SUPER SPECIAL EPISODE!! Megan Wotherspoon /Every Step Is Good

Megan returns to the pod to talk about her exciting new running project Every Step Is Good which will begin on May 25th. Megan plans on running from Stony Rapids in the far north of Saskatchewan all the way to the Montana border near Val Marie. Megan’s mother passed away from leukemia at the age of 38, the same age Megan turns this year. This run is a way to honour her mother, hold space for others going through difficult times , and give back for health supports in Saskatchewan.  Please consider helping Megan and her team in any way you can through the following links 

https://www.everystepisgood.ca 

https://www.instagram.com/meg.runs.south/

Use this code for 10 percent off any distance in the GMS QCM for 2026. 

26QCMSASKATCHEWRUN

http://www.runqcm.ca/

https://raceroster.com/events/2026/109828/gms-queen-city-marathon-2026

To get in touch with the podcast feel free to email Jason at jasontburns40@gmail.com

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@SaskatchewRun 

Thanks for listening and remember to like and subscribe! And please share with all of your friends! 

And only leave a five star review if you think I’ve earned a 5 star review. 

Artwork by Gavin de Lint 

http://gavin.delint.ca 

Thank you to the Burning Hell for the use of their song Holidaymakers. Check them out at 

www.theburninghell.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Megan Witherspoon from Saskatoon is making her second appearance on the podcast. On the first podcast, way back in August of 2025, we got to know Megan as a person and as a runner and really enjoyed getting to know her better, and she's still one of the most uh popular episodes we've had here, and now she is embarking on a giant running project starting May 25th, 2026, called Every Step Is Good. Megan is gonna run from Stony Rapids in the far north of Saskatchewan all the way to the Montana border in the south. On this episode, we chat about all the logistics, the training, the support, the story of why. It's a super awesome episode. I hope you enjoy it.

SPEAKER_02 0:39

Last day of the summer vacation. We stopped in at the gas station. We walked along the train tracks.

SPEAKER_03 0:50

We didn't think about going back. You are listening to the Saskatchewan podcast with your host, Jason Burns, a podcast where we talk to Saskatchewan runners about the people and places that inspire them.

SPEAKER_02 1:07

The kind that comes in those little plastic things. I was wearing the wrong shoes that day.

SPEAKER_03 1:14

On this episode of the Saskatchewan Run Podcast, we're going back to a familiar face and Megan Witherspoon. How are you doing today, Megan?

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Really good. Thanks for having me, Jason.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

Yeah, thanks so much for uh coming on for your your second appearance. But this one uh is uh structured around a very special event that you have coming up. Why don't you uh tell us a bit about what you're up to here in May?

SPEAKER_00 1:37

Yeah, totally. Um, so I've been, I guess, working on a running project. So yeah, so um I'm not doing well, I shouldn't say like my I'm still doing some races this year, but kind of the big one is this um run across Saskatchewan that I'm really stoked about doing. It's um it's a supported run. It starts, we're starting at Stony Rapids, so it's not right from the um Northwest Territory's border. It's we're starting at like the most most northerly community, I guess, with roads.

SPEAKER_03 2:11

And it's like what 20 kilometers from the border, anyways. I think it's like 80. Oh, 80, okay, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:16

I don't know what it's like, yeah, it would be like it's uh there is a canoe route. I think it's like called the Porcupine River that you can go in from back Black Lake. And I know people have skated in the winter, but um we're just not gonna do that.

SPEAKER_03 2:33

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 2:34

Um would I would love to one day, but uh yeah. So this one we're just gonna start um in Stony Rapids and then we just kind of head south and we're gonna end up at the Montana border. Um yeah, so it's kind of wacky.

unknown 2:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 2:49

Have you picked your for sure finish line?

SPEAKER_00 2:51

Yeah, it's gonna be um near Valmory.

SPEAKER_03 2:54

Oh, nice, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

Yeah, I think it's called Port of Monkey or something like that.

SPEAKER_03 2:59

Sounds right, yeah. One of those border crossings that's just a garden shed.

SPEAKER_00 3:04

Exactly. Yeah, that's true.

SPEAKER_03 3:06

Yeah, well, that's awesome. And then obviously, people know that Saskatchewan is super long, like Laurange, I think, is only the middle, like the geographical center of Saskatchewan is Lac Laurange-ish. So, I mean, most people picture that being like the north, but you have like a whole other exactly 800 kilometers north of there to go. So, what is the um roads and stuff like once you get north of, say, like Mississippi? That's about as far north as I've been.

SPEAKER_00 3:32

Yeah, it is a gravel road. It's called the 905. Um, it was made in like the 90s. Um, and there is like, so it's yeah, so it's gravel. Um, I've been on on it right now until like points north. Um I still have like 200 kilometers north of points north to go. Um, and it's I don't know, it's gonna be okay. There is traffic on it. It is like have like there's lots of semis, I guess, that go on this road to bring supplies up to northern communities. So um, yeah, so there's definitely some like um safety planning that we need to do. Um, but yeah, it'll be it'll be kind of wacky.

SPEAKER_03 4:10

For sure. No, that's awesome. So why don't we um back up to the beginning? What uh how did you come up with this super cool idea? I was saying how I don't generally use AI very much, but if I like asked AI to make like the perfect Saskatchewan podcast like episode, I think this may be it, like one of my favorite guests and somebody running the entire length of Saskatchewan. It's just uh just checks all my boxes. So I'm super excited to hear about it.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

Yeah, no, that's so funny. It is great. I know it's definitely kind of yeah, it's definitely a Saskatchewan-based project.

SPEAKER_03 4:36

Yep, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 4:38

Um, yeah, so kind of like the origin story for me started on a snowy long run last February with my friend Nick. And um yeah, it was kind of interesting because last year um I had planned like quite a few races um to do during the summer. And it was kind of it was kind of serendipitous because that morning in February I was kind of like having my coffee, and I was just like, oh, like what happens if I like meet all my running goals? Like what's gonna be next, you know? So it's just kind of as runners, we always think about like what's down the road.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

For sure.

SPEAKER_00 5:11

Um, so then I went for a run. It was a 30k run in February, and um Nick, yeah, he was just randomly like, Megan, I have an idea I want to share. And I was like, oh, tell me more. He talked about, yeah, running the length of Saskatchewan north to south. Um, it could have been south to north at the time, and kind of said, like, would you be interested? Like, is this something, yeah, we could we could do, I guess. It would be a charity run. And I was just like, Yes, Nick, like sign me up.

SPEAKER_03 5:40

Nice, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 5:41

Yeah, so we got um pretty excited. We did a lot of like um events that year together. Um, and I remember even like when we were driving to Reese, we kind of started brainstorming like all of the different things that we would have to do in a in order to take this project off the ground. Um and then in about we did like, well, I'm gonna like, yeah, we did like quite a few races and like quite a few um like drives out to the mountains and stuff. So we had quite a bit of time together to like talk about it. Um and then in the fall, as as as things kind of unfold, um, Nick decided to move to Scotland of all places. So um, no, it's really exciting for him. He uh he met somebody and they and they decided to kind of move move there. She's from Scotland, so I'm so happy for him. He's out there. Um, but it kind of like put the run on hold. And originally, like back in October, I think we ran, yeah, we ran the Iron Horse together. Um, and I think even then that was kind of it looked like you know, the run wasn't gonna happen this year. And I was kind of fine with that. I was kind of um okay to put it aside for now. Um, but then I guess like in the fall, like kind of October, again, I was kind of thinking about what the next year would look like. And I was at first, I kind of said, like, if Nick doesn't, like if Nick isn't able to do it, like I don't want to do it by myself. But then I was just like starting to kind of get really obsessive about it. I was just like, oh, I'm so interested. Like this would be such a cool, like, cool project. Um I guess a little bit more of the why. Um at the time, I was, I mean, this is kind of yeah, pretty personal stuff, but I kind of want to share it. So um, yeah, at the time I was I was going through a little bit of um um, I guess some like counseling, to be honest. Um, my mom had passed away when I was young, when I was six years old. And that has just been, you know, something that is part of my story. Um, and it and this year I decided to kind of go to counseling because um, I don't know, I was just kind of feeling um I guess just some lasting effects of that. And for sure, yeah, yeah. That kind of yeah, I was actually having some like um like panic attacks even that was like yeah, that was kind of attached to that like past trauma. So I was just like, oh boy, I need to go like seek some professional help and kind of get this a little sorted out. And that was like such a good step to take. And um, I kind of realized that you know, I was approaching the same age that my mom was when she was past when she passed away. Um she passed away when she was 38 and I'm 37. And I I kind of felt like, wow, this might be uh a nice way to honor her, um, to do kind of a big run in tribute for her. Sorry, in memory of her. My mom left um my family um kind of a poem or a piece of writing, um, and it's brought a lot of comfort to my family um since she passed. Um and she spoke of kind of um her experience kind of in nature, finding beauty in the really small, um, the small things in nature that a lot of people might be too busy to notice. Um, my mom was born um in the very south of the province. And then throughout her life, she kind of moved her way north. She met my dad in um um Prince Albert, where they were attending resource management school. And we kind of, as a family, we kind of moved around a little bit because my dad was a conservation officer, and actually I was born in Finflon, and she had a large she had a sense of place, yeah, that kind of spanned the whole province from like the prairies to the boreal to the Canadian Shield. And in the poem that she wrote and and left our family for comfort, she she she spoke about that natural, that that nature imagery of kind of finding the beauty and in um the landscapes of Saskatchewan and the small details. And for her, that felt really comforting. So, kind of back in October, I was kind of kind of on my a little bit of a healing journey myself, and I was cleaning my spare room and kind of found her her her um poem and I kind of read it and I was just like, oh my gosh, like I feel that this would be kind of the right time in my life to do a big running project. And I really think that the run across Saskatchewan is kind of what I what I need to do. Yeah, that's beautiful.

SPEAKER_03 10:17

That's really ties that all in very nicely. That's awesome. Thanks for sharing that personal story. That's it's really nice.

SPEAKER_00 10:23

Yeah, thank you. Thank you very much. So yeah, so I I spoke with Nick, I think probably in December, and I was just kind of like, Nick, I think I'm I'm kind of obsessing about this run, and I told him why. And I and I said, like, if you want to do it and like, you know, if you can do it in you know, five years, like I'll put it off and we can still do it together. But he kind of said, No, Megan, this is like a really awesome opportunity for you. Like, I think you should do it. And I was like, Oh my gosh, I'm terrified, but yeah. So that's that's and I I guess I just want to say too that like, you know, um doing a doing something um in commemoration of like a loved one that passed, like that's that's nothing, that's not anything original. Um, I think we all, you know, have a lot of um, we've heard a lot of stories about people that have done that before, whether it's you know, Cheryl Strait and Wilde or um uh Sally McCrae with like her running project, where she ran like 507 miles in commemoration of her mom. Um, I just recently read a book called The Gorge about a woman that broke the um speed record on the um Oregon part of the Pacific Crest Trail. And she was she wrote um, she was doing that in like in commemoration of her mom as well. So yeah, for some reason, like I think, you know, us as ultra runners, as endurance athletes, you know, there's a reason behind um why we're out there doing those things. And sometimes it can be like a really cathartic way to, you know, process what's happening in our lives. So this is yeah, this is that for me, I guess, right now.

SPEAKER_03 12:02

Yeah, no, that's a very, very nice story for sure.

SPEAKER_00 12:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:07

So then how did the uh how did you kind of where did you start planning or like what was your first step? Just share a little about that, if you don't mind.

SPEAKER_00 12:16

Yeah, so kind of um I gave myself until like January 1st or January 2nd to kind of commit. Um and I think the first and the first thing I did was um I called my um uh my parents to like tell them about my my dream, like what I was. Um my dad remarried um when I was about eight. And so I definitely I I grew up with a mom. Uh, you know, Sandy is um is who I grew up with, and she is very, very special to me. And I definitely I I feel I feel like I have, you know, like a mom in heaven and a mom on earth. Like she's definitely there for me. So so she was the first person I actually well, I told my dad actually in the summer, and then I kind of let it go. But then in January, I like called her and I was just like, this is what I'm thinking. Like, how does how does it sound? Um and yeah, she was like, holy cow, like let's do it. Like, how can we help? Which was awesome. And so and from there, I I just had to kind of um I had to commit, like I had to kind of start training, but it is a supported run. So I really had to um start talking to people about um yeah, about helping in different parts of the set um in the different sections, like the route planning. Because as you said, like the north is something, I mean, I don't want to say it's impossible to do it self-supported, but um, for me, this this type of run is a supported run. So I'm always gonna have a support vehicle with me, um, and then people, like one or two or more people with me to help out. Um so that was kind of I had to start like asking, asking friends and family for that type of support. And then I did start kind of um yeah, um talking to other people like in the running community, like I talked with uh uh Tarrant Crosschild um to see like kind of um gain some insight from him because he has a lot of experience kind of planning uh running projects. I also talked to uh the like Jeff and Warren Duter, um who've been also a really good support, to just kind of um start picking their brains, I guess, and in how I could kind of pull this thing off. Um and then I also started by contacting some local businesses for like some financial support because this does have a pretty big budget line. Um and then yeah, but like probably since like January 2nd, it's kind of been go, go, go about like yeah, just kind of putting everything in motion at the same time.

SPEAKER_03 14:55

For sure, yeah. Yeah, what do you kind of picture your day-to-day journey is gonna be like? I'm sure it's kind of a bit of an adventure and change from day to day, but you have uh kind of your goals in mind for every day?

SPEAKER_00 15:08

Yeah, no, that's a really good question. Um, I I do like I I would I would love to do this uh the whole road in 30 days. Um it's funny because I actually don't love when I say that out loud. If it's 32, it'll be fine or like whatever. Um but yeah, like I I would I would I would absolutely love that. Um and I I don't know yet. Like as far as like, yeah, so that's about you know averaging. Like, I don't know, that would be um, yeah, I kind of think I'm thinking of averaging like 60 kilometers a day. Um, and I'm not sure yet if that's gonna like, I don't know, like if I'm gonna try to run that all at once and like maybe over a span of you know 10 hours or something. Or even lately I've been kind of toying with the idea of doing like even a 30k in the morning and taking a couple hours break and then doing another 30k or something. So yeah, I'm not really sure yet what it'll look like. But I'm kind of yeah, I'm kind of relying a little bit on like my hiking background. Um yeah. For sure, yeah.

unknown 16:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:14

What will your um like nightly accommodations be like? Do you have like a vehicle to sleep in, or are you gonna look for campgrounds or yeah, it's kind of both.

SPEAKER_00 16:22

Um we will have uh my parents have a camper van. I guess not a camper van. They have a I don't know, uh truck camper, like a truck camper, yeah, yeah. So yeah, yeah, it's perfect. So we're gonna they're gonna bring that up, but I think I'm probably gonna stay in a tent. I'm pretty comfy in a tent, except if it's like pouring or whatever, but for sure, yeah. So I think um I'll have a tent and then we'll definitely have a uh the truck camper, and that'll be so helpful for like meal prep and things like that. Um and then I guess maybe I there's kind of three main sections to the run. So there's kind of the far north, and that would be from Stony uh Stony Rapids to La Range, and that's yeah, there's gonna be um mostly like wild camping on that section. So we can stay at Points North and and um I also am staying at um Thompson's Resort, um, which is um Adventure Destination is awesome, and they're they're um providing two-night stay for my crew there, so that's really good at the fishing resort in Mississippi. So I'm so excited about that.

SPEAKER_03 17:28

That's nice there.

SPEAKER_00 17:29

Yeah, have you been?

SPEAKER_03 17:30

Yeah, uh like at the restaurants and I've done like a canoe trip through there, but yeah, I just remember just sitting on um, I don't even remember the name of the lake, not Devil's Lake Baker Lake, is it? No, not that one either. Maybe Devil's Lake, one of those two. Yeah, just it's cool, cool little town.

SPEAKER_00 17:44

Hey, yeah, I'm so excited. Like, I haven't um been in Mississippi and not to the resort, so I'm really excited about that. I know like I'll be running like for days and like be excited to get there.

SPEAKER_03 17:55

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Um, so once we get to LaRange, um, then the kind of the central section um from La Range to like Saskatoon area um is kind of yeah, it's a little bit more like it's parkland, right? So there'll be more roads. So we kind of have to think about that uh where we're gonna go through. We're gonna go on the east side of uh Montreal Lake and then cross. Yeah, then cross into, and I think that's where Lake Melinosa is, like the geographic center of Saskatchewan.

SPEAKER_03 18:23

So yeah, that's right, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:25

Yeah, that's exciting. And then we'll cross over into like um um Prince Albert National Park and then go down there and kind of like the scenic drive through the park?

SPEAKER_03 18:33

Yeah. Oh, that's awesome, yeah. That's gorgeous. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:37

And then yeah, and then we'll kind of camp, and then we can we'll we'll be able to like once we get to Waskazoo, then there'll be like um regional parks, I guess, to stay at.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

Yeah. So then yeah, so then accommodation. We'll still be camping, but it won't look like wild camping, like the north.

SPEAKER_03 18:53

So did you choose to start up north just because it would be a little maybe a little more of an adventure up there? And then you'll you're kind of still fresh and have a bunch of energy and excitement, and you kind of know once you you know probably get south of Oaskazoo, you're probably gonna be okay.

SPEAKER_00 19:08

Yeah, exactly. That's what I was kind of thinking. Yeah, nice.

SPEAKER_03 19:12

And to backtrack, it's Otter Lake, which I should know because Otter Rapids drains into Otter Lake, but I that makes sense. Put myself on the spot, so I had to correct that.

SPEAKER_00 19:20

That makes sense, actually. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 19:22

So then you said after Waskazoo, you're gonna through the Prince Albert National Park, you're gonna do the scenic drive and come out by kind of Christopher Lake area.

SPEAKER_00 19:30

Yeah, yeah, Sturgeon. Um is it called Sturgeon Lake? Sturgeon River? Sturgeon River.

SPEAKER_03 19:36

What is it called? I think it's Sturgeon River. I think Karen has a camper there, doesn't he? Yeah, maybe. Well, there you go. You should write that down. You might have another place to stay. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 19:47

And then um, I'm not sure yet. Like, I think one route is to kind of like not go through Prince Albert, like we'll go through Shelbrook, and then yeah, I think that was one that we were playing with. And then, but yeah, there's still a couple different variables, I guess. It's kind of like, yeah, just aiming, I guess, a little bit more westerly towards Valmarie because I think, yeah, the shortest distance would be going out um east of the national park and grasslands. Yep. Yeah, but um I'm aiming close to Balmarie, uh close to Orkney in Climax because my mom was born in Climax and grew up in the tying that all in.

SPEAKER_03 20:27

That's so cool.

SPEAKER_00 20:28

Yeah, thank you. Yeah, and I haven't been there. So well, I've been to Balmarie, but yeah, it'll be really exciting to get there. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 20:36

So what would your route look then say from Shelbrook, kind of let's say to the uh number one? How are you getting where will you be passing through there? Um maybe Swift Current-ish.

SPEAKER_00 20:48

No, yeah, yeah, exactly. Like I think it's a little bit east of Swift Current. Um, but again, like it'll mostly, excuse me, be on like smaller roads. Um yeah, we're gonna try to stay away from highway.

SPEAKER_03 21:02

Yeah, for sure. No, that's great.

SPEAKER_00 21:05

And it looks like it's like if I look at a map, it's like a lot of like just like yeah, um, yeah, just a lot of little turns down gravel roads. So I'm not sure, like, I mean, I do have an app that I'm using. Um, my good friend Darren is good with all types of maps. So we're using I have map, and then we're also using outdoor advent. Is it called outdoor adventure? That doesn't sound right, but anyway, whatever. But um, yeah, so hopefully I'll be able to navigate with that, or like maybe my crew will put out pylons and like tell me where to turn. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 21:36

For sure. Yeah, that's neat because there's like when you get off the main roads in Saskatchewan, you always find something pretty cool. I know every every time we you know take a secondary highway or a grid road, you're just like, wow, it's so kind of still wild out when you're off the main drag. So yeah. If you're running, you'll even enjoy that more. So be quiet and peaceful.

SPEAKER_00 21:54

Um yeah, I love that you said that because I know sometimes like even cell service is like kind of sketchy down there, hey. Like it can feel really remote in the south, so yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 22:03

Yeah. I always um say, like, that stretch you're gonna be well west of here, but like you take the number six down to like Redgway, or if you ever head west and kind of head towards like Wood Mountain in that area, and yeah, that's just I I almost say it's like as wild as the north. Like it there are people there, but they're just giant ranches and not a lot of towns, and it just looks like it did hundreds of years ago, so it's pretty cool. Yeah, love that area, and yeah, that goes all the way to obviously grasslands, that whole like hundred kilometers north of the border is also neat.

SPEAKER_00 22:29

Yeah, yeah. I'm really excited to like be able to I guess move slowly through the landscape, right? Like just kind of time and really enjoy it. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:40

So are your parents gonna be with you the whole time?

SPEAKER_00 22:42

Yeah. My my dad and well, my dad and brother are gonna be in the north.

SPEAKER_01 22:47

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 22:48

Um, and then um in the middle section will be kind of friends.

SPEAKER_01 22:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:54

And then the south is gonna be um my stepmom Sandy and my dad. And then I have some aunties that are come gonna come out as well and help out.

SPEAKER_03 23:02

Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:05

It's kind of neat. Like originally when I was kind of planning this too, like my brother, um, he was also like probably the second person I called. And he um he's uh well, he was a bear at the time, and he was um a bear and moose biologist. Sorry, not bear and moose, bear and caribou biologist for the north.

SPEAKER_03 23:24

Oh, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 23:25

Um, so he lives in PA and um his like area is all the way up to like the whole north. So for him, it was gonna be awesome for to have him crew because he would actually be able to kind of like um, you know, like kind of pair it with some work trips and just kind of be up there when I was for sure. Yeah, but then in um end of January or something, he's like, Oh Megan, I I took a new position and I'm now the pronghorn biologist in the south. So I'm like, no, except that's also very useful. So he's gonna he's gonna be in kind of both sections, which is yeah, that's great.

SPEAKER_03 23:57

And then your dad with the conservation officer experience, you'll kind of have like people who know what's going on in all those places, I suspect.

SPEAKER_00 24:04

Yes, exactly. I I'll feel very well cared for.

SPEAKER_03 24:07

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:08

And then will you have pacers on and off for the whole time?

SPEAKER_00 24:11

Or yeah, um, the north, uh, I won't. I do have my friend Joey, who we're hope, hoping he can make it up kind of around points north, actually. So yeah, quite a bit of the north. Um, and he'll pace and as well as kind of like help with some crewing, I think, back and forth. Yep. And then um, I'm excited, like starting um in the ranch. I have kind of um a team of like, I don't know, I think there's probably six ultra runners coming out, like yeah, like Teresa, um, she's coming, and um a couple other, um, Hayley and Svietta, who are both like ran the Iron Horse course, um, and my friend Jen, who's also ran the Iron Horse course. I'm kind of excited because um from LaRange to Christopher Lake, sorry, LaRange to Waskazoo is like 170 kilometers of kind of remote grid, like that's the Montreal Lake section. So I'm kind of calling that that like the Saskatchewan 100 miler.

SPEAKER_03 25:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:12

That'll be a nice trip.

SPEAKER_00 25:13

I know it'll be really nice. And like, yeah, I think we'll have like so far, like I think there'll probably be six ultrarunners out there in that section. So that'll be really fun.

SPEAKER_03 25:22

Yeah, that sounds awesome.

SPEAKER_00 25:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:25

And then yeah, go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 25:28

I was gonna say, and then like, yeah, for the other pacers, like as I kind of um I do have my friend Andrew and Rachel that are gonna come out um around I think like south of um Laskazoo, and they're both um runners as well. So they're kind of like tag team and run and and drive a support vehicle, which is really great. And then yeah, like if anyone else wants to come out and share some miles, that'll be awesome. I haven't organized it yet, but like I'm I'm thinking I'll have like one main contact for like the central section and then a main contact for the south that people could maybe just like text them or like see where I'm at and kind of make some um plans on the fly, I guess, to come out and pace.

SPEAKER_03 26:08

Yeah, that was one of the questions one of the uh people on Instagram had was if they can join you at times.

SPEAKER_00 26:13

Awesome, yeah. So I should probably put that up soon because I do have like, yeah, a sample itinerary of kind of where I'll be. And then yeah, I can start like kind of collecting, yeah, like kind of sending them, sending people that are interested in like the right direction, I guess.

SPEAKER_03 26:27

For sure. And for people who want to follow along, do you have like a gonna have like a website? Are you just gonna use social media or yeah?

SPEAKER_00 26:33

I I do have um a website that I'll share in a bit, and I am trying to see if I can put like kind of a live tracker on there.

SPEAKER_01 26:42

Okay, nice.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

Um, I guess if anybody's listening that has any experience with that, because I'm struggling with that. Uh yeah, so I hope I hope to kind of put that. I think that'll be kind of fun. Um yeah. And then yeah, I hope to kind of just like update Instagram. I'm kind of enjoying that part of storytelling a little bit. So yeah, I'll put some stuff up there.

SPEAKER_03 27:03

For sure. That sounds pretty awesome. So, what has your um training looked like? What's it like to prepare the body for 60 kilometers a day?

SPEAKER_00 27:11

I know.

SPEAKER_03 27:12

Again, I'm yeah, and that's a hell of a thing to have to, you know, plan a trip, plus you know, training for a hundred miles, basically a full-time job. So I can't imagine training for a whole month adventure and planning a whole month adventure all yeah, it has to be a good thing.

SPEAKER_00 27:26

Thank you, thank you. But yeah, it has to be busy. And uh yeah, if anyone has any advice, let me know. Yeah, but I am like I've been using uh yeah, like um Jason Coop's ultra running guide.

SPEAKER_01 27:40

Okay, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:41

Kind of structure my workouts and then now, like, I don't know. I I I know I have like six weeks left, and I should I should do, I'm planning to do kind of like two maybe training camp type things where it's just essentially like a back to back to back kind of um bigger days, I guess. Um, but really it's like I I think it's just keeping weekly miles up, like I'm doing 80 and 100 kilometers, so not like huge, but it's kind of like yeah, I'm a little bit um just strapped for time sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

For sure.

SPEAKER_00 28:16

But then I'm just like most like just really paying attention to like injured injury prevention, I guess.

SPEAKER_03 28:21

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, and people like non-runners always ask, like, oh my god, how do you train for a hundred mile or a fifty mile? And it's just like if you just kind of reach a certain point where you can't shouldn't do anymore, you're just gonna destroy yourself. So you just kind of yeah, it's not like you have to run like 500 miles a month or something to prepare for it, so then you would literally die, I'm sure.

SPEAKER_00 28:42

Yes, exactly. It's kind of that balance. I did listen to a podcast from a guy that broke the um like so was it self self-supported? Yeah, it was a self-supported Appalachian trail um route this year. Like Tara Dower got this uh got the supported record, and then this guy got the self-supported record on the Appalachian Trail. Yep. And so anyway, I was listening to his podcast and he did kind of say like just train, he trained just like a hundred-mile training plan, and and then he just added these like very specific training camps in. So kind of like what you would do if we're playing if we're like planning to do an ultra, sorry, a mountain race, right? You just kind of train in Saskatchewan, but then maybe if you can do a couple weekends of elevation, that might be good enough.

SPEAKER_03 29:28

Yeah, no, that's awesome. Yeah, I've just recently gotten into like the uh thought of doing like a big stimulus weekend, like six to eight weeks out from your main race. My old coach didn't really think that way. It was more just like this steady build every weekend, but then like all the ultra runners I really respect and look up to. I've been kind of like touching base with them, and yeah, they all say the same thing, like, yeah, just you don't need to run seven hours on Saturday, just like go out and do you know, like a three-day weekend, like you said. Maybe you do like a five, five, and five or something like that.

SPEAKER_00 29:56

So yeah, yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 29:58

So you said you had some um support from businesses for your um project. So anybody in particular who's really stood out and stepped above and beyond?

SPEAKER_00 30:08

Um surprisingly, like um friends of friends that work for like construction businesses have been like super supported. Yeah, so um, yeah, like Graham Construction um donated um quite a bit of money for a support vehicle. Like I can rent a vehicle um if if and when we need that. Um, and then also Northridge. Um there's uh yeah, like a friend of a friend has a running, yeah, running friend that works for Northridge. So they did provide some. And then I'm trying to think, I should have actually got my list.

SPEAKER_03 30:44

Yeah, I kind of put you on the spot.

SPEAKER_00 30:45

So no, I don't know why it wasn't considered. Um yeah, and then also um uh my um Kim Frazier, like with uh still physio, has been like really awesome. So that's who I've been going to with like some prehab and things like that. And then um Outer Limits is also like helping out with some gear, which is really awesome. And yeah, um Contech, um, which my friend Nick worked for last year. They provided a sponsorship as well. And then I also mentioned advanced adventure destinations, um, two-night stay. And then um Canadian Timber Homes, my friend Um Kurt works well, owns owns that company, and they've been awesome. And then yeah, like Prairie Sky Running and 321 go running, um, as well as Prairie Run Crew, they've been also super supportive.

SPEAKER_03 31:39

Yeah, that's that's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 31:40

Yeah, yeah. So that's been kind of fun. Like uh, I guess, yeah, like sharing a bit of my message that way. That's been like a very uh yeah, I'm like new to me, I guess. To like contact different businesses and like say, hey, this is what I'm doing. And like if you're interested, you know, like you can support me. So that's been really awesome. Um, but also like a huge, a huge learning curve.

SPEAKER_03 32:06

For sure. Yeah, those all seem like good Saskatchewan companies, or at least have a big base and history in Saskatchewan. So that's cool that they help out. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:14

Yeah, totally.

SPEAKER_03 32:15

That's awesome for sure.

SPEAKER_00 32:16

Like kind of looking at my, yeah, just my list. Like, yeah, we talked like the training, then there's like the logistics and the route to kind of plan. Um, we kind of talked about crew and like, I don't know, my my own personal care when I'm out there. Um and then yeah, like gear, that's something I'm starting to kind of collect a little bit more of. Um, I'm kind of in two camps. Like I think I've mentioned that I have like a background with like through hikings, where uh, you know, I was I did the whole Pacific Crest Trail like with the same t-shirt and the same pair of shorts. So like I feel like that's kind of my like comfort area. Like I'm okay doing that, but I'm like, no, I should probably bring a couple changes of clothes like on this type of trip. Starting to kind of yeah, collect some more running gear and and uh switch out my shoes and stuff like that. So yeah, it won't be as like minimalist as I'm used to, but I I still, yeah, I still hope to kind of, yeah, I guess just have a pretty simple setup, especially because I'm gonna be moving from like support vehicles, like I won't have the same one the whole time. Um, so I'll have to be a little bit like trans. Yeah, I'll have to be a little bit portable, I guess, with my gear.

SPEAKER_03 33:28

For sure. Yeah. If there's one thing you're kind of maybe worried about or not looking forward to, and then one thing that you're really looking forward to, what would the uh what would those two things be?

SPEAKER_00 33:37

Good question. Well, I mean, I think the worry is always like an overuse injury.

SPEAKER_03 33:43

Yeah, that's for sure, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 33:45

Yeah. And then weather, like if weather's crappy, yeah. Like that's a big variable. Like if it's crappy, that super sucks. And that's as runners, right? It's not just um, it's not just you know, um that it takes away some fun, it actually like adds a lot of difficulty with blisters and chafing and stuff. So yeah, so I would have to yeah, be really careful with all of those things. Um, and then also like if it gets really muddy on the gravel, like that can affect um your movement and kind of uh create some strain on different parts of your muscles. So I hope I'm not like I don't know, coming into like a week of rain straight or anything like that. But of course, we know that's always a risk.

SPEAKER_03 34:28

That's right, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:30

And then I guess a couple of things that I'm looking forward to. Well, like um, I am looking forward to like some of the the camp uh camp camp sites, I guess, in the far north. Um yeah, like you mentioned kind of that you have also been up there on a canoe trip. So you kind of know that some of oh, I thought my computer died. No, it's back.

SPEAKER_01 34:51

Nope, I can still see you.

SPEAKER_00 34:52

Okay. Um, so you know that some of those like just the views get under your skin, right? Yeah, so I just think like having a warm cup of coffee in the morning before I start the run, like on the edge of a lake, like I kind of romanticize it a little bit, but that's what I'm really looking forward to.

SPEAKER_03 35:07

Yeah, I'm glad that you're approaching it that way because sometimes when you read books about people, you know, running across Canada or something, they're very it's all business, they don't seem to enjoy anything. They get up at 4 a.m. and run like a hundred miles, or not a hundred, but a hundred kilometers a day. And that's cool that you're gonna make sure to enjoy it. Cause yeah. Yes. I'd be interested to see like once you get north, how I know there's like a road up there, but that'd just be interesting to see if there's any if it's still like how wild it is up there. I know, like you know, like 30 years ago for sure, but I know there is mining and development and logging, and just be interested to see how like natural it still is, which I'm I'm sure it's very natural, but yeah, that that would that would interest me for sure.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

Yeah, I know, because I have thought about like if I'll see some wildlife, some bears, and things like that, like I would love to. I know yeah, like I know I'm not like in like I know I'm on a road, so it's not like I'm in a canoe on a lake. So I know that could, you know, obviously change things, but I would love to, yeah, see some some things like that. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 36:01

That'd be great. Have you ever read that um Dave Proctor book, like the guy who ran across Canada untethered? That no, but I'm gonna write it down because he's like, I think towards the end, he like can't even like get out of bed and he's like so blistered, and I forget he had like a bad knee and like I feel like back spasms, like he could hardly straighten out, but he would go out and bang out a hundred miles or 150k or whatever he did. I don't I don't even think it was that much, but I'm sure he did 100k days sometimes. But yeah, it's yeah, but I'm not sure he enjoyed it as that as much as you plan on enjoying it.

SPEAKER_00 36:33

Yeah, he might not have been enjoying his and he was doing it for different reasons.

SPEAKER_03 36:36

I think he was trying to be the fastest person to ever run across Canada, so so he had uh like a real mission.

SPEAKER_00 36:42

So yeah, yeah, yeah, a bit of a different experience, which I I mean obviously really respect his as well. I think he was like, wasn't he averaging like 105 a day at 105 kilometers?

SPEAKER_03 36:52

Like it was I feel like he was, yeah. For sure.

SPEAKER_00 36:56

Yeah, well, we'll see. Like, who knows? Maybe in the north I won't actually hope. I mean, no, I was gonna say, like, maybe I'll just be enjoying it too much and not actually do that much kilometers, but no, I will actually.

SPEAKER_03 37:06

Yeah, I'll be more your uh um expertise on the iron horse course, which has a lot of gravel on it. You seem to excel at that last fall. So that maybe that'll come back to help you.

SPEAKER_00 37:17

I know, no, exactly. That's what I was thinking because even when I was running the iron horse, I was like, oh, could I do this for days and days? Yeah, I was kind of thinking that way then, and I I kind of I enjoyed it. There was definitely a part that was very lovable about the course, so yeah, I think it was a positive experience.

SPEAKER_03 37:32

Yeah, that's that is a fun event.

SPEAKER_00 37:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 37:35

Did you mention that you're raising money for charity, or did I dream that? Yeah, no, okay. I didn't want to like ask it, and then you're like, actually, no, I'm just trying to pay the bills. I'm like, oh, sorry. Imply that you should be running for charity.

SPEAKER_00 37:49

No, it isn't, yeah, I am. And um I kind of like when I started kind of putting this together, well, actually, too, like Nick's idea, original idea was to run for a charity as well. And it kind of changed a little bit just because my reasons are, yeah, my own. So the charity I chose is Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Um, my mom passed away from leukemia. And um yeah, like I guess when I was, yeah, when I started to plan this, of course, I I I decided to do this in a in a in a public way, right? Um I thought it would be, I think it's a pretty cool project, and I and I was excited to share it um and to talk about it. And I and I do love the support, and I would love if people are excited to follow along and things like that. So um, yeah, so I am running um for the chemia lymphoma. They've been amazing to work with. Um, so I do have a fundraising page that I'll share with you. It's actually attached to my website. My website is just every stepisgood.ca. And that's the name of my project. Um, my very first marathon. No, I didn't finish my very first marathon. Never mind. My second marathon, um, I did run um in honor of my mom and for the kemia lymphoma society. Um, and I remember, you know, getting to the well, maybe I'll back up a little bit. Like my very maybe I miss, yeah, my very first marathon, I stopped at like kilometer 38 because I was like, this is so painful. Like, why is it this hard? And I was like, I must like I wasn't really well trained, but I was just like fearful of getting injured and blah, blah, blah. So I decided to stop and then I signed up for another marathon. And then when I got to like kilometer 32, I was like, oh my gosh, it feels the same. Like it's always hard. So um, yeah. So I ended up, I did finish that marathon, and but one of the mantras that I was saying to myself was just like, every step is good, and you know, all the pain that I'm feeling is good and moving forward is good. And that was kind of like what I was what I was repeating in my head. So when I was thinking about um what I should um I guess call this project, like that's that's the that was the only option. So every step is good.

SPEAKER_01 40:10

Yeah, great.

SPEAKER_00 40:12

So uh yeah, so that's um you can find my website at every stepisgood.ca and then my um fundraising page is linked. Um it just yeah, like yeah, it's just started. Uh I just linked it today, like it's pretty new. Um, so yeah, I think uh I I laughed because I I just wanted to test it to make sure it worked. So I I put a little bit of money towards my goal and I didn't put it anonymously, but it just says my name and I was like, oh, so anyway, um say that I made the first pledge. I didn't really thought that was kind of funny.

SPEAKER_03 40:46

For sure.

SPEAKER_00 40:47

But yeah, and that's kind of a big part of it. Like just yeah, for me, I did want to do something to kind of you know make a difference. Um and yeah, and and just kind of do this in a way that um I guess connects connects people and connects with people.

SPEAKER_03 41:02

Yeah, for sure. That's awesome. Yeah, yeah. And then after you're done your project, you said you might do a few other races this year.

SPEAKER_00 41:10

Yeah, like um, I'm volunteering for Reese.

SPEAKER_03 41:13

So I'll be there like oh yeah, I was wondering about that because it's like the weekend before, right?

SPEAKER_00 41:17

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, and we're gonna volunteer. So I yeah, honestly, I I I feel like I could run, but I I just I don't want to twist an ink on.

SPEAKER_03 41:26

Yeah, that's right. Yeah, it's not worth risking it for sure.

SPEAKER_00 41:28

Yeah, I will be, I'm not like training on trail, like I'm like a flat roadrunner right now, it's crazy. So um, yeah, so I'm like, don't risk it, Megan. That would be nuts. So anyway, I'll be there. I'm really excited to like see everybody at eight stations. Like that'll be fun. Yeah. Um, and then I guess the only thing that I'm registered for is um um beer flat 50 in the fall and maybe go back to Iron Horse, but I'll just kind of have to see. And I might go to Sinister just to volunteer or just see friends or maybe run a bit, I'm not sure, but I'll just have to kind of yeah, see how see how the body feels after.

SPEAKER_03 42:02

Yeah, that's right. That'll be a whole new experience for your body.

SPEAKER_00 42:04

So that really will. Oh my gosh. So hopefully I won't be wrecked.

SPEAKER_03 42:09

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I had noticed um last year how it seemed like your got much faster over the summer. Is that true, or was it just like you kind of the first races? I know you had some issues with uh gastrointestinal stuff, and but yeah, I just kind of watched your season progress from like Reserve to like, and then your iron horse was just like phenomenal. And I mean all your races were phenomenal, but I really noticed you had a huge improvement as far as being faster in the summers or something you did, or do you think it was that big through hike you did, or um it was my yeah, it's my tummy.

SPEAKER_00 42:43

It's nice. I had yeah, I had three races that were really like, yeah, I kind of always struggled with uh GI issues, just like uh just being very nauseous. And then um I and then after death race, um, I was like, oh my gosh, I need to really solve this. Um, so I kind of started to do some well, I mean I was always doing research, but anyway, whatever I I actually talked to my physician and we made a plan together. Um and then yeah, and then that really helped my races after that.

SPEAKER_03 43:17

So yeah, so it's a great lesson. It's the fitness was there. It was just if you have, you know, other things you're not keeping on top of that can knock you down as much as poor fitness could. So yeah, I'm glad you figured that out.

SPEAKER_00 43:27

Yeah, it's totally true. And that's kind of like a lesson to anyone out there, too. Like you can be super fit and then something can just derail your race, but also like like try to solve it. Cause like, oh my gosh, I've like, I'm not, you know, my not my nausea issue is not fully solved, but I've definitely been, I'm definitely way closer to having strategies. Yeah, like I think Death Race, like Jason, I think it took me nine hours to do like 30k.

SPEAKER_01 43:52

Like oh wow.

SPEAKER_00 43:54

It's like, am I going backwards? Like, what's up? And then yeah, so I was like, so nauseous for nine hours and then um and then all of a sudden like it just like let up and I could run so it was just a very it's like it's almost like a it's almost like a hormonal thing for me. It just like nausea turns on and then it's able and then I can and then it turns off. So okay I just have to kind of either wait it out or also um yeah do some different strategies to kind of work through it. But yeah that's that's kind of what happened last year. As soon as I kind of worked with my physician um excuse me um the three races at the end were a lot better.

SPEAKER_03 44:33

Yeah. For sure. Yeah. So at the beginning and end of your project do you have an like are you gonna have like a little ceremony or anything at the beginning or end or just keep it low key?

SPEAKER_00 44:43

Yeah no that's a good question. Um I am planning um me along with um a couple of my really awesome uh running friends um are planning kind of a kickoff run um or a shakeout run I guess on May 20th and we're gonna do it of course with doggers and loggers so we're kind of working out the details um it's most likely gonna be at the Capitol um and we're gonna have some like door prizes and different things like that but it won't be too big like it's honestly just like a typical Wednesday night run and then people can stay for drinks and then there'll be I think I'll I'll probably just like introduce the project or just talk about it a little bit but then there'll be yeah just some incentives to kind of um raise a little bit of money there and just kind of start the run in a good way. So that's the 20th and then my run starts on the 25th.

SPEAKER_03 45:36

So nice yeah yeah and then at the end just kind of uh wait and see how it all plays out.

SPEAKER_00 45:43

Yeah wait and see. Yep. And uh yeah I'm not sure I haven't even thought that far ahead.

SPEAKER_03 45:49

So yeah I think you should uh just for a little fitness test right at the end you should call in like an anomalous tip to ice and tell them you're gonna run like 200 meters into Montana and just like make a video saying Montana 11th province and then sprint back and be like a perfect fatigue uh resistance exercise.

SPEAKER_00 46:06

That's hilarious. I know when I was thinking about like which direction to go I was like gosh do I want to like I don't really want to end at the southern border. That's like not great you know for sure. But maybe I could make it if if I do something like that then I could turn it into something funny.

SPEAKER_03 46:21

So we might have to edit that out because in in a few years if go to the US again I might get pulled aside never know who's listening.

SPEAKER_00 46:29

Yeah that's totally true.

SPEAKER_03 46:30

Oh my gosh. For sure. All right was there anything else you wanted to share? I guess you could maybe if people weren't listening right at the time maybe give your website and the details about how they can donate and follow along and or anything else you want to talk about.

SPEAKER_00 46:46

I think I'm just kind of looking at my list. I think that honestly like covers the entire run so the entire project so that's awesome but I appreciate that. And it actually yeah it's kind of helped me um kind of wrap my head around some things because sometimes I feel pretty scrambled about the whole process. So yeah so thank you very much. And then yeah so um the website is just every stepisgood.ca so you can find some more information about the run there. And then yeah on social media uh my handle is at or yeah Meg Run South right megrun south is what I'm at uh so you can find you can kind of follow the journey there and then yeah I think that's that's kind of I think we got it.

SPEAKER_03 47:29

And I think the listener questions you kind of just organically answered them throughout I believe.

SPEAKER_00 47:33

Yeah totally I kind of made a list um and I think we've kind of yeah touch based on all of them so thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03 47:40

Yeah well thank you so much for um sharing that story and the the genesis of the story it's it was very very touching I really appreciate that and best of luck to you and we'll all be uh I'm sure watching you checking your progress every couple hours the whole month so that'll be awesome. Woohoo okay thank you so much yeah we'll see you soon yeah and good luck on your training hey thank you very much you have been listening to the Saskatchewan podcast please subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to pods and remember to get in touch at jasontburns40 at gmail.com for suggestions of who you think may make a great guess on this podcast or for comments in general. And as always thanks to this wonderful Canadian band The Burning Hell for the use of this song Holidaymakers check them out at theburninghell.com and until next time keep putting in the work