Finish Lines & Milestones: Episode 110: Amanda Luper - Seasons of Running Come with Seasons of Life

May 30, 2025

Here's how you can enjoy this episode:
- Spotify (watch or listen)
- YouTube (watch or listen)
- Apple Podcasts
- Amazon Music

Guest: Amanda Luper @ajluper

Show Notes:

Amanda Luper ⁠and I met years ago via Instagram and I've been asking her to come on this podcast for what feels like forever. She finally agreed.

During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Previnex⁠, we talk about:

Why she didn’t want to come on this podcast
The dangers of comparing yourself to others on social media
Why she went to the Pacers vs. Cavs game and didn’t cheer for the Pacers
Her job working security of the pagoda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
How she went to school to be a physical therapist and then didn’t want to be a physical therapist (she’s an Occupational Therapist)
Walking on the track team at UIndy and going to high school with an Olympian
Finding endurance running after becoming a mom
Working as an ICU therapist during COVID while training for her first marathon
Disney races and ZOO races (I had no idea this was a thing)
How the New York City Marathon “changed everything” and regrounded her into why she runs

Sponsor Details:

⁠Previnex⁠ - Use code ALLY15 for 15% off your first order

Links I promised:

⁠Donate to my Ainsley's Angel's Fundraiser for MCM⁠
⁠Taylor Swift 5K ⁠(shoot, it's this weekend, 5/31)
⁠Lindsey Hein⁠ (EP100)
⁠Jennifer Conner ⁠(EP57)
⁠Jason Noel ⁠(EP62)

Episode Transcript:

This is a Sandy Boy Productions podcast.

0:14

Welcome to Finish Lines and Milestones.

I'm your host, Ali Brettnacher, and if you run, you are a runner, and every runner has a story.

Each week I share one of those stories and we celebrate crossing finish lines and achieving milestones together.

0:31

This week I.

Want to say good luck to everyone who is tackling our local ultra marathon or what of I should say our local ultra marathons, the full MO which is put on by Mishango Misha Track Club MTC and it spans the Monon Trail.

0:47

So if you're local, you know the Monon Trail, it's a, you know, rail trail that was paved.

If you're not local, that's what it is.

It's our local trail and it's probably goes for about, I mean at least 30 miles now at this point because of the race.

But it starts up in Sheridan, ends downtown in the beautiful Bottle Works district right by the garage and it's just a great foray into ultra running.

1:10

It's one that I am tempted to do at some point, but it takes place on Saturday, May 31st and I'm hoping to spectate.

Well, the day this comes out, I will be Co hosting A shakeout run with TJ from Michigan, Misha with Christy D and with Rachel Sanders, my coach, and I'm looking forward to seeing you everybody.

1:30

And then hopefully on Saturday, my kid has a soccer game at 8:30 AM and the race starts at 6.

And so my plan for being, you know, at the Monon Center, I think has been foiled at this point because that's right around the time I would need to be there would be when the soccer game is taking place.

So my updated plan is to likely head to broader bowl.

1:48

So we'll see.

Check my social media.

If you're running and you just want to know where a familiar face is going to be, I'm Ally ALYT Brett.

Brett under score runs Ally T Brett runs on Instagram.

So anyway, good luck to everyone running.

And then I also, with this episode in mind, want to plug Ainsley's Angels.

2:09

You've likely heard me talk about it recently.

I ran the indie Mini both this year and last year with the Ainsley's Angels, where you push an Angel rider in a chariot and you do that for 13.1 miles.

So I had a couple of friends supporting me doing that this year and my friend Ashley and I did it for the first time last year.

2:30

And then I thought, you know what, why not sign up for a full marathon with Ainsley Angels?

So I'm doing the Marine Corps Marathon in October and I'm fundraising for them.

So if you hear about this cause and it's something you'd like to support, there will be a link in the show notes.

There's also one in my bio on Instagram.

2:47

Would greatly appreciate your support.

And if you don't want to give money and you decide it's an experience you might want to get involved with, you can go to their website, ainsleysangels.org and sign up to get information about what races are happening near you.

And so this episode is a long time coming.

3:03

You'll hear me give Amanda Looper a hard time for putting this off for so long because she's just kind of felt like she wasn't anybody special.

But I know that after you listen to this conversation, you'll understand why I disagree with her.

Amanda is just an incredible mom, friend, human, and I'm really happy that I get to see her at local races because she also uses the running coach that I do and we initially met on on Instagram, but she coached with Lindsay Hyne when we first met.

3:35

And Lindsay was, if you don't know, she's episode 100 of this podcast because she's the founder of Sandy Boy productions, which finish lines and milestones is now a part of and she's really the reason I'm doing this.

So thank you again, Lindsay, for all of your support.

3:51

And then thanks to Amanda for finally agreeing to do this.

We talk about a ton, but one of the the craziest things we talk about is how Amanda did Chicago, Berlin, and New York last year, which is just crazy.

So she said that New York changed everything and you will hear about why.

4:09

And we will also then be talking about athletes with disabilities.

There are a couple of previous guests on this podcast mentioned, so I will link their episodes in the show notes as well so that you can go get to know them.

But thank you so much, Amanda for finally doing this, and I hope that you enjoy this conversation with my friend Amanda Looper.

4:28

Welcome, Amanda Looper.

Hello.

Are you the final member of the Sloths or is there one more?

I think I'm the final.

One, because it's the three of you, the three of us.

OK, tell us about that.

Well, we've kind of disbanded for a while.

I feel like you haven't.

We haven't been running.

It's been a a shift.

4:44

We've all had life things happening since New York City.

But there was a group of us, we ran with a group on Thursdays and we were the back of the pack, slow people.

And I was like, we're like a bunch of sloths and it just happened.

And then you're at the Monumental Expo and you find a sloth jacket and I'm a goofball and I said we need sloth jackets.

5:03

And next thing you know, we're wearing sloth jackets.

And next thing you know, we're dressing up as sloths for Disney.

Like it's just one thing.

I love it.

I love.

Sloths.

Yeah.

I mean, who doesn't?

Yeah, they're so cute and slow and slow.

Which you're really.

I mean, let's be real, it's all relative.

But yeah, I feel like I wouldn't.

5:20

I wouldn't label you as a sloth.

Lately I've been as slothy as it gets.

Yeah.

Well, well deserved.

Well deserved.

Yeah.

So the other two people were talking about that are part of this loss have already been on this podcast.

I have.

We have Jennifer Connor, Yep, and Jason Knoll, Yep.

So go listen to those episodes too.

5:37

Yep, they're phenomenal people.

They are great role models and supporters and it's been great to get to know them.

Well, you and I met through our coach.

Is that how we first met?

Or do we?

We met on the Internet first before that.

Oh.

My God, I feel like I met everyone on Instagram.

5:52

I know.

So I think we met on Instagram first.

Yeah.

And at the time, you coached with Lindsay Hein when she lived here, Yes.

And then she moved away.

Wah, wah.

Yep.

And now you coach with my coach, Rachel Senders, who's here local to Carmel.

Yep.

So yeah, I started with Lindsay, signed up for my first marathon.

6:09

It went virtual in 2020, but I had already signed up with Lindsay local.

She had her podcast.

It was great.

And then when she moved to Raleigh, I really wanted a sense of community here.

And Rachel is a local runner, local running coach with a lot of local people behind her.

6:27

Yeah.

So I made the switch.

Oh my gosh.

Let's.

I know.

I'm trying to think of when that would have been.

I don't know. 22, I don't remember, it was February of 23/22/23.

I don't know.

I was looking back at pictures to send and I'm not gonna lie, I was like, how is my PR in 23?

6:45

I thought it was last year.

Like all the marathons, all the races, life has just completely just meshed together.

Yeah, if I didn't have a spreadsheet to keep track of stuff my races, I wouldn't know.

It's really nice, but now it's probably you've done so much that it would be hard to go back and remember.

7:02

That's the problem.

I have a horrible memory.

I need to know it's just and if it's in the spreadsheet it happened.

If it's not, then.

I had to go back to Instagram to figure out what my marathon PR.

Was that's funny.

Yeah.

You need like a plaque or something that's I have in my basement the metal hanger that has all my PRS, which helps me because otherwise I wouldn't remember.

7:20

I'm not really great at that.

I have that too.

Yeah, I think it's exactly.

The same that you have.

There you go.

I do have to look at that periodically because I don't remember.

Yeah, you're like, I don't know, but it's there.

And OK, so you haven't wanted to come on this podcast.

I've asked you for a long time.

It feels like a long time.

7:36

I don't know how long it's been, but I'm like, you need to come on.

And you said you said?

I don't think so, Ali, no.

I almost last minute cancelled on you because.

Then I told you I got childcare, so you're like, well I can't cancel now.

Yeah.

No, I don't want to.

Come on.

OK, so tell us about that.

7:52

Why?

Oh, I am as average of a runner as it gets.

I'm I disagree.

I know.

I don't have six stars.

I haven't called.

Neither do I for Boston.

Neither have I I, I know, I don't know.

8:07

I just don't see myself in that light.

But I don't see myself in a lot of the lights that I'm put on so.

Yeah, it's just part of it.

Well, now you're here.

I'm here.

Hooray.

So I feel like the reason I started this is because people are amazing who run.

8:24

You're amazing.

You've done how many marathons?

Oh my gosh.

He was supposed to count that before it came out, right?

A lot.

I think I'm at 10.

Yeah.

I think either Berlin coming up will be 10 or my last Disney was 10.

Don't even know you're like, I've done so many marathons that I've lost.

8:42

Track.

I've lost track.

Does that sound average when you say it out loud?

Come on.

I think part of here's part of the problem when you surround yourself with people, I've said this a million times.

I like Instagram, I've met all my friends on Instagram, but comparison is the thief of joy.

9:00

And when you're surrounded by someone who's almost completed six stars twice, you're surrounded by a freaking Unicorn who has beat brain cancer and is like just balls to the wall.

And just, I don't know if you heard Jason, but like, when you're surrounded by that all the time, it's kind of hard to just reflect and go.

9:21

I'm more than average running 10 marathons.

But the community we have, I mean, everyone you've had on here, it's extraordinary.

Yeah, they're great.

Yeah.

It's hard.

I mean, I think people who are listening will just relate to that.

People who have said no to me who are listening to this, it's like you can't compare yourself to people.

9:41

There's always going to be somebody who's faster.

There's always going to be somebody who's done more marathons.

There's always going to be, I mean, just you name it.

And it's so hard.

That's why I've gotten better with my like, relationship with Instagram or even Strava, right?

When you're like looking at people's workouts.

9:57

I am not on Strava.

I will not get on Sava.

There you go.

I only have two followers on my Garmin, one of which is a friend from Florida, and I think maybe, yeah, the guy ran with for my PR Monumental.

10:12

We hooked up and connected and then ran together.

I let him in, but no one else.

Yeah, you don't need.

You don't need.

Coach did.

She get yeah well cuz and she needs.

To Yeah, she doesn't.

But no one needs to know my heart rate when I run.

No one needs to know if I didn't do something like no one needs to know that, yeah, it's personal to me, right?

10:31

And we already have the spotlight or the highlight reel on Instagram.

I don't need anything else.

Yeah, I think that's healthy.

I have it and I use it, but I don't scrutinize it for anybody else besides myself.

I mean, I'm the hardest, I'm the biggest critic of myself.

10:49

I don't need anybody else.

I mean, and if other people want to criticize that's fine too, but I do it the most so.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Now I'm a hard stop one.

I also though like I'm a Facebook, Instagram, no TikTok like technology to me.

The more I add, I'm like I know.

About it dude TikTok.

11:05

I'm like trying to do TikTok and it's hard.

It makes me feel very old.

Oh, I work in a university now.

I'm around all the college students.

Geez.

Tic Tac won't do it.

Yeah, you're like, I can't well, it's and it's truly addictive.

You get on I'm like last night, okay, getting ready to go to bed.

11:21

I'm like, well, I'll just I'll just do 5 minutes of TikTok.

Nope, doesn't work.

Doesn't work that way because an hour later you're like oh shit, Yep why?

But it's so entertaining.

Anyway, we digress.

Are you from this area originally?

No.

Where are you from?

Cleveland, OH Born and raised in Cleveland.

11:38

I'm actually a little not hungover because I had coffee last night.

No I'll call but went to the Pacers Cavs game.

Took my mom for Mother's Day.

My all my family still lives in Cleveland.

Came here for school, I went to University of Indianapolis, was going to I wanted to be a physical therapist.

Came out here to go to UND, decided I did not want to be a physical therapist.

11:56

And then interesting, got into their early acceptance 3 + 3 program and then graduate with my master's undergraduate master's in the University of Indianapolis.

Met my husband through I worked at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

I didn't know that.

All throughout college.

12:13

What'd you do there?

So much so they had a college program where college students from UND would basically be security for the pagoda, which is where all of the upper echelon.

Like all the celebrities.

And all the family would go and then my boss, they had a new guy come in and said we actually want to expand this program to all of the suites.

12:35

So I became the supervisor and recruited college students for all of the suites.

OK Then I ended up on their guest services team.

So I was at one point helping hire the yellow shirts and did.

At one point someone else quit or left and I helped with all the parking and camping.

12:55

You name it, I did it.

Oh yeah, and I had some really cool.

Tell us the stories.

OK, the one story that I just keep telling because I real so forget that I'm almost 37, I still think feel like I'm 20, is there was one time a guy came up to me.

And you have to remember these are friends of people and upper echelon like elitists like, yeah.

13:15

And this guy, probably a little drunk, comes up to me and goes, hey, do you want to go to the pre race party for Ed Carpenter?

And I'm like, I've got to be here at 2:00 AM.

The race is tomorrow.

I thought he was full of shit and I'm like no.

And so he comes back up to me.

He's like, what's your number?

I was like, Oh my God, OK, fine.

13:32

He texted me and was like, hey, you're coming to this party with me and I'm like, well, what the hell do I wear?

I pulled out my gaudy Chanel sunglasses I bought off a marketplace, the only Saks 5th Ave. holder top.

I had bleached blonde hair at the time and so I was like OK he so he goes meet me at this house and it was in North like N Indy.

13:54

So you knew it wasn't like.

Yeah.

Right, like a shake.

Yeah.

So I show up.

It was Greg Huebler's house.

Who owns all the automotive?

Yeah, Huebler Automotive.

Yeah, Chevrolet.

I heard the ads.

Yeah.

Yeah, and his daughter, last name was Zeller.

14:10

And I'm like, huh, Who pulls up to take us to this party?

But Fuzzy Zeller, legendary golfer.

So now I'm in the back of this truck with this guy I just met.

I'm texting my family, going this guy named Fuzzy Zellers driving us to this party.

14:26

Oh, my God, my dad.

Like, do you know even know who that is?

I go no pull up into this mansion in Zionsville, IN.

We get out at carpenters cars there we get pictures Ruth Chris's catered.

I mean so much fun.

14:41

I dated that guy for a hot 2nd.

Oh, I was going to say yeah, like hot second.

Yeah, he.

Wasn't the upper echelon of right, So you're like.

He's just the the guy dragging people to the party.

Yeah, there was.

She's there.

But anyway, fun college times.

The Speedway was great.

One of my jobs was always to hold the elevator when Mary Holman George would say, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

15:01

And then they'd have to get the elevator to take her up to her suite.

So my boss at the time was best friends with my husband in high school.

So we met and he works here in Carmel.

We ended up falling madly in love and now we've lived here and my all my family's in Cleveland.

15:19

So yeah, that's so crazy.

So, OK, back up.

So this was in college times.

And then at what point in this we kind of speed by the fact that you're like, I want to be APT and then I don't tell us a little bit about that journey like that path.

15:35

I think what I have learned over the years, too, is everyone knows what physical therapy is.

Everyone knows if you talk about therapy, it's, oh, I have an injury, I'm gonna go to PT.

Oh, I was in the hospital.

I had PT so I don't really know OT.

My grandmother suffered a stroke, ended up living with us for a while and so I was exposed to therapy and I wanted to help people.

15:56

So I was like I PTPT except anyone in the therapy world that knows me knows that I am not cut out personality wise to be a physical therapist.

What makes you say that?

Man, everyone, this is so stereotypical.

I am not protocolized.

16:13

I am not is.

Protocolized.

A word I don't know.

I've never heard that protocolized.

It seems like it is.

Now let's roll with it Protocolized.

Not protocolized.

I don't like black and white.

O TS are creative.

They're outside of the box thinkers.

16:31

An OT for people who don't know what that means.

So occupational therapy, so my job, so I went to occupational therapy school and I ended up for three you do 3 months, 2-3 months rotation.

So I spent three months in Nashville, TN at Vanderbilt and on their trauma ICU and fell in love.

16:51

So my job was to an on the trauma unit.

I mean, we would get people from all over because it's the regional trauma 1.

So patients that have been in car accidents or one of the most memorable was a young kid that was on a golf cart and hit a Brook mailbox and had a traumatic head injury.

17:11

And so my job is to get them back to daily living and sports and school and anything that you enjoy doing like running or your roles like for me, being a mom, back to doing all that.

So I, it is the right career for me.

17:29

I love, I'm a certified brain injury specialist.

I have spent the last, been a therapist now for 12 1/2 years in an ICU, which is very Gray.

It's not protocolized.

You walk in, there's some protocols to follow, but it's very much flying by the seat of your pants.

17:47

You have to be flexible.

Patients can crash anytime, so I love it.

When you say crash like.

Oh, like code?

Code, yeah, OK.

Yeah, I've had some fun.

Situations.

Yeah, I'm sure it's.

Yeah, there's a lot there.

Yeah.

So I actually transitioned out of full time patient care recently in October and now I'm helping start an occupational therapy assistant program here in Indianapolis.

18:11

So cool.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

So I'm in academia full time, but I also am as needed at a level 1 trauma center downtown and up in Muncie.

Which one downtown?

Eskenazi OK on the burn unit, yeah.

Wow gosh, crazy stuff.

18:28

I think it's so cool that back to Jason Knoll, like you guys became friends because of what you do and I we've talked about this before how his wife it's nice that you you and Jennifer run with him because you just never know we'll.

Try running New York with him.

Right.

18:43

OK, I had to.

Keep him on track and let me tell you.

OK, we need to get there.

Yeah, but OK.

So when did you first start running?

Like when did you find running?

Were you?

Did you grow up playing sports and stuff in Cleveland?

Yeah, so I made varsity as a freshman for basketball, OK?

19:03

I played basketball, Dad.

My dad was like you need to stay in shape and get strong cuz I'm only 5 five.

I was always listed at 5/8 on the program and so they put me a center.

I don't know anything, doesn't seem like that's.

A good thing, but I was always guarding the six foot tall girls and so he's like get in the weight room.

19:24

So I ended up going on the track team and I actually walked on the track team at UND, but I threw hammer, shot put, discus and discus and weight throwing what I know.

So cool.

I know.

And fun fact, I went to high school with Katie Moon.

19:41

She's an Olympic pole vaulter.

I was like, what's The Who that?

OK, so she got gold in 2021 or the 2020 and then just got silver in the pole vault.

And she was two years younger than me.

So we both went to Olmsted Falls High School.

That's so cool.

Yeah.

So when I when I grew up watching track and field, I liked the field.

20:00

Also, fun fact I.

I was like back up for the 100 and 200 in high school and then my favorite part of growing up was we always had this last relay for our home meet and it was the Burley Girl relay.

20:15

Was that even mean?

I've never heard of this.

Because if you think about today's world, you probably shouldn't have a.

Burly girl?

Yeah, that sounds pretty offensive.

You were a burly girl.

I mean, my mom just called me one last night because I was picking up weights and I was like, this brings back memories, the trauma.

What they did is that at the end of the track meet they would have the women and men shot putters staggered like a four by one, but instead of a baton you passed a shot put.

20:44

Oh, that's funny.

We won that fucker every year.

We were the burly girl champs every year because amazing.

We were fast.

We weren't like, yeah, but you like threw a shot put at each other.

I don't even know what a shot put looks like.

Just a heavy ball.

It's a ball.

20:59

Think of it completely round.

Think of Matilda.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, got it.

I've pictured it now, but it's the one you like.

Hold like up on your shoulder.

You'd hold this ball like metal ball.

How much does it weigh?

I think it's 8 lbs.

OK, that's interesting running.

Run your 100.

21:15

What?

And I was always the last leg because I was fast.

Yeah.

I hated, hated running in basketball.

I would get out of running.

I've listened to your podcast a lot.

I think it's hilarious that all of these distance runners were the ones that never want to run the mile in high school, right?

21:31

Because I mean, I wouldn't do it.

Yeah, I went.

Hated running and I would never get the presidential award because I went to the Mile.

Yeah.

So anyway, I know I didn't run.

I was, I like lifting.

Obviously in college, like a lot of us, we like to partake in a lot of partying.

21:48

Non.

Athletic activities, so I was on the track team, so I did have some, but I probably didn't maximize my potential because I was partying too much.

Then I ended up getting married and having kids, and I met one of my best friends when I worked at Ball Hospital.

She's a speech pathologist Who?

22:04

Loves Ball Hospital.

Sorry, Muncie.

Muncie.

Right next to ball Stay.

OK.

Oh, that makes sense.

And worked there for 10 years and one of my best friends, I had a three month old baby, my second baby and she was visiting me down here.

We went to Bazbos and she looks at me.

I will never forget this.

22:21

So let me back up a little bit.

Before that, I had been kind of capped by a friend who saw more potential in me.

We always ate lunch together and he kind of made enough offensive comment to me.

And I was like, how dare you say that?

22:36

But the more I thought about it, I was like, actually, he sees potential.

I had just had my first baby.

She was actually like 18 months after like a year after I didn't do anything outside of working, coming home.

I gained a lot of weight after having a child, so he kind of nudged me.

22:53

And at that point, after you go through motherhood and your body's different, I didn't feel comfortable going going, I'm going to go lift weights.

So what was easy was hopping on a treadmill by myself.

No one would know the pace.

I ran a mile, then I ran 2 miles and I was like, well, this is kind of weird because I've never been a runner.

23:12

Why am I running like a couple miles and I can actually do it because I've never done it before.

So I got in pretty.

I got in pretty good shape and then got pregnant with my second of.

Course right, and then you start all over.

Start all over and I'm at lunch with a friend and she looks at me right in the face as I'm holding a three month old baby and says you have a lot of work goals but I think you need some personal goals.

23:35

And I'll never forget looking at her going, I mean, is this baby not a personal goal?

Like what she meant was I worked a lot and I was working over hours.

I was putting my heart and soul into work and raising children.

23:50

And I mean probably being a wife in there somewhere that.

Right, that's yeah and that and that's your husbands name.

MM, okay.

And so she loved running the mini marathon, the indie mini, and she goes, well, why don't you sign up?

So this had to have been in like June.

24:09

So I was thinking about mini for the next year.

OK.

So in the meantime, I was like, there's a race in Muncie that coincides with, they used to do a triathlon up there, but they would also, you could do a 10K or a half, OK, 5K10K or half.

And so that was in September.

24:25

And I was like well maybe I can do a 10K.

So I signed up for a 10K in September and this was like in June and I'll never forget being on the Monon.

And I was like Oh my God, I just ran 3 miles from my house.

I have to run 3 miles back.

Basically I just ran a 10K.

I can't believe I just did this.

24:41

Like, this is insane.

So that kind of just started the snowball effect.

And I honestly probably picked the hardest 10K because it's on the reservoir in Muncie and it is hilly.

Hilly.

I didn't know any.

Like what's really funny is if I look at the pictures I had, didn't bring any water with me.

24:59

Right.

I have my prescription sunglasses on.

That's good luck.

Yeah.

Cotton T-shirt.

No Lululemon.

I went and bought like nice leggings and stuff, but like I had no idea what I was doing.

Yeah.

And I think I ended up running it in like an hour and 10.

25:18

My average pace is like a 10/30, which for a first 10K, just the race.

I was just scared about the race.

I mean, there was like 10 people sign up in front of me, but like, where do I stand?

What do I do?

And so from there I was like, well, if I can run a 10 Ki can run the mini.

25:35

So I signed up.

But this, that was in 2019, that race.

So then you get into 2020 and the thing was I was like, well, surely if I could run a half marathon in May, I could surely run a marathon by November.

25:55

So they had the resolution price January 1st, 2020.

And so I was like, well, why not?

I'll sign up for the indie Monumental.

That sounds logical, right?

Like.

So you didn't do it the same year in 2019, right?

So you did the Mini in 2019?

No, I did a 10K in 2019 so.

26:12

And then the next.

Year, the goal was to do the mini, the half, and then go whoa and then do a marathon.

At that point, it's really funny.

I had a journal and I was trying to be very intentional about.

I took, I mean, Jess is one of my best friends.

We actually just spent the night together at the West End and we did the mini, one of my best friends.

26:32

But I was like trying to be intentional about personal goals.

And I have a journal from 2019, or maybe it was like January, like 2020 that says take more vacations, spend more time with the kids.

Check, check, check.

We've gone and running has taken us all over.

Run a marathon, go on more dates.

26:49

We're still working on that.

But I had, like, all of these things.

And I'm like, looking back, it's really funny to think my goal was to run 1 marathon.

It's snowball.

So 2020 hits.

Yeah, and the mini goes virtual.

I have a really funny story about the mini virtual.

27:05

So I again super.

I had no idea what I was doing.

So I, I probably did too much mileage at 1st and didn't have a coach.

So I'm just running, you know, I just run and you just run fast all the time and you're running.

Been there.

Hurt a little bit.

So I didn't run the mini on the actual day because it went virtual.

27:23

So I decided I woke up on Mother's Day of 2020 and said it was like noon.

I took a nap.

Today's a day I'm just going to run a half marathon.

I did not take nutrition.

I didn't have anything I didn't # a route.

So I'm like, I'm just going to run 13 miles through Carmel.

27:39

Oh, this is really good.

So I'm like, I had a gold plan.

If I just go down Guilford and I go around, I'll hit the moan on and around.

I started going down Guilford.

The SWAT team is out at an apartment building and I have headphones in.

So I'm just jogging along and I have my headphones in and there's all these police.

27:58

I mean, there's guns drawn at this apartment building and I'm just trying to just go through them and they're like, turn around.

I'm like idiot, I'm running.

You're like, no, this is where I'm going and.

They're like, no, you can't go this way.

So I was like, OK, now where do I go?

So I went around somewhere else.

Headwind terrible.

28:15

So I'm just trudging along.

And then my favorite was I was like, Oh my gosh, Cuz again, I had never run 13 miles before.

I had to go to the bathroom.

I was off the Monon.

So I Sprint into the Mexican restaurant that's on range line.

28:31

Totally Cancun Cancun, but it's 2020, you're not supposed to go in any restaurant.

Shoot.

And I'm like, got to go to the bathroom.

I just Sprint into the bathroom.

I'm just like, OK.

And I'm like, OK, bye.

Thank you.

And so then I show up, I go back.

I mean, it's raining, the weather is terrible.

28:47

And I show up and my husband goes, so did you?

Did you do it?

And I was like, sure did 2 hours and 37 minutes later.

OK.

And So what at this point, you have a watch too?

I'm so Apple Watch.

Yeah.

Oh, the Apple Watch.

Yeah.

OK.

Oh yeah, I had nothing.

I mean this was like as low key and just.

29:04

I can't believe you didn't plan a route that gives me anxiety.

I did the mini virtual in 2020 but I planned a route.

I had a map for all my friends.

I was like, I'm running by your house and your house and they all came out for me and it was great.

I just decided one after a nap, today's the day.

29:20

Today I'm going to go.

Today's the day.

See, my dumb ass did it on the day it was supposed to happen and the weather was so hot.

Oh yeah, that's I'm like, you know, the bonus of virtual is that you could pick whatever day you want, but I just didn't want to.

I wanted to do it on the day and there were other people out.

29:37

It was kind of funny, but.

Anyway, me five years later would do it very different, right?

Yeah.

So then I was like, I probably need a coach.

This was the sign I need a coach to get through a marathon.

I had also decided at some point in here that I was going to be vegetarian.

29:53

OK, are you still vegetarian?

Pescetarian.

OK, yeah, I had to add in.

I was, that's hard to get a lot of protein in, right?

And I just, there was a lot of stuff, but I decided I was going to train for a marathon and I was going to be vegetarian.

It's a very, very crazy thing.

During a global pandemic.

30:10

The other thing I didn't quite realize was how long the pandemic was going to go.

So you have to realize I'm an ICU therapist, right?

So every day.

No.

So I was at that time, I mean, I was garbed up and stuff all day long.

30:27

So what does that look like?

Are you like in a hazmat suit?

Like that's what I picture.

So in May, May of 2020, I was actually one of the first people at our hospital to test positive for COVID.

So I had COVID, which was very scary because we didn't know what it was, so.

30:43

Right, that's pretty soon, Yeah, man talk.

About hazmat suits, I had to go down and get tested.

And I mean, I mean I look like I was an alien.

They all had their like suits on and no, everything was fine after that.

But what was crazy was there were so many unknowns at that time.

30:58

So I was in the ICU or seeing COVID patients all day long for the first four months of COVID.

Muncie didn't get hit as bad initially as Indy, so it kind of traveled up north.

So I was getting news from the downtown therapist going, I mean, we're getting slammed.

31:14

We don't have all the protective equipment.

I you did a good job of basically learning from all that.

And then we had everything we needed.

But I was in COVID rooms all day every day, and I saw some terrible things.

I mean, I can imagine people saying goodbye to their loved ones, like via FaceTime, shit like that.

31:33

Yeah, that's awful.

But it really did change my first marathon because I was training through that.

So if you think about it, I was training for Monumental for a November race.

So we started in June or July.

It wasn't, it was really December that when I got like actually it was right by the Monumental time that the second wave came through.

31:56

But honestly, my training, I would come home after work.

So I didn't do early running back then.

I would come home, the girls would go to bed.

So I would run my 6-7 miles at like 6-7 o'clock at night.

So I'd work, come home.

I needed it, right?

Like what do you?

I mean, it's also freeing.

32:13

I mean, I had goggles and gowns and all kinds of crazy stuff on.

So I'd go home and they'd go to bed and I'd run.

There was one time in particular it was a very bad situation because we lost patients during COVID and I lost a young mom at that point.

32:29

And I mean, those 20 milers, you just kind of put your stuff, you just go.

And I still think that without running during that time, I'm not really sure how I would have survived.

So it, it's interesting cuz I always say my running and my goals have always kind of coincide with like the season of life I'm in.

32:48

Yeah.

So during my 2020, I did a virtual, I did on the Monon.

I planned my route.

That's good.

I started the exact time that the race would start and I ran it by myself and I'll just never forget.

33:08

I'm sorry.

Don't be sorry.

I don't think I've talked about this in a while, but it was my husband and my kids and my mom and my best friend that just met me.

And I didn't have water stops, so I ran out of water.

But during a really difficult time, I ended at the Monon, which is where I start all my runs because I live right there and I ran the route that basically was my solitude for months.

33:34

So I ran from the Monon Center up to like 161st back down.

Lindsay, my coach, met me around 71st, maybe a little north of that.

We have a video.

I still have it on my phone at mile 22, which I didn't realize at that point what a marathon even.

33:53

Like, you don't know.

Now I'm like, OK, the mile markers, OK, you need to know that.

OK, you slowed down at this point.

Like I was in survival mode, which was interesting because that's how life was in survival mode.

I do.

I have pictures of my kids with signs that say mommy, you're my hero.

34:11

And it's super cute.

And they gave me my medal and.

Did you ever want to give up?

Like during your training, were there moments where you're like, this is too much?

Or was it always your solitude and freedom?

Because it's so much.

I can't imagine going through what you're going through day-to-day, being a mom, trying to be a wife and training for a marathon.

34:34

I think I needed it.

And honestly, like, so my husband's job at the time, he was on call every three weeks.

So I remember there was one day I was supposed to get 16 miles and I actually put the double stroller in and was like, we got to go to the park.

Like, I think what's interesting is that when I look back to that, it was great because I didn't know what I didn't know.

34:54

Yeah, like I didn't know you.

Wouldn't stress about the things maybe you would know.

I also like I had never run a marathon.

I had never run a major, I didn't know what a marathon actually looked like.

So for me, this was like the mental fortitude and courage it takes to do something so uncomfortable with hardly any support says a lot about someone during a really hard time.

35:22

And so I always look back when I've been really pissed at myself, especially Berlin this past year, and I'm like, how the hell can you be mad?

Like you ran a freaking marathon.

It took me 5 hours and 1618 minutes.

Again, I'm really bad with this stuff by myself.

35:40

I had Lindsay's podcast going, I can't remember which one, maybe one was Katie Moon and 1 was Dez or something, but I had them lined up so I was just listening to podcast the whole way.

I mean, what?

What else do you do when there's literally it's me and nature?

It was like a training run, but I had never run that far.

35:58

And oh, and also my nutrition.

It was dates because I was God.

Did you poop yourself?

No, but I was starving.

Yeah, well, yeah.

I was thirsty, I was starving and but at the same time I also wanted to like.

36:14

Wait, OK, let's talk about the dates.

Did you have just like straight up what kind of dates?

Like was it like a like I picture like a big ass Raisin or was it like you had little cubes of dates?

No.

Or like the ones where you had to spit the pits out like I was just sucking.

In are they dry?

The dry, are they always dry when you eat them?

36:31

Yeah.

OK, yeah, I can picture that I.

Just had them in a bag.

A bag, OK.

Popping dates like wow.

That's funny, sorry I had to like visualize what was happening.

I also had I decided that for that marathon, I dedicated miles to people or patients.

36:47

So when I was going, I had the people that helped me who had been there and then the patients.

Part of my job is helping people do things they never think they're going to do, and they helped me realize I can do hard things.

I had a patient when I was training this past year for Berlin.

37:04

I'd worked with him for a while.

He'd been in a car accident and I forget what I said to him was like, oh, I got a training run this weekend.

And my patients usually know if I'm training for something and he goes like, I really don't want to do it.

And he goes, well, what do you always tell me to do?

He goes, you make me do hard things and so can you.

37:23

And so I've been really lucky that, I mean, a lot of the reason I've been able to do what I'm able to do is because I see some really terrible things.

I mean, young kids that are have gunshot ones to the head or motor vehicle accidents or mothers who were in an accident and just want to get back to their kids.

37:42

Like, I just see things and if they can do the things I'm asking them to do, that's uncomfortable and hard, why the hell can I get out there?

Yeah, that's really, I mean, great motivation, even though the situation sucks.

Yeah.

Jeez, Amanda.

37:57

Yeah, yeah.

So I decided after 2020 that I should probably run a marathon with people.

That's a good idea.

Yeah, that seems fair.

And OK, so then when did that happen?

Oh, so I back then was actually, I say back then I was only five years ago was smart and said, well, I shouldn't run a marathon every year.

38:18

So what I did was then focus on 1/2.

Yeah, so I ran the monumental half with the goal of a sub two and I ran a 156 that year and Lindsay coached me through that.

And then the goal was to then run a full and I ran monumental, which I wear my Monumental proudly because I ran it.

38:36

I again, I don't have all the dates and times.

And I ran that again.

I ran the marathon and I ran it in 432 or something like that.

Wow.

But I was also in the I was changing jobs during that time, so I kind of was alternating.

38:52

Disney entered the picture in 2021.

I registered for 2022 race.

Okay, did you register for the January?

Yeah, the.

January 1 and I wanted to do the half.

I'd heard about them.

I'd heard that they're fun.

For me, getting in was if I got in, my kids would get a vacation because we hadn't been vacationing.

39:13

I had two young kids.

It wasn't on the forefront of her mind.

I didn't think financially we could swing it.

So I was like, well, if I could do a race and take them, then we could double dip.

Yeah, I.

Remember being at work going Oh my God I'm in, how'd this happen?

And I got in the half and I sent my husband a text like I guess we're going to Disney.

39:30

So our first trip was like 3 days, maybe 3-4 days.

Did 2 parks.

I ran the half.

I just freaking snowballed.

I've now done Goofy twice.

Dopey.

Tell the people what those are.

39:45

So Goofy is the half in the full.

So once you run a full in November, which is always monumental, why not celebrate and just go to Disney and then run another one?

So after I ran, I was like, well, if I could do a half, then I could do the half in the full, especially if I'm doing a fall marathon.

40:05

So after these all muddied together, so I was basically running 1/2 in the fall that I was taking some time off lifting, running a full like alternating.

And then it has become where I basically run a full in the fall and then January becomes half in full.

40:23

And then I decided this past year that if why not try my hand at Dopey.

So the 5K10K half in full in four days, why not?

I can tell you Disney is my kids love it.

Well, my 9 year old just did the 5K with me this past year.

40:40

It was 35° at the start.

It was a 2:00 AM wake up and she has her medal, her Pluto medal.

She didn't look like she had a ton of fun, but then she found out I just got her into the kids race at Disneyland and she goes, well that's a rubber metal.

40:57

I want the real metal.

I want to do the 5K with you.

And I was like, well, it's sold out.

You should have said something sooner.

So I think I've got her hooked a little bit.

We've done a couple 5 KS together.

So that has also been fun.

But Disney for me is the people.

And then taking my kids on vacation.

41:12

Yeah, on the costumes.

I love the costumes.

Tell us about the costumes you've had.

Let's see my first one ever was very simple.

It was Daisy duck.

So Lulu purple top, some white shorts.

I got a bow and like some compression.

I was really cute.

41:28

The second year, my first goofy I was Mushu which that year they let us on the carousel during the half.

So basically running I got to try the carousel.

As Mushu.

And if people don't know who Mushu is, Oh yeah, they should.

From Mulan Mulan.

I love dragon.

I like to obscure characters.

41:44

What was I for the full that year?

Oh, I was a Toy Story alien.

Oh, that's a good one.

And I met my friend Dave.

He lives in Venice and he's become a really good friend, him and his wife Gina and their son.

So I met him in a California.

Venice here.

42:01

Florida.

Venice Beach.

Got it.

And.

That's where.

So Disney, my first Disney marathon is where I met Ken.

So Ken is a pacer that I met who also had suffered A traumatic brain injury and he full circle.

I've met him in multiple different running spaces.

42:18

And then he actually came to Carmel and pace the Carmel 330 group I believe last year in the marathon.

What's his Instagram?

I think I follow him.

I am that Ken, Yeah.

Yeah, I do.

Yeah, he's amazing.

Yeah.

So I met Ken at Disney Pace Group.

42:36

OK, I ran into him, the Cleveland Marathon, I run into him.

And so we connected.

And then actually when recently in New York, I helped him paint his logo.

So Jason has a video of me helping Ken and he's shivering and I've got body paint.

42:53

I'm like painting Ken's.

But Ken, like, I mean, again, he's reached out because I have connections here and because he has a traumatic brain injury and some vision things, I'm able to then connect him.

And we've stayed in touch that way.

So running has brought just all the people, yeah.

43:10

It's so amazing.

Yeah, So my one.

Favorite costume for Disney was I made a Lululemon dress.

But it's it's a small world.

It has like the face of the clock in the numbers for the ride.

And I did it because running truly is a small world and the community.

43:26

And that marathon I ran with Jeff Wood.

So he's friends.

I met him through Jennifer Connor.

But he also uses Rachel as a coach.

OK.

So I was like, you want to run the marathon together?

We were both there.

And so when you spend 4 hours with someone for like, BFF.

43:44

Yeah, right.

He actually called me yesterday and was like, hey, I go, Oh my gosh, is everything OK?

He goes, yeah, I just need to use this phone call to get out of work.

So he just called me so he could leave work early to pretend like it was a work call.

That's really.

Funny.

So I mean, these are the friends you need, right?

Right.

You're like, I'm here for you for that.

43:59

Yeah, I want to go back to.

Well, also, I need to, I need to share that photo of you, You, the genie.

Was it the Genie one?

Oh yeah, the genie was most recently Yeah.

Because that was really amazing.

And then there's like a picture of you.

It's just like so funny, so good as the genie.

But I want to go back to your first half marathon at Monumental because it was your first in person half, right?

44:22

Yeah.

And so you've done your first two races, like virtually, and then you show up.

What was like the most surprising thing for you?

Like, you know, because you could do the Expo for the first time.

You do.

I mean start line for the first like all the things.

44:38

I think the craziest that you know what, I haven't thought about that.

And I think I've done so many races now that I don't remember those first feelings.

It's kind of how I feel too, actually.

It's actually which is sad because I mean, I always love the XI, love the indie monumental Expo.

44:55

I love that you can just go to the Convention Center and I just, I love everything about the monumental.

I maybe it's just because it's where I started my journey.

I mean, I got, I mean, obviously I got hooked.

I also don't even remember the trading leading up to it.

45:11

I think that point in time is also very hazy.

There was a lot at work going on.

I don't know my kids were at heart age.

Like I have AI can remember the picture and like Oh my gosh I hit a sub too but I don't remember the other.

Oh, so the other funny part was I do remember the training of I did a lot of on the treadmill.

45:28

I did a lot of it at night.

But The thing is, I again, was so naive that my coach would upload things, but I I would just plug it into the so if it like the speed workout was warm up for a mile, I would do a mile and then I would just increase the treadmill and go.

45:45

She didn't have any data.

Like it didn't load in.

She did everything by OK.

Did you did it do it or did you not do it like poor Lindsay's probably like?

I don't know how to help you.

But I was doing to work and so I didn't have the technology that I utilize now.

46:01

And I would, I would go a lot of my days was seven 8:00 at night and I would go and get my speed workout in or my 4 Miller and just get it done.

And then if my husband wasn't home, I would have to just figure it out and move things around cuz of his on call schedule.

46:17

And.

What does he do where he's on call?

He's not on call anymore.

He works for the water distribution here in Carmel.

That's right, I.

Think so.

When we were to, yeah.

So they help do all the water main leaks.

And so now he's a manager for the water distribution, so he's not on call anymore.

OK.

46:32

Well, that's nice.

Yeah.

So between my work schedule and his work schedule, it was you just basically got runs in when you could.

And yeah, yeah.

That's amazing, Yeah.

So it's amazing to me that now, like I know you as the early runner, but that you used to train at like night.

46:47

And now I'm going back to night a little bit because I don't need to get up.

That early, which is, which is nice, at least I because I've been there, I've put in my time as an early morning runner as well and then now my season doesn't require me to do that and so then I don't.

I'm still trying to figure out the motivation of cuz when you get up at 5:00 you just get it done.

47:07

Right.

It's nice.

Yeah, now I'm like, oh man, it's still really hot now.

And so I'm I'm in an adjustment period.

But yeah, to figure out kind of where your sweet spot is, Do you work remote a lot?

No, I like being on campus.

I can work remote if I need to, like if the kids are sick or something.

47:24

But no.

But I have flexibility of like it's not a clock in, clock out here, you're patient.

So if I don't have a meeting until 9:00, that's nice.

Technically get my run in get.

Your run in a little.

Late, but I haven't utilized that yet, so yeah, yeah.

47:39

Which is fine, yeah.

Yeah, I'm it's figuring it out the seasons, right?

Right.

It is truly.

Yeah.

How old are your girls right now?

9:00 and 6:00.

Nine and six.

OK, yeah, so we have, we both have two girls and mine's seven and four now.

But the whole 5K together thing, I think Sydney and I, my 7 year old, I would love to train.

47:59

There's some sort of Taylor Swift run this summer.

So I'll share the information with you because her kindergarten teacher sent it to me because she loves Taylor Swift.

She's like, I thought, you know, Taylor Swift running, you'd like this.

And I'm like, OK, so Sydney is now begging to do that.

We do run, walk.

48:15

It works great.

My goal is just to get her to enjoy it, right?

Activity.

Yeah.

Can we talk about?

Did you see my thing about the?

Thing.

It's ridiculous.

Yeah, it's ridiculous.

There's a reason none of us want to do the mile and I.

Mean it's traumatic.

There's a reason we I didn't like running until I was an adult, because it was punishment.

48:33

And five KS are too hard.

And five.

KS are really hard.

I'm sorry, but they're like, it's an accomplishment to do a 5K even as an adult, yeah.

Making kids do that, I don't I don't like it.

Like just let them move there.

OK So sorry I'm going to back up and tell people if they haven't seen my rant about this.

48:50

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49:14

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49:31

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49:50

Thank you Previnex for supporting this podcast and for creating health.

I'm going to back up and tell people if they haven't.

Seen my rant about this and this is.

I'm not trying to come after a specific school or person.

I don't have every single detail but I'm trying to figure out what other context could make this OK.

50:07

I and I can't really determine how this would be OK.

So there's a school, a middle school in our city that is public that has kids run a 5K for a grade and they have to do it in under 38 minutes.

If they don't, every minute over 38 minutes, a point will be deducted from their score.

50:26

And this is not optional.

If you're sick, you have to do it around the track by yourself.

So it's just to me, I want kids to learn how to train for something, set goals, be healthy, move their body.

And they're also saying this is for mental health.

I'm like, you're doing it backwards.

50:42

Like you're giving kids an unhealthy relationship with running right off the bat.

And for kids who shine and who love it, great, that's cool.

But like why does it have to be for a grade?

I think the other thing too is so my 9 year old, she doesn't like running.

50:58

We did track and The thing is she loved the field events like and that's OK.

And we also I also I was not forced into sports as a young kid.

It wasn't until I said I wanted to do something.

51:14

Now there's a ton of different parenting perspectives and but for me and for my child, forcing her to do something will make her completely not love it.

Exactly.

I think that I again, though it's a 5K5 KS are not easy. 5 KS it is that's a long way.

51:32

It is a.

Long way for a long.

Way even if.

You're in 8th grade that to me that's still.

It's a long way and I think they should probably pull the school and see how many of the teachers have ever run a 5K before, right?

And then, like, I think it's ridiculous.

But yeah, it's just very silly to me.

I'm like, that's so intense.

51:48

That's so intense.

Like, can we let's back off that?

There's got to be another way to do that that doesn't make people feel horrible about themselves.

Yeah, yeah.

Or give them anxiety, the idea that my poor theater kid neighbor had to do that.

And then she finished with seconds to spare and she threw up.

52:05

And she said a lot of kids threw up, too.

And I was like, what the heck are we doing, people?

It's insane.

Yeah.

So anyway, I could talk about that for a longer, but we'll dig her.

I'll just keep getting heated about it.

And I still need to.

Yeah.

OK.

Rein it in.

So I love that you guys have done races together, you and your daughter.

52:23

What about your 6 year old?

Any.

Just a little fun kids runs she's a spicy one.

She will eventually born man she's spicy.

I one of my other favorite things and my parents live in Cleveland.

One of the things I did again seasons of life.

52:38

I just needed some time away.

We I did zoo races.

Oh.

Zoo 5 KS are one of my favorites.

So I'd find we did, I did Detroit, I did Cleveland, I did the Columbus ones, one of my favorites.

And so you pay the $40.00 but you get a zoo like admission ticket with it.

52:58

So I, we would do girls weekends, me, my mom, my sister and the girls and find like an Embassy Suites or a Hilton home to do a weekend.

And then I would do the 5K in the morning.

But then they get discounted tickets for like $10 to the zoo and you get in at like 8:00 and we have hands down said they're so much fun.

53:17

So my littlest would do the kids run at the zoo races, which is just like the dash, right?

But I've some really fun.

The Cleveland Zoo's another one of my favorites because then the zoo's not open yet.

So you just run around the zoo and then you get to like explore the zoo for $10.00.

So we did a couple of those.

53:33

So Detroit Zoo's a really fun one run through the zoo.

Louisville has one.

How do we not?

I don't know how we don't have OK.

Like, get on that, tell somebody.

I mean, and then all the well, so they partner depends.

So like Cleveland's partners with rainbow babies and children's.

53:49

So they use the zoo as like the vessel of.

The venue and then yeah, they do not vessel, but whatever.

But then the money goes towards a charity.

No, we love them.

My kids love them.

That sounds like such a wonderful idea, I've never heard of that.

Look them up.

54:05

I tell everyone if you want to get into running or just fun ways to do things.

But first of all, Detroit, it's nice, but not one of the highlights of but we found it was kind of like a midpoint for us.

Their zoo is like top notch and we explored so we would do weekends, like long weekends and split the hotel and that's fun.

54:25

We have a lot of fun memories and the Columbus Zoo is also one of my favorites.

I like their course.

Actually.

My 5 KPR is actually the Cleveland Zoo race.

That's so funny.

And there's like a huge hill.

I was going to say I was going to ask you about that because I figure I don't know how zoos are laid out.

54:41

Yeah.

And I grew up going to that zoo, so I was like, Oh my gosh, I got to go up all the way to the gorillas and come back down.

Yeah.

No, but they're fun.

And then the kids have fun.

And that's been my way to get my kids into things.

Or I mean, now, I mean, they're little bougie kids, but they're having to Berlin with me.

So they're we're going, we're taking the loopers to from zoos to Europe with my running.

55:03

So yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, they probably.

They're like, we love that mom.

Really.

Yeah.

And does Mike run at all?

Has he ever?

No, no, no.

He's such a good cheerleader, it seems.

He is the best one.

Where's that shirt?

Is it Sarah Marie running or who has it?

Here to cheer and hold the beer.

55:20

Yeah, that's a good one.

He he surprised me at the indie mini.

I like get done and he calls me goes where are you?

And I'm like, I mean, I'm sitting here like it was just going to be a girls.

We got.

He goes, well, where are you sitting?

And here he brought the girls down.

And yeah, he's been super supportive.

55:36

And we did.

Let's see, he's been to mostly all of them.

And I mean, he knows especially the monumental, of course he knows where to go for Monumental.

He brings the girls.

In Yeah, that's so special.

I remember you and I running together for the beginning of Carmel two years ago.

Two years ago?

55:53

Was it 2 years ago or one year ago?

I don't freaking know.

I think it was two years ago because obviously this year didn't happen.

But yeah, we ran with Todd's pace group.

Oh yeah.

Yeah, Todd Oliver, who founded the race, finally got to run it.

That's right.

And then he.

Then he tripped over a cone, and you were there to witness that.

I think that's Ackman.

You're like, you're like, OK. 24 It was like PR Yeah, it.

56:12

Was excellent and yeah, that was a fun day.

But yeah, we ran probably, I don't know, maybe the 1st 4 miles or so together.

That was cool.

And then you just flew, flew away and kicked ass.

That was.

Fast back then.

Whatever.

So OK, I want to dig in on New York in particular, because you told me that New York changed everything in your mind when it comes to running life.

56:38

I don't know.

So tell me why It's really.

Funny as I'm not a highly emotional person and I don't know why I'm so emotional today.

So New York is funny because looking back this was never the plan.

I am not crazy enough.

I'm crazy but not crazy enough.

56:54

So for those of you who don't know, So I ran, I, My wedding anniversary was last year, 10 year wedding anniversary.

So we wanted to do a trip.

So I went to Berlin with fit international, got my bib, we did the race, we went to Munich, whole thing.

57:10

So the plan was Berlin and Dopey.

That was the plan.

Fall marathon, Disney, the way it's always been.

Then you have a friend who's like, well, you should raise money.

57:26

And I could like I they have spots for the Chicago Marathon, so you should raise money for the American Brain Tumor Association.

Well, how the hell do you tell a brain tumor survivor I'm not going to help raise money?

Fine, I guess I'll run Chicago.

57:43

How hard could like, I don't know, going on a nine day European vacation, coming home for a week and then running another marathon be then?

Oh, thank God.

So talk about the sloth, how their bad influences is all I'm going to say.

57:59

Because Jen Connor had gotten in to New York, she was able to secure a bib through a friend whose dad was with NYPD.

So she was going, and then Jason decided he was going to jump on the Crazy 2 Marathon fall bandwagon and the National Brain Tumor Society was able to secure him a spot for fundraising for New York.

58:23

So we're running along the Monon, which God almighty, like all the things that have happened on the Monon and all the funny stories.

But I decided to say out loud one day because Jason, I mean, I hope he doesn't mind me telling you this, but after you have surgery on your brain, you basically.

58:40

And part of the reason he found out he had a tumor was seizures.

So part of the reason we run with him is he has a seizure disorder and there is a chance that at any time he could just have a seizure.

So he has a seizure disorder.

58:56

He's never run 2 back-to-back marathons.

I'm having FOMO because two of my friends are.

Running New York.

And so I throw out into the universe.

I wonder what their support runners policy is because he was also nervous of running 2 back-to-back marathons.

59:13

So he goes, Jason, if you know him, you put an idea in the universe that man will figure it out.

So before I even like feel like I'm showered into work, he's like, I've already filled out a request form.

I reached out to New York Roadrunners.

I was like, well, hold on a minute.

59:29

Oh my God.

Like I'm doing Berlin.

Yes, I'm doing Chicago with you.

And I still have Dopey, like, hold on a second.

So my mom, for as long as I can remember, her dream was always to go to New York.

My parents don't travel.

I've taken my mom on trips with us.

59:45

We've done stuff together.

But in the back of my mind too, I'm like, if I had the chance to run New York, mom could come with me.

So I asked my mom because at that point, kids days of school, our work schedule, like I also can't afford to take four people to New York after Berlin.

1:00:00

And I mean.

Yeah, that's so much.

O TS do not make that much money.

I'm going to right now.

So I asked my mom, if I had the chance to get into New York, would you go with me?

Oh my gosh.

She's like, hands down, it'd be the best trip of the life.

So I was like, OK.

Dang it, now I'm doing New York.

So Jason got the medical and he finds out.

1:00:17

He goes, actually they will entertain it, but there's a caveat to this.

So every race does this different.

So the way I understand New York is they have guides and support runners.

So guys would be for your visually impaired.

1:00:34

They get the star, they get credit, but you don't have to pay to get in.

But like they will be in the program.

Support runners get a medal, get a poncho, get a participant shirt, run the race with their person, but they are not acknowledged in the program.

1:00:52

So the program meaning like.

The participant land.

OK, you go back in official time.

Official time, yeah.

That's very weird.

And so you don't get a star, which I've never been on a six star journey.

I think the places the world majors are are incredible.

1:01:09

Yeah.

But I am not.

I'm not chasing stars like I'm not well.

You've got a few.

Well, I have two I guess.

Technically, and I'm double dip.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So Jason comes back and goes, all right, we got to figure this out because they said I can have a support runner.

1:01:25

You have to know in like a week.

I was like, well, what the hell do I do?

Do I take this opportunity and like, obviously also helping a friend, like, what do I do?

So I was like, you know what, when am I ever going to be like, what if I never get in?

What if something happens?

What if, like what ifs?

1:01:41

Yeah, So I said OK, So the thing I didn't realize is I'd never been to New York.

I'd never been there.

My mom had never been there.

Just all these.

First, the hard part about New York that started everything was in Chicago.

1:01:57

We were on pace for a sub four together.

I wanted to pace him to a sub four.

I was in sub 4 shape.

We were clipping along.

Mile 15 came and there was a gel packet in the middle of the course and I hit hard like.

1:02:12

You fell all the way down.

I sprained my ankle, probably the worst brain, and I, Jason says.

I basically rolled over like head first mile 15.

It was right in the tents with all of the charity, so I was looking for a charity.

1:02:27

Party.

Yeah, yeah.

Like we finished it.

We finished at 427.

Really super proud.

It was a huge PR for Jason.

But I was in so much pain, like so much pain.

So I ended up having to rehab.

I was in a boot for a week and I'm like holy crap.

1:02:44

Like I'm not only wanting to take my mom to New York, but I'm also a support runner.

Like this isn't about me.

This race isn't about me.

Like basically showed up to Mike Stevens.

Shout out to Apollo Sports.

Like he rehabbed me in 3 weeks and I said is it broken?

1:02:59

He said probably not.

I said great, I have three weeks to get to a start line.

I don't know what this is going to look like, but I have three weeks.

So we rehab it.

I ran once or twice on it.

Wow.

And show up to New York.

Oh my gosh.

First of all, New York has to be my favorite places in the world.

1:03:15

It's beyond amazing.

Had a blast.

But some of the things I didn't realize, I didn't know we would get on the bus with the athletes with disabilities.

So he after having a support runner, he had to fill I think two different things.

One to claim an athlete with disability and then with that he could have a support runner.

1:03:34

So you're on a bus with when you think about an athlete disability.

And in my role as an occupational therapist, everyone thinks of a disability as in lower extremity amputees, visually impaired.

There's so many reasons why someone could have a disability.

1:03:52

And what's fascinating is, and I, Jason, I have had this conversation because for a lot of people, you would never even know he had a brain tumor.

Yeah.

He's totally normal.

And one of the things I specifically asked him with all of this is are you OK?

1:04:09

Because you're going to be labeled an athlete with.

Disability.

I was actually thinking that in the back of my mind, like it doesn't.

He doesn't seem like the kind of person that would like that label.

No, but I think with come with brain tumor awareness comes the fact that there are disabilities with it.

And I think what was very interesting about first of all, everyone could not figure out how I got into New York.

1:04:33

You want to talk about Instagram and everything, It's like, well, how did she get in New York?

And what's interesting is I'm like whether I freaking got in because I sold my kidney and I'm a influencer all of a sudden to pay my way and what does it matter?

1:04:51

Yes, The other hard part was I got slight feelings from some people.

And again, this is just it's Instagram and it's but he's not a disability.

He's not running all the time.

He's running like no one would say it, but like there was something and it might have been me just looking into it, but it was very interesting of but he wasn't an athlete with disability in Chicago.

1:05:15

But The thing is, we were running Chicago together.

He didn't need that designation there.

Right, because you were already there.

And we were teamed like we were together.

So it was really interesting.

And I think I'm hyperly sensitive to it because of my job.

And I've see society in a different way sometimes with my job.

1:05:34

And so, so we get there.

So what?

Do you mean?

What do you mean by that?

I, I think in my job I see people all the time that on the outside you'd never know there was something wrong, especially as a certified brain injury specialist and I've watched.

1:05:52

So my big passion in life is post intensive care syndrome and patients after a critical illness who survive and everyone thinks they're fine.

But deep down there's so many psychosocial issues and people.

You can do normal things, but what would if someone took running away from you?

1:06:09

It would be debilitating to you and there might be like an anxiety disability or mental health, but but Allie, you can do everything else you're supposed to be doing.

Like we place things on people.

So.

So it was just interesting because going into New York, I already had like, I could take what people think about me with a grain of salt, but it was very interesting because in our space we're in, it was just who gets in where and how and when.

1:06:34

And so we go, we hung out over the weekend.

Jason Phelan is there.

My mom was with us.

We had our dinner together, a pasta dinner beforehand.

And so we get on the bus, which by the way, Jason got on the bus because I told him where and when to be.

He didn't even read the manual before where he left so.

1:06:52

Sherpa, Amanda.

I I was a support runner through and through from the start and to the finish.

Just and Jason, I'm telling of our secrets, but this is you told me to be on this podcast.

So here we are here we are.

But we get on the bus and then we were in the athlete disabilities tent.

Holy shit.

1:07:08

I mean, this one lady probably, I'm trying to think there was so many amazing things with one.

I ran into Ken, which I just adore Ken and he's painted up.

And Achilles International is huge.

So a lot of them are Achilles runners.

If you're not familiar with Achilles International, it is for athletes with disabilities who then can be paired with support and guide runners.

1:07:31

We do not have a chapter here.

That's one of my projects I'm working on.

You talk.

About monumental, too.

Yeah, again.

And so.

A lot of all Achilles International.

One of the ladies, I would bet her prosthetic came up to her hip and then she was missing part of an arm.

1:07:51

So she was like a bilateral amputee upper and lower.

It was running her first marathon.

We were talking to a guy that is an adult with like an intellectual disability who didn't finish New York last year and he was paired with his runner.

Oh my gosh.

1:08:08

And I was just like, what's your goal?

He goes just to finish.

We're blessed, very blessed to be able to do.

And when you think of the world majors and you think about time goals and you think about Boston, you think about like my goal went from wanting to finish to I want to, I want to compete with people I see on Instagram where I want to be the best or do like it humbled me because it grounded me back into why did I start running?

1:08:46

Why do you run in the first place?

Why do you, any of us choose a hobby?

Why did all of these people show up to New York City to put them through five to seven hours?

The majority of runners like, why do you do that?

And to watch people who society basically tells them you can't do this, you shouldn't be able to do this to show up and go, no, I am going to do this and I'm going to have fun doing it.

1:09:13

And I've been training like.

It was a.

Whole different atmosphere and I think having run Berlin before that which I had a very big time goal, I missed it and I ripped myself apart for it to then Chicago and falling to who the fuck cares?

1:09:32

Like, nobody in this tent cares what their time is at the end of it.

They're here to prove that anyone can run a marathon if you set your mind to it.

It was just one of the most inspirational moments.

1:09:48

And so then I run, hands down one of my favorite marathons.

I had a blast, absolute blast.

Jason struggles.

He's a little delirious, so I'm just running along.

I was eating everything on the course.

I was taking it all in.

1:10:03

I loved the bridges.

I just the whole, I mean, New York City can show up and to complete 3 marathons in five weeks, all under five hours.

And thinking to back to 2020 where I ran by my like, it was like a full circle moment.

1:10:26

But I think for me as an occupational therapist who helps patients in a hospital after they wake up and they've lost a limb or their loved ones are like, Oh my gosh, they have a brain injury.

They're never going to be able to do anything they do again.

To being in a tent with everyone who defies, that is one of the coolest things.

1:10:46

And it re grounded me and why I run and it re grounded me and putting limits on people because we shouldn't put limits on anybody.

So I'm very passionate.

I reached out to Monumental after I got home and they're working on some things that I'm hoping with my current position to make some connections and really works.

1:11:08

And I didn't run Monumental last year because I just needed some time off running.

But I spectated and I saw one Achilles runner, I saw one other person with a guide.

But we could do the exact same thing on a smaller scale in our backyard.

1:11:24

And I one of the local rehab centers has an amazing adaptive sports program for anyone who wants to do like wheelchair racing or I mean, they do all kinds of sports through the rehab center.

1:11:40

And I'm like, what a cool place to partner for anybody that has to go through any diagnosis or disability to say no, I can run and get paired with somebody who can help them.

I think one of I really enjoyed and I'm probably going to Butcher name Alexis.

1:11:58

Alexi Pappas.

Thank you.

I was.

Thinking about her so I.

Ran into her.

I saw her on the New York City court.

That's so cool.

And watching how she again has taken her journey as a professional runner to then guide.

And it is just overall exciting.

1:12:16

And honestly, Jason looked at me and said there's no way I would have finished it without you.

And one of my favorite parts.

Shout out to pen and Paces because I wore my name, babe.

He heard my name for four hours because I was on his right side, so everyone was on this.

1:12:32

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, I ate that up.

I was like, Oh my God.

And finally he's like, can they shut up?

I go, well, would you run fast or we could get this over with faster and then you wouldn't have to hear them.

But it was I mean, back-to-back marathons are tough.

And I think with every major it's when do I eat?

1:12:51

When do I hydrate?

Someone needs a little bit more reminder to take water on the course.

You.

Not me.

Just kidding.

So I really did support him and it was really fun.

We have some really good pictures of him and I finishing.

And what's really funny is he invited me to help him.

1:13:09

But I think in the long run, yeah, yeah, it helped me, just ground me and humble me so.

I relate to this so much, Amanda.

It's like, you know, I had APR in the marathon last year, the year before I had APR in the half and it is so much fun getting better and seeing your hard work pay off.

1:13:29

It is so fun.

But I just have started thinking like, I don't want to burn out in my love of this sport.

I don't want to put so much pressure on myself that I don't enjoy it anymore.

I just took three months off because there was a, there was a point where I'm finally getting back and I'm not even to where I am.

1:13:49

But you get to a point where you hit the times because you're consistently going and you think if you keep going, the times will keep coming.

And then they don't.

And then you realize, OK, well, I've been grinding now for two years.

1:14:07

I trained for two years.

I didn't take.

I mean, I when I say train, I was always on a plan, whether it was full marathon training and then tapering off.

But I mean my build, my off time was still 20 miles a week, 4 days of running, sometime up to 25 miles.

1:14:25

Well, working full time, I do a lot of other things outside of work and running and my kids and my husband.

I also like over the summer when you're training, we have a place of the lake.

I last year I was running at 45 AM and then I wasn't fun at the lake because I was so exotic.

1:14:42

Yeah.

I have been so burned out that I felt so guilty.

But what's very interesting is Lindsay Welty actually asked me.

She was how did it feel taking time off I go.

I felt freaking guilty.

Like get my ass off Instagram because I'm like, Oh my God, all these people are doing all these things and they're still doing all the things.

1:15:00

I did not have it in me.

I also when you go back-to-back to back, you don't reflect, you don't have time to process.

Or celebrate.

You just boom boom boom.

And when people go, Oh my gosh, you just ran all these marathons.

I was like, wow, I didn't hit my A goal in Berlin.

1:15:18

I fell in freaking Chicago and New York.

I mean, if you look me up, I really wasn't there.

Like that was my attitude.

And it has taken me a while to get there.

I think there's also been things going on.

I changed jobs.

I was in this weird transition of do I leave patient, careful time?

1:15:37

Like there's been a lot of life identity things that again, seasons of running come with seasons of life.

And I've needed the time.

And I honestly, the other day, like I haven't ran this week, I felt like crap.

And I'm like, Oh my God, what's happening happening to me?

1:15:53

Well, my, the mom I sat with at gymnastics on Wednesday goes, I don't feel good at all.

I think I'm like, I probably was freaking sick, like, and it's OK to take a little like I'm not going to put my body through something.

So I have actually listened.

I ran a chill pace.

1:16:09

I ran a sub 2 with indie mini.

You know, I'm going to be OK.

I'm going to be OK.

Am I going to hit the goal I won in Berlin coming up?

I mean, yeah, I'd like to PR.

Do I think I have a PR in me?

Yeah.

Have I been putting forth?

Probably what I think would lead up to it, But maybe my body has just in my mind.

1:16:26

Really.

Your mind, too.

Just need some time off.

Yeah.

But I think a lot of what you're talking about, I haven't really reflected on a lot of this for a long time.

That's why you're, you're like, yeah.

But no, I have felt so freaking guilty.

And it's funny because I was bitching to a friend of mine and I was like, I don't understand why I'm so burnt out.

1:16:46

I mean, yeah, I ran a lot.

He goes.

You do realize you also ran Dopey?

Right.

I was like.

Shit, no, I forgot about the 48 miles January and then I beat myself up of like I'm losing all this fitness and I go well, just two months ago you ran a marathon.

1:17:04

I think you're going to be OK.

So I think I mean it's it's gross, right?

And I think the growth mindset in running translates to a lot of other growth mindsets.

Totally.

I've needed a reflective, strong mindset to transition from something I was really freaking good at to the courage to jump into something that I have no idea what I'm doing.

1:17:29

I've never worked full time in a higher education setting.

I've never been a director of something.

But someone saw something in me and here I am.

But you have I have to take the exact same mindset of running into this job.

And I think running has helped prepare me for what I'm doing.

1:17:47

I also went through a lot of really tough situations at work for a while, and I had to make a very hard shift.

I did not want to leave a job, and I was just going to stick it out.

But mentally, I couldn't do it.

And honestly, I kept telling myself, if you can run and endure the pain of something, marathon training teaches you how to endure pain.

1:18:07

Yeah, that's yeah.

And be uncomfortable.

You can surely move on from something that doesn't fit you anymore and you're going to be OK.

And I did, and I, if I wouldn't have made the move two years ago, I wouldn't be in the position I'm in now.

But marathon training helped me.

1:18:23

And mirror running a mirror.

I mean, I say running a marathon, it's really the training, the getting up the hours, the right, right freaking nutrition that you just don't want to eat anymore and all of that that prepares you for the hard times.

Yeah, yeah.

So good.

1:18:38

Yeah, I'm so happy for you.

Oh.

Thanks.

I also want to mention, I want to plug Ainsley's angels again, because not only am I like not trying to like, you know, obsess over time, which I will still undoubtedly, but giving like you talk about being in that Achilles tent, like Ainsley's angels.

1:18:56

It's such a wide variety of people in those Chariots.

And it was, it's such a gratifying experience giving somebody that gift of a finish line.

So now I'm obsessed, as you might.

I almost signed up and I'm like Oh my God, I haven't strength trained.

1:19:13

I'm not sure I could push.

Somebody, but yeah.

Yeah, but I saw them at the Expo and I'm on their list.

Now good, good, because next year they want 50 teams for the 50th indie mini.

And then I'm also pushing at Marine Corps, which I'm terrified because I didn't know it was a 1 to 1 ratio.

1:19:28

I thought that I would have a partner, but it'll be fine.

Here's the thing, I'm going to enjoy all the whole experience and that really excites.

Me and the person you're with, they're happy to finish.

I mean, and I'm just.

Without you, they wouldn't be able to finish.

Right, which is so cool.

So anyway, plug again because I just love it so much.

1:19:47

Let me make sure we didn't forget anything that I wanted to.

I mean, we've talked about so many good things.

I know.

Yeah.

I think it's time for the end of the podcast questions.

Which you sent me and I don't even read them.

That's fine.

That most people.

Most people.

Don't I did read your e-mail.

I don't want.

To it's fine if you didn't.

I mean, that happens too.

1:20:03

It's like, whatever, with all the things going on, my God.

And being a mom in May is not for the faint of heart.

Can they just stop freaking spirit weeks?

I mean, just all the things I'm.

Sorry to appreciate matter if my kid wears a hat to school.

Like, let's knock it off.

1:20:19

I'm just glad that now she's old enough to like, remember and remind me of those things because because I'm like, I don't know what's going on.

I it's so hard.

Yeah.

And thank God my mother-in-law works in the school too.

So like between that and like my remembering.

My mom watched my kids while we were in Berlin last year, so she was on all the emails.

1:20:38

She lives in Cleveland.

She's like, did you remember that?

It's spirit.

We could go shut up.

Pam.

Yeah.

Oh my gosh, that's your mom's name?

My mother in law's Pam.

Pam, I'm like, Pam, knock it off in Cleveland.

But I'm glad you get the emails.

I know Pam saves my life all the time.

Oh gosh.

1:20:54

So OK, they're easy questions.

I think.

So the first one is what is your favorite running song and or mantra?

Oh my gosh, maybe it's not easy.

I don't know, but I I guess I ask it all the time so.

OK, I have a new favorite mantra.

1:21:10

Don't be a bitch ass that'll.

Make you know great tattoo, Do you know?

Where that's wrong?

No, so don't be a bitch ass this.

Is great does Lyndon I was listening to her talk about her last Boston and her last professional race and I'm running and I could not stop laughing.

1:21:31

She talked about how her mantra on the course is she has negative talk to herself, which I don't really agree with but she's like OK does now don't be a bitch ass and they talk about her.

She talks if you don't, you should listen to this really funny.

She talks about how she passes Sarah Hall at Boston and Kara goes, well, what did you did you say anything to her?

1:21:50

She's like, well, I don't think Sarah probably talks herself a lot better.

I didn't go past her and go, Sarah, don't be a bitch ass.

And like, so as I'm running, I was doing a speed workout and I was on my last Rep and Dez just goes don't be a bitch ass.

1:22:06

And I'm like, I mean, I can get on board with this.

Love it.

I also cost like a sailor half the time.

So same the whole time I'm just like OK when things get hard I'm just going to think it does going don't be a bitch ass so.

Bitch ass.

That's a good one.

I really like it.

I like the song Work Bitch by Britney Spears.

1:22:22

It's like, yeah.

So that is, you know, just like.

I have the craziest.

I have a ongoing playlist that I've added to throughout the year, so it's really funny.

It's actually my first No, yeah, first caramel half.

I did so it actually has built, which is fun because songs that like I had a couple years ago to get me through.

1:22:44

I'm like, Oh, these are really terrible, but they take me back, yes.

So I just add I also have some descendants on there because my kids like I was.

Gonna say what Disney songs are on the list.

Yeah, and then there's one if you haven't ever seen the movie Thelma.

No, on Netflix, The Unicorn.

1:23:01

Oh, I haven't kids would love that.

It's about a little It's about a Little Pony who then looks like a Unicorn, but in the end it's about who she is inside, not what she looks like.

And so the song is something about turn your light on, let me see who you are.

1:23:17

Like it's very sweet.

That's so I have a bunch.

Of songs that remind me and my kids so.

That's fun too.

Depending on where I am in a marathon, sometimes it's been a great thing so.

Yeah, that's funny.

I've done the same thing.

I think my playlist is still called the New York City Marathon Playlist, and I ran New York City in 2018.

So like, so I just, I have indie mini ones, I have Vegas ones, I have a bunch of random ones, but a lot of them come from the same base of songs.

1:23:40

And then I have one for this podcast, which I need to keep updating because I forget, but has and it'll remind me of the people who I've had on this podcast.

Like if I can remember and associate the songs with with the people.

It's fun.

I'm.

Trying to think, I mean, I've got some good ones on there.

I just add to it some Eminem, some.

1:23:57

Yeah, always Eminem.

Yeah, OK.

And then second is next finish line or milestone.

I mean, so I'm doing Berlin this coming year and then.

What's the date of Berlin this year?

Is it the 21st?

Sure.

I don't know.

We fly out in September.

1:24:12

Yeah, we fly the 18th.

Because it's right by Oktoberfest.

Yeah, because we want to meet last time.

My goal is to PR and I have not had this conversation.

So, Rachel, if you're listening, this is what I've thought about the last three months that I've taken off.

I think my plan is, so I turned 37 in November.

1:24:30

I think I've decided that after Berlin, I'm taking time off marathons.

I think my body, my brain just needs time.

I think I love a good quick half.

I would love to get Speedy and then find a really good marathon, Monumental around the year I turn 40 and see what I can do for Boston.

1:24:55

I just need time.

I I'll do Disney halves.

I mean, halves are fun, halves are great, but I think after Berlin it's just time to step away for a little bit and I don't want to not enjoy something.

Yeah, I feel the same way.

Yeah, because it would suck to not enjoy something that you've loved for so long.

1:25:12

Well, I'm not going to lie, you're actually my inspiration for that little thought because you took some time off away from the marathon.

Oh, I did, yeah.

Thank.

You and you came back really freaking strong and monumental.

And I'm like, you know what?

There's nothing wrong with stepping away.

It'll always be there.

1:25:28

Yeah, it will.

I may not be over.

Right.

And I'm like, hopefully I can do it again.

Yeah, so Berlin.

I mean, I'm going to throw my name in for the majors.

My mom just told me yesterday she goes, if there's ever a marathon in London, I'd love to go with you.

I was like, well, OK, there is one.

1:25:43

Thanks, lady.

Like, yeah, so I mean, I'll throw my name in Tokyo and London.

I'll throw my name in if whatever the wind blows, you know, we'll see what happens.

But I'm not.

I'll run monumental half for as long as I can and.

But I think it's time just to take some time away and.

1:26:01

Yeah, enjoy it.

Just enjoy it.

And enjoy my kid.

Like there's really good ages right now where.

So fun the.

Training.

And so that's kind of the plan, but Rachel, sorry, you're just hearing about it, right?

Yeah, take a.

Break Yeah, I, I, I want to put in for the majors too.

I turn 40 next year.

1:26:18

OK, so I'm 30.

I'll be 39 this July.

And so then next year I have all these like plans in my head like we did nothing when my husband turned 40 or when we celebrate our we didn't celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary.

Really.

I mean, we had dinner and we did Key West over spring break for a night, which was great.

1:26:33

But I'm like, oh, should I just throw in all for all the things?

Here's the problem.

My husband is reluctantly supportive.

My running addiction kind of drives him nuts, which is great.

I will tell you though, hands down Berlin to Munich.

1:26:49

Oh my gosh, I have the best picture from Oktoberfest.

I love Oktoberfest.

Oh my God, we had so much fun.

I went to college.

He loved it.

So it was the mix of I run, do my thing, and then Munich was the cherry on top for him and we had a blast.

1:27:05

Oh my God, I have so many and I'm going out a couple that we met on that trip, we're actually going to their wedding in September to Denver.

And so like again, lifelong friends and cool, I can love to celebrate them and.

That's hilarious.

1:27:20

Yeah, I love that.

I love that so much.

I could talk to you all day.

OK.

Thank you for finally doing this.

I know.

It's a you're so amazing, Amanda.

You inspire me a lot too, just so you know.

So thank you to everybody who's listened and happy running.

Yeah, absolutely.

1:27:36

Thank you.

If you enjoyed this episode of the Finish Lines and Milestones podcast from Sandy Boy Productions, please share rate review.

I so appreciate your support and hope you listen again next week.

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