Ultrarunner, coach, and mother, Ivana di Martino has transformed running into a true declaration of love for life. Her endeavors are not just sporting challenges, but journeys that inspire and leave a lasting impression.
A new adventure awaits her in September: " Infinite Beauty ," ten marathons in ten days, in ten Italian cities. A unique project, which SPORTLAB Milano has proudly chosen to support.
We had the pleasure of talking to her about it, in an interview that gave us profound reflections and words that go far beyond sport.
You started running at eleven, lived with an arrhythmia that forced you to undergo surgery, and despite that, you never stopped challenging yourself. How have these personal experiences changed your perception of limits and self-care?
Since I was a child, running has been an act of self-love: sweating, toiling, rejoicing. When my heart trembled and I had to stop, I discovered how indispensable that gesture was: it was my lifeblood. My limitations, which I initially perceived as a wall, transformed into a traveling companion. I learned to truly listen to myself, to run with more respect, to see pain not as an enemy, but as a signal. From that pain came a choice: to run for all women, children, and the planet. My extreme feats weren't heroic gestures: they were messages, journeys of sharing. I learned that taking care of oneself also means taking on the responsibility of being an example, of showing that limitations are fertile ground for rebirth. Taking care of oneself doesn't just mean healing oneself: it means running within, with courage and love.
Over the years you have dedicated your efforts to various social causes – from the 21 half marathons to denounce violence against women in 2013 to the 330 km of the White Ultra Run to prove that " it can be done . " What drives you to run today? And how has the way you choose the causes you support changed?
At first, I ran out of anger. Out of pain. For the things I couldn't say. Those 21 half marathons against violence against women were an open wound, mine and that of many others. Running was a way to not stay silent. Then, little by little, I began to transform that anger into responsibility. Running became a voice. A way to say "I'm here." Today, I still run for the same reasons, but with a broader perspective. I choose the causes that speak to me, that shake me inside.
Your next project, "Infinite Beauty," combines running with environmental protection. How did the idea of transforming a sporting feat into a narrative journey about the fragility of the Italian landscape come about?
“ Infinite Beauty ” was born from nostalgia. From that sweet melancholy that comes over you when you look at a landscape and realize we're losing it, piece by piece. I thought: what if running could become a narrative? A way to cross Italy not only physically, but with an open heart. I wanted each stage to be a caress, a testimony. A declaration of love. Because protecting what is fragile is not just a duty: it's a profound need.
Every stop seems to have a soul: Milan, Crespi d'Adda, Naples... what is the invisible thread that binds them?
The thread is memory. The one we carry within us, and the one we find in places. Each stop is a story that endures: Milan, which runs and reinvents itself; Crespi d'Adda, which recalls work and dignity; Naples, which pulsates with life even where everything seems to be crumbling. I chose them because they speak of us. Of who we were, of who we can still become. And every kilometer I run is a way to stitch these fragments together.
The company supports Legambiente's "Clean Up the World" project, which encourages citizens, schools, and governments to redevelop the places they love. Will there be any concrete initiatives during the 10 stages to link sporting gestures to raising awareness?
Yes, and they will be the heart of the project. Because running alone is no longer enough for me. I want this to be a collective endeavor, made up of hands that get dirty, eyes that notice, people who choose to be there. At every stage there will be a gesture: a concrete, visible action. To show that beauty can be protected even with small gestures. And that you don't have to be an athlete to take care of the world. Just being there. Really.
And from an athletic standpoint, what will be the biggest logistical, physical, or mental challenges of running 10 marathons in 10 days?
Fatigue is a companion I know well. But when it accumulates day after day, it becomes something deeper: an internal dialogue. The body gives way, but the mind... the mind can keep you standing or bring you down. The real challenge will be that: staying present, despite the pain, despite the fatigue. And then there's everything else: the logistics, the time pressure, the lack of sleep, the carefully managed diet. But above all, it will be a test of the heart. And that, despite everything, is still beating strongly.
Ivana's words remind us that running is never just about effort or endurance, but a tool to give voice, to unite, to leave a mark.
“ Infinita Bellezza ” is not just a sporting feat: it is an invitation to stop, to listen, to take care of the places and people around us.
We at SPORTLAB Milano are proud to accompany Ivana on this adventure, supporting her with our products, and knowing that every marathon, every kilometer, and every gesture will have the strength to transform into messages of courage and responsibility.
Because when sport meets beauty and commitment, then yes, it truly becomes infinite.