Fri - 29/09/23
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 Italian clientele. I noticed a lady who looked like Kate (Caitlin
Todd) out of series one and two of NCIS. I noticed her because she was happy
and smiling at her dinner date.
As I was leaving the restaurant a lady waved at me and
showed me her athletes’ wrist band. I went over to chat to her. Amazingly, the
lady was my Canadian friend, race walker Nanci Patten Sweazey, who I haven’t
seen or spoken to since my first World Masters Championships in San Sebastián
in 2005. Back in 2005 we were both staying in the Pensión Amaiur in San
Sebastián old town.
To add perspective, my son Will came with me on the trip, it
was his 18th Birthday present. He wanted to go to surf school and
there was one in San Sebastián. For Will, that was half a lifetime ago.
I am now back in my room writing this at 21:30. I am
buzzing.
Note to Pete Mountain.
Meanwhile, there is a restaurant called Civico 01 across the
road from my Hotel in Montesilvano which is pretty good. It was busy this
evening, nearly all locals as the athletes have mostly gone home. As I was
leaving the restaurant a lady waved at me and showed me her athletes’ wrist
band. I went over to chat to her. Amazingly, the lady was a Canadian race
walker Nanci Patten Sweazey, who I haven’t seen or spoken to since my first
World Masters Championships in San Sebastián in 2005. Back in 2005 we were both
staying in the Pensión Amaiur in San Sebastián old town. “I thought I
recognised you” she said. 😀
Nanci looked really fit and well this evening. She was with
her husband - who also looked good compared to 2005. They got married in 2014
but were together in Spain in 2005 He is Austrian; they live in Austria. She is
competing in the European Masters Championships as a Canadian guest runner.
To add perspective, my son Will came with me on that trip,
it was his 18th Birthday present. He wanted to go to surf school and there was
one in San Sebastián. Will is now 36 (I think 🙄) and father of three boys,
so that was half his lifetime ago. I am buzzing, obviously!