Every Step is Good: 1,597 Kilometres of Purpose
There’s something powerful about choosing to do something difficult on purpose. For Megan Wotherspoon, that choice was running 1,500 kilometres across Saskatchewan to honour her late mother. She set out on this journey to meet people, build connections and move through the land her mother once loved.
This year Wotherspoon turned 38, the same age her mother was when she died of leukemia. That number has been sitting with her. It’s a reminder of the life her mother lived, the joy she carried no matter what she was going through, and the love she had for nature and the land that raised her family.
In February 2025, Wotherspoon reread a poem that her mother left behind for their family. One line that stayed with her was, “go into nature; that’s where you’ll find me.” That line was a sign that this run would be a way to reconnect and honour her mom. As she made her way throughout the province, she raised money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. Since her mother’s passing, a cure has been found for her type of leukemia, and Wotherspoon hopes the support from this run will help other families and continue to support research.
Running has always been a part of Wotherspoon’s life. She has trained for many races at varying distances, but nothing quite like this. Balancing the preparation for this long journey with her busy teaching career at St. Michael Community School in Saskatoon was challenging, but she found ways to weave training into her day. The run from home to work was about three kilometres. She would run to school in the mornings, and on the way home, she would add extra kilometres to build endurance for the long runs ahead.
Her school community was very supportive. Her principal supported her from the moment she mentioned the idea, and her colleagues and students followed along with excitement. Wotherspoon’s intent wasn’t to create an inspirational story; her goal was simply to honour her mother. “I didn’t do the run to be inspiring to others, but I chose to do it in a public way. I am happy my students could follow along. I hope they got excited about the places I have been and the pictures I had to share.”
As she moved through different areas of the province, she took time to acknowledge the treaty territories she passed through. “Moving through the treaty areas was very meaningful to me,” she says. Many of her students have ties to the north and to some of the First Nations communities she travelled through. She had the kids in mind as she ran through places such as Montreal Lake, where one of her students is from. “Being able to make these connections to my students through this journey has been very meaningful and strengthens me as an educator.”
When asked what she hoped her students would take from her journey, she says, “I do hope that they grow up to find meaningful physical activity. It is a huge asset when dealing with everyday life challenges.” She wants them to see movement as something that can help clear their head, steady them on hard days and stay with them through every stage of life. She often jokes with her students that “they will beat me in a race any day because I am not very fast. I can just run a long way.”
Wotherspoon highlights the importance of doing things for yourself, outside of your regular routine. This commitment to do something just for her has affected her work in the classroom. “It is a good opportunity for a reset, to do something for myself before I can do more for others. This will allow me to show up stronger for my students.”
She enjoyed travelling the province in a slower way and creating opportunities to connect with places where people have lived and built their roots. The run reminded her that relationships last longer than we think. She met people who knew her mother, and all these years later still feel the impact she made. “People leave marks on each other in ways they may never know,” she adds.
Her approach to running and life is simple: every step is good. Every step moves you forward, even on the days that feel heavy and hard. It is a lesson she carries into her classroom and her everyday life. Looking back on the experience, she says that “every step will take you in a direction you need to go. We’re all doing our best every day, and that deserves to be celebrated.”