Finalmente il mio resoconto annuale sulla mezza maratona più amata ed odiata dagli italiani… – Here’s my annual report on Italy’s beloved (and sometimes hated) half marathon…

“Roma Ostia half marathon is a business without toughness…” Walter speaking: he’s the one who runs on the helideck…

On the other hand it’s my third Roma Ostia, no other race profits of such loyalty from my part…

This year I’m prepared. I stitched my bib the night before…

Dinner with friends: “Won’t sip a drop of wine…” But coke is not an alternative. At two I wake up with a brick on my stomach…

Alarm rings at 6:15, just in time for a standard breakfast…

We reach the start by scooter, Stefano, Gaia and I. Parked as close as possible… “What if you parked in Ostia, instead…”

We change and deliver the bags. I’m not the only hooligan around…

We pack inside the grids (we’re in the fifth). We look like cattle at the slaughterhouse…

Once inside it’s easy to slip ahead. In this picture on the starting line I’m already mixed up with folks from the other echelons…

First five km just warm you up… I don’t like how I stomp the road…

From five to ten I stick to the 4’40/km pacemakers. Pierluca (a teammate) reaches me: “Fool…”

He’s running next to the border, mumbling strange words: “Must try… Profit of the moment…”

It’s like if he were waiting for a signal. I just say: “Shut up and run…” He springs ahead…

The episode awakens me. On a slope I leave the pacemakers behind…

The road is a straight cut that swallows people. I can see my destiny an hour ahead…

Last six km are my fastest. I climb 800 positions. Finally my feet glide on the asphalt…

I end in 1h36’24”. The hardest part is to regain the bag: they’re all the same…

Now I want to be on my own… For a while…