The Keepers of Echoes: Mădălina Amariei's story
The Keepers of Echoes: The stories we bring. The echoes we leave. The memories we carry forward.
Mădălina Amariei ran her first mountain race in 2022. Since then, the Kailas FUGA Team athlete from Oradea has won Retezat SkyRace twice, become Romania’s national champion in long-distance mountain running, and stood on podiums across Europe. Here, she tells us what Bucovina asked of her, and what echo she leaves for those who follow.
1. YOUR ROOTS: What connects you to running? To begin with, tell us a little about yourself, beyond running. Where are you from, what shaped you, and which achievements or moments have become part of your roots and identity?
It may sound paradoxical for someone who loves mountain running, but I come from a lowland area. During holidays at my grandparents', in a village surrounded by wooded hills in northern Dobruja, I first felt the pull of hiking and of nature in general, long before I knew that one day I would run on trails. I did not play sports as a child or a teenager. I did grow up in competitive groups, where everyone felt the pressure, but also the encouragement, to achieve the best results. That drive to give my best has stayed with me, and I find it in everything I do, whether it is a competition or my office job. Running takes me back to nature, helps me break away from daily life and its responsibilities, and shows me, every time, how far I can push my limits.
2. When did running become part of your story? What keeps you going when the road gets hard?
I started running late, in the first years after I got my job. I already had a fairly solid base, because I had been attending group fitness classes for several years, but running came from a challenge issued by a coworker. From there it was only one step: I started going out for runs on my own and reading everything I could find about the sport online. It was also online that I found out about the Brașov Marathon, where I signed up for the half marathon, in 2017. It was my first trail race and the moment running truly became part of my story. What keeps me going has changed over the years. At first it was curiosity: I wanted to find out whether I could finish a difficult race. Now it is confidence: the experience gathered over time tells me, even when the road gets hard, that I will reach the finish line.
3. Looking back at your journey, how have your roots shaped the person and runner you are today? Was there a moment, a place or a person that changed the way you see running or yourself?
Looking back, I find my roots in two things: the places where I spent my childhood and the mindset I grew up with. The forests on the hills of Dobruja, discovered during holidays at my grandparents', taught me to seek out nature. And the competitive environment I grew up in, along with the way of doing things I saw in my family, taught me not to stop halfway: I prepare seriously and give my best, in running as in anything else. I cannot say there was a single moment that changed me for good. I am a fairly calculating person, and every training session, every small success has brought me to where I am today.
4. YOUR STORY: When you arrived at Bucovina Ultra Rocks by UTMB, what story did you bring with you?
I did not bring a special story with me, and I do not consider myself a special person. I was one of the many competitors who lined up at the start with nerves and excitement.
5. Looking back at your race, which moment or experience stayed with you most strongly? What did you leave behind on the trails of Bucovina, and what did you take home with you?
I was pleasantly surprised by the landscape. I had heard so many times that Bucovina is very beautiful that I did not expect to be impressed anymore. Pietrosul Bistriței has a special place in my memory: one of the hardest and most beautiful climbs. But the gentle slopes of Giumalău also have remarkable views. The memory of these places makes me happy, and I hope to see them again as soon as possible. I like to believe I left nothing behind, perhaps only footprints on the trails.
6. What do you think you learned about yourself on the trails of Bucovina? What did the mountain tell you along the way, and what did you take with you from this experience?
Although in 2026 I took part in the long race, the 88km race in 2025 impressed me more. The difficulty of the course was amplified by very hot weather, which tested my limits in a way I did not think possible. Back home, I first of all took with me the satisfaction of having seen the race through, even when my body refused to cooperate.
7. Every runner leaves something behind on the trail. What is the echo you would like to leave for the next runner who comes to Bucovina? What would you say to someone who has not yet lived these trails, but is about to become part of their story?
I do not think I leave anything special behind, perhaps only the proof that an ordinary person, who started running late, can finish a race like this. To whoever is about to come to Bucovina, I would say: prepare seriously and patiently, because the course hides many challenges. Do not be frightened by the climb up Pietrosul Bistriței: it is hard, but it can become one of your favorites. The same goes for Runc. And from time to time, lift your gaze from the path; you will surely discover a landscape you will enjoy.
8. YOUR BRIDGE TO NEW HORIZONS: Which new horizons are you looking toward now, and how do you think the experience you take with you from Bucovina will influence the next chapter of your story?
Soon I will take the start of a new challenge, perhaps the hardest so far. There is something motivating in the fears that come with a difficult race, but I look toward it with enthusiasm. The finishes gathered over time, among them the ones from Bucovina, have shown me that you can get what you want if you have courage and work for your goal.
