The half marathon started in Riva Del Garda, a beautiful mountain/lake town about and hour and thirty minutes north of us. We have been here before to hike in the summer and it's a very picturesque and enjoyable town, although normally packed with European tourists. Its location close to the Austrian border gives it a German influence (the town was part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and only became Italian in 1918) which means signs are in both Italian and German and there are some epic German restaurants.
On a sunny day, the view is quite impressive. Unfortunately, we haven't seen the sunshine since October, so we were stuck with lots of foggy views of the lake and mountains.
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| The town of Riva in the summer |
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| Our view for most of the day |
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| Lots of fog over the lake |
Reasons You Should Run and Italian Road Race:
The Course- as mentioned, the course was strange, but also scenic. We ran along the lake pictured below for the last mile or so and it would have been even more beautiful on a clear day. We ran through the cobblestone streets of Arco and San Giorgio and along the Fiume Sarca. Italians cheered us on from their windows because we ran right underneath them. One group stood on the steps of their church as we ran by just as mass was ending. Several brass bands played music along the way, dressed in traditional costumes (not sure exactly what you call them...).
The Outfits- I was so distracted by what people were wearing that the first six miles flew by. I felt like I was lost in a crowd at an 80s costume party. Italian runners love spandex, head bandannas and neon colors. Men wore spandex capri bike shorts and several had long, dreamy hair. Women skip the ponytail and run with their big hair bouncing everywhere. Team running is also very popular and many groups wore matching shirts. I ran with Stafano and Anna from Team BiPedi for a while. And since Italians don't like to be cold, several wore gloves, hats, jackets and pants....I was overheating in long sleeves and shorts.
Bathrooms- Porta-potties are a staple at any American race. There are usually hundreds at the start line and several along the course. Although the Italians chose to skimp on the bathrooms, the ones they had were AMAZING. The porta-potties were flushable toilets with plenty of toilet paper and a sink! This was also the ONLY race I've ever run where there was no line for the woman's room and a line for the men. (Again, women don't work out much...) The only down side of the bathroom situation was the lack of toilets on the course. While not a problem for me, several runners ran off into the vineyards to do their business. Might want to check where your Italian wine is from next time!
Free Stuff- This was one of the most inexpensive races we've run...yet we got so much stuff! Before the race, volunteers were giving out croissants and tea. After the race, there was a pasta party and lots of other free food. The goodie bag was FULL...technical shirt, snacks, drawstring backpack and the best item...
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| No Italian gift bag is complete without pasta! |
Lawlessness- In some past marathons, we have noticed pushy runners. Pushy as in coming from behind and literally hitting you as they pass without a word. In one American race, a man was forcing himself forward by moving others out of the way with his elbows. When runners yelled at him, he kept going without a thought. Now I know why- he was likely European. Pushing forward, hitting other runners, running right through a pair of runners...these are all standard European road-race maneuvers. There is no regard for personal space and no looking out for others in your path.
Speaking of lawlessness, Italians don't do lines. This becomes problematic at any place you need to create a line and wait patiently for help. Boarding an plane is like the running of the bulls. Communion time at mass is like being at a concert where fans rush the stage. There are no common courtesies and pleasant-ness as there is in America. (Pretty sure many of these people would get beat up if they pulled these stunts back home.) I recently outran an old lady getting on a plane...because she was trying to cheat the system and sneak ahead. I would never, ever do this in the US! If you're not aggressive, you will not get what you want...ever.
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| If you want to experience full-contact running, come to Italy. This is a picture of Riva from the mountains taken on a summer hiking trip. |
Water- During American races, I usually pass an obnoxious amount of water stops. I find myself skipping many of them and never feeling overly in need of water. Apparently Italians are camels. There were very few water stations along the course and since it was deceptively warm, I was parched for most of the race. Oddly enough, they had cookies and sugar cubes at the stations...more than they did water!
Other Runners- As I was running through the scenic vineyards and Italian towns, I caught a glimpse of a putrid yellow color t-shirt that I'd recognize anywhere. That's right...it was a BC Superfan. Those folks from the wrong end of Comm Ave managed to sneak up on me half way across the world! Grrrrrr....
(I actually talked to this couple for a few minutes and found out they were students studying abroad who wanted to stay in shape. Shawn- where were you?! Someone else managed to taunt them by yelling "Eagles Suck...Go Huskies." Not going to name names.... See you all in the BU Invitational....err, I mean, Beanpot!)
Not our best race, but we're all smiles with our medals. On to the next run...
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| Yes, I am in a neon Christmas-like spandex outfit...but this was mild comparatively! |
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