“ I am the same stuff pizza is made of ” says her Instagram bio, and when it comes to running and active lifestyle, she has become a unique source of inspiration for thousands of people.
We had the pleasure of chatting with Cristina Turini, runner and author of the blog “Run and The City”, a meeting point for those who love running and want to stay up to date on the latest news in the sector.
How did you initially get into running? Has it always been a passion or did it come at a particular moment in your life?
Running hasn't always been my passion, on the contrary. When I played volleyball it was the part I hated the most in athletic training. But fortunately things change, they never stay the same. And now I love it in all its facets, good and bad, because it's part of my essence. I started running late, around 40, simply to get back in shape. I haven't stopped since.
You are an architect, blogger and runner. How do you balance these three souls of your life? Is there one that you feel closer to than others?
I was born as an architect but I am a journalist and social media manager by adoption... I worked as an interior designer for 16 years after graduating. But the love for writing has always been predominant, because I felt I had something to tell. Hence, the birth of the blog and, later, the collaboration with the publishing house I work for where I am, in fact, editor of Running Magazine and social media manager. This role, more than the work of an architect, marries perfectly with my activity as a running influencer and completes me, especially from a technical point of view. I often go to events or presentations and combine both things. I really like my job.
Tell us about your training routine: how do you integrate running into your work and personal days?
I am basically a very lazy woman and so going out early in the morning to train helps me to be able to laze around (work aside) for the rest of the day. I struggle to carry out all my duties knowing that at the end of the day I still have training to do. So I train three times a week with running, possibly early in the morning and then I do a couple of functional training sessions on the days I don't run. In the middle of the week during my lunch break I train my colleagues,
while when I can on Saturday mornings I train at CityLife with my coach and my friends from the running group.
Your blog "Run and the City" has become a reference point for many runners who like to stay updated on the latest trends. How did the idea come about ? And where does the name come from?
When I started running, in 2014, I couldn't find satisfactory information online that would help me understand how to train best, what shoes and clothing to use, I couldn't find a community of women but only old-school runners who were also quite enthusiastic, very far from my vision of sport as a form of psycho-physical well-being. So I decided to create a site that spoke to women like me, with a simpler and more direct language, without competition but only with a great desire to share and talk about their feelings and experiences, for better or for worse. I understood right away that it would work, because now on social media and the web there are plenty of female formats to follow (and very valid ones too), but ten years ago maybe there were only two of us proposing a space of this type. The name, as a reference to what was my favorite series, Sex and the City, is not a coincidence. Running, the city, but also women with everything that being one entails. And then fashion: clearing the concept that you can be fashionable with the right technical clothes even if we are running and sweating, abandoning the stereotype that the "real runner" does not need to be also pleasing to the eye. Anything in our microworld is valid, as long as it makes us feel better. In the face of all the prejudices that circulate on social media.
For many people, and probably for many members of your community, running is a true metaphor for life. What has this sport taught you?
He taught me not to give up, in any area of life. And he taught me that more than any motivation, what matters is discipline, the engine that makes you go out every time even when you don't feel like it, even when you know it won't go well. But you do it anyway because it's your very essence.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start running?
It depends on the reason why you start. For those who want to lose weight, I recommend starting by alternating running and walking. In general, there is a need for more happiness in this world, and running without constantly looking at the results of others and without performance anxiety, could be a good way to better nourish your soul and feel better, more satisfied with yourself.
Looking to the future… what are your next goals, both as a runner and as a blogger? Do you have any special plans or dreams for Run and the City?
My only project, as I often write, is to live in those exotic places that allow you to be barefoot all day. Or with running shoes, to be able to explore the world by running.
What are your favorite SPORTLAB products, essential in your #sportcareroutine?
I love them all, after training and after the shower, all year round I use the COOLDOWN CREAM . In winter I like to combine the pre-run warm-up with the WARMUP CREAM . I find it really effective for preparing the muscles and I love its scent. And then it absorbs immediately, so then you get dressed immediately without greasing your clothes, and off you go! Another truly indispensable product for me is the POWER SHOWER . And after the shower I like to massage my feet with the FEET RELAX , a real treat, to be used even at the end of the working day.
All we can do is thank Cristina for this nice chat and wish her to continue running towards new goals without ever missing out on a good pizza!