ALWAYS IN A RUN, IN EVERY SENSE
A lifelong athlete and mountain enthusiast, she discovered running after having her first daughter, but the desire to get back into running is so strong that it pushes her to compete on very tough trails. We're talking about the tireless Milena Pirola, born in 1984, a mother, wife, banking consultant, and athlete always ready for new challenges. With the arrival of her second child, she was forced to abandon off-road running, but she continues to pursue road running, setting numerous new goals with motivation and dedication.
A competitive cyclist since the age of 12, Milena Pirola will never lose her desire to wear the bib. Only a brief hiatus at around 24—the classic "quarter-life crisis"—but the arrival of her first daughter was enough to rekindle her motivation and get her back on the track, this time not on a bike but running. " It was the only sport I could combine with family and work, initially racing for the team of the bank I work for ."
Passionate about mountains, trekking, mountaineering, and ski mountaineering, Milena is starting to feel the urge to wear a running bib again, and by combining her passion for the mountains with her passion for running, it becomes natural to take up trail running.
From her first races, Milena showed she'd never lost her ability and ability to perform well: a 6th place finish at the 2018 GTO and a 9th place finish at the 2018 Cortina Trail proved it. With the arrival of her second child, things changed, and Milena had to take a break from mountain running and return to road running. Thanks to her coach, she learned about the e-Rock Team and immediately joined. " It's a fantastic team. Together, we share and celebrate our results and the achievement of our goals. We follow each other to various races, and when we can, we go on group outings or training sessions." Her husband, a former soccer player, also started running and enjoyed it so much that he even took up triathlons. " Whenever possible, we train together. The grandparents are a great help by looking after the children, or we alternate: one stays with the kids while the other trains." Milena isn't closing the door on any possibilities: for now, triathlon is just a hobby, but she doesn't rule out the possibility of taking part in some races sooner or later.
Milena's journey hasn't just been a success, but also has seen some setbacks: during the Florence marathon, she suffered a muscle injury that sidelined her for four to five months. " My goal now is to get back into shape and, indeed, improve my personal bests in the 10,000 meters and the half marathon, which I plan to enter this fall/winter once I've fully regained my lost form ."
Running gives Milena unique sensations: her favorite part of her sport is certainly not the actual race itself, which causes her a fair amount of anxiety, but the intense training sessions she shares with her teammates on the e-Rock team. " Having a goal, other than simply improving my physical fitness, is essential for providing the right motivation during training. For example, in my case, improving my time or registering for a race motivates me to give my all during training ." Her favorite places to train alone are the cycle paths of the Seriana and Brembana Valleys, where she can run for many kilometers in complete tranquility, while her favorite place to relax after a strenuous outing is her own garden.
In terms of clothing, Milena's favorite Rock Experience products are fleeces, which she also uses for going out with friends, and down jackets for colder days.
