The first marathon runner crossed the finish line

A few months after Antonio Baldaccini threw down the gauntlet to UMBRAGROUP Spa employees, the first marathon runner crossed the finish line. Danele Frillci, who works in the industrial sales office, ran the Saint Valentine’s Marathon in Terni on February 18th.

Keeping his word, UMBRAGROUP CEO & President commented, “I am very happy for Daniele Frillici’s success in the Saint Valentine’s Marathon because he is the first UMBRAGROUP employee to successfully achieve the goal of completing the race, winning the €200 award, which I will personally donate in collaboration with Winner Athletics. Daniele is certainly a good example for all those who want to begin this long journey of preparation and competition, a mix of pain and pleasure toward a desired goal. Challenging your limits in unpredictable weather conditions and landscapes helps both men and women make a difference, not only at work, but also in their everyday lives.”

Here are the Industrial Products Sales Engineer, Daniele Frillici’s responses on the topic:

Daniele, when did your passion for running start?

I’ve played sports since I was a child, being involved in various disciplines. About ten years ago, I began to challenge myself on the Rome bicycle path. I remember perfectly my satisfaction in achieving my first goals: 5 km, 10 km, 15 km. I had to wait until 2011 to compete in my first official race, the Roma- Ostia 21 km. From then on, this race has become a tradition, and this year will mark the 8th time I’ve participated in it. 

What do you experience when you run a marathon?

Whenever you are at the starting line, there isn’t a spirt of competition with the hundreds or thousands of people who flank you. You feel a sense of brotherhood, you motivate and encourage each other. Up to 33 km, you run a race. After that everything changes. You pas the Pillars of Hercules, sailing the open sea. You grit your teeth, listen to your own heartbeats, and convince your mind that you can still keep going. 

Let’s talk about the Sant Valentine’s Marathon in Terni. Were there moments when you thought about giving up?

Giving up, no, but toward the end I fought against the more calculating part of myself that invited me to slow down to a more comfortable pace, which still would have allowed me to improve my record. Instead, thanks to an adventure company that encouraged me to not slow down. I threw my heart beyond the obstacle and managed to lower my time by five minutes, an eternity, especially on a path as torturous as that of the Saint Valentine’s Marathon. And so, on a gray and rainy Sunday in February, I did not want to stop. It became a beautiful color photograph that I will jealously keep in my album of memories.

How does it feel to cross the finish line?

To tell the truth, when you cross the finish line, you are so tired that it is difficult to even try to feel anything other than exhaustion. Of course, you are filled with a sense of satisfaction from having accomplished something almost heroic. If you haven’t experienced it yourself, it is difficult to explain. Many consider us to be cray, but if I had to look for a slogan to push people toward racing, it would not be hard to find the words. Preparing for or during the 42.195 km, one has time to look within, to think, to strengthen one’s own convictions, and to improve the ability to cope with difficulties. There is no magic formula that can help you reach your goal, whatever it is. Each of us has a different one. The important thing is to accept the challenge. 

You are the first UMBRAGROUP employee to have finish a Marathon. What do you think about that?

I am a normal person with a normal life, a normal body, and no extraordinary gifts. If I did it, why shouldn’t you do it too? Today, it is just a great honor to be the first employee to have run and completed a marathon in 2018. I hope to be a stimulus for a lot of other colleagues who consciously, harbor a dream of reaching 42 km, but haven’t yet done it.  I have already set my next challenge, the 58 km of the Strasimeno next March 18th. I would be lying if I said I was not terrified, there is no guarantee of success. but maybe that is the beauty of it. 

At this point, CEO Antonio Baldaccini’s question is simply this: “Who will be number two?”