August 9, 2023, edited by Camilla Pizzini
There are many things that could be said about Roberto Mastrotto: born in 1987, engineer, from Vicenza, first race won: Durona Trail 60km. But perhaps only one thing remains the most important: he has an unbridled desire to run. A Silverskin and La Sportiva athlete, he trains daily among the sharp rocks of the Piccole Dolomiti, but there is a lot in his journey as an athlete that has escaped us until now, and perhaps it was time to discover it.
What was your turning point as an athlete in your career? The one that touched you the most?
I think a major turning point for me was 2019, both as an athlete and as a person. Being forced to come to a brutal stop, from one day to the next, seeing everything fade away, perhaps even the possibility of wearing running shoes again, picking up the pieces and starting from scratch with no small repercussions, made me mature a lot. I realized how lucky I was to be able to go up and down the Dolomite trails with a smile on my face, relying solely on my legs and a handful of gummy bears.
This process of rebuilding, of getting back up, forced me to deeply rethink my approach to training and nutrition, informing myself and experimenting more than ever before. Today, I can say that I am much more aware of what needs to be done and when, I allow myself rest time, which I have learned is an integral part of training: I run slowly when it's time to run slowly, fast when it's time to push the legs.
What about nutrition, what can you tell us? Were there any turning points for you?
On the nutrition side, I gradually tried to eat more even on long training runs, so as to train my stomach to tolerate more carbohydrates during races, in addition to recovering faster from a muscular point of view. In the end, the real secret in ultras is who can cram more fuel in; as someone said, it's a long race to see who eats the most, with a little running in between.
What do you feel you have truly improved in your being an athlete? Specific workouts you have developed or perfected?
One of the workouts I love most is doing a 50' block uphill, at an easy pace, in beautiful places, typically one of the segments here around the Piccole Dolomiti, and then enjoying another easy, easy hour before heading back down. Let's say a road cyclist would call it a medium uphill, but can you really compare it to doing it on a trail? A whole other thing: you're exhausted but with a smile!
How much does the psychological part affect such a process?
The head, in long races, plays a fundamental role in many cases. Before and during. For the during, I have always been quite sure of myself, I have never lacked a stubborn head. For the before, however, with experience I have matured and learned to immerse myself in my pre-race "bubble", trying not to get too caught up in anxieties and uncontrollable events, focusing instead on what is actually dependent on me. I enter this bubble a couple of days before and then, from there, it's just a matter of getting to the start line!
Are there things you do in races now that you didn't do before?
In a race, if I had to think of one thing I do now more than before, it is trying to bring my "bubble" with me at least in the early stages, avoiding getting swept away by crazy paces or dynamics that lead to burning important cartridges prematurely.
Future plans?
For the near future - there's really not much time left - I can't wait to get back in the game in the “little neighborhood race” of Chamonix, with the strongest in the world. For the rest, I can't wait to travel and discover new trails and new mountains; I say it in a whisper, but next year I would really love to go back to the States, maybe this time for a 100-miler! Ah, the buckles...
© photo: Camilla Pizzini