In 2012, Megan competed in her first half-marathon, as well as a triathlon with Team in Training. She conquered both races like a pro and moved on to train for a marathon. She was planning to run the Twin Cities Marathon in October 2012 with her friend and SLU teammate Sammi McCloud. Megan never had the opportunity to run that race, but Sammi ran in Megan's honor. Several of Megan's friends have followed suit, wearing t-shirts with Megan's name that read "Always going the extra mile with laughs and smiles."
The quote from their t-shirts describes Megan perfectly - here she is smiling her way through the triathlon:
Here is a list of races that friends have run for Megan so far:
- Sammi McCloud - Twin Cities Marathon
- Chrissy Zaegel - St. Louis Marathon
- Whitney Kramer - Kentucky Derby MiniMarathon
Alyssa Rio - 500 Festival Mini-Marathon
The Boken family has been blessed to meet a new friend who also runs in Megan's honor, Steve Lutz. Steve ran the Chicago marathon and the Boston Marathon wearing a shoelace from one of Megan's running shoes.
Here's Steve running the Chicago marathon wearing a huge smile, in true Megan Boken fashion. Thanks to Steve and all of Megan's friends who keep her spirit alive through running!
Megan sat down for an interview with the Billiken Sports Report during her senior year at SLU. She reflects on her leadership responsibilities as the only senior on the team and her goals for the season. The interview starts at the 4:30 mark.
Our world was turned upside down when we lost our sister and daughter, Megan Boken, to a senseless act of violence on August 18th, 2012. In the days that followed, the only thing that kept us going was the outpouring of love, support and prayer we received from Megan's teammates and friends. The communities of St. Michael Church, St. Francis High School, and Saint Louis University rallied around us and helped us honor Megan in the personal, beautiful way she deserved. You all have showed our family that even in the darkest moments, love will prevail.
We truly cannot express our gratitude to all those who have helped us, except to keep living our lives the way Megan did: with our hearts open and ready to embrace all of the good things the world has to offer. She had an infectious smile, a rambunctious laugh, and boundless optimism. It was impossible to cross paths with Megan without feeling better about your day. She was never afraid of a challenge, and her drive inspired positivity and determination in others. So keep going, keep smiling, and keep spreading the love that Megan shared with you.
Our family plans to use this blog to celebrate the things that made Megan special: her hilarious personality, her laundry list of accomplishments, and her love of volleyball. We'll also share news on events, awards, and other special deeds that are carried out in Megan's honor.
