About Me!

• Hi! I’m Megan and I’m new to this whole blog thing! This is actually kind of scary to me … I don’t let a lot of people into my thoughts. This blog is my attempt to nurture my creative side after years of letting my practical side run my life! My hope with this blog is to share my running (and life!) adventures, along with my path to body positivity. Here are some fun facts about me:

•    I am happily married to my wonderful husband, Alex. We met in history class our freshman year of college. I sat next to him on the first day of class … and the rest is history ;)

•  My family is cute. I have two amazing parents and two brothers that I adore (most days … okay... sometimes I admit we are related.) I am the middle child between those two brothers. This means that a lot of my Barbies got hair cuts and appendages removed. .
• · I have 2 fur children – my kitties Tobi and Reggie. They are the best damn cats in the world. I have become a crazy cat lady. I totally get why this happens.

• I am a (sorta slow) runner. After years of playing soccer, running has become my primary fitness activity.
•  I love to run, it shows me just how capable my body is of pushing through challenges. Any run (good or bad) makes the day better. A photo of my running gang is included below (With Boomer at the Indy Ultimate!)
  
• My favorite distance is the half marathon, but I’ve run 2 marathons and many other races (5k, 10k, 15k, 10 milers, relays)!
•   I still play indoor soccer with friends once a week … let’s just say it’s how I know I am getting old
•  I am a physical therapist
• And yes, I judge your running form
• Despite being a physical therapist, I have been battling some injuries over the last year (yes, I am taking care of them!)
• I have Crohn’s disease.
• I was diagnosed in the spring of 2013. I was worried about how it would affect my running and the other things I love to do (and eat). I am fortunate it is still in a milder/moderate stage and I don’t let it run my life. It’s not perfect and there are days where the fatigue and discomfort make me feel less human, but it’s taught me a lot about perspective and my own strength.
• My immune system hates me: I also have Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism that I was diagnosed with at age 16
• Running high school track was one of the things that saved me from a bad eating disorder (along with help from my mama and family and counseling)
• Rather than using workouts as a punishment, I discovered that fueling my body better lead to better and more successful runs and less fatigue.
• There is no way tiny, skinny, sick Megan would ever have accomplished the things that a healthier Megan has done. Running long distances has shown me just how strong my body is and how far these muscular calves (that I used to hate because I thought they were huge) can carry me
• This will be a more in-depth blog in the future.
• ·  I love Disney World, Disney movies, and pretty much everything Disney. I blame my family.

• Favorites:
• Music: Anything Andrew McMahon has ever made/done (Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness)

• Movie: I love all of those coming of age, 80’s teen movies (i.e. Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club), and also on the list would be Christmas Vacation, Anchorman, Young Frankenstein, Crazy Stupid Love ... and Fried Green Tomatoes. If that movie is on, I pretty much stop everything I am doing.
• Book: I love to read books about people who have extraordinary athletic adventures (First Ladies of Running, Ultramarathon Man, Born to Run, etc.)… I am currently reading A Song of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones books)
• TV Show: The Office. Alex and I binged watched all of the seasons again over the winter. The first season of True Detective (holy cow!), Game of Thrones, and my guilty pleasures are Grey’s Anatomy and Dance Moms. Growing up I loved everything on TGIF and Nickelodeon cartoons (like Rugrats, Doug, and Hey Arnold!) Oh! And the Golden Girls!
• Place I’ve Been: Alex and I went on an awesome road trip last year and I gained many trip favorites: the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, San Francisco, Seattle. And Disney World! We also have lots of new adventures on the horizon!

• Food: Ice Cream (all kinds of ice cream) … and really most food. I’m not picky 
• Beverage: Diet Pepsi (or Diet Coke) – I know it’s not the greatest thing to drink, but it’s my one vice!
• Running Race: The Monumental Marathon in Indianapolis is an amazing, beautiful course. The most fun race I have ever run is the Indy Ultimate!
• Least favorites/pet peeves: Tailgaters! And people who blow their noses too loudly in my general vicinity. Snot grosses me out (better get over that one in the future). I also really hate pickles. 
• Things that make me tear up: Movies with animals (especially if they get lost, i.e. the end of Homeward Bound makes me cry all the time) and animated movies (Like How to Train Your Dragon). The book/movie A Walk to Remember. Weddings. Shows about people with talent who overcome amazing obstacles. Military homecomings. The song “Shake It Out” by Florence + the Machine.
• Celebrity crush(es): Currently? Not ashamed to admit they are Nick Jonas and Liam Hemsworth … also, I still love the Backstreet Boys (concert photo below!) I have seen them in concert like 10 times :)

• 
• I would pee my pants if I ever met: Reggie Miller. Greatest Clutch 3 point shooter ever. My hero. I am a terrible basketball player, but I love it (I come from a basketball family) and we watched the Pacers religiously growing up. And Andrew McMahon.

“The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live only as YOU can.” (Thanks for the quote Teresa!!)