Rop's Reflections

So this morning I twisted my left ankle. One moment I was walking the usual route, enjoying the peace of the morning. The next moment I was kneeling down, holding my ankle. It was painful.

I went on to run anyway though, as I had my mind set on doing it. Risky I know. I just couldn’t turn back and let the twisted ankle ruin the day. The run was pretty good. No serious pain during the run. The pain could come later though. Afterward, I put the foot in cold water. Hopefully the ankle will not be too bad.

So now on my left foot, I have a bum ankle and a bunion. Not an ideal situation. Could have been worse though. A more serious twist could have easily made me miss training or even a race.

In a bigger picture, I was reminded that each moment is precious. One gotta be careful. One careless step can change things drastically. Today if you can do things you love, do them. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by.

Today was pretty eventful compared to most days.

I woke up and casually went about my morning routine, completely forgetting that I had to go catch an early van at the office. I just got reminded when my phone voiced an event alarm. I quickly changed clothes and rushed out of the house. After a fast drive, I made it just a few minutes before the departure time. The van took off late though, in typical fashion. Anyhow, this reminds me that I should review my to-do list more regularly.

At noon, as I walked back from lunch, I heard a sound of car tires screeching, followed by a loud crash. I looked over to the road. At about 70m from me there was a four-car accident. One pickup truck got its rear smashed up pretty badly. Apparently, a taxi made an abrupt stop and the following cars couldn’t brake in time. Don’t know if anyone got seriously hurt. A good lesson on why tailgating is a bad practice.

Then finally, after I finished my evening run on the track, I realized my running shorts had a big hole in the back. Quite embarrassing. Oh well. Accidents happen. Got to be more careful next time.

Just a couple pics from fire emergency workshop last week. It was fun.

Been rainy in Bangkok. Nothing quite as bad as Manila though. Pretty tough situation over there.

Got two all-day workshops on fire emergency drills to begin the week. It was a good one though. Learned new things. The lecturers were good. Lots of action on the second day (operating fire hoses and pump; and using fire extinguishers to stop burning LPG and benzene oil). Beat most of the seminars/workshops I’ve had recently.

Was able to sneak in short morning treadmill runs in the fitness room. Not much time at all. Short runs don’t cause pain though. Still recovering.

Friday evening is a good time to run. End of a work week. It’s about letting go of the stress and heading into the weekend with positive energy.

Today, the goal was simple: to go really easy so that I can get some solid miles in. I did accomplish the goal and ran the longest distance in the past 16 days. The distance was less than 10 km though; that says a lot about the state that I’m in right now. It was one of my slowest runs ever also.

It was painful as the distance grew. Had to stop and stretched the left thigh during the last mile.

There was a positive thing about today’s run. It seemed that stopping and stretching may help ease the sharp pain and allow me to run farther. It’s good to learn that being hurt doesn’t always mean I can’t finish the race. There are always obstacles. One must find ways around them.

The clouds were getting darker as time passed by. Just before I was done, with about 100m to go, heavy rain poured down. Everybody–runners, football players, students–ran for cover. I finished my run. It was lucky the rain didn’t come earlier otherwise I wouldn’t be able to finish my goal for today.

Another change in my travel plan. Found out today that this Friday is a holiday (Labor day), and so there will be no buses running. I’m going to have to share a cab ride with someone here. Oh well, it is what it is.

Another wet morning. I woke up a bit late and found that it was raining pretty heavily. So I ran after the afternoon session instead.

My longest run here yet. Went to the downtown. Strong winds were causing high tides. A good thing was that it was no longer raining, and the sun was out. Right toe was hurting quite badly, but it was okay when I finished.

Now, a couple hours after finishing, I’m not feeling well at all physically (too exhausted), but mentally I’m happy to get a long run in before leaving this town.

Loved my time here. Like I said at my presentation yesterday, I feel very appreciative of ICTP/IAEA for this opportunity.

I’m ready to go home, though. One of the things I miss is the Thai food. Italian meals have gotten very bland for me. Couldn’t finish half of my dinner tonight. I desperately need something spicy.

Raining again today. In Bangkok, I like rain because it cools down the weather. Here, a good day is a sunny day.

The day began with a short run. Though feeling very sleepy, I managed to drag myself out of bed and put on running clothes. Got in a short run. Hills were tough again. The hardest part about morning runs is to get up and get out the door.

At the workshop, I had a hard time staying awake in the first lecture. After the coffee break, I felt much better. Coffee is strong here, just the way I like. The learning is going well. Good instructors. The exercises are helpful.

There is a change in my travel plan. My Alitalia flight this Friday just got moved ahead for about 7 hours. The bad part is that, the connecting flights remain at the same schedule. It means I will have to spend 10+ hrs at Rome airport (FCO), waiting for the connection to Doha. I get tired just thinking about it. Seems that there are no power connections available there, so I probably won’t be able to use the computer much. What am I gonna do?

At lunch, I had pizza for the first time since I got here. Yummy.

So, five days left in Trieste. Here’s the weather forecast for the week (from Wunderground).

Going to be a wet week.

Went for a light run/stroll along the coast. Already had a run this morning. So I was just taking it easy and enjoy the sights.

The weather was heavenly. Sunny and cool. People were out sunbathing and eating/drinking. Kids were playing. People brought out their dogs. Lots of them. So many cute ones. Love them.

I’ll just show some of the pics:

Went to have gelato at Gelateria Zampolli. It was great. The place was super crowded. I’m very impressed with the selection. Wish None were here with me. She would absolutely love it.

Had two cones: cocco and cioccolato. I thought that “cocco” means cocoa. It turned out to be coconut. Showed how much I knew Italian. But it’s still yummy.

Spent the afternoon taking pictures, walking around, and just relaxing. Just letting my thoughts run free.

Had another short run after the downtown stroll. Then walked back uphill to the Guesthouse. By 6pm, it was getting a bit cold so people were packing up their towels and stuff. Lots of cars were on the road, heading toward the city.

The best thing about this place, for me, is the peace. One can really get some thinking done here. Both in the institute and in the city. Quiet and peaceful.

I could stay here forever. It’s my type of town. A wonderful place to grow.

People are great. Knowledgeable. Classy. Know how to relax.

At the institute, there are blackboards everywhere. People’s eagerness to learn is infectious. The library is great and filled with wonderful books. If I need to know or refresh on something, I can just go there.

I also love the fact that I don’t have to drive. I can walk to work. When I finish, I can just walk back to my room. No traffic jam headaches. I can run without having to fight the heat. It’s the freedom to do things that is so fantastic.

I will have to leave this place soon though. Have to remember this experience. Good memories will help me stay positive on life. The memories such as those of South Korea 2007 and of this Trieste visit, they’ll go a long way.

To learn something effectively one must be in a peaceful environment.

Today after the workshop I visited Marie Curie library at ICTP. There were many people in there, but they were quiet and respectful of others. I love it.

From Trieste April 2009

From Trieste April 2009

Another morning run today. Ran along the seaside. What a fantastic view. Ran downhill to a large fountain then back. Running uphill is tough. I haven’t had much practice on that at all. Started a bit later today. So it wasn’t dark like yesterday.

From Trieste April 2009

The lectures at ICTP were hard again today. There were lots of terms and concepts that I’m not familiar with. This workshop is designed for experts or the practitioners in the field, I think. I tried to learn what I could. Even though I may take in about half of what is being taught, it’s still a very beneficial experience.

The workshop session ended a bit earlier than the first couple days. So we got out early and enjoy the evening. The weather was absolutely perfect. Sunny. People were out fishing by the port.

From Trieste April 2009

I decided to skip the evening run and went for sightseeing instead. I walked to the Park of Miramare, and visited the Castle. The view around the castle were quite gorgeous.

From Trieste April 2009

From Trieste April 2009

With the Park and the seaside, this city is filled with many places to just sit and relax.