Finish Lines & Milestones: Episode 118: Sarah Overpeck - Yes, You Can

July 25, 2025

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

Guest: Sarah Overpeck @soverpeck

Show Notes:

Sarah Overpeck⁠ and I were connected by the Founder of the CNO Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, ⁠Carlton Ray⁠.

During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Relay Active⁠, we talk about:

How she's Indiana through and through - grew up here, went to high school here, and went to Indiana University before working for the NCAA in downtown IndianapolisThe sports she was around growing up including her mom’s “race walking”
Losing her sister suddenly in 2017 and her dad to cancer
How she found running and ran AND rowed in college
Her role in High School Review at the NCAA where she’s worked for 16 years
2007 when she ran her first marathon in Little Rock Arkansas
Other races she's done and the “train story” where she and other runners climbed through a stopped train to continue in a race
Moving into the world of ultramarathons and Ironman races (70.3)
How she became part of the first all female team to win The Speed Project, a 340 mile race through Death Valley (⁠watch the video⁠)
Working with ⁠Back on my Feet ⁠Indianapolis
Her next trip abroad to go on a ⁠Wilder Retreat ⁠for runners and writers hosted by ⁠Lauren Fleshman

Links:

Sponsor Details:

⁠Relay Active⁠ - Use ALLYB for 15% off
⁠Athlete Bouquets⁠ - Use PODCAST for 10% off

Episode Transcript:

[00:00:00] This is a Sandy Boy Productions podcast.

Welcome to Finish Lines and Milestones, a podcast for everyday runners. I'm your host, ally Brett knocker, and if you run, you are a runner and every runner has a story. Join me every Friday as I share these stories and we cross finish lines and celebrate milestones together. First, let me tell you about this week's sponsor Relay Active. This is a woman owned small business made for women's active wear, and it combines fashion, art, comfort, and performance into clothes that you're gonna love.

So I'm gonna tell you about a few of my favorite items. The first is the Rachel Pocket shorts. I've had a pair of these for years, So Lindsay Hein was the first to influence me to buying Relay Active, and I did not regret [00:01:00] it one bit. So the Rachel Pocket shorts, they're longer.

They've got a huge pocket for your phone. Then for tops, we have the Kella pocket crop top, which is high neckline, a little bit longer than a bra, and then has a pocket for your phone in the back. Then we also have the Cleo Pocket bra, which is this beautiful square neck line that's more of a bra length.

Also has a phone pocket, which is, I feel like for me, I have to have at this point. And then right now, if you're watching this video, I'm wearing a Sunday's Essential Pocket tee. I have three of these in my closet that I bought again, probably years ago at this point. But my favorite set right now is the Sunburst Summer collection set.

It's so beautiful, this tie dye. I am telling you. Is gorgeous. You must get it. So if you wanna check it out, go to relay active.com and use code Allie, B-A-L-L-Y-B for 15% off your first order. And also feel really good about it because 1% of all purchases go to animal rescue.

So thank you Relay active for supporting [00:02:00] this podcast. My guest this week is Sarah opec. We were introduced by Carlton Ray, who you may know in Indianapolis as the founder of the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. More than 15 years running. We're getting close to 20 years. So Carlton introduced us and said, Hey, you gotta meet Sarah.

She's a great runner. You're a runner. You have a running podcast. And so we connected. And I just Thank you to Carlton so much for connecting us because this conversation was so much fun. it was my first time ever talking to Sarah, which I always love. And it was Sarah's first time on a podcast, which I couldn't believe.

And she has a ton of great stories. And so while I'm here complaining about my summer running, Sarah was part of the first all female team to do the speed project, which is an ultra race that's unsanctioned, unsupported. Free for all goes from Santa Monica Pier to Las Vegas.

Insane. So I can't really complain about the heat. I try to just channel that and know that that's, Sarah did that, I can do that. and they won first female team ever to win that [00:03:00] race. So super cool. I've talked about it on this podcast before I mentioned the documentary. I will have linked that in the show notes for you to go check out.

And then I find myself just living vicariously through Sarah. So she's now really into Iron Man, 70.3 races. She's done three of them in a couple weeks. She's getting ready to go do another one Olympic distance, and then she's heading to Europe for a running retreat with Lauren Fleshman and you should definitely get to know Lauren and read her book. But she's going on this retreat. She's done one before in Oregon, but now this one's in France. And so I wish I would've had her on after, frankly, so we could hear all about it.

But I promise I will keep you updated and share what Sarah shares when she's over there. But we talk all about Sarah's running journey. She's been in Indiana for all of her life, having grown up here, gone to high school and undergrad. Here we talk about how she ran and rowed at iu.

She now works for the NCAA downtown. We share stories of her races. One, my personal favorite story she shares is about a train's [00:04:00] wild. She went on to win that race. Crazy, and we talk about. how she made her way from running road races to then going into the ultra scene and now the triathlon world. And I'm just so incredibly inspired by Sarah.

So. I hope you enjoy this conversation with my new friend Sarah Overpeck.

Sarah Overpeck: Welcome, Sarah Overpeck. How are you? I'm so good, thank you. Thanks for having me. Oh my gosh. You're welcome. I can't believe you've never been on a podcast before.

Yeah.

yeah.

Wild. How is that possible?

Have

you just turned down all their classes? Yeah, exactly.

They've

been just streaming in and I've been like, gosh, I just, yeah, just couldn't possibly. Well, we got connected by Carlton Ray for anybody listening who does not know Carlton, he's the founder of the Monumental Marathon.

Yeah. And you were just telling me how you know Carlton, so I'm gonna make you repeat it now. Yeah. How you know him? just my husband and I met him through just mutual friends. not even running related, but, um, we were so [00:05:00] excited when he started the monumental marathon and like he's just, I don't know, he's hasn't lived in Indianapolis in a long time, but is still feels just like a staple of this city and this community.

Yeah, absolutely. I know we're coming on almost, it was just 15 years, I feel like a couple years ago. So we're getting close now to 20 years. Of Monument. That's so crazy. You met him before he started it even. Yeah. you do the inaugural race or are you just, I don't remember. I honestly don't remember.

Yeah, it's I mean, well it's been, like I said, almost 20 years. We're getting closer. Yeah. Yeah. I don't remember if I did the inaugural, but I've done it several times. Yeah. I actually had to stop running that race because

my husband

and I moved, six years ago. And we now live right in between.

it goes up Washington and down Meridian and we live on Delaware, so it's like,

I feel like it would be awful to just run past my house twice during a marathon and that'd be really rough. Yeah. But we go cheer usually, and like, you know, [00:06:00] it's very convenient for cheering. thank you for doing that.

All

the runners appreciate it.

Yeah. I

feel like it would be so tempting to stop. It could be really nice to be by your house. Just swing in, use the bathroom, Yeah. like Right. grab some stuff out of the fridge that you might need. Yeah. But that would be, that would be weird and hard, Yeah. And

you just couldn't go home.

Exactly right. So you're like, all right, I guess I'll just live downtown until the race is over. Right.

Are you originally from the Indianapolis area? I am, yeah. my, mom

still lives

in the house that I grew up in, Oh, wow. Like was, Yeah. My whole life lived in the same house. I went to an elementary school on the in northeast side.

I went to Chatard for high school. Okay. I didn't even stray far for college. I went to iu. So yeah, I'm just Indiana through and through Indiana. And now you now work here?

Yep. Here.

IMG_1989: Up here.

Sarah Overpeck: we have another mutual friend too, by the way, before I forget to mention Lindsay Heine. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I did meet her through just the local running community when, when she [00:07:00] also lived in Indy and, just awesome.

Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. We miss her. Maybe we can convince her to come back. Yeah, at some point, yeah, like, okay, you've done your time outside of Indianapolis, like now it's time to come home. So yeah, I've gotten her to come in town. She came in town for the mini this year and last year actually the mini hired her now I think I can get her to come back for the monumental and hopefully we can do an event together every,

every

year, twice.

That'd be great. Yeah. so Lindsay, if you're listening to this, come back. We're ready.

we're ready

to be back. Yeah, We want you if you lived on Delaware downtown, isn't that she lived really like, I don't know, did she live on Delaware or another street I can't remember. We're like a little north of downtown, so like Yeah.

More Meridian, Kessler type of Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Gotcha. Nice. Alright, so very Indiana. And when you were growing up, were you a runner? Did you get just a lot of different sports Yeah, just like a ton of different activities. my parents were always just very encouraging. of just whatever activity.

so I dunno. I tried.

Volleyball [00:08:00] basketball as like an elementary school kid and just like ball sports. Not for me. Like, not that coordinated

sweet. Really? Yeah. And honestly, like even running, I, I was like pretty mediocre to start with. I remember the very first run, what I would call like a run besides, you know, just running around as a kid.

But the first like run I went on, I, it was probably the summer before my eighth grade year,

and

my mom was like, Uh, race walker. She would do like the mini, like walk it like, oh, that's amazing. Like, She was

like legit real fast. Yeah. and so she would like walk this neighborhood loop and I jogged with her while she was like, race, walking around our neighborhood.

and I was like, I think I'm gonna try running one of my older sisters was, a,

high school runner. Okay. And she ran cross country. And so, you know, I looked up to her and I was like, okay, I'm gonna try it. So I ran track in eighth grade. We didn't have a cross country team, but I ran track. I didn't hate it.

And so I ran cross country and track in high school and yeah, I just [00:09:00] enjoyed

the activity, liked that. Didn't really require a lot of coordination.

Yeah.

Made great friends and just, I don't know, I don't think, obviously at the time, I don't think I realized this, but it's just obviously something that you can do anywhere, anytime.

Right. Forever. As long as you know, your body holds up, Yeah. it's like, doesn't really require a lot of stuff.

mean it doesn't, but, you know.

IMG_1989: you know,

Sarah Overpeck: But I

dunno about you. Yeah. You buy a lot of stuff that I don't actually need. but Right, true. Yes. We enjoyable. Yeah. Yeah. That's so funny. I wanna talk about your mom's race.

Walking again though. Yeah. 'cause it just makes me think of the clips I saw from the Olympics this year of the speed walkers. That's insane. Yeah. How, I mean, I'm sure your mom's not like Olympic level, but I picture that. Yeah. When you think about somebody like walking with real purpose. Yeah. Does she still walk?

She still walks. not quite as fast or as far, and like her knees give her some trouble now. but yeah, she still like walks for exercise and I mean, it was like really kind of unbelievable. Like now thinking back I [00:10:00] probably didn't appreciate it as much as a kid.

Yeah, As I do now. doing?

Yeah. Um, but yeah, just yeah. Intense. Yeah. That's so cool. Does she still ever do like something distance wise like the mini or is she No. Out of those years. Yeah. No real like events or anything anymore. Just yeah, For, that's how, that's how my mom is as well. Like she's kind of the one that got me our family into running.

'cause my dad still runs, but my mom can no longer run. But she's very active. Yeah. so, yeah, kind of similar but no, no race walking for her. She does. Have you ever seen an ellipti go?

Oh, yes.

Yeah,

IMG_1989: Yeah, she has one of

Sarah Overpeck: she has those. Yep. that's awesome. That's amazing. So you mentioned one older sister. Does that mean you have more than one older sister?

Um, I grew up with two. Okay. One of them passed away. Yeah. very, very unexpectedly. several years ago. gosh, it's been, it was in 2017.

yeah, it was super unexpected. She had a brain aneurysm that we did not know and it ruptured. and yeah, it was all very like sudden and [00:11:00] intense. and I'm just trying to talk about it without getting, super well,

just realized too, like an idiot that I was like, oh yeah.

yeah.

I was just kind of going through my, okay, like,

where

are

you in the birth order? How many siblings do you have? Yeah. And immediately was like, wanted to shove my foot in my mouth No, no, no. putting you on the spot immediately. No, No, it's totally fine. And, and like, I don't know, you know, like grief evolves, so I'm to the point now.

It's

obviously still, still there and I still miss her. But it's like I'm to the point now where I am a little more, it just comes more naturally to talk about it. And I don't mind talking about it at all because it's, she was, she was a huge part of my life. Wow. Is, is still, in that, like, in that way, you know?

Right, right. Yeah. And so wait, so is she the oldest, she's Yes, She's the oldest. Um, and then I was the youngest. Okay. So, they were, my sisters were five and seven years older than me. Okay. So I was like a little bit always down, you know, but had them to look up to, like, they were, they went through like high school and college.

and I had them to kind of [00:12:00] like as my example, right. Or like what not to do. That's what I was, I'm the oldest of three girls, so I was what her sister was Yeah. example that they look up to, but sometimes also learned what not to do as well, which is just as important. Exactly. Yeah, exactly.

Yeah, exactly. How old was she when she had the aneurysms? 41. 41. Yeah. One. Which is wild. It was like an interestingly emotional birthday for me this year. 'cause I turned 42. Yeah.

Which like, kind of hit me like a ton of bricks. Like Oh wow. Like this is an age. She never got to be like Yeah. yeah.

Which

is just insane. Right, right. After it happened, like, did they, did the doctors tell you that there was any way you could have ever known at all? No. I mean, unless, like, there was some, for some other reason she might have gotten some scan. Scan. Right. there was no warning sign. It was really wild.

but then afterward, like my doctor did say like, you can get, we can do an MRI on you to see if this is, um, like, I don't know if [00:13:00] it's

runs

in the family or what. but I did and all was fine. So, it's just like a freak thing. Yeah.

Ugh.

IMG_1989: Ugh.

Sarah Overpeck: Yeah.

And she was 41. Did she, was she married with kids or Yeah. what did her life look like?

Yeah. Married, had two, two girls. they were quite young at the time. Eight and six, I think they were. So they're Jesus in high school now, which is wild. It'ss been a, yeah, it's, that's been a journey, of just obviously they have a whole, their own whole grief experience mm-hmm. And going through that.

and very, very lucky that we all live in this area, in the Indianapolis area, so that's really nice. I've gotten to be a part of their life. and, um, my other sister lives here as well. She has got two young kids, so, yeah, we've all gotten to just kind of be there for each other. Yeah. That's, that's nice.

Yeah. Gosh, that like really hits me hard because I'm 39 and I have an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old, and so it's just like, yeah, I can't, yeah. Yeah. Imagine that.

[00:14:00] And

it's almost like, well, at least I wouldn't be there to, like the idea of trying to process that and what they would experience is really hard and what my sisters and family would experience.

Yeah. And it's this very interesting, like I, I try not to like project what I'm feeling onto them, but it's like every little milestone they have, like

eighth

grade graduation, like all these like Getting your driver's license. Like, it's just like this, like underlying sadness or like melancholy.

And I'm like, well, they don't necessarily, that's not their experience. That's me knowing that I had a mom when I went through this. And so it's just, I don't know. I try to, obviously I want them to like see me feel my feelings, but um, I try not to like project onto them if they're, you know, having their own right.

Their own, whatever it is, whatever their feelings are about it. Yeah. And so, okay, you said the year and I forgot, or did you say the year 2017? 17, Yeah.

And so yeah. Eight years. Yeah. Could you talk just a little bit about how grief evolves? Because I know that everybody listening has [00:15:00] lost someone in their life and would relate a lot to that.

Yeah. But the suddenness of it too, right? Is like one of those things where it's so different to have to process like that. Yeah. When you weren't preparing for it. Yeah. It was like truly like just a shock to the system. I mean, like, I even remember like having, these like weird,

this is gonna sound worse than it is.

I remember having like weird tightness in my chest and like,

went to the doctor and got it all checked out. Like, it was not like a physical ailment, it was just like, literally my heart was broken, you know? Like, yeah. It was just these weird things. I obviously sleeping was hard. I would just like, random moments just like

burst

into tears.

So it was like, you know, even just like getting through the day, like mm-hmm.

Trying

to like

go back to work and. like driving by the hospital where she was, it was, it's just like, you know, everything would just make me burst into tears, weirdly, like ambulance sirens would because it was like all very sudden and she like [00:16:00] went to the hospital in an ambulance.

And so like, even that was just like traumatic and like, Well, and it just, I don't know, like people showing up is like a huge help just day in and day out. Just people being like, how are you, how are you doing? Like, how are you really? so I had, you know, great coworkers, great friends, obviously my family, like I said, was all local and, and we, had that.

Yeah. and it just you know, it's so cliche, but just like time, time is like the only balm and it, it never really goes away. It's still like this undercurrent and even now, every now and then something random, I'll just like bring a tear to my eye. But I

think of it now as. A good thing that I'm remembering, even if it makes me a little sad.

It's like, I don't wanna, I don't wanna forget, I don't wanna forget like, whatever the Or go through a day or week where you don't think about her. Right. Like, that would be

even

more painful. Right. Yeah. Right. Yeah.

And I,

and I think like, I don't know, I, I also don't really like the phrase, like, everything happens for a reason or, and I, [00:17:00] and I don't necessarily need think, you need to find like a silver lining to every tragic thing.

Right? Yeah. But, but I do think it has made me like more compassionate. I've had like friends and, coworkers who've lost loved ones, and so it,

it just, I don't know, it's a,

a different level of understanding, that I hope I can just like bring a comfort. Like,

of course I wish I didn't have this Right.

at least Okay. And and you lost your dad too, is that right? Yeah. Um, pretty recently. That was just a couple years ago. Yeah. which he had some, some like medical issues at, for

several years. And was doing, you know, pretty well. he had cancer on his kidney, and so it was removed and he was weirdly only born with one kidney, which he didn't even know until that happened.

Really? been this kind of well, Yeah. Um, and that was like several years ago.

I mean like, probably,

oh gosh. at least a dozen years ago. And so it was doing really well since then. He, got, actually, he got had a kidney transplant from his brother. His brother was his, um, wow. Kidney donor. Yeah. That's really [00:18:00] special.

Yeah. And he had been doing well for, a long time, but it's just like that wears on your body. He had been on dialysis for a while and like just

aged

him quite quickly. and so it just like very random complications and stuff from that. So was in the, he went in the hospital a couple years ago, in October and it just, like, he kind of declined from there.

It was

all

Pretty quick. and just not quite as, obviously not as sudden as my sister, but still just like, I don't know. It was like, oh, wasn't expecting that. Like yeah, his longevity runs in his family. His father lived to be like 96, I think. So it's just like,

yeah. Yeah,

that's how my I mean, like, I'm like expecting him to live forever, right?

IMG_1989: You're like,

Sarah O Track - Ally: it's,

Sarah Overpeck: Of course you are. Like, that's what your dad did, right? Yeah. Yeah. Gosh. So in these moments of grief, like in running, I just picture Do you feel like when you are running, especially now, like when you do or out on the trails or do you find comfort there in being able to [00:19:00] be with them in some way?

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Really any,

I, run mostly by myself. I don't, I don't do a lot of like social running. Although I do sometimes, but for the most part, like if I'm doing a long run, like I'm by myself, I'm just kind of in my head like in my heart. And yeah, it is like a time when I can like, connect.

I don't really do yoga much anymore, but at the time of my, after my sister died, I, I was just kinda trying anything to be like, what will help me process this?

Yeah. Um, so I was doing some yoga and even that was just like anytime I could be still, I could just kind of like feel a connection,

and think of her.

So yes, definitely. like running and, and that like,

it's

kind of like meditative. and Mm-hmm.

Really like

can get, you can get you in that kind of head space To just be present and, yeah. Yeah. Well, when I'm out on the monan here. Like I'll, you know, there's a million cardinals out there. Yeah. I'm always like, you know, I think about people I lost when I see cardinals and uhhuh [00:20:00] butterflies.

It just brings this like little sweet comfort. It'll depend on maybe, maybe I'm listening to music, maybe I'm not. But if I'm listening to music, sometimes it'll be like, the song with that is like these moments where you're like, okay, yeah,

they're still there somehow. Yes. yeah. Yeah. So at what point in your life you, high school, you ran and you ran, you ran in college at IU, didn't you as well?

I did, yeah. did you row too? yeah. I was like doing my research. I'm like, okay, so. This is nuts. She, yeah. How did you get into rowing too, with the running? Yeah, so wild. So,

said, I was a very mediocre runner. like truly, truly. I know that sounds crazy to say, but like, I truly was, I was not recruited for any sport out of high school.

I was like, I don't even know if I ever ran an, an actual varsity cross country race in high school. I ju I just like loved being on the team and I swam in high school as well, so I, I like, oh my gosh. Yeah, I was a, I was a little like pool rat. [00:21:00] me and my sisters all were like, we grew up in a little neighborhood with a pool and like, we were at the pool all the time, so I swam in high school too.

so I just liked sports and activities and, I went to IU not thinking I was gonna do any sport. but I saw these like flyers for like, a call out for like rowing, just like, try rowing,

IMG_1989: get

Sarah Overpeck: out of here.

I was like, oh,

like, oh, I can learn to row. That sounds cool. if nothing else, I'll just learn how to row.

so I went to the like, call out meeting and you know, they talked about how they would teach us how to row and, you know, you had to get up really early, but like, here's where the practices were and they were on Lake Griffey was where we learned. And then Lake Lemon in Bloomington was where the, where like the, actual team practiced.

And I'm like,

like lakes. I like being around water. Like that sounds cool.

yeah, I tried it and I really liked it and like met some great people and just enjoyed being a part of it. So I learned how to row. My freshman year Was a novice [00:22:00] rower. Did they turn people away too? or were you like, Hey, if you, we want They have a rowing team, a full team.

Yeah. if you're athletic and you can do it, we are in, yeah. worked or it, it, was, yes, it was pretty much like.

Anyone? if you were like at all athletic and were interested? Yeah, it was only, so when I started, when I was a freshman, it was only, I think the fourth year that it was a varsity program.

It used to be a club team, and so they were really trying to build the program and get people involved. And and I guess like just

sheer numbers, if you recruit, you know, whatever, like a hundred college freshmen, like some of them are bound to be pretty good. Yeah. Somebody's gotta be able to do this well, right?

Right. Yeah.

Yeah. So it was like a huge call out. Yeah. I learned how to row and then after my freshman year, so I'm, I'm pretty short. I'm five three and just because of the physics of rowing height is

Advantageous.

so I was a little disadvantaged there. so one of the coaches was like, Hey, maybe you could try being a coxswain, which is like the little, like the person who [00:23:00] sits in the boat and steers and like encourages the rowers in the boat, but the steering is not.

Rowing. It is literally. Is it?

Somewhat. Okay. Some of, some of it, most of it is, is the rowers with the os, and then there's like a tiny little rudder. I mean, it's like the size of a credit card. that can just like help steer for like if you need to make like a sharp turn, it just aids with that. Okay.

Um,

But most of it, yeah, like most of the steering is instructing, you know, stronger on port side or like, because you can see what's going on.

Yeah. So all the rowers are sitting backwards and the coxswain is like looking okay. Ahead. Okay. I guess I did know that maybe. Yeah. Interesting. I know it's in you're gonna, I'm like, wait a minute, you're gonna watch it in a whole new light

when you watch, Like, Olympic rowing, Sarah, that's what she was doing.

She's sitting up there telling people what to do. Do you feel like yell really loud? 'cause is it loud on the boat or is it quiet? I mean, it's kind I don't know. I've never Yeah. Done it. Um, well we did have like a little mic, which is actually funny now that I'm saying that,

that

I was like, I've never done a podcast, which is true, but [00:24:00] I have worn a little headset when I was a coxswain.

There you go. If only we had recordings of that, right? Yeah. I don't know profanity is allowed, it's like, come on people. Yeah. And actually we did use to, my coach did use to record, I don't know, maybe this is common among rowing teams, but my coach would record the coxswains to, and we would like listen to our tapes to get like better.

Just like feedback and think through like, how could we have said this differently? Encourage the team better. It works really well. Yeah. You say? I can't even remember. I feel like when you're in that moment, a lot of times you probably wouldn't remember. Yeah. So it's really interesting.

Yeah.

Wow.

Yeah. Huh. Yeah, so I, I was, so I started, coxing as we say, and I was not rowing as much. Sometimes I would do workouts with the team, but for the most part I was a little like coach of my boat. and so I was like, I'm just gonna start running again, kind of in my free time so I can like stay fit.

Mm-hmm. and I

just came back to running in like a really interesting way. Just for myself, I had never really [00:25:00] run, not for a coach, like I had run in, high school and always whatever my coach told me to do. And so I was kind of just exploring it myself and trying workouts, like whatever I read in Runner's World at the time.

Yeah. And, I like

Ran

some local races the summer after my sophomore year and I was like, I'm not bad. Like I can run a pretty fast 5K. and then crucial, like it's all who you know in life, right? Like The mm-hmm. rowing coach was the husband of the cross country coach at IU at

the time, and so yeah, I'm here.

And so he was like, Hey, like maybe you should try walking onto the cross country team

IMG_1989: that

Sarah Overpeck: that is cr This all started with a flyer, right? Exactly. I'll start with a flyer. You never know if you just say yes to something, you don't really know what's gonna happen, but holy cow. So I was a, a little walk-on, on the cross country and track team my junior year and then, part of my senior year, but then I, was a,

was a math major and a secondary ed.

I was getting my [00:26:00] secondary ed license to be a teacher. So I, did my student teaching the second semester in my. Senior year, so I wasn't on campus for most of it. okay. Where did you student teach? Um, at Lawrence North here in Indianapolis. Okay.

Yeah.

And so what grades or grade was that? all high school.

It's all high school? Yeah. Yeah,

I did

I, I can't remember what all, all the classes I had, I was, it was like algebra, algebra two and Algebra one I think were my student teaching classes.

IMG_1989: Okay.

Sarah Overpeck: And then I taught for like four and a half years Right. Outta college. And, I taught like any, I mean, I, geometry, algebra, precalc, calculus.

Yeah, I love math as well. Oh, nice. Yeah. Awesome. That's very rare response. Most people are like, oh, Math, I was a, it's actually at Miami of Ohio is where I went, where I went to undergrad. Okay. And it was called Decision Sciences, which sounds so fancy. They don't even have it anymore as a major but it's basically business statistics.

Yeah. I just had to pick something in the business school and I always loved math. Yeah. [00:27:00] And I remember my freshman year of college taking calculus and we had it every day.

And

I wouldn't say I sat in there and like loved it, but I was good at it. Yeah. And

I mean,

most people weren't. Calculus is really freaking hard.

Yeah. So anyway, I digress, but I love math, so Yeah. That's awesome. that you probably still rattle off, I got the quadratic formula, Yep. to the Notre Dame fight song, so

Yeah. That's awesome. Thank you to whoever my high school math teacher was for that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

yeah.

Oh, So did you ever, so you wanted to teach, you knew that you wanted to teach, what got you.

In that Headspace, like where you were like wanted to be teacher? Were you through your parents', teachers or, uh, my mom. Yeah. Okay. My mom, kind of similar actually. She, was like total math person. I don't know if she majored in math, in undergrad, but she was definitely like math brain for sure.

And then was a elementary school teacher for a long time. she teaches middle school now, but, yeah, she was so that was like definitely an influence. And I also just think it was like, I didn't really know, like what? I don't know. I like [00:28:00] math and like teaching seems like a good use of it. Like I just didn't really know like what kind of math careers there were.

Mm-hmm. like an actuary or, right, yeah. I remember like trying to, you know, I was majoring in them. I'm like, what am I gonna do? Right. Yeah. So I was like, I at least kind of had the, the foresight to be like, well, I wanna major in math in case I wanna do anything else with this degree. But I was like, I guess I'll teach with it.

Yeah.

So I'm good at this. I'll teach other people how to do it. Right. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And then what made you pick high school? Or is it just, do you, how do you narrow that down when you're studying it?

Ally Brettnacher: Real quick, I wanted to take a second to tell you about a few more shows that are in the Sandy Boy Productions Podcast Network. Of course, you probably already know I'll have another with Lindsay Hein, hosted by the one and only Lindsay Hein. There are a couple other shows in her network that have to do with running, so if you like this podcast, you might like those as well.

There's also the Trail Network Podcast. It's hosted by Ultra Runners, Leah Yingling, Rachel Drake, Katie Asmuth, and Hillary Yang, and they talk all about magical moments in trail [00:29:00] running. And then we also have the Miles With Moms podcast, Which is a podcast for moms who run by moms who run, and their goal is for mother runners everywhere to never have to run alone or feel alone in their mom life struggles or journey to accomplish big goals. So if you like this podcast, you're gonna like them too. Those podcasts are all available anywhere you listen to podcasts, so be sure to go check them out.

Okay, back to the show.

Sarah Overpeck: And then what made you pick high school? Or is it just, do you, how do you narrow that down when you're studying it? Do you or you wait till, like what jobs are available to see where you fall? Yeah, so at least at the time when I got my degree, the licensing was,

Sarah O Track - Ally: it

Sarah Overpeck: was fifth through 12th grade, so, okay.

I could have taught middle school, but I think I just was like, Hmm, I, like, I liked the high school math classes, I was more interested in pre-calc calculus, and so I thought it'd be more interesting to teach those, not that you get that gig right away. They're usually like, here's all of the algebra ones.[00:30:00]

Sarah O Track - Ally: Yeah,

IMG_1989: Yeah, Yeah,

Sarah Overpeck: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That's fair. Yeah. I can't, Ima I don't know. I don't have the patience to be a teacher, I think at any level. Well, I didn't,

it turned out I didn't either. because I'm not doing it anymore you're like, well, yeah.

Yeah.

So how, so you taught for four and a half years. Yeah. And then you were like, okay, this isn't what I should be doing with my life.

Yeah. It was a little, I was definitely like in the space where I'm like, is this what I want? I don't know.

and then simultaneously, so I had started a summer job, the, summer before that fifth year of teaching. and also a just random connection. Somebody that, my mom had his kids in her class in elementary school.

She was teaching, he was working at this, that was an NCAA department, but that was like an LLC. It was contracted, contracted work they were doing for initial eligibility, reviewing transcripts in the summer for all these incoming student athletes. And so they were looking for people to review transcripts [00:31:00] and um, I was like, well, that'd be kind of fun as a summer job.

and so I applied, got the summer job, and then during my fifth year of teaching, they kind of reorganized the department and they were looking for full-time employees. And I was like also kind of questioning whether I was gonna be teaching forever. And I'm like, maybe I'll, maybe I'll make this career pivot and give it a whirl.

And So I applied and got a full-time position and then have just been there ever since. Wow. And so how long have you been there?

16 years. Well, I started, so I started in the summer of 2009, and then I started full-time in like January or February of 2010.

Okay.

Yeah. So 15 to 16 years.

Now I need to look at my notes to cheat.

It is called, okay. High School Review is what it's called. Yeah. I was like, I do not know what that means. tell us the story of your time at the ncaa. Like how did you, what did you start doing? Kind of Yeah. you just said. And then

what

is it that you do now? What is high school review?

Yeah. So it's all of my [00:32:00] time there has been in this one department called the Eligibility Center. Eligibility Center. So we do all initial eligibility. So every kid

coming outta high school who is gonna play division one or two athletics at any NCAA school has to get an account with the eligibility center, submit their transcripts, and get a certification.

To deem them eligible, to compete. So we interesting. We, there's like a set of standards that they have to meet in high school to be academically eligible, then to compete in college. So I started on the like transcript reviewing, and then I kind of became like a, a team lead in that area. And then I moved to this high school review team, just,

you know,

opening became available and I was like, that seems like kind of, I, I've always been kind of like working my way trying to find like the right balance of, I, I mean I loved teaching and I loved, I was a track coach, um, when I was teaching.

And so just trying to find the right balance of I

wanna be close enough to the actual high school academic space and the athletics world. and so it felt a [00:33:00] little more of a connection to that high school space to be on this team that's, yeah. Specifically works with high schools. So we, manage all of these accounts for every high school in the US that has student athletes.

Essentially. and if any of them are interested in playing in college, then we solicit the transcripts from the high schools. They submit courses, that we then approve to use in the student certification so that to measure whether they're meeting the, the requirements. So yeah, it's just, like account management, processing all these, submissions from high schools and

Yeah.

Yeah. I have so many questions. Okay. So I was thinking about, first of all, I was thinking about how AI has probably like, rocked your world and like changed it in a good way. Probably Yeah. like to do a lot of that, review kind of Yeah. For the teams that you work with. My other question's gonna sound dumb, but it's like, okay, NCAA schools, so those, all those schools are the schools within, like if I picture my like March Madness bracket, like those are [00:34:00] the NCAA schools.

Yep. So how many schools.

So.

IMG_1989: Are there?

Sarah Overpeck: Yeah. Oh gosh. I should know that off the top of my head, but I don't. you, Sarah, I'm

trying to, I thought that's a dumb question. Nope. I'm trying to picture the graphic. I have like a graphic whenever we do presentations, I can, I can tell you a fun fact that division three is actually the largest division, which is not logical.

Most people think division one is

the

biggest. Right. But, they probably have the most money for sure. But, yeah, I mean, it's like, I wanna say like a thousand schools. Okay. Um, yeah, I, in my mind I was like, is it hundreds or is it a hun less than a hundred? Like, I, I yeah. Don't know.

Okay.

Because not, not every school is an NCAA school. Right, right. Yeah. So what makes the school an NCAA school? Just if they want, to be a, a member. So it's like a member association and they have to agree to, and then within makes sense. Whether it's division one, two, or three, each division has their own kind of.

The requirements for their members. So our members are, our member schools are gonna do X, Y, Z or provide this or whatever. Okay. Um, [00:35:00] yeah. Yeah. It's interesting because, yeah, it feels kind of silly, but I mean I've always, I know where the NCAA headquarters is 'cause I live in Indiana and I, you know, go to downtown Indianapolis and you know, but I've never really thought about like what it does.

I mean I know it's sports related and I know of the NCAA, but it's interesting to then kind of step back and like think through. Okay. Yeah. It's an association like anything else. Yeah. Has members that pay dues and get a certain benefit for being a part of it. And

yeah,

not everybody has to be a part of it, but it provides value.

Okay. So that just is me processing this Yeah, no, I dunno. No, it's totally fine. 'cause most people are like, oh cool, you work at the NCAA, Like, I'm like, that's cool. March madness. Like Yeah. Right. Which is a huge part of what we do.

You, Not

me, not my role obviously, but like yeah, there's a whole huge championships, department puts.

on.

90 championships, not just basketball. Mm-hmm. Like tons of 'em. yeah, it's like a crazy big organization. Yeah. There's like some, somewhere around 500 people that work at the national office. yeah. okay. I actually pictured even more [00:36:00] frankly. Do you travel at all or can everything that you and your team does happen remotely?

Um, for the most part we're based in indie and, and we don't really need to travel. Occasionally we'll go and like, visit high schools, or do like education where we go and like just make sure people are aware of the eligibility requirements. but yeah, for the most part our work is just at, on a computer.

Right. Yeah. So do, colleges and universities, do they ever leave the NCAA? Do they say we don't wanna be part of this anymore? Yeah, occasionally. I think probably more frequently they just change divisions.

Okay.

makes sense. Like makes sense. Like move from like division one to division two or division. I don't know how often you would get a division three to division one or two.

'cause Division three is kind of a whole different philosophy of just like, they focus much more on the like academic and athletic balance, which all of them should 'cause they, they're all student athletes. But it's just a different, it's just a different like balance and, and priorities and mindset.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

IMG_1989: Mm-hmm.

Sarah O Track - Ally: Mm-hmm.

Sarah Overpeck: [00:37:00] Now, let's go back, let's switch back over to the running side alongside this. So you mentioned, that you'd started running like some local races, some five Ks.

what were some of those first races that you did here? Oh gosh. I mean like, just random, you know, like, I don't even remember some of the ones I probably did. Well, I definitely, it's, I was thinking, I'm trying to think back to the, like the actual summer when I was like, oh, I'm gonna do, you know, whatever race.

and I just, they were like tiny five Ks. Yeah.

But like, I remember doing all the jingle Bell 10 K and those kinds of races. Like, yeah. I love a, I love a small race. Honestly, I don't know how long, when I was, Driving up here, the, I was like, oh, the last time I parked here was for the Carmel Fest, um,

IMG_1989: oh,

Sarah Overpeck: oh, for the Freedom Run.

of July. Yeah. When it used to start right over there. but definitely the, you know, whatever 4th of July race stuff. just all the little random local ones. Yeah. And then at what point were you like, oh, you know, 5K, 10 K. Like, let's start [00:38:00] doing, my mom's done the mini, like I should do the mini.

when did you start getting into longer distance? Yeah. definitely. So my older sister who, who ran cross country in high school, she had run the mini and like had,

you

know, tried, I think she had done a couple marathons, by the time I got out of college. And I was like, yeah, I think

I'd to try that.

so I honestly actually now I can't remember my first, what year my first mini was, but that was probably my first longer race. it probably would've been like 2006, I think. Okay. 2000. Yeah.

and then I ran my first marathon in 2007. Okay.

IMG_1989: Okay.

Sarah Overpeck: Because I was just like, I don't know, this would be fun to train for.

Like, yeah. Um, how old

would you have?

would you have? been, your first marathon? Um, 24. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I was teaching, and I can't remember if I was coaching track yet, but I was like, yeah, I'm gonna train for a marathon. Like, that'll be, that'll be fun.

IMG_1989: That'll fun.

Sarah Overpeck: Yeah. so I ran the Little Rock marathon.

It was my first marathon. Yeah. Come here. That was your first one? Yeah. [00:39:00] Okay. Um, I have a whole bunch of family that lives in Little Rock. My moms side of the family, a lot of them lived there. Interesting. Um, and my uncle is like, has run tons of marathons. I mean, like over a hundred I think. And did like, geez, like Iron Mans.

It was just like endurance athlete. and

it was like kind of fun to go and run the Little rock marathon with, you know. Yeah. Would that be, was he, is he your mom's brother then? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

yeah,

Yeah. So I went and ran that. And, did they have the big medals at the time? Yes.

Yeah.

Have they always had like humongous medals.

Yeah.

That is funny. And have you done that more than once now since you were there? Um, yes. I, I wanna say I've done it two or three times. I have like, the worst memory when it comes to raid. I, the only reason I remember is like I have a spreadsheet now I put everything on Instagram so that at some point, like I can just literally have that as my ference point Exactly. I don't remember anything.

I know people are like, how many marathons have you run? I'm Like, uh ooh,

you. bless you. Yeah. Yeah. So I think I've done it, I've done it at least twice, maybe three times. And then I think I did the half, once or twice [00:40:00] as well. There was one year. It's always in, in like early March, maybe the first weekend of March.

Okay. Don't remember what time of year is that? And my birthday is March 7th, so there was one year where the half was on my birthday or when, when the race was on my birthday. And so I ran the half. I

don't think I was, I can't remember what else I was doing that I didn't wanna run the full, but you're like, well, let's have this be fun.

Right. You know? Exactly. Did you wear anything special to say that it was your birthday? I think I wrote on my bib like it's my birthday and like, you know, it's a small enough race that like people can like really read your bibs, you know,

like yeah.

Great. so

there's definitely people cheering like

oh, happy

birthday.

Yeah. I just did the run 3 1 7.

Oh yeah, that's right. It's on my birthday and that's the first time I've ever done a race on my birthday and it was really fun. Yeah. I make myself a shirt. I totally should have. but they do a shout out at every run 3 1 7 race. They will shout out people that have birthdays. Yeah. so, yeah, it was really cool.

And there was someone else there celebrating her 40th. I'm 39 and she had a crew of women who all had shirts and I was kind of like, okay, well, like if only this could be on my birthday again. Right, Right. Or find a race somewhere in the country [00:41:00] or world that has a race on my birthday. But yeah. that's fun. That's really cool.

yeah. So they've always had the big medals. Yeah. for people who don't know that. Go look at a picture like Google Little Rock Marathon medals because they're known for these gigantic medals. Yeah.

Like,

like if you're thinking like picturing large, like picture larger.

IMG_1989: Double double it. Yeah.

Sarah Overpeck: Yeah.

Yeah. It's like like makes your neck hurt from wearing it. Yeah. It's like a dinner plate. FLA Flave. Like

style

medal. Yeah. Yeah. The Carmel Runners Club did it. I can't remember. Year they had a few people go down and I remember that was the first time I saw pictures of the medals. Yeah. And I thought, oh, okay. I didn't know that was a thing.

Yeah. But I, it sure does feel like it though. Race medals. I mean, they're all over the place, Right. I swear they like, they start getting really big and then they go back to being like small. I really like ours at the Monumental 'cause they're like these like thick, like legit metals. Yes. That are very simple, but also like, I think that's, I like it a lot.

Yeah. And caramels are amazing. And those are, they're [00:42:00] getting pretty big too. Yeah. But also very sparkly. So anyway, I digress. Little Rock. So what is that race like? Is it hot? Is it hilly? it can be a little humid. It's so like March in the South. It can be warm. it is,

it is hilly.

I remember I like had walked out the hilly part because, somebody, another local runner was asking about, this was years ago, was asking,

oh, I think I'm gonna run the rock marathon.

You've done it right? Is it hilly? I'm like, no, I don't think it's that hilly.

And,

And then I ran it the next year and I'm like, oh, there is some massive hills.

IMG_1989: That's good.

Sarah Overpeck: Sorry. Yeah. That's funny. Yeah. But it's good. Uh, Like I remember liking it. I've done it, you know, multiple times. So, yeah, it's a good race.

It's very well organized. Like, it's just a fun vibe. It looks like a fun one. Yeah, it does. Yeah. Is Little Rocks in like the middle of Arkansas, Yeah. Okay. That's what I thought. Is that where Walmart is? Am I making that up?

um, they're based in Arkansas. I can't remember what

town

though.

don't know.

Yeah. Bentonville.

Yes, that sounds right. Yes, because they, [00:43:00] Um, I know in Bentonville there's like a huge, like a mountain biking scene. 'cause like the Walmart, the, airs

heirs

of the Walton family

have like, put a lot back into the community and like built a lot of mountain biking trails and stuff. Oh, that's interesting.

Yeah. Yeah. I have never done a race in Arkansas. Maybe, maybe I need to add Little Rock to my list. Yeah. But that's interesting that you did local races and then Little Rock for the first marathon. Yeah.

Then

IMG_1989: Then

Sarah Overpeck: after that you were just hooked or, yeah. Okay. Yeah, for sure. Absolutely. I was like, oh, this is amazing.

I was pretty successful in my first one. I ran like a three 17, I think. and I twice and I got,

I got, I can't remember what place, like

fifth

place I think.

And

so I hilarious. Oh In addition to the giant medal.

No, totally. In addition to the giant medal

I got this like platter

that

was like, you know, whatever an award platter.

So it must have said like, I still have it somewhere. but I was gonna say, you better still Yeah. It's not like on display, but it's somewhere Thanksgiving. You're like,[00:44:00]

Yes.

here,

This is my

IMG_1989: this

is my

Sarah Overpeck: bladder. Yeah, I mean it's like if you won the, ancient Olympics, what you might get, it's hilarious.

I love that. Yeah. I love that. That is amazing. Yeah, so I was flying, I flew to Little Rock to do the race and then was flying home and. I in my bag. I don't think I checked a bag. I think I just had a carry on. So in my bag is this giant metal

and

this huge platter and I go through the metal detector and the security guy's like, ma'am, do you have anything metal in your bag?

I'm like, I don't think so. I don't know. And he like unzips it and opens it up. I'm like, oh, well there's,

the, there's those giant metal things. Yes. Oh, that yes, I do. I do have an obnoxious amount of metal in my back. Yeah. Yeah. yeah. That that is pretty funny. Yeah. Yeah. So I was like, oh, well this is cool.

I think I might be like kind of good at this marathoning thing. Be 17.

Did you know through your training that you were gonna run

IMG_1989: that

Sarah O Track - Ally: fast?

Sarah Overpeck: kind of, but I didn't know whether to trust it. 'cause it was the first marathon I'd trained before. Yeah. But hilariously, [00:45:00] I my training was just a joke, but then I'm like, maybe simple is better.

was like real into runner's world at the time, and so I read about Yasso eight hundreds. Okay. Um, which is like, it's

Bart

Yasso

used to be like a runner's world editor or something, and he had this philosophy

workout

plan where you would train for a marathon by running, as part of your training, run a set of eight hundreds,

think pretty much every week.

And you would like add an 800 each week. So you'd do like four and then five and then six, and then maybe you like scale back a week and then keep building. And the idea was if you could run, like the minutes and seconds of the 800 would translate to the hours and minutes of your marathon time. So like, if you could run like.

You

know, three 30 for all your eight hundreds building all the way up to 10, eight hundreds. If you could run three thirty's, then you were like, you could run a three 30 marathon. obviously more to it. You'd obviously be doing long runs and stuff like that. But that was kind of the general idea. So [00:46:00] that was like the speed work I did was these eight hundreds, like every week I would do a set of eight hundreds, and then I did.

Sounds horrible. Yeah.

But I

hate eight hundreds. It's, Yeah. It's like now how do you feel? About eight hundreds. Yeah. Awful.

Awful.

And

then I would do a long run, which I'm sure I don't remember. I'm sure I just like built it up. You know, by a mile or two each week. And I don't really even remember if I was running every day, like probably was at least four or five times a week.

But yeah, I just was like, I don't know. I didn't know what I was doing. I had like a paper training log.

IMG_1989: Yeah.

Sarah Overpeck: Yeah. Where did you live at the time? Like downtown or? Still like Broad Bull? Yeah. Like Broad bull area. Yeah. I lived in the broad area and then was teaching at Perry Meridian on the south side. So I was like driving down there and so I think a lot of my runs I would run after school and like on the track at the high school.

and Okay. Yeah. That's nice to have access to Yeah. I've gotten kicked off my kids' track at school a couple times. I'm like, why do you care if I'm here? Right. I'm literally like a mom running circles, like, what am I gonna do?

Yeah.[00:47:00]

Anyway,

so. Little Rock was your first, and then have you done most of the local ones that we have here?

yeah. I've done Monumental and Carmel, the flying Pig in Cincinnati. Ooh. Yeah. I've never done that one. That's a fun one. It's always the same weekend as the mini. Oh yeah. So I, one of these times I'm be one of those crazy people that like goes the next day and does the half, maybe not the full, but yeah.

That'd be kind of fun to experience. Yeah. I feel a great thing. Besides it being hilly, right. You know

that? yeah, yeah.

Wow.

It's a fun one though. Fun vibe. and then Chicago, and then like, not all, not a lot of other like small one. I've I've done Chicago I think twice. New York, Boston a couple times.

okay. What about the other world majors then? Are you gonna just like

Yeah.

Put those in there at some point? I think so at some point because it's like you just rattled those off. I'm like, well, okay. You're like halfway there. I know.

I know.

I've never done a race like internationally, so that's like very intimidating to just, like, think through the logistics of all of that, but how can you run? I just don't know how you can [00:48:00] race Yeah. In National marathon. I feel like for me, especially the first time, it would be like a, let's go do it. Right. But I wouldn't want us have to be stressing about time. Right. Which I shouldn't anyways. Right. for myself.

But still, you know, runners, that's just how we are. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Well maybe some, well you start getting on those lists because I know you take I know, 18 years to get in apparently. Right? Yeah. And then, so, okay. What other, what other marathons ?

Oh, the, Oh, the mill race marathon. The mill, yeah. In Columbus, Indiana. Um, yeah, I have not done that one either. Oh, that's a, f that was, I've

heard really great things about this. So fun. And like Columbus is adorable. Yeah. Um, cute little town. and just like a really, they had fun after party thing. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Mm-hmm. It's awesome. Highly recommend. I've done the half there too. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So, I mean, at this point I would ask you how many marathons, but you already said I don't, I don't know how many marathons I've done. So, you know, it's like, probably like 15 or 20. Okay. Seems about Right. But the, the mill race is the train story.

It's the train story. Yes. Can [00:49:00] you believe that? That like. I've started using it lives on the internet. I started using AI to help comb the internet for things that I probably wouldn't be able to find. Yeah. And it does a decent job. But I'm also like, is this really true about her? I have no idea.

So I'm glad it is 'cause it's a weird story. Yeah. So tell us that story. Oh, it's so wild. So I can't remember. It was like in the pretty, the mill race marathon has not been around a long, super long time. And I think this was in the early days, maybe like the first or second year of it. and the course goes across a set of train tracks twice actually, I think.

'cause it goes, starts like in downtown Columbus and then it goes over into this park called Mill Race Park. And so you run through this park and then through this cool covered bridge and then back in, you know, just around Columbus. So we crossed the train tracks into the park and then we were coming back out of the park toward the train tracks and.

I'm like,

oh, is that a train coming down tracks? Could you just hear it or could you, did you see it? I could hear it. And then [00:50:00] like the train, arm thing came down, on the road we were running on

and

some people got across before the train, actually came through. That's dangerous game.

Yes, yes.

Yeah.

And so then eventually you'd kind of see the train starting to slow down. It was trying to stop and eventually it just stopped on the tracks. Oh no.

Well that's not helpful. Right, exactly. Exactly. So then like,

I don't know, like

Sarah O Track - Ally: so

Sarah Overpeck: Ill-advised do not recommend this. Probably very dangerous.

But people started climbing through the train car. Like not through the car, but like in between you, where the cars are like hooked together. Okay. This is not what I pictured in this story at all, actually. So I'm like, oh, well people are going through that. Well, I guess I will too then. Like, if that's how you, how we're gonna do this.

I'm just like, what? So I climbed up over like the joist thing that like hooks the cars together.

that's gonna be, how high up is that? It's gotta be four feet off the ground something. Yeah,

there's like a li

there was like a little, ladder for like a, [00:51:00] you know, whatever the engineer I guess to get up there.

But, so we were like climbing up. I mean, there's a picture out there somewhere of me like climbing down the other side who's there photographing this. That is ridiculous too. Like and not saying, Hey guys, let's, let's not do this. Right. This doesn't seem very safe. Yeah,

yeah,

yeah. And I think like clearly it was yes.

Again, like do not recommend, don't do that.

Um,

Don't climb through a parked train while it's like trying to be active on the tracks. Yeah, but like people got through, I, I think eventually I was like kind of near the front of the race and so I think I eventually at some point they were like, okay, everyone, you need to stop so we can just get the train, train off the tracks.

Yeah. what a nightmare for the race organization. Yes. I think it was, I don't remember the detail. I think it was like some sort of miscommunication of like, oh God, it was like a,

the

train company, I dunno, misunderstood the timeline or whatever, I dunno. Something Yeah, somebody

did and then all of a sudden

yeah, yeah, yeah,

yeah, yeah.

Climbed through. [00:52:00] That's crazy, Sarah. Yeah, I cannot believe that. Did you have like, I'm picturing, what is it like oil and like black so like all over you? I know it was pretty clean actually. Surprisingly clean. Yeah.

good because otherwise, yeah. Can you imagine right. erase, the finished photos? You're just like covered in like soot?

Yeah. Or whatever. Do you remember what I, was it like closed cars? So you couldn't really tell what it was carrying? Or Yeah, it was like the Like shipping container

cars. Yeah.

Yeah. That's crazy. At least it wasn't like, I don't know, animal livestock train and you're like, the pigs are like sticking their snouts out and you're trying to climb through there.

I don't know. Wow, that's funny that it stopped. You'd think like trains usually like can get through in a handful of minutes. Like Right. just he probably just panicked and was like, oh my gosh, I'm, yeah. supposed to be here. I should just stop. And I know, well, I can, I mean like just, there were definitely people who like ran, ran across the tracks, while the train was still moving.

So I can just only imagine like from the. Conductor's perspective, like total panic of like

what

are these people doing? Right? [00:53:00] Yeah. Yeah. Can you imagine? Yeah. Like you're seeing these and you're like, I, what is happening? I'm gonna hit some people here, right? Like, oh boy. Yeah. So were you and you won, didn't you Yeah. As the overall female?

Yeah. Yeah. That's crazy. because can you imagine like you see another female run? Like she, she gets away and then you're like, oh my gosh. Like I have no chance in catching her. Right. Which had to be some of the men around you were like, yeah. Yeah.

Geez.

it was like so early in the race. It probably wouldn't have mattered anyway if we just like waited, you know?

Right. But I dunno, in the moment it's just like what Chaos. Total freak out. Yeah. Yeah. We do, speaking of 4th of July races, I do a Flotilla Road race, which is up at Lake Wallace Sea

Uhhuh in

Syracuse, Indiana.

And there

we go over the tracks twice as well. And Yeah, it doesn't, it's such a small race that they don't communicate with the train tracks at all.

Yeah. so if a train comes, like you're just, you're gonna have to wait for it to go by. Yeah. That's just how it's gonna [00:54:00] be. Now. I've never had to stop, knock on wood during the race, but somebody had to this year because I heard it coming. Yeah. And like we crossed over, I was with this guy and he's like, oh, kind of would've been nice to actually be able to stop for a while.

I'm like, I'm, you're not wrong. Right. But I don't know if anybody got stopped, but I would assume they would. 'cause it was coming through. Yeah. And sometimes those things can take a while. You just stand there and, well.

that is such a cool story.

IMG_1989: What

Sarah Overpeck: did you get for winning first place? Do you remember?

Oh gosh, I

don't remember. I don't remember. Well, the one, the funny thing about that race is every year they do a drawing. I think it's any finisher of the

full

marathon and the half marathon. gets entered in a drawing for a truck. Um, really? Because like Columbus is like the home of Cummins and then there also is like some truck dealer there I think so they give away a truck every year.

I did not win the truck. but That's pretty cool. It is cool. 'cause it's like, you [00:55:00] know, if you just finish, you have a shot. Like, yeah. Maybe somebody out there listening has won the truck. Yeah.

right.

If you won the truck, please contact me.

That's funny.

Can you imagine? Yeah. Like winning a truck from a race.

That's, that would be really cool. Actually. I now for monumental, I'm like, Hmm, yeah, maybe we should figure out a way to do that. Or I don't know, Gotta get a truck sponsor. Right. Exactly. Okay. And so then you go from halves and marathons, and

then

now we're talking like ultra marathons and Iron Man races.

you

just kind of keep leveling up. Is that. How the progression worked or,

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Sarah Overpeck: Okay. And so then you go from halves and marathons, and

then

now we're talking like ultra marathons and Iron Man races.

you

just kind of keep leveling up. Is that. How the progression worked or, yeah, I think it's mostly just a curiosity like about like what else is out there for in running. I got very, very attached to like my marathon times and like, I plateaued a little bit and then just had a,

don't know if I'd call it like an unhealthy obsession, but it just was becoming not, fun. we all late probably.

Exactly. competitive and listening. Yeah. Yeah. It was just becoming, not it, it had lost its fun a little bit because I was so obsessed with like mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. A new PR and like getting, you know, I had all [00:57:00] these time goals I also just didn't have a very open mind about, like more than one way to train, so I was just like training the same way, but trying to be faster, like do all my intervals faster and like Right.

The,

Even the process was becoming unfun, so I'm like, I just need to like shake it up. and Maybe I'll try an ultra we'll try something even longer. Yeah.

yeah.

But it was like, I don't have any time expectation. I'm just gonna like go see what Ultras are all about. so I did my first 50 miler in 2016. So not even a 50 k. Yeah.

Straight to 50 miles, Went straight to the 50 mile. And that was actually kind of intentional 'cause I thought if I'm doing a 50 k, I think I'll still be attached to like a marathon time. time's, Because it's like, it's not as much, it's not much further Yeah. Yeah. But it's like, gosh, like 50 miles is like a whole different ball ballgame.

like Yes. So, yeah. I just, I, yeah. So yeah, so I went like all in on just kind of learning like how to, how to train for an ultra. And the one I [00:58:00] did, the first one was very flat. It was the Hennepin

Illinois. Mm-hmm. I've heard of that one. yeah. So it was flat great. almost all like crushed gravel surface.

and a really good vibe. Like the race organizer was awesome. so it was a fun first one for sure. but then like. Being flat, it was easy to like

run

pretty. Like, I,

don't know, I didn't, had not done a ton of trail running at the time, and so it was like, I can run pretty consistently for the whole race.

not a lot of like up and down and figuring out like how to pace myself. Mm-hmm.

I could just kind of

cruise

and Yeah. What kind of pace can I log in on? Yeah.

That's terrifying to think about. I'm like, what, how did you use a coach at all for training? Or do you still like, just kind of self train where you're like, okay, with like runner's world type resources, you just kind of put training together?

Yeah. At that, for that I did just kind of train myself. I, I got a couple of like ultra marathon books and like learned a little bit about like, I don't know, like back to back long runs, which I guess aren't really that big of a deal or aren't [00:59:00] like that popular anymore. I haven't done like specific ultra training in it in several years, but like at the time everyone was doing back to back long runs, you know, 20 on Saturday and then 12 on Sunday and yeah.

so yeah, just kind of like Piece together training based on some ultra

marathon plans

that I found. and then I did get a coach for a little while after that. interesting, like the timing of it all. I got a coach, shortly after that and then just ran right into my sister's death. And it was just like, this is, I was trying to navigate all that and I'm like, okay, well I don't think I'm gonna, I don't think I'm gonna have a coach right now.

Yeah.

just can't like, try to care about

Yeah. what

you're telling me to do. Yeah. I'm like, I

don't know. do what I need and I'm gonna run four miles if I feel like you're running four miles or zero, if that's what I need. So, then I ran several more, but just kind of enjoyed learning how to do it myself, like coach, coach myself, figure out what worked, what didn't work.

so I did several more just kind of on my own. And then when I got into [01:00:00] triathlons, Did those on my own for a couple years, but just hired a coach earlier this year to, ' cause that's like a ton of things. Like I'm pretty confident in listening to my body and knowing what works running wise. But with a lot of

IMG_1989: events, a

Sarah Overpeck: lot of things happening in a triathlon, like three sports and then maybe you could have the transition or whatever it's called, like be a fourth sport.

Right. Just might as well be right. There's like a million things to think about and the training is just like chaos to put together, at least for me. 'cause I'm not used to it. I'm sure for my coach it's like second nature, but yeah. yeah. So that's been super helpful to just like offload that, right?

that mind?

Sarah O Track - Ally: Ugh.

Sarah Overpeck: Ugh.

Yeah. Yeah. So wait, we, you just, you didn't tell me what you said, what you told me about your first ultra. You just went, you just lost over that. You're like, well, I did my first 50 miler, but you won. Yeah. Yeah. And set the course record. Yeah. So you're like, oh, I guess. So, so how did you not then worry about times after that you're like, well, great.

Now I like I [01:01:00] was trying to just let go a little bit and here I am winning and yeah. taking course records. I did, there was a little bit of that, but I also was like, well, ultras that are like, the terrain is also different. you know, there's some that are mountainous, some that are like more intense trails than this very flat, you know, tow path.

Like, yeah. So it was, it was a little easier to kinda let that piece just be like, oh, well this is fun for a flat course. You know, it's a really good time, but I don't know what I could do. And, a hillier race. Yeah. But yeah, it was a pretty, it was a pretty fun way to,

like enter the sport.

Yeah. I mean, I can't imagine that. Yeah. Yeah. That's so cool. Congratulations. Thank you. That's amazing. Yeah. So, so now triathlons are something you've done more recently. When was your first Ironman? so I've only done half Ironmans. But to the 70.3 Yeah. Those ones you've done. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So I did my first one, last year. I did two last year, and then so far this year I've done one, which will probably be the only one I do this year. And that was [01:02:00] the Muncie? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So last year I did one in Chattanooga in May, and then That's Tennessee, right?

Yeah. Okay.

Yep. And then one in Michigan in September, which was beautiful. I loved that one. What part of Michigan is that?

Um,

it was in a little town called Frankfurt, Okay. which is like, kind of near Traverse City. Like, it's pretty far up there. Okay. Or like near sleeping,

Buron, I assume typically would be close to water so you can get that open water swim somewhere.

Yeah. There was also like a ton of lakes in Michigan. Yeah. was it, was it off of like Michigan? It was, it was right on Lake Michigan, but the swim was like in a little bay. Okay. Um, which is nice 'cause I've heard sometimes Lake Michigan,

there can be waves Yeah, yeah. Like I've been there a lot, just like, you know, for vacations and stuff.

Yeah. I guess I've heard some horror stories about how it can get very choppy. Yeah. Especially for swimming in it. I can't imagine that. Yeah. So this swim was like in a little bay. It was very calm and that's nice. Lovely. Yeah. Yeah. And so when you're, for your first 70.3, did you place,

like, . It's been kind of nice to actually [01:03:00] be like,

IMG_1989: I

Sarah Overpeck: dunno, it's like full circle to how I started running. Like, I'm just kind of mediocre, which is

like, you know, every, everyone

has

like,

their own definition of me. Yes, exactly. you know, it's all relative. Yes. Everyone, you know, you, your performance is amazing to someone else. Always. Like, that's always the case no matter who you are. Like if you're running a six hour marathon, that's amazing to someone who runs a seven hour marathon, you know? Or to somebody who runs a fast marathon, right.

Is being on your feet for that Right. is so impressive. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. but it is nice to just be like, oh, there's a million things to improve on. Like, it's, it's just fun. There's always a million things to improve on, but it's nice to be like. I don't know. I don't have to worry about my place really, because I'm just trying to get a little bit faster on the bike or, have a cleaner transition and like, yeah.

So I honestly don't remember

how,

I didn't really have any expectations going into the race. I kind of was like, well maybe if I can be like around five and a half hours, that [01:04:00] seems like doable, just guessing based on my training.

And

I think it, I wanna say it was like five 19 or something like that, my first one.

So I was like satisfied with it for sure. the other crazy thing is just I'd had no idea how I would place, and like, you have this to look forward to the 40 to 44 female category. Very stiff competition. Like, I don't know what it is if like all these women, I don't have kids, but if these women have like, had kids and are just rock stars or I don't know.

Yeah. Like there's, it's competitive in the 40 to 44 age group. Like I experienced that in

marathons

and

now in triathlons, it's awesome. It's pretty crazy.

I've

said this a lot on this podcast, but like I'm so impressed that women continue to just even get faster than they were when they were in their thirties.

Yeah. Yeah. It gives me hope. Yeah. You know, that I can keep improving and that it's like, oh, I thought that I was my fastest before I had kids. Like certainly I cannot be faster now that I've had children, but you can. [01:05:00] Yeah. as you age you can. It's kind of cool. Yeah,

yeah,

yeah. Well, at least then and now it's giving you kind of that outlet to enjoy and improve instead of being so focused on Yeah.

Push times. But I bet that's still hard because that part, at least for me,

even

if I say.

oh,

I'm doing this race for fun. I have a time, yeah. In my Oh, for sure. Yeah. Like a thousand percent. And I'm not gonna tell anybody, Yeah. but I have one. Yeah.

Yeah.

'cause I'm always competing with myself. Right? Oh, I know. But Yeah. I mean, I did like my coach and I messaged each other and like, you know, after races or whatever, and so I did after months, he like, like the first text I sent was like, I missed my PR by 10 seconds.

Oh So

it's

definitely still there's, It's definitely still in me. That's

Really irritating.

That's, I'm sorry, that's really annoying.

seconds, right?

Like come on, 10. Yeah. 10 seconds is just really annoying. Yeah. Especially that's like the flip side of the like, oh, in triathlon there's a million things that you can improve on.

But it's also like, I couldn't find 10 seconds anywhere. Anywhere, [01:06:00] like in a transition. I couldn't have like, you know, ran a little quicker Right. you know. Yeah. Wow.

And.

IMG_1989: And

Sarah Overpeck: Muncie this year. Did they have they have somebody pass away? Yes. At that race, didn't they? I did not know this until like a couple days ago.

I heard about it and I still have not had a chance to like, I look it up. or anything. the details. Yeah, yeah. But I just learned about this. It's so sad. Like, So sad. Yeah. I cannot even imagine like his family or whatever, like, oh, you're gonna do this cool race, and then you don't make it like, yeah.

Like we always, so tragic joke. Like, oh, if I survive, you if I survive this race. And it's, it seems like there's been more stories like that recently, but then I also, I never know if it's just because the media puts more of it out there, Right. or if it's happening more. I feel like it's just being shared more that it's probably happened before, because those kinds of things do happen.

Yeah. But yeah, everyone's like, you know, I don't know. There's been a few like at the mini this year Yeah. too. Yeah. And yeah, it's crazy. So anyway, what is your favorite [01:07:00] in the.

swim bike run?

. I don't know. It really just kind of depends. I've, I have had a lot of fun with the biking for sure, just because I didn't, I've done so much running and I

feel

a little bit like. I,

feel a little more

realistic

about the running of like, I know what my limits are, like Yeah.

Yeah. I know,

I know how fast I've ever run a half marathon and I'm probably not gonna be any faster than that. for sure. Yeah. Right

at the end of a triathlon. Yes. but the biking is kind of just like a little unexplored still for me. Like it's, And it's the longest chunk too, so it's like I've just, I, you know, long rides on the weekends and training I've really enjoyed and it's just fun because it's the longest, there's like kind of a lot of opportunity to like,

dunno, play mind games and figure out if you can go a little faster here, or, you know?

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It's been, that's been definitely a, fun.

piece

of it. Yeah. Well, and since we haven't said what is, the, what are the distances breakdown? For the 73.30 Yeah. So it's a 1.2 mile swim. Okay. A 56 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile [01:08:00] run. Yep. Okay.

Yeah.

Oh My gosh. Okay, so you've done three of them Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And so like when are you gonna do the full one? Is that the question I ask next? Yeah. Yeah. I don't know because it just seems like you're, right. if I had to guess at some point, it feels like that would be something you do, but Yeah. Do you have a desire to do that? I think so. I think so. Kind of like the same reason I was like, oh, maybe I'll try an ultra.

Yeah. Um,

not

let, not that I'm at this point, hung up on my 70.3 times, because all the courses are so different and like, that's kind of nice too. Yeah. Where it's like, yeah, yeah, I'm just gonna challenge myself this day, this place. Right, right. Yeah. But it is kind of like, I don't know, like if I can do this, then maybe I can do.

Maybe I can do twice the distance. I mean, yeah. Uh, I, I've only ever done, like Eagle Creek has the sprint triathlons here. Yeah. I did one way back in the day, I don't even know the year. it was probably like 2011 or something like that. And then I've done, I did a long sprint, which is [01:09:00] so funny, which was like, it was up in Michigan somewhere, and it was, I don't know, half a mile swim, 10 mile bike ride, five mile run kind of a deal.

Yeah. And I, think that's probably the point at which I would've perhaps fallen in love or like said, this isn't for me. triathlons. Might still be for me at some point, but, I used to, I used to have a deviated septum. Oh my gosh. since been fixed. Yeah. But I never could get a hang of swimming. Yeah. And now I know it's because I couldn't breathe.

Right. So, you know, maybe now I could actually give it another try. Yeah.

who knows? My husband might murder me. Yeah. just what you need another hobby, another sport. Yeah.

Yeah.

The training is like kind of chaos. Yeah. It's just like you're constantly doing something. Yeah. Yeah. It'll always be there if I wanna do it.

That's what I'll just have to remind myself. Yeah. And then I wanted to talk about the, before I forgot about this Oiselle Bird strike team. Yeah. what, how did that come about? Oh man, that was pretty awesome. Okay. so for people who don't know, do I say, did I say it right,

Well,

Yep. Yep. [01:10:00] So it's, it's spelled O-I-S-E-L-L-E.

So people have probably seen it if they don't know how to say it. Yes. Uh, it's a woman owned brand. That's amazing. Yeah. So how did you, how did that happen? Yeah. so that was, we did that in 20, early 2017. Okay. So it was after I ran my first 50 miler in 2016. I had been on Elle's like ambassador team for a while.

Okay. Um, I think like a couple years at the time. And how did you first discover them? Um,

oh,

that's a great question. It was definitely through Lauren Fleshman. Um, like, 'cause she was their first, I think, pro athlete that they sponsored. Yep.

Um,

and yeah. What's her, what's her book called? Um, good for a Girl. Yeah.

Go read that Yes. It's phenomenal. Yeah. so I think I just like, from following her and reading her newsletter, like kind of learned about the brand and and they had this,

This brand ambassador program, like tons of brands have, now. Yeah.

and I joined and, you know, was just, it's just like a whatever, I wasn't like sponsored or anything, but after my, [01:11:00] ultra, I'm like, oh, maybe like, maybe this could be like a cool opportunity to like do something more with the brand.

So I reached out and was like, you know, if you have any like, sponsorship opportunities or anything. And they were like, well, no, but yeah, we are planning to do this. Like, it was kind of a marketing thing. They were releasing this new, fabric, which they now, they have like tons of products. It's this flyout fabric that they were creating at the time with Polar Tech.

So they're doing this marketing thing to do this super hot race. It goes through Death Valley, like it it starts in

la. At the Santa Monica Pier and goes to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign in Vegas. Mm-hmm. So they were putting together a team, which is how far Sarah? It's

340 miles. they were putting together a team and it was only, I think, I think it was like the second or third year that this race had existed.

And it's like this, this. still do it. It's like a bonkers race. It's like unsanctioned, everyone wears like a, there's like a one team GPS watch that you [01:12:00] transfer like a baton. So it's a relay, but everyone just like charts their own course. Like you Figure it out.

you just

like Get from one spot to the other and you can have like a crew, and some people do it solo, which is just even more That's, wild. There's actually a local guy. Who's done it? He was the one he ran around the perimeter of the United States. Oh yeah. Run baller. Yeah. And he did the speed project and another local guy made a documentary about it. Oh, awesome. And I will, I'm gonna have to go back and look what it's called to tell people to go watch that.

If you wanna understand the level of this event Yeah. we're talking about. because it's just kind of hard to wrap your head around. Right. And then you watch this documentary and you're like, they, what? They're doing what Yeah. in Death Valley? Like there's no like flat or like people telling you where to go.

You're just like, yeah, figuring it out with your crew or whatever. Okay. So yeah, I digress. But yeah, so We wild put together this,

the

wael put together. This team, we, it was all female team and at the year we were running it, no female teams had done the race. Wow.

And The year [01:13:00] we did it, there was another all female team, and I think maybe three, I can't remember.

It was at least two all female teams. So we had all female runners. Six of us and then a female crew six. So let's do the math on that. That's a lot of miles. Yeah. It was like 80 miles

a person

or something. Yeah. So it's 70. Yeah. Yeah. and then we did have a

film crew actually, so there is like a short, it's like

a 15 minute film.

It's amazing. I have to confess that like sometimes I still watch it, like every now and then when I like need a little bit of inspiration. so I love it. You better. I will you send it to me Yeah. or can I find it? Yeah, I'm gonna, I You can probably, probably, if you just google Wasl Bird strike, but I'll send it to you.

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I dunno, it's just like the message of it is cool and it's like people I love, like we got so close, obviously and it's very condensed timeframe. of Like, you know, a couple days where we're all like doing this very hard thing. that Yeah. Like it's just fun to go back and watch and be like, oh yeah, I can do hard things.

Yeah. So as part of the relay, how did it work? Did you run your [01:14:00] leg and you were done or did you guys trade off more than that? More than that. And We started with terrible strategy. I think everyone who did it would agree.

We were like, we were like, oh, we'll start with like really big chunks, um, and get those out of the way.

so we started with like, 12 mile chunks, or I think some of us had done an ultra, I had done one a single ultra, but I was like, I can do, I can do,

sure. Yeah. And then there was like a legitimate, like ultra marathon, like pro ultra runner on our team too. so we were like, we'll do like super long chunks at the beginning.

So I think my first one was like 12 miles so hot,

obviously. I mean,

I can't, it's just hard to Yeah, it's

Yeah,

the desert, right? So then we were like, maybe that's not a great idea. That's not idea. Yeah.

So we then shortened it quite a bit, like, I can't remember, we maybe pivoted to like five or six mile chunks and then like when you're running like literally through Death Valley.

Especially like once the sun came up, you know, it's like the heat of the day. It's like maybe like a mile. Maybe a half mile. [01:15:00] Yeah. Can I just run 400 yards just straight on? Yeah. so the terrain that you would run on, you run on some roads or, and then in some like sand, like people would picture in the desert, Yeah. like what does that?

Some roads, some like fire roads that were just like sandy, Rocky, some ones I picture underneath the electric, the wires, Yeah. Power line. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. Under the power lines. Yep. Totally. So it's not like a paved road, but it's at least like not full on like beach sand that you're

right.

Going through, right?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I think now like people have gotten like really intense who do this race. It's very intense Like they do like really crazy routes that are like. Probably, I don't know, minimal to no road actual roads. Like Yeah,

Sarah O Track - Ally: crazy. I'm gonna

Sarah Overpeck: like, that's dumb.

But

you know, people, people love doing that stuff.

Yep. It's like, okay, whatever gets you excited. I mean, I think I, geez, I mean, I did a road Ragnar and I thought that was hard. And you just think about I was on paved roads, you know, I, yeah, we were [01:16:00] kind of like air quotes, slumming it like in a van and stuff, and it was really quite the adventure. But then you, there's always another level.

Yeah. Yes.

There's always another level. And that is wild. So who was the ultra runner on your team? Is it somebody who still runs? Yeah. Devin Yanko. Okay. She, um, I know who she is. Yeah, she's I,

yeah, I think she still does like a lot of ultra events and stuff. She lives in Colorado, I believe.

That's cool. Yeah. She's awesome. That's wild. And so do you keep in touch with that whole team still?

Yeah.

For, yeah, for the most part. Like we've,

we're

like. Still friends. We did a little reunion, like, the next year return a reunion and go back and do it again. Yeah. Like we all kind of got together, those of us who could, we got together the following year and that's cool.

Yeah.

And

I've done like, other, other relays with some like, segment of that group. We, we've done hood to coast. like, so just,

Yeah.

Wow. Yeah, that looks interesting too. I just, yeah, there's, it's, it's just, you know, I'm like, oh, I run marathons. Isn't that impressive? And then I started this podcast and it's like, yeah, [01:17:00] it's impressive to somebody, to your point.

Yeah.

Yeah. And then you talked to people who were doing insane things. That's so cool. Yeah. And did your team, did your women team, did two win? We did win. I yeah. That's amazing. We did the, and like, ' cause we were the first all female team. We set the course record. It has since been broken, but I don't know what the current time is.

But yeah, it was pretty awesome to just like, yeah,

was cool. That's so freaking cool. And you still to this day can be like, I, yeah, I was part of the first female team that did that race. Yeah. Because now it keeps getting more and more visible, I think. Thanks to the internet. Yeah. And it just looks, I mean, it's, that's crazy, crazy stuff.

I can't believe how, how have we been talking for that long, So, Oh my gosh. Like, I'm like, there's, man, we didn't really talk about back on my feet Oh yeah. love that group? Did you volunteer with them for quite, do you still? I don't anymore. I was on, the, their young professional board.

Um, okay. we, it's Melanie. I don't know if you know Melanie Woods also. Amazing. You should have her on your podcast. I feel [01:18:00] like I've heard that Um, She's fantastic. She wa was putting together. the first, young professional board for back of my feet several years ago and just was like recruiting people.

She was like, do you wanna be part of the first, first

board?

and uh, so I did that for a few years and it was just amazing. that group is incredible. It's just tell

people really quickly what it is for people who might not have heard about it. Yeah. So it's, I dunno how many chapters they have, but it's a national organization that then has like local chapters, and they combat like homelessness and addiction through running.

also, funny enough, another thing I read about in Runner's World years ago, like when they first started, it's just an incredible organization and like they through these like weekly, I think they're mostly weekly, meetups

with, folks from like homeless shelters or, otherwise experiencing homelessness can like go to these weekly runs and like.

Through these commitments, they can get like shoes and train for races and I've seen it make a huge difference in so many people's lives. It's just [01:19:00] incredible. Yeah. Incredible.

did you meet Timmy Howard during your time there? Yeah. Yeah. And Wes Doty. Uhhuh Yeah. And

like Maury Beck.

Yeah, Jim patton. yeah,

I think so.

I don't dunno. Anyway, there's, there's been quite a few people on this podcast who either on the volunteer side Uhhuh or like Timmy and Wess who were on the attic side. Yeah. Yeah. now look at, you're like, that's so cool. Yeah. it's amazing. cool program.

So that's amazing. And then what else didn't we talk about?

I think we covered a lot of it, which is good because we don't have any time left outside of, I wanted to like also talk about some non-running stuff, which we did a little with the ncaa. I have another follow up question to that, which is, does the NCAA have like a running club at the company?

we don't specifically, but we do have just like a lot of runners. there's a lot of obviously former athletes who um, Yeah. I would imagine um, like work there or you know, they's still obviously very active, so we have a lot of like lunch runners. Yeah.

Sarah O Track - Ally: Yeah.

Sarah Overpeck: I'm just surprised there's not an official club Yeah. like, you know, it's a big enough organization with a lot of people who are at least into sports [01:20:00] And You think so? Yeah. I don't know. It's a good idea. Maybe I should start one. There you go. Just something else to do. Like, you don't have enough and then you also bake and travel. Yeah. Yeah. It's like other things outside of running.

Love, love traveling. obvi, it's funny, I don't know if this is like always a little like wanderlust in me, whether it's because I, you know, all lived in Indianapolis almost my whole life and. but I studied abroad in college for a summer. I lived in Spain

for

a couple, 3, 2, 3 months. and was like, wow, the world is out there.

right?

Well, this is different than India. Yeah. Yeah. and have just loved

traveling ever

since. so I've

been to,

Europe, um, but then all over the US so just like, I don't know, it's just fun to like See different landscapes, different,

cultures and communities and yeah. What's on your bucket list or on your calendar on my calendar is, even better. Yeah. actually just in a few weeks, five weeks, I think going [01:21:00] to Europe again. Okay. So, this all started because actually, funny enough, speaking of Lauren Fleshman, she has these retreats called Wilder retreats. They're running and writing. wait, writing, like writing with a pen.

Uhhuh. Okay. Not writing courses, right? Sorry. I don't know. Colorado or right, Yeah. yeah, writing. So, I did one of these retreats, in Oregon, gosh,

several years ago. And she, while she was writing her book, she like took some time away from hosting them, but then returned to them this year. And one of them, she's doing, I think the first time she's done an international one.

It's in Shaman France. So running in the Alps And

and,

I feel like you need to come back on after this or something. I'm like, dang, I wanna hear about that. Yeah. That is so incredible. Yeah. How many women will be there? 12 12 women. 12.

Yeah.

That is so cool. I was gonna guess like less than a hundred, but yeah. I mean, 'cause Yeah.

Who can go do that? I mean, it's so cool. How long will it be a week or a couple weeks? Uh, it's a week. [01:22:00] Well that part of it is a week. And then I convinced my husband, I'm like,

you wanna come for like beforehand?

Like we can do a little, if I'm flying to Europe anyway. Yeah. so we're going over,

like 10 days early and we're gonna do a little like France, Italy, Switzerland.

'cause it's all kind of right in the little Pocket there. Oh,

yeah.

That'll be so fun. Yeah.

I'm

so excited.

Sarah O Track - Ally: I'm so

Sarah Overpeck: I'm so jealous. I can't wait to like you better. Will you post a lot online that week? Yeah, please, for other people that wanna live vicariously for you. Oh, man. Alright. Well, I'm gonna ask you the end of the podcast questions now.

the first one is, what is your favorite running song and or mantra? yeah, the song is, the song really varies depending on like what kind of mood I need. But one that has been getting me going lately is Falling Water by Maggie Rogers. Oh, I don't know that. It's just got like a kicking beat.

so good. Okay.

Um,

so yeah, it's like, I don't know if I need like a good positive, like I hype up one.

[01:23:00] Um, and

then the mantra, I have a couple different ones, but the one that comes to mind, is very simple. but it's one of my rowing coaches in college used to say this and he used to. Yell, obviously in rowing, like the spectating is very different from like running.

You're a little farther away. So he would be like on shore while we're rowing on the water. and, but he would yell, yes, you can. And so that's what I think of if I'm like going through a tough time or if I'm thinking like, oh, this race sucks. Or like, why did I, think I could go out at this.

pace, not possibly hold this pace. yeah. And it's, Yes you can. Yes you can. Yeah. So

that's good. That's really good. And it helps just like change the mindset too. Yeah, exactly. Since you can say that that's okay now that's positive. Like let's change it to be not the negative talk. Right. And then what is your next finish line or milestone?

yeah, actually in a couple weeks I'm going to Milwaukee to do a triathlon. Was it before you go on your Yeah. Okay. Well right. Yeah.

kinda.[01:24:00]

I've Got a lot coming up.

and

a lot of exciting things to look forward to. amazing. Yeah.

Yeah. So it's a, um, that's an Olympic distance triathlon. So, like about half the distance of the half Ironman.

Okay. So it's, a, 1500 meter swim. It's like, come on, do the math, Yeah, I know. And That's the hard thing about being a math person. My, my aunt calls me the mathematician and then I can't do math like I know I fly. Very well, People are like, especially in running quick. What's, whatever? yeah, you're good at math. I'm like, I'm good at like, no.

Yeah. Not on in.

Sarah O Track - Ally: in. Yeah. Come on.

Sarah Overpeck: you get calculator or something, right? yeah. But it's a 1500 meter swim A

K bike and a 10 K run. Okay, nice. Yeah, in Milwaukee. My sister lives up there. Oh, nice. Yeah. Where do you know, is it along the lake shore? Yeah, it's in, the, what's the name of the park? ve

is it Veterans Park?

Yeah, it's like right on the, or it's there's like discovery center or something.

Okay. Is

like Where all the stuff, where like the

race

headquarters is. So the swim is in like a little inlet. okay. That's nice. Yeah.

Sarah O Track - Ally: yeah,

Sarah Overpeck: I love it up there though. We went up [01:25:00] there, working as NCAA to get tickets to a lot of events,

championship

events.

and

so there was a, early round of March. Madness was in Milwaukee this year, so my husband and I went up there. That's fun. Brought our dog, stayed in a cute little Airbnb and just loved it. And so

I was like,

let's

go back for this triathlon. like, what, what what are races they have. Yeah. I need to do a race in Milwaukee.

because my sister lives there and I've not done a race in Wisconsin before and I'm not necessarily going for all the states, but I'm like, if there's an excuse to, you know, do a race that I haven't done before, then let's do it.

Yeah, exactly. Well, Sarah, this has been so much fun Yeah. To get to meet you. I loved it.

It's been great. I could talk to you all day Likewise. and I have, we have to catch up after your retreat. Yes, please. Absolutely. And thank you to Carlton for connecting us. Yep. I need to, I haven't had Carlton on this podcast yet. Oh my gosh.

I don't know how I'm gonna get Carlton in 90 minutes though. right? Like he has so many stories.

I yeah. it's gonna be amazing. But, and thank you to everybody who's listened and happy running. Yes. Yay. We did it.

[01:26:00] Hey, if you enjoyed this episode of Finish Lines and Milestones from Sandy Boy Productions, please go share with your friends rate review. That's the best way to spread the word, and I appreciate it so much.

If you want to follow me online, I am most active on Instagram. I'm @allytbrett_runs, Thank you so much to today's sponsor, relay Active. Go to relay active.com, use code ALLYB for 15% off your order. You will not regret it. I'm literally wearing one of her shirts right now and I hope to see you around next week.

Have a good one. Bye.

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Finish Lines & Milestones: Episode 118: Sarah Overpeck - Yes, You Can

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