My name is Megan Cooley. I am a 20-year-old marathon runner from Provo Utah, and I am in love with running and what it can do for the soul! In a way I like to think that running saved me.

As a sophomore in high school I struggled with an eating disorder. I became so focused on being perfect, and pleasing everyone else that I lost sight of who I was. I isolated myself from friends, from family, and from my talents.

One evening, my mom came into my room in tears, and helped me see the downward spiral that I was caught in. She said, "Megan, you are not going to sink, I am going to keep throwing life preservers to you."

And she did. Recovery began. It was in recovery that I started running. I needed an escape from the bad feelings, and from the pressure. Running became my escape. It was a time when I could free my mind from the distorted thoughts, and become grounded again. Running became the therapy for me that helped me see more fully who I was, and what I could accomplish.

I also learned from running that I can have a strong, healthy, beautiful body without starving myself. The more I ran, the more I felt confident in myself.

Three years into my recovery I decided it was time to sign up for a marathon. I had previously done a half marathon and a relay, but I felt that finishing a marathon would be a stepping-stone for me, an accomplishment in my recovery and in my fitness.

I trained really hard that summer and ran my first marathon in 3:35, qualifying for the Boston! I could not even begin to describe how strong and how amazing I felt when I crossed that finish line. Ever since then I have fallen more and more in love with running, and am excited to run my 2nd marathon down Big Cottonwood Canyon. (Update: Megan ran a new PR of 3:21 at Big Cottonwood).

Each time I finish a race, I am reminded that I can do hard things. I can mentally overcome an eating disorder. I can physically finish a 26.2-mile race. I can do anything.