#we have lunch between 1pm and 3pm. 2pm is a normal time to have lunch at work

[voiceofduality]

// okay so ooc question here: regardless of timezones, at what time do you guys have breakfast, lunch and dinner?

[duncanbarker-blog]

Admit it—you came to Italy to eat. It’s certainly the reason we’ve visited the country a dozen times and can’t stay away for long.

Eating in Italy is a serious business and the locals have strict food rules. You can find some of the best food in the world in Italy, but it’s also possible to pay over the odds for a disappointing meal. Visitors (especially Americans as the food culture is vastly different from the US) are often confused by aspects of dining in Italy and end up starving at 6pm or feeling ripped off.

By following these tips you’ll be able to avoid tourist traps, eat the best food in Italy, and avoid shocking any Italians along the way.

If you are wondering what to eat in Italy, I also share my favourite Italian dishes to try while you are there. 

Buon appetito!

This post was originally published in 2012 and was updated in 2019 after many more delicious trips to Italy.

Eating in Italy Key Facts

A menu at a restaurant in Tuscany

Here are the most important things you need to know when dining in Italy. 

Italian menus are divided into the following courses:

Antipasti – Appetisers such as bruschetta (toast with toppings), grilled and marinated vegetables, and meat and cheese platters. They can be quite filling (or absolutely humungous in Puglia and Basilicata) so we always share. Antipasti are often our favourite part of the meal as they are so diverse, feature regional specialities, and are often vegetable-heavy (less so in the north).

Primi – The first course consists of pasta, gnocchi, risotto, or a hearty soup (such as minestrone). Portions aren’t huge (usually), but it can be enough for a full meal (we usually get an antipasto as well). There are hundreds of pasta shapes in Italy so learn the regional specialities for your destination. Otherwise you might not recognise pasta on the menu as it will be called something like trofie (in Liguria) or orecchiette (in Puglia). 

Secondi  – The second course is meat or fish. It is just that—a slab of meat with nothing on the side. Very occasionally a restaurant will list a vegetarian secondo like an omelette or platter of grilled vegetables, but you’re better off sticking to the antipasti and primi. 

Contorni – Side dishes such as potatoes, french fries, grilled or fried vegetables, salad, and beans. If you want your meat or fish to have anything with it, you must order it separately. Note that salad will arrive after you’ve eaten your meat, but hot vegetables will come with it. Vegetarians can also make a meal from sides. Sometimes we order a side of grilled vegetables as an antipasto if there’s nothing else on the menu we want (or feel free to have some veg after pasta).

Dolci – Desserts. The menu is usually quite simple and will include fruit, gelato, a cake or tart, and a regional speciality. The creamy coffee flavoured dessert tiramisù is one of the most common desserts all over the country.  A cheaper alternative to dessert in a restaurant is heading to a gelateria and enjoying a cone on an evening stroll. 

Caffè – It’s very common to finish your meal with un caffè (espresso). It comes after dessert, not with it. 

Ricotta tart at Il Frantoio in Puglia

Italian dishes vary widely depending on the region. You can get pizza and pasta with tomato sauce everywhere, but don’t expect to find spaghetti carbonara in Puglia—stick to local dishes instead. I share some of my favourites at the end of this post. 

Opening hours at Italian restaurants are limited. They open for lunch between 12pm and 1pm and close between 2pm and 3pm. They open again for dinner at 7.30pm or 8pm (maybe 7pm for pizzerias). Make sure you plan for this when eating out in Italy. Grocery stores (except for major supermarkets) also close in the afternoon.

Below I’ve included tips on what to do if you get hungry in the afternoon or early evening (it’s a common problem for us!).  

When Eating in Italy

Do:

Eat gelato every day. It’s that good.

Look for the signs produzione propria and artigianale in gelaterias which means that the gelato is made on-site and in the old-fashioned way with natural ingredients.

Order more than one flavour of gelato. Even if you order a small size (which is usually plenty), you can choose two flavours. My personal favourite combination is pistachio and chocolate. 

Pistachio and chocolate gelato at Bloom in Modena. Note that the pistachio is not bright green!

Take a food tour to learn more about Italian food culture and get some local restaurant tips. We learned so much and ate so well on the Eating Italy Taste of Testaccio food tour in Rome (read our Eating Italy review). They also run delicious sounding food tours in Florence. Our Taste Bologna food tour was one of our favourite things to do in Bologna. 

On our Bologna food tour we saw tortellini being made in a local pasta shop

Read Eating My Way Through Italy by Elizabeth Minchelli which explores the differences between regional cuisines. It includes personal stories as well as practical tips and restaurant recommendations. I want to do her DIY pizza tour of Naples!

Avoid restaurants near major tourist attractions. If you do choose to eat on a popular piazza like Piazza Navona in Rome, accept that you are paying for the view and not for quality food. Perhaps just have a drink instead.

Try regional specialities. Do some research before you go or ask a local. Read about our favourites in Puglia, Liguria, Sicily, Tuscany, and Piemonte. If you order a non-local dish, it will likely be disappointing. 

Cappellacci di Zucca, a type of pumpkin stuffed ravioli, is a local speciality of Ferrara.

Order un caffè (espresso) after dessert, not during the meal.

Visit bars at any time of day. They are more like cafes and are family-friendly. Stop by for a coffee, snack, soft drink, or alcoholic beverage from breakfast until late at night. They can be a good place for a sandwich if you get hungry mid-afternoon, although quality varies and some bars close in the afternoon (especially in small towns). 

Drink coffee standing at the bar (al banco) to avoid paying extra to sit down—up to four times more in touristy areas. 

Check the bar menu if you really want to sit down. It’s usually on the wall and you can see the prices for banco (standing) and tavolo (sitting). 

Eat pizza with your hands. In a pizzeria you’ll cut the pizza into slices yourself then feel free to use your hands.

Buy slices of takeaway pizza or focaccia with different toppings for a cheap snack. This is your best option if you get hungry outside the usual meal times. You usually choose how much you want and pay by weight. 

Tomato focaccia in Bari charged by weight

Stick with a primo (first course, usually pasta, risotto or soup) if you are vegetarian—a secondo (second course) is almost always meat and a primo is tasty and filling enough (and cheaper).

Cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper pasta) is a delicious Roman speciality

Order wine (or just water) with a meal—Italians only drink beer and soft drinks with pizza.

Ask for a glass of wine even if only bottles are listed on the menu. There is always the option of un bicchiere (glass) or un quarto (quarter litre) or mezzo litro (half litre) jug of house wine. The house wine is very affordable and often the same price as water—we’ve had a half litre for as low as 2 euros!

Choose your mineral water naturale (normal) or frizzante (fizzy). You’ll usually be asked this as soon as you sit down as a litre bottle is served with every meal. Unfortunately, Italians don’t drink tap water at restaurants (although it is safe to drink). 

Wine is an important part of an Italian meal

Enjoy a pre-dinner drink or aperitivo at a bar. This is usually a glass of wine or cocktail. My favourite is a Spritz made with Aperol (or Campari), prosecco, and soda water. Bars always provide a snack with your drink such as potato chips, olives, nuts, and/or focaccia. This helps keep us going until restaurants open. 

Fill up on the aperitivo buffets that some bars offer for free when you buy a drink in the early evenings (usually from around 6-8pm). If you are on a tight budget, it could even be enough for dinner, which is why it’s known as apericena. Although it’s frowned upon if you eat too much—in general it’s best to stick with one plate of food per drink. The best place for apericena is northern Italy, especially Milan and Turin. 

The classic aperitivo Spritz with access to a large vegan-friendly buffet cost €10 at Ketumbar in Rome

Buy olive oil from a farm (vineyards often make olive oil too). You’ll never go back to the supermarket stuff. To learn more about this liquid gold take an olive oil tour to a village outside Rome or stay on an olive farm—we love Masseria Il Frantoio in Puglia (read our review here).

Visit a vineyard for a wine tour and tasting. We did a fantastic wine tour in Umbria and have also enjoyed winery visits in Tuscany, Puglia, and the Barolo area of Piemonte. 

Simon hiking through the vineyards in the Barolo wine region

Try real aged balsamic vinegar. The 25-year-old stuff is like nothing you’ve tasted before. We visited a family-run acetaia in Modena on a day trip from Bologna.

Picnic. Even the simplest things taste amazing in Italy so buy some bread, cheese, olives, and fruit from an alimentari (small grocery store), market or supermarket and find a park to enjoy them in. Testaccio market in Rome is our favourite place for this.

Use an Italian phrasebook or app to help you decode the menu so you don’t have to eat in restaurants with English menus (which are usually badly translated anyway). This list of Italian restaurant phrases should also help.

Learn to cook your favourite dishes so you can recreate them at home. We enjoyed cooking classes in Puglia and Tuscany. Get Your Guide has lots of cooking classes on offer including making pasta and tiramisù in Rome, pizza in Naples, and a market and cooking experience in Florence. 

Learning to make pasta in Lecce, Puglia

Ask for the bill/check (il conto). Restaurant staff will not automatically bring it as they don’t want to rush you. It can take a while as they assume you’re not in a hurry. 

Enjoy a digestivo (after-dinner liquor) after your meal. The best ones are homemade and they can be bitter like an amaro, sweet like limoncello, or strong like grappa. If your server offers you a digestivo after you’ve received your bill, it’s on the house.

At Country House Tavernola near Vieste they brought us five icy cold bottles of homemade digestivi—fennel flower, laurel, cinnamon, almond, and prickly pear (our favourite)—and left us to help ourselves.

Don’t

Expect restaurants to be open for cena (dinner) until 7.30pm or 8pm. Typically Italians eat dinner at restaurants around 9pm (earlier in the north, later in the south). Pizzerias often open earlier at 7pm.

Feel obliged to order every course—an antipasto (starter), primo (first course), secondo (second course) with contorno (side dish), and dolce (dessert) is a lot of food. Pick and choose as you please. You could also order an antipasto or primo and then decide afterwards if you’d like to order another course.

Fave e cicoria (mashed fava beans with greens) is a typical Puglian dish

Order cappuccino after 10am. Later in the day, and especially after meals, stick with an espresso (ask for un caffè).

Expect much for breakfast. A coffee and cornetto (croissant, called brioche in northern Italy) standing at a bar is the norm. The best breakfasts we’ve had have been at family-run B&Bs like La Corte dei Pastori in stunning Matera where we were treated to a spread of bread, cakes, pastries, and fruit. You won’t find eggs or other hot breakfast dishes.

An Italian breakfast with a view at La Corte dei Pastori B&B in Matera

A typical Italian breakfast in a bar – a cornetto filled with nutella

Eat in a gelateria that has bright green mint or pistachio gelato—the ingredients won’t be natural. Towering puffy mounds are another sign that they use chemicals. If the gelato is hidden away in metal tins, it’s a good sign it will be high quality.

Go to a restaurant with a tourist menu or with someone outside encouraging you to come in.

The lovely osteria (simple restaurant) Ai Cuattru Canti in Finalborgo, Liguria. Menus in Italian only are a good sign.

Eat in a pizzeria for lunch. The best places only open in the evenings as the wood-burning pizza oven takes a long time to reach the right temperature. During the day stick with pizza by the slice (pizza al taglio) served from takeout places. 

Order peperoni pizza unless you want it topped with bell peppers. Order a salami pizza if you want it with meat. 

Ask for chicken or pineapple on your pizza. Italians consider this a travesty. 

Share a pizza—even kids have one to themselves. 

Roman style thin crust pizza at Da Remo in Rome. In Naples the pizza has a thicker crust—try them both!

Takeaway pizza al taglio is the best option for pizza at lunch. You usually choose how much you want and pay by weight. This was at Il Pizzicotto in Lecce.

Ask for oil and vinegar to dip your bread in. That’s not a real Italian thing. Bread is not served with butter either.

Eat bread with your pasta. Instead use it to fare la scarpetta (literally “make a little shoe”) and mop up the leftover sauce on your plate.

Order spaghetti bolognese. It doesn’t exist in Italy. Instead, ask for tagliatelle al ragù in its hometown Bologna if you want a meat pasta. 

Ask for parmesan on your pasta. Italians are strict about what is supposed to have cheese on it and what’s not. You’ll be offered parmesan if it’s appropriate. 

Expect fancy salad dressings. Italian dressing doesn’t exist in Italy. Instead you are provided with olive oil, vinegar, and salt to dress your own salad at the table. When the ingredients are this good, you don’t need anything more.

Expect complicated salads. If the menu says tomato salad, it will just be a plate of sliced tomatoes (maybe with basil). Again, you can get away with simplicity when the produce is fresh and flavourful. 

Be surprised if your salad turns up after your main. It’s not eaten as a side dish in Italy. 

A simple but beautiful raw zucchini salad

Be surprised by extra charges on your bill. Restaurants usually charge from €1-2.50 per person for pane e coperto (bread and cover charge) even if you don’t want the bread. It should be written on the menu. 

Feel like you have to tip. It’s optional.

Assume everywhere takes credit cards. Many restaurants are cash only. 

Expect American-style service. Restaurant staff can be a little brusque, especially in the big cities. Don’t take it personally.

Be offended if you are turned away from an empty restaurant. They will have bookings for later in the evening, and in Italy you have the table for the whole night. 

Touch produce at market stalls. Tell the vendor what you want (or point) and they will select items for you. 

Ask for food to go at restaurants. It’s not customary to get a doggy bag with leftovers. Take out isn’t common either except at pizzerias. Even coffee is rarely ordered to go. 

Rush. Meals can last hours in Italy—savour them.

Best Food in Italy: Regional Dishes to Try

If you are wondering what to eat in Italy, here are some of our favourite dishes. Remember that food in Italy is strictly local, so you won’t find most of these dishes all over the country. 

Dishes found everywhere

Pizza Margherita – Found all over the country, pizza is, of course, a must eat in Italy. It’s best in Naples but we also like the Roman style with an ultra-thin and crispy base. There are other varieties, but the Margherita is a classic for a reason. 

Parmigiana di Melanzana – One of my favourite things to eat in Italy is found mainly in the south—Puglia, Campania, and Sicily. Layers of fried eggplant are baked with cheese and tomato sauce. It’s usually in the antipasti section of the menu but sometimes it’s listed as a primo.  

Pasta al Pomodoro – Pasta served with tomato sauce is simple but so delicious when it’s done well. It won’t be listed like this on the menu; instead of pasta, it will say the local variety such as orecchiette al pomodoro in Puglia (a pasta shape which resemble little ears). 

Penne all’Arrabbiata – Short tubes of pasta with a spicy tomato sauce. It originates from Rome but is found in many places. 

Bruschetta al Pomodoro – One of our favourite starters is a simple garlic-rubbed toast topped with fresh tomato, basil and olive oil. It also comes with other toppings. 

Parmigiana di melanzana in Puglia

Lazio (Rome)

Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe – Thick spaghetti-like pasta with pecorino romano cheese and black pepper. Oh so good! My favourite place for it is Flavio al Velavevodetto in the Testaccio neighbourhood of Rome.

Pizza Bianca – This is the type of pizza you get in squares from a bakery or takeaway place not at a sit-down pizzeria. It’s plain dough (almost like focaccia) drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt and rosemary. Fresh out of the oven it’s divine. My favourite place for it is Antico Forno Roscioli in Rome’s historic centre.  

Pizza di Patate – Another type of delicious takeaway pizza slice features thinly sliced potatoes and no tomato sauce. Sometimes it comes with cheese. 

Pizza rossa and pizza bianca from Antico Forno Roscioli in Rome

Liguria (Genoa, Cinque Terre)

Trofie al Pesto – You can find pesto (a basil sauce) outside Liguria but it’s best in its home region. Trofie are little twists of pasta and potatoes and green beans are sometimes added to the dish. 

Pansotti alla salsa di noci – Cheese and spinach stuffed ravioli with walnut sauce.  

Antipasti misto – The mixed antipasti (appetiser) plates are superb in Liguria and can be adapted for vegetarians. They usually include torta di verdura, a local vegetable pie filled with cheese and greens or vegetables.

Focaccia – Liguria makes the best focaccia we’ve had in Italy. This olive oil bread is eaten plain or topped with olives, tomatoes, onions or other ingredients. It’s sold in bakeries and you usually pay by weight. 

Trofie al pesto

Tuscany (Florence, Siena)

Panzanella – A salad of stale bread, tomatoes, onions, basil, and sometimes cucumbers. It tastes better than it sounds!

Pappa al Pomodoro – Another use for stale bread is this tasty tomato soup. 

Ribollita – A hearty winter bean and vegetable soup (yep, there’s some stale bread in here too!).

Puglia 

Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa – Little ears pasta with turnip tops (a type of leafy green vegetable).

Purea di Fave con Cicoria – Fava bean puree with bitter greens. 

Antipasti della Casa – The house antipasti is our favourite part of the meal in Puglia. It can be an extraordinarily large array of vegetables, cheese, fried things and much more (mostly vegetarian). Only get one between two people and sometimes even then you won’t have space for a main course. 

See our detailed guide to Puglia food for many more recommendations. 

Campania (Naples, Amalfi Coast)

Don’t miss pizza in Naples!

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina – Simon’s favourite Italian dish (besides pizza). Gnocchi (potato dumplings) baked with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil. 

Insalata Caprese – The simple salad of tomato, mozzarella and basil originates from the island of Capri.

Sicily 

Pasta alla Norma – Penne pasta in a tomato and aubergine sauce topped with ricotta salata cheese.

Busiate alla Trapanese – Long twisty pasta with a type of pesto made from tomatoes, almonds, garlic and basil. 

Pane con Panelle – Chickpea fritters in a roll is a popular street food in Palermo. 

Our Sicilian food guide has lots more ideas to try including the many sweets the island is famous for.

Emilia-Romagna (Bologna, Modena)

Emilia-Romagna has some of the best food to eat in Italy. Aside from parmesan cheese and aged balsamic vinegar, you should also try: 

Tortelloni– Pasta parcels stuffed with ricotta and herbs. Vegetarians should get the sage and butter sauce rather than the ragù. Tortellini are similar but smaller and filled with meat. 

Tortelloni and Lambrusco wine at Da Danilo in Modena

Best Places to Eat in Italy

Our favourite place to eat in Italy is Masseria Il Frantoio, an olive farm with accommodation in Puglia where we indulged in an eight-course tasting menu using produce and olive oil from the farm. It’s also our favourite place to stay in all of Italy.

Otherwise, we’ve eaten in so many amazing restaurants that it’s hard to choose favourites. When choosing where to eat in Italy you can see our restaurant recommendations by destination in these posts:

The Best Things to Do and Eat in Testaccio, Rome

Trastevere Rome Neighbourhood Guide

Things to Do and Food Tips for Bologna

The 24 Best Restaurants in Lecce, Puglia

A Day of Eating in Varenna, Lake Como

Rapallo: The Best Base for Exploring The Italian Riviera

Where to Eat in the Barolo Wine Region, Piemonte

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[initforthelongrun2019]

Another Lockdown, Another Challenge

During Lockdown V1, I decided I would set myself a challenge; to run 30km on my teeny tiny rooftop. I didn’t write about this, because it was extremely uneventful and I don’t want to relive those painful memories.

For Lockdown V2 I wanted to set myself another running challenge, one which was a little more exciting this time, so I took it upon myself to complete the David Goggins 4/4/48 challenge. For those of you who don’t know, David Goggins is an ultramarathon runner, ultra-distance cyclist and triathlete. He was also a United States Navy SEAL; his list of achievements and accolades goes on.

In order to complete the 4/4/48 challenge, you must run four miles every four hours, for 48 hours. In theory, this sounds pretty simple; each run is a mere 4 miles (or 6.5km); nothing compared to the distances I was running last year. But like with most races or challenges I do, I knew that I shouldn’t underestimate quite how difficult this could be.

I started the challenge at 2pm on Thursday. Prior to this, I woke up at my normal time and swam for 30 minutes, followed by one hour of Pilates later in the day. This is not too different to my usual routine, other than the fact I would normally do a more active workout first thing in the morning. I had lunch at my normal time of 1pm, and set out to do the challenge just one hour later. A summary of each of the 12 runs can be found below, but note that as I got more tired, my memory started to fade. Initially I wrote notes after every run, but at around run number 7, I kind of gave up on everything!

Run #1 Thursday 13 August, 14:00 Distance: 6.52km Pace 5:46/km Time: 37m 40s

I felt a lot of pressure with this run, not because I was worried about the challenge, or the distance, but because I had to get back in time for a virtual event I was doing at work at 3pm that day! So I set off at a quick pace, knowing I needed to leave enough time to shower when I got home. I felt strong, although my stomach felt a little off; eating at 1pm was far too late and, on reflection, I should have had my lunch much earlier. All was well, and I was even happier when I saw my boyfriend Gareth, ride up on his motorbike. I thought he was coming to cheer me on; turns out our dog had run away – possibly running after me – and he couldn’t find her. All thoughts of the challenge went out of my head and I ran off down one of the side roads in an attempt to try and find her. Luckily, all was well and he managed to locate her before I did, and so I carried on with my challenge. But this threw me off a little, as I had planned to run 3.2km in one direction and come back the same way so that I didn’t have to keep checking distance; after this I just ended up running around in circles and everything felt a little chaotic. Not the best start. After the run I came home, had a smoothie and a protein bar, and carried on with work, before my next run in just over three hours’ time.

Run #2 Thursday 13 August, 18:00 Distance: 6.57km Pace: 5.51/km Time: 38m 24s

This run was relatively easy, and relatively uneventful. I did a different route to the first one; I hadn’t actually mapped out any routes prior to this which was probably a mistake, as I had to keep checking my distance on my phone. Looking back, if I were to do this challenge again, I would set out some clear 6.5km routes beforehand; enough to keep me interested by having the option to do different routes, but which would allow me to be able to concentrate on the run itself, rather than always looking at the distance. Those of you who know me will know that I don’t run with a watch (I tried for a brief period of time but soon sacked it off), so I constantly have to pull my phone out of my pocket to check my Strava, which gets a little tedious. As soon as I came home I jumped in the pool (which proved to be a life saver throughout this challenge), and had a sandwich with another protein bar – and some peanuts for extra energy. My legs were feeling stiff already; I was surprised they were feeling so achey so soon, but I hadn’t really rested prior to the challenge, and I didn’t have much time to stretch after the first run. Luckily after the second run I had a little more time so I prepared my clothes for the 10pm and 2am runs, in an attempt to make those late night and early morning runs as smooth as possible. I also rinsed off my clothes so that I could wear them again at some point during the challenge, but I’ll be honest; this didn’t last very long and more often than not I was running in very sweaty clothes. Nice.

Run #3 Thursday 13 August, 22:00 Distance: 6.51km Pace: 6.06/km Time: 39m 40s

Gareth joined me for my 10pm run, as I was a little worried about running in the dark alone. We ran straight up and down the highway (the same route I intended to take during the first run), which was a little boring, but it meant that we could easily keep track of the distance and, more importantly, it was one of the few places which was well lit at that time of night. I’ve always been a morning runner and I don’t really enjoy running at night, but it was nice to have the company and, it was also nice to be able to run with my mask under my chin and to not get any disapproving stares from passers-by. As all of my trail gear is still stuck in Hanoi, so I had to improvise and purchase a torch; the only one I could find was some large industrial sized one, but it helped, as there were a few places along the way where it would have been too dark to run without one. I came home, jumped in the pool, dried off and climbed straight into bed.

Run #4 Friday 14th August, 02:00 Distance: 6.5km Pace: 7.24/km Time: 48m 11s

This was the run I was dreading the most. I’m not sure if I managed to sleep, my legs felt achey and I was worried I wouldn’t wake up to my alarm; I had a similar feeling to when you have to leave early to catch a flight at the airport! I had decided to run within the grounds of my apartment block, as I didn’t really want to run alone in the dark at that time of the morning. Also, as we are on lockdown, I thought I might look a little suspicious heading out at that time in the morning, so I took myself and my massive torch over to a small road just opposite my apartment, and set off running up, and down… and up…. and down… The only good thing about this run was the fact that I didn’t have to wear a mask. I came home, showered, drank lots of water and soy milk, and climbed straight back into bed.

Run #5 Friday 14th August, 06:00 Distance: 6.5km Pace: 7.42/km Time: 50m 30s

Surprisingly, this was the most difficult run so far. I thought that after getting the 10pm and 2am ones out of the way, I would be feeling positive about the day ahead. I thought wrong; I felt exhausted when I dragged myself out of bed at 5.30am, as once again I didn’t really sleep properly; a combination of achey legs and worries that I’d sleep through my alarm. I peeled on my running clothes and headed out but my legs didn’t seem to want to work, and shortly after starting my run, I had to stop to walk. The entire run consisted of run-walk-run-walk, but I figured it was better to keep moving rather than stop to rest. I also wasn’t so worried about my times here; during the previous two runs I wanted to finish quickly so I would have time to sleep, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep much during the day so it didn’t really matter. I did, however, want to complete all of my runs in under 60 mins, so I did always have this at the back of my mind. I was very happy when this run was over; again I jumped straight in the pool, and then treated myself to a coffee, a protein bar and a banana. I don’t normally eat breakfast and I wanted to try and continue with my fasting during the run, eating only between the hours of 1-9pm, but I soon realised this was a silly idea, and making sure I was fuelled and energised would help to get me through. I stretched in the pool and when I got out I foam rolled, which was exceptionally painful, but I knew it would be worth it. I did actually manage to sleep a little, just under an hour, but it was very on-and-off; not good quality sleep at all.

Run #6 Friday 14th August, 10:00 Distance: 6.5km Pace: 6.49/km Time: 44m 23s

After the disaster that was run number 5, I thought all of my runs would consist of running and walking, but again, I was proved wrong. Somehow I managed to find my legs again for this one and I ran the whole route. As I was running, I mentally split my runs up making them more manageable; the next two would be the afternoon ones which should be reasonable, then I had the dreaded night time ones, then, finally, the last two which should be relatively easy as the end would be in sight. I came home, jumped in the pool again, and then had a very early lunch of a vegan cheese sandwich, a protein bar and some soy milk. By this time I was feeling very hungry, but I knew that I shouldn’t snack too much as it would impact on my ability to run. Instead, I stretched, and went to bed again to try and catch up on sleep; I managed around 30 mins on and off. I was very happy that I’d reached the half way point and feeling very optimistic about the second half.

Run #7 Friday 14th August, 14:00 Distance: 6.54km Pace: 8.44/km Time: 57m 7s

I don’t remember much about this run, to be honest. Looking at the pace, I expect it was another one which consisted of lots of walking, as this was my longest one so far. I found it fascinating how the runs could affect you differently at various points throughout the day; I always expected my 2am one to be the slowest, but in fact, I had many more which took much longer to complete than that. I was definitely also very worried about the 2pm runs because of the weather; but for once, it was on my side, and Thursday’s cool weather followed through in to Friday. At this point in the challenge I realised that it was definitely reflective of what you experience when you are out on the trails; you find your energy at different points and sometimes, when you feel like you have no energy at all, you somehow find your legs and off you go.

Run #8 Friday 14th August, 18:00 Distance: 6.51km Pace: 7.00/km Time: 45m 36s

Gareth planned to run this one with me but then we had another pet related mishap; this time in the shape of a cat. We set off running together, and I warned him that I might not be able to run the entire thing, but we were stopped sooner than expected by a group of ladies who clearly didn’t understand the social distancing rules, and wanted us to take photos of them on their bicycles. I carried on running and let Gareth catch up; until we came across a lady who was trying to rescue some orphaned kittens nearby the river. Gareth stopped to help but I kept on running; I felt terrible but I hoped that Gareth would explain my reasons why. I managed to run the entire route; the same as my 6pm run the previous day; albeit at a much slower pace. When I got home, it was time for dinner. Another cheese sandwich, with a protein bar. Again, I was tempted to overeat due to a combination of boredom and lack of energy, but I resisted and instead, went to bed, where I didn’t sleep, but at least I was out of the vicinity of the fridge.

Run #9 Friday 14th August, 22:00 Distance: 6.51km Pace: 8.51/km Time: 57m 39s

I was DREADING this run; I was sore, I was tired and I was irritable. Gareth joined me again and we ran the same route as the night before, albeit at a much slower pace. We began with power walking and I set myself goals along the way; for example, I told myself I would start running when I got to the next lamppost and then start walking again at the next visible landmark. It gave me something to focus on; something to aim for, and it definitely helped. All the way through the run I was craving things I couldn’t have; particularly a can of full fat coke. I never ever drink full fat beverages, only when I’m running do I crave this type of sugary goodness. But unfortunately, Hoi An is a sleepy little town and things don’t stay open very late, especially during lockdown. So I had to make do with a blended watermelon juice when I got home, which was great, but not what I was looking for. I wasn’t even tempted by the pool this time; I peeled my clothes off, jumped in the shower and climbed straight in to bed.

Run #10 Saturday 15th August, 02:00 Distance: 6.5km Pace: 8.47/km Time: 57m 7s

I have nothing much to say about this one, other than it was horrible. It began by setting my alarm for 2.30am, rather than 1.30am, which shows just how tired I was. Luckily I’d asked Gareth to set his alarm too, and was startled when I heard it ringing out at 1.45am. I woke up feeling panicked and exhausted, but I still managed to peel myself out of bed. It took just under an hour but it felt like it lasted for a day.

Run #11 Saturday 15th August, 06:00 Distance: 6.5km Pace: 8.25/km Time: 54m 49s

The end was in sight, but this still didn’t give me much motivation to carry on. By this point I was feeling both mentally and physically drained, but I started to put myself back into a positive headspace and reminded myself that I had a coffee, a protein bar, and a dip in the pool to look forward to at the end of it. I did that throughout every run, I made sure I had something to look forward to at the end of it, so that it would motivate me to push through at a quicker pace. It worked, a little, but I was still glad when this one was over.

Run #12 Saturday 15th August, 10:00 Distance: 6.5km Pace: 8.50/km Time: 57m 27s

Run number 12! The final one! I did kind of want to end on a positive note, with a super-fast, strong run, but I knew the moment I set off my legs – and even my mind – weren’t having any of it. Gareth joined me and we mostly power-walked, but I was determined to run at least some of it, so I applied the same mentality as I did to the previous 10pm run, and set myself milestones for running. It seemed to take forever and I could’ve easily let it go on much longer, but I was determined that my final run of the challenge wouldn’t take me past the 60 minute mark, and it didn’t. The past two days of cool weather had subsided and by this time, the heat of the sun was brutal. I was extremely burnt after this race, and the pool was even more welcoming than it had been previously. I was so happy to finish; I was looking forward to a cocktail, I was looking forward to not having to wear a sports bra – or any bra for that matter – for the rest of the day, and in particular, I was looking forward to the fact that I didn’t have to run for the rest of the day!