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Ecomaratona Monti Cimini (trail marathon)

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2010201120122013
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Location:

Rome,Italy

Member Since:

Dec 13, 2010

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

Best marathon 3:14:40 (2011)

Best Half-Marathon 1:26:38 (2013)

Best 10k 40:22 (2009)

Best 5k 20:18 (2004)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Marathon under 3:10:00

Half marathon under 1:25:00

2013 Races


Long-Term Running Goals:

Carpe diem

Personal:

My name is Eugenio I was born near Rome, Italy, in 1972 and lived there for 29 years, then in 2001 I moved to Salt Lake City for work and for seven years and one month that was my home, since 2008 I am back to Italy. I started running in 2003 when I realized I could not ride my bike throughout the Utah winter.



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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Total Distance
170.00
Total Distance
5.00

Good run, 5 miles in 43:20. The sunset on the hills was really beautiful this evening.

Comments(2)
Total Distance
6.20

I did another 6.2 miles a 54 minutes something. I decided for this week to keep a 10k as a maintenance/recovery/taper and at least I succeeded. A few more runs before next week trail marathon. This trail run will be more a fun/training race/run. I am really looking forward to starting a more regular running schedule without having a marathon in the near future.

Spring exploded today blue skies, warm temperatures, cool breeze, perfect day to be out.

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Total Distance
11.60

My original plan was to do a 10 miler slow and easy, but I was alone and temperatures were kind of warm for this time of the year, I did not trust too much my will power, when I met a couple of friends running in a different direction I decided to join them so there was no turning around.

Pace was nice and easy, conversation was not that great because they were on the last section of their 18 miler so they were struggling a little bit and could not care less of my desire to talk.

Today for the first time after the marathon my legs were trying to tell me to push the pace just a little bit, but next weekend race will give them plenty of opportunities to go faster if they still want. It was more a summer morning rather than a spring one, everyone was out on the lake beach to take all the sun possible. Crazy weather.

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Total Distance
0.00

Planned rest day, the headache was supporting this decision.

 

Comments(1)
Total Distance
6.20

A good relaxing run 6.2 miles in 55 minutes. A strong wind from the north cleared up the skies and lowered the temperatures. I am feeling recovered from the marathon and ready to assault another one next sunday.

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Total Distance
5.00

Another nice run, 5 miles at whatever pace.

One more run on friday.

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Total Distance
0.00

Planned rest day. For next sunday's race I don't have any real goal. I would like to start slow and easy, the first 2 km are straight uphill, and trying to keep an easy pace until km 19 when we reach the highest point of the race and then on a more rolling terrain trying to keep a strong finish pace until the end.

This race will be my third of fourth trail race (after the Bonneville shoreline trail marathons and the Wahsatch steeplechase) but obviously on a smaller scale compared to the other two Utah races.

Total altitude gain will be approx. 1600meters considering that the whole race is held on hills no higher than 1200m and it starts at 800m the organizers did a pretty good job to include all the steepest sections possible.

This is not a goal but more a prediction, I think I should be able to finish between 4:15 and 4:45, but really any finish time will be welcome. After three big races since the beginning of the year I am really looking forward to some more "relaxing" training time, increasing mileage, and a more regular schedule without worrying too much about tapering, recovering and racing.

According to the forecast and current weather right now, sunday it will be perfect more summer than spring but no rain (and mud), warm temperatures and a light breeze.

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Total Distance
4.00

4 sweet miles. Weather right now is crazy is definitively summer no spring at all, temperatures are around 30 degrees Celsius (80 F).

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Race: Ecomaratona Monti Cimini (trail marathon) (26.2 Miles) 04:50:50, Place overall: 42
Total Distance
26.20

This was my 2nd marathon in 3 weeks, 2nd trail marathon of my "running career", 12th marathon since 2004.

I don't consider myself a trail runner even though I spent a considerable amount of miles on trails.

Trail running around here is not big and this race was at its first edition with 140 runners. It represents a decent number considering also that 30 miles away there was also an half marathon with 390 people. In Italy races are usually this size because to race you need a medical certificate and being part of a sport group, so this keeps away most of the occasional runners.

This race was just 10 minutes drive from my house in the beautiful monastery-town of San Martino al Cimino. I woke up at 6:30 and by 7:30 I was on my way to the start. At 8:00 I was already around the starting line chatting with people, no pressure to gain the first positions, just enjoying the friendly atmosphere in preparation for the race.

The race starting line was at the north gate of the town (very narrow approx. one car-wide) and then we immediately started going straight uphill on asphalt road for 2km to reach the crater ridge line. This is a volcanic territory with hills no higher than 1200 meters and the whole race consisted on climbing and descending the walls of this volcanic lake (Vico lake) and some of the highest peaks around. After 2km, the rest of the race until km 40 was on trails, then again 2 km on asphalt to go back to San Martino.

I started enjoying the hill and then I tried hard to restrain myself until km 17. During this section where we lost altitude, I restrained myself probably a little bit too much, but it was already hot and I was sweating too much. At km 17 started the most important climb of the day with 2km to reach the top of Monte Cimino no views from the top because the forest is too thick, but the whole ground in any direction in the top 50 meters was completely covered with white and blue flowers. It was really beautiful, I stopped with other runners around to take a group picture, even though we didn't know each other, we felt we were sharing the same feelings.

We dropped down to reach an aid station and then we climbed back up through a different route and we headed back to the crater lake.

At km 20 there was an aid station "manned" by five silent girls (they didn't look italian) offering water and the usual staff, I thought I heard one whispering something in english, so I said loud with my worst american-english accent "Ey has it going girls!!!!!!!" and they exploded in laughing and comments and wanted to chat and talk, they were from all over US but none of them from Utah, I didn't ask them what they were doing in the middle of nowhere at an aid station of a trail marathon and it will remain a mistery. From km20 to km 29 we regained all the altitude lost during the first part, one hill after the other partly walking partly running, this was also the hardest point, all negative thoughts kicked in, at a fountain I submerged my head in the water, I ate some candies and kept moving to the aid station at km 29 at the top of the crater.

That aid station had loud music and two very nice cheering women-angels, I drank some more water and gatorade, ate some more food and probably the combination of all those things together brough new life to my legs. Next 3 km were straight down to the lake and I was flying on a technical trail like I was crazy, I couldn't believe how fast I was going down compared to the misery of 10 minutes earlier, I reached the bottom and then moved along on a rolling section at slower pace until I reached the swampy area of the lake. This was at km35 only 7 km to go with 2 of them on a dry mud/sandy mosquito infested terrain until I reached the base of the crater again. Then another 2 km straight uphill and this was painful, I was running the last 2 km with another guy and we were walking uphill, when at certain point I realized I was alone because he stopped and he was trying to recover, I kept moving up until there was a runner in distress seating on a rock with some volunteers around, he was feeling sick and nauseous and he couldn't keep moving, we were on a single track trail and no vehicle could come down, the doctor was on his way down but I wasn't sure how they could move the runner without his collaboration.

I started moving again I reached after another km the top and the end of the trail and the ambulance with the doc just arrived. The doctor with his tools was nicely dressed and there was no way he could go down for 1 km with his leather shoes, I told him more or less what was going on and then I kept moving while they called a guy on motorcycle to try to bring the runner to the ambulance. At that point 2 km of pure downhill hell separeted me from the finish line and I think I was moving really at 5k speed ignoring my screaming quads. The last twist of the race was that they made us go to the bottom of the town and the arrival was at the top with a final stretch of 200 meters of pure uphill agony.

After crossing the finish line and receiving the finisher medal  I walked a few steps and for the first time in my running career I left on the cobblestone the last 1/2 liter of gatorade and water I drank that was obviously seating in my stomach deciding where to go.

I predicted a finish time between 4:15 and 4:45 and I was right on, if I had pressed the first part a little bit more I would have finished 10-15 minutes earlier, but time didn't really matter. It was an incredible experience on a very beautiful, well organized course. For pictures of the course and maps you can check their website and start practicing your italian.

http://www.ecomaratonadeimonticimini.it/ecomaratona_dei_monti_cimini.html

I hope this race will keep growing in the next few years because trail running can be a nice "relaxing" break from road racing.

Comments(3)
Total Distance
0.00

Much needed rest day, both mentally and physically.

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Total Distance
0.00

Another planned rest day. I struggled during the last two days with lack of good sleep.

Legs are tired but recovering, I feel just general fatigue.

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Total Distance
3.10

Last night was the first good sleeping night since the marathon, this morning I felt refreshed and ready to resume a more normal schedule.

I went out to do a short run, I didn't wear my Garmin but it was at a good clip. Cooler temperatures and clear skies helped to enjoy the run. I will keep this mileage for the next few days just to stay safe, I don't want to get injured.

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Total Distance
3.10

Another nice 5k at 5:30ish/km. Temperatures dropped in the last 3 days from 85F to 50F.

Usual crazy spring weather.

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Total Distance
3.70

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Total Distance
10.00

10 miles in 1:22:30. It is good to resume a normal running schedule without worrying too much about upcoming race. I am planning in the next few months to build a consistent mileage base while enjoying the nice spring weather, then surviving the summer heat and finally start "tapering" again for a good fall marathon.

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Total Distance
6.20

6.2 miles in 55 and something. The news of the day was the overall incredible performance in Boston by the winners and by our "winner" Paul Petersen. Incredible day for the whole running community around the world.

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Total Distance
6.20

My legs are recovering fast and furious, tonight I pushed the pace toward the end of the run doing a good progression from 5:45-6:00/km to 4:30-4:15/km at the end overall 5:00/km average. Weather was great, just cool enough while the sun was going down. A good day overall.

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Total Distance
8.00

8 miles in 1:05:37. A good run overall.

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Total Distance
8.00

Another boring entry for a good run overall, 8 miles in 1:02:32. I wish this spring weather, would last forever.

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Total Distance
8.00

This was more a recovery/relaxing run after the last two runs slightly faster than usual. My speed is back but I feel I am working much harder than I should to run at that speed, sooner or later everything should be back to normal. I just need to be patient.

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Total Distance
8.00

This morning was raining, after lunch was still raining so I decided to go out anyway, waiting was no going to change the weather. 

Unfortunately my legs did not want to come with me (the usual lame excuses: it's going to be wet, we are tired and so on) I got mad and decided to leave them at home as an extreme punishement (they usually enjoy go running around the lake in broad daylight).

Unfortunately for me, without them, I struggled all 8 miles long finishing with a new record time of 1:14:35. I was wet and a little bit depressed for my legs at home enjoying whatever they were enjoying.

Happy Easter/Buona Pasqua everybody!!!

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Total Distance
6.20

I am glad that Easter holidays are over, I can resume my regular schedule.

I did my usual route around the lake after work in 51:37. Tomorrow I am planning to push both the pace and the distance.

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Total Distance
7.00

Tonight I wanted to test my legs, after two marathons in one month and lots of tapering/recovery runs and many of them just flat without and decent speed. I started with the goal of finishing 6.2 miles in 45 minutes I ended up finishing in 42:30. It was a big confidence boost. I felt tired and for sure I was pushing all the time, no stroll in the park, but when I realized that not only I was maintaining my pace but I was accelerating I was very happy. Last 0.8 miles at slow pace to resume a decent heart rate before driving home.

Comments(1)
Total Distance
7.20

Good run around the lake 7.2 miles in 58:18, I thought I was going to be much slower after yesterday run, I wasn't. It means after three week of slow runs I am really rested and my sluggish runs are caused by my lazy brain rather than by fatigued legs.

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Total Distance
8.00

8 miles in 1:14:20 nothing really special, during the afternoon there were several thunderstorms so there was a very high humidity. 

Comments(1)
Total Distance
13.10

Morning run, I wanted to do an half marathon in 1:35 I ended up doing it in 1:36:57. I am still happy about the result, it is in the marathon pace territory, so it is good. I felt it was difficult to maintain the planned pace (4:30/km), the two minutes at the end were the result of the slow start  during the first 10km then when all my hopes to finish under 1:40 were almost gone I kept the pace ending up doing the last 11km at 4:30 or slightly faster. It was probably a mix between tired legs and mind that were not working in sync.

 

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Total Distance
170.00
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