Ciao!

Last Tuesday night, I received a somewhat cryptic Facebook message from David Monti asking me to send him an email so he could share an "unusual race opportunity" with me. I met David, who among other specialties is the elite athlete director for NYC Marathon, at Kim Smith and Pat Tarpy's wedding this past Labor Day, but beyond that and a perfunctory Facebook friendship we've never really had much interaction. So, needless to say, I was more than a little intrigued. I sent him a quick note, and within minutes received one of the most amazing emails of my entire life.

My mom often jokes that things always just seem to work out for me, and that I'm often presented with amazing opportunities seemingly out of left field. Of course, we both know that these "lucky" circumstances are usually the result of a good deal of hard work on my part preceding them--but even at that, every once in a while situations like this one completely surprise me.

"Hi Meagan," the email began, "My friend Marcello is an agent and also owns an event management company in Italy." Ummm, go on. "He has a client who is staging a half-marathon at a spectacular resort in Chia on the island of Sardinia on April 28th. He is looking for a US woman..." Aaaaand basically the rest is a blur. A warm, sunny, sand-streaked blur. Keep in mind, by the way, that I'm literally reading this while watching yet another onslaught of snowflakes swirling outside my bedroom window. I would've probably accepted a one-way ticket to the Sahara at this point.

But, instead, improbably, David was offering me a weeklong, all expenses paid, beautiful beach resort vacation--and all I have to do is race a hilly half-marathon at the end. It's such an incredible, incomprehensible offer, and one for which I am completely indebted to David and Marcello. There are still some details and logistics to be worked out, but it's official: I'm going to Italy next month! I'm joining David, his wife Jane, and another American athlete named Tyler McCandless for a full week of run and fun. I'll be lounging on the beach at this resort and clicking off some miles during this half-marathon, and no doubt loving every minute of it. I couldn't be more grateful and excited for this opportunity, or more in need of a base tan to prevent my entire body from burning within the first 45 minutes. 

There's plenty to do between now and then, but come April 23rd: Ciao!