It all started in 2017 when my friend Manuel and I while running our hometown hills in northern Italy, thought we should have a running team.
But a fun one. Unlike the usual running teams that focus on the performance and results of their athletes, looking for sponsors, and recruiting proselytes that pay fees that allows them to run.
Running requires no sophisticated add-ons, and our goal was to have an authentic and genuine group of people who do not take themselves seriously. Because, as I always say: running is a game where to share stories, feelings and emotions.
So we founded the Ciuk Running Team. Initially with our closest running friends. It started with funny hashtags like #correrefaschifo (Running sucks) and #mementofinirefiniti (remember finishing trashed out), then with an Instagram page @ciukrunningteam that slowly started catching attention from our local running community.
Then in early 2021, we thought it was time to go further and have a race in our woods.
Late night Zoom meetings with the team to brainstorm, gather ideas and retrieve pieces of information on “how to organise a race” since most of us only participated in races as runners.
We knew we couldn’t be perfect, we were full of doubt and fearful of forgetting crucial parts, but we just thought, “fuck it, we’re gonna do this anyway.”
After months spent coordinating, setting up things, overthinking what could go wrong, building infrastructure and poor sleeping, we finally made it. On September 5th 2021, the pilot edition (zero) of the ALL IN Trail Run took place in Casale Litta.
We woke up at dawn, setting the last details into place, and when we saw the first runners arriving, we thought, “That’s it! It’s happening. It’s showtime!”
The weather was also on our side. Sunny morning lights illuminated wonderfully every people’s smile, spreading good vibes all over the place.
What happened next is in this video from last year.
I learned from this experience that if you wish for something to happen, don’t wait too long. Make it happen.
See you this year on September 4th, ready to run fast, dig deep into your personal pain cave, and come out of it as a better human being. ALL IN
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