Did the Trampathon really happen???

As I sit here writing this entry I'm puzzled why it is so difficult to get my thoughts together and start typing my fingers off.  It's been four weeks since I ran the Madrid Marathon and three weeks since I flew back to Alaska, why then the block?  I feel like I am still decompressing from the European trip and from my trip to Ft. Collins to attend my daughter Laura's graduation from Colorado State.  This week is the first "normal" week, in that I am not having to prepare for another out-of-state trip and don't have pressing family events (like Hannah's graduating from 6th grade into Middle School)...although the week is indeed a busy one.  I'm reminded about my first day back to Anchorage...I arrived totally fried at 2:30 am on May 2.  I woke up later in the day in a daze and disoriented.  I stumbled through the day with the family and then later that night attended "The Wizard of Oz" performance at the Performing Arts Center.  Talk about a "what's on first and who's on second" moment, I wanted to click my ruby slippers and travel back to a quiet cafe in Paris, have a cup of coffee, and watch the world go by.  Well, that didn't happen.  Soon I was back doing outdoor chores, indoor chores, working back at the Corps of Engineers part time, and the days were flying by.  Everyday since I returned to Alaska, I wondered

when I would have the quality time I need to tell you about my European adventures and share the 2500+ photos I took along the way.  There's so much to tell.  My daily Facebook posts helped to establish some story line benchmarks that I hope to expand upon.  Luckily I took daily notes to help my fading ability to remember things in detail.  My sister Carol, a published author of poetry and retired high school English teacher, has given me some advice about how to organize my thoughts and how to present my stories.  Over the coming months, yes months and not days, I plan to post stories in a chapter format and provide slide shows as illustrations.  My immediate task, however, will be to develop an outline of topics worthy of your attention.  I know some chapters will cover the individual marathon events, adventures in each city/town visited, observations about European life styles, all the great food, the mass transit adventures, some of the folks we met along the way, etc.  I think the real problem I face right now is that the Alaskan summer is just around the corner and the last thing I want to do is be inside the house .... there are fish to catch, trails to hike and ride bikes on, camping opportunities, golf and tennis matches, etc. etc. etc.  Like I do for running my marathons, I'll go nice and easy and eventually reach the finish line.  I hope you all hang in there with me.  Now, back to my chores!

Photos: The Grand Palace in Madrid, Spain; Overlook of Florence, Italy (Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral); Bob and I with fellow Rome marathoners; the Alcazar in Toledo, Spain; My sister Carol and Mom with me in Toms River, New Jersey.

Living museums in Florence and Cinque Terre

Over stimulation is about the best way to describe that last week or so.  Florence in indeed a living museum of people, art, fantastic buildings and fashion.  The museums contain great works of art and sculpture and the "entertainment" in the streets is equally fascinating. The rooms we have been staying in have been very comfortable, but cramped.  We are constantly strolling around so time in the rooms is very limited during the day.  Florence is a place that needs to be visited more than once to appreciate.  Being there near Easter adds an extra element to the city... same thing for the Cinque Terre area.  Our arrival on Thursday was perfectly timed, as we were able to get settled in and prepare for our coastline hike from Monterosso to Riomaggiore. That hike occurred on Friday in bluebird sky conditions.  No words can describe our adventure, so I won't try.  Spring is about to spring here along the coast so many of our photos are of flowering vegetation...that's the naturalist in both Bob and I.  Bob claim not to have taken more than a few photos in his life...on this trip he is up to about 500!  Tomorrow we head to Venice via the train.  We go from Monterroso to La Spezia to Bolognia to Venice...through the mountains, hooray!  Oh, I did finally go for a "brief" swim...Bob photo documented the chilling event.  The weather here on the coast has been pleasantly cool, but I'm disappointed because I was counting on lots of beach time here in Cinque Terre...I'll just have to come back!  Enough for now...we're headed off to dinner.  Oh, the Paris Marathon is next Sunday...can't wait for that.  Ciao!

P.S. I'm working on an Apple computer here at Hotel Pasquale, which is a first.  I couldn't tell which photos I would be uploading so I randomly selected some jpegs to upload ... surprise and enjoy!

Catch up time ... so much to tell, so little time!

Title photo...Trajan's Column near the Roman Forum

Mama mia!  Yes that's then name of a Broadway musical, but it best describes my time thus far in Italy with fellow trampathoner Bob.  I knew this adventure was going to be good because it all started with a great authentic Spanish meal in New Jersey after my family picked me up from the Newark airport almost two weeks ago. Bob and I are driving back from Sorrento to Naples early tomorrow morning to catch a train to Florence and it's late here and I have yet to pack.  I'm using our pensione's (Il Roseta) PC to finally load some photos onto the blog (see slide show) but it literally took me two hours to figure out the PC, my new camera (the one I brought over broke), how to download photos from here etc...  I only have time to shoot you all some bulleted thoughts and observations from the trip thus far.  I will have expanded posts sooner or later but in the mean time, check out my Facebook page for daily updates and photos.  If you are not on Facebook...set up a fake page, ask me to be your friend, and then follow my updates.

Here we go:
1. Running the Rome Marathon with my buddy Bob was a blast.  Took lots of photos along the way. Weather for me was humid and warmer than I'm use to.  It was a great feeling finishing.
2. Rome and Italian drivers are nuts...you take your life in your hand crossing the street.
3. I can live on pizza and gelati.

4. The Vatican and its museum are overwhelming.
5. The Colloseum is even larger than I imagined.

6. The Italian youth smoke up a storm and both men and women dress to impress.
7. Pompeii is a huge complex ruin requiring more time than we gave it.
8. Sorrento is a must see, along with the island of Capri.  Bob and hiked all over the island. Great day there.
9. Driving the Amalfi Coast (especially at night) aged me 10 years but the views were spectacular.

10. The Greek ruins at Paestrum are a hidden tourist treasure.  Quite, huge, great museum.

11. The ancient Roman ruins at Ostia Antica are very impressive, amazing but more crowded, especially with noisy school children on field trips.

12. The Rome metro (subway) system is fantastic...very easy to use.

13. The Spanish Steps are is, I think, over rated...crowded, noisy, dirty...disappointing.

14. Bob and I stumbled across and wondered through a political rally near our hotel in Rome...wild scene!

I know there is more on my mind but my thoughts are getting sloppy.  Back to the room to pack.

Caio!   

A Tramp Abroad

It's time to give birth to this baby.  My wife Marian compared my preparing for this trip to a 2-year pregnancy.  I first started planning for this trip waaaaay back in 2008 in hopes of taking it in Spring 2009, but we all know what happened.  My heart operation in January 2009 put an end to that real quick.  Since then it's been a long road of cardiac rehab, marathon training, trip planning and everything in-between.  With that have been highs and lows, grumpy spells (understatement), easy days and hard days, etc. etc. etc.  Days I didn't want to put on my running shoes and other days I couldn't wait to run.  My buddy Mark Schroeder (who qualified for the Boston Marathon and is running it this year) said I had straining days instead of training days...he is absolutely correct.  Hence the comparison with a loooooong pregnancy.  Now the "baby" is about to be born...HOORAY!

With everything that has happened over the past year or so, It's hard to believe that this trip is actually going to happen.  Running/jogging/walking (???) the Rome, Paris and Madrid marathons will be an amazing experience...I really miss the excitement of the marathon crowd and attending the marathon expos.  The international flare will make it that more exciting.  Adding to all this is the excitement of seeing and running amongst the ancient ruins of Europe.  Fortunately, my traveling buddy Bob and I have plugged in relaxing time between the running events.  Spending Easter Week and weekend in Cinque Terre, Italy will be an awesome adventure.  Traveling along Italy's Almalfi Coast will provide us amazing vistas of a rugged coastline.  We've already made some friends in Venice and Florence, as my hotel contacts there have been corresponding with us about our adventures.  Roby in Venice is especially interested because he is a marathoner as well.  My high school buddy Peter Pasquariello (how's that for an Italian last name) who attended veterinary school in Italy has a friend in the Venice area who is willing to show us around.  How strange, there's hole-in-the-wall gelato store in Venice named Alaska that we'll be visiting.  In Paris, Bob and I will be joined by our friends Bill Parady and his wife Salome, along with some of their friends.  We plan to see the major Parisian sites but I'm really looking forward to taking the train to the Normandy Coast to visit the D-Day sites and surrounding area.  My time in Spain will be really different from the rest of the trip because I'll be on my own for my visit to Barcelona and Valencia.  However, like for Paris and Rome, I'll  be associated with an organized marathon tour, and after the marathon, I'll be staying with a family member, Lorenzo Sanchez.  I know I'll be ready to head home by then (understatement).

I expect that my psyche will be changed by this trip...in what way, I don't know.  Will I be totally burned out on international travel?  Will I ever want to run again?  Many more questions will surface I know.  I do know, however, that my efforts to stay in shape after my return will focus on cross and strength training.  I plan to cut way back on distance running, learn how to lap swim, and bike ride more...all this in hopes of participating in a triathlon someday.

It's time to close out this entry and do some final packing, as I head to the airport at midnight to catch a 2:30 am flight to Jersey. I'll spend less than two days there to relax at my Mom's home in Toms River and prepare for my Wednesday night departure to Rome.  After arriving in Rome on Thursday at 7:30 am, I'll attempt to find Bob at the airport and the Trampathon Abroad will officially begin!  I plan to update my FaceBook page regularly and when WiFi and/or an internet cafe is available, I'll update my blog...so stay tuned!

Take care, God Bless and all you runners out there, Train hard...Run far!