Good start

Today I will recover on my favourite topics: running. Autumn is a good time for runners, especially in a city like Barcelona as many of the popular races begin. In summer it is difficult to train with the heat and it is impossible to take part in a race because is too warm. When autumn starts, you see all runners back to the path.

When I started running seriously I used to take part in many races. However, in past years I have reduced my calendar to four main races: the Cursa de la Tardor, the Cros of Sants, the race of Sant Anton and the half marathon of Barcelona. I run them for different reasons: the first one because there are not many people and when you finish they give you a delicious sausage sandwich. The second one because is the race of my neighbourhood and I pass near home and I like the route. The third one because it was the first I ever ran in my life and the fourth one because I still haven’t achieved my aim. 

My calendar started I few days ago with la Cursa de la Tardor. It was my third time and I was hoping to do as good as last year when I ran near 46 minutes. Before I started I met Pablo former Espanyol Academy coach and a cousin of my mother in law. It was nice to see them.

I started back in the bunch but soon I got near the front. I looked my watch and I saw that I was going fast for what I am used to. This is a very hard race, with continuous ups and downs and even though it starts early it can be quit hard. I wondered if I would be able to keep the rhythm until the end. Jéssica and Mercedes, my mother in law cousin, helped a lot during the race with their support. 

I passed the 5 kilometres under 22 minutes and I started to think I would be able to finish under 45', something really nice for me in such a difficult race. I knew the second lap would be hard and I decided to join a pair of athletes that were running a bit slower than me but I thought it will be good to reach the final kilometre with more energy.

In the end all came out as I planned and I was able to finish in 44 minutes 15 second my personal best. Two minutes better than last year and nearly four than the year of my debut. I was really happy, exultant. I knew I was fit but I didn’t expect to do as well. After the 10 kilometres I really enjoyed my butifarra sandwich. I think I deserved it. 

The Cros of Sants is my new race. I don’t want to get obsessed with time but I am thinking that I will try to finish near 44 minutes. I know it is difficult but I have to try to keep these good sensations. Don’t worry, I will let you know.

Vienna

This summer we had doubts as to where to go. I like visiting cities in summer, walking around and learning all the history. Jéssica wanted to visit Prague so the decision was easy but everybody told us that with three days we had enough to see the city. I don’t remember how Vienna came to our mind and we started to consider it as an option. We started searching for flights and hotels and we saw that we could afford it and we decided to book everything. 

At first I wasn’t sure because I didn’t expect much. However, I was wrong. We arrived to the city by train and then we looked for our hotel. As it was early, we started the day visiting Schönbrunn Palace and it was then when I realised how important and historic is the city. You know when you go to the cinema and you expect a lot from a film and in the end it disappoints you? Sometimes it happens the other way around: you don’t expect much but once you are there you really like it. 

I started going through all the history of this city and I was really impressed. The Austro-Hungarian was one of the most important empires in history. We all know Sisi because of the films, but there is further more things to know. It was incredible to hear different stories about that period of our history. Actually, in Prague, some of the guides we had started to let us know all the influence of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 

I really enjoyed the visit to Vienna. The buildings were amazing. We visited a few palaces, we saw the Parliament, the City Hall, Stephan’s Cathedral, Karlskirche, the Belvedere Palace or the Kunsthistorisches Museum . One of the things that made me happier was to see Klimt’s picture ‘The Kiss’, one of the best art pictures I still had to see in person. 

I liked a lot travelling to Vienna. It was a city that impressed me and I wouldn’t doubt to repeat. Maybe nowadays it is not as important as it was in the past but I think that you should go if you have the chance you should try to go and visit it.