First run in Italy of this year

First run in Italy done; Viserba – Rimini – Viserba. It didn’t go as hoped, but at least I ran again. It feels weird not to write. After 280 blogs in a row, I’ve taken a little break. These days feel weird anyway. I’m not running, not writing, not doing my regular core training. I think it’s all part of being on the road.

Rome

Last Thursday Sara and I flew to Rome. On Saturday she did a book presentation of her newest book: Yoga per guarire. I was there as a photographer. On Sunday she taught a masterclass, also in Rome.

I probably could have gone for a run, but didn’t. I don’t like running in cities and I’ll never run in Rome. The streets are full of trash, the pavement is cracked and cars are parked everywhere on the sidewalks. Don’t get me wrong, the people we met in Rome were all really nice. It’s just the filth of the city that gives me cold shivers.

Viserba

Luckily we’re in Viserba now, a little town North of Rimini on the Adriatic coast. This place is clean. This place has bike lanes. From here to Rimini is just 5 kilometers. Perfect for a little morning run with Sara. Perfect for a walk in the evening to drop Sara at Wonder Yogi for a class and go for another run myself to Parco XXV aprile and back. Not perfect for my knee.

My right knee has been worrying me ever since the ERYRI25 at Ultra Trail Snowdonia. I had a pain in the head of the tibia, just below my knee, after that race. The pain returned when Sara and I did a recovery run this morning and during this run it was there again. I think it’s the Pes anserinus; the joint tendon of three muscles; Sartorius, Gracilis and Semitendinosus.

Yep, the Sartorius again. It’s the one that keeps giving me problems. Although in this case it might not be the tendon itself. There is a chance it’s the bursa; the little fluid-filled sac that sits between the shinbone (tibia) and the Pes anserinus to prevent friction. It’s a runner’s problem for those who start to run a lot more (me) or start to do a lot more climbing (me again). The best cure? Rest. I hope a week and a half will do the trick, because I’m not only here in Italy to take photos and teach yoga, but also the run; the Dolomiti Extreme Trail.

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