Today we have the pleasure of catching up with Federico Peloso — a runner, coach, and all-round sports enthusiast.

His story is full of unexpected turns — from the road and trail to the track, from racing to timing others — always driven by the same passion for running. We met him to talk about athletics, training, the future of middle-distance running… and, of course, shoes.

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Hi Federico, it’s a pleasure to have you with us!

How did you first get into running?

Hi everyone, it’s my pleasure to have the chance to share my story and talk about athletics. Staying active and keeping fit has always come naturally to me. It all started with the first kickabouts with friends on the grass fields and at the local parish, then continued with ten years of volleyball and two years of rugby.

Moreover, i can’t forget my three years at middle school, where Professor Icardi taught me how to run, jump and throw — and where I achieved some good results at the regional school championships. A few years after I finished school, that same teacher went on to found Atletica Strambino, the club where I now coach long middle-distance athletes.

About nine years ago, I met my current partner, who at the time was training for the Berlin Marathon. She asked me to join her for a few sessions — I said yes — and from that moment on, running shoes and a stopwatch have been part of my life five or six days a week for the past eight years.

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These days, many athletes move from the track to the road or to trail running — but you did the opposite. Can you tell us how that happened?

I live in Romano Canavese, a small village in the countryside near Turin. Running through the woods comes naturally here — you just step outside and choose which way to go. At first, I took part in a few trail races, but when I went to the track to ask Edoardo Errico to coach me, I was instantly fascinated by what that little 200-metre loop had to offer (in Strambino we’ve got a small track). The technique, the intervals, the plyometrics, the all-round conditioning — and above all, the precision and the unforgiving honesty of the stopwatch.

I loved being out there, running laps and trying to make each one as sharp and fast as possible. I started racing on the road and throwing myself into the mix with the younger track runners — I just love performance!

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Then you became a coach, focusing mainly on track running — though not exclusively. Did you immediately fall for the charm of the red oval?

Yes, as I mentioned before, the track completely captivated me! From the small track in Strambino to the indoor tracks in Padua and Ancona, and then to the 400-metre loops scattered across Piedmont and beyond. Yet, the joy of running along the country lanes and through the woods near home never goes away.

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If you had to describe, in just a few lines, the training sessions and programmes you run with your athletes, what would you say?

Young athletes often need a nudge to build up adequate volume, even when they’re racing shorter distances. Master athletes, on the other hand, sometimes struggle to understand that it’s not just about racking up the kilometres — at the right moment, you also need to push hard in extra laps! This goes to show that personalised training plans are essential: every athlete has their own journey, their own pace, and their own way of developing.

That said, in smaller clubs it’s not always easy to balance personalisation with the number of athletes, the shortage of coaches, and limited time. Sometimes you have to find smart compromises, running joint sessions with differentiated goals or adapting workouts according to each athlete’s level.

In any case, the strength of the group remains a key element: training together, healthy competition, and a sense of belonging help everyone improve, raise the overall standard, and keep motivation high. In all my programmes I include strength and conditioning sessions; I fully support the use of weights and barbells — a great engine, but without the right “chassis,” it can only lead to injuries.

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In your opinion, what are the three fundamental principles for an adult athlete?

1 – RUN
2 – RUN
3 – REST

This trio applies to both recreational and more advanced amateur athletes. If you want to consider yourself a true athlete, you need to learn to respect both training and recovery times — not just the minutes and seconds on the stopwatch, but also your daily and weekly schedule. Nothing should be left to chance: precisely because you’re an adult, an amateur, and not a professional, you have to understand that balancing training with everyday life is very challenging.

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And what about a young athlete approaching middle-distance running — what are the key principles for them?

1 – RUN – HAVE FUN
2 – RUN – PUSH YOURSELF – HAVE FUN
3 – RUN – REST – SPEND TIME WITH FRIENDS AND TEAMMATES

It’s all about rediscovering the joy of heading out on the road, going to the track, and fully enjoying every hour of training.

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What advice would you give to a young athlete practising athletics?

First and foremost, have fun and don’t be afraid to throw yourself into the mix! I’d also leave them with this quote from Maria Sharapova to think about: “Working hard is the easy part; learning to love the struggle is the hard part.”

If they don’t leave the track five seconds later, we’ve got something to work on!

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How do you see the future of middle-distance running? The dominance of African athletes seems to be starting to waver…

A tough question…

Yes, African dominance can waver — I would say it can — but it will still take some time. We mustn’t forget that African runners built their supremacy thanks to a combination of environmental and cultural factors: altitude, the habit of moving by running from a young age, a strong sporting tradition that inspires entire generations, and much more. Today, however, the landscape is evolving.

The mixing of ethnicities and cultures, ease of travel, access to advanced training methods, and increasingly sophisticated technology are all contributing to a rise in standards across the board. This means that athletes from the other four continents can now compete at levels that until recently seemed unattainable.

Crippa, Chiappinelli, Aouani, Battocletti are just a few examples of Italian athletes who are making us dream, but the same can be said for many emerging athletes worldwide. The professionalisation of the sport, greater attention to nutrition, recovery, training plans, and the mental aspect have made it possible to partly close the historic gap. At the heart of it all, however, remains the same truth: “you have to wear out your shoes.”

Whether you’re born in Africa, Europe, or anywhere else in the world, middle-distance running demands discipline, dedication, and lots of kilometres. Therefore, the future of middle-distance running will therefore be more international and diverse, with ever more balanced competition — but no less fascinating.

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We recently published an article on running shoes. Can you share your thoughts? Carbon plates, spikes, drop, insoles, foams…

A real jumble, indeed!

Firstly, carbon plates have been a huge help, especially for advanced amateur runners who have been able to approach performances that were once almost unimaginable… and, let’s be honest, for plenty of physiotherapists who have seen their workload grow due to injuries from overuse or improper use. We’ve gone from the dominance of a few prestigious brands to a true jungle of options, but with a positive outcome: all brands have raised the standard of their products, and today there are countless choices, often of very high quality.

That said, technology doesn’t replace training. You need to respect timing, load, and programmes: shoes are a tool, not a shortcut. Performances are earned in races, not in training. For this reason, it’s essential to use shoes suited to the type of workout, without unnecessarily stressing the body: no spikes for simple strides, no carbon plates for easy runs or middle-distance workouts. In short, the rule is simple: the right shoe at the right time.

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Let’s finish with a song that can’t be missing from your running playlist…

I don’t usually run with headphones or a phone strapped to my arm. Instead, i prefer to listen to my body and get lost in my thoughts or calculations, finishing my workout properly. Music has been part of my life for years, and anyone who wrote these questions knows that well!

I come from a Ska/Punk background: fast and aggressive rhythms! At the moment, though, I’m exploring Italian singer-songwriters — guys more or less my age. When you’re stretching, a bit of music is always welcome, and here’s a track I’d suggest:

“Il Testamento” Appino

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Thank you, Federico, for sharing your experience and your so practical and passionate vision of the world of running. Have a great season — to you and all the athletes in your group!

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The future is bright,
Scirocco TF

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