Good Idea, Crazy Idea

Does anyone remember the "Good Idea/Bad Idea" segment from Anamanics? You know, where the the stick figure man would have a good idea and then then would reverse it so it was a bad idea? Well if I were the "host" of this segment, I think it would be called "Good Idea/Crazy Idea."

The latest segment would be something like the following:

Good Idea: Signing up for race events to keep your lazy butt motivated even in the hot Italian sun.

Crazy Idea: Slacking off for the past 2 weeks and registering for a 12.7K for Saturday evening and following it up with a 10K first thing on Sunday.

-Saturday's Race-
Location: Mondragone
Distance: 12.7K
Finish time: 1:29:22

Highlights:

• No one from our group knew exactly how to get to the race's starting point, but dangit, our 8+ car caravan was going to be there.
• The entire town was out cheering us on through the streets.
• All the little kids in cars waving (since the runners were holding up traffic).
• The ambulance pulling up beside us making sure we were okay- then handing us water.
• It being suggested (in Italian of course) that it was our second lap. Even we figured that translation out! (We really weren't that far back, or maybe we were?)
• Watching the moon rise over vineyards.
• Our police escort. (Okay, we were that far back.)
• Joe telling me that he now understands why I was dubbed SB.
• (Perhaps the most important one) Ravi was in the the same location (and same state) that I left him in.

Summary: After kicking off the race in Piazza Falcone (who is named after someone killed by the Mob), we found ourselves winding through the town for about 2Ks before hitting a trail along the ocean. It was wonderfully flat and the breeze coming off the water was fabulous. Unfortunately we had to wind back inland, along the major road though the town. When Joe declared that it cost us 1 euro per mile to run this event we decided it was really protection against the traffic. Which side note- if you see that there are runners in the road in America I don't think that horns would be honking. Well, again, I'm in Italy now. I guess being in Italy also explains the mini trash piles we were running next to? Or playing Frogger to keep following the arrows so nicely marked on the street?

Once off the major road we wrapped back into the city limits along a back road that ran through agricultural land- primarily vineyards. Around this time the sun was setting and the moon rising ahead of us was beautiful, but the mosquitoes were also making their appearance. I think I was able to run away from them, but that's not saying much since all my limbs currently have at least one bite. I think around this time I started to dance more than jog so Joe decided it was time to set the pace.  He wouldn't let me have any fun. When we made it back in the town again we were greeted with cobble stone. Not the best to run on, so although our feet were numb at this point our legs were not and the muscles working to keep us steady sure let us know they were working. People still  were out cheering on runners from sidewalks, storefronts, and balconies. The little kids got a kick out of us waving to them if they didn't hide behind the seat of the car or tuck behind their parent.

FINALLY we reached the end. I still don't recall seeing a few of those last markers but when the arch is in front of you really don't care because the end is in sight. Uncle Giovanni was there with the Le Plume Nere flag and ran with us across the finish line. Phew. Exhausted, drenched with sweat, and praising Stanley for a job well done it was time to find Ravi and get moving home or at least find pizza. Over our dinner, almost too tired to even eat we were stoked that we finished it (and in a respectable time) but didn't want to think about the fact that in the morning we had another event. Best part about doing these new race lengths? They're always going to be PRs!

-Sunday's Race-
Location: Marcianise
Distance: 10K
Finish time: 1:04:49

Highlights:

• Joe's reaction to my "okay, I'm on my way" phone call.
• Driving in what can only be described as a polygon through a town not even that close to where the event was. Hey, I was just following the other car.
• Convincing myself that I really could run that kind of distance again today.
• Realizing there was ice cream at the end.
• Even more people lining the streets to cheer us on.
• A few corners where Italian music was being blasted into the air.
• Lots of water stations & a guy who decided that we needed to be sprayed with a hose.

Summary: Yeah. That alarm this morning was nearly tossed against the wall but that would have required being able to move. Clearly I wasn't in a horrible state but it took lots of effort to climb my  stairs even with the motivation of coffee up there. Joe knew his limits and between his jet lag and injuries decided that he'd go as my moral support but wasn't going to run. Like the race yesterday, we started in the piazza that was all decorate for what appeared to be their patron saint's day. Also like yesterday I'd say over 90% of the contenders were men. Seriously. Where are all the female runners here? I mean, it makes it easy for me to "rank" but it's really killing my "Woohoo, go Katie" attitude when I see men probably in their late 60s (shoot, some looked like 80) passing me. These events are so serious and a reality check for me. Not like I was leading the packs back at home, but I wasn't in the very last 1% of participants on the course.

Luckily before I got too discouraged that the pack had flown by me I checked my watch and I was doing about my normal pace. Unfortunately I was also dying of heat (nothing like running on black pavement at 9am). As we wrapped around/through town the buildings provided some shade but at that point I was a nice shade of tomato red. Oh well. At one walking/cool off rest an older lady, probably in her 60s motioned for me to start running with her. Since it was time to end my break I figured why not. It was nice to have someone to keep pace with but when I spotted a fellow American not too far ahead I decided I'd stick with him for a bit. Feeling better since it was now shady roads we were running, I took off. When hitting the 1/2 way marker I saw runners already done. Yeah. I told you- these are serious events. I should have known when you show up and it looks like a cross country event with all the different running clubs in their matching uniforms.

I think around this time Chris caught back up with me so we decided that it would be the "I'm going to stick with you- but tell me if you need to walk" method to get through the last 4Ks. It actually worked pretty well since I need someone telling me to run more than walk. And it couldn't have been more perfect timing as there were 2 mini hills (well more like an overpass and tunnel) that we had to run over at this point. With one more club member catching up to us, the 3 of us kept it moving for that last 1K and crossed just a few minutes after I'd normally had wanted to do it in but totally acceptable (and respectable!) time.

Best part? As we wrapped around I spotted ice cream being passed out (in addition to chocolate pastries and mozzarella). Also, apparently some certain number of women runners get flowers and an additional goodie bag. Well, I came in #49 and I really don't think there were that many more behind me and I was sent home with one of these bags. I laughed that I'll just keep registering for events since I get at least that amount back in food. Who needs to do grocery shopping?

So there you have it. My first 2 truly Italian running experiences. Not quite Santa Cruz's Wharf to Wharf race or some of those other Monterey races I did but they were still fun and Stanley will be ready to go again before too long. I'm now wondering if the Race for a Cure event will be more like one in the states or more like these events? Time will only tell! Time will also let me drop some time off my pace since clearly people who run around my pace don't enter races in Italy? Time to set it up and run with the fast kids.

Seabiscuit can do this!