Trying to beat the heat
It has been a scorcher in Kentucky lately! We’ve had an excessive heat warning out for days and it’s been brutal (I know many of you are in the same boat — so so hot!)
So while we’ve been trying to stay indoors as much as possible, we also love being outside so we’re trying to find ways to beat the heat, be active and be safe.
We found little pool for $15 at Aldi and snatched it up fast. We knew this would be perfect for the background and great for Murphy.
Since Murphy isn’t a fan of bath time it took some convincing for him to get in the pool. But once we got used to it he loved playing with his ball in the water and drinking from the hose.
We probably spent two hours outside in the backyard going back and forth from the pool to the patio to running around the yard. $15 well spent if you ask me!
We’ve also been waking up early to get in some long walks before it gets too hot outside. We did 4 miles on Saturday morning and it was so much! Murphy did find a snake at the end of the walk (HE ALWAYS FINDS THEM) but other than that it was pretty uneventful.
We’re supposed to get a little relief from the heat later this week — so that’s exciting! While I love summer, something about a nice breeze and temps in the 60s is always welcome.
Stopping by my college town
A couple weeks ago my husband and I were able to stop through our college town — Murray, Kentucky!
While we drive through there often (it’s on our way to Ryan’s hometown) we never get to stop and walk through campus. Since we had some time to kill, we decided to grab a bite to eat and see some of our favorite spots.
The shoe tree (pictured below) is one of my favorite traditions at MSU.
A tradition since the late 1960s, Racer “sole” mates who meet on campus hang their shoes on the Shoe Tree, which is said to bring them a lifetime of good luck.
We nailed our shoes to the tree in 2014 when we got married. It’s so fun to come back five years and see them still there! We brought Murphy to walk around campus and it was so hot but so fun to reminisce on our college days!
Here is Murphy on the back steps of Pogue Library! I spent a lot of hours in there studying and writing stories for the college newspaper.
It’s been a crazy life around here lately so blog content is few and far between, I know. But I’m so thankful for those of you who check-in and read! Feel free to follow me on Instagram @mileswithmeghann for more regular posting.
Murphy has his own IG account now (@murphythemuttmix) so give him a follow too if you like adorable pups.
Happy Friday Eve!
Hiking at John James Audubon State Park
Happy Friday!
Yesterday I took a random vacation day off from work to go hiking with my dad! He is preparing for a backpacking trip to Yosemite later this month and want to get more miles under his belt and asked me to tag along!
We hiked 11 miles in six-and-a-half hours at John James Audobon State Park (which is about 40 minutes from our house).
A lot of the trails looped around by each other, so we hopped on and off several trails to make an almost 4-mile loop. Dad had his 45-pound backpack on and hiked with it the entire time (so impressive!)
At 63-years-old he is still adding adventures to his bucket list and I am so proud of him for getting out and exploring more of the world.
It was such a gorgeous (but hot and humid) day! But I loved being out of the office and out in nature. The terrain was pretty rough in some places, but the views were great. I love having some great parks here in Kentucky that I can easily explore. Even though my legs are pretty sore today, I can’t wait to go back soon!
I hope you all have an amazing weekend!
Where has been your favorite place to hike?
Grief
It’s been a tough week.
Hug your loved ones.
Sometimes you have to toot your own horn
At work the other day we had a meeting to talk about mid-year review. We discussed what’s worked, what hasn’t and what changes we want to make.
But before the meeting even started, my boss went around the room and said something positive he has noticed in each employee since the start of 2019. It was such a boost of confidence and really set the tone for the meeting.
I’m lucky to work for a place that encourages growth and goals.
He also said how great of a job, as a team, we had done over the last few years. He said sometimes we need to toot our own horn.
It was like a lightbulb had gone off.
We should be damn proud of the work we do. Not only am I proud of what I do professionally, but I am proud of the work I am doing with running, in my marriage and with all my jobs.
So friends, don’t be afraid to toot your own horn. Be proud of the work you do. Don’t wait for someone else to recognize your work — RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU DO FOR YOUR SELF.
Thanks for coming to my TedTalk. Ha!
Other random tidbits from life lately.
I saw this on Instagram the other day and loved it –
Working in Music City
If you’ve followed for a while, you now my full-time job often gives me the chance to travel. So today I’m coming to you from Music City — aka NASHVILLE!
I’m here Wednesday – Saturday and I am pumped. Nashville is one of my favorite cities and I love being able to be back in the city where I ran my first marathon.
Also, check out the views from our cute AirBnB.
Since we’re in Music City, we encouraged all of our event attendees to wear band/musician shirts. I went for a classic — Dolly Parton. Love her.
We’re basically working 16 hour days while we are down here, so not a lot of time for running, but I am hoping to sneak in a couple miles at some point this week.
I hope you all have a great Thursday! Follow along for more on Instagram @mileswithmeghann.
Happy Global Running Day
Happy #GlobalRunningDay! Here I am after my first marathon! (#RnRNashville) One of my proudest running accomplishments and something I never thought would happen.
Running teaches me more about myself with every mile. I’ve been running for more than 10 years and I can say it’s honestly changed my life. #runhappy 💕
Getting in shape is hard
I saw this on Twitter from Steve Magness (@stevemagness) at it really hit home.
I thought I would share and maybe it will help you too.
“Getting in shape is hard. And expectations can kill the motivation to do so.
…
It’s easy to compare yourself to some prior fitter you, but all that does is set you up for disappointment & frustration. Be kind to yourself. Try to get a little bit better from where you are right now.”
Making an effort to get Murphy outside more
Like most dogs, Murphy has a ton of energy! While he gets 3-4 daily walks, I began to feel like that wasn’t enough and since it warmed I have been making more of an effort to get us both outside and being as active as possible.
He is good for about 2-3 miles of running and sometimes more! He loves being outside and exploring all of our local trails. Sometimes when no one is around, my brother and I will each pick an end of the trail and have Murphy sprint back and forth. He loves it so much (he’s so speedy!) and it’s great way for him to get some energy out.
While it’s not always the most convenient (he stops to pee on everything), I’ve been making more of an effort to take Murphy outside with me as much as possible. I hate leaving him behind and he is always SO HYPED to go outside. Plus I know the fresh air is good for both of us!
