In the heart of November, when the cold weather starts to make itself felt and the days seem all the same, Campobasso comes alive thanks to a special event: the Su e Giù, a non-competitive running race that brings together athletes, families and the curious on one Sunday of the month, without a stopwatch or podium. Everyone wins, because the goal is not to finish first, but to share a moment of celebration and rediscovery of the city.
The idea was born in 1974 by Nicola Palladino, a philosophy student, coach and soul of the Virtus Sports Group. He wanted to combine sports, culture and enhancement of the historic center in an initiative open to all. Thus was born a race through the alleys of Campobasso, with no limits of age or gender, that immediately won over the citizenry. The first edition, “Up and Down the Old Town,” was attended by about 700 people, a surprising success that marked the beginning of a tradition still felt today.
Over time, the race has evolved while maintaining its original spirit. Since 1980, each edition has dealt with a different theme – environment, legality, art – and the route has expanded from the initial 4 km to the current 8 km, allowing participants to explore much of the city.
The start is always from the historic war memorial.. After the gunshot, we cross the Murattian center and enter the ancient heart of the city through Porta San Leonardo.. Among churches, palaces and stone alleys, you can feel an atmosphere of yesteryear. The route continues between ups and downs, touching symbolic places such as Viale del Castello, the school field and the Church of St. Anthony Abbot, until it re-enters the center and ends in front of City Hall, next to the statue of St. George.
At the finish line, each participant receives a medal, a race packet and something hot to drink. But the real prize is personal satisfaction, shared energy, and having once again breathed life into Palladino’s dream: a city walking together, rediscovering itself as a community.
The Up and Down is not just a race: it is a small collective journey, where strangers become fellow travelers, and sociality takes center stage once again.