PHOENIX — Meghan Slavin is a regular out on the trails in Arizona, often accompanied by her husband Brian.
“I got really into it and my husband just said, ‘OK well if I ever want to see my wife, I should probably start running,” said Meghan.
But, Meghan is far from a regular runner: She’s an ultra runner, meaning she puts in some serious mileage.
She was training for her fourth 100 mile race this summer.
But when it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, her coach came up with an idea: Run 70 miles -- from the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the highest natural point in Arizona at Humphreys Peak.
They call it "hole-to-hump" and no woman had ever done it.
“We found out that there had never been another woman to finish it, and that was kind of it," Meghan said.
"I just thought that even if I didn’t move very fast or my time wasn’t the greatest, to be the first person to do this, I could help maybe pave the way for other women to get out and try something big and epic like that.”
So Meghan set out on the nearly 24-hour journey with her support system. Her husband ran 10 miles with her through the night and accompanied her on the trek to the top of Humphreys Peak.
“I definitely had a little breakdown with my husband at mile 55. I just wanted to sit in the car for a second and sit in the heat," she said.
"He was really nice about it but he basically was just like, this is what you trained for and you need to get out of the car right now, and you just have to put one foot in front of the other.”
“I love having that role and I love seeing the things that she does and she’s capable of doing,” said Meghan’s husband Brian.
"I know there’s a lot more out there for her, so if I can do anything in my power to help her get to those points, reach those goals, that’s the thrill for me.”
Meghan finished in 21 hours and 9 minutes, an accomplishment that’s hard to fathom.
“When we got to the top it was pretty special, I know how much it meant to her,” said Brian.
“To be able to be the first person to do it is amazing and it’s something that nobody can ever take away from me so I am very excited and proud,” said Meghan.
