Words by Like the Wind – Photography supplied by Diadora
Creativity is rarely – if ever – a box-ticking exercise. There may be some guidelines but there is always, without exception, something indefinable that ignites the soul and the spirit. The same goes for running. Sure, there are concepts and practices that runners should follow. But for any athlete aiming to soar beyond what the world suggests is their potential, there has to be something else. Some magic.
And that indefinable something is what characterises a very special entity in the world of running today: Diadora’s Squadra di Corsa. This is not a running crew. Or a team of elite athletes. It is not an influencer programme. Or a club that you can pay to join. This is something else. And even the description of what it is, is hard to pin down.
The idea for the Squadra di Corsa was birthed in 2022. Through discussions between members of the Diadora team – located in Caerano di San Marco, Italy and Philadelphia, PA, USA – a concept came to life that had, at its heart, a true sense of community. Of family, even. A group of people connected by concepts such as curiosity, generosity, competition and shared values. Even at this early stage, it was hard to establish exactly what the Squadra di Corsa was or could be. But for the team at Diadora, it just felt right.
Since those initial conversations, which resulted in the adoption of a name to give shape to a concept, runners have started to congregate under the banner of the Squadra di Corsa. These are people who are compelled to run. They thrive on the energy. They revel in all the parts of running – not just the moments of seemingly effortless flow. But also the pain and the sweat and the struggle. The people around the world – because this is a worldwide movement now – who come together as part of the Squadra di Corsa want to feel free through running. Thus, more than anything, the Squadra di Corsa is an organic entity, unbound by rules and regulations, that acts as a vehicle for its members to express themselves through effort, through the discomfort of pushing relentlessly and – of course – through the euphoric feeling of running as part of a group.
The people who make up this squad are united through understanding the commitment that running requires. They strive for one more rep, one more mile, one more adventure. Ancora, ancora, ancora – again, again, again.
And what of the importance of the Squadra di Corsa to Diadora? Well, because the Squadra di Corsa reflects the myriad approaches of the people who are part of it, the brand is able to tap into a huge and varied network of individuals and groups. Those who are willing and able to provide feedback on whatever Diadora is creating, whether that is products or concepts.
So how do you gain entry to this… family? This squad? This elusive gathering? Well, in the spirit of not being able to define exactly what the Squadra di Corsa is, of course there is no defined way through which you become a part of it. In fact, this is probably the key to understanding what it is. According to Floriano Macchione, Diadora’s Global Running Brand Manager, the way to be part of the Squadra di Corsa is to live the qualities that it represents. If you are open minded, ready to learn and also to teach, keen to explore – both physical spaces and feelings or emotions, if you are compelled to run and curious about what your body is able to do, then you are already a long way to being part of the Squadra di Corsa.
In the running world, it can sometimes feel like a cookie- cutter approach is the only way that brands operate. But with the Squadra di Corsa, Diadora shows that it is comfortable pushing against the flow. Running against expectations. To be part of the Squadra di Corsa, you first need to ask whether you share its values. It’s that simple. It is that complicated. And it’s also a kind of magic.
Go to www.diadora.com to get involved and discover the collection. IG: @diadora