Viva Italia

ITALIA

Italy has been pretty warm. After coming from Norway where I was racing in snow and rainy conditions, Italy poses a grave difference. Each night I have been here I have found myself waking up nearly drenched as our rooms do not have AC and leaving the windows open only invites additional heat from the humidity. I got a chance to run up on the course a bit and memories sprouted through my mind of the race last year. I still remember how epic this race was, I mean the race weaves through a very old town at the start and as you head to the mountains you start ascending through tiny back roads in a small village on the foothill of the mountain on the way up past Urbiano and Grange Sevine, peaking between Alpe Arcella and Costa Rossa. The trail we run for the race has massive history behind it. If you can remember back to your history courses, during World War II the Italians lead a resistance against the Germans in attempts to end fascism and open up occupied land by fascist leaders. Amongst the many anti-fascist groups that developed, the Associazione Nazionale Partigiani d'Italia became one of the most popular before the Italian liberation in 1945. During the battle, fighters from the resistanza were said to have walked long paths throughout the mountains in Susa. Actual battles also took place along these trails. The race I will be doing Sunday commemorates this historical resistance and we will run the same footsteps soldiers in the resistance marched in the 1940's! That alone makes this race one of the biggest races in Europe (for me anyway).

I feel very special to be part of such a great event. In addition to the race, great meals can be found all over Susa. Very authentic foods! One way I measure how authentic the food will be in a specific town is by judging how well their English is. In this town English is non-existent, so that tells you this is no "touristy" town with foods that taste just like they do everywhere else in the world. In Susa, you get the real stuff! In addition to having some of the most authentic Italian foods, Susa also offers the worst drivers. You really must watch your step in the streets here. Tiny streets plus wild drivers and young teens with fast dirt bikes equals trouble. I've also noticed the people in Susa are quite friendly in comparison with other countries I have visited. In some countries you may say hello to someone and they will just walk past you as speaking to strangers may not be the norm. In Italy you will almost always be greeted with some sort of Italian gesture no matter the age of the individual. Yesterday while in a meat shop I spoke broken Italian/Spanish for 20 mins with the owner. It was a very short conversation in terms of words actually comprehended between the two of us, but we needed all the time in the world. We eventually had mutual understandings and in the end when I purchased a few items in his store he gave me everything half off and even made me a nice sandwich with spicy peppers, sardines, and Roquefort cheese on a fresh french roll!

Being that the event is an international competition athletes from all over the world attend including Kenya, Ethiopia, USA, Austria, Switzerland, and many others. Team USA this year will be the same as last, Rickey, Simon and I. Looking forward to the finish area where a nice meal is usually served and Grappa can be found in various locals' cups, eager to give you a taste (a very strong drink I might add). A good laugh will always take place for most foreign runners coming to Italy when they see some of the older Italians crossing the finish line and no more than 5 minutes later, light up a cigarette. It is bizarre how many people actually smoke in Italy. I don't think I have met one person yet in Susa who does not smoke at least on occasion. Bizarre to the point that even some runners smoke. How they can put themselves through so much torture, and then smoke is beyond me. Also, at the top you can see a pack of guys dressed like the Mafia. I don't know if I should be alarmed or what. Along some of the mountain ranges you see signs saying, "No Mafia". Nevertheless, its quite fun seeing this group at the top for the awards, I mean you really feel like you get the Italian experience at this race, almost as if you are quickly engulfed into the Italian culture. In Susa, you are forced to learn Italian, otherwise you will run into all sorts of problems and delays. I get by with my Spanish a bit, but even that at times ticks locals off as they expect you to either know a bit of Italian or French, and I can totally understand their frustration. In America you see the same thing, a foreign person comes into a store and the person working there can't speak their language, then confusion and anger sets in. When it comes to food I'm an Italian, so no problems in that spectrum. I've taken a few pics and posted them. Some are from Susa and one is from a town nearby called Bussoleno. I also have a few pics of me training on the course. Most of the pics are from the early stages of the course before you actually start to hit the rugged trails. After the road and town section the first part of the course calls for superior technical running ability. The trail is best described as loose dirt and gravel and huge rocks in some areas! Well I'm off to the city, I have a date with two Gelato shops I have been waiting to reunite with.......