Running 100 Miles for Community, Connection, and Mental Health: Meet Ambassador Patrick Messenger

Some people sign up for a race and then figure out why they want to do it.

For Still I Run Ambassador Patrick Messenger, the process worked in reverse.

The idea for his upcoming 100-mile run began with a question he had been carrying for years: How could he return to his hometown and do something meaningful for the community that helped shape him?

Now, on September 27, Patrick will attempt to run 100 miles around the perimeter of Marion County, Ohio, raising funds and awareness for Still I Run and a local nonprofit called Marion Matters. The challenge combines many of the things that have become central to his life: running, mental health advocacy, community, and service to others.

A Journey That Started With One Half Marathon

Patrick grew up in Marion, Ohio, and spent most of his first 23 years there before college and career opportunities took him around the country. He lived in Chicago, San Francisco, Phoenix, and eventually Louisville, Kentucky, where he settled and opened a dog training business in 2013.

At the same time his life was changing professionally, he was also experiencing major personal transitions. In 2017, Patrick began running, found sobriety from alcohol, transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle, and started therapy. He describes it as a period of transformation that touched nearly every area of his life.

His first race was supposed to be the Everglades Half Marathon, but a hurricane wiped out the course. Instead, he ran the Palm Beaches Half Marathon in Florida.

The funny part is that before he had even completed his first half marathon, he had already decided he wanted to become an ultramarathon runner.

While flying to Florida, Patrick was reading about legendary ultrarunner Bart Yasso.

"On the plane on the way to my first half marathon, I decided I was going to be an ultramarathoner," he said. "That's just the way my brain works."

Finding More Than Miles

In 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to close his dog training business, Patrick found himself facing another major life transition. He was navigating bankruptcy, waiting on unemployment benefits, and trying to determine what came next.

Around that same time, he met his wife, Ashley.

Both had recently gone through divorces. Both were runners. Both had spent time doing the internal work needed to move forward in healthy ways. What started as a friendship quickly grew into something more.

Running became one of the foundations of their relationship.

It also unexpectedly launched Patrick into a new career. A part-time position at a local running store eventually turned into nearly seven years in the running industry, including four years managing the store before moving into his current role as Group Sales Manager for Ventures Endurance.

Today, Patrick's work centers on building relationships, supporting communities, and helping people achieve their goals.

It's a role that aligns closely with the values that have guided his own journey.

The Power of Sharing Your Story

Patrick's path into mental health advocacy began through marathon fundraising.

After watching Ashley run the Chicago Marathon in 2022, he decided he wanted to experience the event himself the following year. Rather than entering the lottery, he chose to run for a charity.

One of the organizations he considered was a Chicago-based mental health nonprofit called No Stigmas.

He ultimately joined their marathon team and discovered that the fundraising experience was about far more than training for a race.

Through the process, Patrick learned how to tell his own story of mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance use recovery, in a way that invited conversation and connection.

He wasn't focused on social media metrics or broad recognition. His goal was much simpler.

If sharing his story helped one person feel less alone, it was worth it.

That approach led to meaningful conversations, lasting friendships, and eventually a leadership role with the organization. Patrick helped grow their charity marathon program from a single race team into a multi-race program that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for mental health initiatives.

Looking back, he sees a clear pattern in what mattered most.

"Mental health and running were the foundation," Patrick said. "Community then became that third foundation that is a massive component in my career, in my personal journey, in mental and physical health. Everything. Community is such a powerful aspect of life."

Finding Still I Run

Ashley has been a Still I Run Ambassador since 2020.

As someone with a long history of eating disorder recovery and mental health treatment, she found the organization during a pivotal point in her own journey. Through her ambassador work, she found a way to give back while helping others see that recovery and healing are possible.

Patrick watched those conversations from the sidelines for several years.

While he had experienced the benefits of therapy and running personally, it took time for him to fully appreciate how mental health, movement, and community intersect.

As his own advocacy work evolved, Still I Run increasingly felt like a natural fit.

When he stepped away from No Stigmas last year, he knew he wanted to continue using his voice to support mental health awareness. Becoming a Still I Run Ambassador in 2026 gave him that opportunity.

"I felt like I needed something that didn't require me to run a race but still have some sort of affiliation and advocacy platform," he said.

A Crazy Idea That Started Making Sense

The idea for his upcoming 100-mile run came together surprisingly quickly.

Patrick had been training for the Flying Pig Half Marathon, but he found himself feeling disconnected from the goal. A half marathon simply wasn't exciting to him anymore.

At the same time, he had been thinking about returning to Marion to create something centered around endurance, community, and service.

Then one morning, while exploring routes on Garmin Connect, he began tracing roads along the Marion County line.

Soon he had mapped more than 100 miles.

A few days earlier, Patrick had attended a webinar where a guest speaker discussed the importance of understanding your "why" and building your race around that purpose.

The idea clicked.

Everything suddenly felt connected.

"I have known for a long time that I wanted to go back to my hometown and do something endurance and community-centered," Patrick said.

Within days, the plan was in motion.

More Than a Fundraiser

Patrick's run will support both Still I Run and Marion Matters, a local nonprofit that helps adults prepare for the workforce.

The event is about fundraising, but it's also about creating conversations.

In the months leading up to the run, Patrick hopes to organize community gatherings in Marion focused on mental health, running, and connection. He plans to share his story, introduce people to Still I Run's programs, and encourage open conversations about mental well-being.

One of the things he's most excited about is simply having those conversations.

"In my opinion, there aren't enough of those conversations where you can ask the mental health question," he said.

The run itself carries personal significance as well.

One of Patrick's biggest concerns is running overnight on public roads. Because of his own history with alcohol and drunk driving when he was younger, he intentionally chose a Sunday start to reduce the likelihood of encountering impaired drivers during the overnight portion of the course.

For Patrick, even that decision reflects a larger theme of growth and accountability.

It All Comes Back to Impact

Patrick has completed multiple ultramarathons, including two 100-mile races. He knows the physical challenge ahead will be difficult.

Still, when asked what he's looking forward to most, his answer isn't about the miles.

It's about the opportunity to share his story and create impact.

The fundraising goal for Still I Run is $5,000, but Patrick measures success a little differently.

If one person feels less alone because of a conversation. If one person finds support. If one person decides to take a step toward better mental health.

That's enough.

"It all goes back to that why," he said. "It's about the impact."

After years of building community in other places, Patrick is ready to bring that energy back home.

"I've always known that going back to Marion and doing some community-centered work is something I need to do," he said. "I'm ready to go back and be part of the community."

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To donate to Patrick's fundraiser, click here.