After my last workout before The D10, I told my trainer I was going to take a couple of weeks off and figure out my next fitness plan while eating copious amounts of junk food. It wasn’t even a full week, however, before I was back in the gym, telling him, “I’m going to do it again, and I’m going to do it better in 2018.”

That is the power of The D10.

I joined my D10 team in 2017 on impulse. I’d like to say that “accidentally” signing up for a ten-event athletic competition is outside my wheelhouse, but it is exactly my wheelhouse. As a typical Type-A overachiever, I’m usually up for a challenge and not afraid of bold decisions.



Several experiences throughout my life, some rather recent, have taught me how strong I can be when I have to be. But in that particular moment - saying yes to The D10 - I decided it’s time to see how strong I can be when I choose to be. It’s time to find out what I’m truly capable of.

I had no idea how much I would learn in such a short amount of time, and I’m not just talking about the macro/calorie count of every food under the sun. I’ve learned to focus more on the journey, and to not limit my experience with tunnel vision on the end goal. Training, like most other things in life, is not linear. I think frustration can motivate us to become better, but we should also stop and celebrate the wins along the way. I try to find at least one victory during each workout, no matter how small it might be on a particular day.

I’ve also reevaluated my perspectives on success and failure. We will all “fail” multiple times during The D10 – but it is not the reps we cannot do that matter, it is all the ones we can. It is about pushing harder, getting better, and going all-in every time. Then, it is about watching ourselves, and the amount we can give, grow. Few things make me happier than putting in my headphones and sprinting until I have nothing left. 

On Game Day last year, I found myself amongst an incredible group of successful, intelligent, dedicated people who came together for a cause and gave it everything they had, both physically and through their fundraising efforts. I signed up for an event, and I ended up building a new lifestyle – and making some great friends along the way.

I’ve been unofficially training for this year’s event since late 2017, and I can’t wait to put up better numbers on the scoreboard for MD Anderson in November. Pull-Ups and Bench Press won’t beat me this time (TBD on the 500m row, though). I’m also very blessed and grateful to be working for a company, Cheniere, which not only supports and encourages my efforts in The D10, but has also chosen to sponsor the event this year. I used to be afraid when people would drop by my desk in the office and ask if I’m ready for the competition, but now it excites me.

From left: Megan and Cheniere Energy teammates Christina Montoya, Raquel Gallegos

Through all of the training and lifestyle changes, I’ve found purpose and joy. It’s hard to describe, but the moment of peak effort – when the noise and bustle fade away, only focus and physicality remain, and time seems to slow down – is my favorite feeling.

The hard work is so very worth it. 

Teams from Cheniere Energy raised over $20,000 for MD Anderson in 2017. Register here for The D10 Houston 2018 on November 3.