u/Jeden_Dwa_Trzy

Hi, I'd like to ask if you recommend any particular part of the island as a base for exploring Gozo and the entire island in general?

Another question: do you have any reliable accommodations? We're looking for reasonably good transport links to the rest of the island, perhaps proximity to the beach (we're not renting a car). My wife and I want to relax, do some sightseeing (without rushing, more like walking), and spend 2-3 hours a day by the water.

I'm interested in the Santa Lucia Boutique Hotel. The problem is the lack of washing machines in hotels. Are there any laundromats available in Malta?

If you have a reliable hotel, house or apartment, please recommend it.

Hi, my wife and I are going to Palermo again (our favorite vacation destination). I think this will be our fifth or sixth visit, a total of several weeks (some in summer, some in fall). We're looking for some unusual attractions and places to visit, maybe a tour or a cooking class? We've seen 99% of the popular spots in the city itself, so is it something only locals know and worth trying? If you have anything worth checking out, please share it with us.

That's not to say the city is boring. Just strolling through the crowded streets and eating pani cà meusa on a bench brings us immense joy.

Hi, my wife and I are looking for a quiet place for 7-9 days in August. By quiet, I don't mean somewhere remote or in the forest or mountains. We simply don't care about nightlife.

What we care about is access to the sea/lake (about 3-4 hours a day) and an area that can be explored without a car (maybe some day trips). The August heat of southern Europe doesn't really bother us. We just want to relax, spend time together, and eat well.

We've already been to Ohrid, Albania (Saranda), Montenegro, Sicily (Palermo), and Corfu. I'm not talking about city breaks here. While browsing the forum and looking at the map, Malta and the northern part of Albania (Durres or Golem?) caught my eye.

Hi everyone, I'm currently searching for a facial cleansing product or two. I currently have some from Rossmann, but I feel like I could improve my routine. Maybe some dermocosmetics?

Please tell me what you use in the morning and at night (I prefer double cleansing, but not necessarily with oil).

Hi, casual discussion about the upcoming Wings for Life.

Are you participating? If so, what's your approach? Are you changing anything this week? Initially, I wanted to push myself a bit and get a better result. Now I'm more inclined to do a normal, slightly faster long run.I don't want to fall into a hole of fatigue and spend the next few weeks digging myself out of it.

Hi, I'm looking for a watch for my mom (she's approaching 60). What she wants is basic tracking like steps, heart rate, maybe some sleep tracking, and phone connectivity.

She wants a classic watch, so a round dial and a nice, light-colored strap. Those are the requirements.

Hi, I'd like to ask if there might be something wrong with me.

My wife has a 19-20-year-old daughter, and we've been living together for seven years. I do most of the household chores (75%). We have arguments every now and then, perhaps stemming from my tiredness or frustration. Is it normal for a 20-year-old woman (she's a student, nothing else, no job) to have never done anything around the house? When I say "never," I mean never. She's never taken out the trash, never vacuumed, never mopped the floor, never been to the store alone. There are fingerprints on the mirrors, even moments after I cleaned, and the drain is full of hair.

After a week-long vacation with my wife, I returned home to a pile of trash one meter high. The floor was sticky, and the dishes hadn't been taken out. The house was disgusting. I guess I'm a stickler for cleanliness (maybe too much?).

Her room is a complete mess. Piles of tissues, a dozen plates and bowls. I also mentioned that it's 50% my apartment and I don't want it to be in this state. I was told, "It's her room, she can live like that."

When I tell my wife about this, she says, "I tell her she has to help." That's the end of the discussion; then we usually don't speak for two or three days after the argument.

Today I heard, "She won't do anything around the house, and that's it." After years it's first time that she told me this instead of "I'll talk with her".

I should emphasize that, apart from the situation with her daughter, my wife and I are happy in every way. All I require is a little help or cleaning up after myself.

Hi, I'd like to ask if any of you use tazarotene in cream form? I've been using Zorante Gel 0.1% for a few months now, but unfortunately, I'm having trouble purchasing it in Europe.

Has anyone switched from the gel to the cream? What are your thoughts about cream vs gel? I'm worried the cream version will be too heavy on acne-prone skin. Currently, I have clear skin thanks to Taz.

Hi, I'd like to get your opinion on water-based essences/toners. I'm looking for something to use as the first step in my skincare routine (I feel like everything absorbs better on damp skin).

I used the Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Fragrance-Free Toner (it left my face shiny, but if you like that kind of effect, I recommend it).

I'm currently using the Etude Soon Jung 5.5 PH Toner (I add two drops of pharmaceutical-grade glycerin). It's very runny, so I don't really know if it does anything for my face.

I also have:

+ Skin1004 ProbioCica Ampoule

+ Bioderma Intensive Moisture

+ Ma:nyo Bifida Serum

+ BOJ SPF

Is it worth using toners? My skincare routine is generally very nourishing (which is what I need with tazarotene).

Background

31/32-year-old man (I turned 32 during that time). I started running on September 18, 2025. I know the exact date because I donated bone marrow on September 17. Previously, I had zero experience with endurance sports, but I spent many years in the gym (as a complete amateur). I started running because medical procedures prohibited strength training.

Training for the first few weeks, I had absolutely no idea what to do. I trusted the Garmin's artificial intelligence and its workouts. I did what the watch suggested. After a while, I realized it was pointless; in my opinion, the artificial intelligence relied too much on sleep analysis. What I mean is that a slightly shorter sleep period immediately resulted in a recovery run (as was often the case).

I stumbled upon NSM around the end of October. I did my first Parkrun on November 1, 2025 (19:30), and based on that, I calculated my training paces. The next test was four weeks later, with a 5K result of 19:10 (quite a nice improvement). Unfortunately, winter arrived, and conditions prevented any record-breaking efforts until March 2026. I had to move some of my training to the gym treadmill.

Monthly breakdown

+ October 211km

+ November 334km

+ December 356km

+ January 370km

+ February 356km

+ March 410km (14/03, 5K = 18:37)

Since March, my schedule has been as follows:

+ Monday 65' easy

+ Tuesday 3x12' (70' total)

+ Wednesday 65' easy

+ Thursday 6x6' (70' total)

+ Friday 65' easy

+ Saturday 12x3 (70' total)

+ Sunday 120' easy (2-3 times 150')

Race

In the week before my race on Saturday, I reduced the volume and intensity starting on Sunday.

+ Sunday 60' easy

+ Monday 3x6' @ 4:30/km (45' total)

+ Tuesday 50' easy

+ Wednesday 3x3' @ 4:30/km + 2x3' @ 4:15/km (40' total)

+ Thursday 40' easy

+ Friday 30' easy

SATURDAY (Half Marathon Race):

+ 5K 21:04 (@4:12/km)

+ 10K 21:10/42:14 (@4:14/km)

+ 15K 21:24/1:03:38 (@4:16/km)

+ 21.1K 24:41/1:28:19 (@4:02/km)

During the race, I took two gels: one at 7km (SIS BetaFuel) and one at 12km (SIS BetaFuel with caffeine). The weather was terrible, with rain and hail, and the biggest problem was the wind, which reached up to 40km/h. It was also a tight start (10,000-person race). I felt really good during the race, definitely better than I did at the ParkRuns. I think I ran a bit conservatively, but it was my first time, so I didn't know what to expect.

On a slightly less important note, but maybe someone will be interested. I'm currently consuming 3500 kcal (150 calories/75 calories/550 calories), and I didn't carb load. I ran the race in Nike Zoom Fly 6s (I use them for threshold training), and for easy days I have Vomero Plus.

Goals

I'm registered for a half marathon at the end of September, and I think I can get close to 1:20. I'm also running Wings for Life in two weeks, but I'll treat it as a slightly faster longer run. I don't want to push myself to the limit. I'd like to thank everyone on this forum and, of course, the creator of this training method.