“I am organizing a competition. You are among the very few to receive this invitation, not everyone can take part. I can’t tell you much more now. You can’t talk about it or invite anyone.”
I receivedthis anonymous message in late June. In short, basically an invitation to the fight club. First rule of Mind The Gap: you don’t talk about Mind The Gap. In the beginning at least it was so, now (maybe) you can talk about it but the truth is that talking about it is completely useless, because you can’t participate anyway.
How it works
The Mind The Gap is what might be called a checkpoint race. What does it mean? It means there is no set path: there is a start, of course. And at some point there is also an arrival. But in between there are exclusively checkpoints from which you must compulsorily pass. If there is no route, it also means that the route is in no way closed to traffic or manned, also because you would have to close the whole city. That’s why you run at night.
At Mind The Gap, you can’t sign up. If you are (very) lucky you receive an invitation message like the one above. If you talk to anyone about it, you’re out.
Frequently Asked Questions
In what order should I pass checkpoints? Your business.
How long is it? It depends on what road you take. I’ve seen people close it in just over 5 miles and others wander for almost 14 miles, hallucinating and dehydrated.
Whoever comes first wins, you understand, but it doesn’t have to be the fastest. Sure, you could plan the best route with Google Maps, if only you knew the checkpoints beforehand. Or at least if you knew where to start. Instead.
How do I sign up? You can’t. If your heart is pure it will be MTG that will seek you out.
What do you win? The undying glory and the best pizza by the slice in town, strictly double mozzarella. Or a sanpieter. Or a michetta.
What to expect
The truth is that MTG is a race that literally invents and reinvents itself as it goes along and is never the same. Even if you were lucky enough to participate-I already told you that you can’t sign up right? – you will be given almost no directions except a few moments before departure. And it is not certain that such indications will not change later in the course of the race. I could tell you about the phantom checkpoint or when they took us off and shuffled our shoes: but it will all be different next time anyway :)
You’ll find some healthy hipsterism, competition q.b., plenty of craziness and plenty of smiles.
In short, almost nothing is known about MTG. But I can guarantee you that this is one of the most fun and goliardic things they have ever organized a in the running world, at least in Milan.
Another not insignificant issue is that you never know is when to expect it: the first edition was in November 2019 and it was cold as hell; the second one was in July 2021 and I don’t think I have ever lost so much fluid in such a short time.
For the third edition there are rumors of November 2021, but what do you care anyway, it’s not like you can sign up. You in doubt keep an eye on the Instagram account.
All photos by Andrea Schilirò / portraits by Naoto