Episode 65: Christina Hook - That 5K: Tori's Hike for Another Tomorrow

Episodes

Jul 19

Listener note: This episode includes discussion of suicide and the loss of Christina's sister.

Christina says she's not a real runner. She collapsed near mile 12 of her first Indy Mini, ran another half two weeks later, and now runs a 5K honoring her little sister Tori.

Listen on Apple Podcasts · Listen on Spotify

About this episode

Christina is a Brownsburg mom, teacher, and Peloton and treadmill fan who started running with Couch to 5K before her wedding. Her first half marathon, the 2016 Indy Mini, ended in an ambulance near mile 12, and two weeks later she finished the Noblesville half anyway. She later found her people through a local moms' running group and the Brownsburg Running Club, and ran a rain-soaked Flying Pig half in 2022.

In January 2021, Christina lost her younger sister Tori, 11 years younger and her best friend, to a battle with mental health. Tori loved hiking and had donated profits from her 'Hey, how are you?' pins to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, so the family created That 5K, Tori's Hike for Another Tomorrow, in Avon. We talk about Tori, how Christina's family is grieving, and why she asks everyone to check on their people.

In this episode, we discuss

Why she says she's not a real runner and why I disagree
Growing up in Pike Township and Zionsville and meeting her husband on OkCupid
A family road trip to Glacier National Park with a three-year-old's travel potty
Running only one season of middle school track
Starting with Couch to 5K before her wedding
Collapsing near mile 12 of her first Indy Mini and waking up in an ambulance
Running a self-made 13.1 and finishing the Noblesville half two weeks later
Getting back into running through a moms' group and the Brownsburg Running Club
Running the 2022 Flying Pig half in a torrential downpour
Fun race stories, from a hungover four-miler PR to a muddy Eagle Creek 15K
Why she loves her treadmill and Peloton
Her sister Tori, her love of the outdoors, and her 'Hey, how are you?' pins
Losing Tori in 2021 and the family's grief
Creating That 5K to benefit the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
Her Zootopia running song and her bucket list of races

Chapters

Intro
How we met through Becky Riley
Family, marriage, and a trip to Montana
Growing up and first jobs
Couch to 5K before the wedding
An ambulance at her first Indy Mini
Redemption at the Noblesville half
Running as a mom and the Flying Pig
Memorable races
Treadmill and Peloton
Remembering Tori
Losing Tori
Grief and talking to kids about it
That 5K
Running song and what's next

Where to find Christina

That 5K

Mentioned in this episode

Races: That 5K (Tori's Hike for Another Tomorrow), OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, Noblesville Half Marathon, Flying Pig Half Marathon, Indiana Women's Running Festival, Running of the Bulldogs 5K, Bank of America Chicago 13.1 / Big 10K Chicago, Disney Princess Half Marathon, Ragnar Michigan, 8 Hour Dream Endurance Race
Organizations and charities: Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, Brownsburg Running Club, Endurance House, Peloton
Other: Couch to 5K, MyFitnessPal, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, "Try Everything" by Shakira (Zootopia), Glacier National Park

Previous guests mentioned

Related episodes

Frequently asked

What is That 5K in Avon, Indiana?

That 5K, short for Tori's Hike for Another Tomorrow, is an annual walk, run, or hike in Avon, Indiana created by Christina and her family in memory of her sister Tori, with all proceeds going to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.

Who was Tori, the inspiration for That 5K?

Tori was Christina's younger sister, a Purdue graduate and physical therapist who loved hiking and the outdoors and sold 'Hey, how are you?' enamel pins to raise money for the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation before she died in 2021.

How much has That 5K raised?

In its first year, That 5K raised close to $12,000 for the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation with almost 200 participants, according to Christina.

Support this show

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 and fitness. This podcast brought to you by Athlete Bouquets. Celebrate finish lines and milestones of the people that you love by visiting athletebouquets.com. Hello and welcome to episode 65 S quick story for you. Yesterday I was doing my long run, which is 12 miles, 12 easy miles, wasn't too crazy hot, mostly shaded on the Monon Trail here in Carmel, IN. And at the end, let's say around mile 10:00-ish, I stop to cool myself off in a fountain. It's like a little mini splash pad. I was so looking forward to this.

And so I'm like rinsing myself off, leaning down, and then somehow I look at my watch and it says like, confirming will discard your activity or whatever it says. And I'm like, what? So I try to I didn't want to press any buttons, but I tried to swipe it away to like undo, undo and it discarded my activity. So that was really sad. I feel like the listeners here, you guys will understand my, my sadness. And, you know, you know, no, I did not spend 30 minutes researching on Reddit whether there was a way to get it back 'cause that would be crazy, right? But I told my coach when I texted her that my splits were so perfectly easy and I was excited to see how my pacing looked because I wanted it to be within, you know, 5 to 10 seconds.

Like keeping that same easy pace per mile, 'cause, you know, that's what we do, right? There's always something to be neurotic about. So anyway, I restarted my watch when I left the fountain and my run ended up at like 1.7 something miles. And so my coach was glad that I texted her 'cause she was wondering what had happened and she was hoping that I didn't like, you know, I don't know, have an injury or something that caused me not to do my whole run. So great story, but I'm sure that's happened to somebody else. I know I'm not alone. And I don't understand why Garmin doesn't make it easy to retrieve, you know, your iPhone.

If you accidentally delete a picture, you can just go grab it in this other folder and apparently there's a way to do that with Garmin, but I I couldn't quite I'm not techy enough. I guess I'm pretty dangerous, but not enough for this because I didn't want to spend my whole day on it. So anyway, congratulations to everybody who completed the 8 hour dream endurance race in Carmel. It was out actually in Indianapolis at Butler University and that was super fun. I actually got a chance to make an appearance. I was in between birthday parties for my kids. I dropped my older daughter off and just decided to take my younger one to the endurance race.

I thought, why not, We'll grab some lunch on the way and we'll just go say hi. And I'm so glad we did. I saw a ton of previous guests, a ton of friends. My coach had a tent and it was hotter than hell. Like, so, so warm and people were running fast and it was really cool. And it didn't necessarily make me want to do it because the heat was so bad. And I am horrible in heat. But I do have a race coming up at the Indiana Women's Running Festival at the end of August. So I guess I better get used to it, huh?

Anyway, I have the chance to meet Becky Riley through this podcast. And that turned into an opportunity to interview this week's guest, Christina Hook. Christina is a mom, a runner, even though she says that she doesn't feel like she's a real runner. And she in 2021 lost her younger sister to a battle with mental health. And they have a race that they've created in her honor of 5K that's coming up on August 10th in Avon called that 5K and you have to register for it. So I know that after you hear more about this story, you'll want to. But that stands for Tori's Hike for Another Tomorrow.

And all the proceeds go to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, which was an organization near and dear to Tori's heart. And she actually raised money for them during college. And so when her mom to Anne and her sister Christina were thinking of ways to honor her, they decided to start this 5K and then have all the proceeds go to the BBRF. So it's $35 to register. There's one more price increase before the race. But if you want to make sure that you get one of their awesome T-shirts, you'll want to register before July 26th. And I'm signed up virtually. I'm hoping that I can find a way to go in person as well.

So we shall see on that. But thank you so much again to Becky for introducing me to Christina and thank you so much, Christina, for coming on the podcast, a running podcast you never thought you were going to be on to Share your story. And I hope everybody finds some inspiration and motivation from Christina. Good morning, Christina, thank you so much for coming over here and doing this with me. No. Problem. Thanks for having. Me, of course, thanks to Becky Riley, right? We were just chatting before this. It's so random How I Met Becky. I was telling you, she uses a coach out of California, Nicole Dubronski, who I interviewed, gosh, months and months ago, I forget what episode number, but she listened to that episode and then emailed me and was like, Oh my gosh, you're an indie.

I didn't know. This is so crazy. If you ever want to run or meet up. And so we did. Which I didn't even know she was using a coach. Yeah, yeah. And she still doesn't. I asked her the other day. I know. So. Yeah. And you know Becky, through work, you said. Yeah, we haven't worked together for a while, but she still keeps in touch with my mom, so yeah, she's sweet. So tell me about the hook cook 'cause it confused me. So cook is actually, it's my stepdad. OK, yeah. So I was never a cook, but it would have been funny if I went from Cook to Hook.

Hook is my married name, OK. Biro is my maiden name, but so. OK, it's. Your stepdad but. And your mom's to Anne. Yes. OK. So to Anne, what's say the name again? Class name. OK. So she's Cook. Yes. OK. It's your stepdad. OK. Yeah, it would have been really confusing. Yeah, if you'd have gone from cook to hook. Yeah, my funny enough, my I have a couple stories related to last names. My sister married a guy with last name Rose and her middle name's Rose. So she's Casey Rose Rose, which is so great. Yeah. Rose. Rose squared. And then my mom and her sister both married men unrelated to each other with the last name Hill.

So that confuses people because it's like he, my dad's Hill and my uncle's Hill, but they're not brothers. And so people are like, what? And they used to work together. It was the whole thing anyway, so thank you for explaining that because I was confused. So Christina Hook. Correct. Welcome. And we always, I learned it from my husband, but we always have to say like Captain because. Oh, Lord, yeah, that's funny. So you use the captain and the hand motion, which no one could see, which I really appreciated, like the hook. And you and your husband have a daughter, Hazel, who's almost seven. So fun.

I know and it's funny because last night randomly she's like how many kids should I have? And was talking about the name. She had all the names picked out. I'm like where is this coming from? And if it was a girl she wanted Rose. Oh perfect. Well, that'll be really weird if she has a kid named Rose. Oh, yeah. 7 year olds are funny. Yeah. It's like the whole explain it to me like I'm five. I started to appreciate, you know, she started asking these really good questions or saying these things where you're like, what? Right. Where is this coming from? Probably YouTube. I've learned now.

So all the names were like, it was like rose, oak, Maple. I'm like, OK, did. You run in a garden today. Or what? Garden center like a pine. Yeah, yeah. Oh, my gosh. Oh, that's great. Well, I, I really liked how when I first reached out to you, you're like, I'd be happy to do this, but I'm not a real runner. Yes. It's like my favorite thing because then I get to be like, yes, you are. If you run, you're a runner. If you. Run. You're a runner. It's true though, but I get it. People like even for me and some of the people I talk to are absolutely insane, like running ultra marathons or like qualifying for Boston or like running a million marathons and you're like, OK, compared to that.

I'm not. I'm not at that level either. I don't know people. It's like there's always somebody who doesn't do as much or who does more. So it's like, whatever, you're a runner. So you were on a running podcast now. Did you ever think you would be on a running podcast? Because looking at your, you know, past episodes, I'm like, you say that you're, you know, meeting with everyday runners, but I'm probably really the most everyday. No, I, I would, I would disagree, Although then it's like, who do we, who do we put in that spot? I'm not going to put anything in that spot. But I think what I feel especially is I've met some people who listen that I didn't know listened.

It'll be so it's so relatable everybody, whether it's somebody listening who has run a million marathons or somebody who is like thinking about going from a 5K to a half marathon or a 10K, it's going to be great. So thank you. I appreciate you doing this so much. And we're going to talk all about an amazing event that you have coming up August 10th. But we're going to save that and give everybody all the details so that after they hear your story and Tori's story, they're like, Yep, sign me up. I'm supporting this cause so, and I can't wait to learn more about all of that.

But first I want to get to know you a little bit better. So Yep, you're married, you got a daughter. Are you originally from this area? Yes, grew up in Pike Township area but we moved when I was like a junior in high school so graduated from Zionsville, OK went to IU in Bloomington and now we live in Brownsburg. So I'm an Indiana girl. I don't really ever plan to leave. Right, I, I am too. I went to Ohio for college, but Miami of Ohio, which is like 5 miles across the border in Ohio. So it's kind of like barely, barely, but yes. What year did you graduate from IU?

OH. My gosh, 2007 OK, I'm aging myself. Whatever, I graduated in O8 so. Yeah. Yeah, from Miami. I was, I probably partied together at some point down there. I used to go to Bloomington every year for Little 5 'cause that was the weekend ago. And for any athletes listening to this, it was not to participate or cheer on athletes at all. It was to just get as drunk as I possibly could. So those days are behind me, thankfully. But yeah, Bloomington is such a cool town. I. Love, you know, I wasn't. I always wanted to go to Butler because that's where my mom went, OK, but I'm a teacher and she's like, I'm not really paying for Butler for you to be a teacher.

Like if you want to go into performing arts pharmacy, sure. So I just like last minute applied for IU and at the time it was like #1 party school. I'm like OK. Yeah, this won't be a good runner up. Yeah, I guess it twists my arm. It was fun. Is that where you met your husband? No, he went to I, We actually met online, but we don't. Which which app? Oh my gosh, we're so old. It was called OkCupid. I'm not sure. If it's I've heard that you can't call yourself old because you're older than me, you realize then you're just calling me old. Okay, Sorry.

I'm. Just kidding, but there's. People listening to this who are like, you guys are in your third, right? Shut up. It was before Tinder and all that. Yeah, but we both went to IU. Okay, so we just say that it's not technically a lie, we just didn't meet there. Yeah, you're like close enough. Yeah. Is he older? He's younger and younger likes to, you know, tell you comment on that because. Were you technically there at the same time? Yeah. And then he he went there for two years and then he transferred to IUPY and like moved back home so. Which is so confusing now because IUPY is now like, Indianapolis IN university or whatever the hell instead of IUPY.

So. OK yeah, that's fun. OkCupid. So did you. How long did it take you to meet in person? Did you like? Not very long. I wanted to message more 1st. And he was kind of like, forget this, let's just go on a date. Let's just go, yeah? Where'd you go on your first date? Sorry. You're like, we're going off on a tangent. You're like, I didn't know you were going to ask me this, Ally. It's also embarrassing. Well, like he had I think on his profile where it said like your favorite foods and he put like wings. So I was like, let's just meet up beat ups.

There you go. It's on like 86 and. Are you the most romantic place on the face of the earth? Oh. My gosh. Oh, that's. So, and it was like really early too, because it was summer and I'm a teacher so I wasn't working and I think he got off work at like 2:30 or three. I'm like, this is a safe first day in public. It's not even dinner. Out, yeah. Yeah, we've been married. We just had her eight-year anniversary and we were together for five years before that, so. Yeah. Now we just hit 10 in May and then I can't, I can't do math at the moment.

But yeah, we dated for probably two or three years, not quite as long, but. And do you guys do like the traditional, like what's the 10? No, no, I've complained about it on this podcast before, but we didn't even go anywhere. But we have young kids and so it's just tough. So it's like, yeah, so we did not do anything traditional in terms of like wood or diamonds or. He's like into. That that's cool. I I would be into it if my husband was into it, but he's like, you know, a typical dude in that department. But yeah. And I keep telling him that we should do like a success story for them to put on the website because they were all like, terrible, you know, stories when I was reading them.

And he's like, no, we're not going to. Let's not broadcast it. Like we're not. Us, we're like a shining star example. You are? Yeah. Marriage is hard. I know eight years is like we made it over the isn't seven years like. Or whatever. Yeah. It's been hard for us, like young kids, Like now I don't have a traditional job, but he's still like working in corporate America. It's just it's it's tough. It's tough. And I feel like people don't talk about it that much. So it's like, yeah, 10 years. Give me a trophy or like a medal please. Especially when one of you is a runner, you know that takes up a lot of time.

It does actually. I have that on my list of things to do is to talk to him about how I, I really would like to run a fall marathon, but we'll get to that, hopefully. It's just, it's one of those things where it's like, no, I don't need to ask his permission. At the same time, I want to be respectful of our family dynamic and like, can we fit this in? And I don't want it to just be a whole thing because it does take up a lot of time, but I try to do it like during the day so that it's not like I'm, you know, they get home and I'm like, bye, I'm going to go run for three hours.

Good luck. Yeah, my brother-in-law is running two international marathons this year. He did London and then he's doing Berlin and then he signed up for A50 mile race. And I think my sister-in-law might murder him. I I mean, so anyway, do you guys go on any trips or anything? To celebrate, not for our anniversary, but we went to Montana. Yes, I saw. Yeah, that was my parents doing because my dad's a big hunter. So he goes to like Wyoming, Montana, Alaska. He wants to retire in Idaho. So they had already been out there and they wanted us to go with them to like Glacier National.

There's more. The story I'll tell you off. Oh, offline, we will not put that on the record. So we want a really interested in that off the record. And then we travel a lot with one of my good friends and her sister and we just went to Michigan for like a long weekend. That was fun. Yeah, we're getting ready. Literally. I leave Friday to go to Grand Rapids for the weekend and then we're going to South Haven. But last year we went to New Buffalo and I loved it. It's so beautiful up there. So Brian had never been at all I've been to. Traverse City.

Is that what it's called? And Mackinaw. Mackinaw. And he had just never been. So he's like, where's somewhere? It's close, like 2 1/2 hours maybe to get there. So it was fun. We just had Airbnb and we could walk to all kinds of like, distillery memory. Yeah, it was good times. Yeah. And so back to Montana. Did you guys just fly out there or did you do an RV? No, we rented a minivan. OK, I drove because my dad, like I said, when he hunts, he drives the whole way. So it's good because none of us really have to take a turn. But I feel bad.

It was it took two days. Like the first day, I think we did 16 hours. We only stopped to take pics at Devil's Tower and then went to the hotel the next day. I think it was like another 11 hours. Where's Devil's Tower? South Dakota. OK, did you go? Is that where Mount Rushmore is too? Right, but if they're not close. So we did that on the way home on like the I'm on the way home. I think he was just over and ready to get home. He we did it all in like one day. Whoa, yes. And Brian did drive like the last eight hours.

Was Hazel Hazel with? Yes, and she did so well. I was afraid every 10 minutes she was going to be like, are we there? Can I have a snack can? I have a snack and she gets carsick but I don't know it was it worked out. So me, her, and my mom are just like passenger princesses. Yeah, yeah, it's funny. I don't mind driving because then I don't have to do the things with the children as much. I'll put in my Airpods and listen to an audiobook or a podcast. And then I feel like I'm like the driver Princess version and I'm like, I will not help the kids.

It's your job now, honey. And so now we'll kind of argue over who gets to drive. It's like, I'll drive. Oh no, I'll I'd be happy to drive you. Know I had printed all these really cool like like this coloring sheet that had every license plate. You played that game when I was. Kids, I had all these games repaired and she like didn't need them. She was just coloring like OK, one annoying thing is she has an iPad but she doesn't have her own like Apple ID. Yeah. So everything she takes pictures of and saves goes to my phone. Oh my, that would be. She does fake little, you know the YouTube error.

She's like, we're on the way to Devil's tower. Here's like 5 minutes of just rolling mountains on my phone. I can't imagine I, I would have like 100,000 videos on my phone because yeah, Sydney, my oldest, she like we were at the lake and she's like, take a video of me. Let's let's do a YouTube video and she's like, OK, hi, welcome to my channel. And I'm just like, oh. I can subscribe for more. Yes, she's like, mom, what does that mean? And so I'm like trying to explain to her that people like the purpose behind the video, you know, and it's just hard to explain.

You're like, they're just trying to make money. This is their job. And so when you see the cool stuff that you want, yeah, they get paid to show you that. I I try not to totally ruin it, but I also like don't love it. Anyway. Good stuff. That's so cute. I'm sure some, well you can't go through all of them even I'm sure some of them are like amazing. Or there's like a coloring app that she saved like every picture. So I have like 19 Disney princesses. I'm like, cool. You're like, great, good thing my phone. Hopefully your phone has enough storage for that, because yeah.

I think I'd pay like $10 a month. For more, but yeah, you gotta you gotta I. Can't delete it or something like where's that picture of, you know all of a sudden that I want? You're like, oh, let me find that. Hold on, let me distract you with something else because I totally got rid of it. I forget what I threw away recently, but I did not think it was something that my kid was going to want again. And of course it was anyway. So yeah, Montana Glacier is just absolutely incredible. I love it out there. We used to go to Big Sky to ski.

So I've been out there quite a bit and I just. I can see it's getting more and more popular. Yeah, I think Idaho is coming up in the world, too. I had a friend go on like a bear hunting trip out in Idaho. Like, yeah, so cool. I love that area of the country. Well, and there was that snow story and when we were on the way like in. When was this? When did we go like fee with June something? What? Yes. Oh yeah. We were getting like weather alerts and my friends were sending me like, hope this isn't where you're going. I'm like, yeah, it is.

So this. Is not what I bargained for. Yeah, we wanted to go to Logan's Pass, like Road to the Sun or. Something like that. But it was closed because of snow. Wild. Right. But we still got to see plenty of other things, yeah. Yeah. Did you see any cool wildlife while you're out there? Well, obviously with the hunting. I guess, yeah, we saw a few bears like from a distance, which was good. There was like big sheep with like. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Curved antlers, Bison. And apparently like the week after we left there was like a white bison born, which is like a one in 10 million.

Cool thing I didn't. Hear about that? That's wild. You can at least say you were there. I know ish, my dad's like too bad we missed this and like too. Bad, yeah, but we were in the path of totality for the eclipse. Right. Yeah, I don't know, it's like, what are the like once in a lifetime things you get to do? Well, it's nice to be able to travel a little bit and thank goodness Hazel is a good sport about it and pretty good 'cause that, yeah, the the seven-year old would be easy ish. But yeah, the three-year old just kind of is our little anchor at this point.

Or like ball and chain. God bless her, she's the cutest one. So it's fine, but I feel like we'll start to do more as a family, like once she is out of diapers. But she is getting so close. That's the other thing, like we used to, we used to drive all the time when we were little. And I feel like we stopped maybe like twice. My dad, because he drives the whole way, like to Naples. It would be like 18 hours, Yeah. And he we would sleep like wake up, I'm getting gas breakfast, go potty and then we'll do it again for lunch and then not again and haze a little course has to potty like every like hour.

So we saved her like training toilet and we bring it on. Oh, I've seen, I've totally seen people do that. It's brilliant. Sometimes, you know, on the way to like South Dakota. Like it's going to be 30 miles, Yeah. I'm like, oh, let's just pull over and yeah. And if you put a diaper in it, then you don't have any like clean up. It's genius. That's so smart. Thank you. You're welcome. And hopefully, yeah, hopefully that helps somebody listening as well. That's a that is a real pro tip. Wow. OK. I never would have thought of that. That's brilliant. So, OK, so growing up, you grew up around here, ish?

And were your parents active? Like what was did you play sports when you were a kid? Like what was what was that? Like no. So my dad hunts my mom. I would do like, Tae Bo and like, you know, we walked a lot. And when I say I'm not a real runner, I did track for maybe like, one season in middle school. I did like the 800. There you go. Never played. I think my best time was like 248, which now I'm like, you know, I wish I could do that. But yeah, I was more into like, art and I worked a lot, but yeah.

What did you? What were your jobs growing up? Oh my gosh. My first job was at a retirement home because that's where my stepbrother and a few of our friends worked retirement, not nursing. So they were still like, they chose to live there and we worked in the dining room. Like they would get the menu the night before and they would choose like what bread and salad and blah, blah, blah they wanted. We would have assigned tables and as they came, we would just bring them there. Yeah, at like 14. It was funny. It was a funny time. That would be That would be an interesting first job.

For sure. Then I worked at Chuck E Cheese. Oh boy, Friends and then Target, that was my. Oh, I worked, I worked at Target Photo Lab back when you had to film like one hour photo. It was the best job because I could always get my bring my photos from the weekend and get them done right away. And it was like, oh look, I can develop my photos in 5 minutes, you know? It was the Super target on like 100 and. Six, OK, I worked at. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the one I shop at now. The one I worked at is on like 156th and 31 ish area.

Yeah, over there. And it's so different. That whole area is way different now. It's wild to me. And now like where the photo lab used to be is like customer service or something. It's so different. It's it's wild, but yeah, so, yeah. So not really super athletic growing up. So talk about how you ended up getting into running. Yeah. So I think this is common for a lot of people when we got engaged. OK. Oh yeah, wedding. I was like, yes, wedding for the wedding and Tori, who we'll talk about later for her high school graduation, I like had to get a new dress and I was just like devastated.

I'm like, this is the biggest I've ever been. Like I'm getting married. I need to like start doing something. So first I just like counted calories with what's it called, My Fitness Pal and lost a lot. But then I like plateaued. So like, what can I do now? And I was traveling, not traveling, but where I worked it was really far drive time. So I'm like, I don't want to pay for a gym when I'm trying to save for this wedding. I don't want to drive more. What can I do? And I just like got couch to 5K and just picked it up and started doing that.

Would you? Run just like then. Like run and walk outside as you were. Yeah, just in your neighborhood. Which now I like hate Outsider and I got yeah. And then I got a new job. I was working at Interactive Academy and they have an indoor track. So that was amazing. And then made friends with the girl we just went to Michigan with that was my first running partner. And she was just like, do you want to do the mini? I'm like, sure. So literally we just googled like a free plan. We figured out how many weeks were left and just, I don't know, it's convenient that we work together.

So every day after work, we could either do the track if it's cold or just run outside. And then we would do our long runs on Friday after work or on Saturday. And I still wasn't married yet, didn't have kids. So we would always plan it like somewhere on the moon, on around, like beer. Yeah. I think you're like where? Can we finish where we can immediately go get a beer? Like big. Lug all kind of places. Yes, really. And that's how we started my first SO. What year would have been your first indie mini? 16, yes, because it was right. That's when we got married.

OK, yeah, a few weeks before the wedding. Wow. But. And that was your first half marathon? Yeah, but there's a, there's a terrible story with that. Oh well. My advice for new runners, everyone was like, if you can run 10 miles, you can do half. I'm like, no, I think you should do more, maybe even 13 if you can, because we had only, I think we did 11, maybe. I don't know. And I don't know if it was just like race day jitters or what. We also went to Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner the night before, and I had like a zombie dust, you know, when I first started, I didn't know anything about shoes, socks, nutrition, chafing, like any of that stuff.

Literally it was like, let me just buy what shoes are on sale or cute, you know? Yeah. You're not alone there at all. So I wasn't like hydrating up to the rays, definitely not even the night before. Like I had an, you know, like a strong IPA and it wasn't even hot that year. You know, like sometimes the mini's hot. I couldn't even use that really as an excuse. I just like started going down and my friend was like, dude, I can't like run this low. And I was offended because I didn't realize, you know, I'm like, I'm. Not yeah. She's like you're we're like basically walking.

I'm like no or not. And I had a goo like one of the Goo's from the table, which I had never had that before and it was like a coffee flavor. So that was probably also a terrible idea and made it past the track everything. I think at 10 miles she's like, come on, we only have a 5K left. And that's what I'm like no, like I you know, only right, only I'm like no. And then I woke up in an ambulance. Christina. Yes, yeah. I was like, hello, what what's happening? And they were like, you know, they're explaining it to me and like, do you know how far you made it?

And this is how out of it I was. I remember her, you know, saying only a 5K left. I'm like, I don't know, like 9. Hello. Like do the math. Well, yeah. And they're like, no, you, you were almost to 12. I'm like, damn it, why don't you just like, you know, smack me a couple of. Times you put me in a wheelchair, you'll be over there. Yeah, and it's funny because I was working at Saint Vincent at the time, and they're like, OK, we're going to take you, you know, to the hospital. I'm like, oh, Saint Vincent, you know, they're like, no, Eskenazi, because that's what's close.

I'm like, no, too late to make a request. Turn this through. AM. I too late to request. Oh my gosh. And yeah. So what happened? So went to Eskenazi, they basically I think I might have even had to get like EKG all this, you know they are. Just doing precautions. Lots of fluid and I was just like ready to go. I'm like, what's next? Like, well, we need to like get a urine sample. I'm like, well, give me a cup. Like I was ready to go. But also they were asking me questions like what's your social? I would say it and look at Brian. I'm like, is that right?

I was like, so out of it. And I just remember the funniest part where she's like, do you have any other, like, previous medical health issues and like, just a bit chubby? And she's like, oh, oh, honey, we all have that. Yeah, yeah. My husband slowed like soda me for that. Like remember when you're like, just a bit chubby? And like, yeah. Yeah. So then, yeah, I got to go home, but I we had a pull over so I could throw up, like just fluids, like all the way home. It was terrible. I never wanted to run again. I'm like, this is my first experience.

Didn't even make it. So then the Noblesville half was two weeks after that and my friends like let's do that cuz my friend finished without me. Obviously I was like. How did she find out you were in the ambulance that. She, I guess she knew, she said. I just laid down in the grass. And. She didn't stay. No, she did. And they're like, we're gonna have to take her. And so then she called. Nothing I can. Yeah, my husband and was like, well, fiance at the time, Yeah. So I was like, I can either never run again or this is the best shape I've ever been in.

I've already done all this training. There's another half in two weeks, like signed up for it. And in that interim, I was like, we need to do our own 13.1 to make sure I can do it. So on the rail trail in Zionsville, we just like made-up our own. We just got it in 13.1. So you're like, I need to make, yeah. Mentally. Mentally. That I can actually do it. Yeah. So that when it comes time to like being at 10 miles or that same point, right. Yeah. So how'd the half go? And. It was good and my my husband was cracking me up because he was driving to every mile marker.

He's like if you start to go down like this would be way cheaper than an ambulance. I'm like cool, cool, you love me or you? Funny. Care about these bills we're going to get so it's funny because we have all these pictures he would literally like come to every mile like take a picture wave. I'm like, Oh my gosh, he's like, that's just Brian. I know. My number one fan. I don't want to like throw shade, but it was like the sisters of savings that put it on and by the end, like there was no water or cups at the station. They literally had a hose like drink out of this.

But you know, I knew I needed to stay hydrated. So we would like. Drink out. Of those old school summers, like drink out of those. And then it was terrible because the last few miles were like the real park where Brian couldn't like access like this is crunch time. Sorry, can't. Yeah, where I this is where I went down last time, but don't worry. But we finished, so that was good. Wow, yeah, I've done Nobleswell once they don't, it doesn't exist anymore. Oh, really? Yeah. Because his sister just. Maybe, I don't know, I know nothing about that. So. But. But maybe you're honest something like we are, we're drinking out of a hose.

It wasn't working. I think I did it in 2018 because I used it as a training run for a full marathon, which people apparently do because I was like, oh, might as well run most of the run with some company. Get some swag. Yeah. And get some swag. Get a metal out of it. I Yeah, I met two strangers during that race and actually, like, we like ran the whole way together. It was so wild. Anyway, wow, what a crazy, crazy story, Christina. Yeah, good for you for being like, actually two weeks. Yeah. We're doing that. Do it. Right, so is that still before your wedding?

Then? Yes. OK, so Brian was kind of worried. He was like, I need you to make it so they I would. Like to marry you, so survive, right? Yeah. And it's funny because first of all, you know how wedding dress sizes are like so inflated, like in real life, you wear this and then add like 20. So when I got my dress, they suggested a certain size and I was like, no, I want the next size down. And I had to like, sign all this paper, you know, saying like, we suggested this, you want this like you want blah, blah, blah. Because I was like that determined and I fit it.

So I'm like, yeah, counting calories. Can you size this? I'm going to need you to counter sign this to be like I was right so. So yeah. Wow, good. I mean, it was a corset, so I was like, yeah, you're like that maybe, but I made it. If I can't breathe, yeah. So yeah, made it to the wedding and. Yeah, Now eight years under your belt, right. So how many? So after that experience and you did it, you're like, you did a half marathon then how was your relationship with running after that? Did it take you a while to like, think about doing anything ever again, or were you like, oh, I kind of like this now that I did it?

I didn't really have any desire to do more halves because I'm like, you know, bucket list. So we still ran. But then when I got pregnant, I had gestational hypertension like so bad. And of course I use that as an excuse. I'm like, oh, can't run. I was just like sleeping all the time. And then when I had Hazel and I was nursing, I felt, I tried to run, but I felt like my supply like went down. OK, Yeah. So I took a while off, but then and I stayed home with her for almost four years. So I think I got back into it more as like a social, like I found like a mom's running group.

Yeah. And then through that I found Brownsburg Running Club. But just like once a week meeting with them, getting back into running and we would like go have dinner after. It was like good for my mental health. Yeah, Oh my gosh. Especially as a mom. Yeah. Yeah. So, OK, I'm sorry, Brownsburg. I didn't know that there was a Brownsburg running club. Yeah, yeah, I didn't know that. So I felt, I feel bad because I saw that you were part of the running club. I'm like, well, of course there is. My friend needs to be a part of it. He was episode 6. Alex Baker. He's amazing.

You should meet him. He lives, but he lives. I don't know what how big Brownsburg is, but he lives far. Brownsburg. I don't know if you live far like it's probably far from. Well, I'm directionally challenged, but I think we're I'm on the North End because we're like close to Whitestown. OK. So that's nice because you're closer to like you're close to Zionsville, Brownsburg. I feel like there's Brownsburg that's like basically Zionsville, and then there's Brownsburg that's like. Really far away, basically Avon, basically Claremont, Indy, like Danville playing field. Yeah, but there's also the first group. The way I remember it is bad. It was like Brownsburg, Avon, Danville.

OK, moms. OK, bad. Yeah, Bad moms. Right, And then it was just a safe place because it's all, you know, moms and women and you could put on there like what days, times, what pace, you know, looking for a partner. And so I've found a lot of good friends through that. And I don't know how well I was going to get Turbine next to the flying pig. Oh yeah. That's the only other half I've done. OK, which accounts for like 10 halves. Right. Because I'm like coming out of retirement choosing like the hilliest, you know, and Cincy. And it was like torrential downpour. Yeah. Yeah, they should have delayed it for sure.

Canceled it. I don't know, but it was already raining and lightning when we started. Yeah, I hate like having my feet wet. I'm sure most runners. Yeah, I don't. Enjoy that it was like. Yeah, I've seen videos, yes. Yeah. And by the time they were like, oh, take shelter, we were already like on the bridge, like can't take shelter. Cool. So we just did it. But then so I was really proud. But also, I feel like it kind of took a lot of pressure off because I'm like, you know, I'm obviously not going to PR, right? I don't need to worry about running fast. It's in a monsoon, yeah.

And the crowd was just like, amazing. They're giving us like, candy shots. Like there's like an Elvis impersonator. Like it was the crowd, really. Helped. Because I feel like for the many, like the first half was like, yeah, a bunch of like, bands this and that. But after the track, I feel like it kind of, you know, died down, as did I in the grass. But with Flying Pig, I'm like, you know. I've heard that about Flying Pig. I need to do that. I some people will do the Mini and then go to Cincinnati, do the Flying Pig. Yes, some of my friends did that, Mike, Which is.

Yeah, I have not done that. I, I think it'd be fun just to be able to do Flying Pig because I've always wanted to experience that race. But yeah, I, I had, there were a couple other previous podcast guests and friends of mine who did the 2022 Flying Pig. Yeah, I want to get one of those shirts that says like swimming pig or like, you know, they. Have drowning pig like. So many things. Yeah, yeah. And they have another one in Cincy like Queen bee or. Something. Oh, I don't know that one. Yeah. Interesting. So what? What made you do the flying pig in 22?

Just friends. Yeah, I think the wrong girlfriends wanted a lot of my friends go to connection point and there's like a. Is that a what's that? It's a church. OK, so I was going to guess. Yeah, and they have like a 5K training group and they also have like half. So they were all just doing the half. And I'm like, well, I don't want to. I have like trauma from that. Maybe one day I might try again. But I mean. Good Lord, Christina, trauma from from half marathons. You ended up in an ambulance, your first one. Thank God Noblesville went fine right and then and then you have a monsoon that hasn't treated you right.

You need to like go to Disney and do a Princess or go to Vegas. The Vegas half is a blast, like something just to make up for all of the what you've experienced so far. So I'm like, well, I don't really want to do that, but you know, we have family in Cincy. We love the Reds. So I think that's why Flying Pig was always on my like radar. So I'm like if anyone wants to, you know, you get with the group that does, we were doing intervals, you know, I'm like you get with your friends that you know how it's going to go. So do you do like the gallop method that's like the walk, run or OK, Yeah.

So like if anyone will sign up with me? And they all did. So I think that's just how I decided to do it. How? Did that feel like crossing the finish line after being a mom? Like for me, I just remember feeling like, oh, I can still do this. Right. It was awesome because there was a bridge by the finish line where Brian, my brother and sister-in-law, and Hazel were up there and I could like hear like, oh, Mama, they're you know, and they took there's pictures of me like waving to her. And yeah, that was that was good. But this little girl, she she has the funniest attitude.

The trophies were not the trophies. The medals were kind of like rose gold colored. And she's like, good job. Even though you didn't get gold. I'm like cool, Hazel, cool. That is such a perfect. Story about. How kids react to your your race? Did you win or they or they think you or they think you won? Either that or. Right. Like all the medals I have, she's like, so you won all these? I'm like, no honey, these are like participation. Yeah, but you're like, Oh yeah, kind of. I did win it for doing it. Did you finish? You get one you. Get one. Yeah, I it's, they have those buckets now sometimes at races.

I think the only place I've really remembered seeing them is at the Carmel Half Marathon, but they have these buckets where you can donate your metal. And I'm like, I put my blood sweat and my tears into this metal and I hang my medals on my wall. And so I'm like, no way in heck am I donating it. But some people don't care about their medals at all. And then what do they do with them, the donated ones? I don't know actually, that's a great question. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know. Wow. Now I really want to know. Yeah, let's. I'm going to Google that.

Don't let me. I'll forget, but I want to know now. Do they melt them down? And I don't know. I don't know what they do. So there's certain metals that Hazel like has her eye on. Like every year I try to do running of the Bulldogs 5K because it raises money for vans. OK, there's that and stuff at Butler. No bronzer. Bronzer. OK, OK. And. Are they the Bulldogs at the high school? OK. And it's purple, you know, they're purple, which is her favorite color. So it's like purple tie dye. And so all of those, she's always like, oh, can I have this? Or ones that like spin or like glittery.

She's like, can I have? I'm just like, what are you going to do with it? Now you can look at it. Yeah, you can see it on my display, right. So, yeah, that's funny. My my daughter Sydney, I made her a little medals holder because we she did the monumental mile. So I'm on the board for monumental. So we have that event and there's a community mile where you can do it with your kids. And so this year was the first year they actually had medals for that. But she's done other like, fun runs or we did like a virtual run during COVID as a family.

And so I'm like, oh, I should. And she gets random ones at like, camp or, or steals interactive Academy ones from her friends. And so I was like, I should make her a little metal display. So she has one. But yeah, she tries to be like, oh, mom, like, this one's a butterfly. Can I have this one? And I'm like when you run that race. Is it the she power dragon? No, but those are cool and I never got to do that half marathon, which I'm bummed now because they don't have the half anymore, but there are. It's actually the Indiana Women's Half, which is now the Indiana Women's Running Festival, OK, which is in August.

I think I did that 5K one. So you get a rose, yes. Yes, exactly. And they used to have, like, mimosas at the finish. Yeah. Now it's up in Carmel instead of downtown. But there were a few years where that race was a monsoon. Yeah. Funny story, I probably shouldn't say this but I think I like bought my friend's injury from her. And. We didn't do like the official like switching and all that. So they're like, oh, you won for your age group. I'm like, no, I didn't see the only time I've ever won for an age group, it was like a coffee cup. I'm like, this is hilarious.

That is so like, how old are you? And I'm like looking at 80. 4 Whatever. How am I supposed to be? Yeah, and. They're like, oh, you look good for whatever it is. I'm like, yeah, thanks. Give me the bug. I'm leaving. Don't, don't look me in the eye. Don't publish this anywhere. That's really funny. I got one out of like my, maybe it was my first. It was like at a volunteer event and I won it as part of a raffle, like one of the mugs that nobody picked. It was like age group award and it was like I didn't win it at all.

I have since actually started doing well in my age group. So now I'm actually like, OK, I've got to figure out what to do with the stuff that I get, but it's not a lot. Don't worry. But it's fun. That's really funny. You're like, yeah, hopefully, you know, hopefully no one outs you for that. And I gave her the cup because. Oh, there you go. You won this because I did this for you. You're welcome. You're welcome. So, Oh my gosh, that's and that's wild. It's funny. I still can't believe your story. I didn't was not expecting that. So what other kinds of races do you do these days?

Like are you still doing like some five KS, 10 KS? Are you? Yes, if I if it's for like a good cause or if I just like the swag or like if it's a challenge. One of a fun one we did was at Holiday Park. It was a trail. Yeah, I did that one this year. And then the first time, I don't remember what year it was, but I had a really cute, like retro, vintagey like rabbit. Yeah, their logo is really cool. And that was harder than I thought. Yeah. Yeah, I, yeah, I ran, yeah, like I tried to run it fast and I was actually a little hungover and which I am not usually these days, but I was, and it was horrible.

I was like, I'm going to die so. I wasn't sure if I was going to tell this story or not, but when you were like, think of some of your, you know, race stories. So we had gone to 8 seconds saloon and I think that's the only time I've ever been and it was like a literal blast. I just remember I had to call my husband and come pick me up because I had driven there myself and I was like sleeping in my car until he came to get me. I had, it was in Carmel. It was called 4 Miller like it was, but it was like on a golf course.

So four like FORE 4 Miller. It was in the winter and it was like early in the morning. I don't know how, like I couldn't even get myself home yet somehow I got up on time, made it out there. I was probably still drunk. And I did like, really well for four months. I think I PR for like four months. I'm like, oh, maybe I need to try this one and like, just run just in the snow on a golf course. Yeah. I even won. Like, I think it was like Endurance House. Is that what it's called Endure? It's in Downsville by like Rob's Burgers.

I know exactly, I've only been in there actually. Won a gift card. Oh, I'm like, this is nice so. Great. All right, thanks for or 8 seconds to lose. That was a funny race story. That's. Pretty good, yeah. What else you got? You got. This Dino right? I'm trying to think another memorable one was is it Dino Dino? I don't know, do Indy yeah, off road or whatever. It was a 15K at Eagle Creek and it was raining, of course, so and it's just the same. It's a loop. So there's a 5KA10KA15 so by the 3rd lap of that same one like people were losing their shoes like.

Getting stuck. In the mud. Yeah. Like, that was a fun one. And that's when I was still in, like, good shape. And there's a picture of me and my friend, like, you know, yeah, that's like my. I literally printed that picture as like goals, like it's above the peloton. Like, yeah, get back to this. But you're a Peloton person. Yeah. Oh, I love my Peloton. Well, my husband, he used to do like all the sports before I met him, and now he doesn't. But he has like, bad knees, like he's had surgery on both of them. So he bought the Peloton. Like, biking will be good, but I use it.

Yeah. You know it's a good. Cross track, I love it yeah in fact, that's what's on my calendar to do today is a 30 minute low impact, which I look forward to my low impact rides because it's just so nice I. Just thought I feel like when they say low impact it's. Depends on the instructor. I've learned like two days low impact or they're not they're not easy, but I think feel most of Sam Yo's are like real nice, OK. I don't know. It's my favorite Cody. Love Cody. Obviously, if you want to have a good time, if I want to die, it's Alex. I don't think I've ever finished one of his.

Like actually doing what he says. I've always had to modify. Yeah, there's. Well, I feel like, gosh, who else? Like Allie Love and Kendall, like some of the stuff they call you're like, what? Yeah. I stopped taking Olivia's rides because they're just, I'm like, that's too much for. Me, but I also just like the app yeah like not just the rides but like the stretching the. I'm a bad stretcher, but yeah, I like the strength. I do Strength, yes. Yeah, and even the because I do treadmill a lot and it gets boring, so I'll do Olivia has some good ones. Oh, Matt Wilber's I'm like they have good treadmill wants to make it more fun.

But yeah, so yeah. Yeah, you said earlier you don't like running outside. Why? I love my treadmill. Like, I absolutely love my treadmill, which a lot of people hate treadmill running. Yeah, it's funny. I'll watch Netflix, I'll do class. Yeah, I love it. But what makes you not like the? Outside just like change. I used to love outside with friends, and I think because I've been injured, though, I had to take a big break, which I did not like. And now getting back into it, it's hard. I'm old, I'm overweight, like I'm injured. It's really hard to get back into it. Yeah, and not a lot of people.

I have certain things on my plans that not a lot of people want to do the same thing as me or can do the same thing as me. So I've just had to do a lot of treadmill and like you said, I can watch something go at my own like pace. I can stop and stretch if I need to, you know, versus you're 2 miles from home and you're like, shoot, I gotta, you know, I'm out of water. This I know, Yeah, it is nice to be able to know that like, hey, if this doesn't work out or yeah, if I've got to go to the bathroom or just grab some more something.

Right. Yeah, and then the treadmill has all these pockets like I have the towel cuz I like the sweater, you know? Yep. Oh yeah, I go through. I have like 10 towels. It's just I would never think that I because I started it as a social type event, you know, and I like loved that time and now I just would never, if you would have told me like you're going to like the treadmill by yourself, I'd be like, no, no, that's it. You know what to expect. You're inside, you're like. Elements like Yeah. I have to do this for an hour if I need a mentally break it down into 15 minute chunks.

Like I think it's just more mental. For you. Yeah, 100%. So. So now we got to get into talking about your next race that's coming up, which means we have to talk all about Tori. So this is how This is why Becky thought to introduce us or introduce me to your mom, to Anne. And she's like, well, I was like, well, I got to have her on. And she's like, well, to Anne doesn't really run, but her daughter does. And I'm like, OK, well, I got to got to meet her, got to learn all about Tori. And what you're doing in her honor is so cool.

So I don't even know where. Where do you start? I know it's. Going to be it'll be hard and I appreciate that you're willing to do this. But quick story about my mom. It's funny because she's like the tiniest thing. She's like 5 foot like 100 lbs and she does strength training. She's like at the gym every day. She broke her collarbone last year, two years ago, because my dad has horses and she was trying to get one in the stall for him and he, like, pinned her, broke her collarbone. So she's like, I'm not going to be able to lift. Like, she was devastated.

But when we were in Montana, we were like barely on the trail and she's like, cardio's hard. I'm like cracking up, you know, 'cause she's so strong. And here I am like, Oh no, you know, whatever. And it's funny because Hazel and my dad were like at the top. And I heard this little brat saying to him, like Papa, I think we're the only ones that could survive out here. And like, girl, I'm like, hey, I'm just trying to check on your dad and your grandma back here. But I see. I like it. Oh, that's so. But yeah, yeah. Okay, so Tori, I have two siblings from my stepdad now that you know, the cook hook thing, but we all live together and he raised me.

So I call him my dad and I call them my siblings. But there's a big age gap. Like, Tori was 11 years younger than me. OK Yeah. So she's a gap with my little sister. And I, like, helped raise her. So it's kind of weird because it's kind of like a motherly situation too, you know? I helped take care of her. And were you siblings from like, her being born? Yes. Yeah, you can cry too. I don't care. Yeah. Try not to. I'm gonna try also not to. Cry. So, yeah, she was my little sister, best friend. And I know it's cliche when people are like, soul mate, you know, soul mate that is not like someone you're like, yeah, a loving relationship.

But she was just like, a mini me, 11 years younger, and we're just best friends. And she's actually one of Hazel's favorite people. Like, there was a point in time where Hazel preferred her over, like, me and Brian. Like, we have this. This is a really good first birthday gift. If you ever need an idea, someone gave us, like, this little photo album, but it was, like, velvety and plastic for, you know, babies. Yeah. So we put all our family members in there and it helped her like. Learn who's Who recognize their faces and learn their names, like, so quickly. So I have a video of it.

It's hilarious. Hazel's, like, looking through it. She's like Mama. She passes like Dada. Then she's like Toto. And she, like, lights up and she's, like, kissing it. I'm like, you're so rude. Like, literally Mama, right? I birthed you. It's fine. Yeah. So that just shows like, how much she likes, like, loved her. She's skipping me and Brian to get to toe, toe and she's like, hugging it and kissing it and like, that's just her favorite person. Yeah. So. And she, I'm trying to think, I think she was in grad school, maybe so. Was she here like in the indie area? Yeah, so she went to Purdue.

OK, Boo. Right, OK, our house was truly so divided. My mom went to Butler or my dad went to Ball State. Oh wow. I went to IU, Tori went to Purdue, and my brother Sam went to University of Cincinnati. OK, so I'm like. So you're like, he's like the out the, the black sheep being in Ohio, Yeah. Right. But so she went to Purdue, and then she went to grad school at Indiana State. What did she study at Purdue? Like why did she go to Purdue? Over like pre farm, I think she wanted to do like but then she switched to PT, which would have been helpful for me, you know, with all my running injury.

But but she would come home like every weekend, you know, especially after Hazel like that was her baby too. So she would come home a lot and stay with us and her dog, which is now our dog Tokyo. She's the Boston like she would bring her home and she was just kind of like another daughter on us. Like and wait, you said she got her masters too. What was her masters in physical therapy? OK, so she OK. So. And how did Tokyo get Wait, did you say heard? Like is it a boy or girl dog? It's a girl that someone always thinks it's a boy.

And yeah, and I don't know where she came up with the name. So when people are like Tokyo, I'm like, we inherited her. Like I just say it. Yeah, that's it was just her. Name. I know she's sweet. Yeah, I don't know. You'd be like, we went to Tokyo and found her, brought her back. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, I. Really don't know where she came up with that. And she and Tori was super artsy too, right? I actually brought. You you did. Well, she didn't make this technically, but she. Oh, I've heard I read about. This somewhere these like they were pins like enamel pins because those were in at the time and it was called hey HAY like how are you I?

Love that so much. You could make it, you know, a :) or a frowny face, like, how are you? So I just put mine sideways because, you know. Most of the time it's like. Right. It depends on the day. So she created those and she sold them and she donated all her profits to the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation because they use 100% of donations for research. And it's for like all, all mental disorders, like anything you can think of. They have a whole list but it's like even Alzheimer's and addictions depression. Everything related to the brain, which seems like, yeah, it's got to be a lot.

So. That's how did she start? How did she like know to had she always struggled with mental health since she was like little and was like, hey, I'm going to do this and give money to this organization or how did she even like. Know, I'm not even exactly sure because you know those beans, it's like Robin Williams and it's like, this is what depression looks like and you don't know. I mean, she was really never even diagnosed so I don't even know if it was depression, but. And from the outside, you wouldn't know because she's just so like, friendly, happy, bubbly, you know, I don't know unless she truly knew her.

So I don't know where her desire for that like came from. But I think just she's always wanted to help people, which is why she went into like PT. Yeah, I'm not sure, but. That's so interesting. Yeah. I can't wait to show people this. Okay, so she had only made a select amount of them, but for our race last year we got the stickers made yes, to pass out, you know. So one of my good friends that I met from running, she for her job is a graphic designer. Okay, so you know running just has all these connections. So we asked her to design the logo and then I'm like, well, Tori made these as pins and we don't really, you know, have the file or anything.

Could you recreate it for stickers? So she helped us. Yeah, that's really cool. So what? OK, back up, I guess. No, you're good. I'm just like, the point here, too, is to make sure everybody knows how to best support you and your family and honor Tori. So you said that's such a good example, the Robin Williams thing. Because yeah, you're like, had no idea. So I guess I should tell like what happened. Tell the story. I know it's hard. Yeah. So and we had just seen her I think at Thanksgiving and Christmas that year because she had moved to Arizona with a partner, which I think it was kind of a toxic relationship.

So that might have also. LED into some. Of the Yeah, but so they were in Arizona, which was terrible for me and Hazel because, you know, that was our bestie. But we would FaceTime like everyday all the time. What made what made the move out to Arizona? I don't. Know well she was like really into like nature traveling hiking like looking for mushrooms like all kind of stuff so I think it was just she never really loved Indiana you know she wanted. To do something. She's opposite of me, Yeah. And she's like, oh, it's a nice like dry heat out there. It's just funny because Tokyo like she did not like the sand.

So they had to get her these little like croc type. Things get out of town. Yes, or they would find, like, fake, like, turf. Yeah. That's the only place she would go to the bathroom. It's like, oh, my God. So Tokyo was not a fan. And she developed, like, allergies out there, too. It's terrible. So yeah, we were lucky that she got to come home both for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Like spent a lot of time together. And you say partner? Was she gay? Yeah. OK. Yeah, so. And you didn't like her partner? I mean, I did at the beginning, but then it was just kind of, I mean, they're both at fault.

I can't just blame the one person, but it was just like a toxic and she had just she had Pori had passed her boards and she had to take some like separate only in Arizona. There's some like separate law portion of the PT. So yeah, she was out there like she was licensed. She was like looking for APT job. You know, other than her being away and us being sad about that, like things, not everything was like, yeah, going well. So nothing literally up to this point, there's absolutely not an inkling for you to feel like, hey, like, are you OK? Like, is something wrong?

But she had, did she make the pins at that? Like she had made the pins. I think that was still when she was in school like. Yeah, OK. Just like earlier on, yeah. That's so interesting. I know. And then they were there was a break and I think that's when things kind of started to go down and, you know, but we're like across the country and like, why don't you just like come home for a little bit? We were trying to get her to just, like, come visit. Then I got, like a very traumatizing call from her saying, like, I love you and goodbye, basically.

Yeah. And there's a time difference in Arizona, so it was like, only eight or nine there, but it was like 11 or, like, midnight here, like on a Saturday night. I was like, freaking out across the country, Like, what can I do? I can't, like, call 911, you know? So I'm like, trying to help as best I can from across the country, but yeah. So were you able to stay on the phone or was it a voicemail or were you? Live on the phone she like hung up well, I think I was like putting Hazel to bed at the time and I didn't have my phone like.

On you. Yeah. And I had had missed calls, but then she tried to call Brian and then you're like, and that's when he like interrupted, you know, story time or whatever and was like, and I think your sister trying to get ahold of you and now she's calling me. So you should probably like see what's up. So luckily he did that because I did get to talk to her like one last time, but it's just very traumatizing. What did she say? Did she say like, hey, I'm. Like, no, she literally just said like, I just want to say like, I love you and goodbye. I'm like, what are you talking about?

Like, calm down. Let's talk. Like, you know, I'm like, what about Toki? Because Tokyo is out there. And she's like, oh, well, like, I know you'll take good care of her. And I'm like, what? No, Like, yeah, freaking out. It was very. Did she mention like did she Hazel like she's because. God, no, she did not. I know. Because you're like, what about Toki? What about yeah? What about I know I don't want to be like I know fish like what about me? What about? What? About what? About mom? Yeah. Yeah, I think she only called me and my mom. Did your mom talk to her as well or was your mom asleep?

Because I feel like that's kind of late. I know. Yeah, I'm not. Sure. Yeah. Yeah, well, it's probably not something you try to think about. So yeah. And so then what is the next call you get? Or how does? So I. Find out what happened. The local police and they were not helpful at all, very terrible, which I also I actually got like a text survey from them like. Get out of here. Yeah, like where blah, blah, blah to like rate them and yeah. And I was like, would you like to be contacted? I'm like, absolutely. I gave my phone number, my e-mail address, like my mailing address, you know, like call me.

And I've never heard from them. So I'm sure they, yeah, they were just very unhelpful. Like, oh, well, we'll just like add you to the queue. I'm like. No, like I need you to go to. Her address I'm like, I need you to do like a welfare check or you know something. And then they were like, well, I can connect you to some like hotline or support and they I mean, I guess they were more helpful, but still it was like like, well, does she have any weapons? And I'm like, no, but anything can become a weapon in a home if you. Yeah, like this.

Really need it to be. Like just go there, right? Can somebody just go there? And they're like, well, what if we can like, get her on a three-way call with you? I'm like, no, I've already spoken to her. She like, hung up, you know, like this is wasting time. Yeah, it was. And what about her partner? Did you call her partner? Yes, not that helpful. And then I was really upset because I'm just, you know, I'm from Indiana. I'm just used to what I know, which is like they were in an apartment. It's like, why can't you just like go to the door, like break it down if you need to.

But we ended up having to go to Arizona to, you know, collect her things. And it was like, it wasn't like the best area of town. And it was a really secure, like you had to have a badge to get in. And then it was like double doors. You had to have like a different thing to get in and then to get on the elevator, like you needed lots of things. So I mean, not saying it made me feel better, but at least my rage was. Yeah, you're like picturing. Right. How easy can you get to Yeah, her partner gave us like the maintenance like the on site maintenance person and.

So why? Well, no. OK, like why would her partner just. Well, she, yeah, wasn't there. She was staying. There, I guess, and my husband's like, you can't just like call or text the maintenance guy and be like go check out this apartment. You know, he's like, I know he was like the rational one and I'm the rational one. He's, like, trying to, like, talk me now and explain, like, if he just got a random call from someone out of town, like, can you go unlock this door? Like, yeah, would he? He's not gonna be able to do that. Like, true. But you know. Yeah. Yeah, so it was.

So then how did you know that she had passed away? I think my dad got a call from the paramedics. And then so like, did the police finally go there? Like, how did you know, 'cause you hear stories about people who, like have passed away and they're like in their home for a while before anyone even knows, right? So like, how do you get somebody to like finally go and verify? Yeah, I think they find they did 'cause I was, I don't know if I'm like trying to repress these memories, but I somehow, like, there was a female cop that was like messaging me, asking me questions too.

Like, what does her vehicle look like? You know, like she was there, I think. But then again, she couldn't necessarily get in like I'm saying. So I think, yeah, she was there. And then they must have gone in somehow, which I also like if it's only like 8:00 on a Saturday night, I would think that other residents would be like coming and going like loving in. I'm law enforcement. You know, there's a lot of you have the like what? It's hard not to go there, right? Impossible not to go there. Yeah. So yeah, they did try to revive her, but were unsuccessful and called. I guess they must have gotten my dad's phone number from somewhere.

I don't know. Yeah. It's. Crazy, I know. So how much time till you're like literally sitting on a plane to Arizona? Did it take some time? Because at that point, obviously there's nothing you can do but. No, my brother drove here from Cincy. My parents drove right away because I told you, my dad. He's driving on the. Road and he has like a big Ford truck which he needed for all her things so they started driving my brother came here and we flew together and then my mom me and my mom in Tokyo flew back and my brother rode home with my dad yes and then we had to try to that was the literally the only that was the first time I had ever been away from Hazel like overnight or out of town I know that sounds ridiculous because.

That's that. Jeez, you do what you do. Yeah, No, that's not. Ridiculous. People, you do whatever you want. And then she's like, oh, Toki's here. And she's like, but where's Toto? So yeah, that's been. That's. Another hard. That I don't know why, but hearing your story and then like learning more about you, it's just so heartbreaking because I know how much my kids, you know, when they love somebody in their life and and we talk a lot, a lot sounds weird, but like about death because they don't understand and so they just ask so many questions, you know, and. And obviously she's, we feel too young to know all the details.

So she's like, that's hard on the the terrible part. Was she Hazel was sick around Christmas time? I don't think she had COVID, but I think she just thinks she had COVID. And so she's like, did she get COVID from me? I'm like, Oh my God, no. You know, we're like trying to just like rationalize things for them. And but I'm a teacher. My background is in early childhood education, so I did, like, a lot of research and how to talk about it, got some, like, books and stuff. And we ended up, for now, just telling her like, she had an illness in her brain.

But that, of course, opens more questions like, well, how did she get that? Yeah. Am I going to get that? You know, it's just hard. But we have her, like, pictures up. We have, like a little table where we'll put things for her. Like she liked mushrooms. So in Montana, they have these little glass mushrooms that were like, so cute. And we got an orange one, which was her favorite color. And we like, put it, you know, put it there. Like, we'll put like, candies there, you know? And she'll like, talk to her and God, yeah. Or she's like, I was afraid that she would not remember her because she was so young, you know?

But luckily it's been like she talks about her like every day still. Yeah, yeah. It's like it sounds, this sounds bad, but like part of you doesn't want her to have that pain of having that memory, but the other part of you is like, no, I don't want my sister's memory, right. Not to be there. Yeah, So she'll be like, oh, look at him, that orange car. I think Aunt Toto would like that. Or, you know, or when she, like, sees butterflies, she's like, oh, it's yeah, she's sending me a message. She's like, one day I saw five butterflies. So she was thinking about me five times.

I'm like, you know, now I'm going to cry. I know. Yeah, that's really sweet. So, I mean, we didn't want to lie, so we went with the brain illness idea. So I figure out she gets older. We can, you know, build. Help her understand what that means. It's it's such, well, it's so prevalent challenges with mental health. So it's in some ways that's a blessing that she'll be able to understand that as she grows up and gets old enough. You know, you think, OK, well, good. Maybe she'll that'll help her take care of herself. I don't know. Have you, have you gone to therapy to like?

I have. It wasn't like, I wouldn't say that great or that helpful or great, but and I'm trying to read it's like a lot. So I only read it like a little bit of at a time. The body keeps the score. Have you heard of that book about how literally you story like stress and trauma like in your hips and you're, you know, in your because I was having like a lot of pain and issues that might not just be running related. I guess so. I mean. I'm trying to do what I can, but and then our church had like a really good grief group that we went to.

My mom still goes to it, but it's kind of like a set of sessions that they like talk about the same thing. So she continues going. But I'm like. Yeah, I've done. That no shade, I don't want to like, you know, what you meet. The point is kind of like you're there for the new people that come in, but it's kind of hard to like talk about the same thing over and over, you know? Yeah. And if that's helpful, great. But if it's not, that's OK. Yeah, everybody has to do it their own way. And just so I don't think we ever mentioned the time frame of this.

Yeah. When did she pass away? What year is it, 2021? It was January. OK. So yeah, because our first race was last year, yeah, it was 2021, so it took us a while. It's there's a lot of work involved to get an event. Right. To plan an event going. So what was the idea behind like? How did you come up with the idea of having that? Yes. I. Know. It's funny you say that 5K people would be like Alley. Don't you know the name of her race? Like, oh, how'd you do? That I know the name was. Like I like. It a lot. It was a lot to come up with, but then when we came up with him, I like perfect.

Yeah, it's like Kochi, but it's Kochi too tell. People what it stands. For OK, that stands for Tori's Hike for Another Tomorrow. I love it because she did not run, but she loved outdoors and hiking. And so. And like I've told you, I didn't think I was a runner. So like, this is just a no pressure. You can walk, run, hike, you know, if you want to run. Sure. Yeah. So we do like a paved option and like an off road trail type, you know, as much as you can in Indiana for that. For her. Yeah. Just kind of trying to encompass everything like her love of outdoors, her like passion for the brain and Behavior Research Foundation, trying to raise awareness, honor her, you know, just trying to encompass like all these things, like what can we do?

So it's like not in vain, like we need a something if we can help even like one other family, you know, because a lot of people have like come to me on the side and like, you know, you wouldn't know this, but last year I had this and this going on or like, you know, so it's out there more. And people I feel like have been too afraid or like ashamed, embarrassed or like stigmatized to talk about it. And I don't want that to happen to anyone else like. Yeah, I don't know if my well, hopefully my dad listens to this at some point, but he we did the Vegas half marathon this year together and after that he was supposed to go to Montana to ski with one of his best friends that he met in Montana.

And he didn't get to do that. His friend committed suicide and it blind my dad. I remember my dad or my mom might have told me first and then I called my dad and my dad had like you zero absolutely no idea at all that his friend had been suffering and couldn't and still probably to this day like you doesn't just can't understand and I just I know that my dad is is probably very much so still hurting from that. They didn't have a funeral and so that was really hard. So he had he just literally that was it never saw his friend again. And and there's history of it in my like more extended family.

One of my first guests on this podcast lost her father to suicide. And you know, I just it's and people are hurting. Yeah, obviously more so than they let on. Which again, back to the enamel pins that toy created. It's like if only there was a way to literally put it on there. Which. Like when you ask people like, oh, how are you? You're just like good, how are you? You know, it's just like automatic. But I think that was kind of the point of her pin, like actually asking like, no, how are you? And like have the have someone that you can have those like difficult times with.

Which is even that much more infuriating for you to be like, well, where was right? Where was your pin? Right. And I'm not saying I don't want to say I didn't have any idea, but like, she was young, you know? And how old was she? 20 OK how old am I? I know, sorry. No, you're fine. I think she was born in 97. Yeah, so young 20s. And so when people like, have breakups or the, you know, or like moving, there's lots of transitions. Like you graduated college, you have a breakup, you're having these transitions. And, you know, they might not tell you, like, how deep the things, right?

Or you might just be like, oh, everyone goes through that, you know, like, yeah. You're thinking, Oh yeah, I had hard times. Right, like. For sure, yeah. So just don't brush it off I guess or like dig deeper, maybe have the hard talks. I don't really. Know yeah, yeah. So the race, so that 5K yeah is on August 10th, Yes, and it's in Brownsburg. No, it's in Avon at Washington Township Park. So last year, the first year we had it like at the Nat, I think there's like a patio at the Natatorium. OK, That's where it started. So the trail was kind of like around White River.

You know, I'm directionally challenged. It was over there, right? Yeah, which was really nice facility and really good. But we're trying to keep it more like local, close to home and there's like a splash pad. So like kids, you know, and like, last year we didn't have people bring dogs, but I feel like this is, you know, a public park. So if you want to bring your kids, your dog, hang out a while, you know, and just just kind of switch it up, like have a different trails and stuff. Yeah. So for anybody listening, I will put a link to the event in the show notes for this episode for sure.

I'll share it on social. Thank you super easythat5k.com. Yeah. And and that, that 5K, literally, you don't even have to remember a name. It's just that it's that 5K that you want to go do and there's also a virtual option which I immediately signed up for because I'm not sure whether or not I can join in person, but I don't know, maybe I. Won't, which we knew like this year, the first year, you know, you go hard everyone. It's like a strong outpouring. We had a lot of out of town family come literally from like California, MD, like everywhere. So we knew that the second year probably wouldn't be like as big like last year.

It's so funny how like humble you are. I'm like, for the goal, let's try to raise 5K. Like, you know, and I thought that was like a huge goal. But last year we raised close to 12,000. Wow, that's incredible. And so we donated that to them. We had a few like dying to donate last year that we were able to send them more money. And we had like almost 200 participants last year. That's great. So this year we finally broke 100. I was going to say. It looks like you were really close. Yeah, and we're over 5K again, so that's good. But one of the race directors that like we're working with was like, well, last year same kind of thing.

You had less than 100 at this time, and by the race you had almost 200. So like, don't worry people. Wait, you know, and I sent out one of those emails that to like past participants. Oh, Yep. So I think that's helped just get a few more people. And yeah, and this podcast better help you get more people if you're listening. At least one. Yeah, at least one. Becky's trainer in California, virtual. Virtual. Come on Nicole, I don't know if she listens, but I'll just message it to her to ask her to share it. But also like the shirt, you know, I'm all about the swag.

There's not a metal, but the shirt are super cool. They we do like the soft ones, but you're not going like cheap this last last year's, but this year it's going to be like like a light Heather blue and the logo is going to be like pocket sized. Oh yeah, and then on the back, the big one. No, on the back it's going to be like the Arch with the donors or the sponsors under it. So and then for the sticker, my mom wanted to do the same thing. But I'm like, if people keep coming and we need to like switch it up. So we're doing like the logo.

Yeah, yeah, that's fine. Oh and also this year I got my friend at Energy spot. He's going to come like, have drinks. Oh good. Like the protein shakes or drinks you know afterwards. So. I love it. That'll be fun. Yeah. Oh, that's so amazing. Yeah, it's hard though. I'm like this second year has been hard. I'm like, how are we going to keep this up every year? Because we already put annual, so you know, committed. We got to do that. Doing it. Yeah, yeah. You would think, I thought after the first year I'm like, oh, second year will be a breeze. We'll have the same, you know, like, yeah, OK.

But yeah, wash, rinse, repeat. But it's not. You got to still reach out to the sponsor the same. Sponsor years and yeah, good for you. Starting an event can not be easy. I've never done it. It's hard, yeah. There's a lot that goes into events just in general, so good for you guys. And one of my good friends that I met from running, she did Flying Pig with me and she was coaching me for a while. She also does photography. So last year she did all the pics. They're amazing. You know that's. A lot of. Races now don't do pictures. Yeah, so few pictures. Yes, that's always.

A good time. Yeah. During the first year, during the run and the event, do you believe in science? Do you like, do you think about that? Was there any? Well, I didn't, I had to do my run like later because I was like working it and like, you know, talking to people. It's just like amazing people that showed up, you know. And but yeah, it again with the rain, like I don't know what's up with the rain, but the morning of it's like pouring, you know, and we had to get there even earlier, like 6:00 AM or whatever. So a lot of people are like texting me like, I'm sorry, I don't know if I'm going to be able to make it like it's rain, you know, not everyone wants to run in the rain.

I'm like, okay, that's fine. We were getting a little worried, but of course it like cleared up. Perfect. Beautiful sunny day. Yeah. And then there was this sweet little like old Asian lady, you know, I'm partial to like old Asian people because my grandparents, but she just literally like comes out every weekend to see like what races are going on. So she like signed up on the spot. I know everyone's like, when is it too late? I'm like literally like 859 people were still signing. But if you want the shirt, the deadline is the 26th because we do have to place, you know. The order.

The order to get them in time. So that was sweet too. I'm like, because my grandma also passed away. So we say, like, Tori and my grandma are up there together. And it kind of just like, reminded me of my grandma. Like I'm here for the race. Like, you're like, what should I do? I'm like, yeah, join in. Yeah. So. Well, thank you so much for thank you for sharing all that. I have a couple of end of the podcast questions for you. So the first one is what is your running mantra and or song? OK, this I'm going to feel like a nerd when I say this, but I'm like a big Disney person and when I started training for the mini Zootopia love I.

Came out, I've been trying to get my girls to watch. Them Oh my gosh and try everything. The Shakira love it. Like if you listen to the lyrics, literally it says like there's a part about running when it says like I forget you might not win, but you did your best or something like that, which obviously I'm never trying to win. So that was like on my playlist, you know, I didn't really help me make it through the first race, but it sounds like you fall down and you tried. I tried the. Ambulance, yeah, at the end. It says you fall down, but you get up again, so that's.

I love that. Song, yeah, and it's still like on every I make new playlist, you know, as the song is involved, but that one's always on there. Yeah, I usually like, copy my old playlist and like remove some and then because, yeah, there are songs like that that I'm like, no, no, I absolutely. Love that song. Too funny. Yeah, like a Disney song, but yeah. I have, well, I have a Hercules song on there, I think from a previous guest actually ended up. It's like the I can go the distance. Yeah, 'cause that's a good one. It's kind of a weird song to run to if you don't if you don't do it, but I am.

Do you have any mantras you use? No, OK, on to the next. OK obviously we know your next finish line is going to be on August 10th at that 5K. Any other upcoming races that you're interested in doing that you're signed up for or any other milestones? Yeah, I do have like an eventual list. I really want to do the big 10K in Chicago and where I have like remember when I won that endurance house gift card? I got like an IU, like the candy stripe. Like a tank. Yes, I really want to do that. The big. 10K yeah, I and where that yeah. OK, represent you.

What time of year is that? It's always like around like end of July, OK, beginning of August, like back to school time. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I wanna get back to when I first started running with my friend, I never did intervals. That was kind of like an after file thing. Well, it started as we were trying to do heart rate zones, and then it just ended up being intervals. Yeah. So I'm trying to get back to no intervals slowly but surely. I want to do a sub 35 KA Disney Princess half. That's the only other half I ever have any interest in doing because you can stop every mile take a pic you know just enjoy it.

And I want to do a Sprint try because I do bike OK and I can swim. I'm just I'm so bad at. It, like open water, is very different than you know. You know, stand up and cool, Yeah. And I want to do a Ragnar, yeah. In September in Traverse City. Oh, Michigan. Yeah, in Michigan, so it goes from Traverse City to Muskegon, which I is very small. It's like to the immediate West of Grand Rapids, like on the lake with a bunch of like random people. So I'll. Report how your experience. Goes my best friend did one the year before and loved it. And so that's why she's like, you got, we got to do one of these.

Right. OK. So I feel like I can, you know, do like. Smaller chunks. This. Is still like over the course of two days. I think the lowest mileage is like 16. So but you do them in smaller chunks. You might do like 5 miles, then seven miles, then three miles that didn't map up, but you know what I mean. So it's and they can be easy or hard. They tell you if it's like easy, hard, medium. Or like give me all the flats. Yeah, like, give me the easiest part. But like, you know, people do it for the experience. So it doesn't necessarily, you know, you're not necessarily having to go out there to like go fast.

Right, other than my 5K speed goal like I have no other speed goals like just finished. Get there. Yeah, Yeah. Right. So yeah. Oh, well, thank you again. Is there anything that you would like to leave people with? Other than signing up. Sign up. Even virtually donating to a great. Call. How much is the registration? Is it 2535? I forget. 3535 and I think there is like one more price increase as it gets closer. And if you want a short guarantee, yeah, and just like, check on your people. Check on your people. Yeah. Hey, how are you? Yes. Love it. Yes. Well, thank you everybody for listening and happy running, yes.

Thank you. For having me. You did it. Yay.

Ally Brettnacher