By: Lia Contesso
Submitted: 2012-01-27 08:47:38 | Word Count: 545
Coming to Verona as is tradition this month of February the popular Giulietta&Romeo Half Marathon, a race through the streets of the city that has already become one of the most representative events for runners around the world and for couples who share a love for the sport and who wish to spend Valentine's Day in a different, original way.
Verona's half marathon, organized in the framework of the Verona in Love – if you love someone, take them to Verona initiatives, arrives this year to its fifth edition to put right at the center of athletics, the most famous couple of lovers of all time.
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One of the novelties of this year is represented by the circuit change, that compared to the previous edition's path, has been altered to offer both to the public and to the over 5000 runners that will participate in the event, a better, more balanced combination of athletic challenges and cultural sights.
The starting point of the race has been set up in the Palasport stadium, to allow for better accommodation of both organizational personnel and participants. For example, a special parking area has been set up, as well as supplies sands before the beginning of the competition. Runners will pass some representative historical monuments during the first kilometres of the race, like the Roman amphitheatre and Porta Vescovo. The circuit will then take them through the neighbourhood of Borgo Trento, to Porta San Zeno and then back to the Stadium, where the second half of the marathon will start. This time, the athletes will pass in front of the Basilica di San Zeno, the Duomo square and Piazza dei Signori. The final, most exciting kilometres will take place, a sit could not be otherwise, in Piazza Bra and inside the Arena of Verona.
The Giulietta&Romeo Half Marathon coincides this year too with the Carnival of Verona, also known as "Bacanal del Gnoco", which is why runners have been invited to participate to the race wearing typical carnival masks and thus entering on yet another competition, that of the marathon's best mask. Inscriptions are open until February 15th and can also be completed through the online form in the organization's website.
Moreover, it is possible to add another dimension to the excitement for the race by participating on the training challenge on the most important sports community in the world, Endomondo, on which mentalitasportiva.it has set up the challenge "the one who trains more, wins the race". The prize, the sought-after t-shirt of Mentalità Sportiva and the experience of sharing one's passion with other fans of the sport.
In addition to the race, many other events have been programmed for Saint Valentine's week, like plays in the Teatro Nuovo, photographic exhibitions and many, many activities on the streets decorated with hearts and red tokens of love all around. One of the most curious initiatives is that of being "Giulietta for a day", and thus being able to respond to one of the 100 original love letters the Juliet Club has provided Verona in Love with.
