also told that one outfit is great and the other is unacceptable. Returning to the store shortly to make an exchange. At least I needed the new gear-there is nothing worse that running shorts with a liner where the liner "has had its day" and ceases to do its job...