Late Afternoon In Italy

Sunday marked the end of summer in Europe and the UK with the clocks going back an hour. Daylight saving hours are over. Now start long winter nights and short days. Roll on 30th March 2014!

Saturday was an at home day. I had a good workout and re-introduced burpees. Yep, burpees! 3 rounds, 30 seconds each. It felt good to be flying through them again! Ankle and knee fine and I busted out as many as pre injury in 30 seconds! It set me up for the day as did this monster breakfast: Porridge/Oatmeal with mango and raspberries.

In the afternoon we went for a walk in the park. It had been sunny all day, however by the time we got there the clouds came. We had a fun walk around and found some different trails. I recognised a few hardcore runners from the summer, though they were avoiding the forest trail as light was fading. I was surprised to see dragonfiles still about.

Dinner was salad, flourless pizza made with a cauliflower cheese dough and a movie: Superman, Man of Steel. Superman good, dinner different. Definitely not pizza, but still tasted good. I’ve never been all that keen on Superman. A pair of glasses and change of hairstyle…really? Man of Steel, I enjoyed. It was a lot darker, had mean baddies and Superman was British 😉

Sunday we’d planned a trip to Imperia, Italy. Despite the extra hour, we set out later than we wanted. We went for a 6km run mid morning. Paul left me for dust, as I just wanted to enjoy the run without feeling I had to keep up with him! It was the first run where my conversation with myself wasn’t on my ankle or knee. Instead, I decided on my outfit and planned my week.

The weather was great leaving France as after a grey morning the sun came out. In Italy, it changed. We were so high up on the motorway, we were in the clouds (or were the clouds low!). Imperia was beautiful driving through despite the bad weather. We stopped for packed wraps in the old town main square with the police station, museum and cathedral. It was just a little surreal sitting eating opposite the police station with it’s entrance surrounded with purple flowers, the museum light up and looking warm inside and the cathedral surrounded in scaffolding with plastic covering blowing noisily in the wind. We knew when we set off we were cutting it fine with the light getting there and with the weather getting more windy, we decided to head back along the coast road. I’d left my phone/camera in the motorbike panniers, hence no photos. Another day!

We had a quick stop in Burger King for coffee and to look around the supermarket next door. We always seem to end up in a supermarket wherever we go. I stocked up on chocolate and bath sponges (something I can’t get in France) and Paul, kamut, farro perlato/einkorn, espresso glasses and some broccoli raab. An odd selection of things we can’t get in France.

Only in Italy would you find an electric pizza oven/grill.

Dark chocolate with hazelnuts…the healthy option no?!

Going back along the coast road in the dark was beautiful. We didn’t get hungry until we were back in France, so we stopped off in Menton for dinner. I’d already given the cats most of their dinner before we left so I didn’t feel so bad staying out late eating!

Two pomodoros, mixed salad, pear and rocket salad, grilled veggies and just for me, a shot of lemoncello! Cote Sud Restaurant Pizzeria.

According to Tom Tom there was only about 15 minutes difference between taking the A8(motorway) and the coast road. Coast road it was! The mist was so thick it was nearly fog. Riding high up over Monaco in the dark was eerie yet beautiful. With Halloween so near, my mind was in hyperdrive!

I really need to get my sleep schedule sorted to be up and out early. Any tips?!

What do you think about when running? Do you day dream about your surrounding when travelling?