Boston Marathoner Spotlight...Megan Sabatinelli

 I met Megan at a race in 2011 when a sweet voice said at the starting line, "Are you Fancy Nancy?"  She was a reader of my blog and recognized me.  Through comments here and there I convinced Megan to join the running group I was a part of and from there she just took off!!!  She has worked so hard and has become an amazing runner...and a person I am proud to call friend!!  There are many things about Megan that inspire me as a runner but one of the biggest things is how she has worked through many walls to make her training happen.  She has done long runs on Friday nights after work in not so great areas of town knowing that that was the only time she would have to get it in...faced the roller coaster of the local service road with other fabulous ladies to make sure she got in her hill workouts...all with a smile on her face!  The fateful HOT AS HADES Boston marathon was her first time running Boston and the heat did not sway her...but let me let her tell her in her own words!!

Tell us something about you?
 I'm in my late thirties. I am a wife and mother of two boys ( 13 and 10).    I'm a teachers assistant  in a elementary school. I started running in 2005, I needed to lose weight after having 2 kids and my husband being deployed for 4 months with the military. I started by just doing a couple of miles a week and then got talked into doing a road race. That's when the addiction began. I loved racing and trying to beat my previous times.

What would be included in your running highlight reel?
Some of the highlights of my running career have been of course my first race. It really started me wanting to run more and faster. The other big race was my first half marathon. I never thought I could run that distance so it was a huge accomplishment to do it. I also think that running the half marathon helped to give me the confidence to try and tackle full marathons. One of my favorite races is Myrtle Beach half/full marathon. Myrtle Beach currently holds my marathon PR and I've run the half twice. Boston will always have my heart. It's of course the best marathon.

Where were you when the bombs went off?
I was probably about 2 miles back when the bombs went off but was stopped at 25.5. I was very luckily because my husband was waiting for me in Kenmore Square and someone behind him said the was a explosion at the finish so my husband jumped the fence and ran with me till we were stopped. One of the things I remember is my husband saying the rest of the world knows mores about what's going on than we do. That really stuck out because we had no information about what was happening. We were walking around the city hearing bits and pieces about what was happening. I also felt horrible for my parents and kids because we couldn't get a hold of them and I knew they would be frantic worrying about us. The rest of the day was surreal, seeing the police cars and rescues flying through the streets.

Taken by her husband in Kenmore Square before she knew what had happened

How has your training been this year?
Training this year has been hard. The weather has been the biggest hurdle. We have run in snow, sleet, ice, rain, freezing temps, and very little sun. I feel like if I could survive this winter I can tackle anything on race day, except hot temps :-).
What does running Boston 2014 mean to you?
Running Boston this year is about finishing business, about coming back stronger and taking the marathon back. It's about remembering those who lost their lives and those who were injured.  It's about celebrating the amazing, courageous acts of love and kindness that came out of that day. I'm excited  to run but also worry about the emotional aspect of the day. I think this will be the Boston yet.

One of my strongest memories from the days following the bombing last year was a run we did on Cape.  It was one of the first times most of the marathon runners were together again and it was organized as a run of unity.

I remember seeing Megan and wanting to cry...happy to hug her and know she was ok!  She was there to run with her son.  Megan I'll be cheering my loudest at mile 7....I know you're going to do amazing!!!