At the end of 2024, I was really optimistic about running. Like, probably more optimistic than I should have been. On December 31st, I made an Instagram post with my “super attainable” goals for 2025: definitely run a half marathon, run at least 50 miles per month, and maybe even run my first 50k. I really would like to know what December 31st, 2024 Megan was thinking.
Because December 31st, 2024 Megan got humbled real quick.
I’m sharing this story with a picture of me wearing my Still I Run “Worth the Work” ambassador shirt for a reason. For a long time, I thought “the work” meant more miles, bigger races, and pushing through no matter what.
This year taught me that the work doesn’t always look like that, and it’s still worth it.
This Seemed Like a Great Idea at the Time
2025 started off with what might’ve been my first ever DNS (Did Not Start) when good ole COVID messed up our plans to run the “In With the New” trail race. Rude. I logged a measly 15.3 miles in January.
February felt a little more normal. I kicked off the month with my yearly tradition of running the cold and snowy Winterlaufe 8k and managed 38 total miles for the month. March also started off strong as I started training for the Flying Pig half marathon and the BARC St. Patrick’s Day Irish Double.
And then once again, life had other plans.
A day or two before the Irish Double I got hit with a random “mystery virus” that completely knocked me on my butt. Another DNS in the books, but I hadn’t totally lost hope yet.
That virus really took a lot out of me, as evidenced by my lack of running for the rest of March and into April – which didn’t bode well for running a half marathon the first weekend in May. I eventually made the difficult decision to cancel my plans to run Flying Pig.
DNS number 3 for the year.
Naturally, instead of taking this as a sign to slow down, I set my sights on training for the Marquette Marathon. I was motivated and full of optimism again in May. I ended up running over 50 mile that month… thanks in large part to the May Run Streak for Mental Health Awareness with Still I Run.
When Confidence Was High and Red Flags Were Ignored
June actually felt… great. Suspiciously great.
I logged 58.7 miles and ran my first ever 6 hour trail race, covering 18 miles when my original goal was 10. I felt strong. I was proud. Clearly, to me, this meant marathon training was going perfectly and I was going to conquer the Marquette Marathon in two months.
In under six hours.
Even though my paces were closer to a seven hour marathon.
But listen! I did 8 more miles than I thought I could, okay?! That felt huge.
Burnout Quietly Slipped In (And Then Refused to Leave)
Not long after the Island Time 6 hour race, burnout officially entered the chat, and my overly confident self found herself in a running slump. I didn’t run at all from June 26th-July 17th. Almost a month with NO RUNNING.
Nothing dramatic happened. I wasn’t injured. I was just… done.
Somehow, I still managed to log 23.8 miles by the end of July. And in case you were wondering – no, I did not run a sub six hour marathon in Marquette. I never even signed up.
Running felt heavy. I was mentally exhausted. Instead of being something I looked forward to, running had become an obligation, a burden. Around this time, I started riding my bike with Kenny more, and it brought me so much joy. We met up with Counter Cruise whenever we could. Biking felt fun, social, and low-pressure.
In other words: how running USED to feel… but hadn’t for a long time.
I Kept Training Anyway, Because Apparently That’s My Thing
That really should have been a clue that maybe training for another half marathon might not go well.
… but I kept forcing myself to train anyway.
I had sold my bib the year before and I didn’t want to do that again this year. I don’t want to miss out on a fun weekend with my friends. Plus, it’s Detroit – it’s one of my favorite races, one I have looked forward to almost every year since my first marathon there in 2016.
I didn’t want to let anyone down, especially myself.
So I kept going.
- 42.8 miles in August
- 50.1 miles in September
On paper, I looked prepared. I had some really great runs. I also had some really terrible ones. I was running almost entirely out of obligation. It wasn’t fun. I wasn’t excited for Detroit. My mindset was, “Let me just get through this.”
Spoiler alert: this is not a great mindset to have while you’re training for a half marathon.
The Race That Finally Broke Me
By this point, I was actively falling out of love with running. I stepped down from my co-captain role for the Still I Run Saginaw chapter. I “ran” Detroit – which mostly meant walking. In the rain. In the wind.
It was the race that finally broke me.
When it was over, I felt relief that I didn’t have to run anymore. I also felt angry that the race hadn’t gone well, frustrated with my body, and more sore and exhausted than I’d ever been from running. This wasn’t just post-race fatigue – it was deep burnout and grief over a version of myself I didn’t know how to be anymore.
Somewhere along the way, I confused “worth the work” with “push through no matter what.” Detroit forced me to realize that the work I actually needed wasn’t another long run – it was listening to my body, protecting my mental health, and letting go of who I thought I had to be as a runner.
Stepping Back Without Walking Away
I took a break for a week after Detroit and refocused. I decided I wouldn’t sign up for any races for a while. I started doing shorter, structured runs. I added strength training classes and yoga. I let myself move without an ultimatum – no finish line looming in the distance.
And for the first time in a long time… running felt good again.
I actually started looking forward to my workouts. And when I don’t or can’t workout, I don’t feel guilty. Sometimes I feel disappointed – but only because I’ve been enjoying it so much.
As it turns out, what I experienced this year is tied to my ADHD: the hyperfocus, the overcommitment, the difficulty letting go, and the eventual burnout. When my therapist pointed this out, it was incredibly validating. It helped me realize there wasn’t something “wrong” with me – and that I am a runner – just one with a neurospicy brain.
What Running Looks Like for Me Now
Wearing “Worth the Work” means something completely different to me now. The work isn’t chasing big goals at all costs. It’s learning when to step back, when to change the rules, and when to choose sustainability over stubbornness.
That work – the mental, emotional, and physical work – is still worth it.
As I head into 2026 as a Still I Run ambassador again, this year’s theme – “Run to Heal, Run to Feel” – couldn’t be more fitting. This year reminded me that running doesn’t have to be about distance, pace, or proving anything to anyone. Sometimes running is how I process grief. Sometimes it’s how I reconnect with my body. Sometimes it’s just how I remind myself that I’m still here, still moving, still feeling.
Right now, my relationship with running feels healthy and joyful. I’m leaving behind expectations, lofty goals, and guilt over how this year unfolded. What I’m bringing into 2026 is trust – in my body, in my brain, and in the idea that running doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
December 31st, 2024 Megan didn’t have a clue what she was in for… but 2025 Megan learned exactly what she needed to.
RD on the Run 