From Rome with Cobblestones

This is the sign that is at the Rome Marathon finish line. Not really, you won't need a sign to tell you to take off your shoes. That's if after 26.2 miles you can actually remove your shoes and what is left of your socks.

I spoke with a friend of mine who has run over 50 marathons around the world including the Rome Marathon. She mentioned the race is a lot of fun and the sites along the course are right out of the travel magazines. Some of the famous views you get to soak in on the course is the Coliseum, the Vatican, Piazza Navona, the Trevi Fountain plus a book more of famous locations. And the most famous part of the marathon is not those fabulous locations but the COBBLESTONES. Yes, the COBBLESTONES that line the course for the final six miles. There is nothing you can do but stick it out to the finish. As some of us who have participated in marathons know once you get to the final push nothing will stop you from crossing that finish line and getting your medal.

She also mentioned the start is very crowded and chaotic. So stay together with your group and take your time getting across the start. If you are slower runner position yourself on the left or right side of the corral so you don't get run over. With close to 25,000 entrants in the marathon, you can easily get pushed or stepped on from people around you.

As I mentioned before have a plan for the race. Pick out certain mileage markers to meet up with your support group and take your cell phone. Your cell will come in handy if you have adjusted your pace and need to notify your family members.

Remember, pack your race clothes, shoes and all the marathon documentation in your carry-on. Do not take the chance and pack them in your checked luggage. The last stress you need besides missing luggage is all your race paraphernalia also gone MIA.

Do pack some large plastic trash bags. You can wear them on the course for all types of weather and once you warm up it is a simple peel and toss.

Just think, one week from tonight we will all be done and celebrating at one of many fabulous restaurants in the Eternal City.

Good luck to everyone and bring home a medal!!

Don't forget to check out my fitness tips at Self-size.com. And I will be blogging until I get on the plane and throughout my time in Rome. So definitely come back and be part of roman history with all of us.

Arrivederci,
Angie of Trevi

ROME WEATHER: Monday thru Thursday, rain with the high in the hi 50's and the lows in the mid-40's.

Race Day: High 64, Low 45. 10% Precip

See Rome and Live!

So what is this a picture of? Well...these are people who didn't properly train for the Rome Marathon subsequently their finish line wasn't at the Coliseum. Or maybe they took my fitness tips to the extreme. Who knows? Either way I hope you all take this as a warning and are getting the proper sleep and nutrition. Remember, the marathon is only one week from Sunday!

Now about those former marathoners in the picture. Well, they really aren't marathoners. It is the crypt of the Capuchin Fathers. The crypt is located at the Church of the Immaculate Conception on the Via Veneto and contains the skeletons of 4,000 monks. It is a combination of Halloween, Six Feet Under and Hannibal Lector all rolled up into one. The monks were buried in a six room crypt between 1500-1870. There are all sorts of designs ranging from circles to triangles and there is even a child size Grim Reaper. It is arranged with all different bones including thigh bones, some femurs, a humerus here and there plus craniums which seem to be quite popular in the crypt.

If you have time do make it a point to go. I have visited the crypt on my previous trips to the Eternal City. It is quite interesting and is located in a great section of Rome right on the Via Veneto and near the Piazzi Barberini. There are wonderful shops in the area and delicious dining but that can really apply to almost anywhere in Rome.

About the crypt, there is no fee to get in but you are expected to make a donation to the Capuchin monk who sits at the entrance. Oh, by the way, he is very much alive.

I will be blogging right up to when the flight attendant threatens to take away my laptop and hand me over to the TSA agent. Besides my fitness tips, get the lowdown on how to lose weight sensibly with Self-size.com, monks excluded.

Ciao,
Angie of Trevi

ROME WEATHER: Today lo in the 40's with the hi in the mid 50's. The weather forecasted through next Tuesday is not so benne. Lots of rain and the temps still low. Maybe our friendly monks can put a good word in for us regarding the weather.

All Roads Lead to Rome

All roads do lead to Rome eventually even if it's via Maroon Bells in Aspen. I hope the weather in Rome is as clear as it was this day in Aspen. Today's forecast for Rome was the high of 50 and the low of 33. That's fine with me as long as it doesn't rain.

The Rome Marathon website has been updated so do check it out. Also don't worry if your name isn't confirmed on the site. As long as you have all your documentation with you to pick up your race packet at the expo you will be fine. The marathon is only two weeks from today so I KNOW everyone is tapering and have completed their long training sessions.

My sister and I did our session on Saturday but our pace was off and we both were fatigued. Was it overtraining? No...more like lack of sleep. A big no-no in the training world.

The last critical piece of your marathon training is the most important and that is sleep. Without proper sleep your marathon experience could turn into a nightmare of a time through the streets of Rome. Couple that with jet lag plus daylight savings change the night before the marathon and it can really reek havoc with your body.

So what can you do to make sure your body is ready? Well..start tonight by getting to bed early. Sleep deprivation can definitely hamper your performance. Your body has been thru a tremendous stress while training so it requires enough quality sleep and proper nutrition needed to repair and rejuvenate the body.

Look at your pre-sleep behavior. Are you letting your body wind down or is it more like channel surfing to the wee hours? And by all means don't train or eat right before you go to bed. Allow at least three to four hours after eating and training before bedding down for the night. If not, the body is too busy digesting food and will interfere with your sleep pattern. You all know that scenario...a big dinner then promptly crashing in bed only to wake up the following morning groggy and feeling a little dull. Groggy and dull are not allowed at the start line in Rome so get to bed early and sleep your way to the finish line.

If anyone would like a "Rome Marathon 2006" bracelet please let me know. They are free and definitely unique. Our bracelets are sponsored by Self-size.com. which is a great site specializing in weight loss and nutritional counseling.

So get to bed and don't forget to check out my fitness tips at Self-size.com

Sweet dreams,

Angie of Trevi

Eating Your Way Around Rome

We all know I am not going to Rome just to run the marathon with 12,000 other people (another projected 40,000 are doing the smaller fun run). Going to Rome is about shopping, food, museums, food, magnificent churches, food and more food. Where do you go for great food? Basically anywhere in Rome you are guaranteed a fresh, delicious meal. In all my previous trips to the Eternal City I have never had a bad meal. It is a good thing I am running the marathon to offset all those fabulous Roman dishes and ofcourse the gelato.
Eating is a serious thing in Italy. It is a time to socialize with family and friends over a wonderfully prepared meal with a bottle or sometimes bottles from a local vineyard. And how can you have a meal in Rome without one of those locally grown wines? Well...you can't. Of all the locally bottled whites wines, Frascati is the best known. For those of you who want to experience the "other" white wine there is the lovely town of Orvieto which just a quick ride outside of Rome.
Roman food is known for their highly seasoned dishes of onions, garlic, rosemary, sage and bay leaves. So enjoy the food, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. You can still enjoy Roman dining at its finest and still stay on your weight loss program. Self-size.com has partnered with various Roman dining establishments that offer the Self-size program on their menu.
My mission on this trip besides finishing the marathon is to rediscover that great gelato shop near the Piazza Navona. It is located on a side passage way to the piazza and it has the best gelato I have had in Italy (excluding the little stand in Capri). So if anyone remembers exactly where it is let me know.
So after I eat my way all through Rome plus her smaller sister to the north, Florence, then it will be time to get refocused and re-sized at Self-size.com. My own fitness tips will come in quite handy.

Check back during the week for more Roman updates!!


A Piu Tardi,
Angela of Trevi

Roman Pit Stops

Well it is subject that we have all talked about during our training sessions and it is a real concern when participating in a marathon. My previous experiences in road races has given me the inside track (sorry for the pun) about that ever so personal subject. So, what do you do when nature calls and how do you prepare yourself for race day?

A lot of it is common sense and listening to your body. Here are some of my hints to enjoy your race.

• Know where the race course porta-johns are and don't hesitate to use them. Don't ever think you can wait for the next set of bathrooms.
• Bring along tissue and/or antibacterial wipes because with thousands of runners it will be your luck to get that one porta-john that has empty dispensers.
• Use the onsite facilities just before entering the corral for the marathon. Your bladder will thank you for it.
• No matter how tempting don't drink any coffee before the marathon, it works as a diuretic.
• Think twice before relieving yourself on yourself. No joke, many people I ran with in the New York marathon did just that. Remember you are wearing those clothes especially the socks for 26.2 miles and it can get very uncomfortable for you and the unfortunate people around you.
• Most public establishments will let you use their facilities during the marathon. Don't forget a thank you as you race out the door.

And by all means don't eat anything exotic or spicy the night before the marathon. Besides possibly interrupting your sleep pattern the last thing you need during those 26.2 miles are upset bowels. So eat smart!!

The marathon is only two weeks from Sunday so I hope you all are in your tapering stage. Do visit the Rome marathon website because they are constantly updating it with news regarding the expo and course. I did find out that Gatorade will be offered starting mid-race to the finish but no PowerGels. So make sure you pack your gels in your carryon along with your race outfit and info.

Also up to the time I leave with my family (March 20th) I will start posting various shopping hints and haunts of Rome. Plus a friend of mine who has previously run the Rome marathon will share her insights about the race, expo and the course.

Don't forget to check out my fitness tips at the nutritional website Self-
Size com. It is a great site and recently updated with information of Roman restaurants to visit during your stay in the Eternal City.

So stay tuned!!

Angela of Trevi