Maratonna dell’Etna

15k race up and down the Etna. The way up, the race was on a road, sometimes cars were passing next to the runners. Nice landscape, however average organisation. The race started very late, 10.30am, it was already very hot and no shade all the way up. There was another distance, the marathon, which started at the sea level, and the first marathon runners arrived at the starting point of the 15k race before the start (this could have been avoided if the 15k race was starting earlier). There was an inflatable arch at the start , however the start was not under the arch, but on the side, and there was no staring line as such ! (which was a bit weird). This was to not intervene with the marathon runners which were passing under the arch.
The descent was very steep and cool, which was probably the best part of the race. At the end of the race, I couldn’t really have the refreshments as there was only 1small table shared with the marathon runners which still had about 10k to go, and it was really packed.
Also, not much atmosphere around the race, no one from the crowd was cheering / encouraging the runners.
I would add a comment for the marathon race, as it was a road race on its large majority, 33k on a paved road with cars in traffic overtaking the runners ( not a trail as I was expecting).