I remember my first one like it was yesterday. It was the spring of 2016 and I had just met those who would later become my longtime running buddies. At that time, Sunday was tapasciata day. Each week in an ever-changing country, with a new route to discover and the possibility of being able to choose from more than one distance. We would meet in the morning and first thing we would collect the few euros we needed to make the registration, with or without recognition, which generally consisted of groceries: a package of pasta, rice, a package of peeled tomatoes or a bottle of wine. Once you were ready you could start running because the start was free.
A genuine race
The term tapasciata originates from tappascià a dialect voice of Lombard origin, as the Treccani explains. Tapasciare identifies a specific approach to running that has nothing to do with performance or competitive spirit. When you participate in a tapasciata you run for the sheer pleasure of running and completing the route, which always starts and ends at the same point.
In charge of the organization are sports groups and associations that rely on FIASP, Federazione Italiana Amatori Sport per Tutti. I would like to dwell on the sports-for-all sequence of words. Tapas are really open to everyone. Anyone can take part, regardless of age and experience, whether you want to run or walk. It is one of the most inclusive forms of sporting event there is, and it is by nature, without striving to be.
A unique atmosphere
The purpose is precisely to develop and spread the love of sports by fostering socialization among participants. The atmosphere at a tapasciata is truly unique and unmistakable.
There is no competition or any competitive ambition among those who participate in a tapasciata: you run for fun and for the sake of being together. As you run you chat, sweat, and stop at refreshments to drink hot tea in winter and eat a slice of watermelon in summer. You go in and out of the woods, alternating between asphalt and dirt stretches, past rivers and streams, and through farmsteads and cottages.
In tapasciate I see the essence of running, without filters of any kind. Behind this simple and crude event is everything that makes this sport beautiful: joy, sharing, friendship, discovery, lightheartedness, fun. It is impossible not to take well to a tapasciata!
More tapas for all
Whatever your level of training, participating in a tapasciata will be a good idea: if you are just starting out, you will have a chance to meet people, observe the behaviors that reign in the running world (after all, every “kingdom” has its own customs and traditions), you will be able to compare yourself with those who are more experienced and ask for advice and suggestions on how to improve. It will be beautiful and exhilarating. I’m getting excited just writing about it, you see.
On the other hand, if you are already a trained and experienced runner, running a tapas every now and then will do you good: it is a varied and challenging workout. Some routes also involve a fair amount of elevation gain, as in the case of the Strapagnano run in late August in the heart of Brianza and the Curone Valley. Running on different surfaces will strengthen your ankles and muscles, you will get your breath, and you will be able, for once, to take yourself a little less seriously, easing tension and performance anxiety to enjoy a morning away from the city, in the midst of nature and other people who will know how to put a smile on your face without any difficulty :)