Age, heat, and elevation stood no chance against the fire of Filipino ultrarunner Lorenzo Castro Jr., who once again proved why he is a force to reckon with on the Italian running scene.
Under the blistering Tuscan sun, Castro defended his title at the gruelling 30-kilometer Pistoia Abetone race held recently, finishing first with a record-breaking time of 1:59:50—beating his own 2024 finish of 2:00:26.
This year’s edition of the race was brutal. With temperatures soaring between 37 to 40 degrees Celsius and a punishing 900-meter elevation gain toward San Marcello, the challenge became more than physical—it was mental warfare. But the Florence-based athlete, who just turned 43 last week, dug deep, silencing the body’s pleas to stop with the willpower only a seasoned champion possesses.
Castro described it as one of the toughest battles he has fought on the road. “It was hard, sweaty, full of moments in which the body said ‘enough,’ but the head and heart said ‘keep going, laki ng difference time ko po last year. This half season last run ko na po ito dahil summer na”. he said. His grit earned him the top spot once again, ahead of Italian runners Petrucci Morgan of Orecchiella G. (2:01:12) and Filoni Alain of Amoretto ASD (2:01:43), who took second and third, respectively.
This triumph adds to Castro’s blazing half-season performance in Italy, where he’s been storming podiums across various distances. After being the top Filipino male finisher in the 2025 Rome Marathon last March 16, he has gone full throttle, racking up impressive victories and finishes—winning the 2025 Corri alla Romola (14.5K) in 52:07, topping the Pontassieve Half-Marathon in 1:18:01, placing 5th overall in the Firenze Half-Marathon with a time of 1:09:37, finishing 7th in the Run Notturno di San Giovanni (9.9K), and claiming another title at the Trofeo Questura Firenze (11K) in 36:56.
From flat roads to mountainous climbs, day races to night runs, Castro has consistently shown that his passion for running burns hotter than any Italian summer. With each stride, each finish line, and each win, he continues to raise the Philippine flag high in international endurance racing.