Running at Lake Garda: Florian Böhme’s running camp in Torbole sul Garda

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a lake, a hill or a mountain – at Lake Garda you can run everywhere, surrounded by breathtaking nature. You can run on the flat, along the cycle paths next to the beach or the river or leave the asphalt behind to immerse yourself in the green olive groves in the hills. If you prefer the mountain instead, there are different types of terrain at your disposal, ranging from loose stone to undergrowth, with varying gradients.
But, routes aside, why is it so pleasant to run at Lake Garda?
We talk about this with Florian Böhme – a German former professional runner. In love with Italy, Florian has been organising running camps at Lake Garda for several years that feel like a holiday.

Hello Florian, can you tell us who you are and where you come from?
I was born in 1978 in Geislingen an der Steige in Baden-Württemberg. I didn’t find my way onto the running track until I was 28. My greatest running successes were in 2014 the German championship title in the 6-hour run and participation in the 100km World Championships in Doha, Qatar. During my time as a competing runner, I was able to finish several ultramarathons with a win.

Why running?
Running was a way for me to use my time in a way that best suited me. This is different to football, which I played before and involved training at fixed times and weekends spent on the sports field.
In contrast, I could run at any time of the day from early until late. The forest has no opening hours. Besides, I wasn’t dependent on others, and others weren’t dependent on me. In particular, as a beginner, you quickly see your first successes and this increases your desire to run.

Three pieces of advice for beginners
Time!
Take your time and don’t try to achieve too much too quickly. Most runners take up this sport later in life. The “best running years” may already be over. It might not be possible to catch up. I also advise you to skip a run if you are injured or ill, because the running event will certainly take place again the year after.

Be in tune with your body!
Unfortunately, this is often not the case. Many systems in the body adapt quickly to new demands, especially in the early stages. Unfortunately, the joints, bones, tendons and ligaments don’t adapt as quickly, but you don’t necessarily “feel” this. It is not uncommon for people to only visit the orthopaedist after two years of running, resulting in a longer break from running, etc.

Fast makes fast!
This is also a misconception. You need to diversify your training. Training is never a competition. Training should be planned and not just done on the fly. Consideration should be given to the exercises being practised, and there should be a plan in place beforehand. Training should be varied. Not just fast but also sometimes slow and relaxed. Different types of training have different benefits and are more motivating than doing the same thing every day.

Is it true that there are many more runners today than there were a few years ago?
I can’t judge for myself whether there are more than there used to be. Times have become more stressful. Many things in business life are increasingly expected immediately. A letter used to take longer than an email does today. If you don’t receive a reply to your WhatsApp message after 5 minutes, you’re already fidgeting impatiently in your chair.
Running creates a space for runners to temporarily disconnect from work and stress. Likewise, spending time with yourself and nature offers the opportunity to process things from everyday life. Be it the assignment that has been lying on your desk for weeks and is getting on your nerves, or perhaps a dispute in your neighbourhood. The problem can be taken with you on your run and considered at leisure. This time is hardly ever available at home, because even if you’re doing nothing, there’s always work to be found and you’re immediately back in your routine.
Of course, it’s also increasingly important to do something for your health these days. Allergies are arising, and also environmental awareness and interest in what goes on our plates is becoming increasingly important. It’s no wonder that people are also looking to get physically fit, to spend time and find peace in nature, which is hard to come by in a big city.

What do you do during a running camp?
I don’t like to or actually never use the word “running camp” but rather the word “running holiday”, because that’s what it really is. No, it’s not a holiday from running but rather a holiday with running. Unlike typical running camps, where it’s practically all about the sport, I make use of the beautiful local surroundings, because that’s why we’re all here. To get a good workout, a cycling route would be sufficient; I wouldn’t have to go far for that.
What I like to do locally is to run a different route every day, because there’s simply so much to see, and even if you’ve been there several times and come back again and again, you’ll still discover something new with me. Not every route is suitable for running. I therefore offer even shorter hikes to breathtaking spots that are better explored in hiking boots rather than running shoes. The route times for these hikes are 1.5–2 hours (plus refreshment stops). Many come home feeling stronger and proudly report that their legs suddenly feel so light when running and are no longer as heavy as before. No wonder hiking has not only strengthens coordination but also leg strength.
I combine the running routes themselves so that they are neither too long nor too short. Sometimes I only decide the final plan on site when I see what my participants are capable of and when I feel that the effort is sufficient.
I can also allay the fears of some participants that they would be too slow or that it would be too far and they would be dependent on others: on all routes, you are independent of others and others are independent of you. The routes can even be shortened or lengthened depending on participants’ performance levels.
Of course, there is not only running and hiking – the FMS test is also offered and is an established fixture of professional sports. A Functional Movement Screen shows me within 15 minutes what strengths and weaknesses my client has. Here I can offer targeted movement patterns and stabilisation training. It’s not about “just training anything” – training exactly what the customer really needs can be achieved with this method.
The sports programme is rounded off with running techniques, such as running ABC. We also practise how to grab a cup to drink from during a run; which may sound quite banal, but can be a serious problem.
Even though the morning buffet at the hotel is excellent, as is the dinner, I still like to visit the surrounding restaurants with my participants. This makes it possible to not only organise the day flexibly but also to offer the opportunity to experience even more of the area. Isn’t it lovely to look down at the lake with a good glass of wine at sunset or to stroll along the beach towards the hotel bar with an ice cream cone in your hand on the way back?
The area is simply too beautiful to just walk around or just sit in your room. You should explore and experience everything. After all, experiences stay with you for a long time, and you still remember these memories years later. I try to change up my approach year after year to create ever more events for the participants. At the end of the day, the number of repeat bookings makes me happy to see that many people will return in the years to come and have caught the “Lake Garda bug”.

Why do you love Italy, and why did you choose the AktivHotel SantaLucia?
Perhaps it’s my happy childhood memories that have brought me back to Italy over and over – mainly to Lake Garda – and continue to draw me to Italy again and again. You make yourself more Italian little by little. Initially, you bring your first Omkafe beans home from Arco, later followed by your first portafilter coffee machine. Years later, you get your first pizza oven and start making your own pizza at an internal oven temperature of almost 500 degrees. It goes without saying that you order the oven in Italian, as it’s handy to learn the language at the same time. You become keen to explore the cities of Rome, Milan and Naples. A part of my heart also beats in Rome. This is the second time I have attended the language school here. And if my pizza wasn’t already pretty good, I would have been behind an oven in Naples long ago, learning the trade of pizzaiolo.
A completely different attitude to life awaits you in Italy. Living more in the moment than in fear of what the future might bring.
My customers in Germany automatically ask me when I’m going back to Italy, whether I’m still living in Germany or when I’ll finally end up living in Italy. Will there perhaps also be long-term rentals at some point at the AktivHotel SantaLucia hotel for active holidaymakers?

Since northern Lake Garda is “my region” – although I was always able to spend summer weeks in Torri del Benaco as a small child – it was clear to me that I had to search in the north. Unfortunately, the sun set quite quickly in Riva. It is better in Torbole. There was no other option. Then, of course, there’s the desire to have a hotel equipped with almost everything. Starting with sufficient free parking spaces ranging to a fitness room. The list I could make would be incredibly long. What’s more important to me, however, is that I feel the warmth – which I unfortunately sometimes miss at other hotels. This hotel is not a hotel in the strict sense of the word. For me, it’s a kind of home in beloved Italy. You’re not just a customer here, but much more. I’ve often heard that things don’t work, but here more effort is made to facilitate things or create alternatives. The success of running holidays at Lake Garda is naturally also greatly influenced by choosing the right hotel. I’m passionate about the little things. Every morning, usually having prepared it the evening before, I have my freshly washed and dried sportswear ready and back in my hands. My participants can wear their favourite clothes more often and, more importantly, their luggage is smaller thanks to this service.
I like the familiar character of the hotel with not too many rooms, the little things, the staff that I have known for years and not a workforce that is constantly changing. This creates a sense of home and welcomes you right from the start. Combined with the experience of a running holiday and the amenities available from morning to night at the hotel, every week stays memorable.

The hotel doesn’t stand still either. There’s always something new every year. In other words, you don’t construct a building and live off it, but renew and invest in it every year so that guests feel even more comfortable than they already do – which of course doesn’t get any easier, as the level is already very high.
This kind of Love – which is not only found in the hotel complex but also the love you experience from staff or the region – the love for sports activities and, of course, my love for my work in my favourite place are the secret recipe for this “love cocktail”.