Episode 33: Jennifer Nei - Don't Settle

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Nov 17

Listener note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, infidelity, a serious childhood accident and alcohol use.

Doctors didn't know if Jennifer Nei would run again after a four-wheeler accident at 14. Decades later, she has set PRs at every distance after 45.

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About this episode

Jennifer Nei grew up in the only Swayze in the world, has lived in Indy since 2000, and is a mom of two who works in leadership at a brokerage firm. At 14 she was hit by a car while on a four-wheeler, nearly lost her left leg, and had 13 surgeries before she graduated high school. She still has a rod in that leg, and she has gone on to run five marathons and a solo 50K.

We talk about her first races at the Monumental 5K and the Indy Mini, recovering from an eating disorder after a painful divorce, and how she came to be nearly four years alcohol free. We also get into how working with her coach Rachel led to PRs at every distance over 45, being patient through hip surgery and a glute strain, her many book recommendations, and the 50K she ran alone in Carmel's Central Park.

In this episode, we discuss

Growing up in Swayze, Indiana and meeting her husband at work
Running her first Monumental 5K in 2010 and signing up for the Indy Mini that night
The four-wheeler accident at 14 that broke her leg and led to 13 surgeries
Running marathons with a rod and screws in her leg
How a divorce and hurtful comments about her weight led to an eating disorder
Running long on restricted fuel and learning to eat for training
Thinking about quitting alcohol for years and stopping after Dry January 2020
Being sober curious and the rise of non-alcoholic options
Never talking about bodies or weight in front of our daughters
Her first marathons at Mill Race, Carmel and Monumental
Being disappointed by a 38-minute marathon PR
Hip surgery for a torn labrum and PRs at every distance after hiring a coach
Coming back from a glute strain one mile at a time
Book picks, from Choose Strong and Good for a Girl to The Cold Vanish
Her solo 50K in Central Park and her goal of running the Full Mo

Chapters

00:00 · Intro
03:00 · Meet Jennifer
06:00 · Catching the running bug
10:00 · The four-wheeler accident
16:00 · Divorce and an eating disorder
24:00 · Going alcohol free
29:00 · Sober curious
34:00 · Body talk and our daughters
39:00 · First marathons
42:00 · Disappointed by a 38-minute PR
43:00 · Hip surgery, coaching and PRs after 45
47:00 · Injury and patience
52:00 · Book recommendations
59:00 · Mantras and songs
1:03:00 · Next milestones and a solo 50K

Where to find Jennifer

Instagram: Jennifer Nei

Mentioned in this episode

Races: Monumental 5K, CNO Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Indy Mini Marathon, Mill Race Marathon, Carmel Marathon, Polar Bear 10, Donut 5K, Full Mo 50K
Organizations and charities: Rachel Michelle Running, Carmel Runners Club, Athletic Brewing, Ivy Tech
Other: Hal Higdon training plans, Choose Strong by Sally McRae, Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Measure, None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell, Everything All at Once by Steph Catudal, The Cold Vanish, Relentless by Tim Grover, Bright Young Women, Libby app, Audible, 75 Hard, "Run the World (Girls)" by Beyonce, "Carry On" by fun.

Previous guests mentioned

Related episodes

Frequently asked

How did Jennifer Nei come back to running after her accident?

Jennifer Nei broke her left leg so badly in a four-wheeler accident at 14 that doctors didn't know if she would run again; after 13 surgeries and four years of healing, she went on to run marathons and a 50K with a rod still in her leg.

How long has Jennifer Nei been alcohol free?

Jennifer Nei stopped drinking in January 2020 after an attempt at Dry January, and at the time of this episode she was about to celebrate four years alcohol free.

What is Jennifer Nei's running mantra?

Jennifer Nei's 2022 mantra was "don't settle," and while coming back from injury she has used "your body is healthy."

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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 33. This is Ally Brettnacher, and this week, which is the week before Thanksgiving as I record, this was a rough week for me. I had my Etsy shop shut down and I had been just about 3000 orders. Been on the platform for almost three years, and it was due to some trademark stuff and the things that are pretty silly frankly, and I'm trying to figure out where to go from here.

So just feeling a little defeated. But also hopeful. So I've never put a race logo on anything. I've never used the name of a race on anything, but needless to say, it is no more so huge thank you to everybody who's reached out with kind words. Um, especially Lindsey Heine who has the, have another podcast, which is about to celebrate 500 episodes.

And she was so kind, reached out, asked how she could support me and invited me to be on her show, which is really like a dream for me. I've listened to it for years and absolutely loved Lindsay. Met her back when she lived here in Indianapolis. And if you listen to last, last week's episode, or if you read my race recap about monumental, I got a hug from her at the finish line, which was really special.

Even though she thinks she butted in, it was very special. Um, so anyway, rough week but silver linings. And this week on this episode, I finally got to meet another Rachel Michelle, running team, RMR athlete, Jennifer Nye, who I have known for. Feels like years I don't know, but we've known each other on Instagram, missed each other in passing at races and finally got a chance to meet in person for this interview.

So with Jennifer, I talk about how she got into running, we talk about a four wheel accident she was in when she was younger. We talk about dealing with eating disorders and how she came to be now nearly four years alcohol free. So we talk about sobriety, we talk about body positivity, especially around our daughters.

We have some race stories sprinkled in. We talk about her first marathon. We talk about how she was disappointed in a race even though it was a 38 minute pr. We talk about how once she started working with her coach, Rachel, that she has PRD every single distance over the age of 45, which is really incredible.

We talk about how she's dealt with injuries and how she's been patient and what she's been doing to get back the right way. We talk about books, which I could have talked about the entire time. Jennifer is my book Sherpa. That's what I'm gonna call her. She has great recommendations, both running related and not, so we talk about that and then we also talk about how she ran a solo ultra marathon in Central Park in quotations.

If you're from Carmel, you may get that joke. If not, you'll have to listen to the episode to find out what we're talking about. But I really was so happy to meet Jennifer, and I hope you enjoy this conversation. Alright. Hello, Jennifer. Hello. This is our first time meeting. Isn't that crazy? It is crazy. I can't believe it.

I know. I feel like I should have met you by now at a Christmas party or a race something. Yeah, something. I'm so glad that we're finally meeting. Thank you so much for doing this. You're welcome. Me too. I'm excited. Oh. All right. So to get us started, just to kick us off, I would love to give people a little insight into who you are.

So if you just wanna give an intro, who you are, where you're from, family, and any background you wanna share, and then we'll. We'll go from there. Yeah. Awesome. So, Jennifer and I, I am born and raised in Indiana. Grew up in a small town, about an hour north of here, the only Swayze in the world. Uh, it actually says that on the sign.

Well, I've actually passed that sign going to Lake EE up north. We always pass the only Swayze in the world. That's funny. Most people are like, never heard of it. Yeah. Um, so grew up there, but I've been an indie since 2000, married and have two kids. My son is 18, just graduated from Carmel this past May.

And, uh, which still blows my mind, but he is taking classes at Ivy Tech, still living at home. Then my daughter is 11 and in fifth grade and she's, she's our athlete. Our son's the, the gamer. So two totally different experiences. Yeah. But I work for a brokerage firm. I'm in leadership. Been doing that for several years and then obviously love all things running.

All things running. Yeah. Did you, you work from home? It, right now we're, we're hybrid. Okay. But I am in the office three days a week. But we do, I do have the opportunity to be home a couple days a week, which is nice. And my husband, we actually met at work. We were on the same team together for a couple years, but we didn't start dating until we went separate paths.

But it was nice 'cause I got to be friends with him for like four years before he started dating, which was really cool. Wow. That is really cool. Yeah, so I knew he was a good guy. How did you end up. Making the shift. Um, he asked me to, to go to a cults game, and I was like, all right. And we've literally been together ever since, so.

Wow. So you knew that that was like he was asking you not as a friend. Yeah. That's so funny. Yeah. And how long have you been married? We have, oh, I should know this. Um, I think we, it'll be, we just had 11 years. Okay. Yeah. It was kind of got pregnant before we got married, but Oh yeah. I guess if I would've done the math there.

Yeah. Yeah. Uh, that was not planned. I had actually made peace and told my mom, 'cause my mom, you know, wanted more grandkids. I'm like, I think I'm, think I'm done, mom. And I wasn't, which I'm glad, I'm glad I wasn't done so. Yeah. So when did you catch the running bug? When did that happen? So as an adult, it was very similar to you, like in how you started in college.

I was actually in my thirties though, but I was, I was lifting weight, but it really came down to, Hey, how can I burn more calories today? Mm-hmm. Uh, which is silly, but I, there was a treadmill in the house that I lived in, and so I was just doing it to walk and then that got boring pretty quick. So I started doing intervals and then I ran my first mile without stopping and I was like, wow, that was really cool.

Um, and I don't remember how long after that, but I signed up for the monumental 5K, which at the time felt like signing up now for like a marathon. I mean, it felt huge. Um, and that was 2010. And I got my sister and my brother to do it with me. Oh, okay. And we did that and I absolutely loved it. I. Probably had the biggest runner's high I've ever had.

I signed up for the mini that night. Wow. Yeah. And so I just started from there. So then the mini was obviously then your first half marathon. Yes. Did you then just start doing the monumental and the mini every year? Or how did, because that's kind of how I ended up doing. I just started with local stuff and then I would just do 'em every year.

And I, yes and no. I, so I did train for the mini, um, and I had a couple friends that did it as well and I was planning on running that with a friend. And so when I signed up, had no idea what I was doing. I was like, I don't even know if I can finish this thing. And I signed up instead, I was gonna finish in like 2 45.

Um, and so I started in like wave T or something. It was way, way back there At the mini. Yeah. Which I ended up doing two 12. Um, whoa. So slightly different. I wish I knew. I wish I had GPS to know how far I actually ran by zigzagging. Oh yeah. Around people. But, so I started with my friend and she, I think, pretty quickly realized like, I was just gonna go for it.

She was like, just go like, leave me. And so I went, um, I just had like a stopwatch from Walmart, you know? Wow. Um, it's wild to think about. Yeah. My tank top was just like a Kohl's cotton tank top that you should wear with shorts not running a half marathon in. I didn't know what I was doing, but I did it.

Um, and so I had signed up for the monumental half. Um, that was like, life got a little crazy in there. And so I didn't do that. But then early the next year in 2012, I was like, I wanna run a full marathon. Um, and so. I was really thinking about it. And then like two weeks later found out I was pregnant. So I was like, okay, well, well, so 2012 was an off year.

Um, but I, I, I feel like I lucked out. 'cause 2012 I was sitting in the hospital with my daughter in my arms and it was sleeting and snowing the day of the monumental. Oh yeah. And so I'm like, yeah, I'm glad I wasn't running today. Yeah. That was a bad year. I ran the half that year and it was, I just remembered when I was finishing thinking, oh my gosh, people are running a full marathon right now.

Yeah. And I, that could have been me. Yeah. So that would've been brutal for your, especially for your first, for your first Yeah. Yeah. Um, but then in December, but I, I never let go of the goal. Um, and so in December when I was able to start moving again after having my daughter, I started running and I. Did the mini again and got a pr, which was exciting, and then trained for the mill race marathon.

Okay. And, you know, just followed like the Hal Hugin plan. Yeah. I was gonna ask you how you, how you were training. Yeah, yeah. I just searched online, found the Hal Hugin plan. I didn't, everything was, I can't even say it was an easy run. 'cause I think I was like, others who before we hired a coach was just mm-hmm.

How fast can I get through these miles and, yeah, exactly. Um, had to stop and walk a lot. Um, but my goal, you know, and I, I can talk a little bit later about what happened as a kid, like an accident and running and things. And so my goal was just like, I just wanna finish. I didn't have a time goal. I just thought like, how cool if I finish this marathon?

So I think my time that year was like five. 13 or five something. Um, or maybe it was like 5 26. But I had, I mean, I loved it. Yeah. I was like waving at everybody and saying hi, and thank you. I had, I had a lot of fun. Okay. And now you reminded me that I forgot to talk about the accent you had when you were younger, that they told you right, that you weren't ever gonna run ever again.

Correct? They, they said they didn't know. They didn't know that was, yes. Okay. So take us back to that. What, how old were you when that happened? I, I was 14, um, summer before I was supposed to start my freshman year of high school. Um, and a friend and I were on a four-wheeler out in the middle of nowhere.

We were just kind of in this grassy field and came up to the edge of the road. The person that was coming down the road thought we were going to cross, so they actually swerved at us and hit us. Just tragic. But we ended up getting hit. You. Pushed or thrown about a hundred feet. We both broke our legs, but I, my friend had a cracked pelvis and broke, um, her lower left leg, and I broke both sides of my left ankle and then both bones in my lower left leg, but the bone also came through, so I think that's called a compound fracture.

So from here, which I have on jeans, but from here and then all the way around to like, here was the hole. My leg. So my leg was, I almost lost it. I had just like a few inches. Wow. And so when I woke up, I had an external fixator, which is like a bar, and I had these four big pins that stuck out at my leg.

And we were in the hospital together in a room for a month. That was one of the pictures I sent you. Oh my gosh. Together. Yeah. And so I, I asked my doctor, 'cause at the time I, I ran track, like, I mean, that was just junior high, right? Yeah. Um, not just, but it was junior high. Um, but I played softball and so I asked him like, will, will I ever run again?

Um, 'cause I was very athletic and he was like, I don't know. But I don't know. I mean, I'm sure I was disappointed back then. It's hard to remember. But it wasn't ever really a question of if I was going to, I would. Uh, have surgery. 'cause I ended up having 13 total for my freshman year of high school till I graduated for that.

I had a couple bone grafts and eventually they put in a rod and um, took out plates and they put new stuff in. Um, wow. And it was all your legs. Were you wearing helmets on the four wheeler? No, I was gonna say 'cause you normally don't. Yeah. I mean, people, you know. Yeah. I mean, this was night, right. Early, the eighties.

And not only that, yeah. It's like back when really? When maybe now they wear helmets sometimes. Yeah. I, my daughter would, one, probably not be on the foer, but two, I would make sure she had the helmet on. Right. I mean, it was, I mean, we weren't even with our parents like it was or we were with her parents.

Um, but, you know. Yeah. Just kids being kids. Yeah. And you did the right, it's not like you did the wrong thing. Yeah. And like, you're like waiting to cross the road. Yeah. It was just a, a bad timing. Um, so do you remember, did you, like, do you remember what happened afterwards and then you. Yeah. Like then did you like black out for a while and then wake up in the hospital?

I feel like that'd be kind of both. I remember waking up and, you know, someone asking me for like phone numbers and, and that kind of thing. And then while you were on the side of the road? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like while I was laying there I did not, and then I kind of remember being in the ambulance for a second and then I remember being at the hospital and I don't remember making any noise until they like lifted up my, my legs and I mean my body to like move me.

Yeah. You know, onto a different gurney at the hospital. And then I screamed. Yeah. Uh, but then the next thing I knew, it was a couple days later when I really woke up after surgery and had the pens and it was just a lot. Um, yeah. Did you or your friend have it worse? She had a cast. I mean, I would say I had it worse.

She had a cast and I think she still has a rod in her leg just like I do. But I definitely had, I mean, I ended up having, my leg wouldn't heal, um, which is why I ended up having a bone, two bone grafts, one from each hip. They eventually put in this little stimulator. I wore this external stimulator, which is supposed to like trick your brain into like, it needs to heal, you know, that kind of thing.

Hmm. Didn't work. So they ended up putting this little thing inside me. So I still have these like two wires in my, in my leg from where that finally worked and stimulated the bone to grow. But it took four years to heal. Wow. Yeah. So I still have a rod and a couple screws in my leg, but, so that context is helpful then now you think.

Okay. And then you were able to Yeah. Take up distance running. Yeah. So I. Played. I didn't run in high school or anything like that. I played softball. That was definitely, uh, my passion back then. And then I would occasionally go, when I went to my parents, I'd go run a mile or, you know, something like that.

And then, but yeah, then I got into distance, which the person I was in the accident with at one point had said like, yeah, my doctor told me I, I can't run like my, the rod in my leg might break or something. And I was like, oh gosh. Like I don't, I don't wanna do that. Yeah, right. Um, but when I talked to my doctor, I brought it up once and he was like, no, it won't.

Like, yeah, it's made of what? Like titanium or what do they make it out field like? Doesn't, you're fine. Yeah, that's, and so I, so I started running and then, I mean, if I do take a long break and start back up, it is a little more painful as like my leg gets adjusted back to it, but. It doesn't bother me at all.

I don't think about it at all, but I, I think it's led to like some of the stuff I still have going on right. Today, which we'll talk about. Yeah. Yeah. 'cause I need, but yeah, I mean, when I first signed up for the marathon, and I mean it really was to finish 'cause it was like at one point in my life I didn't know if I'd ever be able to run again, period.

Mm-hmm. And then now what if I could do this, this would be really cool. Yeah. And at what point we talked about this at least via Instagram. Mm-hmm. When, or I guess that's all 'cause we haven't met in person Yeah. About eating disorders. Mm-hmm. And you mentioned Okay. Running as a way to burn more calories.

Yeah. Which I relate a lot to because that's really how I started distance running was, okay, I've gotta run off all this beer I'm drinking in college. Right. So when, when did that. Enter your life. Was that earlier on in high school or was it a little later in life? No, that was definitely, um, late twenties and then early thirties, went through a divorce.

I, I feel like a country song, but so when I, when I was pregnant with my son, two weeks before I had him, I found out that my husband was cheating on me. And then at one point I found emails about my weight. I mean, I was nine months pregnant. Right. Um, wait, wait, wait, wait. Yeah. Emails about your weight. What do you mean?

The, the person that he was, the 21-year-old that he was with was commenting about my weight. Yeah. So, so I, I'm sorry. I'm just like, I, I am like just staring at you like dumbfounded right now. Yeah. Yeah. It was a very, very traumatic experience. One that like now it's 18 years later and it's like. Is that even my life?

But it was, yeah. Um, okay. So your son then has, so he has a different dad Yes. Than your daughter? Yes. Okay. Yeah, man, you're with your first kid, you're pregnant. Yeah. I had just gotten the approval to be off work and I had two weeks left and I was like, awesome. Like this is gonna be great. Like I'm gonna get everything ready.

And I was just like paying bills and just clicked on like, why is this phone bill so high? And clicked on details, thinking it was gonna give me like charge information. It was just phone numbers and yeah. So that's kind of how I found out. That is so horrible. Yeah. Yeah. That makes me really mad. Yeah, really mad because what do you do?

You have two weeks until you're gonna have a baby with this guy. Yeah. So what do you just, do? You fight through it for a little bit to Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it was all really a blur. Yeah. And I tried to work it out, I mean, for about four months. And then finally I was just like, I can't live this life. I mean mm-hmm.

Anytime the phone rang, anytime, whatever, I was like, I'm not gonna be able to, to do this. So I finally, you know, thankfully had some really great friends and then my family supported me, and, and then that's when I, you know, moved out on my own. And he would occasionally be involved with, with my son, but it wasn't until, I think he was seven before he stayed the night at his house or anything like that.

So, which he have, have for as a mom. Yeah. Yeah. It's like, stay away. Like, I don't want you to make any early impressions on this child. Yeah. I mean, we, we do get along, you know, for Hugh and we, yeah. We never bad mouth each other to our son. Like we were very respectful of that and like, hey. We're gonna partner together.

Mm-hmm. I'm glad that we were able to do that. So, yeah. Wow. That's so hard. Oh gosh. I didn't realize that part. Yeah. Yeah. So, but that's some eating disorders came in, right? Well, somebody else, I'm just thinking of this, like somebody else commenting about your weight while you're, your, your husband's mistress commenting about your weight.

That has to, that's so hard for you. I mean, and then you're gonna be a new mom and now you're thinking, oh my gosh, I'm just like this fat unlovable woman. 'cause that's how I was. I mean, that's so awful. It definitely made my, the val, how I valued myself or saw the value of myself as a person, like connected to my weight.

Um, and so that's where I was fine for a while. I mean, I naturally just being a single mom, like you're really busy. Yeah. Serious. And my son was, can't think about it. Yeah. Crazy. Like he cried all the time. I mean, it was a lot of work. So he. Uh, I lost weight anyway, but then once I got in a new relationship, started gaining weight and I was like, oh no.

Uh, and so that's kind of where that was. And then as you know, just as a single mom, life gets kind of chaotic and there's a lot of things you feel like you can't control. And so that was just a way something I could control, I guess. Mm-hmm. In a really unhealthy way, way. Did you know at the time that you had an eating disorder?

Like, were you self-aware of it and you're just like, this is how this is Oh, yeah. What I need to do to, yeah. And I, I had tried going to therapy and, you know, they're like, you're aware of what you're doing. And, you know, like I, for me, it, it didn't necessarily help, it made me help, it helped with the awareness.

Mm-hmm. But like the self-management piece, I kind of had to work out mm-hmm. On my own. But, and when I was, but by the time I started training for the full marathon, um, or even the halves. I would say my eating was disordered, but like I was still eating. It was just very restrictive, so I wasn't fueling properly.

Yeah. And like I would get done with the long run and not eat, and then I'd be like super grumpy and tired. Yeah. And I'm like, what's wrong with me? It's like, duh, you need food. Um, yeah. So, but I, I did it so I probably couldn't have ran my marathons any faster if I wanted to back then, just because I didn't have the Yeah.

The right marathon. Yeah. I don't know how I did it, honestly. Yeah, man. Yeah. Well, I ask if you were aware of it because of, from, for me personally, looking back now, I know very clearly that I ha I don't eating disorder, disordered eating, whatever you wanna call it. Yeah. It was like so bad. And mine was in college.

And mine was just to fit in with other girls, women in college. You know, I went to Miami of Ohio, notoriously like very beautiful women. Mm-hmm. And I just felt like a black sheep of sorts and just felt like I needed to run myself into the ground to like keep up. Yeah. So now looking back, I know very clearly that that was not normal.

And now I think Miami's like, hopefully not anymore, but was one of the highest rated in terms of the number of eating disorders in the country. Wow. Wow. Which I'm like, yeah, that, that tracks. Yeah. Which is very sad. It is. So I try to never, not try, I, I never mention my weight or Right. Anything about bodies in that way, shape, or form to my daughter because I just don't want to pass that on and, and thankfully now.

Now that I don't drink anymore, like I, I don't think about food in the same way. If I need to fuel for my run, like I'm gonna carload or if I need to do whatever, I just, I just do it and I don't think about it. Mm-hmm. It's very freeing. And so, um, yeah. Yeah. It's weird. I don't know when I stopped thinking about it, but I did like af maybe just after college.

Yeah. I don't know. I think the whole being in college, being in that environment Yeah. Is what drove it for me. Yeah. Because I don't really remember after college having, I don't know, and I had a boyfriend at the time. I don't know, I, I just don't remember it. Lingering beyond that. Um, and now, you know, I've joked about, I carload for my last half.

It's a lot. And it was like eating. I like ate four Poptarts for breakfast and I just like, this is crazy that yeah. That this is what you're supposed to do. I'm eating four bagels in a day. Right. And drinking two Gatorades. Like, it's like, what is this? What, okay. And, but you're like, I'm, I'm doing what I'm supposed to do.

Right. But it works. Yeah, it does. It's crazy. Yeah. So at what point in your journey did you stop drinking? Yep. So that, so I just hit 1400 days. Uh, congratulations. Thank you. I did see that. That's amazing. So I'm two months away from four years, which again, you know, like I mentioned with my son, like, it's just so crazy to me.

Um, because I, you know, I'm 46 now, and so when you start. Having drinks with friends in high school, and then you don't quit until you're in your forties. Like that's a really long time that alcohol's been involved in, like weekends and parties and anything. Right. Like I've been to little kids' birthday parties with a cake.

Um, I've had a little kid's birthday party with a cake. Yeah. So, so yeah. It's, it's everywhere, right? Mm-hmm. Um, so that was a, a big decision. Um, and one that took me, I'm, I'm not kidding when I say it was two or three years that I was thinking about it. Mm-hmm. And had this intuition of like, I, I kind of think that maybe I don't like alcohol anymore, but I never heard anyone else ever say anything remotely close to that.

So I was like, it must just be me. And some nights I would be like, what's wrong with me? Like, why am I the only one who feels this way? But then I started in 2019. Getting a little closer to, to like, all right, I'm gonna do it. Um, and so I started taking these longer breaks where I'm like, okay, I'm not gonna have any.

And there was, it was just such a difference. 'cause I was really, really negative with myself. Like the self-talk was, was bad. Mm-hmm. Um, and then those weeks that I didn't have it, I noticed like, Hey, I'm not telling myself I'm a terrible person in the morning. Hmm. Yeah. Like, I wonder that's different. Um, and so I finally, 2020 was like, all right, I'm gonna do dry January.

And I made it 11 days and then had a drink. And it wasn't that. I was like, oh, I need a drink. It was like, just kind of bored, like, why not? And then I woke up the next day, like that was really stupid. Like, that added no value to my night. Uh, I'm tired now. My workout sucked, like mm-hmm. And then it kind of clicked like.

I did that to myself, and I don't have to do that anymore. Yeah. Um, and I haven't had a drink since, so. Oh my gosh. So that was, it wasn't like, you know, I feel like a lot of people think you have to have some big thing happen or, you know, no big wake up to be like, okay, now I'm gonna quit. Yeah. And then you just do, it's just, you're just like, no, this doesn't really serve me anymore.

I'm, yeah, I'm out. I thought about it for a while. Um, but yeah, it wasn't like a big embarrassing, right. Yeah. Rock bottom moment. Um, it was just a, I had gained, you know, up to 40 pounds at one point, and I had lost like 10, but, and I was working out and I would go to like solid core and there'd be these girls, tiny, tiny, yeah.

Young girls and they're just like, gosh, you're so strong. Um. Then I would, but like looking in the mirror, I didn't see the reflection of like, the work I was putting in. Um, and so I was like, I tried cutting out sweetss, like I didn't have any sweets for a year. Like I tried all these things a year. Yeah. I remember doing the donut 5K with a friend in 2019 and they have the donut holes at the end, and I ate one.

She was like, oh my gosh, you ate a donut, like a donut hole. Like, she was so freaked out that I did that because that's just, I just didn't do it. Wow. Um, so then I did dry January and yeah, lost like six pounds and it, what? I didn't change anything else, um, other than quitting drinking. Like I didn't cut any foods out or anything like that.

Yeah. It was just. It just changed how I spent my time. I was, instead of staying up late, like binging Netflix and mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Having a drink and eating snacks, I was going to bed on time. You described my night last night. Yeah. I would go to bed at a decent time and then I would be up in the morning with the kids and it just freed up so much time and so, yeah, like, it just kind of, it all naturally happened.

I was doing the same workouts that I was doing. It was just my body actually like being healthy. It, and my food cravings changed, or my snacks that I ate changed. It was really, it's just been a really like transformative time. Like since I, since I quit drinking. It's, it's really cool. I wish more people would actually like try it.

Mm-hmm. And just see what they discover about themselves. 'cause it, it really is eyeopening and for me it just changed. A lot of things. Yeah. Well, you know, and we've messaged about this like I am, I, I would classify myself, you could say as sober curious. Yeah. It's like, I started drinking when I was 15. My first drink was my friend gave me a solo cup full of vodka.

Oh my gosh. Plain. No ice vodka in a cup. I remember taking a sip and being like, boo. Yeah. Like what, what? This is what people drink. And she's like, oh, do you want me to put some orange juice in it? I'm like, I don't know. I don't know what we're doing here. So anyway, I mean, you can just imagine I'm like 15 drinking straight vodka.

You know, you talk about high school and then college, you know, it's just to your point, it's like you start that early. I'm 37 now, you know, I've been drinking a long time. Yeah. And, you know, done. I've done dumb stuff. Yep. But I think now it's more about the energy level. Mm-hmm. The. I don't know, just how I feel.

I have noticed positives when I, like I have tried, this week has been a little bit of a mess, um, as you know, but I have been not drinking during the week. Yeah. And that's been nice. Yeah. And on the weekends I just, I don't know. My, I would definitely, and I tell my therapist this, I, I say that the way that I think about alcohol is a lot different now.

Mm-hmm. If I'm gonna have a drink, it's gonna be something I really enjoy. Right. It's not gonna be a Coors Light. Right. Like, I'm gone are the days where I'm gonna drink a Coors Light. Yeah. Like, sorry, I just don't, yeah. I'm not interested in drinking that anymore. Yeah. Which is kind of crazy. Yeah. Because if I think back to like, you know, not that long ago, it's like, yeah, drink whatever you got.

Yeah. Yeah. Now it's like, no, I'm gonna, you know, whatever. If I'm gonna do it, if I'm gonna do it, it's gonna be a nice cocktail. It's gonna be a beer like, or you know, a nice glass of wine. But I, I can't drink as much as I used to and I don't, I find myself being like, why? Right. Yeah. I mean, why do I do this once I, like I said, took the break and you, you know, people talk about clarity and things like that, but it really, like you do, your eyes are open to how often it's talked about and how often you see it.

Right. And it really is everywhere. Or you just, like yesterday I am leaving work and I was just like, oh yeah, I've been in meetings all day. And they're like, oh, have a martini. And I'm like. Okay. One, I don't drink, but like, why do I need a martini? Just 'cause I had a bunch of meetings. I don't know. Yeah, right.

Yeah. It's just, oh, it's tough. It's tough. Yeah. I'm not, I'm not all the way there in terms of being like drawing a line in the sand, be like all I'm done. Yeah. However, I have dabbled with a lot of non-alcoholic beverages. We have a business here locally now, Lauren's af where they have nothing but non-alcoholic.

Yeah. It's like a non-alcoholic liquor store. Yeah. Which is so great because there are so many alternatives now. Yeah. They're really, really hard. Even my husband, you know, when we go on our lake vacation, um, we bring athletic brewing. Mm-hmm. And so when we're out on the boat, like he'll have those and my sister-in-law does too.

And so he, he no longer drinks during the week either. Um, and I don't, I think some people, when someone says they're alcohol free, I think. People kind of tense up or like, oh, like I'm not judging anyone. Right. Like, oh my gosh. Like, are you, do you have a huge problem? You just, yeah. Yeah. Or they're, and then people will be like, oh, well I, I only have like one or two this time.

And it's like, it's like, I don't care what you, it's just about me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, so I'm not anti alcohol. Mm-hmm. At all. Um, but I think I would encourage anyone to take a break though, and just really, you know, discover things about themselves or how they spend their time or how they react to stress mm-hmm.

Or any of those things. And then the, I guess the only thing I don't like is if people use it as an, like, their kids is an excuse, like the mommy wine culture and all of that. Like, I can't, yeah. 'cause I, I would hate for my daughter to grow up one day and be like, oh, my mom said she drank wine because of me.

Like, I must be a problem. Yeah. You know, like, it just, yeah. You are gonna have a drink. Have a drink, but don't blame it on your kid. Right. Yeah. Yeah. So. Totally. I know. Yeah, no, that's totally fair. Because I mean, there's just so much marketing around it there. It, and I feel like I love mom water and I know, but yeah, I have a friend too that was like, I hate that this is the name of it and that it's like, about this.

And I'm like, all right, fair enough. I, but I, you know, I get it. I get it. But it's, I mean, you didn't create it though. Yeah. Like, it's the people who are making money off it. That's the Yeah. Problem. Yeah. Uh, for sure. Well, I also really like what you said about not talking about your body around specifically your daughter.

I, I think about that a ton. Yeah. Like I, especially now I have a kindergartner and so she is a lot more aware. Mm-hmm. Now there's, you know, they're starting to get some teasing going on already and she has to wear an eye patch two hours a day. Yeah. My daughter did for a little bit too. Did she? Yeah. And so she's now aware, she's like, well, I don't wanna wear my patch now 'cause I don't want so and so to see me in my patch.

I'm like. It breaks my heart because I'm like, who cares? You know? But people always ask questions and, you know, whatever. But I'm like, I can just, you could start to just see it coming to where it's like, okay. Yeah. I just want her to always have the confidence she has now. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I don't wanna see it go away.

Yeah. And so, you know, she like, looks at picture. I never want, I never will in front of her be like, this is a bad picture of me. Yeah. Yeah. Like, I just think that's really important. I do the Yeah. The same things. Yeah. And, and we talk and we even talk about like alcohol, like, 'cause she knows I'm alcohol free, so my kids are like, oh yeah, we're getting cupcakes as mom's, you know, hasn't had a drink in how many years, you know?

Yeah. And so right now she's like, I'm never gonna drink it. And I'm like, eh, we'll see. Right. Yeah. Can you put that in writing? Yeah. Yeah. That would be great. But I'm like, you'll, you probably will. Mm-hmm. You know, my son doesn't, he's actually, he's on the spectrum. Um, he has Asperger, so he. Yeah. That's not, he's just not even, it's not on his radar at all.

Yeah. Like he, I kind of joked with him when he was going to a friend's about like, what's you, is there gonna be alcohol there? There's gonna be this. And he's, he's so sweet. He's just like, no one would have that there. And I'm like, oh, like, yeah. He just thinks so much differently than like, no, that's not allowed.

18. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. No, that's not in the rules. Yeah. We're not old enough. Um, whereas I know my daughter's gonna be, it'll be different. Yeah. She'll have a different experience. So, yeah. I know. That terrifies me. That give me Yeah. Anxiety. Just thinking about that. Yeah. When she's older, but, yep. Oh man. So, so you said almost four, almost four years.

Yeah, it would be four years in January. January. That's so cool. Which at the time it's, you know, it's like, gosh, can I make it the whole month? Or, you know, sometimes it was even like, could I. Make it through the first weekend. 'cause weekends were hard. I mean, that's when you're right. You're like, oh, I have this wedding, so like, how could I possibly not drink at the wedding?

Yeah. And at first weekends felt like a year. I mean, they felt so long. And I'm like, this is boring. Mm-hmm. Um, but then like once you start doing other things, it's like, oh, like, wow, I have a lot of free time. Yeah. Like, what could I do with it? You know? So, yeah. Or I just feel good all the time. Yeah. You, it's, it's really cool.

Um, so now, yeah, four years. It's, it's just super awesome. So I'm happy. I've made a lot of new friends, just like I've made a lot of running friends. Mm-hmm. Um, through Instagram, you know, during. 2020. I felt like I was kind of lucky to do it that year. 'cause I was kind of in a bubble and Yeah. Yeah. My husband and I actually night you say that I was, we were trying to do a, um, alcohol free lent, like giving up alcohol for lent.

Mm-hmm. Which is 40 days. And then the pandemic hit and we were like, this isn't our year to do that. So we failed miserably. So that's even better that you're Yeah. You're like in this bubble. Yeah. So I didn't have to worry up parties or Right. You didn't have to go anywhere, do anything. Yeah. No work dinners where people might be like, why aren't you drinking?

Or, you know, that kind of stuff. But yeah, that is the hard part too, when people aren't supportive. Mm-hmm. Or like, they tease you about it. Or maybe, you know, they just ask, it's like, why? Like why? Well, how could you possibly, yeah. Just have one that's no fun. It's like, well. I don't need alcohol to be fun.

Yeah. Like, I think it's taken me a long time to realize that, that I don't, I mean, I'm, I've kind of grown into myself since the pandemic really. Where I'm like, who cares? Yeah. Yeah. So now how freeing is that? You just be yourself and, you know, you don't need to mask it behind, like, oh, well I'm not gonna dance unless I'm drunk.

Right. It's like, well, I'm just going to have a good time. Yeah. Without, you know, needing, people do worry about friendships. Mm-hmm. Or, you know, and relationships and it's, but when you really think about it, like if, if your friend, like judges you or doesn't wanna like Right. It's probably not a great friend anyway.

Right. Yeah. That's, it's hard. That's hard. But it's unfortunate reality of that situation. Yeah. It's like, you know, well, kudos to you. What are you gonna do to celebrate in January? More than cupcakes. I know it, it'll probably be cupcakes. I'm so boring. Well, hey, whatever. Whatever you like. Or dinner. Dinner and cupcakes.

Who knows? Well, and we talked about before this, that you don't drink coffee or tea. Really? No. You do pre-workout. Mm-hmm. But what else do you like to drink then? Like, what do you replace? I mean, when you're at, at a party or something. What do Yeah, I ice water, like, I'm so boring. Um, that's great. I'm boring, but it's so HI mean, that's so good for you. Do I love ice water? Uh, I did even when I was drinking. Like I always have my, my cup with me, so Yeah. But no, I just, I don't do the mocktails or anything like that for me, like I wanted the buzz, right? Like that was what it was for me. It wasn't anything else. And so otherwise I'm like, yeah, I don't, I don't need that.

I'd rather have ice water. Nice. Yeah. Gosh, you have to save so much money. I spend it on books now though, right? There you go. Oh my gosh. We're gonna get into that because Jennifer is my book. My book. What? What would I call you? Like, you're like, I don't know. My Sherpa inspiration, my book inspiration. Like anything Jennifer reads, I'm like, guess I'll just read that now 'cause I know I'll like it.

So we talked a little bit about your first marathon. Yes. The mill marathon. Mm-hmm. Let's go back to that. Yeah. I wanna know a little bit more about your first marathon experience. Yeah. So Hal Higdon was what you were still using at that point? Mm-hmm. And just under five you said? No, it was just over five.

Yeah. My first three were all over five. Okay. Yep. First three. How many marathons have you run? So I've, I technically have six medals. Okay. Um, but one of them, so I have six medals because I did the 50 K in 2020. And signed up virtually for the mill race. Okay. So I did get a medal for that. Okay. Um, but I only, I've only run five marathons, like in person.

Okay. Um, so I did Mill Race, Carmel Mill Race, and then Mill Race. Monumental. Okay. Gotcha. Okay. So first Mill race. What, what time of year is that by the way? September. September, okay. Was, I've never done that one, actually. Yeah. Um, and where, where is that? Uh, Columbus, Indiana. Columbus. Okay. Mm-hmm. So hilly, it's, it's not Okay.

I know a lot of people think that, but it's, although this immediately think Brown County, and I'm like, oh, that must be really? Yeah. No, it's not that far south. It's, it's really not. And it's through neighborhoods and everybody's like super nice. Like the crowd, like the people who are outside. I will say, I think because the other marathons I was just like.

Taking my time and whatever, like, so last year when I did it, one, they did change the course. Um, I used to run through this airport and it was just cement, no trees. Very warm, but it was very flat. And then this past, you know, last year when I did it, it went through this park and it was a little more hilly.

But the thing with that one that I noticed is it's so much smaller. And after everybody finished the 13, you go back out for your second loop and there's only, I think 172 marathoners, full marathons. Okay. And so at times I was running on my second loop and I was like. Did I miss a turn? Like I didn't even see a cone.

I was like, I think I'm lost. Uh, so I just kept going and it's like, oh, good. There's, there's people. Oh God. I was gonna say, please tell me you did not get lost. No, but you mean be fine. Mean, that's how alone you felt. Like even on the moan on, on Saturday, you see a million people, right? Yeah. Like there's so many people and so there was no one.

Um, and so I, yeah, I really struggled towards the end of that race, um, and was really disappointed. Even though I had a 38 minute pr I was, I was sad after that race. Yeah. Which is weird to say, but I was That is weird. Yeah. But yeah, it, Sally, I guess, I don't know how to pronounce her last name. McCray or McCree.

Oh yeah. MCC McCree. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent. I listened to her book Choose Strong, uh, recently, and she says something in there about how, like you, I don't paraphrase big time, but she was like. You envision this moment, you know? And then once it happens, it doesn't happen exactly like you picture it and it's, you see it as a negative, uh, which is true, like 30, 38 minute PR is insane.

Yeah. Like, I should have been so happy and I was, but I think I was just more disappointed in that I broke down mentally. It wasn't even my body, it was just mentally. I, I felt like I gave up, I walked like four minutes of it. Um, and I didn't walk in training. And there's nothing wrong, wrong with walking, you know, I struggle with, I don't like walking, but it, it's just that I didn't do it in training unless Rachel like specifically said, walk, walk recovery.

Yeah. I didn't do it and I didn't need to do it. And so I was just like, what happened? Um, yeah. And so it took me a few days to process and then I saw pictures and I'm like, I look really strong. Like I'm. 45 and I just did that. Like That's cool. Or 46, gosh, I don't know how old I am. Yeah. But, but yeah. And at what point did you start working with Rachel?

How long have you been working with her? Yeah, so that was October of 21. I had surgery. So I'd had hip surgery earlier that year in 2021. Um, and then I was able to start doing intervals and like progression back up. And I had some friends who were like, you should hire a coach. Um, and so I found her through Christie Heisey, who's in Karma Runners Club.

Okay. And had worked with her in the past. And so yeah, sent her an email and started working with her. And then four weeks later, you know, had like a PR and the monumental 5K again and then. Then it just kept going from there. Yeah. What did you say? Oh, let me, okay. Oh yeah. Since hiring, since hiring a coach, I have prd in every distance.

Yeah. All over the age of 45. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty cool. It is very cool. I, 'cause I didn't think so. I told myself I have the surgery, which I told you like, I wanted And was that surgery from lingering stuff from the accident? Or It could be different. Could be. They, they really don't know. I, I was on a run in December, 2020 and, um, felt like a weird twinge.

I was doing like the runner's world, um, like one mile streak or whatever. Oh yeah. Yeah. Okay. Um, and I was half mile in. I was like, that's a weird, that was a weird feeling. It wasn't even a pain. And then I went home and I sat down for about 20 minutes. I limped, like when I got up and I was like, oh no. And I was in pain, like constant pain after that.

Mm-hmm. Um, physical therapy couldn't run. And so finally they did the MRI and they're like, yeah, you have a torn labrum and you have a cam hip impingement. Um, but I actually have it on both sides, but they only fix the one. I only, they're like, we don't know why pain starts, but once it does, it usually doesn't go away.

And so, so you're just like waiting for the day, perhaps, or not? Yeah. Which I had been having some issues. Like I had quit running after like 2016, I think was my last, other than like, I would do like a 5K year 'cause I would just kept having issues on that side. Oh, okay. And they could never figure out like what it was.

And now I know I probably had all the same issues back then. Mm-hmm. So once I. Started running. Um, and then I had that happen. That's when I decided, like to have the surgery. 'cause I, one, I didn't wanna be in pain anymore obviously. Right? Yeah. But two, like, I kept thinking like, I wanna run with Emmy. Like yeah.

You know, she's so young, I wanna be able to run with her. Mm-hmm. So, yeah, that's how I started running again. I told myself I'd do it like I'm gonna do it right. I'm gonna, I'm not drinking anymore. I'm not like, like I'm all in. Yeah. I can do this right now. Yeah. And so then I did the caramel half in 2022 and got a PR and then did the mill race and got a PR then did.

Six weeks later did the monumental, I emailed Rachel the day after Mill Race and I was like, so how about if I do? I was like, I wasn't really happy with that and it was in, ended up being like my training pieces, you know? Right. Yeah. So I was like, what do you think? And so thankfully she was like, okay. I was like, I don't even care about a pr, I just wanna run consistently.

Mm-hmm. And like make up for that mental mistake that I made. Yeah. Yeah. And that was my only goal going into it. I didn't tell anyone other than like, I mean, seriously, maybe two people. Um, I didn't talk about it on the internet. I didn't do anything and then just went out and did it. And even in that weather got another, took another 10 minutes off.

Um, so, which is crazy. That's amazing. Thank you. And now this year you've been dealing with injury again. When did that happen? Yeah, so I started. Having like some aches like on that side when I would be doing my long runs, um, on that same side where I had surgery and I was like, well, that's kind of annoying, but sometimes it would just get tight.

And I, it's just part of yeah. My life now with, with, after having hip surgery. So then I, I took a week off, went to the doctor, they, you know, did an injection. They're like, oh, it's just bursitis. I was like, okay, cool. Uh, so then I went out and did the polar bear, is that what it's called? Polar? The Polar Bear 10.

I haven't done that, so I don't, I don't know. Okay. Yeah, it's in February. So I did that huge pr, I was so excited actually. Amanda Looper. Yeah. Yeah. Finished right in front of me. That was the first time I'd ever seen her. I mean, I didn't know her at the time. Yeah. But I remember her finishing right in front of me and so I was like, wow.

Like that was really cool. I got an age group award, which that was new. Yeah. And then I think like a week was maybe two weeks later, I was out on a run. I was, had a nine miles in, had a horrible. Pain. I was like, oh, let me try and stretch that out and yeah, keep running. And I couldn't, had to have Jeremy pick me up.

And so finally got diagnosed with a gluten made strain. Okay. And so what is, what is that? It was, I, I mean, when you look at it on the image, 'cause I had to end up having an MRI, I mean, I guess it's just like a, I don't wanna say a tear, but like Yeah. Just Wow, something's pulled or, yeah. Um, I mean you could very see, clearly see it on the image, but yeah.

So I had to, I ended up buying a lever or a lever, I don't know how to pronounce it, for the treadmill and Okay. Ran on that, which is like body weight assisted, like bungee. Okay. I can picture it now. Yeah. Okay. Like these rubbery gross shorts and you Oh, interesting. Yeah, because I, I was like, oh, I'm gonna get done with this and I'm gonna be running back outside.

Um, yeah. And it was all approved, like everybody was on board with it and then started running, building back. In July and then had a stressful kind of week and thought to myself like, I probably shouldn't go do this run, but you know, we're stubborn, right? So I went out and did it and like four and a half miles in, I had the pain again and had to stop.

So, yeah. And I got to the point where I told, told Rachel like, I, I think I might be done. Like, I'm just kind of over this, you know? And she was like, let's go back to one mile. Uh, I was like, all right. Uh, and then I did it. So now I'm back like this once I get past Saturday, uh, which is seven and a half miles, but it'll be my most miles in a week since my injury.

Okay. It'll be like 21 or 21 and a half. So. So with that diagnosis, is there anything they have you do for it or it's just like you need to rest and let it heal itself or, yeah, it's. Definitely low impact and then physical therapy. So a lot of strength. Okay. Um, so I was gonna physical therapy there at that doctor's office, started seeing Jacob.

Yeah. Um, at tempo. And he's, he's amazing. Um, and I love that he has the running knowledge and experience. Right. And so, um, so I've gone to him and it's literally been more of just a therapy session. Like, yeah, I'm injured. This sucks. I hate it. Um, and he's, he's helped me through, I even saw him this morning 'cause I'm like, things felt tight a couple weeks ago.

Is everything okay? Uh, and it was fine, but I might, God, I hate to even say it out loud, but I might need to go see him as I'm talking to you now. Like, my back, I have two, like those, uh, salon paws things like on stuck on my back. They're like icy hot patches. Yeah. And my, it's just killing me. I, I don't know if I slept weird.

Oh. Or like, what? But on my run today. It hurt. I was able to get through my workout. Yeah. And then my right hamstring is so tight and it's like, I feel like on the verge of like cramping. Yeah. It's not good. I would definitely, uh, make appoint so I an appointment. I know this is bad, this is bad, but I'm so St.

Stu, I'm like, oh's fine. I'll just run until, yeah. I have to limp I guess January, February. Like I just, even though I was having the soreness and the tightness, like I just, I don't wanna say I ignored it, but I was just like, ah, it'll be fine. Yeah. And then it wasn't. I mean, but yeah. I mean, I, this year's been interesting.

It's been kind of hard because I was gonna get my sub two marathon this year, like it was gonna happen. Mm-hmm. Um, and then that didn't, and then there's just so many races and following so many runners, like, I'm so happy for everyone. Like I told you, I cheer for everyone. Yeah. But at the same time, it's like.

You can't help but feel sad. It's so hard. It'd be so hard. Yeah. I, yeah. I applaud you for Yeah. Continuing to keep up and, and do the right things in order to hopefully then be back. Yeah. It takes a lot of patience. And I, I mean, there were times where I'm like, what am I doing? Uh, I'm not an elite athlete.

Like I'm not getting paid for this. Like, right. Yeah. What am I doing? But I love it. And honestly, like run, like training for a marathon and running a marathon to me is just so special. And if, if there's a chance that, like what I'm doing right now is gonna lead to another finish line, like I'm just gonna keep doing it.

Yeah. Yeah. Good for you. Thank you. Oh, can we talk about books now? Yeah, definitely. Um, so you mentioned Sally McCray's book. Mm-hmm. I haven't read that one yet, so I'm gonna add it to my list. What was it called again? Choose Strong. Choose Strong. What are some other of your like highlights? Top. Favorite books and it doesn't have to be about running.

Mm-hmm. Because a lot of the books that you read are not about running. Yeah. And those are the ones I end up really liking by the way. Yeah. Um, but what are you, what are you reading right now? Oh gosh. I'm trying to think. What am I reading right now? Uh, I'm not gonna recommend the one I'm reading right now.

It good? Yeah. That's just as important. Yeah. Do not waste your, your time book. Don't waste your time on this way. It's a book of the Month club that I got and I'm, I'm not a fan already. Ah, I'm trying to think. And then I'm getting ready to read Bright Young Women. It's for a book club. Okay. Um, but I just finished another book by the author.

And it left me a little confused. I'm like, oh no, it's the same author that we're getting ready to read. Oh. Didn't realize that. But, um, in terms of running books though, I will say good for a girl. Yep. Loved that Lauren Fishman's book. That was really good. Really good. Especially like if you have girl like daughters, right.

Or athletes. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Huge. Mm-hmm. Um, and then Kara's was good. Yep. Dez is, I listened to that one. She's not the best narrator. I love her. I, you know, I love Dez, but I love Dez because that's kind of her personality is she's kind of like a little bit more stoic and dry. Yeah. And so, yeah, you're to your point, it's not, you know, you're just, it's harder to listen to.

Yeah. Um, yeah. But it, but I love it at the same time. Like, yeah. But then like, it made me like Google, like the clip of her finishing. I'm like, wow, that's just so cool. Oh my gosh. What a badass. Yeah. I loved that. Love that. Um, and then so those, and then, um. I mean, I think my favorite book probably is the Seven Hu Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, like by Taylor Jenkins Reed.

Oh, I think I'm on, I think I am on a list for that in the Libby app. Yeah. Which for anybody who doesn't know, I recently found that app. You can like, oh, Libby has a talk. Yeah. Yeah. You can free audio books. Yep. Which now Spotify just announced they have audiobook now. Really? Oh, I didn't not know that. Yep.

Um, but I use Audible. I'm an Audible member. Yeah. I have Audible too. And so I've got, I got a lot of credits now. I had to buy more. I went through so many audiobook I in my last year. Yeah. So, um, yeah, I just started a book called The Measure. Oh, I read that one. Yeah. It's super interesting. That one makes you think we, that was a book club.

Book, okay. That we did. And so having a conversation of. Yeah. Would you, would you, would you wanna know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So the premise of the book is like everybody in the world wakes up and they have this box, and in the box is a string. And it's basically the measurement of the string, whether it's short or long, is how much longer you're gonna live, like, how long your life is.

And so would you open your box and look at the string or would you not? And so, yeah, that's the promise of the book. And I just FI, so we were at dinner, um, this week and a girlfriend recommended it, and I'm like, oh, that sounds like something I would like. Yeah. It's just kind of a make you think like, oh yeah.

Bizarre kind of book. But I'm really fresh into that. I'm probably like, I'm just like a handful of chapters in. Yeah. Like a runner or two. It, it makes you think, but like Lisa Jewel books, um, her most recent one, is it None of this is true. Oh, that one I think is what it's called. Um, okay. It's, it's really good.

Um, her books are always a little dark and twisty. Um, she's a British author. I really like hers. I'm looking at my audible library too. Yeah. And then stranded, was that one that you recommended? I can't, it's where they're like on an island and there's like the one lady they don't like and she Yeah. Yeah.

That was good. I, I liked that. I felt kind of bad for her. Yeah. Oh, another running related book, everything all at once. Have you listened to that? I haven't think Heard that one? Yeah. Um, it's by Stephanie, uh, catchy doll. She is, uh, married to Tommy Rives. Oh, okay. Who like nearly died and, yeah. I mean that's a, it's from her perspective and she's, she was a writer before.

Oh, okay. What she went through with his illness and so it was just really amazing. Yeah. And then a, I think a non-running but interesting book, uh, nonfiction would be the cold Vanish. Okay. It is about. People who go missing in national parks. Um, it's really eyeopening. Uh, so whenever somebody's like, oh, I'm gonna this national park, I'm like, stay on the trails. Like, be careful. Um, but it follows a story of them, like the authors helping in a search for someone who had gone missing. And so then it just tells a lot of different stories, but it was just, it made me wanna go out and help search for people even though I'd probably end up lost. So glad I don't live near the mountains, but yeah.

Interesting. Okay. Yeah. But it was really interesting. Yeah. I'll add that to my list too. Yeah. That's fascinating. Yeah. Well just know that anytime you like post, well, now I noticed on your Instagram mm-hmm. Which, for anybody listening, it's Jennifer Nei, NEI, um, I see that you have highlights now that have your reads.

Mm-hmm. And so I'm like, oh, I didn't, I didn't notice those until recently. Oh yeah. And I'm like, oh, good. Now I always know that when I need a book, I'll just go, just go there. That's what my sister-in-law does. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We just have the same taste. You and I. 'cause I, I don't know, I listened to a couple of the ones you recommended.

I'm like, okay, now I know that if she likes or doesn't like, it's a pretty good indicator. Whether or not I'll like it, that is good too. But do you listen? Do you listen while you run? Do you listen to audiobook? Okay. Yeah. Um, I do listen while I run, except in races. Same. Yeah. I listen to music, but. And then now in the mornings, well now that's lighter again in the morning, which is great.

But there for a while when it's dark, I, I can't listen to anything, which is kind of a bummer. But I guess it's probably good mental practice too, to Yeah. Well, and as you know, if you've listened to some of the episodes, um, on this podcast, people, a lot of people don't, don't listen to music. I'm like, what?

How, although I used to turn my music down when I was running, like for some reason I would like found it distracting and I would turn it down. Mm-hmm. But in the monumental this past year, I, I listened to a book that Jennifer Connor recommended called Relentless. Um, and it's almost like a, just a big pep talk.

That's how I felt like it was like a, a coach. Um, it was like from a trainer who did like Kobe and Michael Jordan. Okay. Okay. Um, and so like, it, it got me so in the zone, and I just turned my music up. And anytime I started to think like. Anything like, am I tired or How's this feel? Yeah. I was like, Nope. And I would turn my music up and I couldn't hear a thing.

Yeah. Probably not the most safe, but I was aware of my surroundings. Yeah. But yeah, I turned it all the way up. Yeah. Oh my gosh. That's funny. Well, that's a good bet. Sounds like a book I would like too then. Yeah, I, I mean, definitely listen to it, right? Like race week. Um, I actually had Kimberly Griffin, uh, who just got her sub two half this past weekend.

I was like, listen to this book, and, and she did. And she's like, yeah, I think it actually helped. I was like, see? You're like, yeah, I'll take full credit. Thank you. Credit to Jennifer first. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Gosh. So. All right, well, since I know you're a working woman. Yeah, I'll wrap this up with the end of the podcast questions.

Okay. This has been so nice to finally get to know you, by the way. Yeah. Thank you. Um, okay, so first is, what is your favorite mantra or song? So when you do listen to music Yeah. But yeah, what about a mantra? Do you have a mantra? Uh, my mantra changes and in 2022 it was don't settle. Um, because I switching that mindset from, you know, it'd be cool if you could run a marathon and, and even if I ran it faster, I think I was gonna be like, well, it's still faster than last time.

It's still a PR and just let off the gas, right? Mm-hmm. And I didn't wanna settle like I wanted to see. I put in a lot of work, like, let's see what I can do. Mm. Um, so don't settle. Was was that when, this year, I think most recently, a couple weeks ago. Um. Had another stressful week. And I was like, my runs were feeling wonky.

And I was like, oh no. Uh, and I was really in my head like, am I, is my hip hurting? Is this hurting? Yeah. And so I, I was just like, your body is healthy. Your body is healthy. And so that was my, my mantra right now. Um, because it is, I have to remind myself like I'm not injured anymore. Mm-hmm. Like, now I'm just building back up.

Right, right. And so I need to switch that mindset of like, you're not injured anymore. You're, yeah. You're running building, you're doing this. Right. You've put in the pa you've had the patience and put in the right work to be here. Yeah. Body is healthy. So is healthy. Yeah. So that's my, my one right now in terms of songs.

I don't know if anybody's said it on yours yet, but like, Beyonce's, um, who runs the World? One. Oh yeah, that's a good one. Yeah. Yeah, that's, I've accidentally like, not planned it, but like finished a couple races to that song with that. Yeah. It just perfect. And then. I'm trying to think if there's any others, because I know you're building a playlist, but like, carry on by, oh, I can't even think of the band now.

I wanna say fun. Is that the band? I don't know. How's it go? Well, I'm not, I'm not, don't. I cannot sing. Okay. I was like, carry, carry on. But he, but he says in the, um, he says in the song, I think it's by a band called Fun, but there's like parts in the song where he talks about my head's on fire, but my legs are fine and you know, may your pass me the sound or your feet on the ground.

Like, I don't know, it's just, there's just parts of it that resonate. Um, I'll have to look that up. I know there there're songs some nights by Fun. So surely I've listened to their album. Yeah, I'm, you probably have. Yeah. Okay. But the other fun song, which don't listen to it around your kids is, um, I think it's my Big Sean called Dance, but like the re the remix version with Nicki Minaj.

Like, don't judge me, but I'm telling you like the beat to it when you're running. There's no judging here. I listen to like hardcore rap music. Okay, good. Because it's, when I'm listening to that one, like it's just fun. It just, it makes me laugh and, but the beat to it. Seriously? Yeah. I speed up every time.

Yeah. It's funny, I, you know, back in the day I would listen to rap in high school too, and I remember my dad like finding my CDs. Oh yeah. And like threatening to like, you know, throw 'em out the window or whatever. And I'm like, well, I like the beat of the song dad. Yeah. He's like, what? No, I, I don't, he like would not, you know?

Yeah. But there is something to that, especially now with running back then it was not about running and the beat of the song Oh yeah. Was totally a cop out. But now it's like, yeah. If I find a song, I don't necessarily care what it says. Yeah. 'cause a lot of times I am just relying on the beat. Yeah, exactly.

So yeah, to get you going. Totally get it. Totally get it. And then, okay. And then next finish line or milestone, we talked about your milestone in January. Four years. Yes. Yes. That is a big win. I'll call free and then. What, what are you thinking about next year when Rachel asks you, Hey, what are you thinking next year?

What are you thinking about? Yep. So when we met and talked last, my, so I guess my next milestone for running would be to get to a 10 mile long run by the end of the year. Okay. Um, this week, seven and a half. Um, and so I, I feel like I can get there. Uh, we're taking it very slow, you know, there's been weeks where I'm like, you know, let's just repeat this week.

Yeah. I felt good. Let's team. Yeah, let's just keep it here. And so we're, I, I think we'll get there. Um, and then doing the donut 5K, but I wouldn't really call that the next time. It's a little different. Um, Carmel, I mean, I've already signed up for Carmel because I was deferred, but if I could do one race next year, it's gonna be the full mo like.

Okay. And when you mentioned the 50 K before, have you done the full MO before? No, I was what, 50 K were you talking about? I just went across the street and ran it on my own in 2020. 'cause I wanted to Cool. Okay. Whoa, I, that's wild. I'd always had a goal to do it and it just wasn't happening. And I didn't think I'll, I'll never be able to train properly for this.

I just finished 75 hards, so I felt like I was in the best shape of my life. And so I was like, I text my ultra running sister-in-law and I was like, do you think I could do this? And she's like, absolutely. Well, yeah, you text your ultrarunner, you know, she's gonna be like, uh huh. She's like, yeah, you could do it.

No problem. And so I set up a cooler and a chair and I treated it more like a, like an eight hour, you know, kind of endurance type thing. And I just went across the street, Jeremy and Emmy came over and they're like, bye. Like, have fun. And I would come back and Wow. So is there like a loop, like a park with a loop across the street or what?

I live across from the Monan. Um, oh, I see what you mean. Okay. Like the monon par, like I think it's central. Park or, oh yeah. It sounds funny saying up. I think it's Central Park know i I drive by it and every time I see that it's called Central Park. I always think it's weird. Yeah. So yeah, I know exactly what you're talking about.

Okay. So I went there and just kind of down and around and through the tree, like all the little paths that go off. So you can say I've done, I've, I've run a, an ultra marathon by myself in Central Park. I That is true. And nobody has to, and nobody will know the Astro in Carmel, Indiana. In Carmel, Indiana.

Yeah. But yeah, I just did it. Jeremy and Emmy came out a couple times on their bikes and just like, are you still alive? Um, and said Hi. And I ended up having to walk the last five miles. It, I was in a lot of pain 'cause I wasn't trained. Um, I had only ran like 120 miles the whole year. And this was October?

Yeah. Um, so, and I had finished 75 hard, took a week off, and I did nothing except sit there in my chair. So after doing two workouts a day for 75 days. I didn't move for a week. And so then when I went out to run, I was like, oh, like my hip flexors are really tight. Yeah. And so by the end, I had to walk the last five 'cause I was physically in too much pain, but I did it.

I wasn't gonna stop. Yeah. That's amazing. Thank you. The full mo is interesting to me too. Yeah. You should do it. I, I, because that's where I train, right? Yeah. I mean, it's like, I love the monan. Yeah. Um, that's where I run every run. And so I'm like, how cool would that be? And I was so sad when I couldn't do it this past year.

'cause my sister-in-law actually like bought a, she signed up for it, blew in for it and then I couldn't do it, so. Oh. But yeah, that's, that's my goal race for next year. Okay. I'm kind of letting the sub two half thing, like if it happens, it happens. Yeah. I get more joy out of the distance than the time, I guess.

Yeah. So. Well, now you can already say, I mean, you've Yeah. Prd every distance. Yeah. After 45. I mean, that's pretty amazing. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. And when I do that one, I know I'll, I'll pr. Right, right. Uh, I'll, I'll be somewhat trained when I do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, that's really cool. Oh, man. Well, thank you again Yeah.

For doing this with me, and thank you to everybody who's listened and have a good weekend and happy running. Thank you. We did it. Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher