Episode 30: Sarah Farny - You Can Do Hard Things

Episodes

Oct 27

Sarah Farny trained for Chicago while her 10-year-old son went through cancer treatment, ran her first sub-4 the week he rang the bell, and later dropped 20 minutes to qualify for Boston.

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About this episode

Sarah Farny is a Fishers mom of three boys, a civil engineer turned stay-at-home mom, and a certified running coach. In 2019 her oldest son, Noah, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on a family trip to Wyoming, while she was training to run Chicago for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Noah rang the cancer-free bell on October 4, and days later Sarah ran 3:58 with "Noah is strong" on her shoe tags.

We sat down face to face two weeks after Sarah ran 3:26:26 at the Chicago Marathon, a four-and-a-half minute PR. We talk about how seeing what Noah's body went through made her ask "what if," her 20-minute PR at Monumental in brutal wind to qualify for Boston, her coaching business Soulmates Coaching, the bracelets she makes for race friends, RV trips through nearly every state, and her advice for me heading into race weekend.

In this episode, we discuss

Running a 3:26:26 PR at the 2023 Chicago Marathon and finding Jennifer Conner in her corral
Making $2 arm sleeves out of knee socks and wearing a Goodwill robe to the start
Our shared love of Sarah Marie Designs sweatshirts and better race merch
Why the 10K is her favorite race distance and racing the Carmel 10K for speed
Son Noah's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis in an ER in Casper, Wyoming, where she was born
How friends and her husband got her to the Chicago start line during Noah's treatment
Ronald McDonald House Charities at Riley Children's Health and running for them twice
Running Disney's Dopey Challenge in January 2020 right after Noah finished treatment
Meeting her husband Eric working out at Purdue and their careers in civil engineering
Starting with the Fishers YMCA training group and her first full marathon at Monumental in 2017
Dropping 20 minutes in windy conditions at the 2022 Monumental Marathon to qualify for Boston
Unexpectedly winning the quarter marathon at the WTF Trail Run at Eagle Creek
Her coaching business Soulmates Coaching and her role as VP of coaching for Fishers Run Club
Making race bracelets for friends through Sarah and Megan Creations
RV trips, visiting every state but North Dakota, and her plans for Boston and Prairie on Fire Backyard Ultra

Chapters

00:00 · Intro
03:56 · Chicago Marathon recap and race merch
10:36 · Knee-sock arm sleeves and race-day layers
15:42 · A 3:26:26 PR and favorite race distances
20:08 · Monumental in the wind
21:45 · Three boys and Noah's cancer diagnosis
26:47 · Ronald McDonald House and giving back
38:00 · Meeting Eric and life as a civil engineer
44:07 · How she started running
46:52 · Chasing a Boston qualifier
51:30 · Winning a trail quarter marathon
53:55 · Race-week advice
58:30 · Soulmates Coaching and Fishers Run Club
1:06:15 · Bracelets and creative outlets
1:09:55 · RV adventures and visiting every state
1:17:20 · Mantra, music and next finish lines

Where to find Sarah

Soulmates Coaching
Instagram: @soulmatescoaching
Sarah and Megan Creations (bracelets, on Instagram)

Mentioned in this episode

Races: Chicago Marathon, Monumental Marathon, Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, Carmel 10K, Geist Half Marathon, Fort Ben Half Marathon, Full Mo 50K, Disney Dopey Challenge, WTF Trail Run at Eagle Creek, Prairie on Fire Backyard Ultra, Philadelphia Marathon, Vacation Races Yellowstone
Organizations and charities: Ronald McDonald House Charities, Riley Children's Health, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, Make-A-Wish, Parker Tatum Project, Fishers Run Club, Fishers YMCA, Purdue University, Sarah Marie Designs, Brooks, Pen and Pace
Other: "Run This Town" by Jay-Z and Rihanna, Yellowstone National Park

Previous guests mentioned

Related episodes

Frequently asked

Who is Sarah Farny?

Sarah Farny is a Fishers, Indiana runner, mom of three boys and certified running coach who co-founded Soulmates Coaching and serves as VP of coaching for Fishers Run Club.

What was Sarah Farny's Chicago Marathon time?

Sarah Farny ran the 2023 Chicago Marathon in 3:26:26, a PR of about four and a half minutes, two weeks before recording her Finish Lines & Milestones episode.

How did Sarah Farny run her first sub-four-hour marathon?

Sarah Farny ran 3:58 at the 2019 Chicago Marathon for Ronald McDonald House Charities, just days after her son Noah rang the cancer-free bell following four months of chemotherapy for lymphoma.

How did Sarah Farny qualify for the Boston Marathon?

Sarah Farny qualified for Boston at age 40 by running the windy 2022 Monumental Marathon in about 3:30, cutting 20 minutes off her previous marathon PR.

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Transcript

This transcript was generated automatically, so it may contain errors.

Welcome to Finish Lines and Milestones with Ally Brettnacher incredible stories and tales of triumphs with everyday people achieving their goals in fitness. This podcast brought to you by Athlete Bouquets. Celebrate finish lines and milestones of the people that you love by visiting athlete bouquets.com.

Hello and welcome to episode 30 of Finish Lines and Milestones. This is Ally Brettnacher, and I can't believe it's been 30 episodes. I have really enjoyed doing this so far, and I have just wanted a place to tell stories of runners, just everyday people who do amazing things when it comes to running.

Anybody who runs is a runner and everybody has a story, and I've just really loved sharing them with you. So thank you for everybody who's listening. And like I'm coming to you now in my closet. My 6-year-old sleeping in my bed and insisted that I stay in my room, insisted that she stay in my room too with me while my husband is traveling.

So it's been one of those weeks where I've been solo parenting all week, and you'll hear me talk about it a little bit in this episode. But getting ready to run a race this weekend, the Indianapolis, the CNO Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is on Saturday, October 28th this year. And weather's looking good.

I am feeling okay about it. I've done the work. I really just gotta trust my training. Good lord. Just gotta get over myself. So I am really looking forward to racing and capping off what's been a really fun year of racing. So in this week's episode, I have a local from Fishers, Sarah Farney. We've met maybe a couple times in person, and I just really love being face-to-face with somebody.

It makes a big difference, and I had such a great, easy, fun conversation with Sarah. We talked about how she just ran the Chicago Marathon a couple weeks ago. We talked about our shared love for Sarah Marie Designs. If you know, you know, we were both wearing her sweatshirts. We talk about how she creates arm sleeves from knee socks, which I found hilarious, which discuss our favorite race distances.

We talk about monumental last year. We talk about her son Noah, who had cancer. We talk about how her husband. And her met at a gym, which I also found funny. We talk about her qualifying for Boston, that experience, you know, just generally we talk about getting faster in old age. We talk about how she kind of accidentally or unknowingly and unexpectedly won a quarter marathon on.

She has some great words of encouragement for me and anybody who's heading into race weekend. She also has a coaching business with her friend Tracy called Soulmates, um, soul, like the bottom of your shoe soulmates coaching on Instagram. And I loved hearing a little bit about that. We talked about our creative outlets.

Hers happens to be bracelets and some crocheting, and then we cap it off with some RV adventure talk, which is something that we share in terms of family life. And so that was fun to chat about too. So I hope everybody enjoys this conversation with Sarah as much as I did. So enjoy. Hello, Sarah. Hi. How are you?

Good. How are you? Good. We got it all figured out. We got it all figured out. We just sound like robots. It's alright to ourselves, but to ourselves, but not to anyone else ourselves. It's fine. It's fine. This is actually the first time I haven't had to go ask for help. Oh, yay. See it. So everything works out.

Everything works out. Yeah. We're basically, I'm an expert now at this. Yes, exactly. I love it. Oh boy. Well you look amazing in your Chicago sweatshirt. Thanks. Thanks. Tell me about it. Um, it was a day. It was good. No, it was a good day. I. Ran the race I intended to run. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do that day.

I kind of just wanted to see what the race would bring to me, and that's what I did. I kinda, you know, GPS up there is crazy, so you have to run a lot by feel. And I just ran basically. And towards the end I will say I was cold. Everybody's like, it's a perfect day. It's a perfect day. I was cold. I should not have dropped my gloves.

I should have kept my arm warmer. Like I was more mad that I was cold that last stretch. So I walked a little bit more than I should. Um, but I still, I got a pr I thought I got a New York qualifying time ended up, I did not. But that was only 'cause I didn't look it up the night before. Oh yeah. But mi minor details.

Minor details, details. I crossed the line, cried like a baby. And got a pr. It's amazing. Yeah, it was good. You're gonna laugh now because I meant about your sweatshirt. I know. Like where it's from. Oh, Chicago. 'cause I did. I wasn't like very clear about that. Yeah, no, that's okay. But I wanted to know about the actual sweatshirt.

This is, and then I wanna know like all the details. All the details. Okay. About Chicago. I will go, but where did you get your sweatshirts? So cute. So. Oh, it's, it's nine. It is, yes. Is that a newer one? This I got, um, in 21 when I Okay. So no. So no, but I think she still has it on our website. It's super cute.

Um, yeah. And it shows you all I can point to every place that I kind of cry. The cars. Yeah. So for those of you who cannot actually see me and Sarah, it is a full map. It's such a cute, it's a map of the Chicago course. Yeah. And it's so cute. And my sweatshirt that I'm wearing is a serum. Oh yeah. It's pretty designed.

That's awesome. So for anyone listening who does not know Sarah Marie Designs studios, it, she's, she's just amazing. Yeah. I love all of her stuff. All of it. And it's cozy too, like it's nice quality sometimes you get Yeah. Like race sweatshirts and it's like, I'm not interested in the like crappy, cheap sweatshirt.

Like, I bought this instead of stuff at the expo because I'm like, yeah, I know this. No, I know. That's gonna be super comfy. Yes. So it's, yeah. I feel like expos. Have an opportunity to just do so much better. I know, and that's, I completely agree. Even this year at the expo, I was like fully ready to buy something.

Yeah. Nothing. I couldn't find anything that was like soft enough, right. Or didn't cost an arm and a leg that I'm like, mm-hmm. I just don't know about that. Exactly. Do I really wanna spend like $150 on a jacket? Yes. Yes. I mean, no, but I will because No, but I know if they're, if they're cute anyway. If they're cute and I didn't get the, she's Chicago.

'cause I'm saving it for Boston. There you go. In the spring. There you go. So I, I have to do that. Yeah, I, well I'm on the board for monumental. Oh yes. And so yeah, I, yes, we haven't really talked a ton about apparel and stuff, but I just am like, yeah, I do have one from Monumental last year it came as like an add-on at registration and that I actually do enjoy.

That's good. It's a good fleece. It's not too heavy. It's not too, like it's very, I do wear that one a lot. So that one, I don't remember what brand it is, but that's a good one. Keep that one on for merch. Yeah. Well we do Brooks. The Brooks stuff is really nice. Okay. Yes. And we're doing that again this year.

Yeah. And so that's good. That'll be good. Um, although their sizes are small Yes. To your Lord. Yes. So size up. I always size up like this. I always do anyway. Yeah. As a larger size than what I usually wear. Yeah. And like race shirts in general. Yes. I usually get men's I. That's what I was just gonna say though, at Chicago I don't, because that's Nike and usually that Yeah.

Fit well, but every, almost every other race men's small. Yeah. Because I'm like, otherwise I won't ever wear it. No, exactly. Which I don't usually actually wear in my life. I don't either. I don't, I don't either. So, so anyway, that's a whole, yeah. I mean if, unless it's like big enough and I'll wear it as a pajama shirt or something like that, but yeah.

Yeah. I don't, I plan to, I intend to make a quilt someday out of all of 'em, but I've thought about that too. I have. They're just sitting there. I know a stack in my closet. I have a whole, like I go through my drawers every once in while I know. And I like still save them. Yeah. Oh, same. But then I move them into at least another pile.

There you go. I know. Mine has like. Yeah. Anyway. Yeah. Anyway. Um, I know, well, I'm so excited to talk to you about your actual Chicago race. I, oh, yes. Yeah. But I was more, I was interested in your actual sweatshirt too. Sweatshirt, because it's really cute. It's a good one. Yeah. So anyway, it's a favorite. Um, but yeah.

You're fresh off Chicago ish. I am, yes. How, how many weeks ago? That was two, a little over two weeks ago. Little over two weeks? Yes. Okay. Yeah. So you're running again, just barely, barely, barely. Okay. Barely getting back into it. How much time do you usually take off after a full, I usually do, um, a full week of like no running, and then that first week back is very slow going, just easy runs.

Maybe only two or three that first week. Um, even this week. Easy runs again, but I do, I am gonna run a monumental half, so. Right. I have that, usually I don't plan them that close together. Yeah. Or anything like that. Yeah. So, well, and then that Well, when this comes out, yeah. It'll be tomorrow. Oh yeah. Will be the, okay, perfect.

I know exactly. It's crazy. That'll be good. 'cause that it's race week, which, yeah, it is. We can talk about that later. I know, because I'm freaking out. I know. I'll, I got some tips for you. Good. Perfect. Yeah. So how many Chicago's was this for you? This was my third, Chicago third. Okay. Um, and honestly the best weather-wise, I'd say it was really nice.

Yeah. Most like Spectated, biggest crowd I've seen in a long time. The last time I had done it was in 21. Okay. So it was still kind of COVID rules, so they. Less actual people running it and then less crowds. And it was hot. It was very, very hot that day. So I, that's why I kind of went into this race being like, it's just whatever happens, happens, you know?

Yeah. So trained really well for it, so I was ready, but it's just, you never know what race day's gonna be like. Mm-hmm. And after 21, I was like, it could be 80 degrees again, you know? So luckily it wasn't. Well, thank God New York's not this weekend. Oh, I know. Oh, I thought the same thing. I know. Yeah, exactly.

It was, I mean, what in the world is happening with this weather? I don't know exactly. Every year, I swear. Well, and even. I hate to say it for monumental this year. It's like it could, you know, you still don't know. I know. I have like only checked 300 times. I know. That's how I, I haven't checked today yet. I, I know I haven't either actually.

That's funny. It looks warm. Yeah, it looks warm. Yeah. And compared to last year, I think I'm okay with that because Yes, that's what I was gonna say. And especially like everybody, everybody else I've talked to about this year in Chicago, they're like, it was perfect. Yeah. I'm like, I need about five or 10 degrees.

Like I, yeah. Realize my old bone, I'm not that old, but 41. And I'm like, my knees hurt. 'cause I was cold, like I was stiff. Like I need about 50 to 55 to start with. Yeah. And then go from there. So yeah. What did you wear for the race? So for Chicago, I had shorts, arm sleeves. Yeah. Which I make those out knee high socks.

No, you don't. That's amazing. I do, I cut the toes off and then cut a, um, thumb hole in the ankle. So, or in the heel I guess. Okay. So then you can just toss it like it's $2 for a pair of arm sleeves that you can just toss. That's a good point. Yeah. And I've, I have. Christmas ones. I have, I was gonna say, you could buy like anything, like you could totally.

Anything. Anything. Um, so I had those tank top on. I had a robe beforehand. Robes are smart. That has become a thing I think it is. Or has it always been a thing? I, it's newer to me. Okay. I've done it probably the last two or three years, Goodwill, $2, like get a robe and it's so much easier to toss off than like a sweatshirt.

Right. Or a shirt or something like that. Yeah. So I had that, um, I had gloves, I had ear warmers. And we were part of the first wave. I found Jennifer Connor in the line. You did? At the first. Wow. That's miracle know. It was, this was actually the first race, first major race I had went to without a corral buddy.

And I was kind of like, this is a big race. Like I was kind of nervous and I was like, again, just let the race come to you and I'm coming outta the bathroom and I see her and I'm like, what? This is amazing. So I got to have a corral buddy 'cause she was in my corral. So that helped. That is kind of nice.

Yeah. Ease. Um, the pain of just waiting, you know? Right. And um, we got in line and the crowd started moving. So I dropped, the robe dropped, you know, and I then we stood and we stood and I was like, I'm getting cold again. So that kind of added to the whole being cold then. Yeah. And when we finally started moving, it was probably 20 minutes at that point that we had like waited and I was cold like.

Just those first three miles, it was like, I need an extra layer or whatever. Yeah. 'cause was there sun yet? Not yet. No. No. And then the sun did come out at like, I don't know, mile six or seven for me. Mm-hmm. So, again, dropped the gloves, dropped the ear warmer, dropped the arm sleeves, and then the clouds came back.

The wind kind of came. I mean, it was not a terrible, like it wasn't bad, but just for me, I needed that five degrees to feel. Comfortable or more comfortable, I guess. Yeah, I should say it's such a tricky thing. It is. It really is. It so is, and it's one of those things, the marathon is such a long time mm-hmm.

To have to gauge all of that. Mm-hmm. So you're like, okay, what do I do? What do I not? You know? And you're thinking, oh, it's the sun's gonna come out and stay out and. It didn't quite do that sense. Yeah. I've had a couple races where one was monumental a long time ago. Yeah. Where I dropped stuff. Yeah. And then I really regretted it.

Oh yeah. Yeah. And once Philly, I was supposed to run the full, I ended up running the half, 'cause I was like really sick. I shouldn't even run a half marathon that day. Oh yeah. But I was very stubborn and I was in Philly. So I'm like, well, I'm gonna do something. Yeah. You're like, I'm here. Yeah. But I picked up a shirt off the side of the road.

I was so desperate. And I, in my mind, I'm like, somebody was wearing this for like 10 minutes. Exactly. I was, I don't care. No. And not at that point, who does care? Right. It's gonna help me. I was like, I'm so cold. I'm gonna pick up somebody's random shirt and I'm gonna put it on. Exactly. Exactly. And I ran the rest of the race in it.

Yes. That's hilarious. That's awesome. I would've, if I would've found the shirt, I probably her robe. You'd just be like, I'm gonna put this on. It's okay guys. I'm going for a pr, but I got a robe on. Yeah, it's fine. Yeah, it's great. It's great. It's fine. Yeah. Yeah. I've now heard of people when my sister-in-law for Boston, for my brother-in-law brought him a robe at the end.

Oh, that's a good idea. That's great. Good idea. Which I was like, oh, that is kind of smart. Yeah, it looks HI mean, it just looks hilarious too. Oh, yeah, because you're like, because it's, that'd probably be so much easier than that. Like Illumina, the space blanket. Yeah. I, you know, it's hard. I have a lot them.

It's hard. I Exactly. Because you can't forget they work. It's like, gimme a piece of tape. Well, and you can kind of tie it, but then it's kind of like bunchy. I don't know. I know it's tough, but I try to save those too. Oh, I do too. Yeah. Yes. And I put 'em in my car, like if we Oh, that's smart. We traveled a lot as a family, so it's like, if everything breaks down, you better have.

Yeah. And so I put 'em in the car in case. That's smart. Yeah. So look at that. Well, and I still, I saved my, um, New York has these, like really thick, nice ones. Oh, I've seen those. Yes. And so I'm like, well, I can't throw this away. I know. Yeah. What the hell am I gonna do with it? I don't know. I need to ask you about New York.

'cause it kind of terrifies me to run over bridges. Yeah. And that's my next like goal would be to qualify for that. Mm-hmm. I'm like. Would I even run it though? Because the bridge has scared the crap outta me. What about it like just being out on a bridge and like, what if something happened? I don't know.

Okay, so not the actual like elevation. Like I don't care about the elevation. No, no. I Hills are fine. I mean like they're not great, but that part it's like what if something happened in the middle of the bridge? And I don't know. I'm a civil engineer, so like we used to watch bridge disasters as part of our classes.

What? I know it's weird, but I'm like, what if the bridge breaks? Let me tell you Sarah, that's not gonna happen. I know, I know, I know. Lemme just, but I've watched every bridge failure video, but, right. And so you're gonna, in class it might actually. I know. Get your advantage 'cause you'll run faster over.

That's true. I didn't over get that way that over it because you're gonna be so scared. Yeah, that's true. So anyways, oh my gosh. Side note to the org side notes. So for Chicago this year too, so your time was 3 26 26. Yes. Which is really easy to remember. Yes, I know. I got 26.2 in there. My friend pointed that out and I'm like, oh, that's really cool.

That's kind of fun. Uhhuh. Yeah. And that's a four minute pr. Yeah, that's a four and a half really big pr. Yeah, I know. Like I said, I had put in a lot of work. I tend to do one big race a year, the last couple years, like in terms of marathon distance, I did the full MO in the spring or I guess early summer.

Yeah. But that was more just a fun run to run with. That Fisher's run club, you know, and have fun with it. Mm-hmm. So I didn't count that as like major training. I did the Carmel 10 K was my big spring race and that was just to gain extra speed. Yeah. Like really hammer in tons and tons of speed over the spring so that I could have a good fall.

Yeah. Yeah. I did the 10 K at Carmel mainly 'cause I was trying to do my 50th half marathon. Oh yes. When I did the North Dakota thing. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so for Carmel, I still wanted to race. Yes. So I chose the 10 k. I love that. I've actually never raced a 10 K. I had, oh you haven't? Oh. Mm-hmm. I see.

Geist 10 K was like my race. I love that race. And um, they took it away this year, but that's coming, it maybe coming back. So hopefully cross fingers. So I was like, okay, I need to spring 10 K. Yeah. And I had never done the caramel one, but I really liked it. I mean, there's some hills there and. But it's a good, yeah, I really, I enjoyed it too.

Yeah. Although, I'll tell you like with speed work, obviously it makes the shorter distances harder. Yes. Oh absolutely. 'cause you can go faster. Exactly. And so I was joking, even this weekend running, I was like, I, you know, running a 5K is harder for me. Oh, totally. Just running, I completely agree. Half marathon.

Yeah. I think that's why I like the 10 K, that it's not quite a full out sprint. Like if 5K feels like Yeah, it's like in between. It's in between, but it's not as long. Like you can be done in an hour or less. Right. You know, like knock it out and then go have a beer or mimosa or whatever after uhhuh the race.

So I really, I like that 10 K distance. Yeah. Did um, back to Chicago, did your family come with you up to Chicago? They did not. Okay. Um, actually they've only been to monumental my very first, uh, marathon. Otherwise it just doesn't work out. Like my husband and I like to stay till the last finisher crosses kind of thing.

And it's. With three boys. It's just a lot to try and bring them down. Yeah. Or grandparents to bring them down, you know what I mean? So, and then this last Chicago, my husband Eric had to stay 'cause we had scout stuff and soccer tournaments and grandparents were all out of town. So it was like, I'm just going up with friends, you know?

Yeah. And so a group of us just went up and shared hotel rooms and all that kind of stuff, so. Okay. So you had friends up there you were with Yes. Just not in the actual corral. Not in the corral, yeah. They were the corral behind me, which like worked out fine, you know? Mm-hmm. But it was the first time I usually at least start with somebody, so I was like, what am I supposed to do here?

Yeah. Like I talk a lot, I run with people most the time I run. So I chat a lot during my runs. I always say that's extra training for like oxygen. Sure. Like whatever. Yeah. And it was weird kind of getting there, not having anybody to like talk through some of the nerves. And so, like I said, when I found Jennifer, I was like, oh, this is God's way of saying you're okay.

Yeah. Have a friend. Just have a friend. You'll be fine. You'll be safe. Exactly. Yeah. And, uh, it just, it worked out really well to find her. That's so great. Yeah. Yeah. What's funny, so the last time I did Chicago was 2015 maybe. Oh, okay. It's been a while. Okay. And I. Stayed with my mom and my sister were there.

Okay. I can't remember why they were there. Yeah. It was really great. Yeah. And they, my mom got a hotel. We stayed at the Hilton. Oh, see, that's where we stayed. This was the first time where all the elites stay. I saw Dez the night, my god. Night before and the day after. So what's really funny is that that was before I was actually kind of into the sport.

Oh, okay. Like knowing who people were. Yeah. Yeah. So, shoot, I probably saw Yeah. Who knows who everybody and didn't care. Didn't know exactly. I knew that was where the elite stayed. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I just thought, oh, that's because it's so nice and close, right? Yeah. So in the morning, you know, before my mom and sister are up, I'm out.

I'm gone. I'm by myself. Yeah. And it was just, you know, I, I actually don't mind it too much, but I do get, when I'm nervous, I do talk. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, but not necessarily with strangers. Yeah. I don't know why. No. I get, and then when I ran monumental full last year, yeah. I started in a corral next to Alan.

Oh, that's, she's running club. And I'd never met him actually. That's right. And I just knew he was from Fisher's Running Club 'cause he was wearing the, the tank and, and I didn't even get his name. We, I mean, he was with a friend too. Right, right. And I just, we were kind of, you know me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I just, I remember that.

That's awesome. And afterwards on Instagram, he's like, oh my gosh. Yeah, we started together. That's hilarious. Yeah. Just a small world. But it is nice to have that, that that comradery full last year. I did. Yeah. So talk about weather. That was terrible. It was horrible. I mean, just, I've talked about it on this podcast before, I think.

Yeah. But I just, it was so windy. It was so windy. Yeah. There wasn't a lot of rain, but there was some rain. There was parts of it that I feel like it rain because I had a hat. I remember that. And being like, I don't usually wear hats, but I was like, I need a hat. Yeah. And 18 and 19 for me, wherever you're like.

Right after the, uh, new fields. Oh, on Fall Creek? Yes. Yeah. And it's just that I remember the wind and like the leaves blowing at me. Oh my God. Oh my God. I like, remember my legs. Literally. Yes. I could feel my legs blowing. Oh, yeah. And I had met up with a friend, she ran down Meridian with me, and we were like watching this like, sign just blow over.

Oh God. And I'm like, or the cups. Yes, the cups at mile 20. That poor, that poor aid station. I know. Oh, I know. I tell, it just was like, you know, and they had to fill the cups up really full. Exactly. So they wouldn't blow over. And then as a runner, you're like, yeah. I know I don't want all this water. Yeah. I actually use that a lot in training being like, it can't be as bad as that.

It can't be as bad as that. That was, and you know what's funny? I had a great race. I, I pr by 20 minutes that last year. What? I was a great race. 20. Yeah. I went from a Jesus Christ three 50 to three 30. So, well, you're giving me hope for this. This weekend. Yeah. But anyway. Yeah. I'm, anyway, we should talk about that later.

Yeah, we can. I want to, I wanna learn a little bit more about your background Okay. And family and stuff like that. Yeah. And so we've touched on the three boys. I do have three boys. How old are your boys? Um, Noah is 14, Luke is 11. And then Parker is seven. Parker. I have a nephew, Parker. Oh yeah, he's cutie. A good name.

Good name. Three boys. Three boys. It's a lot. I, um, never set out obviously to have three boys. Yeah. But it was kind of one of those, I'm like, okay. I knew I wanted three kids. He, Parker, it took a little longer to have him. 'cause I was like, I have to get used to the idea if we're gonna have a third, if it's a boy, like Right.

Having three boys. Yeah, sure enough, it was a boy. So, but I mean, it's just a loud, chaotic house or whatever, but mm-hmm. They all love me. I'm their mom, so that's kind of nice. Yeah, I'm like, total mama bear. Like it's good. But yeah, they're, they're crazy. They're very crazy. Oh man. And I actually didn't know this when I met you, Uhhuh.

I figured this out, I think from maybe a recent post that you shared about your son, Noah. Yes. Yeah. Who's your first and oldest? Yes. Yeah. He had cancer four years ago, so that's actually how I got my first under four hour marathon. It was 2019. Um. Second marathon that I had signed up for was Chicago, didn't get into the lottery, so signed up for Ronald McDonald House Charities in like, I don't know, whatever it was actually, I think 2018, whenever you sign, start signing up for Chicago.

Okay. To run in 2019. So Gotcha. Started fundraising for him. Went out to Wyoming on a trip, family trip, and he had severe stomach pain, so we took him to the ER in Casper, Wyoming, where I was born. Actually the same hospital I was born at, like took him to the er. Yeah. That's wild. Did some tests and the doctor's like, um, yeah, I think there's some like cancer here.

And I'm like, excuse me, what? This was like 2:00 AM my husband still hasn't flown out. 'cause I drove with the boys, with my parents. I trying to call Eric, he's boarding a plane to come and he's like, what do I do? I'm like, I don't know. Like we're in the middle of Wyoming. Like what? So they got us in contact with Riley.

We stayed a day and a half out in Wyoming and then brought him back and started cancer treatments. Geez. Yeah, about two weeks after that. And he's now cancer free. It was about a four month, I guess, pretty intensive chemo for rounds of chemo he had. He didn't have to do any sort of radiation, didn't have to do any like surgery to remove any of the cancer.

Luckily the chemo took care of it. But lots of stays at Riley, lots of just back and forth. My husband and I would alternate nights and I still had that race to train for. So. At first when that, like I literally just done my first training cycle run, and then we went on vacation and I was like, I'm gonna run out in Wyoming.

I'm gonna get like cardio fit because I'm at elevation. Like all these things. And that all went down the drain, except for my friends rallied around, my husband rallied, and they're like, we're gonna help you get. To the start line, like whatever that looks like, it's gonna look like. Yeah. So some days it meant meeting like on a Thursday to run 20 miles in the dead, 90 degree heat.

Uh, you know, but friends would come, you know. Yeah. Like they just knew I needed it just as much as I knew I needed it. Yeah. And he rang the bell. Um, cancer Free Bell, October 4th. I ran the marathon, I think it was like the 10th, like basically within that same week. And about 20 miles in, or 17 miles in, I was running with my friend Tracy.

And I was like, you know, if I'm gonna do this, like I need to focus. And somebody had made shoes for, or like shoe tag laces for me mm-hmm. That said, Noah is strong. And I looked down and I was like, I just gotta go. And so I got 3 58, I think, or something like that. And bawled, like a base just, I was gonna say, did you cry the entire time?

Because I'm, I didn't, mainly because I knew, like I had to be strong to get through it. Yeah. Like, I wanted to show that like. All those sacrifices we made as a family were worth it. Mm-hmm. And then it was like after that, it was a mess, you know? Yeah. And Eric was there like, oh, we just, it was, yeah. We cried.

Like maybe I called Noah sobbed to him, you know, FaceTimed him because he was still, I mean, he was better, but I was like, there's no way I'm bringing you to Chicago, you know? Yeah. After being through all that you've been through, right? Yeah. Or whatever. Yeah. And we used Ronald McDonald House, so that's what I was gonna ask you about.

So you signed up to run with them before? Before, yeah. He had cancer before. That's insane Ex and Yeah, because you talk about, I mean, we already said like you talk about Godwins Exactly. Is what a friend of mine started calling him. It was, yes. But you're like, it was like, that's so crazy. I mean, for us to be out in Wyoming when we were like the other two were with us, but they just stayed on the vacation so that Eric and I could bring Noah back, come back and have a hundred percent focus on him through those initial two weeks of.

Figuring out what the hell was going on, you know, or whatever. Yeah. And then through the train, like every, all along the way. And I think that's why I was like, you have to be strong, like prove to yourself mm-hmm. That you didn't go through all of this for not for nothing. Right. But you know what I mean?

Like, and yeah. And so we like. I would go down and get some coffee from Ronald McDonald. 'cause luckily it was all inside Riley. We were close, like we didn't have to use the actual, like, sleeping facilities, but like, it was nice to just have a space to like escape for a little bit if you needed it, you know?

So I don't know what that I, so I've, no, I've heard the name, but I don't know actually. So Ronald McDonald House Charities, uh, a lot of the hospitals will have like a house, like outside of the hospital. Okay. Riley itself has a space inside Riley that has beds, um, like kitchenette, like, so you can kind of have your own house essentially.

Mm-hmm. At Riley, they provide meals, um, f free of cost. So like if you're financially strapped, you can go into there and get a meal. I don't know if all hospitals are that way, like if all the chair, Ronald McDonald House Charity, I should know that, but I don't. Yeah. Um, and then, like I said, they have a, um, a place I think across the street too that has even more beds for people.

Wow. So, yeah, it's a great charity and I mean. Just knowing even a little bit about like, I just picked it 'cause it was like, oh yeah, sure. Raise money kids. Yeah. A great cause. Exactly. Yeah. And then to actually see where that goes, I'm like, okay, wow. I get it. You know? So it was to raise money for something that you then I know Exactly.

Needed and used. I know. Yeah. That's why. And so when we went back in 21, I ran with them again for Ronald McDonald House. 'cause I'm like, that's who I will. Yeah. Either them or now LLS for Lymphoma Leukemia Society. Yeah. Just 'cause of Noah's history. So yeah. We've got two big charities that we can My base Yeah.

Base back on. So, yeah. But he's fine. He's taller than me now. And he's taller than you? He's taller than me now. And totally fine. Like how, how tall are you? Five six. Yeah. That's how tall I am. Yeah. Yeah. So he's, that's he's tall. He's tall. He'll be tall for his age. Yeah. And he actually has a compression fracture.

And we don't know, we don't think the cancer was in the bone, but something. During treatment, compressed it. Okay. So he's, so he had leukemia then, or a type of He had lymphoma. Lymphoma, okay. He had, yeah, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Okay. So his kidney and liver were like, kidney was one cold kidney was completely in, um, engulfed in cancer.

The kidney was infected. Couple spots on the spine. He had a huge mass that was the size of a deck of cards on his chest. And leading up to this, I noticed little things like he'd get winded going upstairs and I think it was 'cause it was the cancer, like he couldn't get a full, he literally could not get a full breath.

It's like, I get winded going upstairs. Yeah, no, exactly. So you're like, okay. Or he, he got strep a couple times and I was like, well he just, you know, kids get strep all the time. Exactly, yeah. And it was fourth grade, so there was like extra testing in fourth grade and a graduation, and he's just an anxious kid to begin.

Yeah. So a lot of it, I was just like, he's anxious, he's nervous, he's, you know, whatever. Yeah. You wouldn't, no, you never. Until that, and again, had it not been in Casper, we would've been in Yellowstone where there was no medical. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like, yeah. So it all happened for a reason. I mean, crappy reason, but like it, the timeline couldn't have happened any better.

I feel like. Wow. And you have to look at it that way. 'cause you could go down a rabbit hole of pity and why me all that. But it's like, that's not gonna get you anywhere. You just have to accept it and figure out the best course of action to get you through it is how we did it. Well, I just feel like, you know, as moms you just, yeah.

You just go into mom mode, you Oh yeah, yeah. You gotta figure it out. What's next? Like, that's kind of how I looked at the whole thing. I'm like, okay, now we get through. Like, there was never a question of like, he's not gonna get better. Like I just, you're like, no, we're, no, we're just gonna figure out how he's gonna get better and he's gonna get better and he is gonna be fine.

Like, and we'll move on and by Christmas he'll be fine. So I'm like, and thank goodness it happened that way. But that was kind of always my. I had to keep that focus otherwise. And how old were your others at the time? So Noah was 10 at the time, so Luke would've been, um, seven and Parker was only two. Okay.

So Parker didn't understand No. But your, your Yes. Well, he, he thought it was fun because Oh, which is terrible. Yeah, because he had the switch in the hotel or in the hospital room. Oh. They had like two playrooms on the cancer floor. So he thought it was just like, I get to go hang out and play and we'd get him ice cream, you know, it was like always a treat to go see Noah.

Like it was always for us to try and, yeah. Brighten Noah's day by bringing the brothers. Yeah. So it was, so he doesn't remember it as. Anything bad, even Luke. Mm-hmm. He's like, Noah got so many Legos, like, I need to go to Riley to get Lego. And I'm like, no, you don't. You don't wanna go there. No, you don't wanna go there.

And now they understand it. Like he did go through something big, but at the time it was like, why don't I get Legos? Why don't I get ice cream for breakfast? Right. Why don't I get, you're like, let me trying to explain this. Yeah. I think about, my oldest is six right now. Yeah. And so, you know, she's got some really good questions right now.

Yeah. Oh yeah. And it's tough. Exactly. Yeah. Even so, I can only imagine. Like trying to explain to Noah at 10, like, you don't talk about cancer. Like, you don't talk about that a whole lot with kids. Or it's like, oh, that's an aunt, or, oh, that's a grandma. Yeah. You know, like, and you say, oh, they're sick. Right, exactly.

Yeah. So that's kind of how we, especially before we knew what it was like that trip back home to from Wyoming back home, we're like, we gotta figure out what it is. There's something inside of you. You know, at that point we're like, maybe it's just some random growth, you know? Like we were hopeful it didn't transpire to be anything and at that point you didn't know how bad it was gonna be.

So those two weeks of waiting and figure out what kind it was, how long treatment was, 'cause you just see kids. In various stages of treatment. That I think was probably one of the harder things to see is like mm-hmm. Some of the kids that have been there for 18 months or two years. Yeah. You know, and you're just like, and for us to only have three and a half, four months of it, like we were the lucky ones.

Right. And as terrible as having cancer is we were. A lucky family because we were only in and out in three months. So when it comes to your other boys Yeah. Do, is there anything hereditary about that or Not that we know of, no. Okay. I mean, 'cause a lot of it, they just don't know Right. Where it came from.

Yeah. And that, I mean, it's frustrating. Yeah. And so anytime any, 'cause fevers are a big thing with cancer. So like it shows that there's infection coming and that made us have to go back to the hospital. So even to this day, anytime any of 'em get a fever, I'm like, oh gosh, what's happening? You know? Like, you're dying.

Exactly. Great. I know exactly. I'm like with somebody, you know, sick because then okay, then I get, you know, but if it's just a random popup, you're like, okay, that's fine. It's fine. They're not, you know, like it, that shouldn't be one of those things. And I, I'm, again, I believe God wouldn't do that to us hopefully.

I dunno. You got like, 'cause otherwise you can sit in that a lot. Mm-hmm. And be like, what's next? But again. And that was 2019. So that was right before COVID. Yes. Did you have to do all that through COVID then, or? No, thank goodness. Oh my gosh, that would've been, so we, yeah. He got better October of 19. Oh, that's right.

Okay. And then, and even before all this, I had signed up to run Dopey for 2020. So we went and did all that. And then we, you know, COVID hits and I'm like, oh my gosh, are we gonna bring COVID back to the, you know, whatever. So, wait, you did Dopey in January, or is it Yeah, in January. Oh, of 2020. So right after he got better.

Yeah, exactly. Sarah. Uh, I know, I know. Again, it was all planned before. Okay. Right. You know, he got sick, so it was kind of one of those like, well, he's better, like, Eric and I kind of needed like to get away. Like that's a lot of parenting. Mm-hmm. And not seeing each other, getting your kid through that. So it was like we needed something to mm-hmm.

Do an escape. And so then that year we had gotten them a. 'cause he didn't get first a Make-A-Wish thing, but it was fine. Like we were like, we'll just provide our own. Well then COVID hit and it all got canceled because we couldn't go, you know? So then Make-A-Wish did come and ended up making a teenage room for him.

So he has a really cool, oh, that's cute Room and everything like that that we got from Make-A-Wish. So it was, but luckily we did not have to go through any of the COVID protocols with Right. 'cause that would've just been a nightmare I feel, you know, because having the brothers be able to come Oh right.

Yeah. Or family members come like, or even parents. Or even parents. I mean like, I think you were allowed, 'cause we had some doctor's appointments where it's just one parent was able to come. Yeah. And even that like just to have. People come, I mean, we had friends come, we had, you know, neighbors come, like people came to help him.

Right. Be with him, distract him, bring him something. Yes, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And that was so, and that's where I just felt for those kids that couldn't have that. Oh, that sucks. Yeah. Yeah. And I was like, I can't again think too much about it, like mm-hmm. Our time was then. It's not now. No. So yeah.

Pray for those that are there, but not dwell on Yeah. Too much, you know? So. Yeah. Yeah. When I ran New York in 2018 mm-hmm. I ran for Alex's Lemonade stand. Oh yes, yes. Yeah. That's a good one too. Yeah. And actually, well, my friend had picked it and then I was like, well, gosh. Yeah, right. It's easier to fundraise together.

Yeah. Well, and it was like, you know, what a great, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. And that's it. Like once you get into it, there's. So many, so many. Even small local ones. Mm-hmm. Little wish. I think, I don't know if that's just local, Parker Tatum project. She provides, um, backpacks for kids at Riley and it's full of like a Kindle Lego.

I mean, it's just, so we gave a lot of, we had some fundraising just with Noah Strong shirts. We were very blessed. We were very fortunate in what Eric's company provided for us in terms of healthcare and just coverage. And then just had friends outpouring. So it's like, we wanna give some of that back however we could.

Mm-hmm. And so we found a couple local places to contribute to. 'cause we just were showered with so much love and support, so we wanted to provide as well as best we could, so. Wow. Yeah. So do you fundraise for every race that you do? I, no, not typically. If I can get in this, I guess what you said, New York, you wanted to qual time qualify?

Yes. If I can get in with a time call, that sounds terrible, but if I can get in with a time, well, it's hard to fundraise even if it's for a, because they're all great causes. Exactly. But it's hard. Yeah, it's hard. And my husband does a lot of fundraising through LLS. He's on the executive leadership team here for Indiana, so Oh, he is.

That's great. He kind of takes that on himself and I'm like, we don't need to be asking for like. Yeah. 12 different cha, you know? Yeah. So I let him kind of be on that leadership team and him, you know, 'cause it is a great organization. So, but if I ever needed to, it would be them. Or probably Ronald McDonald House again.

Yeah. So, yeah. That's really cool. Yeah. And so I got a chance to meet your husband, Eric, at the Geist half Marathon. Oh yes, that's right. Yeah. Yes. Well, because I was gonna be like, oh, does Eric run? And then I'm like, oh, I literally met him. Yes, he does. Yes, he does run. How did you two meet? We, um, at civil engineering classes in, at Purdue.

We had classes together, but we actually met working out at the co-req up at Purdue. Aw. And he, yeah, I know. It's so cheesy. How did this go down? I know I was working out with my, uh, kind of roommate and they went to school together, so they were talking and he was like, oh, who's your friend, kind of thing.

Who's that? Exactly? She's cute. And then he and I started talking. We had a class together, so he would wait for me at the end of class every day and then we That's adorable. I know. Yeah. And then you'd be like, can I carry your bag? Exactly. Something different, you know? And then, uh, yeah, three years later, both civil engineers got married and moved to Indy, our fishers I guess, area.

And I, we both worked for civil firms. He still works for his same firm now. And, um, I kind of knew I didn't wanna do it forever. Like, I kind of knew I wanted to be a, at least a part-time mom, if not a stay a full-time stay at home mom. Mm-hmm. And got pregnant with Noah. A little bit sooner than I we had planned originally.

Right. You never know how that's gonna go. Exactly. And um, it was 2009 when I had him kind of through a recession of, so our firm just wasn't getting as much business and I was like, I'll gladly bow out. Yeah. And be like, peace, I'll go stay home with him. And originally it was like, stay home for a year and you know, we'll go back and it's been 14 and I still have not been back to work full time at all.

I do a lot of side jobs and you know, kind of here and there coaching and. Whatever I can. Yeah. But we've made it work, which is nice. What is civil engineering? Give us the quick definition. So, uh, we do basically all the stuff you don't wanna think about. Sewer design, sanitary design, pond, like I laid out a lot of neighborhoods, Mike's car washes.

We would lay out the parking lots for Mark's car washes and where the building would go. Uh, neighborhood design. Eric does transportation more so like he did the, or their company did the Keystone project, the 37 project. Wow. Um, so yeah, all the stuff you don't really wanna think about. We get to design.

And The bridges. And the bridges and learning about bridges. Exactly. That wasn't originally, my course of action was to do be bridge design, but couldn't find a job right away. And I was like, I'll lay out parking lots for you. That's fine. So sounds great. Yeah. Somebody's gotta do it. Somebody's gotta do it.

Whoever laid out the parking lot that's buy fleet feet on 140 sixth Street. Oh, that was not us. Oh God. Because it's horrible. Is it really? Do you know what I'm talking about? It's, yes, I do. And yeah, now that you say that it is bad, it's because there's no like, it's just this really awkward Yeah. And you don't who, who the hell has the right of way?

I have no idea. No, I, yeah. You know, it's just bad. And sometimes that isn't necessarily the designer. That could be the developer being like, I need, I need to put something here. And Yes, exactly. So, yeah. That's so funny. I do blame the dis engineer a lot, but sometimes, sometimes it is the developer, so, oh my gosh, that's funny.

I remember in school, I wonder what grade this was. I built a bridge out of like spaghetti noodles. Oh yes. Yeah. Spaghetti noodles and like to see like how marshmallows probably or something down strong. You could make the bridge. Yeah. Tooth fixed. Yeah. Yeah. I wonder when that was. I know. Yeah. I wish I had like a picture of it.

'cause I can kind of picture it. Yeah. In my brain it's like, it was like a golden gate, like perfect. But it probably wasn't. You shouldn't, yeah. Yeah. It's probably like a piece of shit. Which, you went to Westfield, correct? Yes. And played soccer. I did. I played soccer for Westfield, but only through like at Hay big fields.

Did you? Yeah. Oh yeah. My parents live like right across the street from Hay. Yeah. I played soccer on my brother's team for like three years and then they were finally like, you have to go to the girls team. Oh, that's funny. Yeah. So, oh man, I remember those. The hay big soccer field days. Oh yes. I mean we just were there.

All the time. Yep. I basically live there. I remember, I, I can't remember if they paid me to do it, but I volunteered or got paid to work in the concession stand Oh, nice. At one point. Oh, nice. I refereed. Oh yeah. See, I quit basically in high school. 'cause we lived in Carmel, but close enough to Westfield that we, they let us play Westfield soccer.

Oh, I see. Yeah. Because we were right on Spring Mill and 146. Mm-hmm. And then it was like, you gotta go to the high school team. And I'm like, I'm not playing for Carmel. I did not. Right. Yeah. Intense. I did not wanna be a part of intense Carmel's athletics. Yeah. Anyway, so I quit then and. Kind of regret it a little bit.

'cause I think it would've still been fun to do, but um, yeah, it was a good part of my childhood. Oh yeah. Yeah. Oh, was, Hey, big fields, the nostalgia. I know. Running. Talk about parking lots. That parking lot. Oh my God. Yeah. Anybody who's not local. I know. Okay, cool. Exactly. And anyway, I was, I think we may have played soccer at the same time.

Probably. Probably, yeah. I was on the Lightning. I don't remember the team names. I played for my brother's team. So it was a boys team. Yeah. I don't remember what, I don't know. I just remember. I just remember was lightning. Yeah. Green and black. Which all of 'em were. Yeah. You know, they were ugly jersey. They were very back in those days.

Green. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, that's so funny. Yeah. Small. Yeah. Small world. Small world. And now coming back like, 'cause my family moved to Ohio when I was in college. Okay. And it was like, okay, do I go with them? But Eric and I met and we're like, let's both go to Indy. So you still see people like that, you know, here.

And even coming back through Carmel, I'm like, that's my high school. Like, it's so weird. Right. I know. It is kind of weird. And I, there's people from high school that I, that I enjoy seeing when I do. Right. Yeah. Yeah. You know? Yeah. It's just different. But then it's just weird. Yeah. It's kind of weird 'cause you're like, that feels like four lifetimes ago.

Oh yeah. Absolutely. And even my parents moved, I was born in Wyoming, moved to Ohio. Then Carmel and now they're back in Ohio. Okay. So even going back to where I was like first through fourth grade, we were just back there last week and I'm like, there's my elementary, like it's just, we've moved so much that nothing feels like home.

But then you see places that do feel like home. You're like, oh, okay. Oh yeah, yeah, that's it. Yeah. So it is, it's different, but I like it. It's different. What stage in your life did you start the running? So I didn't really start running until right after I had Luke, so I ran the mini. A year after I had Noah.

Okay. But kind one and done. I was like, checked it off the list, like that was fun. Great. You know? And then my mom was like, no, I think I wanna run a half. So I ran one with her in Ohio. That's nice. At some point. Okay. But then a couple friends of mine had joined the Fishers, um, y and said There's a great program there.

You should sign up. 'cause one you could drop your kids off and they'd let you run. Sold. Exactly. I'm like, okay, I could go run while my kids play. Sure. So I, um, joined them, ran the mini in, um, 20, I guess 13 with that, and never, and kind of didn't stop after that because I found a community at that point.

Mm-hmm. Like before it was just kind of running a couple halves and a cut 5K here and there, but it was all on my own, you know? Mm-hmm. And once I found that community, it was done like I was in For sure. Yeah. So stayed with the, um, Fisher's wide group for. A long time all the way through running my first full, which was in 2017.

Okay. Because monumental did that four part series. Yes. And I was like, I want that fourth one to be my first full marathon. Oh, cool. To like cap it off with the why. So for anybody who doesn't know they did, it was each year was a different letter, correct? Yes. So you got IND if you did all the years? Well, no.

The first year, the first set of four was the flag, the Oh, and then India you did the INDY. Okay. I was like, am I? No, no, no, no. So it was like 10 through 14 or whatever that was. Okay. You got to do like the flag, the Indianapolis and then the next set. 'cause last year was when I got the Y. Yeah. And did the next set, which I guess we're not gonna do again.

I wonder. And people were a little miffed 'cause they're like, well I wanna go, I wanna get, oh, you know, I missed one. They missed. Oh. And so I wanna redeem, you know. Nope. I've run all like eight years since. Sorry. You never know when they're not gonna Exactly. Um, so anyway, so I wanted that first one to be the cat, like the fourth corner or whatever.

That's cool. Then I found out I was pregnant with Parker. Oh. And I was like, oh crap. But I've made it work. Okay. Like he, yeah, I, so he was almost, he was a year old at that point, but like more just in my grand scheme of life, which still, I'm sorry, a year old is still nothing. I know. It was, it was, yeah. It was crazy.

Yeah. Ridiculous. Um, and so yeah, they got me through, you know, that, but I never really like, yeah, I did liked getting faster times, but I didn't really wanna get faster until more recently, I guess. And I'm like, I'm creeping up to 40, like I need to like focus here. My kids are older. Like I have the time to kind of focus on.

Some of that faster running. So hired a coach, uh, Amanda Moore out in Phoenix area, who was a member at the Y back in the day. So I known her for a while. That's cool. And kind of watched her progress and I'm like, whatever you're doing, I wanna do that, I wanna do that. Yeah. Um, so kind of signed up with her in 19, 2019.

Okay. But then Noah got sick and I was like, look, I can't, you know, do all that thing. I gotta do what I gotta do. Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's right. But then you get that first four hour marathon and you're like, well, if I can do that, what else can I do? You know, if I can survive, like exactly my kid through treatment, through cancer treatment, and then running a four hour marathon and still get Yeah.

A four hour marathon. Really? Like where, where is that potential? Yeah. And I think that like seeing what Noah had gone through and not like. Not that he did any training for it, but like human bodies can go through so, so much and come back out stronger, you know? Like he's bigger, he's stronger like than he was before, which obviously that's growth.

But like, it just gave me this like, well what if? Mm-hmm. You know? And so that's when the itch kind of started of like, okay, let's see, how fast can I go? How fast can I, yeah. So just little by little chipped it away. And then I turned 40 last year and I was like, you know, maybe I'll try for a Boston qualifying time.

'cause in 2021 I got a three 50 in Chicago. So I was like, okay, that's 10 minutes. Like I didn't need like a, I was like, I don't need some extra special time. Like I just wanna get 3 39 59. Yeah. Like that was my goal was to just say I got the bq. So I trained really, really hard. Like that was my focus for an entire year of like.

Waking up early, putting in time in the gym, like, or well, basement gym. Yeah. But like really focusing in, and I was able to drop 20 minutes off my PR at that time. So Yeah. 20 minutes. I know. It was insane. I know. On a crappy day. Like, but again, I think it was just that drive to like, what if on a crappy day?

I know. And then you're like, what if it wouldn't have been something I, oh, I know. Well, and that's where, that's what, because then I, right. Because at first it was like, okay, if I get a bq, I'm done running, I'm gonna fit. You know what? Right. Like, okay. Yeah. Exactly. That's what everyone, everyone that listens that's funny to this will be like, okay, like Uhhuh, Uhhuh, and, um.

But then yeah, you're like, well what if it was a nicer day? Or what if I would've done this a little bit differently? Of course. Like, you know, all the things. Yeah. And so here I am again a year later, you know, did it again. Did another marathon at least, and knocked out that year. So you qualified for Boston again?

Yeah, last year. So last year, yeah. For the 2025. So I'll go, I was gonna say, yeah. So winter when, so I'll go in or 2024. Sorry. Okay. So I'll go in April and run my first Boston. Ah, I know. That's so exciting. I am like, I never, if somebody would've told me my first marathon that eventually you'll run a fast enough time to qualify for Boston, I would've laughed in their face.

Like that was not on my radar. That's how, I mean, that's how I feel. It was so not on my radar. Mm-hmm. Until I just said, well what if like, put in the time, like give yourself a year. 'cause that's what I was gonna like. Right. And then as we got closer, I'm like, okay, if I don't get it, like you can give yourself a little bit more like you've worked hard.

Like if it doesn't happen. Right. You know, give yourself one more race. Like Yeah. It's not always gonna happen the first time you try to qualify for Boston. Just FYI. Yeah. But I just buckled down, you know, and really put in the work. Yeah. Well, and I think, and I said this on the last episode, I'm like. This is like a, you need a coach.

Yeah. Commercial. Yes, exactly. But it's, oh, absolutely. Yeah. You really, especially if you're chasing big goals. Yes, yes. You don't wanna get hurt. Nope. Exactly. You wanna do it the right way. Yeah. And I never, I didn't realize that I didn't know how to train. Yeah. Well, and I'm, I mean, I went through the training as a coach.

I am a certified coach, like we have a coaching business. Yeah. But I'm like, I can't coach myself. Like I need somebody else to tell. Yeah. To tell me what to do. I know all the principles, but unless somebody else is like. Looking at my data and saying, here's where you could tweak. Like Right. I'm just not gonna look at it that closely for myself.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. For our runners. Yes. Yeah, I do that. We like inch by inch, you know, we get them there, but I just need somebody else and just another person in your corner to be like, no, you're fine. Like, yeah, injuries came and went like throughout these last couple years and it's like, hold off, you're fine.

Like, I know that, but like just having that person in your corner telling you you're fine is just that other extra piece to, um, support you along the way. A thousand percent. Yeah. Yeah. So wait, what was the, hold on. Where did you, you won a marathon? I went, no, a half like won the quarter marathon at the WTF Trail run out at Eagle Creek.

Oh, this is other, I didn't, I didn't have it in my notes. Yeah, but you told me you were like, I was surprised. I want something I, no. Yeah, totally. Like, so I went out that day and a friend with mine was running the half marathon. Okay, so, which is out at Eagle Creek. It's two loops, make a half marathon. What time, when is this?

What time of year, sorry, did you say? This one is in February. Okay. And it's the daytime one. There's a winter night trail. Oh, right, right. That's in January. And this one was the February one. And so I was kind of just chasing her, like she was ahead of me the whole time. And I was like, I'm just following Tammy.

You know, like, and then they're like, well, we're waiting on our first quarter, um, marathon finisher. And I'm like, well, I just finished. And they're like, well, then you won. And I'm like, oh, I what? I was like, cool. I was like, and he is like, well, we'll make sure, you know, just in case. The second person didn't like start a ahead, you know, like they wait a little bit just to make sure all the, they didn't get, yeah.

With the loop looping or whatever. And I was like, okay. And they're like, Nope, you won. I was like, oh, sweet. I was like, I've never won anything before. Like, totally, totally surprised. So that was not the goal of the day. The goal of the day was to have fun and see what you could do. But yeah, I've kind of got like, that's a more of a race mentality that I've learned the last year maybe, is to just go see what you can do.

Like train hard and then just see. See what happens. See what happens. Trust. Yes. The process, the train, the process and keep Yeah. And know it's gonna hurt. Like it will hurt to run fast and to run hard. Yeah. But guess what? When you stop, it usually stops hurting. Yeah. So just. Run. It hurt for a while.

Exactly. I And that's, it's bad as that sounds. It's like, and even like in a marathon, like things hurt on and off throughout the mm-hmm. So it's like you can't just stop when one thing hurts, like Right. It's gonna, I mean obviously, and it might go away. Exactly. That's, yeah. Marathon's two miles. You'll be like, okay, that hurts now.

Or That hurts now you mental checkbook, you're just making things up. Exactly. Because that's what I do. You're like, does it really hurt? Does it hurt? Or am I just crazy? Or You're bored. Yeah. Or bored. Oh, you're bored. Okay. So things creep in. Yeah. Yeah. So, but yeah, just going into that, like trust in what you've done and just do it.

Like, just run and see what you can do. Yeah. That's so good. Yeah, I need that. I need all of that for this weekend. Yes. So you can do big things for monumental half this weekend. Yes, yes. Tomorrow. Yes. When you listen to this, maybe. Yes, yes. Um, or I might be running right now when you're listening. Yes. If you're listening, like, here I am trying to, so I'm trying to pr my half Yes.

Which is 1 44 30. Yes. Which is a 7 58 pace. Yes. And when I did that, it was before kids. Yes. And it was down a mountain. Yes. You can do hard things and I think monumentals good because it's local. You'll know people out there. Yeah. And have you run, you've run it before Uhhuh. So it's like, you know, there's like a little hill at 10, you know?

Yeah. Like, you know all the places that could bog you down and just. Know it's coming and just push through. Yeah. Yeah. I just, for me, although talking to people like you Yeah. Who just like shatter prs like that. Yeah. It's like, well, I ran Geist and I ran Fort Ben. Yes. And in both of those I did 1 48 50 and then I did 1 48 18.

Yes. Yeah. And so like, chipping away at it. Oh yeah. Both of those. My coach Rachel, she's like, those are hilly. Exactly. Oh, that's what I was gonna say too is monumental. So flat. So flat. Yeah. And again, it's one of those, there's some boring spots, but you listen to music, turn on your music. Yeah. And just, I do, I have to grind it out.

Do you listen to music? I don't. You crazy people. I know. I don't. I did, although I didn't this weekend with Christie, because I know she doesn't, and that's, and we're pacing, so I'm like, well, it's more of like a community. Let's like, yes. You know? And I knew running slower I could talk, so, right. Yeah. And I, I used to run with music all the time, and then I just got to the point where I was like, I gotta focus in on what.

I'm doing, you know what I mean? Yeah. Though at Chicago, I wished I would've had it towards the end. 'cause the crowds were almost like too much. Wow. Like, yeah. I just needed more of a distraction or something. Mm-hmm. To kind of focus in. Mm-hmm. But yeah, typically now I just, I do listen to podcasts if I'm running by myself.

Okay. More just to have like, 'cause I think that's like chatting for me. Right. You know, you just kind of like, are I run with friends so much that I'm usually talking, so a podcast to me it's like. Listening to people talk. Yeah. And I'm just not talking during it. Yeah. But for the most part, no, no run. No music.

Music running so well, but you'll be fine. I think you'll be fine. And you're doing the half or you doing the full? I'm doing the half. Okay. Um, I'm, my plan is to pace one of our runners, she's running the full to that, the divide to the divide and then just kind of run the rest. Yeah. I don't have a PR for this out at all.

Like I'm not quite ready for that. So Yeah. I could be to the point where I'm like, I'm walking the next six after I split off. Who knows what will happen this weekend. Yeah. So it'll be, yeah. Well I'm in my head. Don't be. We'll see. I know. Don't, but it's just so annoying. Just run. I know. Just run. Well my husband's traveling all week this week.

Oh yeah. He's actually out in, in Big Sky, Mont Montana. Oh, so he's out in your neck of the woods. Yes. Yeah. So I'm slow parenting all week. Yes. Yeah. I've been like, I had a weird stomach thing. Yeah. This weekend. I don't know what that was about. No. I'll say I had a stomach bug before. Caramel one year. I ran so well.

Yeah. Before that. 'cause I was like, I'm free, like lost everything. Everything's outta my body. Exactly. I felt phenomenal actually. Yeah. So maybe that'll help you. I know. Well, and I'm staying at home at least at this point. Okay. Okay. Which, um, this weekend, you know, I had to share my morning routine with my 6-year-old, which I actually don't think I've ever done for a race.

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Usually she would be sleeping. Yes. But we're going through this weird phase and now she's in my bed and Yes. Ugh. Yeah. Yeah. Um, and so she wakes up and so she's like chatter box, like the minute she wakes up and I'm like, dude, yeah. I just need to like, I need a minute. Not Yeah. Talk to you.

I'm so sorry, but mommy needs Yes, I get that. It's just tough. So I'm like in my head about that. Yes. Yeah. It's like, I don't wanna be at home. Yeah. I stayed downtown last year. Okay. 'cause it was the full Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think the year before that I stayed downtown. Yeah. Yeah. But I, it's nice to like stay downtown.

Yeah. Oh yeah. Even though you're local, right? It's not that difficult to park. No, it's, it's not that, you know, but it's just the idea of like one extra step, knowing you don't have take, I just wanna be alone. I get, I don't wanna have to parent in the morning at least. With's, monumental. I feel like we're up so early.

Mm-hmm. That maybe. Maybe she won't be awake yet. Mm-hmm. No, no. She's in the bed. She'll be in the bed. Oh, okay. She started doing that and I felt like for so many years I'd be like, yeah, our, our kids are such great sleepers. She doesn't come in our room. She's great. And then here she is. Here she is. Now she's here.

It's fine. Uh, anyway. Yeah. Give her a pep talk and be like, don't talk to mommy. Just don't talk. Just don't talk. Well, and I like will watch a show and drink my coffee. Yeah. And now, you know, I gotta watch Gabby or whatever. Exactly. She's watching. It's okay, fine. You're like, I don't need that. I don't need that.

It's fine. It'll be fine. So it'll be a good day. So what year did you become a coach and then start your business? Yeah, A coach. Well, I actually started coaching at the y our mini group. Okay. Um, about two years after I ran, started running with them. They're like, you would make a great coach. And at that point they were like, well, you don't need certification, just need a body kind of thing.

Yeah. So I ran with them as a coach for I think maybe a year. So maybe. 18, 2018. And this is still separate from the Fisher's Running Club, correct? Yes. Yeah. So, um, 2018, two other friends of mine went up to Chicago. We got the coach certification. We didn't start a business, right. We actually just started our business.

Tracy and I, um, soulmates last year, I guess last July. Okay. So that's relatively new, mainly, uh, one because the Y group kind of fell apart. So that's why I went to Fisher's Running Club. Um, their funding kind of fell through, through the YMCA and. I wanted still a community to run with and had always heard about Fisher's Run Club.

But because I was part of the Y group, like we were just two separate entities. Yeah. So a lot of us from the Y group came over to Fisher's Run Club and um, have really enjoyed it. Like, I think that's where some of this drive, 'cause there's either really fast people, I mean, there's a whole gamut of people Right.

But like, you had people to either help you train or your long runs that, you know, were going just as far as you were or if you needed a slow day. You know, there was just mm-hmm. A wide range and fell into that. And they knew I was a coach and asked me to be on the board. So I'm the VP of coaching for them.

Oh, cool. And, uh, Tracy and I have our side coaching business too. We have, I think nine runners this weekend doing various distances at monumental. So that's fun. It'll be. It'll be a fun day. It'll be a good fun day. And like I said, I love the coaching part of it, just to be people's support. 'cause a lot of 'em.

Mm-hmm. Just need that extra person in their corner to tell 'em what to do. Yeah. Or to tell 'em not what to, you know, to tell 'em not to run what not to do or Exactly. Don't you do this, don't run before your race run. Yes, exactly. Don't run all your runs at the same pace. Yeah. That's not gonna, yeah. Do anybody any good.

So it's just that nice piece of helping people see their potential as well. Mm-hmm. Because a lot of people don't know their potential. Yeah. Until they're pushed to it. It's so annoying. I know. It's just, it's just, yeah. And it's like, you can tell 'em, but until somebody, I think for me anyway, until they put up the money and like Right.

You know, pay for it. They don't get it. Right. So, yeah. Yeah. I think that part of it's key too. Mm-hmm. Like put up the money if you're, and, and, and especially if you really want a goal, like mm-hmm. Or even just to improve your running. Just improve. Yeah. You don't have to set out to do PRS to get a coach.

Like, you just wanna be a better runner. Sure. We can help you with that. You know? Well, that's kind of how I fell into it. Well, partially because of, you know, athlete bouquets. I was kind of starting, I was more in the running community. Right, right. That's how I met Rachel. Yeah. She asked me to do a giveaway.

Yes. Like we met through, um. You might know Theresa Wyrick. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So Theresa is actually one of the big reasons I started this podcast. Oh, okay. That's, oh, that's, and I actually don't. Awesome. I don't know if she still listens. Yeah. But if she is listening Yeah, that's, she knows this. I actually asked her to be my first guest.

Oh, okay. And she's not ready. Yes, I get it. Do it. It's fun. Know seasons of life. Yes. But hopefully at some point I'll have her here. Yeah. That's awesome. But she, now I've lost the train of thought while I was telling you that. Oh. Because that's how I met Rachel. Yes. Yeah. And so I met Rachel through her and then did a giveaway for her.

Oh, that's for one of the races. And then she's like, Hey, you know, I'd love to, you know, do some dis Yeah. I'll do some discounted coaching in, in That's awesome. In exchange. And I said, well, at first I was like, I don't really need a coach. Right, right. Like, I've been running for so long. Yeah. I've done so many races.

Yeah, yeah. I know what I'm doing. Yeah. And then she kind of explained to me what it, what coaching is. Yeah. And then I was like, oh. Yeah. Okay. Well I guess I never really thought about that. Yeah, yeah, sure. Let's give it a shot. Oh, absolutely. And like year now. Yeah. It's been a couple years at least, I think.

Right, exactly. You know, just after having kids, I was ready to put in the work. Yep. And just get faster. Absolutely. Improve my fitness. Absolutely. Yeah. Stay, you know. And now I'm 37. Okay. How old am I? Yes. I just, I think I always question 36 to 37 and 37. Yes. I'm pretty sure. And so when it hit, when I hit 40, yeah.

I wanna do that. Like the Boston Yes. Ab and that's what I did. Exactly. So I kind of wanna work up up till that, where I can do it when it's like when I've got that, because you get that extra buffer, extra time. Yeah. They keep lowering the damn time. So I'm like, okay, well I'm not gonna be like, oh yeah, I was shocked this year.

But I mean it's, it's one of those things, and I say this every race, 'cause as a 40-year-old woman, I'm like, I can run as fast as I can and sometimes I don't age gr. Which that sounds terrible, but like women that are 40 are freaking fast right now. It's insane. It's insane. You can get so fast, insane. And I'm like.

I thought I was doing okay. And then you're like, I was fifth or whatever. Right. Yeah. It's like, which is fine, but like I feel like you get to that stage of life that like your kids are a little bit more stable. Mm-hmm. In their morning routines or they're at school, so you have the time to kind of focus in on yourself again.

Mm-hmm. So a lot of women get fast and run really hard. Seems like, yeah. That's all giving me so much hope and inspiration. Yeah. Oh it, yeah, it's because I'm like, oh, okay. I didn't really No. Think about that or know that. And now I'm like, okay, I wanna do that. Exactly. Yeah. And I think too, for me, like focusing in just as much on recovery and like the little strength building, like I do a 15 minute thing almost every day to like literally strengthen tendons that you would never think about, but like, it's helped my running, you know, or whatever.

So it's like you have to think about that part of it too, especially as we age, like. Things start to break. Don't want it hurt. I know, I know. Like it's harder to recover or Yes. Whatever takes a lot longer to recover. That's where I'm like, my hip hurts. My knee hurts. I know. But I'm like, okay, just take a day off.

Like, and learning, taking a day or two off is not gonna make or break a season. Yeah. It's, I'm gonna make or break your mental mood maybe, but like, it's not gonna make or break a whole season. Yeah. So just do what you need to do and then move on. Yeah. It's so funny, my brother-in-law, who hopefully I'll have on here at some point.

Yeah. He missed a week of running Oh yeah. In his training block. Yeah. And so he switched his race. No way. He was gonna do Rhode Island and now he's doing Philly. No way. My sister-in-law told me that, and I just kind of laughed. I'm like, because he's so Yeah. Just like serious. And I'm like, you miss one long run.

Exactly. It's not gonna make of a difference. No, it's not. And that's where I think getting a coach helps, you know, like. Just having them in your corner, like, listen, it's fine. Yeah. Like you'll be okay. You know? 'cause you even have to look at the elites and they're like, they're not hitting every single pace.

Every single time. Yeah. And if they are, they're a robot. Yeah. You know, like no human is just that. Well maybe the guy that just set the world record. But still, Jesus. Most people, most average runners like us. Have life to contend with, right? Yes. And you have to make it work and not totally rechange and not worry about it.

Yes. Yeah, for sure. Yeah, for sure. It's let the race come to you and just trust in your training. Mm-hmm. So you and Tracy are soulmates. Do you have coach? Do you have a Instagram or website? Yes, soulmates coaching.com. Okay. And we're soulmates coaching on Instagram as well, so I feel like I don't follow you guys on Instagram.

Yeah, ill, I need to request or follow you. Yeah, I need to do that because I follow you obviously. Yes, yes. Yeah. Yeah. And you're SE Farney with no E, correct? Yes. With no h We talked about that before we started recording. Sarah? No. H Sarah? No. H Farney. Farney, yeah. I actually don't know if I said your full name in this, Sarah, but I would anyway.

Yeah. Yeah. So, gosh, um, I wanna hear a little bit more about your bracelets that you're now making too. Yeah, I am a, uh. My mom was always crafting, like my mom was too actually. Yeah. She had a bead room. Yeah. Oh, that's awesome. Oh my gosh. I love that. So I should be doing bracelets. I, my mom like sewed our Halloween costumes.

Aw. Did a lot of stenciling, like, just always was crafting. So as a kid we were always coming up with craft projects. Um, I learned to crochet back when I was 10. I saw that aunt saw team on your Instagram. I'm like, so like, that was kind of like another outlet for me as a mom, just to have little projects.

And so my sister and I came up with a little bus. I mean, it's really just an Instagram page, but same creations. It's Sarah and Megan Creations and, um, she's now in the thick of, just had her third baby, so she's not doing as much. Yeah. But I, uh, for the last. Three years, I guess, have made bracelets for all my friends that we all try and do races together, or any of their big races.

Kind of like your mugs. It was just like I'd give my friends bracelets Yeah. Before races. And this year I was like, I could sell those through this same creations that we had done the crochet stuff through. So. So yeah. I'm starting to sell bracelets on Instagram for right now, and hopefully we'll get to Etsy.

I just literally like on a whim a week or two ago, were like, I should do this. All right. I should do this. Yeah. I'm like, again, I have all my kids are in school at this point, so I have a little bit more time to devote. Mm-hmm. To like figuring out what that next phase of life will be. So yeah, I dabble in a lot of little things.

It's fun. That's kind of, well. Yeah, that's kind of where I am too. Just, I don't know. It's hard. I know that I need to focus on like one thing that's, yeah. But at the same time, one of the things that gives me so much joy is like learning how to do new things. Oh, absolutely. Exactly. And that's where I think, I never wanna lose that.

So I kind of am like. If you call your business creations, you can kind of break, create whatever the hell you want. Exactly. I like that. So like it could be crocheting for three years, which it wasn't was now it's bracelets. Yeah. Who knows where to go next. Who knows what I'll next, next, but I just, that's kind, I, I'm not a super creative person, but when I find something I like, I kind of go all in and like my kitchen table right now is like.

Bead central, be central. It's ridiculous. Well, I mean, bracelets in general right now are having a moment. Oh, they, so, so it's an easy time to like Exactly, exactly. Really get into it. And that's, yeah, and it's an easy thing to do for me. Like to pick up and, you know, even what crocheting was, you know, I can sit there and crochet and like help the boys with their homework or mm-hmm.

You know, go watch soccer and, you know. Have the crochet beads kind of hard to watch soccer and Right bead, but you know, like dropping 'em in the grass. Exactly. Exactly. Oops. But it's still just that outlet. And for me, like taper time is always kind of that like, I should be doing more. Yes. You know, so this is one of those like, go make a bracelet and you'll be fine.

So it's, it's been a good outlet this last couple weeks for sure. Yeah. I need that to stop biting my nails, frankly. Annette. Yes, absolutely. Like when I watch tv, I like pick my nails or the scrolling of, or the, just the doom scrolling. Yes, exactly. Like I'm watching tv but I have to, I don't, when this changed where I have to have my phone Completely agree.

I know. Because it's just annoying actually. 'cause I'm like, I'm just mind, I wanna pay attention. Yes. And then you're like, to what I'm watching. I had to rewind. Rewind. Yep, exactly. Same. I know, it's weird. So I now, like I actually thought about trying to learn how to do something like that just for the sake of Oh, it's so nice.

Keeping my hands, hands occupied. Yes, exactly. Um, 'cause it's hard to like design, like I can really design while I watch tv. Exactly, yes. So unless it's like the Bachelor or something and it doesn't really then doesn't matter. Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. That's so funny. Yeah. I also wanted to hear a little bit about your RV adventures.

Yes. Because. I did that as a kid growing up. See? Yes, same. Yeah. And my parents took us, I think it was three summers. I can't remember if they were all in a row or what, but I had been to every That's awesome. State in the United States. That's exactly, yeah. Except for North Dakota, which I hit this year. See, and North Dakota's the last one on my list.

Really? So I'm like, I might have to when I, you should go to Fargo. I know. It's wonderful. When you talked about your race on that podcast, I was like, okay, this is easy peasy. Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So we, like I said, I was born in Wyoming. Mm-hmm. So we had Yellowstone as our weekend RVs. That's amazing. I love Yellowstone.

Yeah, exactly. So my parents, actually, it was my grandpa's rv, but it was parked at our house. So we just did RV trips all the time. Like it was just how, like, I didn't know anything different that that's not what people did every weekend. Right. Was going to like Jackson Hole or Yellowstone. Yeah. Like it was, you know.

Wow. Yeah. And so then we moved to Ohio when I, I think it was six. Six or seven. Six. Why did they move there? Was it work? My dad's job? Yeah. Yeah. Slightly different. I know, exactly. So, but then we had an aunt and uncle that still lived out in Wyoming, so we'd still go back every summer like until, I think we were probably 15 or 16.

And then we're like, okay, Yellowstones dumb. Which at the, now I look back, I'm like, I would give, well now everyone finally sees what Amazing, how amazing it is. I know. Well, and that's just what like it. It's so crowded now. Like I, yeah, it's kind of sad we were back this last, um, Wyoming or last the summer all in Wyoming.

Yeah. And it's like, this is not the same, this is not the Yellowstone that we remember. Like it's still gorgeous. Yeah. But like, you shouldn't have to wait in line to see a geyser. Like we would used to just go wherever and no, no parking lot was ever full back in the day, you know? Yeah. So that's slightly a bummer.

But I mean, it, it's still beautiful. I know Instagram or whatever was on too, like this show Yellowstone, I literally That's true Yellowstone for that. That's very true. So, so yeah. This past summer, um, vacation races, which, have you ever done any of their races? No. I'm interested in that. They, so we only ended up doing the five KI saw.

Yeah. Because I had done the full mo the week before, but I was like. I have to do like something. Yeah, we're gonna be there. So they set up a really great race. Um, and so yeah, we went out there and they happened to be doing their 5K. So we did the 5K out in West Yellowstone. Oh. And did, my gosh, a week in Yellowstone, in Jackson Hole.

And Oh, it was just cool. It is. I love go out there and I'm so jealous. My husband is there right now. I Yeah. Oh, I know. I'm like, any chance anybody's there? I'm like, take a picture of the mountains. Yeah. I, my friend Kelly was out in Colorado and I was like, send me pictures of the mountains. You know, like any chance I get to visit mountains, which one?

Noah does not love mountains. He'd rather be at a beach. So we have to find that balance. I'm like, I know, it's, I like both. I know. I do too. But if I had to choose, it would for sure be mountains like. Yeah. And I think, 'cause I was born like that was just, mm-hmm. That was life. I mean, we took field trips out to Casper Mountain, like.

That was school. Just what you did. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like it was no big deal. And now I'm like, you go to a cornfield Right. On your field trips here. Yeah. I, well, I really, that's one of the things I really appreciate about the whole concept of the RV trips. Yes. That my parents took us, us Absolutely.

Is that we got to see the whole United States. Yeah, exactly. Before, I mean, before we went outside of the country, really. Absolutely. Same. We saw everything here. Yep. Yep. And I feel like today a lot of people just do beach. Yes, exactly. Or they go, they wanna go abroad. Yeah. And it's like. You haven't even seen.

See, I, that's what I say. I, uh, 'cause we, we were a family of six, so we didn't fly very much mm-hmm. Because it was just expensive. Yeah. So we drove everywhere and you get to see, you know, everything through the backseat of a car. So fun. But it makes you appreciate everything that we do have here. And thankfully my parents did like to travel, so we went to pretty much every state together, you know?

Yeah. As a family. Yeah. So it's like, and I wanna do that with my kids. They're up to think. I, I think 32 states now. Wow. That's amazing. Yeah. So they've done, we've done a lot of the West coast, pretty much all the West Coast with them. Except for California though. Here's my debate with my husband. If we stop somewhere.

In a layover at an airport. I'm like, well, they touched down on it counts a hundred percent. Nice. Okay. Eric, did you hear that? Yeah, it's, I think it counts. You've been to that state? Yeah, so we had a layover in LA for one of our trips and he's like, California does not count. I'm like, yes, it does. We literal, the only way I've been to Idaho is we literally stopped at a gas station.

Oh, that's awesome. Like got out. We had to stand, we wanted to stand on the ground. Okay. That's hilarious. That's what we did for Louisiana. We did a um, spring break trip and we were gonna go actually someplace in Louisiana and I was like. We were sick of the car. Yeah. And I was like, get tore. Get to the first rest area you can.

Yeah. We stopped, I think we even had a picnic lunch there and we turned around and went back. That's funny because I was like, we crossed it off our, their list of states to go to. Yeah. So the next big one we need to do with them is like the southeast or Southwest and the northeast. Yeah. And then they'll be set with their states.

So, so cool. And then Alaska and Hawaii for them. Right. But yeah, I was an infant when I went to Hawaii. Okay. And so my husband and I celebrate 10 years married next year. Okay. Okay. And so I was like, I wanna go to Greece, I wanna be, and my husband's like, well, I've never been to Hawaii. Oh, you should go. And I'm, you know, I've never been as an adult.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, so my sister, um, married a guy from Hawaii. So we've had the good fortune. She got married out there. Oh, great Excuse. So we've been out there twice now with them visiting, I mean they live now here or in Michigan. But, um, went out there to like meet him and his family and then when they got married, yeah.

Two of the kids have been out there 'cause they were born when she was got married. Yeah. So we've crossed that one off for two of 'em. So now it's Parker that's like, I've never been to Hawaii. Why? And you're like, just wait man, that's really money. We don't have people to stay with anymore out there. Yeah, right.

It's a little bit more expensive. Yeah. So we gotta plan that out a little bit more strategically. So, but that is the goal. That is my goal is to get them to all the states because like Eric, so cool. Um, had a family reunion every year, but would do the same family reunion. So like when I met him I'm like, we're traveling, you know, or whatever.

Yeah. And so I've even taken him to a lot of the new new states for him as well, so yeah. That's how it'll be for my husband. Yeah. Because he they really didn't travel a lot at all growing up. Yeah, exactly. And so it's like, yeah, let's no, let's do it. Let's go everywhere. Yep. And us with three kids, it is kind of harder, you know?

Yeah. Things are made for four families of four. Yeah. And so I'm like, well, we're gonna drive, we're gonna drive. Yeah. We're gonna drive. Like that is, drove out to Colorado last year and Texas, we've, yeah. We just drive a lot. Yeah. It's just easier. Yeah. We're finally with a two and a half year old starting to see the light Yes.

Where it's like, okay, it's gonna be a lot easier, like when she's outta diapers. Yes. And like all that. That's, yes. That's huge step. I feel like we'll be able to do more. Yes. So, and then like when your oldest gets old enough to babysit, that's even a better, like, that's been the game changer the last two years for us.

Like, oh, that's so nice. You can watch the kids and we don't have to like pay a babysitter. Yeah. Nice. We'll pay you nice. A little bit. Little bit, you know? Yeah. But you have a roof over your head, so it's good. Yeah. Yeah. So, oh my gosh. Eventually, I think we wanna get our own trailer and stuff like that, but the kids are in so many activities, it's harder to justify getting our own camper or rv, but ultimately that's, that's the goal for us.

Oh, that'd be cool. I'm, yeah, excited. I love it. I love it. Love it. Um, okay, well we have to get to the end of the podcast questions now. Yeah, I know. Which I hate. 'cause this has been so fun. This is good. This has been fun, right? Just so, so easy to talk to you. I love it. This is great. So first question. Yeah.

So you don't listen to music now, but Yeah. When you did listen to music or when you do, yeah. Do you have a favorite running song or a favorite running mantra? I, so my mantra is you can do hard things. Yeah. That's good one. So that's whenever I get in a tough spot, I'm like, you can do hard things. Just keep going.

Just you can do hard things. Um, song I like that Jay-Z and Rihanna run this town song like, oh, that is a good one. It's, yeah, it's just for whatever reason that like beat. Yes. The beat. And it's just, yeah. I tended to put that towards the end of a playlist. Mm-hmm. Because it was like, okay, you, this is the town and you, I do a lot more local races just 'cause it's easier.

Mm-hmm. So it's like, this is the town you run. Yeah. You know, kind of thing. You run this town, so it just kind of like. Worked out, you know? Yeah. So that was usually my go-to. But now like I have a playlist that when I need it, it goes from like Jesus music to like hardcore rap. Right. To eighties Jesus. To like I love that, all of it.

And yeah, I'll put it on shuffle and be like, okay guys, who knows what we're gonna be? Yeah. Whatever you need to give me. And it's funny how sometimes it like syncs up to when I need, you know? Mm-hmm. So I like to do that a lot. It's just kind of randomize and see what comes to me. Yeah. So, yeah. It's so hard when you start a playlist, at least for me, at the beginning of a race.

Yes. You get so irritated when it good song plays you. What exactly. Yes. If I like put it on shuffle and then a really good song comes on. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. True. I like, this is annoying. Yeah, exactly. And you're like, can we, can we not? Yeah. Can we not play this one right now? Exactly. I need that at mile 18.

Yeah. Thanks. Yeah. Oh man. Um, and then. Your next finish line or milestone? Yeah, I'm gonna do, you're running this weekend, but yeah. Monumental half. Um, next big race will be probably Boston. Oh my gosh. In April. And then I really wanna do, I think next fall that Prairie on Fire Backyard Ultra. Yes. Like I, I love the speed, but I, you know, there's only so much you can do to like, keep chipping away at it.

Mm-hmm. And I'm like, so let's. Do something different. Yeah. And I saw the group of them that did it this year, and I'm like, that looks like fun. So I'm trying to get a big FRC representation up there and tents and so Fisher's Run club come run backyard, throw with me next fall. Well, I, uh, I paced with Christie this last weekend.

Oh yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So had to asked her about it. She was, the second year they did it. Yes. Yeah. And she loved it. She said it was such a blast. Yes. And that's, I mean, the full mo I did. And they mm-hmm. Do such a good job with that. I had a great time with that. So I'm like, how would it be any different?

Yes. You know, so, um, so yeah, that's kind of my next, I'm intrigued. I'm intrigued. Yeah. I mean, I've done, I guess three ultras now. And so, and they've all gone well. So I'm like, well, why not go further than that? Why not? Why not? We'll just see why it's just keep doing different things. I'm like, yeah. And I'm like, this one, it forces you to stop every four point whatever, miles.

Yeah. So there's a break. It's not a continuous thing. Right. So. Yeah, that's kinda that. That'll be next year. Cool. Boston and that. Cool. Just no big deal. No big deal. So cool. Yeah. Oh, well thank you so much for doing this. Welcome with me, Sarah. Thank you. This welcome. This has been so fun. Yeah. I loved it. Oh, so good.

Well, I hope everybody has a great weekend. Yes. And good luck at luck. Luck at Monumental Tomorrow if you listen to this on Friday. And happy running. Yeah, love it. Yay.

Ally Brettnacher