It might be the effect of this sort of post-30 menopause, but by now, staying still makes us sick. We needed something before the Berlin Marathon in September, so here we are: May 8, 2022 — Lucca Half Marathon.

Recovery from the Marathon Link to heading

Even though several months have passed, I remember very clearly the interminable time it took to recover my pre-race form. The marathon is truly exhausting. I managed to run 5 kilometers after two weeks, at a ridiculous speed and with inhuman effort. Over the following month, I managed to reach a good pace, but still below my previous times. After a medically required two-month break and another month of training, I finally returned to my previous form. All in all, 4 months — an eternity that makes clear the effect of a marathon on an untrained body.

Lucca Half Marathon Link to heading

They say doing a half marathon in preparation for a full one is foolish. The preparation methods are completely different — according to some, even counterproductive. But naturally, I’ll happily ignore all these technicalities. The route is pleasant, the location nearby, and the race not too demanding — that’s enough for me.

Lucca is one of my favorite cities, not just in Tuscany but in the whole country, and the race takes place right on its most iconic monument: the walls. Here’s the route from the official website (taken with a phone screenshot…)

Race Goal Link to heading

During Run Rome, driven by extreme enthusiasm, I achieved my best half marathon time: 1h 56 minutes. That’s an average speed of 5:30 min/km — quite insane for me, a surrogate of a sloth. This time, we need to raise the bar — something ambitious but also realistic. The TOP would be 1h50m, for an average speed of 5:15, but I don’t think I’m capable. A lower but far more realistic bar would be 1h52m with an average pace of 5:20. I realize these may seem like minor variations, but for a body like mine, they’re abyssal differences. I’ll decide on the most suitable pace over the next month of training.

Shoes Link to heading

I almost forgot — I switched shoes, moving to the very cool Brooks Ghost 14 (the ones on the cover).