By Simone Bandini
Athlete, coach and President of Fidal Umbria, Fabio Pantalla and I met on the street a few years ago. To tell the truth, in very different parables: I was in the initial phase of my competitive rise, he was already at the peak of his results. I went back to visit him, today, in his specialized shop in Foligno where, with his wife Michela Barberini, an athlete in good level activities, he divides his time in work and life, electing his Top Runners as a magical meeting place for running lovers.
Born in 1984, Fabio made his debut in ’93 with Leonardo Carducci: “He is the one who made me passionate and, since then, I have played in all the youth categories, with a certain predisposition for middle-distance running”.
He reached his competitive peak between the ages of 19 and 20, when he finished 5th overall at the Italian Half Marathon Championships with a time of 1.09’51” – a junior regional record still unbeaten (Arezzo, 2003).
In 2007 he began coaching successfully, so much so that already in 2009 he followed two athletes among the top five under ’20 in Italy. Then he began his logistical commitment: in 2010 he joined the technical staff of the ASAL Foligno sports club (now Winner Atletica Foligno, founded in 2013). He is technical director and organizational manager, he divides his time between management commitments – he is one of the founders – and the running events of the ‘Strafoligno’ (2012) and ‘Foligno Half Marathon’ (2014).
He then began his institutional role with his appointment as head of road races by Fidal Umbria – a ‘climb’ that would lead him, in 2024, to the highest position of President, a role that still belongs to him today: “So I was able to harmonize my passionate and visceral part of the competitive athlete, with my rational and institutional predisposition to logistics”.
Meanwhile, his commitment became growing, so much so that he began to train other athletes, even at an amateur level. In 2016 he is head of the National Cross Championships in Gubbio – “An idea of mine! He reveals to us” – a professional experience that was decisive for his growth.
And finally, we come to February 2017 when Fabio takes over ‘Top Runners’, Massimo Iodice’s already established shop that was very popular among athletes. At first an uncertain bet: “I didn’t know if I could turn my passion into a real job”. Yet, the store has grown well, since the beginning, thanks to excellent relationships with suppliers who perceive in him a potential and important point of reference for running, giving credit to his professionalism.
There is no shortage of difficult moments: “In March 2020, the closure due to the pandemic leaves the warehouse full and the store ’empty’ of customers: “This is how online sales develop and, while the outdoor movement grows thanks to the rediscovery of ‘natural’ spaces, the primacy of purchases arrives as early as May, with record months repeating themselves. In February 2021, when covid hit hard again and the territory plunged into the red zone: “We decided to move to the adjacent premises, investing at a critical time”. In this, we add, the tenacity of the athlete and the ability to face adversity must have made the difference – together with a certain logic and lucid foresight.
“We created a completely different store from the previous one, with the help of Arch. Federico Adriani. A physical space that over time has become a place for meeting, socialising and discussion; In addition to the exhibition part, a welcoming and meeting environment was created, combined with the laboratory for technical evaluations that provides notions and carries out tests of running biomechanics for the choice of the right and high-performance shoe,” he explains.
Many of the most popular brands today – such as Brooks, Hoka, New Balance, Asics, Puma, Adidas and Dynafit for technical clothing – consider Top Runners of Foligno a strategic reference: “We are invited to exclusive events in Italy and Europe, for us opportunities for updating and professional growth”.
“We are a very close-knit group” – he continues – “My wife Michela is an expert in the clothing sector and takes care of the sale in the store and many other tasks with me. Since last January, Giuliano Inesi has also arrived, who has given further value to our consultancy for the in-depth knowledge of technical materials (he is also a runner, trail lover, ed.) and at the same time has helped us in the development of communication and marketing. We are now visited by numerous local customers, but also from neighboring regions.”
But let’s go back to running, cross and delight of us runners: “Today I only train Omar Fiki – who has won two Italian Championships, Cross and 5000 – a very talented eighteen-year-old who finished 2nd in the 10000 last Sunday!”.
But how does the running world turn today, compared to ‘our’ times? – I Wonder. “There is a certain generational turnover, today many under ’35s are approaching the discipline. I therefore believe that the organizers must change their vision, in line with the new trend, using attention and sensitivity towards this young audience that is growing,” he replies.
Athletics gives you the concept of a goal, from the very first steps. He introduces you to the charm of the challenge and charges the strength of motivation, inducing rigor and method: “I never talk about ‘sacrifice’ in amateur sport. I believe that this term should be replaced by the word ‘choice’. Sacrifice cannot be chosen, in fact, and it is often a term that is abused in our world. We have chosen to do athletics, we are lucky!”, he specifies.
But how do you train today, without looking too much at the Garmin and without stress? I haven’t succeeded yet… “I made a switch, I’ve only been training ‘to feel good’ since 2023, with no more time goals. I can say that I have discovered the pleasure of running and that I am cured!”, he tells me and together we smile heartily.
Fabio trained and competed also in support of his wife Michela with whom we now speak: “I am from Perugia I started running in 2016: “Precisely for this reason in 2018 I came to the shop and Fabio gave me a training program and we started dating. Today I train assiduously and compete, mainly on the distances of the Half and Marathon. We are a couple who share life and work, commitment and passions. In this I have found dynamism and complicity, we meet people with whom we share goals, projects and visions of life”.
Info: Via Monte Acuto 7, Foligno (Pg) / Tel. 0742 353538 / Mob. 328 1450365 / www.toprunners.it / info@toprunners.it