"The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it's all that matters." Audrey Hepburn
Source of the image: wintersportfacts.nl.
It was a strange use of this piece of soft material,
That all runners and cyclist know very well.
In my childhood, I thought it’s “altmodisch”,
However, it has proven itself even in the buff…
When nothing else was available…
I was buff when I wore the buff as my skirt 🙂
I think that no one noticed 😉
A Tale about the Trail Running Shoes
Someone told me to buy these running shoes. These pair of Brook Cascadia 8 shoes was not my first choice. Still, I decided to try. It was a love on first sight. So light and comfortable while still very good for uneven trail ground, how could I resist. Unfortunately, after a few months this upper part suddenly became ripped. It had holes on both sides. Luckily, this version of shoes had some fault in production and I was happy to find out that I can replace them for the new ones. Cascadia, again. With the new pair I made some 1500K all on a trail terrain. A month ago, I decided that they are not safe enough for running at this terrain and that it is a time to discard them. However, it is hard to through away something so comfortable, something so good. If I didn’t mentioned… I was in love with the second pair as well. After my decision, I did make additional 400K, so I guess that they managed 2000K on rough terrain. In my last race, I didn’t fall, but they became rather slippery because the sole is not rugged any more. At least, I felt like I am a child with a number of slippery moments during the last run.
I guess that even though it is the final time to discard them, I must admit that they were the best trail running shoes that I ever had.
I still haven’t bought the new ones, but I know the model 🙂
Source of the image: brooksrunning.com.
Continued from climbing.
Final 10Ks were easy. Nice refreshment and a joy of running toward the sea were all that I needed at that time. Everything was downhill, something that I can do always. I don’t even understand when people say that running downhill is a problem. I personally feel some kind of a special force that makes me run faster than I normally can.
On the road, I met a number of people smiling and running. Some of them passed more than my humble 42K distance, 69K, 100K and some even 100 miles. However, all of us were happy. Exhausted, but happy.
Why I run that far? Because of this feeling of exhaustion and a simple need of a good deep sleep. Maybe you remember these words “Relax, imagine that your legs are heavy, imagine that your body is heavy…” Well, after such a race… you don’t need to imagine. This heaviness jolts you, surprise or shocks you. You are like a stone and you can “disappear” in a minute. Sometimes while you are getting in your sleep, you start dreaming, and sometimes you dream about running. Then you feel that you have moved your legs in a rhythmic motion as if you are still running. Then you realize that actually you are the stone on some bed that does not need to move for some period of time. And you are grateful that you did it, that you can and that you will run again and again and again…
To be honest, I was hoping to end this running adventure entering the final mile near the sea. The plan was to swim afterwards.
Unfortunately, they were renovating something so the finish line was earlier, far enough from the sea, making it impossible to do such crazy thing as swimming in the sea in April. Still I survived. After several hours and 42K, I arrived in Umag.
Climbing to Buje was to be the last uphill part of this several-posts-long running adventure. On the roadbook it doesn’t even look like an important hill. But the town is situated at the tophill.
Fueled enough on previous refreshment point, I can hardly remember any exhaustion at this part of the race. Considering that I was approaching to my 30K or something, it always amaze me how I can find strength to run and sometimes even to speed up. For me, there is no wall, no exhaustion, it actually becomes easier. I even tried an experiment, and I do it now often on a long run.
I am making selfies every 5K to see how my face changes during this time and distance. It is interesting to notice that if I feel bad at the start, I look much better at the end. Vice versa, if I feel good at the start, I look a bit tired at the end. Maybe You could try it yourself sometime. ….
Buje… .is a small city on the tophill, some 10K away from the seaside.
Velvety hills were inhabited in the Bronze Age, the Histri built their prehistoric hill-forts, the Romans founded colonies. And one of the most beautiful views of the green Istria is adorned by the one-time imposing mediaeval castle at the steep uplift of Momjan.
Here, you can also find one of the most famous wine roads in Croatia, with 23 famous wine-makers, and it is also a great pleasure to explore the olive oil roads, where you can discover everything about the production and processing this well-known produce, with appropriate tastings.
At the roads of the typical products of Buje, you will meet the wine connoisseurs, you will learn the secret stories from their taverns, and you will get the chance to meet the hard-working oil makers who call the olive the God’s produce.
What to do in Buje?
Visit…
- Parish Church of St Servulus, patron saint of Buje
- Bell tower dating back to the 15th century next to the Church of St Servulus with a unique view of the Croatian, Slovenian, Italian and Austrian countryside
- Church of St Mary of Mercy with a bell tower and “fresco” dating back to the 16th century
- Tower of St Martin, one of the very few existing remains of the Venetian walls
- Ethnographic museum with handicrafts belonging to the folk culture of the Buje area
- Exhibitions in the town gallery Orsola
- Wine roads and olive oil roads of the Buje area
Taste…
- The trendiest Istrian cuisine and exquisite local and foreign wines in the Stari Kaštel restaurant located at the top of a hill in the town of Kaštel, near Buje. You will surely be thrilled by the imagination behind the food specialties, the architecture and the romantic view of the salt fields in the Gulf of Piran
- San Servolo, local Buje beer complementing the grilled dishes and the unique beer scones in the Beer House San Servolo
- Dish of the day and other ones based on fresh seasonal produce following Istrian recipes in the tavern Stari podrum in Momjan
- Pasta, prosciutto, bacon and other Istrian delicacies made by the crafty hands in the agrotourism Radešić in Krasica
- Excellent pizza in the tavern San Leonardo or in pizza places Rondo and Aquarius
- Find other restaurants, taverns and agrotourism destinations in our directory with contact information and addresses of restaurants in Buje.
Continued from.. the trail running adventure….
I thought it was a good idea to spread the description of a trail run through several daily posts… but it looks scattered and lost a bit… or?
Anyway…. now I was running toward Grisignana – Grožnjan, another interesting Istrian town…..
Grožnjan-Grisignana, a small Istrian town of great cultural significance not only in Croatia but also internationally, lives its summer months very intensely. Every year at the beginning of May, the little streets and squares of Grožnjan-Grisignana metamorphose and turn into a truly artistic beehive: it opens its summer music academies for young people, its artistic, dance and drama workshops and its peace activism workshops under the leadership of well-known experts and teachers and famous names from music, art and drama.
During those few summer months Grožnjan-Grisignana lives and breathes art and the labyrinth of its little streets become one great stage on which are constantly interchanging the sounds of jazz and classical music, guitar and piano, violin and cello, drum and vibraphone… (Source: Istra.hr)
Reading this… I want to come back… 🙂
Trail road was nice, somehow happy play between the forest, trail, sun and refreshing wind breeze. Several people in front of me, and distant voices from behind indicating on a great bunch of people. I really enjoyed the day, the run… everything. In one moment, some foreign runner came close and I stopped for a second letting him ahead.
Thank You – he said happily.
Well, because of You, I had to stop, otherwise I would not stop while I go uphill – I joked.
You just got several seconds more to enjoy in this day – he answered smilingly.
And yes… the glass is either half-full or half empty. It’s up to your own perception!
I continued my turtle-speed uphill running happier than before. Few seconds later one nervous lady came close. She was actually running uphill and it was an understandable gesture to move aside and let her go. She hardly said anything on my cheering -Bravo- . The top of the hill was near, so I hoped to run again soon.
Due to a number of stones protruding from the ground, I found running a bit dangerous. Therefore, I continued slowly. Suddenly I saw this fast speechless woman flying. I screamed. She felt on the ground with her hands pointed far in front of her. I thought for a second, if people were made of little parts, this fall would definitely dismantle her in little pieces.
Are you ok? – I hurried toward her… Are You hurt?
I am fine. Everything is ok, just a little fall – she answered while getting up. She continued running immediately, as if nothing has happened. Wow, that is the runner’s spirit! I knew that I would do the same 🙂
Soon after that, we came to the left turn after which Grisignana was easily visible on the next hill. I decided to run without stopping. Yes, it was again uphill running, but it was on a road so I could run without looking on the ground. I passed several runners that walked this part and finally passed the entrance arch of the city.
Refreshment point on 20th kilometre with a huge amount of food and drinks. I think I drank one litre of Coca-Cola without noticing… I took some salted snacks and refilled my bottles with water. With a well-deserved glass of Coca-Cola, I continued my journey…towards the next refreshment point in Buje that will be on the 30K!
My Garmin was taking measure of everything. I was on time!
No water… still no water… – I heard silent whisper of fear in my head – It will be ok – I said aloud. I ate some salty food yesterday before the race and this will do the job. I find this as the best solution for preventing leg cramps during a long run in warm environment. It’s actually easy to explain. If you eat salted food the day before your organism keep more water than usual in the body and you have more to “waste” through perspiration. That is magic that actually works. You don’t need magnesium or similar stuff, just plain water and (for me) a glass of Coca-Cola….
In a distance I saw a bunch of runners stopping, I thought it might be a refreshment site. Or is it a mirage – an optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water… the water I need so much…
I was getting closer hoping for reality…. hoping for refreshment.
Waaaaater… yeeees.
Well, it wasn’t a real refreshment point, but a timely act of kindness by some angel…. Owners of one little house near the road left the water pipe running. We all knew it is his way to support us. We didn’t see anyone, just the pipe of water. Can you image how tasteful it was? The best drink ever… you know….
Running to the next point was easy now. I didn’t care much for the missing refreshment point that I wanted to reach earlier. A bottle of water on my head and the other in my hand were all that I needed at that time….
I was approaching another small Istiran village – Završje.
Zavrsje is nested on a 240-metre high hill, amid marl and sandstone mountainous area where, between Groznjan and Oprtalj, is the south end of Karst. It has always been a town of farmers who worked the fields and grew olives and fruits; there were also leather tanners. The town was surrounded by double walls, partly still visible, which had two gates; the remains of one can still be seen. Above this gate there are ancient bas-reliefs and a coat of arms of the Contarini family, who owned the town for three centuries. A cobblestone road leads to an elevation with an ancient church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Holy Rosary with a church tower. The church has a round apse and a portal with pointed arch with inscribed year 1879, when it was last renovated. It was built in the 16th century and renovated in 1634, when of the four original altars only two remained.
(Source: https://www.tz-groznjan.hr/index.php/en/mjesta/zavrsj)
I noticed the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Holy Rosary with its magnificant church tower and remembered two guys that made water shower for us last year…. They were not there now….other people were sitting on the walls of the town now…
A friend was shouting at loud my name when he saw me. I smiled. The lady gave me a strange look while she said that the next city is 5K away from here. I wondered for a while what did she mean by that. Then I remembered… a refreshment point…. Well, I can do it – without a problem. Grisignana… I am coming…. I hope you expect me… – I thought while I continued my run in a good mood…
…to be continued
I had to make a pause due to a number of very exhausting everyday duties that and finally I am pleased to be able to catch up with the Daily Post challenge and write again, and again and again…and read and be inspired…. Continue reading
… continued from … Keep on running…
My trail continued…downhill. I find it easy.
I know that some people think that going downhill is not easy and that it may be dangerous for knees. But I do not have such a problem. I can run much faster, I feel like I am flying. I love it. The only problem was the fact that I had rather little amount of water… and I realized that the refreshment point would be further than I planned. Can this no-water situation ruin my run? I wanted to unravel the mystery of no-water… but I had to go on. I was feeling good, despite everything… I was running…I was on Parenzana…
Keep on runnin’
Keep on hidin’
One fine day I’m gonna be the one
To make you understand
Oh yeah
I’m gonna be your man
Hey hey hey
Everyone is talkin’ about me
Makes me feel so bad
Hey hey hey
Everyone is laughing at me
Makes me feel so sad
Keep on runnin’
Hey hey
All right!
Keep on runnin’
Runnin’ from my arms
One fine day I’m gonna be the one
To make you understand
Oh yeah
I’m gonna be your man
Hey hey hey
Everyone is talkin’ about me
Makes me feel so bad
Hey hey hey
Everyone is laughing at me
Makes me feel so sad
Keep on runnin’
Hey hey
All right!
Source of the lyrics: AZ Lyrics.
Continued from… Tenaciously going uphill....
The soung was in my head while I continued my trail run blindly following the signs…. to the next refreshment point with very little amount of water……
… to be continued…
