Megan grew up with a love of running, completing her first 5k with her family while in the third grade and branching out into the world of hurdles, relay teams, and cross-country in middle school through high school. She ran Division I Cross Country and Track & Field for both Lamar University in Texas (first two years) and the University of Minnesota (another two years), where she competed in the 3000m steeplechase and excelled in hilly cross country races. Having moved several times and running on four teams from high school to college, running was the one constant for Megan, brought a sense of community, and was a fun way to explore new places.

While in college, Megan started Strong Runner Chicks, an online community of female distance runners dedicated to educate, empower, and connect women and girls through a blog and other social media platforms. This eventually turned into a podcast and led to other events, including a running retreat, meetup runs, and most recently, a mentorship program. It was through this process and personal training that she developed a passion for coaching and began helping clients train for various goals, from their first 5k to incorporating strength training into their existing program.

Upon completion of her Division I career, Megan moved to Utah to pursue her Master’s in Public Health degree, where she discovered a love for trail running, obstacle courses, and spending long days out in the mountains. Megan competed in Spartan Elite Women’s heats, qualified for the 2019 Boston Marathon, and placed in both local and national/worldwide XTERRA Trail Races. While she enjoys speedwork and reveling in the energy of road races, there’s nothing quite like spending time out in nature, climbing big mountains, and enjoying good company that the trails and OCR bring.

After graduating, Megan moved to the Pacific Northwest and continues to compete at a high level while coaching athletes towards their goals. Combining her studies in nutrition, psychology, and exercise science, along with experience training various clients juggling busy lives with running/athletic goals, Megan understands the importance of aspects such as strength training, recovery, fueling, and the mental side of training. She strives to help each of her athletes find a sense of community, discover their “why” behind running, and ultimately, develop a training approach that is both enjoyable and sustainable over the long run.