Race: Ronda Ghibellina 45km trail race
Runner: TRR Coach Keith Laverty
Race Date: 01/26/2025
Location: Castiglion Fiorentino, Toscana, Italy
Result: 4 hours and 43 minutes; 7th overall
Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/13456640095/overview
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
- Europe: This was my first time racing in Europe, so just about everything about the experience was novel and new to me. We even ran through a castle during the first mile!
- Challenging course: The challenge of the course and everything that it threw at us — which was a lot!
- Community kindness: Despite language barriers, the kindness of the Italian running community was memorable and much appreciated. It also seemed like many runners had traveled to this event from all other areas of Italy: this race welcomed everyone.
Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
Sort of a “blooper” on my end but I forgot to look up the phrase for “on your left” or “runner behind” in Italian, as I ended up needing to pass several dozen runners from the longer 67km distance that had started a couple of hours before the 45km. The word I had thought was “left” in Italian, actually had translated to “I want”, which I’m sure got me some puzzled looks on their faces! : )
A couple of points got bottlenecked on very tight section of trail, that had forced me to walk or slow down my effort such as during a down-climb with rope assistance.
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
More unique than weird, is that the Ronda Ghibellina 45km race and entire event is all Medieval vibes! This included a man with armor and shield on a horse at the start/finish area. Then the finish line amenities of bread with olive oil, and beer poured into your finisher’s mug. There were supposed to be more horses out and about, but they had to put the horses away after the thunderstorm.
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
Overall, the highlight was working through the extremely challenging terrain, especially during/after the thunderstorm that sort of shook me up a bit (including hail that pelted the right side of my body). I even fell into large puddles within the same mile. Enduring through this race has put other courses into perspective, including upcoming races on my calendar have become known as “the courses aren’t nearly as rugged as Ronda was”!
I thankfully chose the right racing shoe, the Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra, to handle the ruggedness well, but also felt fast on the runnable road sections too. Final win: NO BLISTERS or foot issues!
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
Next time, pack a light jacket! I was moments away from pulling out my emergency blanket, and obviously was not prepared well for the thunderstorm conditions that rolled through. This led to very frozen fingers and cold legs for several miles after. The forecast had only shown a 50% chance of rain for about 2 hours and no signs of thunder, however, as I’ve learned over the years too, conditions can change *fast* in the mountains.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
During the first mile, there’s a steep, relatively long hill climb of 20%+ grade of paved road running through the castle. Then, besides the first and last 2 miles, the course only has 2 to 3 0.5 mile sections of runnable road/ forest road. The majority of the race is running through a wide variety of challenging terrain: steep downs on rocks, twisty/tight/muddy turns, down-climbing with a rope, grassy and muddy stretches, and leaf-covered trails. Some of the wooded sections seemed reminiscent of what you might see on the “Beast Coast” (aka trails on America’s east).
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
Oh yes! You essentially run along the outer rim/ridges of a “bowl” or valley in between, completing one big loop around Chio Valley. After the first key climb, you get treated to the beautiful valley below.
The thunderstorm likely blocked some views mid-race, but once the skies had cleared and the sunshine arrived toward the last 5 miles, I was treated to an incredible view of the grassy, farmlands and hillsides below. You also get to run through villages, older ruins and ranches, and through oak and olive trees: not your typical US race views! Bellissima!
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
I’ve competed in a lot of tough races in the last 20+ years, and I think I’d have to rank the Ronda Ghibellina 45km race in my top 5, maybe even top 3 most difficult courses!
The course profile alone is plenty challenging with 7,500 feet of climbing in 28 miles; however, a lot of those 28 miles were very technical, especially the descents. There were lots of uneven, slanted/grooved rocks, tight/windy turns. And as if that wasn’t enough, layers of mud caked the course following the mid-race thunderstorm, hail and rain!
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
Overall, it was very well-organized, including the pre-race expo and race day itself. Unfortunately, there was hardly any pre-race communication. With no pre-race email on any sort of details or instructions, it was difficult to find and understand their required gear list.
Competition – Is there a strong field?
The competition was world-class this year! In fact, the entire Italian national team decided to show up and this run this race as part of their early-season team training camp! I’m guessing that made for a significantly more field than usual this year. The men’s winner, 4x national champion Andreas Reiterer, won in a new CR, despite the muddy conditions!
I also found out that the majority of the runners who placed in the top 10 had all run the Ronda Ghibellina 45km in recent previous years, which speaks to how event keeps drawing runners back.
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
The registration alone is simple and very affordable: just 45 Euros ($47 or £37) for a 28-mile course with 5 aid stations!
However, the Italian law is very strict on international runners who want to compete. Prior to the race you need the following tests completed, then signed off by your doctor: (1) EKG stress test, (2) pulmonary function test, (3) urinalysis, and (4) a basic physical exam. So allow for at least 10 weeks before the race date to make sure all of your appointments can be scheduled and completed in time. Simply put, it’s a much more in-depth process than signing a waiver!
Weather and typical race conditions
This is the coldest time of the year for Tuscany with average temps of high 30’s to the low 50’s (Fahrenheit). This year’s edition felt comfortable in the mid to high 40’s for race morning. However, a ferocious, crackling thunderstorm around mile 13 made things interesting to say the least! I went from racing mode to survival mode pretty quickly, dealing with pelting hail and rain showers for the next 4-5 miles!
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?
Nothing too special, although a long-sleeve jacket is highly-recommended in the event of a storm like we had! You’re also required to run with your phone, with their live tracking app, “Whip Live” opened (fortunately, it can be opened in the background and not burn through the battery).
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
Not so much. There were 2 or 3 aid stations with more people, so it’s potentially more accessible for spectators if you’re willing to do a lot of driving.
How’s the Swag?
Cool swag! Each finisher received a large, ceramic mug with the race logo. We also got a black/army green tech running tee from the Runnek brand. At the pre-race expo, you could also opt to buy more race-branded gear such as a sweatshirt or a collapsible soup cup.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
5 out of 5 stars!
The Ronda Ghibellina 45km was an incredibly memorable experience with the epic course, weather challenges, and friendly people. It was hard to turn down the opportunity to run in Tuscany, not to mention, exploring other parts of Italy before and after!
Keith Laverty is a Seattle-based coach with Team RunRun. Whether you are heading towards your first 5k or – like Keith – in your ninth year of ultras, Keith will design a custom training plan based on your goals, lifestyle, skills, and needs.