DIVA of Distinction
Meagan
McGrath, Adventurer and DIVA of Distinction
Meagan McGrath exudes a confidence and enthusiasm that one might expect from someone who lives out her dreams at the top of the world. Only 32 years old, this bundle of energy has climbed the tallest mountain of each continent (the “Seven Summits”), including Mount Everest (see picture to the right), making her the youngest Canadian woman and first Canadian Forces member to do so. She has also climbed Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia (the “Eighth” of the Seven Summits) and run the Marathon des Sables (a 7-day race across the Sahara desert, equivalent to 5 ½ back-to-back marathons). All of this while serving in the Canadian Forces and maintaining a career as an aerospace engineer at the Department of National Defence (DND).
Are you tired yet? Meagan’s just getting started. Having secured a leave of absence from her job at DND, she is planning a year of expeditions set to begin in November, 2009. To warm up, Meagan plans to ski 1130km solo and unsupported to the South Pole—a 60-day journey through the harshest environment on earth. After recovering from her “South Pole Odyssey”, she plans to travel to the Himalayas to launch her “Mountain Magic” expedition, during which she will climb, unguided and without oxygen, five of the world’s tallest mountains: Lhotse, K2, Broad Peak, Cho Oyu, and Shishapangma. Are you counting? That’s five mountains in the summer of 2010.
DIVA spoke with Meagan about how she became an “adventurer”, how a healthy lifestyle enables her to live out her adventurous goals, and what advice she has for realizing dreams big or small.
Becoming an “adventurer”
Growing up in Sudbury, Ontario, Meagan saw the outdoors as one big playground filled with challenges: cliffs to scale, trees to climb, thick woods to navigate. She was hooked on Indiana Jones and loved reading National Geographic. As an adult fresh out of university and spending her days at a desk job, Meagan missed the physical and mental challenges that she faced as a student at the Royal Military College and began to crave some excitement. A travel agent suggested a mountain climbing trip. Although she had never climbed before, Meagan jumped on the idea and headed to Mount Kilimanjaro. She hasn’t looked back.
Balancing work and play
Meagan focuses on maintaining a balance between work and play: while her day job is her number one priority, she admits that she “works to live”. She fits a rigorous schedule of adventuring into a life with a full-time job by filling most of her personal hours with expedition administration (such as sponsorship planning, interviews, etc) and training. It helps that her work in the Canadian Forces complements her life as an adventurer. Her military background gives her the physical and mental discipline required to get through the toughest challenges. And the project management skills she has honed at DND play an essential role in planning for her expeditions. Meagan believes that no matter how well one prepares physically and mentally, in the end the success of any adventure hangs on how well it is organized.
Staying healthy is about paying attention
Physical and mental preparation for her adventures is essential; and Meagan takes her health very seriously. Although she doesn’t train constantly or obsess over eating exactly right all the time, she works to maintain a healthy lifestyle all year round, not just when she is preparing for an expedition. She focuses on keeping in tune with what her body is telling her. She says, “At the end of the day, what’s really important is to maintain your health, paying attention to yourself. . . Without your health, you’re not going to be able to achieve any of these sort of adventures”.
She does train hard for every expedition, though—the physical intensity of her adventures demands it. She ramps up training in the months prior to departing for an expedition, focusing on activity-specific workouts. Her Canadian Forces training has taught her to “train how she’d fight”: she designs activities that most closely replicate the kind of physical endeavours that she will be doing on a given expedition, whether it is running through the Sahara, climbing mountains, or trekking through Antarctica. She always considers the mental challenges she will face during an expedition and works to keep this in mind during training.
Advice for dreamers
Meagan believes that you don’t need a special talent or skill to realize your dreams. Her advice to girls and women who want to try something new but aren’t sure whether they are capable is twofold: first, start with small steps; and second, commit to that first step. Examine your goal and determine how it can be broken down into more accessible parts. She suggests that smaller, more readily achievable steps help you build the confidence and skill set to take you to the next level, so you’re always helping yourself succeed. When you’ve determined your path, commit to that first step, whether it is booking the plane ticket, contacting the real estate agent, sending in the application, delivering the resignation—whatever it is you want to do. Meagan acknowledges that the first step is always the toughest, but once you jump in, that first commitment will make everything else start happening.
Helping Meagan succeed on her adventures
Meagan relies on group and individual sponsorship to help realize the practical aspects of her expeditions. She is currently fundraising to help offset the cost of her upcoming South Pole Odyssey and Mountain Magic adventures. Groups or individuals who are interested in helping Meagan achieve her goal can contribute products or donations. Every small amount helps. You can help Meagan take that first important step by becoming a trekking sponsor for just $150. In return, you will get your name on her website and receive a signed photo of Meagan on top of the peak of your choosing. For information, contact info@meaganmcgrathadventurer.com or visit www.meaganmcgrathadventurer.com.
A nod from DIVA
The Board of Directors of the DIVA Foundation would like to highly commend Meagan McGrath on the inspirational way that she is living her life. We have no doubt that she is an exceptional role model for girls and women in Canada and across the world. Her remarkable achievements summiting the highest mountains in the world demonstrate how much women can achieve when they live healthy and balanced lives. Meagan’s dedication to exploring her mental and physical boundaries through extreme adventures has enabled her to achieve what no other Canadian woman has. Meagan is an exceptional woman who DIVA is proud to support.