A brief charge around the block on one of those sensational autumnal mornings. Cool, sunny and life-affirming.
The run was good, but life without a marathon to peer up at isn’t the same. So I need one. The intention is already there, to run a spring marathon, but at present it’s an empty peg. I need a name to hang on it.
I did briefly flirt with the idea of applying for a London place again, but with so many interesting marathons available, and so few opportunities, it seemed a shame to take part in a race that I’d already experienced. It’s a good excuse to travel, so I’m looking at what’s available around the end of April 2005. At the moment, the one I have my eye on is Padua, a.k.a. Padova, a.k.a. the Saint Anthony Marathon. Yes, its great claim to fame is that it has three names.
Why Padua? I’ve not been to Italy for a long time. And we keep saying we’d like another look at Venice, which isn’t far away. And Treviso. And Padua itself sounds interesting. My mother’s a big fan of Saint Anthony. She attributes everything good that’s ever happened in her life to the fellow. If Padua becomes a reality, perhaps I should invite her along.
The race itself is a point-to-point, passing through seven villages. It’s even slightly downhill.
