On the walls of his home in Monserrato—among medals, cups, certificates, and yellowing photos—every corner exudes passion for sport. "Never in my life would I have expected to do all this," says Carlo Porcu, aka Carletto, with shining eyes and the smile of someone who has lived an extraordinary adventure.
At 86, this tireless marathon runner from Montserrat is a true legend of Sardinian athletics. In a treasured notebook, he has recorded all 1,100 races he has participated in, noting the exact finishing times for each event, specializing in cross-country and mountain running.
The first time
His adventure began on June 16, 1991, when at 51, he participated in the Senior Olympics in Cagliari, organized by then-councilman Gianfranco Fara: a 3-kilometer race from the town hall to the CONI stadium. "My passion was born in that race, which I entered almost by chance. Also," Porcu adds, "I had a special encounter because a comedian I adore, Benito Urgu, was participating." There, he met a manager of Libertas Campidano and immediately joined the club. "I remember that the tracksuits they gave us looked like those from the 1934 World Cup, from the Pozzo era," he says, smiling. The following year, he went to Ischia, where he took a free course to learn running techniques.
The passion
The dozens of victories in his category are the fruit of his passion and discipline: "I made training plans, read specialized magazines, and in 1992 I ran my first real marathon in Assemini. During that first marathon," Carlo emphasizes, "I thought of my idol Gelindo Bordin, Olympic gold medalist in 1988." And from that moment on, his legs never stopped: "From there I toured all of Sardinia, even taking part in mountain races, the so-called hill climbs." An avid reader of historical essays, a lover of nature and music, during his career he met great champions like Antonio Cardia and Gianfranco Melas. Not even a serious injury could break him: "At 79, I fell during a race and even had knee surgery. I was away from racing for 4 months but I came back more determined than ever". In the 90s he ran the marathons in Milan and Rome: "The one in the capital is spectacular, running a few steps away from the Colosseum and the Imperial Forums, accompanied every kilometre by musical groups from all over the world".
Always on the run
Even today, at 86, he trains up to four times a week, stopping only because of the heat: "I ran my last race two months ago because now they've stopped everything because of the heat." He's become a symbol in Sardinia: "I once took part in a race in Sassari, but I arrived by train less than ten minutes before the start. As soon as they saw me arrive, the organizer stopped all the procedures so I could race with the others because I was now a sort of institution."
In 1,100 races, he has never retired: "Sometimes during races, the crowd and competitors see me and are amazed. Some jokingly shout, 'Are you still running?' I love running; it's made me travel and have a lot of fun. I have no intention of stopping, as long as my body allows me to."
And every time, upon arrival, the magic repeats itself: he is greeted by the affectionate applause of the judges, medical staff, and volunteers, a perfect reward for those who never stop running.