Ferdinando "Ferdi" Sorrentino

Ferdinando Sorrentino was born in Naples (Italy) in 1965. After his studies he followed his working career to Germany and then to China, where he lived for fifteen years before to move back to Germany. Ferdi started his running career in 1980 with the only aim to lose weight and remain ´attractive´. Since then he has taken part all over the world in more than 500 races including more than 200 marathons and ultramarathons. After 40 running years, the target remains the same: keep weight under control although he is no longer too much interested in remaining attractive. For his best times Ferdi can boast a 10:26 on the 100km, 2:52 on the marathon, 1:20 on the half, and 34:35 on the 10k. All these times achieved when his hairs were still red. As honest as he is, he is ready to admit that breaking the 10hrs on the 100k and the 2:48 on the marathon are the regrets of an otherwise decent running career. And when it comes to those regrets a couple of beers or a good bottle of wine (Italian one!) are needed to sink the unpleasant thoughts. Ferdi finds it difficult to choose a preferred marathon. It could be Florence because of the PB and its astonishing course or London as his first marathon abroad with its shocking mass of spectators or the first 100k when he was only 17 and had to adjust his birthdate to be able to participate or Guizhou 100km with its unforgettable landscape or the first marathon in China in Dalian where he found two friends for life. Too many marathons, too many nice feelings, just keep all of them in the memory basket and avoid the temptation of making any ranking! Apart from the long lasting running love, the only other long term commitment of his life is with Giuliana, an Italian teacher who 40 years ago decided to marry him despite his illness as she calls Ferdi´s running passion. They have two daughters: Raffy who lives and works in Athens which quickly forgot her running passion and Betty who lives and works in Hong Kong and who is the modern prototype of an active person: the one that can sweat like hell without going out from home...what an insanity. Ferdi graduated in electronic engineering and with a masters in telecommunications. He earns his living managing an automotive company with base in Stuttgart (Germany).