Back on the podium 
A perfect half marathon! And 'what is true of the Marathon of olive trees (national competition) held Today in Ostuni. I never imagined a time to make: 1 hour 34 minutes and 42 seconds. The average of 4 minutes and 29 seconds per km, and a ranking of fourth in the M60 category.
After years of peaceful slumber back to step on the podium. All thanks to the remarkable athletic office released with the preparation and participation in the marathon in Barcelona on March 1 last year.
I wanted to keep the shape of the last 50 days long running average, on-time rates of progression from 8-10 km race and repeated from 1-2 km.
Chronicle.
I leave with the intention of trying to follow in view of the pacemaker hour and 35 minutes. Like the idea of \u200b\u200busing front-runner in a half. Only the atlteta the balloon was traveling with 1-2 minutes before the final time.
In fact, after 7 km, damaged by a slow climb superbly designed on the ancient Via Traiana, I had to detach myself a hundred meters from the nice little group which pursued the goal. At the 10 km mark, however, turning to look at my clock, I realized that once marked the end of the day exactly 45 minutes (perfect 4:30). Excellent rhythm whereas the path until then it was all climbing fairly steeply.
The next two kms were winding-down for me: a plain and a long dirt road, which practically invited me to a wedding (the terrain is my passion), I have regained my breath. After passing along a road parallel to Ferrovie dello Stato (curious coincidence was the passage that was heading for the Eurostar Brindisi greeted passengers as to what), I traveled almost single-six miles of downhill that compensate for the previous climb. Only in those moments I realized that I had dealt with the discrete gradient in the first half of the race. The 13th and then I reached the balance of the rhythm that made me believe strongly in the final time that was materializing: 1:35 '. Although the pacemaker was still ahead of me 100-200 meters away. But, do not hide it, I feared a crisis that could blow up the program: doubts about the pace set so far for me to fit in a race from 10-12 km. After
the itinerary through the beautiful countryside of Ostuni back on the long coplanar Adriatica, monotonous and sunny. We go back in time and Villanova as the tread 35 'notices to be considerably in advance of the assigned destination. So he decides to slow down 500 meters before the finish, becoming joined by stragglers, myself included. The final extension of the last kilometer, perhaps for the progressive proximity of the pacemaker, he gave me the last charge to close the half 15 seconds before the programmed time. Definitely a perfect race.
right now I do not stop. Next rendez-vous: Bari half marathon May 3. A classic Apulian not to be missed. The tenth to attend. Not deny to repeat the wonderful result of Ostuni last April 19. The preparation continues on the wave of enthusiasm, the desire is not lacking, the objective is to reach 1 hour and 35 legs! The only unknown factor: a possible hot over here and suddenly bursts seems to be already at the door. An entire season marked by humidity, rain and low temperatures have not yet given me the opportunity to train with the sun beating. 
