The path to a marathon can take countless shapes. For some, it’s a personal quest—toward self-knowledge, self-acceptance, or even full alignment with one’s body. For others, it’s a shared experience: a space to be heard and to uplift others in return. One thing is certain—running 42 kilometers is transformative. It can be both a thrilling challenge that brings together years of habits and experience, and a bold leap into the unknown, often accompanied by deep personal change, the shedding of negativity, or the breaking of internal barriers.

The stories of Clara Abbona, Sofia Montagna, and Lorenzo Lotti—members of the Cisalfa Run Crew preparing for the Berlin Marathon through a special partnership between Cisalfa Sport and adidas—perfectly reflect the multi-layered meaning of this iconic race. Each of them is starting from a very different place, but all three are headed toward the same finish line, fueled by the desire to conquer their 42K.

“For me, the marathon is a symbol,” says Clara Abbona, a self-proclaimed running rookie and social storyteller who turned to the sport as a way to reclaim her identity. “When I decided to go for it, I hadn’t yet done anything in my life that felt truly mine. I want those 42 kilometers for myself—something no one can ever take away. When I saw a girl running the Berlin Marathon, I thought, ‘That’s going to be me in September.’ I really hope I can do it. I haven’t missed a single training session since last August. I keep telling myself: ‘I have to do this. Maybe I won’t make it—but I want to know I gave it my all.’”

Joining Clara in this shared preparation is Sofia Montagna, also a communicator and content creator, but with a much deeper athletic background. A former national-level heptathlete, Sofia’s journey was interrupted by injury—followed by recovery, healing, and the rediscovery of movement through running. Eventually, her first marathons brought something unexpected. “Training for and running my first 42 kilometers taught me that the marathon is, above all, a mental journey,” she explains. “You’re facing yourself for hours. You learn to manage fatigue, to really listen to your body. It made me more aware. More mature. I want to do well in Berlin—but with a light spirit. I don’t want it to become an obsession, like competitive sport once was. I’m preparing with clarity and purpose—and, for the first time, I’ll have months of focused training behind me.”

Guiding both Clara and Sofia on their parallel paths is Lorenzo Lotti, hybrid ultrarunner and long-distance record-holder, taking on the dual role of athlete and coach. Lorenzo discovered running later in life, but embraced it with complete dedication. “The marathon doesn’t just change you because of what happens on race day,” he says. “It’s the whole journey that matters—the training, the discipline, the mental resilience. When you cross the finish line, you’re a different person. In Berlin, I’ll be both athlete and coach. That’s not a burden to me—it’s a motivation. Clara and Sofia will bring me emotions I could never feel running alone. This journey will be special: months of workouts, doubts, highs, and needs. What matters most to me is the path people choose to walk alongside me. The fact that I can pass on a passion that’s made me better—inside and out—is everything.”

With that, the starting gun fires, and the Cisalfa Run Crew’s Road to Berlin begins. In the coming months, we’ll follow their stories through a series of editorial spotlights—each one diving deeper into this collective and individual journey, where miles and finish times meet vulnerability, growth, and shared humanity. Thanks to the voices and experiences of Clara, Sofia, and Lorenzo, we’ll explore what the marathon truly represents—not just physically, but as a transcendent force. As Italian poet Eugenio Montale once wrote, “I dream of running a marathon”—and now, we get to live that dream alongside Cisalfa Sport, adidas and this special Crew.