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National Peace Corps Association > News > Polyglot > Ultramarathon Runner Gives Back to the Peace Corps Community
Ultramarathon Runner Gives Back to the Peace Corps Community
By Brittany Clark on Tuesday, October 5th, 2010
They say that Peace Corps Volunteers need to be determined, flexible, and maybe a little crazy. In heavy rain, lightening, and thunderstorms last month, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) Meg Shad completed a 50-mile ultramarathon in Madison, WI in support of the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA). And she isn’t done yet. She continues to train, logging 70+ miles a week, for the Western States 100 Mile Trail Run on June 25-26th next year.
An ultramarathon is anything more than the classic 26.2-mile distance of a standard marathon. It has become more and more popular for runners around the globe to take on these challenging 50 to 100-mile races. Meg became interested in endurance sports while studying exercise physiology in college. She enjoys the extreme training commitment, but says that she draws inspiration from something she truly believes in—Peace Corps. “Like many endurance athletes find, my training bordered absolute resolution, narcissism, and insanity. I wanted a greater reason, a bigger purpose for my next race. I wanted something that would keep me focused and grounded. The Peace Corps was a no-brainer.”
Meg says that she has always had a passion for humanitarian work and a fascination with Africa, and always knew that she would join Peace Corps after college. She was selected and placed in Madagascar in 2006 as a public health educator. “It was my dream,” says Meg. Unfortunately, an illness caused her to be medically terminated shortly after her arrival. She calls this “the most devastating experience of my life.”
Meg and Dean Karnazes after the race. Karnazes is "THE ultratmarathon man" and he told Meg he was "moved" by her efforts "for such a great organization."
Meg has come back from her experience stronger, truly embodying the spirit of Peace Corps. She is continuing to make a difference in the lives of others by training vigorously and raising funds for NPCA with her efforts. Meg discusses the loneliness that comes with the turf—“Training for these ultra-events is essentially a solitary experience. In my opinion, the mental challenge outweighs the physicality of the sport ten fold. But like a volunteer abroad, that solitariness is when you learn the most about yourself. It is in those precious training moments when your physical self is out of its comfort zone, when your mind starts to quiet, your breath steadies, and a sense of calm settles over your body—that an invisible veil is lifted and suddenly, the big picture is right in front of you.”
The more Meg explains, the more apparent it seems that Peace Corps service and training for a 100-mile race have much in common. She could be talking about either one as she continues, “You understand why you’re in the midst of the journey. You feel connected to something greater than yourself. You feel a sense of purpose that exceeds any challenge or hardship. And suddenly, the aching to be back in the comforts of home is soothed.”
Meg’s efforts as a Charity Runner for these two races have raised $1,945 and counting. She relies on the incredible support of her family and “endurance-junkie” friends, as well as the Peace Corps Community, to continue “celebrating the highs and pushing through the lows.” Meg’s enduring Peace Corps spirit shines through as she says, “I believe I am a better person because of my running. The same can be said for the thousands of volunteers abroad. We do what we do for a plethora of reasons, but perhaps the greatest reason is that, in the end, we will better ourselves and the world around us.”
You can help Meg Shad reach her goal of raising $3,000 for the National Peace Corps Association by donating on her website today. (http://www.firstgiving.com/megshad)
