San Marino 3 April: San Marino - Perugia
We started in San Marino, at the Ministry of Tourism building. The Ambassador of San Marino to the UNESCO , Edith Tamagnini, received the torch and gave us some very nice gifts in appreciation.
Our old friends from Harmony Runs past, Carlo and Libero, then showed us around the majestic castle, where we enjoyed an incredible view, despite the fact that the Adriatic Sea was covered in fog...
After descending from the 700m high rock of San Marino we headed over the Apennine Mountains. As we crossed one range the day changed dramatically from sunny spring into a thick fog. The visibility was barely twenty meters.
We still managed to find the way to our first school meeting in Sansepolcro, although the journey was not without its comical moments. We had arranged the meeting beforehand and got the directions from the internet, but there are two schools with the same name in Sansepolcro, and naturally we went to the wrong one. Needless to say, the school was surprised to see us.....
In Citta' di Castello we were invited by the mayor into the city hall, an old Palazzo from the 13th century. The sun was burning down as we made our next stop at a small school in Umbertide, where enthusiastic children ran with the torch and all of us enjoyed a game of guessing who comes from where - the runners of our international team as well as many kids from this school come from many different countries!
Finally we arrived at the gates of Perugia, where some fellow runners were waiting to help us. They accompanied us all the way into the outstanding famous old city, where the Assessore allo Sport received the torch in another ancient building. Afterwards we went back to Ponte Felcino for accommodation and a nice dinner with the local Runners club, who had also accompanied us on previous Harmony Runs.
Distance: 130km