Enrico Maso, translated into English by Ruth Stephens
Chapter 7 – Now or never!
The long-awaited day has finally arrived.
Piero and the other athletes were at the course early to collect their race numbers.
Now they are waiting for the race to start. Piero is very tense. He does some warm-up exercises and breathes deeply.
When the race judge steps onto the platform the silence is surreal. Then the starting gun is fired, and they’re off!
The first few kilometres are incredible. Piero can hardly believe that he’s really here. Him, in a marathon, in the middle of all these athletes! He settles into a good rhythm.
“Don’t follow the others,” Marco had said, “There’ll always be some that start off strongly, but then…”
Piero tries not to push himself and thinks instead of how this adventure started. It seems a lifetime ago. He already has an idea for a present for his friends, who said he was mad: an signed photo to hang in the bar.
“But first,” he thinks, “I’d better finish the race!”
The route now runs alongside the River Tevere. Luckily, there’s a light breeze and the temperature is pleasant. A little way ahead is the great cupola of the Basilica di San Pietro. The city is beautiful, but Piero isn’t looking at it; he’s concentrating on the race, looking straight ahead and counting his own heartbeats.
At the halfway point he looks at his chronometer. He’s running well but remembers Marco’s advice: “Don’t look at the minutes, it’s your first marathon. The important thing is to reach the finishing line.”
At the 30km sign Pietro is still feeling OK but then, after another kilometre, his legs suddenly become tired.
“Oh, no,” he thinks, “again! What now? What can I do?”