Running Healed the Odd Duck

/May 22, 2026

There is a particular kind of courage required to begin something you are terrible at and then refuse to stop. Contessa McGeehon, a Psychiatric Registered Nurse from Lebanon, Indiana, discovered running not because she was searching for a new identity, but because she needed to move her body and the gym wasn’t always an option.

What she found instead was something far more transformative. Condessa discovered the proof that running for mental health is not a tagline, it is a lifeline. In the span of a single year, she went from being unable to complete a mile to training for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, dismantling anxiety one step at a time, and building a social life she never expected to have.

She runs without a structured plan, fueled by strawberry Pop-Tarts and a custom playlist she curates the night before every race. She is not trying to be the fastest or chase a PR. Condessa is seeking peace and she is finding it in the most unexpected place: the open road, surrounded by people who see her exactly as she is.

Odd Duck Running Co. Athlete Spotlight

The Basics

Name: Contessa McGeehon
Hometown / Where you are currently running: Lebanon, IN
Occupation or side hustle: Psychiatric Registered Nurse

Your Running Story

How did you get into running? I got into running in 2025, looking for ways to stay active when I couldn’t make it to the gym. I was just a mom looking for ways to move my body. I found I couldn’t run a single mile and became obsessed with proving I could.
What keeps you coming back to it? So many reasons: the peace it brings me, the health benefits, the amazing friends I’ve made along the way. Mostly, I keep coming back because when I’m running, life feels celebrated.

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The “Odd Duck” Section

What makes you a little different as a runner? I refuse to follow a structured plan even when preparing for races. For me, plans steal the joy of running.
A quirky habit, superstition, or pre-race ritual: I create a custom playlist for all my races. The night before, I reorder the songs to give me the specific mood boost I think I’ll need at each mile.
Favorite weird or unexpected running snack: Forever and always, strawberry poptarts.

Life Beyond the Miles

What does running give you outside of fitness? The most impactful thing running gives me is power over my OCD. It calms my mind, reduces my stress, and takes the edge off my anxiety. In the last year, it has helped me reclaim my mental health.
How has running changed you as a person? Running has made me so much more social and outgoing. Finding my crew with the BOCO Milers Run Club, waving to strangers along the trails, sharing a few kind words with other runners, all of it has healed the little girl inside me who has always felt like “too much.”
Something you’re proud of that has nothing to do with running. Definitely being a mom. I have two amazing little girls who are watching their feral mother chase down goals with dedication and zero apologies. I hope they grow up pushing their own limits and chasing their own happiness with the same wildness in their hearts.

Community & Connection

How has the running community impacted you? How can I even count the ways? This community has poured into me: smiling faces cheering me on at finish lines, shared pride when new PRs are set, companionship and support during the long miles, and so much good advice.
Advice for someone just starting out: Find your people, forget about pace, and trust the process.
Shoutout to someone who’s inspired you. My shoutout goes to Michelle Marcotte, local ultra runner and fellow BOCO Miler, who inspired me to get into trail running. She’s such a shining example of women in running: adventurous, brave, strong, supportive, and exceptionally kind.

Looking Ahead

Current goals (races, adventures, or personal growth): Earning the title of marathoner this fall at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon alongside my amazing friend Amanda Beasor.
A dream race or challenge: The World’s Deepest Marathon.
What “success” in running looks like to you right now: continuing to show up with joy in my heart.
Last but not least: A mantra, phrase, or mindset you lean on: It’s okay if it’s hard, I can do hard thing

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