Cortina-Dobbiaco Run: beautiful and fun

Start of Cortina-Dobbiaco run 2013

Although the number of spring season Italian races is actually huge, only few of them made me the impression I had while I was running Cortina-Dobbiaco. Cortina-Dobbiaco course is tracked in the middle of Dolomites, following the old Austrian railway that linked one of the most important tourist place in the Alps (Cortina d'Ampezzo) to Toblach (Dobbiaco), a Sudtyrolean village in Pustertaal. 

The landscape, as one can imagine, is absolutely amazing. The 30K race is quite linear, with 14K of uphill that climbs from Cortina (1211 m.asl) to Cima Banche (1530m.asl), followed by a downhill through two alpine lakes that leads to Dobbiaco (1210m.asl).
In this year' edition, more than 4300 runners started the race in Cortina, proudly facing either autumn temperatures and an annoying headwind that was blowing all the time.
I ran the race with my two club mates Fabio Bernardi and Francesco Duca (both are closed to 40 years old, still showing an incredible shape!). Anyway, at the end of the race I was the first of Silca Ultralite Team, finishing the race in sixth place (full results here, Silca UV post here). Even if the pace wasn't that fast (we ran approximately 3m25s/km), my result makes me very happy considering my actual condition.


In addition to a day of sport, I took advantage to see places close to my hometown that I had never seen before such as Cortina d'Ampezzo, Dobbiaco, Alleghe, Passo Giau (very famous for the "Giro", and now I could understand the reasons why it is...) and Passo Falzarego. I must confess that none of such places has betrayed my expectations. I believe that for mountain lovers there are a few places that come close to the beauty of Dolomites. ;)

Passo Falzarego (2109m.asl)

Starting running season 2013

Since I have been pretty busy with my job during this Winter season, from 9th of December (when I ran a marathon) I didn't take part to any competition until last weekend. Furthermore, it has been a snowy December and January in Primiero, leading to a rather bad conditions for running. 

I have not actually been training a lot during the past two months, running averagely more or less 70-80km per week. Both snow and ice on the roads didn't allow me to run any sort of workout (e.g. intervals, fartlek), generally limiting my speed to be slower than 4'/km and forcing the use of spiky shoes. 

I was born in this place, and after some years of training, I realized that the only thing you can do during the Winter season is just to wait until the Winter is gone. Apparently (and hopefully), in two weeks I will be ready for running some easy workouts, since Spring is going to come in the mountains. 

Silca Ultralite Team (Vittorio Veneto): Pradetto, Bernardi, Duca, Simion

Last weekend I started the running competitions season, which will keep me busy to the end of March with the cross country running competitions. The cross country season will end with one of my favorite races: the Italian cross country championship finals for teams (CdS), which will held in Rome. Such competition is a very tough and nice race, where I can aim for a top 30 position if I will be in a good shape.

My team has been radically changed from the last year, with two new entries in the top runners group: Fabio Bernardi and Francesco Duca. Although they are "seniors", I'm sure they will give us the possibility to be more competitive in the CdS. Both of them are coming from Violettaclub, a Calabrian team which doesn't have enough money to keep a top runners group anymore. Now the Silca Ultralite top runners group is composed by me, Francesco Duca, Fabio Bernardi, Fabrizio Pradetto, Alberto Casadei and Manuel Negrello. 

3^ CdS (Settimo di Pescantina)

Last Sunday I ran the 2nd competition of regional CdS in Vittorio Veneto (I skipped the 1st one because I was sick). I felt quite comfortable, but my speed was rather low as a direct consequence of my Winter (non)training. I got a 6th position, right behind my new team mates (full results here).

Today I took part to the 3rd competition of regional CdS in Settimo di Pescantina, closed to Verona. I tried to move my legs quicker and I got a 3rd position behind Paolo Zanatta and Simone Gobbo, two strong runners from Montebelluna and my team mates as Saucony ambassadors (full results here). I definitely ran better than last weekend. 

I feel that my shape is rising after a Winter hibernation and if I will have enough time (and motivation) for running better trainings from now, I am almost sure I can reach a  good shape for the beginning of March.