Training Log Archive: Charlie

Very intricate sprint race in Montorio nei Frentani, small town in the mountains of Molise, not far from Campobasso. I went back later and walked the course quite a bit faster than I had run it. We had a remote start and somehow I didn’t comprehend how I had arrived at the start triangle and so was mistaken leaving it. Nothing lined up and so I lost a good 3 minutes before I found the first control. Rattled, I had a hard time settling down. But others did as well. We had a map change, flipping it over after 6 controls, and that was the occasion for another error. Took me a bit to find the second triangle at the 6th control, in part because I was looking for a 6 and not a triangle, and then didn’t see the 7 right away, but instead headed for 17. When I got untracked, I still found 10 before 7, which at least made it easy to find 10 later when I needed it. Again 5th out of 6, ahead only of my friend Stein and only by 20 seconds. He had also got stuck flipping the map over.

Lovely town. Had some excellent pizza, only 5€ for a mushroom pizza I could only eat 2/3 of, but plenty of Norwegians to share it with. €0.80 for a coffee. Not a town up to date on modern prices.

Plenty of opportunity to chat up the mayor, the carabinieri and several residents, complimenting them on the lovely place. Very colorful- we were serenaded by a fellow who played a fine fisarmonica (accordion) and another on a zampogna (Italian bagpipe), playing traditional songs. Quite a festive occasion.

Montorio nei Frentani sprint part 1

Montorio nei Frentani sprint part 2

C • Montorio nei Frentani 5

Back early enough to get mostly packed and head to the beach for a last swim. Warm water, soft sand, sun shining, beach deserted. Really fine. And then a walk along the sand for half an hour to dry off enough for packing. Excellent.

Today was for me the nicest day. I really enjoyed the tiny mountain town and the atmosphere, had a short nap on the bus, and nice to get back in the daylight.