MY PASSATORE

WHAT WAS THE PASSATORE FOR ME?

It was a challenge that I thought was bigger than me, a challenge where I gave myself very low chances of success, certainly the biggest challenge since I started running.
A challenge that I faced with so much humility but also with so much determination, aware that my physique was not ready to face a whole 100 km race so I had to manage my strength without making mistakes; as the Passatore veterans advised me: “use your head, only by using your head will you get to Faenza”.

More than a race, the Passatore is an adventure, an incredible and crazy adventure, where you have no adversaries but adventure companions, where you have the feeling of experiencing unique and unrepeatable moments that will remember the rest of your life.
It is a real and inner journey, where, despite the tiredness of the body, the brain continues to process thoughts, to bring back memories, especially at night, in the dark, on that long night that seems magical.

The Passatore are many memories and emotions:
– people who applaud and cheer you on
– five exchanged with children
– the improvised showers along the first hot kilometers from private citizens
– the commitment and dedication of the volunteers
– the tranquility and trust that my brother transmitted to me who followed me in the car
– the phone calls to encourage me from Oxana, Simone and Massimiliano
– the suffocating heat of the first hours of the race
– the fresh evening air during the ascent of the Colla
– scollinare the legendary Passo della Colla and eat bread and mortadella for refreshment
– the darkness of the night illuminated only by the headlamps of the adventure companions
– the silence of the night where the noise was appreciated, indeed the music of the water of the river that flowed near the road
– the darkness of the night where my brain had lost the sensation of time
– the warm night wind that gently pushed me towards Faenza and the feeling that it was a warning sign of the arrival in Faenza, despite the fact that there were still many kilometers to go.

– Never looking back, neither me, nor all my adventure companions
– get to Brisighella: there are about 12 km to Faenza and say: now I’m sure to arrive, if necessary I crawl, but I’m coming
– that last kilometer run at a crazy pace with the body full of adrenaline
– people who applaud you at 4:30 in the night in Piazza del Popolo in Faenza
– the flash of the photographer who blinds me as I cross the finish line with my arms raised in Piazza del Popolo in Faenza
– screams of joy for winning my challenge !!!
What I remember in a distant and blurred way is tiredness and fatigue, but maybe my brain has removed those only negative memories
I thank my brother for the training schedules, the advice from the Passatore’s veteran even though he never raced it and for following me in the car during the race.
I thank everyone who complimented me on my small / large business
As soon as the Passatore was finished I wrote you Facebook: never again a 100 km,
now I correct myself: NEVER SAY ANOTHER PASSER 🙂
And for those who still want to read me below I have written my preparation and the chronicle of my Passatore.

THE PREPARATION.
My physical preparation for the Passatore can be defined as minimalist: in February influence and subsequent relapse, I have been enrolled in the Rome marathon for 6 months and I only have the month of March to prepare it, I do two long ones, one 30km and one 32km and the April 10th I am at the start of the Rome marathon which ended with a good (for my possibilities) 3 hours and 15 ‘.
Saturday 7 May at 3 pm (the time is no coincidence … ..) I do the only long one: 56 km of hills in just under 6 hours … .. in the end I am destroyed and doubts increase dramatically.
I listen to the advice of those who the Passatore have done it several times: you get to Faenza with your head! use your head! don’t think about time! throw the watch!
Ok I can use my head but in marathon …… but these are 100 km… .. I have never run more than 56 km… .. I just have to try… ..
I try to change my mental approach with running, after years I ran checking the rhythm on the Garmin even when I download, it’s not easy for me to ignore the watch.

PREGARA.
The night before the passer-by I slept little, I felt the race, it has not been happening for a long time, doubts and fears were many, I had never raced beyond 6 hours, what will happen next? how will my body react? What consequences will the Passer leave on my body?
On Saturday it is expected to be hot, I have to drink, drink a lot, on Saturday I leave Massarosa by car at 11:30, drive my brother and there is also Bertacca (12 Passatori). I go around Florence with my bottle of water, I seem to be Snoopy with his blanket.
Just before the departure I am at the bottom of the group, I try to carry on but I immediately see my friend Iole and I stop to greet her and have a chat. While chatting we hear the pistol shot of the starter: Passatore 2016 starts. I’m almost at the bottom of the group, so I’m forced to start slowly, thanks Iole! I do not risk too fast starting which would lead me directly to the early end of the Passatore.

THE RACE.

First 2 km of plains and then the ascent of Fiesole begins, a tough ascent and all in the sun, the forecast of 30 ° in the shade is spot on, as soon as I can drink, I have a waist belt with a water bottle to never run out of water . Up to Borgo San Lorenzo (30km) you always run in the sun, I suffer from the heat, the belt with my water bottle bothers me, the hat as well, my stomach swollen with water, I breathe badly, I feel tired and I think that 80km is missing …. I’ll never make it …
Immediately Borgo San Lorenzo there is my brother waiting for me, I get rid of the belt with the bottle, I change, I cool off, and I say to my brother: if it goes on like this I arrive at the Colla pass and I retire, my brother answers me do as you want but you’re running well I’ve seen others completely upset.
Allotment, I begin to feel fresh air (finally !!!) and I recover, I finally feel good and light, the climb of the Colla is hard but I am running well, I do some stretches walking but only to save energy (thanks Paolo A. for advice).
I arrive at the Colla pass (48 km) in good condition, the coolness of the evening and the mountains are pleasant and do not make me feel fatigue, I eat a little more than the other refreshment points, I set off and after a 4/5 km descent my stomach is swollen, I struggle to breathe despite running very slowly and downhill.
At 60 km my brother passes me a beer and after a short burst of Fantozzian memory and free stomach !!! Wow now we go.
I arrive in Marradi (65km) almost euphoric for how well and effortlessly I am running.
I run well up to the 80th km then the quadriceps start to hurt but there are only 20km left and I continue alternating running and walking to save the quadriceps a little.
Arrival in Brisighella (88 ° km) the quadriceps hurt more and more but now I am sure to get to Faenza, if necessary crawling but I will get to the finish !!!
Alternate run (less and less) and walk (more and more), I arrive at 95 °, from here on there are signs for every km: 96, 97, 98 now I am constantly starting to run up to 99 ° km (I think I have it course in 6 ‘- 6’30’ ‘)
Signpost of the 99th km: I say to myself “enough is enough !!! pain or not now we go !!! ” suddenly I feel the adrenaline rush that comes down my veins and swells my muscles, I even get goosebumps and I start …
after a few meters I no longer feel pain and I even run flight (I think I ran the last km at 4’30 ”) I go beyond the adventure companions and I incite them all screaming “FROM WHAT’S OVER !!! POWER!!!”.
I arrive in Piazza del Popolo in Faenza there are people who applaud me, and I scream, I don’t remember what, but I scream, I see the much-dreamed goal of the Passatore, I cross it at 4:30 in the night, it took about 13 hours and half but I don’t give a damn about the time, I WON !!! I won my personal challenge with the Passatore, this was my goal and I hit it in full !!!

Giovanni Pintori