Meet Megan
- Name: Megan Roth
- Occupation: Law school graduate
- Fun Fact: I eat an avocado every day!
What activities do you like to participate in and how did you get started?
I’m a recent law school graduate and a runner. I started running out of curiosity in 2014. I read about ultramarathon running in a magazine, and I was fascinated. I decided it was something I had to explore. It was a bumpy road at first because I learned that running was about consistency and commitment. Most of all, running taught me to face fear. It brought to life my different fears and anxieties: fear of failure or being incapable of things. But instead of backing away, I let myself try. When I ran my first marathon, it changed the way I see life. We can only accomplish what we believe we can accomplish. The hardest part is to believe. The path to running a 100 mile race is one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself.
We can only accomplish what we believe we can accomplish.
What are you training for? Do you have any specific goals, events planned? (Long or short term)
I ran a 100 mile race in March, which has been my goal for the past three years. This summer, I’m working on strength and giving my body a bit of a rest from distance running, after all the training and stress that led up to that race. I’m not sure what’s next – I love the 50-mile distance, and I’d like to improve my time and become more competitive in those races.
Do you have a mantra or particular inspiration that keeps you going?
Yes. I use a lot of self-talk when I run ultramarathons. I often tell myself that I can make it one more mile, or one more aid station, or one more hour. A lot of ultra running is mind over matter – re-seeing the challenge as something possible, while your mind wants to reject it as impossible or out of reach. I heard a motivational speaker, Eric Thomas, once say that you cannot count the cost of what you want. If you want it, you won’t count the cost – you’ll just keep going. And of course, the FitMyFoot mantra – Keep Going. It applies to everything in life. We have to just keep going.
Do you have a piece of advice or lesson that you have learned that you would like to share? (training tips, how to prioritize exercise, best way to recover, etc. You are the expert here! )
The first time I tried to run a 100-mile race was in January, 2017. I failed. I quit at the 62-mile point, because I believed I couldn’t go any further. That was a huge lesson for me. The pain of failing and coming back home without accomplishing the goal was so much worse than the pain it would have taken to keep going. I agonized over it for weeks, and ultimately got back up and entered another race two months later, at Fort Clinch 100. Going in, I knew what I had to do: Keep going no matter what. I even told friends and my support crew to remind me to keep going, no matter what happens or how bad it gets. And they did. I’ll never fully be able to comprehend that feeling when I crossed the finish line. It taught me that we always have more to give. Energy comes from within, and as long as you believe it’s true – there is always more to draw from. Always keep going in the direction of what you want.
What do you do to keep your body healthy and injury-free so that you can #KeepGoing?
I eat a fully vegan diet, and I wear FitMyFoot insoles when I run or train at the gym to keep my feet comfortable and positioned correctly. I physically train at the gym or on the road at least five days a week, but I’ve also learned to rest and take time off if my body is calling for it. Longevity is really important to me now. I used to have an urgency to do things as soon as I could – but I’m learning to pace myself now. :)
How has FitMyFoot helped to keep you going?
FitMyFoot has truly changed my run. I wore FitMyFoots at Fort Clinch 100, and I was amazed that when I ran 100 miles I had no foot pain. I didn’t even want to take my shoes off at the finish line – it felt like they were a part of my body. Prior to wearing FitMyFoots, I dealt with plantar facciitis and pain in the ball of my foot frequently, and this added unnecessary obstacles to my goals. Now I run comfortable, and thanks to FitMyFoot I also have incredible support and motivation. After Fort Clinch, one night I came home and found a package at my door with custom Fort Clinch 100, 100-Mile Club FitMyFoot insoles. The team made these specially for me, to celebrate the accomplishment. It was so moving to me that they would give me such incredible positive reinforcement, and I hit the road the next morning feeling so grateful and supported. FitMyFoot is an amazing company with a lot of exciting things on the horizon. I’m so excited to be a part of the team.
