Concerning Saucony running shoes

I have been running with Saucony shoes since two years ago and right at the beginning of this week I'm glad I have known that the Italian Saucony importer is going to support me for the next year too. Saucony is a famous American brand from Boston (Massachusetts) which produces shoes since the beginning of last century. Despite the biggest part of Italian running shoes market is hold by Asics and Mizuno, there are a lot of brands which are rapidly growing their market shares, offering to the runners a huge amount of interesting model. Besides, some of them are more focusing on what an advanced runner actually needs.
Before becoming a Saucony ambassador, I tried so many pair of shoes from any different brand, without having a particular loyalty for one of them. Anyway, I would like to compare the shoes I've been using only during the past two years. The following list takes into account the different models I wore, remarking both their strong points and weak spots. I am basically a heavy runner (my weight fluctuates around 72kg) and my average training speed is quite low if compared to other runners (my slow running session speed is around 4m15s/km). Therefore, I globally prefer a pair of shoes that is more protective with a good cushioning.

Kilkenny

Kilkenny is a spiky shoe, mostly oriented to cross competitions. It is generally more protective than other brand's shoes and it allows the runner to have a very good feeling on his feet. Wearing Kilkenny is like to put your feet on a pillow. However, Kilkenny is heavier than other spiky shoes and rather not very responsive. Therefore, I suggest it can be used for cross competition but not for track competitions.

Grid Fastwitch

Fastwitch is the Saucony model for high speed running. Basically, it aims to permit the runners to run faster than 3m20s/km, having a very good response on their feet. In my opinion, it is a rather good model, but it is maybe too light and can be used only for competing and running intervals on the track. Yet, it is a good compromise for the track beginners which don't want to use spikes. I think that a runner which is not able to run faster than 3m20s/km should not consider to buy it. The same for any heavy runner (more than 80kg).

Progrid Kinvara

The best shoe I've ever had for running half marathon and marathon distances. I guess that Kinvara is one of the most interesting models on the market for advanced runners. It has been classified as an A2 category shoe, but I think it's more an hybrid model between A1 and A2, since you are able to run short distance races (5K-10K) with a very good feeling. Kinvara is very light, but it is at the same time both protective and cushioning. Its weaknesses are that it doesn't usually last for more than 500K-700K and that it is not as reactive as other racing shoes. Still, I think that Kinvara is the best compromise both for running intervals and competitions as half marathon and marathon, with an average speed of 3m20s/km - 4m00s/km.

Progrid Mirage

Mirage was built for covering the A2 category with a good model, mainly oriented to fast training sessions. It is more protective for uncle and heel comparing to Kinvara and a little bit heavier. Besides, it lasts for at least 600K (more than what Kinvara does!). Anyway, I personally prefer Kinvara, since the two products are very close one to another. Mirage is particularly good for long interval trainings, medium speed trainings and for running any competition in a "monitored" speed (i.e. while you are training hardly and you are not able to do your best).

Progrid Ride

Ride is a training shoe that can be worn also by heavy runners. It is very reactive and it can be also adopted for medium speed sessions. The high position on the back side of the shoe guarantees the runner to have a good inclination for increasing the speed. I think that its weaknesses are its rigidity (you haven't a soft feeling on your feet) and its duration. I have never run more than 700K with Ride.

Progrid Jazz

Jazz is one of the oldest Saucony model. It is my favorite training shoe. Jazz is quite soft and not oriented to speed trainings at all, but it has just the right cushioning. Furthermore, it averagely lasts for more than 800K-900K very easily. If a runner likes to run also on a ground different than road, Jazz is the right choice. I ran manny times on the path and I hadn't any problem with the shoe resistance. Apparently, I can not indicate any weak spot of this model.

Progrid Cortana

An incredibly good model to see. And to wear, actually. It can be compared with Kilkenny because it is particularly soft to feel on your feet. Cortana is a training shoe that is oriented to the slow running sessions. Differently than other training models, Cortana is very light and responsive. The only weak spot of Cortana is that it is rather expensive!

Progrid Triumph

Triumph is thought for satisfying the heavy runner. It is a training shoe that is not as reactive as Ride. What I can feel is that Triumph is a good model for any heavy runner who wants to run slowly his daily training session, without having any cushioning problem, preserving his body and legs. The weak spot of this shoe is that it is not built for running outside the road. I personally destroyed a pair of Triumph while I was running in the mountain.

At the end, I decided to write this post because I was looking at one of the Jazz models I used during the last months, which was standing under my home stairs. The time is gone for it, but that pair was just wonderful. I think that, sometimes, when you run you get a sort of relationship with your shoes! I have no idea whether or not that pair of shoes was a fake or an exception, but on my feet it lasted for an incredibly long time. I calculated that it did something like 1,500K! Well, good job, my friend.

Numbers: marathon preparations overview

Venezia, Torino, Reggio Emilia

Looking at my training diary and merging its own data, I got some interesting numbers that I would like to post and share. During my three experiences, my training programs were prepared by my coach Johnny Schievenin, who has been followed by me with (a lot of) flexibility. So, setting the target to the marathon, the numbers emerged from my preparation periods are outlined in the following sessions, considering only kilometers that have been actually run (i.e. sometimes I did additional circuit trainings or exercise bike sessions, but just few times -around 4-5 for each prepared marathon).

Venice Marathon 2010

Date: 24. October 2010
Starting point: 14m46s 5K on the track (May)
Preparation weeks: 13 (89 days, from 26. July to 23. October)
Training sessions: 134
Type of training: road running, mountain running, orienteering
Locations: Primiero (ITA), Padova (ITA)
Jogging/slow running sessions: 67 (46%)
Races: 8
Total kilometers: 1,971km
Max. weekly km: 203km
Total hours: 139h
Km per week: 151.5
Km per training session: 14.7km
Average daily kilometers: 22.1km
Average number of sessions per day: 1.5
Average speed: 4m14s/km
Max. distance (long interval training): 14.000m
Max. distance (short interval training): 7.200m
Max. distance (long running training): 31km
Best test: 1h07m27s (Bologna, 05. August)

Race

Weather: Cloudy (6°C, 70% humidity)
Partials: 00:16:32 (5K), 00:33:09 (10K), 00:50:00 (15K), 01:10:25 (21,097), 01:23:26 (25K), 01:40:08 (30K), 01:56:43 (35K), 02:13:48 (40K), 02:20:55 (42,195)

Turin Marathon 2011

Date: 13. November 2011
Starting point: 8m15s 3K on the track, 1h07m18s half marathon (July)
Preparation weeks: 14 (97 days, from 08. August to 12. November)
Training sessions: 159
Type of training: road running, mountain running, orienteering
Locations: Primiero (ITA), Chambéry (FRA)
Jogging/slow running sessions: 89 (56%)
Races: 12
Total kilometers: 2,010km
Max. weekly km: 205km
Total hours: 149h
Km per week: 143.5
Km per training session: 12.6km
Average daily kilometers: 20.7km
Average number of sessions per day: 1.6
Average speed: 4m26s/km
Max. distance (long interval training): 12,000m
Max. distance (short interval training): 8,000m
Max. distance (long running training): 33km
Best test: 1h06m00s (Cremona half marathon, 16. October)

Race

Weather: Foggy/Sunny (2°C, 80% humidity)
Partials: 00:32:26 (10K), 01:09:18 (21,097), 01:39:23 (30K), 02:19:33 (42,097)

Reggio Emilia Marathon 2012

Date: 09. December 2012
Starting point: 15m05s 5K on the track, 1h11m56s half marathon (September)
Preparation weeks: 11 (76 days, from 24. September to 08. December)
Training sessions: 114
Type of training: road running, mountain running
Locations: Primiero (ITA), Stockholm (SWE)
Jogging/slow running sessions: 70 (61%)
Races: 10
Total kilometers: 1,513
Max. weekly km: 184km
Total hours: 111
Km per week: 137.5km
Km per training session: 13.3km
Average daily kilometers: 19.9km
Average number of sessions per day: 1.5
Average speed: 4m25s/km
Max. distance (long interval training): 9,000m
Max. distance (short interval training): 9,200m
Max. distance (long running training): 42km
Best test: 1h10m21s (Paese half marathon, 11. November)

Race

Weather: Sunny (-3°C, 30% humidity)
Partials: 00:09:31 (2.8K), 00:32:40 (10K), 00:49:21 (15K), 01:09:17 (21,097), 01:21:38 (25K), 01:38:30 (30K), 01:55:02 (35K), 02:19:49 (42,195)

Reggio Emilia Marathon 2012

Me and Dario Rognoni before the start.

Unfortunately, math is a well known science which does not fail in almost any circumstance. Perhaps, more additional long trainings during my preparation time would have allowed me to avoid the crisis I suffered in the last kilometers of yesterday's race.
The hot comments right after the race (or tweets, in the nowadays IT-era) are often focused on regrets, rather than satisfaction. By the way, if I think in general about my current season, I can be glad of the race I ran yesterday. In September, when I could hardly run the Council Half Marathon in 1h12m, I was quite far away from being able -both physically and mentally- to face a marathon, in which I could express my last season shape (Torino, 2h19m33s). However, after my Master graduation, I decided to get ready for a new experience on 42K before Christmas. I think that in the next future it will be hard for me to prepare a marathon for the month December again, for a number of reasons: firstly, the cold temperatures (I've always claimed to be more oriented towards a Caribbean climate rather than an Alpine one). Then, darkness which is not a good training partner.
In general I can say that last November was a sort of solitude month for me. In addition to the cold weather and the coming snow, this year during my November training sessions I have literally taken buckets of water that often made me think "Why am I doing this?". However, after Venice Marathon, where I had good sensations, I should at least try to run fast the Marathon of Reggio Emilia.
In the end, what I can say is that I was ready, but not ready enough.

I can easily split my yesterday's race between three phases, which could also represent a sort of standardized journey of any marathon runner during his performance. In fact, the marathon is almost the only competition where your flow of informations, thoughts and feelings can bring you to live some distinct phases which differ a lot one to another.

Yesterday the temperature was very cold, bringing the thermometer below zero throughout the whole course, but the humidity wasn't fortunately the same indicated by the forecast. So, there were still the conditions for having a good performance.

Maratona di Reggio Emilia.

The careful start of the African runners has allowed me and my friend Buccilli to lead the competition, building a good gap in the first part of the race. My condition was totally good if compared to the last week. The legs were light and I could run easily on my target speed (i.e. 3m15s/K), without any feeling of heaviness. The frozen roads brought some control problems, but nothing that wasn't expected. After a climb of about 7km, me, Buccilli and another Maroccan runner crossed the half marathon in 1h09m16s, approximately one minute before the second group. Our crossing was built up by regular partials and just right with my expectations. The feeling at that moment were great and in the hilly kilometers after the half marathon I could personally verify that I was actually more fresh than my fellows, so I started to increase my speed and lead the competition from the 30th kilometer. I was running alone and waiting for the African runners of the second group to come. I was still relaxed and I believed I could slightly increase my speed during the last 10K. The Moroccan runner Zain, who then won the race, caught me in the 33rd km. His speed was actually too fast for me at that time, so I waited for the followers (the Kenyan Talam Kipkemei and Moroccan El Barhoumi). The followers speed was the right one for me, so that we could run for several kilometers right behind the leader Zain, who drastically decreased his speed after he passed me. Those were definitely the best kilometers I ran yesterday; El Barhoumi seemed to be clearly tired (he was definitely knocked out around the 35th kilometer) and Kipkemei didn't seem to be able to increase his speed. On the other hand, I was just fine. For a long time I hoped to be able to achieve a top three position.
However, when I came to the 36th kilometer something radically changed in my body. Just 6km far from the finish line my legs became incredibly heavy, also starting to give me some muscular troubles. The gas was over, giving me no chance to run fast anymore! From that point my agony began. It was like I was running in slow motion (or even backwards). What the hell! I slowly watched the gaps that I had built with so much effort becoming smaller little by little. One by one, the runners passed me without I couldn't have any reaction. Since I wasn't able to run faster than 3m40s/K), it was my defeat.

I finished resigned at 6th place, with the (still good) time of 1h19m49s, just 21 seconds from third place.
Reggio Emilia's race left me a lot of regrets but, as I said before, today I am satisfied about my third marathon experience, especially for the brave race I did.
At last, I would like to thank my several supporters who were watching online my race and believed, as I did, in a good performance.

And now? Just think about Chrismas time...

1. ZAIN JAOUAD (A.S.D. RUNNING EVOLUTION) 02:18:21
2. DOUIRMI SAID (ATL. COLOSSEO 2000) 02:18:53
3. BUCCILLI CARMINE (ATL. CASONE NOCETO) 02:19:28
4. BATTELLI PAOLO (CALCESTRUZZI CORRADINI EXCELS.) 02:19:37
5. TALAM KIPKEMEI ABRAHAM (ATLETICA FUTURA A.S.D.) 02:19:43
6. SIMION GIANCARLO (SILCA ULTRALITE VITTORIO V.TO) 02:19:49
7. EL BARHOUMI TAOUFIQUE (ATL. CASONE NOCETO) 02:20:37
8. EN GUADY KHALID (ATL. RODENGO SAIANO) 02:21:06
9. BIWOTT NICODEMUS (A.S.D. FARNESE VINI PE) 02:23:16
10. ROGNONI DARIO (ATL. DA PAURA) 02:23:29
11. VENTUROLI NICOLA (C.S. S.ROCCHINO) 02:24:40
12. SCURO VINCENZO (G.P. PARCO ALPI APUANE) 02:29:52
13. MAROGNA ALBERTO (SPARTACUS ASD MARMIROLO) 02:30:39
14. IOMMI GIOVANNI (G. P. LIVENZA SACILE) 02:31:25
15. PALLADINO DANIELE (ASS.POL.ATL.SCANDIANO) 02:31:31 

Full results

Ready for Reggio Emilia: what is done and what is missing

In few days I'm going to run the third marathon of my running career. My first experience was in Venice, two years ago. Last year I focused my energies for preparing the Turin Marathon while this year, since during the Summer I was physically weaker than both of the last two years, I've chosen the last Italian "big" marathon which is in the beginning of December, namely Reggio Emilia.
Every training preparation is by its own. However, I can try to compare my actual preparation with the previous marathons and look at what is done and what is missing.

Done

Venice Marathon 2012

Total kilometers: differently than my last experiences, this year I ran more on the paths and less on the road, which compromised the total amount of kilometers that has been achieved during the preparation time. Anyway, from a runner viewpoint I think that the kilometers which have been run on the paths could be more valuable than the road ones.
Long training sessions: Considering the time period from the second half of September up to now, during the previous preparation times I ran more time long training sessions, without running actually more than 30km. This year I tried for the first time to insert a whole marathon as a medium speed running training. I ran Venice Marathon which actually gave me more confidence.
Maturity: I guess the last two experiences make me mentally stronger and more aware of my weaknesses. I should better understand my body and my limits, reducing the possibility to make some stupid mistakes on the race day. For instance, last year I expected to stay in a warm place before the start, but the organizers took us in a very cold tent (in was -2°C) and I had some problems with breakfast digestion, which made me feel bad in the second half of the race. I'm not going to fall into the same mistake anymore.

Missing

Half marathon: it could be strange to say, but in the second part of this year I didn't run any half marathon faster than my expected speed to cross the 21.097m line next Sunday. Last year I ran three high speed half marathon (Scorzè, Trento and Cremona). I should think about it...
Uphill trainings: the last two years I ran more medium speed trainings. Sometimes, I was used to run 20mins medium speed in the uphill. I didn't have such a training this year.
Long distance intervals: the preparation months didn't let me have a lot of long intervals trainings, comparing to the past years. The weather conditions in October and November weren't good enough for having the right long intervals mood.

Last Sunday I ran the 3rd edition of Prosecco Run, an hilly though competition tracked on the Prosecco grape fields nearby Treviso. I felt completely uncomfortable and I finished my race on 8th place (full results here), more than five minutes slower than the last year. Now it's time for me to rest and recover my legs.

Fortunately, next Sunday's weather conditions are smiling to all the runners, with a sunny forecast. However, the temperature will be quite cold (from -1°C to 2°C). Clearly, I have no clue about how it is going to be for me in Reggio Emilia, but I'll try to do my best.

At last, I'm feeling not afraid anymore about a possibility of failing the race, since I think I had another important sporting experience of my life. Every single little step will be just another brick on my personal pyramid of growing, based on my experiences. It doesn't matter whether you win or you lose, but fighting for what you think is an important challenge for your life at a given time is just the right thing to do.

When the shape rises

I started the season 2012 with a series of quite good performances both in cross and road running competitions. However, both because I had to finish my master and because I took an internship in a bank, my running shape fell rapidly down in April. In the beginning of May I clearly remember that it was impossible for me to run 5K below 15 minutes, which is a sort of mental barrier to distinguish between a quite good runner and a (perhaps quite trained but) rather slow runner. Basically, I started to run again with constancy and more motivation in the beginning September, when my thesis issues were almost solved. It took to me a really long time before I could reach again a level comparable with the last year' one. Likewise after a long injury, you seem quite unmotivated, feeling your running movements like a sloth walk and not ready for any kind of effort. I started to feel well during my Swedish journey, where I had some good training sessions.
After two hard rainy days - when it couldn't almost be possible to run here in Primiero - today I tried to complete an hard session on the track. I'm glad I did it and I feel that it's surely one of those training that you will bring inside your pocket for a long time. Maybe I did better trainings in my past, but today I actually needed to finish it. Now I know I'm back on my way.

29. November 2012 (light rain)
AM: 20' warm up + 10x(500m @1'32'' + 1'20'' (300m) jogging) + 10x(1' jogging (200m) + 400m @1'11'') + 15' cool down

29. November 2012 - 10.30 a.m.

A tough Saturday

Bevilonga 2012: ER-Team from Vicenza

Perhaps, it's hard to understand what is the spirit of Bevilonga if you have never run such a race. The competition is one of the most traditional orienteering competitions in Italy and it usually held in the end of November, when the Italian orienteering season is over. Since I was 19, I haven't miss any edition of the race because I actually love it. It is a good combination between a party and a competition. Furthermore, you can meet some runners which have a totally different mood, if compared to the "normal" race's one. Bevilonga is tricky, competitive, complicated and sometimes impossible to understand. Anyway, this year's edition will be probably remembered as the "shitty" one, not because of the after-race (which was wonderful as usual), but because the largest part of the race was tracked in the middle of a meadow full of fresh shit! Even more; I personally finished my race inside a mountain of shit, where I stayed paralyzed for a few minutes, before I could realize that I was almost able to swim and to pull my body out of it. Bad luck, maybe next time the organizers will let the runners have the right to see where any shitty surprise stands on the map! Good or bad, the race's gone, and after a frozen shower everything was so clear to me that I could start to enjoy the after-race with my orienteering friends...
On Sunday morning I wasn't so fresh, but I decided to run a cross competition to test my legs after a tough week of running trainings. The competitors level was rather low, but the starting sprinters weren't missing and I did the bad choice to start quite slowly. It took to me almost 2km (the race length was 5km), and a lot of energies, before I could catch the first runners. In the last loop, I tried to increase my speed, but at the end I got the second position because I wasn't able to find more energies for the final sprint. Despite the result, I am quite satisfied, because I was really tired and I knew my tough week was over.
Now it's almost time to rest. Two weeks are left before the marathon of Reggio Emilia and I'm not allowed to run more Bevilongas at all. Apparently, this week I won't be as lucky as the past week with the weather conditions. Hopefully for the snow lovers, Winter is coming. The next weekend I'll take part with my friend and team mate Manuel Negrello to the second edition of Prosecco Run, a wonderful race of 25km in Vidor -TV-. Since I don't want to compromise the marathon, I won't run it as fast as the last year.

Something ridiculous is happening on the other side of the World

We are used to keep going by saying something like "we are not competitive enough" or "african runners are simply better than us". Maybe we aren't wrong (probably africans are actually physically stronger than us!). Anyway, what we can see is that on the other side of the World someone is working a lot better than us, and preparing "tons" of more proper runners.
This is the introduction anyone can write looking at the Ageo City Half Marathon results, where 290 runners from Japan ran below 1h10', which was won by the junior runner Kenta Murayama (1993) in 1h02'46''. Impressive. The comment of the race winner at the end of the half marathon follows: "The wind was really strong today, but even though we were running into a headwind a lot of the time I was able to deal with it and I think I ran pretty well. It would have been nice to lead the whole way, but I think I ran up to my current level and that that was pretty good. I ran 62 today but was shooting for 61, so on that point it was disappointing. I think I would have run a better time if I'd gone with 5 km to go, so I want to improve on that in my future races". More impressive. What is happening there???
Eventually, since we're going to have the FIDAL election very soon, I guess that a good point is just to to study what's happening there and the reason why it's happened, in order to work on a better Italian athletic federation, both from a runner's perspective point of view and for a better organization and co-operation between the different realities that are characterizing our Country...

5^ Maratonina di San Martino

Passo Rolle's JWOC 2009 Long

Last week I spent two days running orienteerig in Primiero with my friend Kvaal. My feelings on running in the forest with a map were actually quite rusty, but I really enjoyed the few trainings we did, even if the November weather makes you more tired and consequently less inclined to train.
We ran in Passo Rolle on the JWOC 2009 course, which is in my opinion one of the best long distance tracking of JWOC I have ever seen. We organizers weren't very lucky on that day; it was on July, my team was putting the controls and checking the course and what I perfectly remember is that, during the day of long distance, I was very closed to be frozen at the refreshment point for the whole race and, looking at the runner's faces, what I can believe is that it was a kind of tough day for them...
I was supposed to run MOV last Sunday but unfortunately, as on Saturday afternoon my orienteering club decided not to go there because of the scary weather forecast, I decided to run an half marathon in the town of Paese instead. Since I could have met some friends and good competitors there, I feel sorry about not to have been in Venice this year. I guess that I was ready to run well there.

Maratonina di San Martino (11. November 2012)

Concerning the half marathon, the weather conditions in Paese were almost the same I've found a few days ago in Venice (and -as Paese is closed to Venice- the same which where expected by the weather forecast in Venice). Definitely, November is not a good time to enjoy running here. At least, I was lucky with the temperature: there were about 14°C, which isn't cold at all for November.
Although the course -entirely tracked in a flat terrain- permits any runner to run his/her best, due to the weather conditions, on the starting line there were about 600 runners, not as many as in the last year' editions. I was firstly running with my Moroccan friend Abdoullah Bamoussa, not even trying to follow the crazy machine who was leading the race from the first meter (i.e. the Kenian runner D. K. Tum). We ran together for about 5km, then I couldn't stay with him, even if the speed wasn't so high, and I crossed the 10km line 1'30'' later than him. My feeling wasn't good during the first half of the race. Fortunately, in the second part, I started feel more fresh and I finished the race at the 3rd place in 1h10m21s, which allowed me to win also the regional half marathon tile.
The men's race results of the 5th San Martino Half Marathon follow.

1. David Kiplagat Tum (Ken/Avis Macerata) 1h05’55”
2. Abdoullah Bamoussa (Mar/Brugnera Friulintagli) 1h09’00”
3. Giancarlo Simion (Silca Ultralite) 1h10’21”
4. Gabriele Cossettini (Atl. Dolomiti) 1h12’05”
5. Francesco Duca (Violettaclub) 1h12’41”

Full results here.

Planning an alternative week, with a short break

After three weeks of training, in which I put part of the background for the next marathon and the next spring season inside my bag, I am planning to spend the upcoming 10 days making something different than usual. Yesterday, after a 18km medium running session, my legs were totally knocked out and I felt the Venice Marathon weariness really badly. Thus, I believe that now I need a short break in order to avoid any sort of injury (this is not the right time for them!). Actually, I am going to compete in Venice (again...) the next weekend and, since the norwegian orienteer Øystein Kvaal Østerbø will be my guest for a few days before MOV, I am planning some orienteering trainings, which should give me a kind of rest, at least mentally, in the middle of the marathon preparation period.
After MOV, I'm going to visit some friends in Tuscany for three days where I'll be firstly in Lucca and then in Siena. When I'll be back, I guess I'll have both the right mood and the right shape to spend the rest of November at home, hoping that it's not going to snow before the first week of December.

On the way to Reggio Emilia: Venice Marathon

After spending two weeks in Stockholm visiting my sister and training with IFK Lidingö orienteers, last Saturday I ran the 27th edition of Venice Marathon. 

Differently than my first experience in 2010, in which I got an unexpected bronze medal in the Italian Championships, this year my physical shape wasn't ready for running a marathon yet. Therefore, on the way to get ready for Reggio Emilia marathon (next 9. December), I ran a test in order to check my real shape, looking for a better self-confidence. Although Venice Marathon is in my opinion one of the most beautiful marathon in the World, the weather conditions didn't allow the 8,000 runners to enjoy the course and the supporters (it wasn't actually a good day to get out of your home..). Wind was strongly blowing all the time and it was raining too. Furthermore, Venice was flooded. 

At first my goal was to run the whole marathon in 2h26m-2h27m, but after the beginning of the race I realized that such time was impossible, because of the wind. From the start of the race I lost the men's top runners group, becoming the (unofficial) women race pacemaker. I ran ahead the first women for 25km, then I tried to slowly increase my speed, but the wind on the bridge from Mestre to Venice didn't allow me to have a negative split. I finished my race in 2h30m46s reaching an unbelievable 9th place, which could be almost impossible to get with a normal conditions race, since I cought many of the men's top runners (which were almost walking like zombies) in the second part of the marathon. 

After the Venice Marathon experience, I definitely feel on the right path to Reggio Emilia. Only few weeks are left and November is not the best month to enjoy the training sessions for a marathon, but I will try to stay focused on my goal for the whole time. The Venetian test gave a good feedback and the fear of failing the race is growing day by day. But this is the game (or at least part of it!).

1. KISANG PHILEMON KIPCHUMBA (KENIA) - 02:17:00
2. MASAI TITUS KWEMOI (KENIA) - 02:18:21
3. KARANJA ELIJA (KENIA) - 02:19:41
4. RICATTI DOMENICO (C.S. AERONAUTICA MILITARE) - 02:19:43
5. AWASH HABTAMU FIKADU (ETIOPIA) - 02:21:00
6. KORIR PATRICK KIPTANUI (KENIA) - 02:24:58
7. BOUDALIA SAID (ATL.BIOTEKNA MARCON) - 02:27:50
8. ROGNONI DARIO (ATL. DA PAURA) - 02:30:30
9. SIMION GIANCARLO (SILCA ULTRALITE VITTORIO V.TO) - 02:30:46
10. NDIWA ROBERT (KENIA) - 02:30:48
11. IVUTI PATRICK MUTUKU (KENIA) - 02:32:29
12. RUNGGER HANNES (SPORTLER TEAM) - 02:36:17 

Full results