There are moments in a person’s life that can often change everything. Whether it’s the birth of a child, a new job, or living through a global pandemic – sometimes unexpected challenges can lead to life’s greatest adventures. If you needed proof, look no further than 2009 M-E grad Meg Jacoby. As a lifelong athlete, Meg never slowed down, whether it was playing on the M-E Girls Basketball team or running cross-country and track & field. Her hard work as a Spartan eventually lead to a Division 1 Track & Field & Cross-Country scholarship at UConn – one of her earliest dreams in life.
“Sports have always been a massive part of my life. I think I will always view myself as an athlete. I was blessed to have coaches who saw the competitiveness and ambition within me at an early age and helped encourage that. Many of my coaches and teachers encouraged me to pursue my athletic dreams and also taught me to have the right attitude. My mindset was always to be the hardest worker in the room, and that has paid off for me in so many ways,” said Jacoby.
Meg would return home to Binghamton University to finish her bachelor’s degree in 2013 before moving to Hawaii in 2014. Just one year later, her life would change forever. For the first time in as long as she can remember, she’d be forced to slow down a bit, as she gave birth to her daughter Mila, who currently attends Maine-Endwell.
“None of this was planned, but it was the start of a new adventure and new focus,” said Jacoby.
Despite a moment that would change her life forever, it didn’t take long for Meg to return to her active lifestyle – this time, with her daughter by her side.
“I was always active, and for two years I pushed her in my jogging stroller so I could run every single day. In 2017, I moved home to New York to be closer to family as I was a single mom. I was working full-time and shortly after, in 2018, started coaching Varsity Cross Country & Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field at M-E,” said Jacoby.
She may not have realized it at the time, but Jacoby was in the midst of yet another lifechanging moment, and it all started while running with her daughter. A short time into her coaching career, sharing her experience with Spartan athletes, Jacoby found her spark once again. And she never looked back.
“I started competing in road racing. In 2018-2019 I was running the fastest times in my life; running 16:42 in 5K, 34:50 in 10K and 1:20 in the half. During Covid, I started to get more into lifting. I started Powerlifting with Coach Josh Hodges and started CrossFit,” said Jacoby
In 2022, thanks to a friend and Spartan alum Jarret Newby, Jacoby found the sport of Hyrox - an indoor fitness race that combines running with functional exercises. The challenging event features participants running 1km, completing one functional workout station, then repeating the session eight times.
“I knew once I had immediate success in Hyrox that I found something that could change my life that I had a big passion for. After that first race, I went all in. My dream was to eventually be able to be a full-time athlete, but I had no idea how long it would take to get there. I finished 2nd in my first Hyrox World Championship in 2023, and the sport was growing at a rapid rate. By the fall of 2023, I had built up an online coaching business “Jacoby Training” to the point where I could live solely off of that,” said Jacoby.
Jacoby would eventually quit her job at Lockheed Martin to focus solely on competing and coaching. She took a chance and bet on herself. It didn’t take long for her hard work to pay off. In less than two years, Jacoby set and broke seven world records, podiumed in every Elite 15 major she competed in, and placed 2nd at the Hyrox World Championship, before signing her first sponsorship deal with Puma.
“I knew then I made the right choice! Nothing happens by accident. Breaking my first world record was when I really knew I had found my niche and that I had the potential to be the best in the world at something. It was a driving force behind going all in, becoming an entrepreneur, and pushing myself past my perceived limits. My big goal after this record was to become a World Champion, but I fell short my first go at it,” said Jacoby.
In the spring of 2023, leading up to her eventual first world championship, this proud mom broke the world record once again, becoming the first woman to ever break the one hour mark.
“I felt super confident going into the championship race that I would come out on top. I would say that I am far more driven from the losses than from the wins. Any champion in anything will tell you they hate losing far more than they love winning, and this is extremely true for me! My second season, I was more driven than ever, and winning the championship title was the icing on the cake of an amazing year of growth and risk taking. However, this was a team effort, and no athlete can accomplish these things without their team and people around them. My family, daughter, coaches, and my boyfriend were driving forces behind this accomplishment. My biggest supporters, who love me and are proud of me no matter if I’m first or last, or even compete at all. This was a win for all of us,” said Jacoby.
Jacoby never could have imagined that returning to Spartan Country to coach would eventually change her life. She credits the coaches, athletes, and community for helping her find that spark to follow a new dream. As for the students of today, this world champion says always follow your gut.
“Self-belief is a major reason I have been successful and am now living my dream. I think we build that unwavering self-belief by consistently showing up and working towards a goal. That always created a confidence in me to be able to take chances and risks, because no matter what happened, I knew I would figure it out and land on my feet. It’s okay not to know what you want to do in life. Try things! What’s the worst that can happen? It doesn’t work out? Then at least you know. Life is too short to wonder “what if,” said Jacoby.
From the hardwood of the Spartan gym to the podiums of the world’s stage, we are so proud of Meg and all of her hard work in representing Maine-Endwell. She is living proof that with a bit of hard work and grit, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.