Matteo Colombo, an Italian in the USA

I think I met Matteo a few times in some races and until today I had not yet exchanged a word in person.

However, we both follow each other on social channels (obviously 90% on running/sports topics) and I had the strong feeling that he belongs to my special category of “Emigrantrailer” (The origin of the name “Emigrantrailer”| EmigranTrailer).

In fact, he is for sure an emigrant since he lives in America and indeed, he is a trail-runner (and a very good ultra-runner), but he is also a “trailer”, in the double meaning I give to this word, having Matteo a strong attitude to be a passionate and supportive man for many solidarity events, like those related of the Lesch-Nyhan Disease (LND Famiglie Italiane (lesch-nyhan.eu)).

So tonight, we picked up the phone and we made a very pleasant video call Hesse (Germany) <-> California (United States), talking about several topics and finally concluding with my five TRAIL questions.

Beyond the written part that you read below (reduced for obvious reasons), Matteo was super willing to enthusiastically adhere to my idea and it was a really great discovery for me: a fairly reserved, simple guy who gives me the idea of having great sensitivity.

T like tough period, like the one we all live since 2020.

“Matteo, you moved to USA in January 2020, basically few weeks before all the Covid-19 pandemic started. How much as Covid-19 affected your life as an emigrant and as a Trail-runner?”

“Quite a while! Due to travel restrictions, I have not yet had the opportunity to visit California and of course other American states. Concerning Trail Running, the situation is somehow stacked as for all the others. I just attended one Trail running event in Stanford in 2020“

R live Regret or Revenge (in a good way).

“Matteo, beyond Trail-Running you are also an excellent ultramarathon runner. A few years ago, you were in the Italian national team and the impression is that some management and decisions of the federal responsible have caused you a bit of bitterness. Which of the two words, regret or revenge, would reflect this situation?”

“None of the two! I have always done everything professionally and with the outmost commitment and I have absolutely nothing to blame myself”

“Very good answer!”

A like America

“Matteo, what is your outlook about the life in America. Is it your final destination? if so, how far you are to reach this target?”

“Almost done! I am very happy here in California. I made a bet with myself and I think I have won it, placing myself with great humility in the face of normal difficulties, linked to different languages and cultures. And I found great solidarity here. There are about 54 different nationalities in Palo Alto and the local people are used to hospitality and solidarity”.

I like Italy

“The question is inevitable: do you miss Italy and what do you miss?“

“I miss my family. And I miss being able to hug my little niece: since she was born, I have not yet been able to see her in person”.

Here Matteo had an emotional moment and I moved on to the last question.

L like LND Famiglie Italiane “Rari non vuol dire soli”

“Matteo, I have often seen you on social networks as promoter or supporter of social initiatives for the families affected by Lesch-Nyhan Disease (LND Famiglie Italiane (lesch-nyhan.eu)). This aspect unites you to other good guys (Roberto, Davide, for example) in the trail running world. Would you like to tell us something more?”

“Yes. I do it with great pleasure and enthusiasm. Solidarity is a cornerstone of my sporting and human side. Therefore, when there is an opportunity to support the LND project, I never back down. LND Famiglie Italiane is the association of Italian families involved in the fight against the Lesch-Nyhan, a very rare disease that has severe implications on affected people and their families life. The families edited a website to create a means of communication that can overcome national frontiers and the barrier of different languages to gain and share as much information as possible”

“Thank you Matteo. I hope that more and more people will support these initiative. This was the last question. Thank you again for your availability and I wish you a good continuation in this American adventure”.

Additional information about Matteo

In case you would like to contact Matteo for more detailed information about his being an “emigrantrailer” in USA, it is useful to know that:

Age: 37 years (1984)
Country of origin: Italy (Turate, Como, Lombardy)
Country of current residence: United States of America (Palo Alto, California)
Facebook: Matteo Colombo – Home | Facebook
ITRA profile: – ITRAWeb
Spoken languages: Italian, English