Racing and Training 2023

  Saturday 30 September 2023 Weather Warm and sunny. First thing, I did my morning stretches as inspired by Angela Copson and then I had a breakfast and did my swim. Today there was bacon so my breakfast was bacon and scrambled eggs, tea, coffee and milk. I went down to the pool for my 10:00am swim. My continuous swim was 14 minutes today. And I was in the pool for 30 minutes. I did a bit of sunbathing and then had another short dip in the pool. I had a couple of cups of red wine before setting out for lunch at the Capri pizza snack bar in the shopping centre where I had two slices of pizza and a 660ml Tuborg. I also bought some wine, crisps, coke zero, ham and cheese at Conad. I went back to my hotel and I had a snooze. I went down to the pool again at about 18:30 for another dip in the pool. I brought my stuff back up to my room and then went down for a coffee at the pool side bar. Th sun had gone down by the time I returned to my room.  

  Friday 29 September 2023 Weather Warm and sunny. I ran today, it was a painful two miles. First, I did my morning stretches as inspired by Angela Copson and then I had a breakfast and did my swim. Today there was no bacon so my breakfast was cotto, formaggio, and fried eggs on toast. Tea, coffee and milk. The breakfast room has moved upstairs as there are fewer guests staying in the hotel. I went down to the pool just before 10:00am and I did my morning swim. My continuous swim was 14 minutes today. And I was in the pool for 30 minutes. There is a mosquito in my room, somewhere! When I got back from my morning swim, I had lunch in my room. Cheese, ham and red wine. Then I had a snooze. I went down to the pool again at about 4pm for a coke zero at the pool side bar a lie down in the sun and a quick dip in the pool. Back in my room, I did a few bits and bobs and then went across to Civico 01 for some arosticini. The restaurant was busy and it was pretty much all local...

  Thursday 28 September 2023 Weather Warm and sunny. I was very tired and I had a decent sleep. No run today, so I did my morning stretches as inspired by Angela Copson and the I had a breakfast and did my swim. Once again, I had a carb free (almost) breakfast of cotto, formaggio, bacon, scrambled eggs. Tea, coffee and milk. The serving lady served me with bacon so I had a much smaller portion than would have been the case if I had served myself. I went down to the pool at about 10:00am and I did my morning swim. My continuous swim was 12 minutes today. And I was in the pool for 30 minutes. A bit later, I set off for the stadium in Pescara. Using the app for guidance, I got a bus to a stop that was about 1000 metres before the Bus Terminal. I could then have got the number 21 towards the stadium except that I messed up by jumping on a number 3/ which headed in the wrong direction. I jumped off and as I went back to the stop, I saw the number 21/ passing by. I walked to ...

  Wednesday 27 September 2023 Weather Warm and sunny. I had to get up early to do my morning run. By 8am it was getting a lot warmer. I was awake at 5am. I took photos of the sun rising. I did my run 5 w/u, 10 out and 10 back and 5 minutes cool down. I made sure that I did 1000 metres in the 10 minutes out. I passed Rob Sargent on the way back. I had a carb free (almost) breakfast of cotto, formaggio, bacon, scrambled eggs. Tea, coffee and milk. I went down to the pool at about 10:00am and I did my morning swim. My continuous swim was 10 minutes today. Back in my room, I got my massage gun on to my aching left hip. I was now really hungry so I had to have lunch! I went across to the shopping centre and had a couple of pizza slices and a bottle of Tuborg (660ml). I also did some shopping at Conad for a box of red wine (I haven’t got a cork screw) plus two packets of crisps and some ham and cheese. I had an afternoon snooze. I then had some red wine and crisps and then went...

  Tuesday 26 September 2023 Weather Warm and sunny. A bit cool in the shade under the roof of the stand at Montesilvano at around 5pm but no jacket required. I did my morning swim. My continuous swim was 9 minutes. In the afternoon I walked to the railway station and got the 3/ bus to the stadium at Montesilvano. I watched the older men’s 5000 metres. Barry was running, as was Alan Newman. I saw Rob Sargant. He is in the same hotel as me. I saw Archie. He now has a job with WMA which takes him all around the world. I left the stadium as Barrie was halfway through his race. I got the 3/ bus back to Montesilvano and had a couple of beers in the bar del Corso (next to the station). I went to Civico 01 for my arosticini. My usual meal goes like this.. CACIOCAVALLO con NDUJA e RUCOLA - 6,5 ARROSTICINI DI CARNE - 1,2 cad. ARROSTICINI DI POLLO PANATI - 1,3 cad Plus, roasted vegetables 4,0 and a beer 4,0 I saw Lesley Richardson and Vilma and Sean and Veronica inside t...

  Monday 25 September 2023 Weather The storms are disappearing. Still a bit cool but it is going to be warm and sunny for the rest of the week. I did my morning swim. My continuous swim was 8 minutes. In the afternoon I walked to the stadium at Montesilvano. It was a 4 kilometer walk from my hotel. The road out of Montesilvano centro was filled will traffic fumes so not great. On the way back I sussed out the number 3 bus. The highlight of the athletics was Angela Copson’s warm-up. Her stretching routine was astonishing and a lesson for me most certainly. Angela broke the European 5000 metres record. Anne Dockery was a close second. Ros Tabor was running in the F65s and Jill Harrison won the F60. I got the 3/ bus back to Montesilvano and had a couple of beers in the bar del Corso (next to the station). I went to the Old Wild West for my evening meal (a steak) because my usual restaurant is closed on Mondays. Addendum Jill Harrison was a 33 minutes 10K runner. In the e...

  Sunday 24 September 2023 Weather A big storm arrived late morning, it was cold and wet for most of the day. I could have left Montesilvano on the 08:00 number 2/ bus. However, a big storm was forecast and I was feeling quite weary. I decided to have a day at the hotel instead. I went for a swim before the big storm arrived and I relaxed in the afternoon. I went across to Civico 01 in the evening for my meal. I am getting better at low carb and a two meal a day plan. However, I do have bread with my evening meal (it is free) and I do have some beer and crisps. Tomorrow my favourite Gelateria and Restaurant are both closed so I will need to think of something else.

  Saturday 23 September 2023 Weather It was a bit cooler today. Still fairly humid, but no too bad for parkrun. I jog / walked to the park and did parkrun. I met Pippa Cumbers and Mike Nichols. I cooled down on the way back to Hotel Napoleon. I had a shower and breakfast. I left the hotel and had a focaccia cotto & mozzarella at the station – maybe I should have made myself some toast at breakfast – I was trying to stick to low carb but I was hungry. There was a British man with his wife at the station. He was stressed out and shouted at his wife "go and do what you want". She quietly walked away. No need for that I thought. A few moments later he was being charming to some strangers in the queue. Not the kind of guy that I would like to be married to.  I got the Frecciarossa back to Pescara. I didn’t get a complimentary snack box, I’m not sure why. I was in Car 3 rather than car 2. Maybe I was in the wrong class! Back in Pescara I noticed that they had had some r...

  Friday 22 September 2023 Weather Nothing special to report today with the weather! In the morning I had breakfast. I packed a bag for my trip to Rimini. I got a number 2/ bus from Montesilvano to Pescara Terminal. I had plenty of time to spare before the 12:02 Frecciarossa train departed. The train ride was very comfortable, I had booked an upgrade to a posh carriage. I got a free snack box but it was very carb loaded. A cheese scone and a wafer biscuit basically. It is a short walk to my hotel from Rimini station. The Napoleon Hotel is not great, it is a basic railway station type hotel. The breakfast was OK. The air conditioning wasn’t great. The bed was a bit lumpy. The bus for Rome and San Marino stops right outside the hotel so it would be convenient for a trip to San Marino. With a partner, I wouldn’t stay at the hotel. The welcome coffee and pastry were great. The man on reception was very friendly and helpful. I had strides to do on my training plan, so I did it i...

  Thursday 21 September 2023 Weather I didn’t pay too much attention to the forecast. It was decent weather for my morning run. Early afternoon there was a heavy downpour and a clap or two of thunder. It didn’t last long. I woke up early and went down for breakfast at about 07:20. I had scrambled egg on toast with some bacon. I returned to my room and decided to go for my morning run. It was about 10:00 by the time I was ready to go. I did a workout that was scheduled for me on my Greg McMillan 10K program. I ran to Montesilvano centro and did a rectangular figure of 8. When I got back I was going to go for a swim. There was a few claps of thunder and heavy rain. I had a snooze instead and went for a swim once it had brightened up. Once I had warmed up, I did a 5 minutes continuous swim. This was clocked as a “drill”. In the evening I went to Civico 01 and had a baked cheese starter with nduja (a spicy salami/pate starter with rocket. I then had arosticini and french fries ...

  Wednesday 20 September 2023 Weather Forecast is hot and sunny. It seems quite humid. I woke up early but decided to sleep on. When I woke again at 08:30 I could easily have dropped off again. I went for breakfast at about 09:00. I had two fried eggs with some bacon, a roll and toast. I had a pot of tea again. After breakfast I went to the pool. It is supposed to open at 10:00 but nobody came, so I went in and swam anyway. It is cloudy but warm. This morning I could practice my swimming techniques in the pool and lie on the sunbed without worrying to much about getting burned. The pool water is a bit colder than the pool at Caldicot Leisure Centre.   I’ve had a sore throat and a cough since Monday, which is not great. Hopefully it will clear up soon. I slept for a bit in the afternoon and then went across the road to Civico 01, a pizza place. I mentioned the following to Keith: The Rugby was on the TV in the hotel foyer as I went out. I’m guessing that I could fin...

  Tuesday 19 September 2023 Weather Forecast is hot and sunny. It seems quite humid. I slept for seven hours. I went down to breakfast quite early (just after 07:00). I had breakfast of melon, pineapple, yogurt, ham, cheese, two eggs and a roll and butter with a pot of tea. I went back to my room for more sleep. Then I went to the pool for a swim. In the afternoon, I walked along the seafront for a bit. I had a beer and crisps. I got the bus to Pescara. I drew some money out. I had pizza, red wine and water. I got the bus back and had two bottles of beer at the hotel. I also had a protein shake. I was very tired and my left hip was aching. I had an early night      

M onday 18 September 2023 Weather UK weather didn’t matter as I didn’t need to go out anywhere. It was sunny and very warm at Rome airport (FCO) it was warm and humid in Pescara. So, I set out with lack of sleep and a touch of a hangover. I got a bus to Terminal 5 at about 04:30. Bag drop was open when I got there. The check in etc. was fairly smooth. I wasn’t hungry so I didn’t need to eat anything. I drank some liquid (Coke Zero and Water). I checked the Clik Bus app for bus times. There was a bus at 11:20 which I caught. There was no wi-fi on the bus so maybe Pronto Bus would have been better. However, I did sleep for a fair amount of the ride, so it wasn’t too bad. We arrived at Pescara at 15:10. That gave me enough time to get to the ticket office and buy a carnet of 11 tickets. I also found the number 2 bus stop, which was nice. I had to validate my paper ticket. The bus stop for the Sea Lion Hotel was close to the last stop on route 2. I checked in at my hotel, I changed i...

  Sunday 17 September 2023 Weather UK weather was drizzle. After yesterday’s turmoil I was well behind with my packing. However, I I completed this by 10:00am. The suitcase felt heavy. It weighed 21 kgs. As a reminder, the issue yesterday was my cancelled flight to Bologna. I needed to rebook because the alternative flight would have got me to Pescara two days late. I found a flight to Rome and called BA Customer Services. The guy put me on that flight to Rome. It leaves at 06:30 tomorrow morning, so 90 minutes earlier than the cancelled Bologna flight. I will have to get up very early tomorrow morning. I was able to check in for my outbound flight this morning. I am in seat 25C. NB. I also had to print off some new luggage labels for the outbound flight. With regard to my flight, I have one document which shows bag drop opening at 04:30 and another which says 05:00. I must clear security before 05:55 so I shall aim to get to T5 for 05:00. I need to update various documents...

  Saturday 16 September 2023 Weather Light rain showers are forecast. I started getting my belongings together. Ready to pack. I have done my washing and made some Scotch Eggs, sausages and roast pork. There were four RWC 2023 games today including Wales v Portugal and Ireland v Tonga. I couldn’t really focus on them but I don’t think that there were any surprises. Big news! This afternoon BA cancelled my flight to Bologna so I had to figure out an alternative . “We're sorry the BA540 on 18 Sep 2023 LHR-BLQ is cancelled. You are rebooked on BA542 19 Sep 2023 dep: LHR 15:20 arr: BLQ18:302. That would have created a lot of extra expense and made me two days late! I discovered that there was a flight to Rome (FCO) departing at 06:30 on Monday so I got BA customer services to book me on that one. The upshot of that is that I will need to leave my hotel at approximately 04:00 on Monday morning. Other news, I did a short strides session on the top field at Beechwood Park in a...

Friday 15 September 2023 Weather It was a cooler day today. I had a massage with Daniela today. This was a fairly relaxing day. I got my suitcase down and had a look around for things like sun tan lotion etc. Leicester City were on the TV in the evening, they were away at Southampton. The result was a 1 – 4 win, which was nice.  

Thursday 14 September 2023 Weather The end of the warm weather in the UK seems to be approaching. It is around 19°C today with more cloud later some very light rain this evening.   I am starting my Pescara blog today. I've been doing swimming lessons and I am improving. Lorraine has given me a training programme for Pescara. It is this:   Warm up, with front crawl then breast stroke.  Then do a 5 minutes continuous swim, then practice whichever stroke(s) I like and then cool down. ·          Repeat daily and add one minute to the continuous swim each day.   I have started my trip preparation by reading hotel reviews on TripAdvisor and booking.com. I have packed a few things accordingly, like toilet roll for instance. The hotel toilet paper gets bad reviews. Also, swimming caps are compulsory when swimming in the hotel pool. I have bought two and will take them both.   I have planned a trip to Rimini for the parkrun and ad...