Mind the Gap writes X, celebrating its historic 10th anniversary in the city-patron of Italian history, culture, and beauty: Rome in all its glory. On a calm Capitoline night, participants in this modern running-inspired treasure hunt sought out Mary, one of the most celebrated yet hidden religious symbols of the Eternal City. From the grandeur of St. Peter’s Square to the shimmering reflections of the Tiber, sacred landmarks to everyday landmarks. The tenth MTG stayed true to tradition while offering a fresh experience. It remained loyal to the original concept crafted by Runaway—intense competition, smart strategy, and deep camaraderie—yet managed to evolve in its own way.

We revisit this special evening, supported by Saucony, where runners had the exclusive opportunity to test the new Endorphin Pro 4 and Endorphin Speed 4. Hosted by Dario Morelli alongside the dynamic Souplesse crew, and featuring Luca Podetti, the creator of the format and a representative of the Milanese group that traveled to Rome for the occasion, their experiences are captured in our visual gallery.

Dario Morelli – Souplesse

“As Souplesse, we got the chance to participate in a Mind the Gap event in Milan and had an amazing time. We loved everything: the journey, the pre-race excitement, the race itself—even the bad weather. From that point on, we knew we wanted to bring the event to Rome. When the opportunity came, we had a clear vision: to showcase the city’s hidden gems while also celebrating the iconic beauty of its historic center—all with a competitive edge.

The phrase ‘Cercà Maria pe’ Roma,’ which basically is like ‘looking for a needle in a haystack,’ was our inspiration. In Rome, images of the Madonna—effigies, paintings, or altars—are tucked away all over. It all started with the ‘passetto del Biscione,’ an ancient site that now houses one of these hidden images and has become part of Roman folklore. Each checkpoint of this edition followed that theme, with the final stop near Regina Coeli.

We wanted to recreate the full MTG experience with an emphasis on social connection. In Milan, MTG was a way for us to meet new people and grow the Souplesse family, and we wanted the same thing in Rome. All that warm, fuzzy energy came from our community, who pitched in to help, even if they weren’t running. Organizing it was a big responsibility, and it was incredibly rewarding to see so many people share our vision.

I hope everyone felt our passion and commitment and enjoyed the event as much as we did. As for the prizes—of course, we used cobblestones in true MTG fashion. The winners took home ‘Vietnamese’ sampietrini like those in the Milan events, along with larger, authentic Roman ones. First-place finishers also received a model of an emperor with a thumbs-up, while the second and third received a centurion and a soldier, respectively. They were kitschy but catchy, perfectly matching the spirit of the event and its history.”

Luca Podetti – Mind the Gap founder/owner of Runaway Milan

“It was an epic edition once again. The starting point of Mind the Gap was inspired by a phrase from Milanese folklore, ‘Fa Balà L’Oeucc,’ which basically means ‘Pay attention’; the Souplesse crew adapted it to the Roman context, drawing from the popular sayings of the capital. After all, Mind the Gap’s checkpoint format is a bit like this—looking for a needle in a haystack.

It was a special edition for me for several reasons: on one hand, I admit that I had never really visited Rome before; on the other, celebrating the 10th anniversary of this event in the Eternal City made everything more meaningful. I got quite excited, as always, because the ‘unofficial’ nature of MTG is thrilling by definition, and Rome’s challenging topography—with its climbs and inclines—added an entirely new dimension from Milan.

I was also thrilled that so many Milanese runners joined this MTG, becoming part of the local Souplesse network. This sense of community is what matters most: Mind the Gap isn’t about the Runaway store; it’s about our collective. Commercial considerations take a back seat. What’s really fulfilling is seeing our impact on contemporary Italian running culture, bringing together different crews and athletes from various regions in the spirit of MTG. That’s our biggest source of pride.

After the Venice and Rome editions, the next step is back to Milan, but with a continuing desire to broaden our horizons. We’ve already identified other historic Italian cities, like Florence, that would be perfect for this format. We’re even considering taking MTG international—several foreign, even American, groups have shown interest. We don’t have anything concrete yet, but we’re looking to expand Mind the Gap!”