Adidas LUT Experience
WORDS → Emanuele Castiglione
DATE → 2026-06-29
We were in Cortina with adidas to support the athletes on the starting line of the 120-kilometer flagship race of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail.
Every great story needs heroes, because without their feat there would be nothing to tell. The story written every year on the trails of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB is an epic of 120 kilometers and 5,800 meters of elevation gain—a monumental challenge that this year saw 1,491 athletes line up at the start, ready to push their limits in search of personal glory. But behind every great feat, there is also an invisible network of friendship, sharing, and support. And that is exactly what brought us to Cortina with the adidas team: to breathe in the trail dust and give strength to those about to accomplish something extraordinary.
The electricity and excitement vibrating in the air in Cortina before the start were contagious, pushing us beyond the role of mere spectators. To experience the eve firsthand, we organized an 8-kilometer Run with adidas—the perfect excuse to field-test the new additions to the Terrex Agravic line and put ourselves in the shoes of those athletes who, a few hours later, would switch on their headlamps to face the darkness of the Dolomites. We laced up the Agravic SL, ideal for the fluidity of daily training; the protective Agravic TT, designed for grinding out long distances; and the responsive Agravic Speed Ultra 2, featuring a carbon plate in the sole for peak race performance.
Running through green meadows at sunset, with a light breeze caressing your skin, is one of those pure sensations that remind you exactly why we love running so much. In that setting, the shoes proved to be the perfect travel companions, supporting our pace naturally and leaving us free to take in the beauty of the landscape. Then, suddenly, the sight of a dirt straightaway sparked the urge to push: we ran some quick relays, laughing and joking, cementing an incredible group bond in just a few minutes.
After loosening up our legs and shaking off the tension, it was time for a well-deserved after-party. We headed to the Cooperativa di Cortina store, specifically to The Roof, where adidas’ hospitality turned into a full-blown celebration with music and great food—the perfect appetizer before the big moment. As the clock approached 11 PM, we headed down to the heart of Cortina d’Ampezzo to enjoy the start of the flagship race. Seeing the tension and focus etched on the athletes’ faces just seconds before the start was spine-tingling. With our shouting and cheering, we tried to give them as much energy as possible, because in the end, supporting someone means exactly that: giving part of your own enthusiasm to help those running fuel up. And believe me, when 120 kilometers and nearly 6,000 meters of elevation gain await you, you need every last drop of that energy.
