Fondi in Rosa

Fondi in Rosa is a 9 km road race held every autumn in Fondi, in the province of Latina, in southern Lazio. Run by the Olimpia Lazio club together with the local branch of ANDOS, the Italian national association of women who have undergone breast cancer surgery, it is part of the "Pink October" movement: sport becomes a way to talk about prevention, encourage regular screening and promote an active lifestyle. Part of the entry fees funds ANDOS's work in the area. First held in 2023, it quickly found a place in the regional calendar and has featured in the UISP Grande Slam "Natalino Nocera" series.

The morning brings together two formats. The competitive 9 km race starts at 9:00 from Viale Vittorio Emanuele III, at the gates of the historic centre, where runners gather from 7:00. The route then leaves the heart of town for the Ripa area and Via Querce before heading back to the finish, on the roads of the town and its outskirts. Drinks stations are set up along the course and at the finish. Alongside it, a non-competitive 5.3 km walk at an easy pace is aimed at residents, families and anyone who wants to support the cause without worrying about the clock.

The distance makes it an approachable event: club runners get a fast autumn outing, halfway between a 5K and a 10K, while beginners can try a first timed race. The walk lets less sporty people share the same morning and the pink-tinged atmosphere that defines the event. The top finishers and participating clubs receive awards, and a "Run for Andos" trophy goes to the largest group, which encourages associations and sports clubs to turn out in numbers.

Fondi spreads across a broad coastal plain facing the Tyrrhenian Sea, backed by the Ausoni and Aurunci mountains and bordered by Lake Fondi, whose shores are part of a regional nature park. Within its walls the town has kept the grid street plan inherited from its Roman origins, and its centre is dominated by the Caetani Castle and its tall keep, next to the Palazzo del Principe. The event is supported by the town council, the Lazio region, the province of Latina and the Monti Ausoni and Lake Fondi Regional Nature Park.

On the practical side, the first runners to register receive a race pack with the official technical T-shirt, and walkers also leave with the event T-shirt, whose logo comes from a creative competition run in local schools. With the gathering opening two hours before the start, there is plenty of time to warm up in the surrounding streets. Fondi is served by Fondi-Sperlonga station, on the railway line between Rome and Naples, and by the Via Appia, which runs through the town.