Denmark - Sweden Under 21

O Campeonato Europeu de Sub21 em futebol está a decorrer aqui na Républica Checa. Na sexta-feira passada compramos bilhetes para a semifinal entre a Suécia e a Dinamarca e também conseguimos bilhetes para a final sem saber ainda quem seriam as esquipas a jogar.

The European Under 21 football championship are being held here, in Czech Republic. Last Friday, we got tickets for the semi final between Denmark and Sweden and we managed to get tickets for the final as well, not knowing who would be playing in it.

No sábado à tarde Portugal bateu a Alemanha e tornou-se a primeira equipa finalista, para minha grande alegria. À noite fomos ao estádio ver a outra semifinal, esperando que a Suécia ganhasse para termos uma final disputada pelos nossos 2 países. Os nossos bilhetes eram mesmo no meio dos fans suecos e passamos as 2h de jogo em pé e a gritar pela Suécia. O ambiente estava fantástico! A Suécia marcou 4 vezes (a Dinamarca só marcou 1) e a felicidade dos fans suecos fazia-se ouvir tanto no estádio como nas ruas, já depois do jogo. 

Saturday afternoon Portugal beat Germany and become the first finalist, which made me really happy. Saturday evening we went to the stadium to watch the other semi final. Of course we wanted Sweden to go through, so we could watch the final between our 2 countries. Our tickets were right in the middle of the swedish fans and we spend two hours standing and shouting for Sweden. It was a great atmosphere! Sweden scored 4 goals (Denmark only 1) and the happiness of the fans could be heard everywhere in the stadium and afterwards in the streets.

Esta noite lá estaremos os dois, sentados lado a lado, a gritar por Portugal (eu) e pela Suécia (ele). Vai ser o máximo porque sabemos que vamos os dois ficar felizes, qualquer que seja o resultado.

This evening, we will both be there, sitting next to each other, supporting Portugal (me) and Sweden (he). It will be great, because we will both be happy no matter the result. 

Karlovy Vary Half Marathon

Or the Half Marathon that had everything to go wrong.
Everything except the location because Karlovy Vary is a wonderful little Bohemian town, in Czech Republic.
The week before the race was an athlete's nightmare (good that I am not a real one!).

Monday: All fine. Rest day. Dance class. All good.
Tuesday: I woke up and I couldn't walk. I dragged my leg to my physiotherapist and her conclusion was that I got injured while sleeping, as I must have slept with my knee in a weird position... Congratulations Sara! You got injured the most stupid way possible! Nooo, the half marathon is ruined!

Wednesday: I woke up much better. Maybe I can run! No, it still hurts, I can't run. Maybe I can run! No, it still hurts, I can't run. Maybe I can run! No, it still hurts, I can't run. Maybe I can run! No, it still hurts, I can't run. Maybe I can run! No, it still hurts, I can't run. Maybe I can run! No, it still hurts, I can't run.
Thursday: J. wakes up feeling down, with throat pain and body ache, and stays home. I got to work but I still don't know if I can run.
Friday: We travel to Karlovy Vary. J. feels better but still down. My knee hurts almost nothing. My throat starts hurting and I start having body ache.
Saturday/Race day: Race is only at 18h. J. feels better but not great. I feel down.
Eat breakfast feeling down. Pick up number feeling better. Go for a walk feeling down. Take a nap and then it feels better. Eat lunch and don't know anymore how to feel... Go for a walk. Take a nap. Take an extra amount of medicines. Run 21.1 Km.

I don't know whether it was the medicine, the will power or the motivation I have for running, but the truth is I made it without ever feeling bad or ill. The race is beautiful, and it goes through the streets of the city centre 3 times. I thought that was a good thing, as I would always be close to the goal in case I wanted to quit. Well, during the race I completely forgot about that. I had to walk for small bits between 18 and 20 Km, because it ran too fast in the beginning, as it was difficult to manage the levels of energy, since I didn't even know how much I actually had. STILL... after walking 4 or 5 times I finished the half marathon in 1h54, only 2 minutes above my record.

It also occurred to me that after all that energy spent I would feel really down afterwards. I didn't. It didn't get better, but it didn't get worse either. I look back, remembering that being in bed was always so much better that just standing, and I'm amazed with my strength. How could I have ran 21 Km? I will never forget Karlovy Vary half marathon!

Karlovy Vary half marathon, 1h54m17s

Time, our friend and our enemy

I do not have enough time for all the things I want or would like to do.

I want to write more in my two blogs.

I want to read your blogs and comment on your stories.

I want to do that while working, training, traveling, and cooking. And also while being a normal person that cleans, sleeps, reads and has time for other people as well.

I have always heard that time management is all a question of priorities. Sure, we have to set our priorities right, but of all things I mentioned above the only ones I could probably live without is working and cleaning. Should I stop doing them? I can't really, can I?

Sometimes I wonder if I should shut down this blog and stop being a blogger. That would save me some time, but I really enjoy having a blog. Mostly, I enjoy having a place where I can write my stories, put some of my pictures, and read posts I wrote 5 years ago. My memory sucks, and I think I will really enjoy reading all this when I'm older. Of course, I also enjoy "my" readers. Its wonderful that something so virtual as a blog gives me the change of "meeting" people. I've met people with wonderful stories! I also enjoy the random emails I get asking me which bus I took on my trip to place X in 2011!

In summary, it would be easier to not have to care, think, and write posts on my blog, but I wouldn't be as happier. Therefore, I'll keep my blog. I might not write for a few days, or sometimes weeks, but I will always be here, in my real life and living new stories so I can write them in this blog. Sooner or later. I will write them for you and I will write them for my future me. 

Santo António em Praga

Hoje é dia de Santo António. Dia de comer sardinha assada, a escorrer molho para aquela fatia de pão fresco e beber uns copos com os amigos. Nunca fui aos santos populares em Lisboa. Nunca lá morei e nunca calhou lá ir nesta altura. Ainda assim, hoje apeteceu-me fazer uma espécie de jantar de Santo António. Não consegui encontrar sardinhas, neste país sem mar, mas encontrei dourada e estava bem boa. Acompanhei o peixe grelhado com salada de pimentos assados e alho, uma salada de Verão e um copo de vinho tinto. Nem a toalha aos quadrados vermelhos e brancos faltou!

Today in Portugal, and mainly in Lisbon, is celebrated Saint Anthony's day (Santo António in portuguese), the saint to whom single ladies pray to bring them a good husband. Traditionally, one should go to Lisbon's old neighbourhoods, eat grilled sardines dripping their juices onto a slice of fresh bread, and have some drinks with friends. I have never celebrated this day in Lisbon. I have never lived there and I was never there at this time. Still, today I felt like making a traditional Santo António's dinner at home. I couldn't find sardines, but I found a beautiful snapper. as side dishes I made the also traditional salad of grilled peppers with garlic, and a summer salad. The red wine was also on the table (even though fish dishes in Portugal are usually eaten with a glass of white wine, for some reason it is more traditional to drink red wine with sardines). The last touch was the red and white tablecloth!