Ovidio Running

Ovidio Running: where sport meets culture in Sulmona

Ovidio Running is one of the most popular sporting events in Sulmona, the heart of the Peligna Valley in the Abruzzo region. Every September, the race transforms the city's historic center into a vibrant open-air stage, where professional athletes, amateurs, students, families, and casual enthusiasts gather to run and walk together through the alleys, squares, and monuments of this historic town.

A name that pays tribute to Ovid

The event is named after Publius Ovidius Naso, the great Latin poet born in Sulmona in 43 BC and the undisputed symbol of the city. It is no coincidence that the event is promoted by the Giambattista Vico High School, part of the IIS Ovidio, in collaboration with the Runners Sulmona Association. Participants' bibs and shirts feature Ovidian quotes and symbols of peace, reflecting the spirit of the initiative: to combine physical activity with the rediscovery of the region's cultural and classical identity.

The race program

The competitive core of Ovidio Running is the 9.9 km race, a city course recognized by FIDAL and included in the Corrilabruzzo circuit and the CorriMaster calendar, which winds through the historic center. Alongside the competition, there are more inclusive formats:

• the Young Race, dedicated to youth up to 15 years old;
• the non-competitive fun run of approximately 3 km, open to everyone and designed for families and beginners.

The start and the event headquarters are traditionally located in Piazza Garibaldi, one of the most beautiful and spacious squares in Abruzzo, dominated by the medieval aqueduct and the perfect setting to welcome participants and spectators.

A European vocation

In recent years, Ovidio Running has taken on an international dimension, becoming an event held in multiple countries: in addition to Sulmona, the race has also been hosted in Constanta (Romania), home to Ovidius University, and Loutraki, Greece. This European reach is linked to the SCORE project, co-funded by the European Union's Erasmus+ Sport program and implemented as a pilot action within the European Week of Sport.

Sport, school, and solidarity

Ovidio Running is also an educational and social project: students from the Vico High School actively collaborate in the organization, handling registrations, race pack distribution, and awards ceremonies, thereby earning school credits. The event also has a strong charitable focus, with bib purchases supporting local community members and care facilities, ensuring that sport remains an opportunity for everyone to participate. Running the Ovidio Running is therefore much more than just a race: it is a way to experience Sulmona, its history, and its community spirit.