Marco Olmo’s interview

Podisti.net interviews Marco Olmo, a legend among all trail running enthusiasts. Born in 1948 and a native of Robilante he has, unlike the most widely-famed sports stars, worked as a lumberjack, truck driver and  excavator operator. Today he discusses an extremely important topic for anyone who competes in long-duration races in difficult weather conditions: clothing.

What’s the running scene like these days, and what does it mean for you?

1. Running is a fast-growing sport, now also among young people and particularly in a natural setting. The distinctive things it offers are beautiful landscapes, values like solidarity between participants and the fact that it’s successfully getting away from the logic of times like in a marathon, because each run is a story in itself. I myself, who started off as an amateur, was driven on by a lot of willpower and competitiveness supported by a physique that enabled me to train very hard despite the fact that I also worked in a quarry, so I managed to come out top in a lot of long races.

How do you prepare for long races from the clothing point of view?

2. I’ve taken part in long races all over the world, taking on all types of climate. The first piece of advice I’d give is to stick to the instructions of the organisers, especially if you don’t know the country or the environment you’ll be running in, and then to achieve the right compromise between the weight you’ll be carrying and the quality of the materials, for the best comfort in all situations. In the Marathon Des Sables, for example, the temperature ranges from 10-15 degrees at night and 38-40 in the day, so a 600-gram sleeping bag is sufficient. In Bolivia you go up to 3700 meters in altitude, so at night it’s 5-10 degrees. There, as well as a suitable sleeping bag, you need some fairly warm post-race clothing, which on the other hand is of negligible importance in a country like Mozambique where the temperatures never drop below 22-25 degrees even at night and where highly breathable materials are your best ally. Choosing the right clothing and accessories requires careful research, therefore, because every additional gram can affect your race but, at the same time, going without a bit more protection can affect your psycho-physical well-being.

To what should we pay particular attention when it’s very hot?

3. Breathability is the most important quality of the clothing I use for running, and for me the perfect technical clothing is that made by CMP in Dryarn fibre.  And then after the race has finished and in my spare time I love to be comfortable.

Good looks and practicality, can they coexist?

4. When I race I care more about functionality than aesthetics and the product line made for me is minimal but highly functional. I’m a simple man and I’m happy to run in clothing that’s able to satisfy me and reflect who I am, and the product line developed together with CMP reflects me totally. It gives me great pleasure to see other runners wearing it who feel the same way as I do while racing, and who appreciate its technical qualities. → https://www.cmpsport.com/it_it/ambassadors/marco-olmo

So they’re products that you feel you can recommend?

5. Yes, because they’re not too bulky, they’re very breathable and have a high sweat-absorption capacity. This last factor is particularly important when moving from sunny to shady or northerly-facing ground. I believe that simplicity is the key to success also in clothing. You only need to look at the people who’ve won the MDS for confirmation of this rule.