ROME (2012)

Maratona di Roma — The day after

18 March 2012 — Before the alarm even rings I jump out of bed, and by 5:30 I've had my freshly squeezed orange juice with banana. Quickly I slip into my Aloha outfit, while the rest of the Aloha running group stirs awake. Adrenaline and chaos grow. I thank myself for having laid everything out the evening before.

Rome is a city that embraces you. The streets, the history, the noise — it's all overwhelming in the best possible way. Running through Rome means running past the Colosseum, along the Tiber, through neighbourhoods that have been standing for two thousand years. Every cobblestone has a story.

The Maratona di Roma is a spectacle. Thousands of runners, thousands of spectators, and a city that transforms into one giant finish line. The atmosphere is festive, chaotic, Italian — in the best sense of the word.

I run in my Aloha outfit. The Romans love it. Laughter, cheers, 'Aloha!' called from the sidelines. Rome gives back what you put in — and I put in everything.

Crossing the finish line in Rome is a moment I will never forget. Not because of the time, not because of the medal, but because of what it represents: a step further in the journey for Turner. For Noelle. For all the women who deserve to be seen.

Rome, thank you. Grazie mille.