Megan Boxall
Endurance Athlete
Public Speaker
Mental Health Advocate
Run Britain
On 9 May 2026, I became the fastest woman to run around the coastline of Britain.
I completed the 5000 mile loop in 204 days and took 94 days off the previous women’s world record. I raised £68,000 for the Samaritans.
It’s a project that was always about more than the running. From day one, my aim was always to celebrate Britain and to shine a light on all that is good here. And I was blown away by the extent to which the power of positivity helped me overcome the physical hurdles of running nearly a marathon a day for almost seven months.
Run Britain changed my life. It showed me how much we have to be positive about. It reminded me how much fun life can be when you don’t take it too seriously. It taught me more about myself and about humanity than I ever could have imagined.
It has become the foundation with which I want to help others overcome their own darkness and difficulties..
Power of positivity
I spent most of my teens and 20s hidden behind a mask. A facade which hid a debilitating battle with anxiety, depression and cripplingly low self esteem.
In 2024, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and suffered through bouts of intense psychosis, which culminated with a spell in psychiatric crisis care.
I know I am not alone in battling the worst ravages of depression. Mental illness-health is increasingly pervasive and outcomes are worsening. Every 90 minutes, someone dies by suicide. In 2024, I nearly became part of that statistic.
But from those suicidal lows, I have found a route to recovery. A recovery based on a decision to live my life with unwavering positivity. A choice to seek the good in the world and celebrate it.
Mental illness is devastating, isolating and terrifying. But it doesn’t have to be a life sentence. My aim is to provide hope for those who are struggling. To show that there is always a path to recovery. To improve mental health outcomes and change the direction of travel of the awful statistics.