Megan hamill

2 min read

From eating disorder to Ironwoman, Megan Hamill is an incredible student who loves helping others

Why i run

Megan gets way more from running than just physical fitness

How did you get into running?

Running has been an outlet for me for a while now and has become such a big part of my life that I decided to do my first Ironman in June. Now I’m through to the World Championships in Hawaii! I ran cross country in school, but it wasn’t until my mum was receiving treatment for lymphoma that I discovered the therapeutic benefits of running. Throughout my Master’s year at Bristol University this year, I relied on running as a means of switching off. Being alone with my thoughts has felt like therapy.

Tell us about your first race

My first proper race was the Bristol Half Marathon last September. I remember getting excited as I laid out my race outfit the night before. Walking to the start line gave me butterflies. It was incredible to set off at the same time as thousands of other people. I remember seeing all the different reasons why people were running, and it gave me such a boost.

Which race are you proudest of?

The Paris Marathon. This was my first marathon and I finished in 3:54. I was proud of all of the training I had put in to make the race a comfortable and enjoyable experience. My mum was waiting for me at the finish line, which made all the difference. I felt strong for most of it and then, 27K in, my quads started to stiffen up. Thankfully I was able to silence the voice telling me to stop and I finished strong.

Where do you love to run?

I love running through Ashton Court in Bristol; the trees are beautiful and being on a hill gives such a nice view of the city. But running the roads of my hometown – Portadown, County Armagh – is just different. This is where I recorded my first TikTok video of a running thought I had, and the video hit 1.1 million views.

This article is from...

Women's Running Magazine

24 August 2023

Women's Fitness

Gladiators ready!

We talk to the new female Gladiators of the smash hit BBC TV show to discover their fitness secrets, and find out more about the women behind the iconic red and blue costumes

Runner's World UK

Stranger than fiction.

In the backwoods of Tennessee there’s a race so brutal that only 17 people have ever finished it. Its vicious course and capricious quirks take the world’s toughest runners down the rabbit hole even before the hallucinations start. With another Barkley Marathons story about to be written, we look back through the pages of last year’s epic tale

Women's Health - UK

How the ketamine wellness bubble burst

Positioned by advocates as aparadigm-shifting mental health intervention, the dissociative drug has proved popular among those with the means to pay for private treatments, in clinics styled as high-end spas. But as one of the movement’s key players has their medical licence suspended, the drug’s ascent is now in doubt. WH takes acloser look at the tranquilliser turned therapeutic tool

Liz Earle Wellbeing

And breathe…

Like many women, I began snoring in perimenopause, which had a negative impact on my sleep, my husband’s sleep and my ability to function at work and in my personal life. I realised I was breathing in

Psychologies Magazine

“sometimes you have to take the small wins

Child therapist Kate Silverton talks to Psychologies about her second act, seeking out the joy, and the importance of self-regulation when making space for big emotions

Top Sante

‘i took back my power!’

Emily Johnson, aka the Arthritis Foodie, talks to editor-in-chief Katy Sunnassee about her arthritis diagnosis at a young age, through to how she overhauled her diet to improve her symptoms and is now helping others do the same.