Sports have always been a big part of my life, and I've been involved in various initiatives to promote exercise and socializing in both Barcelona and Los Angeles.

Polpette Running Club

In Los Angeles, I co-founded the Polpette Running Club in 2021. The word “Polpette” reflects our roots: “polpette” means “meatballs” in Italian, and “polpette al sugo” (i.e., meatballs with tomato sauce) is a popular meal in my home country.

None of us were expert runners, and we were all pretty intimidated by the idea of running long distances at the beginning! Our logo features a determined meatball drenched in tomato sauce, pushing forward—a symbol of our perseverance and spirit. We also created fun t-shirts with our logo that we proudly wear during our training sessions.

This club isn't just about running; it's about building a community. Through our club, we hope that members not only cultivate their love for running but also make new friends and explore new parts of the city. I've proudly completed a Half-Marathon (Malibu 2021) and a full Marathon (Los Angeles 2023) with the club.

I like to compare running marathons to doing research: You cannot run a full marathon without regular practice, but if you work with consistency every day, and endure through failures, you will cross the finishing line.

Outside of sports, I love exploring nature, traveling, live music, and movies (my all-time favorite is "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers"). One of my simple pleasures is going to the farmers' markets on Sundays with my partner.

Fun fact: I’m Italian, I love eating—but cooking is definitely not one of my strengths. And yes, I admit it, I have had cappuccino after 12 pm without losing my citizenship.