Looking out the window of this Lufthansa flight taking me back home from Frankfurt, I can’t help but think that the next time I see these blue-white-orange colors drawn on the wings we will be on our way to Miami, and with me will be the wetsuit and bicycle, ready to write all together the final chapter of this long journey that began 43 weeks ago.
He pulls like crazy. Stop. Resume.
The resumption of training after the August break demonstrated, if there was still a need, the coach’s keen eyesight, with a condition that has taken to gradually increasing heralding even better performances than at the end of the summer (I know, my gut feeling tells me so) but with no more of that permanent fatigue that I dragged around all July. The stopwatch also certifies the improvements with a nice 41’10” printed in the Cariparma diecimila (not a very fast race due to ups and downs and curves) the day after a challenging 3-hour hilly combo on the bike plus 20 minutes of running in progression, and the half of Bologna Run Tune Up in 1h32’55”.
The lungs pump.
It was strange to run a ten thousand in the midst of so many people finishing the marathon in the 30-kilometer race or running half. Yes, because the last month we devoted it all to speed, with super-intense repetitions in all three sports, with the goal of giving another fix to VO2 max, or the ability to “take up oxygen” from the lungs so as to send as much of it as possible to the muscles. It was funny to see the astonished faces of those who, knowing that I am close to the Ironman, looked at me as if I had gone crazy to train so “little” when in fact this kind of training is essential because it increases the “displacement” of the engine.
A year ago I probably would have refused to throw away a month in this way but not only has the level of trust established with Ironfrankie been almost filial relationship for some time now, I also know by now very well how effective (and helpful in avoiding injury) it is to favor quality work at the appropriate time at the expense of pure bottom line. A lesson to always keep in mind.
Tough 21 kilometers of the 2013 Run Tune Up run in downtown Bologna, along a roller coaster-style course, and thus significant to have made a time very close to those “record” winter times set in the super flat of the lowlands (although here the thrill of the wet road was missing, fortunately). Bad idea to follow our James, in his long pre-Berlin run, up to the halfway point (passing kilometer 10.5 in 44’11”!!!) and nice indeed beautiful to be caught up in the finish by the Anne, fully recovered from her multiple injuries, and able to finish ahead of me by a few hundred meters, as is traditional over this distance. This is also basically the routine that I love.
The final sprint is now launched, next week I have a decidedly interesting weekend ahead of me with the half Ironman Pays d’Aix, among the lakes and hills of Provence. This will be the fourth 70.3 of the season and also the last race before the big event. In a constant sway of fear and excitement about what lies ahead, it doesn’t seem real to me that we are there now.