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MICHELE GRAGLIA

Born:30.08.83 ITALY

"Strength doesn't come from physical ability. It comes from an indomitable will."

Mahatma Ghandi
MICHELE GRAGLIA

Bio

A native Italian and former international model who lived in Miami, New York City, and Milan as part of his modeling career, in 2011 Michele discovered his true passion resided far away from the cameras and jet-set lifestyle. He then started running ultramarathons and in January 2012 he won a 50-mile race through the Everglades in South Florida, and since then, has won virtually every race he has entered. Specializing in trail and extreme races through some of the most demanding terrain on Earth, Michele has run over 25 ultras to date, including several 100 miles or longer, including a "sub-24" finish at the grueling Leadville 100 in Colorado (2013), a win at the UltraMilano-Sanremo, a breakthrough 2nd place overall finish at the highly competitive Angeles Crest 100 in California (2014), a strong win on the Alps at the Cro-Trail in France/Italy (2015), another strong win in the frozen northern regions of the Canadian Arctic Circle at the Yukon Arctic Ultra (2016) with temperatures dropping to -40' degrees, and the most recent win at the 2018 Badwater135, the "world's toughest ultramarathon", right through Death Valley (California) with temperatures reaching up to 130' degrees. Michele found running as a mean to pursue adventure and exploration in the most primal and simple way. No matter the weather, the conditions, the terrains... From a very young age his family instilled in him a deep passion for the outdoors, especially for the mountains. He sees running as wild and free, connecting with nature in a pure, simple, almost primal state. He considers it as a meditative and introspective experience. In a highly demanding, fast paced and always-connected society, running offered an outlet, it represented an escape. Running became a mean to dedicate and reconnect with himself and with wild places. He now resides in Los Angeles, California where he balances his life between ultra running, yoga teaching, guiding hikes, endurance coaching, nutritional planning, and being a dedicated husband to his beautiful wife Lauren... and "dad" to a white fluffy pup named Charles."

Interview

1) Which is your favorite place for running?
Honestly, I wouldn't be able to choose between muntains, deserts or forests. I just enjoy running in Nature, in open air with a constantly changing horizon.
2) Which is your specialization?
 Ultrarunning! I really like 100 miles races, especially in extreme conditions.
3) Do you have a pre-race routine?
 I am not superstitious but I like my rigorous routine preceeding every long race. Light breakfast: usually banana and nuts butter, than meditation. Visualisation before and relaxing after, just before wearing my shoes and start!
4) When and why did you start running?
 At the end of 2010 in New York: i lost the direction of life but I found "Ultramarathon man", the book of Dean Karnazes.
5) Which are your La Sportiva favorite shoes?
 Kaptiva, Bushido II, Helios and Lycan
6) What's in the air?
 Some desert running ;)

Highlights

  • 2014 1° Ultra Milano-Sanremo (285km)
  • 2014 2° Los Angeles Crest
  • 2015 1° Cro -Trail
  • 2016 1° Yukon Arctic Ultra
  • 2018 1° Badwater135
  • 2018 Guinnes world record for the Atacama desert crossing
  • 2019 First crossing of the Gobi desert - 1700 km
 
 

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