What is a high-level marathonet typical day like?

As for me, it depends a lot  where I’m in that moment: I mean, if I’m at home or on a training camp somewhere else.

When I’m at home in addition to the usual training there are so many things to do connected to the daily life just as all the normal people do: doing the shopping, ordinary duties ( bank, post office and so on ), then I have to run all day ( in the strict sense of the word ); when I am also in charge of my daughter I have to run twice but I don’t mind at all and I’m always happy as I try to spend as much time as possible with her.

I nealrly always get up at 8 every morning and go to sleep at about midnight, in the afternoon I always steal about half an hour’s nap. I usually train at about 10 a.m. an 5 p.m., during the most intensive periods I train 13 times a week ( just on Sunday I have my afternnons free ) and what remains of the day I should try to dedicate as much time as possible to recover even if it’s so difficult to be a full time athlete: there are too many lapses of concentration in one man’s life due to his own private life and it’s not always easy to be a hundred per cent concentrated on being an athlete.

When I am at home I am always very busy and moreover I have to attend my promotional campaigns ( on behalf of my sponsors ) when I’m forced to drive long and to spend even all the day out: well, in this case I train whenever and wherever I can. Luckily the sport I practice allows me to do that quite easily, I just have to sort things out.

During our meetings, my timetable doesn’t change a lot, the difference is the arrangement of my free time ( a lot, I must say ) which I usually spend reading, working on my personal computer or on the phone, doing physiotherapy or just listening to music. During these periods I can train much better and, at the same time, I don’t miss any chance to go out in the evening, just for a beer and to meet people somewhere, although I have to be back quite early. Maybe, this happens more often when I’m at home where I have got many more friends to go out with and many more chances to go out. Then, during the year there are the so called “rest periods”, usually following a marathon or an important competition when I live a normal life, just the same than other guys of my age do and when I don’t lack for anything, let’s say that after so many weeks and sometimes months spent in seclusion, you can enjoy your free time much more. This lifestyle has allowed me to last at a competitive level, doing a lot of sacrifices but, at the same time, having the chance to carve out even some free time for my private life.