Meet the Athlete: Megan Billington

Name: Megan Billington

Age: 22

Place of Birth: Grand Island, Nebraska

High School: Grand Island Northwest

College: University of South Dakota

Major/Minor: Exercise Science and Sport Management with a Minor in Coaching

Where do you currently live?: Grand Island, NE

Occupation/Degree you are working towards: I am currently working as an intern at the Grand Island Convention and Visitors Bureau. I am helping out with their sporting events and just got done coordinating the Firecracker Fun Run on the Fourth of July for them! I am in the
process of searching for a full-time job once my internship is over. I also work as an Assistant Cross Country Coach at Grand Island Senior High.

How long have you been and LRC-Nebraska member?: About a month!

How long have you been running competitively?: I ran my first road race when I was 9, so about 13 years!

What excites you most about being an LRCN athlete?: I am super excited to be part of a group that keeps me running and keeps me involved with the running community.

What does a typical training week look like for you? Walk us through your daily routine (training related and otherwise): I am still adjusting to my new schedule and still trying to get my work/running lives balanced out. It’s a hard adjustment right out of college. I am planning to run 50-65ish miles per week. For a job I am really interested in coordinating special events and sporting events but with that there really is no set schedule of when you may have to work or volunteer for an event so right now my run schedule is a little crazy! I start Monday-Friday mornings off with a run with my XC kids and then I typically try to run again in the evenings on my own two-three times a week. I try to do some type of track or road workout on Tuesdays and Fridays or Saturdays and my long runs are on Sundays. I really love weight/strength training, but I have been really bad about doing it this Summer. Once I kind of get a routine figured out, I hope to start lifting twice a week. After runs I try to do some type of core routine.

We all approach training and racing differently, so tell us what your short-term and long-term goals are with running: I really want to focus on getting back into a routine. I understand it may not be quite like the routine I was in during college because work and life happen after college, but I do want to just figure that routine out. I want to compete in as many races as I can to be sure that I stay involved and in shape. With that, I am currently training for the Nebraska State Fair Marathon, which is at the end of August, but until then I am running the Lincoln Mile and the Columbus Downtown Runaround. Being prepared for the marathon is my big goal right now but after that I hope to run in a few XC meets in the Fall and be on the LRC Cross Country team.

Where are your 3 favorite places to do long runs at the moment?:

Lewis and Clark campground in Yankton, SD.

Starting from my apartment in Grand Island and then on the bike trail and basically
all through town and Hall County Park.

I need to find some more long run routes!

After a solid race or long run, what is your favorite meal to demolish and replenish those calories? Please use details and give recommendations!:
Anything and Everything?? But if we are being specific, Pizza, Ice Cream, Donuts, and Gatorade! I love a good Sonic slush or shake after a tough workout or a long run.

Share a crazy training or racing story, or simply an interesting moment in time:

My Junior year of Outdoor Track at USD we had a home track meet on like a Tuesday or Thursday evening and I was running the 5k at this meet. I was super relaxed and feeling really good because our home meets were always very laid back because not a ton of teams came, especially for one that was on a weeknight. I was warming up with my teammates Erin and
Laura when it was time to put our spikes on. I opened my bag and saw some of my school stuff and my laundry loop from when they did our laundry at the Dome. I was so confused as to why I brought my laundry loop to the meet, but then I quickly realized that I grabbed the wrong bag from my apartment. So, it was about 15 minutes until race time and I didn’t have my spikes or my jersey. I took off in a panic run/cry to find my coach and tell him and when I got to him, he was completely calm and said, “just go get them real fast”. So, I took off running to my apartment and grabbed my spikes and jersey and ran back to the track. I got back to the track and put my jersey and spikes on with 3 minutes to spare!! And I even started my watch for the run there and back and logged it!

What book are you currently reading or TV show are you binge watching?: I love reading and I had a goal of reading 1 book every month of the year and I did really good until May but then life happened and I slowed down. I have a few long road trips coming up though for weddings and I am planning to start The Passion Paradox. I don’t watch much TV.

You’re the star of a running movie, and the opening scene is you running on a winding dirt road, with a beautiful sunrise. What song is playing in the background?: Probably anything Country. Plus, I feel like country music fits the scenery in this question.