THE PASSATORE 2012: THE WISH TO BE THERE

Vincenzo Altamura (ASD Idea Events Marathon Siracusa) not new to the Passatore’s 100 km, he returned again this year to race it together with a friend – also from Syracuse – Emanuele Miceli (ASD Archimede Siracusa), a neophyte of distance.

This is the story that exposes the experiences of both.
Who runs the first time the passer is almost certain to return the following year.
The idea of ​​being present for the fortieth anniversary had already matured in the winter. On this occasion my friend Emanuele from the Archimedes of Syracuse asked me to support him in the preparation and to run in tandem considering that he had signed up and was happy to become an ultramarathon runner.
The thought was beautiful, especially training in company.
I clear the table of odds and ends, take the pen, notebook and little program of Pizzolato and plan everything.
Some skeptical friends of the race immediately expressed their disappointment at the conclusion of this long race by their friend Miceli and above all the unsuitable workload for the company.
I tried to make it clear that we are not Top Runners, but amateur runners …
However, often the judgment of these friends is based on knowledge deriving from simple readings or only from the practice of training for a 42 km.
As usual, I was right.
After three months of morning outings we are ready.
First stop: Bologna city. We wander the main streets and visit everything possible, using the notes obtained on the internet.
In the early afternoon, we continue to Faenza and dribbling the time we can take the bib number n.750 (mine) and n. 410 (by Miceli), directly in the Passatore’s office.
What a surprise: a real running venue.
You enter a magical world that intrigues you to the point of continually asking for information and admiring the various objects present in the place.
We are satisfied, the bib is ours and is also signed with the name and surname of each of us.
We continue towards Piazza del Popolo and, after a little refreshment, we try to get closer to the Sports Hall to cheer that everything goes well for the night’s rest.
We return to the square and spontaneously visit the exhibition set up to commemorate the 40 years of the Passatore (Passatore 100×100): 40 years of history enclosed in photos, posters, T-shirts and awards. I can only give a more than positive opinion.
It begins to fall in the evening and we head towards the Kiosk of the Convent of S. Francesco where some sections of the competitions of the previous years are projected.
I immediately meet the big-number one journalist Maurizio Crispi, concentrating on watching the movie.
Exchange of greetings, some opinions on the race and immediately afterwards we walk towards the atrium where the Pasta-party is set up suggestively.
Everyone knows each other and they greet each other affectionately.
It looks like a wedding date.

Among carbohydrates, wine at will, dessert, music of a rock quartet and release of the numbers to the Top Runners directly by the President of the ASD 100 km of the Passatore, Elio Ferri, by Pietro “Pirì” crementi (Race Director) and by Orlando Pizzzolato, testimonial of the race, we feel satisfied and we can end the evening with a well-deserved rest.
I forgot that my friend Emanuele with so much emotion found his friend Antonio Armuzzi, adventure captain of the 2006 running team in America for a stage race sponsored by Nike among the tables.

It is Saturday morning. We are caught in a pressing agitation: there are only 7 hours to go and we walk towards the buses made available to the Committee (€ 10.00) for the transfer on departure and after about 3 hours we are in Florence.
The city is ours.
The first oddity is the long queue to collect the bib. I smile because it’s not for me to do it.
We already have them …
The second oddity is to find fabulous, not to say beautiful, weather conditions.
The last seven days we have been glued to the internet to check the weather conditions of Florence and especially along the way.
All false, only two drops of refreshing water and then the usual crackling sun that brings me back 1 year.
The streets are invaded by athletes who bivouac here and there, and in order not to remain still like the lighting poles, we stroll around like real tourists, rediscovering the places within reach.
After a pleasant walk you expect to find the great Calcaterra for a group photo, but hope is lost.
But not entirely, we meet the dear Inge Poidomani of the Modica group (RG) and subsequently the athlete augustano Vacante with his journalist consort.
A group souvenir photo is worth 100 of many others.
In the confusion here I see a very famous and very popular woman on Facebook with lots of pigtails. Long live Sabrina Tricarico! I call her, she remembers me and here we immortalize an image to frame.
We are 15 minutes before departure. The Via de ‘Calzaiuoli is full of athletes. With difficulty we manage to insert close to the big but we do it. Prontiiiiiiii.
The third oddity is to see many athletes with their arms raised towards the sky hoping to receive the satellite signal for the watch. Nothing. Something creates a subtle shield. I rely on the very simple stopwatch of a watch bought at the stall.
I greet my adventure companion because I already know that after the start he will go away with his times and rhythms.
But then…..
The shot of the mayor Renzi.
It starts, a long snake and the first jostles not to fall.
Not even the time to warm up and we are out of Florence. Here is the climate that changes dramatically. Caldooo!
It starts to rise, struggling with the heat and some post-eating disorders.
I don’t see anything good.
Only suffering.
Everyone passes me, but we will do the math at the glue pace.
I meet Inge, also in difficulty, I overcome her and I greet her so much I know that after the 50th km she will pass me again. Between exchanges of words with other runners and drinking a lot I find myself at the summit of the crosses, ready to go downhill.
Everything is fine except food. I can only drink and not eat and this worries me.
Oh my God I’m at km 31.5 Borgo S.lorenzo in 3 hours and 30 minutes and therefore less than last year. We are on the right track.
The minimum time for refreshment and off we go. The real climb begins. No problem until the meeting of the 42.195mt cartel. And here comes the athletic preparation of each runner.
I enjoy passing the runners, now stationary and lined up.
Between runs of 200/300 meters and a quick step I arrive at the top of the Passo della Colla in 6h02 ‘.
Here, the nightmare of all runners. I wonder if he didn’t go the wrong way !?
Until then, the cars following the runners have not disturbed me much, but now after the Pass their impact was highly disturbing.
About 200 meters of cars blocked uphill at Passo della Colla with engines running, annoying headlight lights, smog, horn and swearing. The ambulance arrives with sirens explained and the cars don’t know where to position themselves to the point that I get stuck for a few seconds.
We spread a pitiful veil. I am in a tent to collect the bag and meet my friend Emanuele who has come just 1 ‘in front of me.
Chaos in the search for the bag but I was lucky. We preferred to change to 10 degrees outdoors because the confusion in the tent was so great. Emanuele and I decide this time to run together. Fast refreshment and off like fireflies downhill. Perfect night lighting even if other runners looked like 3M illuminated panels.

My legs aren’t turning well and something has disturbed me. Maybe coca cola, maybe carbonated water or hot tea. I had to stop and relax with my stomach. I was born again. Even though I haven’t eaten but I’ve only drunk hours I feel like a tiger.
Km after km we arrive in Marradi, at km 65, in a time of 8h26 ‘and my friend Emanuele begins to feel tired.
I had reminded him several times not to run the first part of the Passatore with rhythms from a 42 km because the energies would not be balanced until the end.
In Marradi, we stop for 5 minutes, but the temperature of 9 ° is rapidly cooling our body. We decide to hole up for 10 minutes in the massage room.
It is an oasis of pleasure, 24 ° and relaxing massages by expert hands.
They put us up again and so we leave again refreshed.
We don’t miss a supply, but I can’t eat.
On the contrary, Emanuele is a bottomless well.
Here we are, near the 88.5 km Brisighella. Before the arrival there is something strange. At the beginning of the climb there is a large number of guys with lots of trumpets on their mouths and cackling beyond belief.
I greet them politely and they respond equally but then I understand that the cheering from the stadium was for a local boy who was also arriving in Marradi.
A bedlam, an enthusiasm that they showed accompanying him to the platform of the CIP survey.
Marradi: time taken 12h11 ‘and we are at the end: I thought.
But here is that Emanuele gives the first signs of true tiredness.
As usual I don’t give up and shouting, dragging and scolding him we are at km 99.
Faenza is ours.

Emanuele decides to walk the last km and invites me – not to mention that he orders me – to go away running at a slower pace. Yes sir, under orders!
So I sell my skin dearly, because I have so much energy in my body that I still burn. Running at 4.20 I managed to recover 17 athletes and finish the sprint as usual.
The time to recover the digital camera and immortalize the great Emanuele who arrives exhausted on arrival.
It’s over. The Passatore 2012 we bring it to Syracuse.
We rest at the Palazzetto dello Sport, where the camp beds are set up, and after six hours we return to Piazza del Popolo to collect the wines and find the champions.
I had promised myself to find Calcaterra to capture the event.

Very lucky, he is in the square and with his education and availability we took a picture of ourselves.
Two intense days of excitement, all the refreshment staff very good, assistance – before and after – impeccable.
We return home satisfied, physically well apart from two big bubbles under our feet, and with the awareness that for 2013 we will try again.

Altamura Vincenzo ASD IDEA EVENTS MARATHON SIRACUSA time taken 13h59’34
Miceli Emanuele ASD ARCHIMEDE (Siracusa) time spent 14h07’58

Vincenzo Altamura