It's time to move on!

Last Friday I took a deep breath, jumped out of my desk and asked my boss for a "chat"...I handed my notice.
Despite we head a couple of meetings in the last month, he seemed surprised of what he was hearing. I don't know, perhaps he was hoping I was going to change my mind or maybe that it would have taken me a longer before I decided to leave.
He is a good manager, like not that many out ther. He is what I would call a 360° manager: he can be tough, but also understanding person. He likes to invest in the people of his team and he's also a good listener. Unfortunately, our roads will take a different directions soon and it would be easy find someone else like him, but I've got to try to do it my own way or I'll regret one day.
I have to say that it didn't feel great when I took the weight off my shoulders as I would have expected, but actually I felt anxious and kept asking myself whether I had done the right thing: leaving the safe harbour for a relatively unknown destination.
Quoting Lance Armstrong in Every second counts: "I want to feel this life as it occurs. Not as it might have occurred. Or as it could have been, if only."
I wasn't satisfied with where my career was going; I wasn't giving any contribution and I wasn't going to leave a sign or put a name out there.
I wasn't at peace with the reality of my life fron 9am to 5pm and I didn't want to wake up one day and find myself living a life.
I think below video is self-explanatory of how I felt 'till not long ago.



How many chances do we have in our life? It could be few, it could be only one more chance, and this time around I want to do everything to the absolute maximum.
I was sick of being sitting around and waiting for the right moment, for an answer or for a sign.
The secret to achieve anything we want in life lies within us, it's up to us to discover it.
What is this all about? I just want to give to myself a fair chance.

FunRun...

I am officially a runner since yesterday. I ran for the first time surrounded by 2,500 people. I don't like when on a sunny day, especially during the weekend Phoenix Park is packed with people, so I was a bit concerned on how I would have felt running in such a big number. It just felt great! I still have the imagine in my mind while running down the bridge at Grand Canal, of all those runners forming a river.

As my first race ever, my aim wasn't the time, but finish it, so I did. I have to say that unfortunately, the girls and I don't have an official time, as we're still debating whether the race started early or we were late (your call) and we didn't start from the start line so the chips didn't work . Therefore, we have all unanimously decided to take off 4 minutes of our time. If this was the case, my time would have been approx. 00:48:21. It's a long way from the 00:29:06 of the first place, but I'll get there one day.

So far, I'm proud of myself and my performance. I didn't feel tired for all 8k, never thought for a moment to quit and felt strong all the time. Surprisingly, I had a huge smile in my face for at leasat 6k, I couldn't keep myself from not smiling. I guess that's why they call it "fun"run.
Obviously, the Irish weather was part of the race too. It started raining just a hour before we started and didn't stop until I got home. I have to say that I didn't bother the rain; as L.A. says: "When it rains, I put a raining jacket on and go".

I kept a normal pace, despite I felt I could run faster, but I didn't want to push it on my first race and running the risk of ruining all the fun and the past training if I had stop because of the fatigue. On the last km though, I decided to switch on the engine and yes I could still breath.

I liked the feeling of being cheered on by random spectators and mostly of other runners who I arrived first and waited for us at the finish line. Now I know how it feels!
My thoughts during the race were for a woman on a wheelchair I saw yesterday afternoon at the Luas stop. I dediced that I would have run for her, so I did.

Carlingford: Singles Day Adventure...our way!

I have to say that the recent hikes I have been on in the past few months are the ones I have enjoyed the most. I don’t know if this is because I’m more into the outdoors activities now or because I’m more fit or just I simply enjoy everything that comes from Mother Nature. I’d also add that I see the life that surrounds me through different lenses.

Before, I looked but I didn’t see. Now I do.


















With my adventurous sometimes crazy friends from the Challenge Hikers group, I spent a beautiful Sunday hiking in the Carlingford Mountains.



















The highest peak of this ridge of mountains is Slieve Foy (Irish: Sliabh Feá), which rises to an altitude of 588 m. The chain of mountains of which it is a part rises at The Foxes Rock (404m), and runs for roughly 6km in a south easterly direction, culminating in Slieve Foy itself.


















At the foot of Slieve Foy there is the pretty three-street medieval village town of Carlingford (Cairlinn). From the top of it instead you can enjoy the view of Carlingford Lough and on a clear day (as we had) the Mourne Mountains. Now that few of us I have discovered the world of climbing, as soon as we spot the chance to try our skills, push ourselves to the limit and mostly have that feeling back of being a child(wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!), we certainly don't miss it.

Now that I look my picture on the left, I try to figure out how I'm still here writing this post. Look at me just on tiptoe! Well at least I look confident...

Run Ilaria Run

Well, I'm proud to announce that finally I have run 8.4 km in a row without a single stop whether it was because I had to cross a road or because my body refused to keep going.

Last Sunday, I ran the whole distance of Phoenix Park, from one entrance to the other and back again and the feeling at the end was indescribable. Now, for some (or many) of you who can show off your joglog might think what's so incredible with that, but for someone like me who 'till not a long time ago hated running or couldn't run for more than 2 minutes (literally) consecutively, this is a great achievement and motivation.

I have been picturing the full distance for a couple of days waiting for the moment to hit the road.
When I started at the gate as it is a little bit hilly I found it difficult, but that has become a routine of each training so I thought to myself that it would have gotten better in a few minutes. I was right! But still I wasn't feeling 100% in good form and the first negative thoughts came into my head, whether I'd be able to finish what I'd planned. Immediately, I got rid of this mental baggage and refocused on simply delivering my own best effort. So, I stopped worried of things I couldn't control and I started virtually scanning my body where everything seemed to be ok: legs still moving and not hurting, I could still breath normally and my hearth was somewhere in my upper body. I kept telling to myself to run metre after metre until I was feeling I could still run and at least try to get to Castleknock gate.
Then I saw the light at the end of the tunnel: the cars queuing waiting to cross the gate, so I said:"My heart still beats, keep running and add extra mileage, even if you don't run the whole distance".

Section by section I saw all my hotspots that I usually refer to measure the distance as I still don't have a footpod. On the way back, the only thing that I was thinking was that Pain is temporary and quitting lasts for good. It went on and on and when only a quarter of the distance was left to cover I even started picturing how it'd feel finishing without any interruption or giving up. I was so determined to finish the training that when close to the immaginary finish line a woman tried to ask me for something, I didn't stop and with a sort of sound that came out my mouth I apologised for not stopping. It might seem rude, but if I did all my efforts would have been vane and then I think that with all the people that are enjoying a sunny day at the park, why would you even think of bothering a runner?

Did I mention that my request for transfering my to the full marathon has been accepted?
Well, now you know.

May Bank Holiday with Adrenaline

Last May Bank Holiday was one my favourite weekends spent with The Challenge Hikers.
There was a lot going on squeezed in 3 days: on Saturday morning we climbed Mealrea and literally rock-climbed the top of the mountain. I was amazed at the fact that I didn't freak out when I saw the narrow path we had to walk and ravine just underneath are feet.

Actually, it was where all started...that feeling that you can do whatever I want with my body, I can push it to the limit where it's rather fear that runs through or as in this case was for me, pure adrenaline.
When I reached the top, it was like I was under drugs (not that I've ever tried any!): I could't stop talking, I was jumping and wanted more. I remember that at a certain point I was doing one of those little jumps just like at gym to adjust my feet to the grip, then suddenly I thought came into my head: I'm not tie up to a rope and I'm not at the gym. But still the void didn't scare me.
I kept going until I reached the top.




The hike went on and on for about 7 hours and eventually our poor feet deserved cold bath...


Saturday night was the party night of course, but we managed to get up all smiley and happy to add some other activities to our "log". Some of us did surfing and some others went horse-riding.
First time for me on a board as finally I convinced myself that it was better learning in cold waters without sharks, so at least I'd be worried only of one thing.

As if it wasn't enough, after lunch we climbed Croagh Patrick, which is renowned for its Patrician Pilgrimage in honour of Saint Patrick, Ireland's patron saint. It was on the summit of the mountain that Saint Patrick fasted for forty days in 441 AD. On 'Reek Sunday', the last Sunday in July, over 25,000 pilgrims hill-climbed in barefoot the Reek.



The last, but not least adventurous day was cycling 18km of the Great Western Greenway, a traffic-free cycling and walking facility which primarily follows the line of the famous Newport/Mulranny Railway that closed in 1937.



...below there's a summary of our wild weekend. (video courtesy of utopietube)

Cycling Tour around Italy

From North to South of Italy there are a lot of itineraries to follow if you want to travel in a different way rather than airplane, car or bus. It’s been years now since it is possible to carry with you your bike on the train paying only 3.5€ extra for the whole day.

The trails replace old train tracks, embankments of rivers, old roads. Using these trails, the Fiab (National federation friends of bycicle) has drawn “The Sun Bycicle Trail”, an itinerary for those who love travelling by bycicle from Trentino to Sicily.

Here there are some ideas:

Trentino Alto Adige
A 350 km-ride between valleys and mountains. It goes from Albes-Bressanone, then on the train to San Candido cycling to Dobbiaco and Brunico. Again on the train to Brennero followed by a ride to the valleys of Fleres, Ridanna, Racines and Vipiteno. On the fourth day a ride down the valley of Funes and Rodella and the last a descent down to the town of Bolzano.

Lombardia
A 20 km- along the banks of Mincio river.
From Peschiera del Garda to Pozzolo. This is an itinerary suitable also for families.

Emilia/Liguria
Following in Hannibal’s footsteps (150 km). This itinerary is divided into 3 stages along the Val Trebbia and Val d’Aveto, which is called Hannibal’s route, as this follows in the route that the carthagenese warrier. It travelled along. The itinerary goes as follows: Piacenza – Bobbio – Marsaglia – Rezzaoaglio – Passo della Forcella – Chiavari. You can end your journey leaving your bike for a while and jumping on a kayak.

Lazio
Appian way – 50km
It’s a trail that will take you from the Appian way to the lake Albano through history, archeology and nature.

Campania/Apulia
This 360 km of Borbon trail will take you from Bari to Naples through five stages:
Bari – Castel del Monte (70km); Castel del Monte – Melfi; Melfi – Caposele (78 km); Caposele – Avellino (63 km); Avellino – Napoli (68 km).

Sardenia
400 km in 7 days as follows: Porto Torres – Fertilia (44 km); Capocaccia – Ittiri; Ittiri – Valledoria; Valledoria – Santa Teresa di Gallura; Santa Teresa – Cannigione where getting on a ferry boat you could visit the islands of La Maddalena and Caprera. Then Cannigione – Porto Cervo e finally Cannigione – Olbia.

Sicily
A 350 km coast to coast of the most beautiful island in the Mediterranean.
It’s a pretty hard itinerary reccommended only to fit cyclists and mountain bikers along the coast of Sicily and the mountains. The starting point is the town of Agrigento with its Valley of the Temples nearby, passing by the nature reserve of Cammarata and Park of Madonie to end in the town of Cefalu’.