During yesterday afternoon many people approached me asking if I was happy. Perhaps they did so because my face was upset, I was pale and staggering around, talking with my mouth slurred like a drunk. In addition to the chronic lack of sleep, I felt terrible: I had accumulated a stress from this year's preparation that made me almost look like a drug addict in withdrawal. There was the constant worry that something might go wrong, that fear that comes from the fact that until the last moment, in an event like ours, the unexpected is just around the corner, especially in the final hours when the most tired and unpredictable competitors arrive.
Today, as tiredness emerges even more strongly, I can finally say yes: I am very satisfied. It has been a very difficult edition in terms of promotion, communication and marketing planning. Disentangling oneself in a market dominated by big giants and maintaining the identity of an event like ours is a feat, as is maintaining the balance between sponsors and managing to satisfy them all. Added to this was the complexity of the construction sites, passages and detours, which we solved and which I now consider to be a happily closed issue. Even the weather put us to the test with catastrophic forecasts that weighed psychologically on all of us, fresh from four editions of bad weather. All this is now behind us. What remains is the satisfaction of a day that went very well and that satisfied almost all the competitors. The safety device worked impeccably, with 14 interventions in total: 12 managed by the S1 device in collaboration with the Italian and Slovenian Alpine Rescue and the Motorbike Rescue, coordinated by the operations room under the responsibility of Adriano, and two interventions managed directly by the ASL. A system that responded well and, fortunately, did not have to deal with any vital emergencies. The trip started from Al Dolina, after eating a pizza together with Marco Gubert and the others of the organisation - it must be said that the good Gudbert, before being the forerunner of a 100, gobbled down a beer and a mega pizza and after not even 30 minutes left. No comment! At Dolina, I met Francesco and Eddy busy delivering bread and refreshments at night. There the first thought of improvement for the future was born: to strengthen the logistics with more people, especially for night management. Peter's support was important but humanly not enough to cover all the needs, and it is not fair that Francesco and Eddy have to take on this burden in addition to their responsibilities.
At Contovello, I met Roby's usual smile and Neva's enthusiasm, intent on preparing a refreshment point that was well cared for, lit and welcoming. That point, which in the previous route was almost a passage, has finally found its dimension: it has become the organisation's real business card, the first warm and human contact for those who tackle long races. From there I ran to the Obelisco, passionately managed by Alexa and coordinator Andrea, who proved to be enthusiastic and super-collaborative together with facility manager Luca, and for some time now has turned it into a real gem, offering runners a heated and decorated environment. The run continued towards Bagnoli, where music and merriment reigned. Carlotta, together with the Comunella boys, managed the refreshment area gently but militarily, alternating between a stove and a pellet stove. For the future, the idea is to add a generator to give even more serenity to the electrical management. At Basovizza, however, I found the bags piled up: Peter, Francesco and Eddy had done all they could, but it was there that I had the second confirmation of the need for dedicated night logistics. I set about arranging the bags around two in the morning, until Miha and Michele arrived, full of energy and ready to welcome the first competitors at half past four. Although the structure of the Center Hotel is splendid, the external arrangement of the bags will have to be reviewed. Next year we will upgrade Basovizza, both in terms of orgaic and layout. In Repen I found the bags under the church porch, which were then arranged by Fabrizio and Pierpaolo. I didn't manage to see the start of the 80 km because the runners were already climbing towards Aurisina, but the morning starts were a success. The motorbike rescue was an indispensable support, both at night and as an opener from PortoPiccolo: a service that next year we will also extend to the 57 km to avoid the minor criticalities that occurred this year.
Despite the unbelievable wind that prevented us from setting up bows and ribbons at the start of the 21 and 15 km, we eventually managed to put everything in place. The Repen refreshment area proved to be a vital hub, a close-knit team born of the friendship between Pierpaolo and Fabrizio, capable of transmitting incredible enthusiasm despite the very small space. At San Pelagio, in the large space of Gruden, management was complex because the competitors arrived tired and hungry. We physically missed the presence of Andrej, who was unwell, but his organisational support was constant. Cristiano, Alexander, Nina and Matteo and newcomers “the Anchovies” coordinated a difficult situation with great skill, even overcoming problems in transporting the pizzas. For the future, taking up Carlotta's suggestion, we will try to further improve the logistical planning, inviting those responsible for the refreshments to plan ahead. Continuing the story, we arrive at Medeazza, the “family refreshment point” of the de Mottoni and Marussich families, who delighted everyone with prosciutto in crosta and cotechini. It was a formidable junction, as was the new refreshment point at Sela na Krasu, where the local community and Kostanjevica welcomed the runners with fantastic warmth. Even at Crociata, Dario and the Go For Trail group bravely threw themselves into a hectic refreshment area, where over 2300 people passed through in less than an hour. The same high flow stress was handled brilliantly in Santa Croce by Ivana and her association.
At Duino, the “red ties” led by Ciro managed the preparation of the pizzas with almost maniacal precision, measuring the pieces to the centimetre to ensure the perfect balance between warmth and efficiency. And finally the Bora Village, with Enrico welcoming everyone with his proverbial phlegm and a smile that warmed the spirits. For 2027, Enrico, we want you in a swimming costume: the goal is to increase temperatures with heated mushrooms and infrared to make the experience of those who work less icy. A special thank you goes to those who handed out the medals: you smiled at every single competitor as if they were the first, making that moment unique. The same spirit was conveyed by the team of speakers and prize-giving, with the historical Gilberto and Gianpietro, and the new entry of Daniele, by the video direction of Ronnie, with Nicola and Alessandra, and the LED of Thomas.
We had a live broadcasting quality, worthy of RAI, but also with a finally smooth prize-giving thanks to a Gilberto capable of transforming himself from a great motivator to a lucid strategist and link between prize-giving and arrival. The timekeeping, taken care of by the S1 team and the Pordenone timekeepers, was impeccable, providing real-time data to speakers and refreshments as never before. Behind the scenes, Tatiana and Stefano's communication team was able to convey the enthusiasm of the event on social media and in the press, while the video team led by Matteo Indri's Urban Group and Jaka captured every nuance, from artistic portraits to landscapes. At the front desk, Susanna, Anna and Ester and the volcanic Yarina coordinated a team capable of distributing complex race packets with a speed and precision beyond that of any machine, while always maintaining a human smile.
A thought also goes to the catering. Federico and his team this year offered food of above-average quality for sporting events, managing incredible flows and serving over 150 meals for staff and volunteers alone in just a few hours. Finally, the backbone of the race: the routes. As I write this, snowflakes are falling outside and Matteo is out with the guys cleaning the last stretches. It's an immense amount of work that starts from the studio and finishes with the brooms. Thanks to all the balisatori and to those who, like Roby, Giorgio, Emanuele, Davide, or Serena, constantly point out new trails or critical issues such as the collapses at Miramare. Special thanks to Matteo, who like me lives the event all year round by managing the technical aspects, and to all the historians like Adriano, Giorgio, Emanuele, Lorenzo, Valentino and Giuseppe Sponton. Satisfaction, of course, but also bitterness for some episodes - we cannot tolerate a competitor trying to run over a parking attendant: we will consider legal action.
Even at PortoPiccolo, although the cooperation with NH and Baia di Sistiana was excellent, the attitude of the PortoPiccolo condominium was disappointing and uncooperative. It is a shame that a facility with such high potential is represented in this way. The institutions supported us: the FVG Region with the “Io sono FVG” (I am FVG) brand, the municipalities of Trieste and Duino Aurisina, Sgonico and Monrupino, and the municipal police corps of Duino Aurisina and Trieste, which supported the event, guaranteeing little inconvenience to the citizens due to the heavy traffic, always with a smile. Always present to assist the population and the runners, directing them, giving information and watching over their safety were the members of the Civil Protection, the Volunteer Carabinieri and the Volunteer Fire Brigade. Thanks are also due to the Carso municipalities, first and foremost that of Bagnoli, who made up for the latitude of administrations such as that of San Dorligo della Valle, which still does not understand the value of this event.
Finally, thanks to companies like Civibank, Roncadin, Radenska and Frutta Friuli, who make all this possible. The tiredness remains, the cold remains, but above all the awareness that we have created something extraordinary remains.
This adventure has been going on for more than a decade, there are new friendships, others fade away, and the more time passes the more this race takes on its own identity, its own spirit and soul, of which we are all part and from which all of us volunteers derive pleasure and satisfaction.
Personally, I also have to thank (or fornse no? ) my closest friends who have always been there for me even if they are not present, like Francesco, my sister Susanna, my parents and my whole family and my Federico, who put up with me every day and convince me to continue whenever I want to give up because I am too tired.
PS: last year I named everyone, almost 400 names. This year I only mentioned group leaders or those who work alone, but my deepest gratitude goes to those who, as part of a group, decide to spend a Sunday with us, amid fatigue and stress, but also great satisfaction.