Alongside the classic trail running races, which are now all the rage everywhere—especially during the warmer months— there is another type of mountain running that is gaining increasing attention from enthusiasts: the SKY RUN—mountain races characterized by particularly steep routes and high elevation gains, often exceeding 1,000 meters. These races combine the beauty of mountain scenery with virtually untouched natural environments, uphill running, and the physical exertion of a particularly demanding athletic endeavor—one that sometimes even requires a certain level of athletic and/or mountaineering training to be tackled safely. Let’s take a look at some of the most interesting sky races and vertical races(a sky race specialty featuring very short courses—4k, 5k—and elevation gains of up to 30%) taking place in June.

JUNE 19,
International Skyrace Carnia, Paluzza, Udine
Ernica Skyrace Memorial Fabrizio Spaziani, Veroli, Frosinone
UltraKtrail 60km – 4,300d+ 2016, Corniglio, Parma
UltraKtrail Relay 30+30 km – 4,300 d+ 2016, Corniglio, Parma

JUNE 24,
Santa Caterina Vertical Kilometer, Santa Caterina Valfurva

JUNE 26
Monte Chaberton Trophy, Cesana Torinese
Livigno Skymarathon, Livigno
3 Creste del Resegone Skyrace, Brumano, Bergamo

PRECAUTIONS AND COMMON SENSE
My advice to all beginners is to contact the organizers of the race you’d like to run, so you can get proper guidance from those who best understand the challenges of the course and the environment in which the competition takes place: when you’re just starting out, in fact, you tend to underestimate the challenges or aren’t fully capable of assessing the dangers. If, for example, you suffer from “simple” vertigo, it’s important to know whether the course will include exposed sections or points marked by roped-off paths… A good alternative would be to rely on athletic trainers who specialize specifically in mountain running and sky running.