PASSATORE EMOTIONS AT GO GO

Castelbolognese, April 25, 2011, 50 km of Romagna. It is the first time that I run on this distance, for me who have around 25 marathons behind me, it means “putting your nose” in the ultra world and I decided to do it to pass lightly from 42, “so much 8 Km more what you want them to be. ”

Destiny wants me to accompany a girl who has been preparing 100 for months and the worm is unconsciously beginning to creep into my mind. I finish the race satisfied, but exhausted: 4 hours and 2 minutes and, among myself, I say: “Who wants to do the 100 is only halfway, they are crazy, it’s not for me!” Of course, we runners know that the promises made immediately after a demanding race are overturned already the next day, because, thinking back on what you did, the next step is a new challenge and so my mind works and argues with the rational part that says “You don’t have the preparation, Nic! The Passatore is missing a month, even with good intentions you would end up lying at 60 ° km “, but the twisted mechanism of my head is started and the challenge is practically launched (” because life is a thrill that flies away …, it’s all a balance over madness …)

I decide to try to run the Strabrescia more calmly, a very demanding 42 with climbs and descents also technical: I run slowly to stay on my legs and at the end 4 hours and 25 minutes will represent the longest long faced in view of the 100. But the sensations are very good and the next day I feel very good about my legs and my head. I am reading a book that helps to motivate and assimilate the “principle of imagination”, which teaches that if you want something apparently impossible, you must begin to imagine reaching it (using passion and emotions): so if you aim to run 100 km … raise the bar and imagine you are preparing for a 120 km race and try to mentally experience what you would feel in finishing it! It’s done! I decided that somehow I will pass on the Colla and I will also reach the elbows in Faenza if needed! Because, if you have to ruin it, at least do it in style!

And so I find myself in Piazza della Signoria, in Florence, explaining to a German tourist, in an unlikely English, that those who see a number stuck on their chests are the “fools” who will leave at 15 to go 100 km to Faenza ! The goal is to finish it with dignity, but I know that I will struggle after the 65-70 ° km, so I put my heart in peace and relaxed birth after the exciting Italian anthem. I run well, without pressure, concentrating on the mini stages and dedicating attention both to the wonderful places (fantastic Fiesole, the truly unique subsequent hills), and to the positivity that the people you meet, especially the children, to whom I give the “5 ” when I can. I am full of mental energy which I will need later. I meet friends I know on Facebook; some have already raced the Passatore and so I try to absorb their precious advice and thank them because they have been really useful. I get to Borgo San Lorenzo after 2 hours and 44 minutes, the time I wanted, the beauty of this place is stimulating, so I start the climb without too much trouble; at the 42.195 m sign. the clock shows 3h and 51 ‘and to cheer myself up I say: “Start the second marathon!” The final part of the Glue is hard, especially for me who really struggle with the climbs, but I start to use the “mechanism of emotions” and I can say that it works, because I go up well reaching the summit after 4h and 35 minutes and, satisfied, I I bring to the tent for a complete change. I lose 20 minutes in all (next year I won’t make the mistake again) and I begin the long descent; I take this opportunity to try to relax and enjoy the colors of the surrounding nature.

I realize that the critical moment will come soon and, a little, I get depressed, thinking that there are still 35 km left; however, then, I think that all in all it is worth concentrating on 5 km at a time and the game works: with surprise I discover that … I keep running! At a good pace and I take courage, even if starting from refreshment every time is very hard; someone somewhere tells me that I can also walk, but every time I can start again and in this way hidden energies emerge that I didn’t even know existed! I am really surprised at how willpower overcomes physical fatigue, and I often repeat to myself: “Hei Nic, but do you know you’ve been running for more than 7 – 8 hours without any particular problems?” I understand that I am winning my challenge and, as the kilometers go by, I become more and more charged and I try to imagine being under 10 hours; something really unthinkable before, given the incomplete preparation, but I realize that I can do it and I try, so much so that I have to lose? 90 ° km before and 95 ° km then, … here they are the signs: “But do you realize Nic that you really ran all this way?” Wonderful signs, if I had assistance I would have stopped posing for a photo, …. I didn’t believe it! But, at 97 ° km, here comes a very strong crisis that blows up my timekeeping ambitions (my head is fine, but I’m not superman): everything suddenly hurts me, maybe I really spent too much, and so I refer to next year the time target and I walk for one km, regaining strength to finish running and get excited about the finish, happy as a child, jumping on the finish line and, making a shout of joy, I realize that some tears of happiness has touched the ground of Faenza! 10 hours 5 minutes and bruscolini, unimaginable time at the start (although I have always believed that a chronometric feedback only measures time, but it is not enough to define the inner greatness that everyone has and can discover).

I think I will come back for edition n. 40 because someone said that: “If I were given to live without the possibility of dreaming and fighting for a dream, as beautiful as useless, I would be a finished man … At the end of this beautiful story I have to reveal what kept me afloat “In the many moments of despair:” … and I looked into an emotion and saw in it so much love, that I understood why the heart is not controlled “, as that guy said …

The emotions and tears kept me from keeping up with the Colla;

the “fabulous refreshment” with all the eggs and bananas that I ate;

of course the volunteers “kept me up” to whom I have always responded with a smile and thanks for the priceless work done (it is the only coin I had at that time);

they have “kept me up” the tears shed in the enchanting places of this wonderful path;

fireflies “kept me up” (I hadn’t seen them for a long time), which kept me company in the dark;

my phone was “kept up” (yes I admit I had a cell phone, being without assistance you never know) at 10.10 pm of my son Michele, 7 years old, who said to me: “For me you don’t get to the end …, joke pops , I know you’re going like the wind! “;

my wife Laura’s phone call “kept me up” at 23.00 saying: “So you arrive by one o’clock that I want to go to sleep? I had to accelerate, okay, accelerating at 80 km is a good joke!

anger “kept me up” for having lost, due to misunderstandings, a friendship that could generate great energy! But in life never say never and I’m optimistic by nature …

.. … And that’s okay … .. without words ….

Nicola Federici