Finish Lines & Milestones: Episode 133: Abby Anderson - Running for Seven

November 7, 2025

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Guest: Abby Anderson @runningforseven

Show Notes:

Abby Anderson⁠ and I met through previous guest, ⁠Nate Spangle⁠. We got to sit down in person before the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon.

During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Amazfit⁠, ⁠Foot Levelers⁠ and ⁠Previnex⁠, we talk about:

The upcoming Indy Monumental Marathon - her third time running Indy
How she helped a complete stranger chase a BQ during one of her marathons
The full backstory of Abby’s “WHY”
Losing her mom to a heart attack brought on by an eating disorder
Running 7 miles every year on her mom’s birthday, September 19th
Why she started her @runningforseven Instagram account

The signs she sees from her mom

This is a⁠ SandyBoy Productions⁠ podcast.

Sponsor Details:

- ⁠Amazfit⁠ - Use code ALLYB for 10% off

- ⁠Foot Levelers ⁠- find a provider near you

⁠Previnex⁠ - Use code ALLY15 for 15% off

Episode Transcript:

Ally Brettnacher: Welcome to Finish Lines and Milestones, a podcast to celebrate the everyday runner. I'm your host, Ali Brett Knocker, and if you run, you're a runner and every runner has a story. Join me each week as I share these stories and we celebrate finish lines and milestones together.

This episode is brought to you by a Maze Fit. A Maze Fit is a brand of GPS watches and fitness trackers that you may have never heard of because I hadn't.

And they provide more competitive pricing, so they're super affordable with the same quality product that you would expect from the brands you already know. And I really like using it because the battery life on the balance too is 21 days. I can't tell you like just last month I was on fall break and my [00:01:00] Garmin, I had plugged in to charge, woke up.

To go on a tour of Montreal that I paid for for 13 miles, and my watch was dead literal nightmare. So I've been having problems. Now I don't have to worry about battery life, which is really nice and it has nearly all the features you would expect.

And then there's one ecosystem, so

you have a watch, you've got a Helio strap, which is another fitness tracker that you can wear on your bicep or your wrist.

And then they also have a Helio ring as well. And all the data pulls together in the Zep app and there's no subscription. So pretty cool. If you wanna check out this brand, you can go to amma fit.com, that's

t.com, and you can use code Allie, B-A-L-L-Y-B for 10% off of your order. Thank you Amaz fit for supporting this podcast. And now I'm so excited to talk about my favorite weekend of the year. It's CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental [00:02:00] Marathon Weekend. And I'm currently, if you're watching this, you're like, where the hell is she? I'm at the Bottleworks Hotel downtown Indy, where I get to stay before the monumental, before the Indy Mini.

And it is the most incredible space and we are hosting a shakeout run tomorrow, 9:00 AM Uh, you probably won't listen to this before then, but you might. And then you should come doing that with Lindsay Hein and then Brooks and Athletic Annex and then. On Saturday after the race, we're hosting a post-race celebration and live podcast with Olympian and National Champion, Emily Feld, also at Bottleworks.

So we're making this a place to be for race weekend, and I just couldn't be more excited and also really tired, but more, more so excited. So I am running the half marathon with my friend Ashley Haynes. I'm also volunteering at the Expo, which I did today, and we'll be doing on Friday as well.

And running will actually be. My break in the weekend, which is kind of funny to think about, but after the half marathon, I am [00:03:00] going to be cheering for runners and I will be doing that. There's a line of tents that are our run clubs right before you do the final turn. So. Probably 800 meters from the finish line is where I'll be, and I'm really, really excited to cheer on this week's guest, Abby Anderson.

Abby and I met through a previous guest, Nate Spanel, who is the host of the Get In Get Indiana podcast, and he connected us. And Abby is running in honor of her mom, and this will be her third Indie, monumental full marathon,

and she's in town from Nashville, Tennessee. And so we talk about indie, monumental, gearing up for it, what the race has. Meant to her what the experience has been for her so far. We also talk about how she helped a complete Stranger BQ during one of the monumentals, which is crazy.

We talk about how she lost her mom, how she runs seven miles on her mom's birthday every year, which is on September 19th, [00:04:00] why she started her running for seven Instagram account and what she's hoping to do with that

So make sure you go follow her. It's at running for , seven, and we talk about signs she sees from her mom, races that she hopes she's gonna do. It was just such a fun conversation with this incredible young woman that I know you're gonna wanna cheer on as well after you have a chance to meet her.

So I hope you enjoy this conversation with Abby.

Hi, Abby. Welcome. Thank you. Welcome to Indianapolis. I love Indy three, one heaven. Isn't that right? Three. One heaven. Isn't that I've never heard that in my whole life, huh? I love that. That's what, yeah. All the people in college would call it. I'm old, that's why. No, you're not three, one heaven. Yeah, I am.

I'm here for it. And you are currently living in Nashville, Tennessee, not Indiana, correct? Yes. How was your drive up? It was good. Not too bad. Of course, Nashville, you're gonna have some traffic, but. And it, yeah. What is it? Five [00:05:00] hours? Four. Four. But it was more like five. Okay. My drive coming outta Nashville should have only been maybe 10, 20 minutes.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. But it turned into 40. That happens. So will it take you longer to run the marathon or drive home? I was actually thinking that. Hopefully it'll take me not as long. I know. Hopefully I'm faster than that. Yeah. Yeah. I know. That's, I think about that 'cause it's, well, New York was just recently and I was thinking about how it took me longer at New York.

Oh yeah. To get from my hotel to cross the starting line. It took me longer than it took me to run the race. That's what itself, it makes me so nervous to do some of those big marathons. It just, you have to be ready for that. Yeah. Because I love indie because it's so easy. It's so easy. Quote unquote easy.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. I mean, it makes the whole, I mean, a marathon's so easy. So easy compared, but it is, it's a lot better. The experience is so efficient. If you're looking to run fast, it's so great because you can literally like. If you, especially if you stayed on town, you just like walk out the door and you're there and Exactly.

Abby Anderson: I would run easy. Yeah. My [00:06:00] first two indies, I would just run there and that was my warmup. Yeah. And then wait in the porta potty line and then you're, you start and then you go just easy enough. Yeah. So, okay, so you've run the monumental full. This will be your third time? This is my third time. Okay. I love the monumental marathon.

I'm not just saying that because you know I'm running into it and I talking to you. You have to say it. Yeah. But I like we were just saying, I think it's. A perfect race because you're not stressed getting there. Mm-hmm. You're not. Mm-hmm. Like your phone will still be at probably like 90% charge even when you start the marathon.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. It's also true. Yeah. But it's flat. Nashville not flat right at all. Cincinnati not flat, right? It's flat here. Super flat, so love that. Yeah. I feel like it's also the perfect kind of weather, I guess it's kind of themi, but yeah. It's looking good right now. My fingers crossed. Fingers crossed. I'm just like praying to the weather's.

God's Well, I've been, I've been stalking it for a while and it's, it's [00:07:00] staying pretty steady and the only chance for rain is in, like, if it's gonna rain, it's gonna be later in the day. Well, which is fine. My first one was four years ago during the whole windstorm, so, oh, that was 2022. 21 or 22 because 22 is the first time I ever ran the full at monumental.

And it was the windiest, so windy year of all time. It was crazy. I felt, of course it got really bad. The final three miles. Yes. And I was like, looking at my watch, I'm like, okay. Like I'm crushing it and then the wind starts happening and I felt like I was pushing a sled. Yeah. It was that difficult. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But I loved that first marathon because that was your very first one. That's so funny. First one. Whew. I know. I, I loved it. 'cause again, not only is it flat, but I feel like there's still a ton of fans. Mm-hmm. Which you wouldn't get at some of the races. Yeah. Like. And I love the fans. I love the environment.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, same, same. Really cheering coming out. Same making the mouses in their front yard. Mm-hmm. Passing out Halloween Candy Uhhuh. [00:08:00] That's one of my favorite parts. 'cause it's like right after Halloween, everybody in the Meridian Kessler area, which is like around halfway, let's call it like in that area, is handing out candy.

They're out in their front yards, drinking, they have music. It's the best. Yeah. Best. But my first one was special because, well obviously it's my first. Mm-hmm. My mother-in-law flew in from Kansas City at the time and met my whole family because obviously my family's in Cincinnati. Yeah. So my dad and his girlfriend came up to cheer me on my little brother.

Abby Anderson: Aw. Um, my now husband was there. And then also my aunts and my nana, who's my mom's mom and my mom's sisters. And then my two cousins, one of my cousins surprised me as well. So it was just, that's so amazing, so fun and so special. And I crossed that one of course. 3 57, so, wow. Seven, seven. Um, which is crazy.

And then the second one was the following year, but I went into that one [00:09:00] completely different mindset because I'm like, okay, I've already done this, I'm just gonna have fun. I also was planning a wedding at the Yeah. Like, this is stressful. Yeah. I didn't train honestly as well as I should have. Yeah. Um, so I'm like, you know, gonna have fun party peace, like, just wanna take in the vibe.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. And then, I don't think I've even told you this, but. I was like, I think I joined four 10 or four 20 or around there like Pace group. Okay. So it's like, you know, let's, it might be good to have some, you know, structure.

Abby Anderson: Just don't

Ally Brettnacher: I just don't love that. I love that. I'll just follow you. Yeah. Um, did you join like at the beginning of the race?

Okay. At the beginning and then around mile like two or three, there's this lady and she was wearing neon green and I thought she was a pacer and she wasn't. And I was like, oh, like started chatting with very typical happy fashion. Just yapping. Yeah. And she, her name was Lisa Child Visa. Lisa. Great. What's her last [00:10:00] name?

Abby Anderson: Uh, she's not from here. Okay. So that would be crazy. Yeah. Anyway, she's from um, Pittsburgh and she was saying how she. I just had her birthday and so I was like, oh, like that's awesome. Happy ated birthday. She's like, yeah, so you know, I'm gonna try to qualify for Boston. I was like, oh great shit. What do you need?

What's your time? She 4 0 5. I'm like, okay, let's go. I'm like, oh, locked in. Oh my God. I kept like the whole 4 0 5 pace and at mile 18, Lisa up was like, you go, go girl. I'll still keep the 4 0 5 pace just in case. Yeah. Like if she falls behind, I'm still gonna make sure that I'm holding that pace. That's so nice of you.

And so, yeah, we became buddies. Like she waited at the finish line for me to cross too and cheered me on with her husband. That's the, I, you know what? That's why I love running. Yeah. Say Thats so sweet. And it's like we still follow each other on Instagram, like text and we wanna do it like hopefully we can do another race together.

But like, [00:11:00] so that race, I love that because it was. Helping her. Yeah. I was like, you know, I'm just gonna have fun with it. Yeah. Once I heard that she had a goal, I'm like, we're doing it. Yeah. Like we're going like, okay. New mission. Yeah. Yeah. That's so sweet. And last year I would've done it. I like, I feel like I need to do it every year now.

Ally Brettnacher: Shouldn't, yeah. But my best friend was getting married, so couldn't skip that. Oh, thanks a lot. Hey, check the marathon calendar. I know. Best friend. I know, it's funny. Yeah. That, yeah. That's happened to me for the Vegas race. I do with my dad. My, one of my good friends got married that weekend and I was like, didn't got married.

Abby Anderson: Vegas. Yeah. Right. And I was now, every year I'm like, you wanna celebrate your anniversary weekend in Vegas with running? Come on. But yeah. Yeah. You have to go to your best friend's wedding. Mm-hmm. Okay. So that was last year. So now this year third, now I'm back. Okay. What's the plan for this one? I am super excited for this year because.

I've, as you know, I've reactivated my running account mm-hmm. In January. And so this year I'm really [00:12:00] excited because I am focusing on my running account and, uh, I'm still gonna have fun with the race, but I'm focusing on building a even larger community with runners. And I'm gonna be going to the expo tomorrow and Friday and I'm gonna be holding a sign that says like, what's your why?

And interviewing people. I love it so much because, you know, running 26.2 miles is a little, is a little crazy. It's like, why the hell are you doing this? Yes. No. Like, my mom would bribe me to run one mile in gym class with a Vera Bradley lunch. I was gonna ask With what? That's a pretty good bribe. Oh yeah.

Especially at the time they were, they were so bad. The hot thing. Yeah, the pink one. Yep. Like the og. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. And now I'm running to my 6.2, but I really want to focus on like hearing.

you know,

Everyone's Why? Because yeah, 26.2 miles, that's a lot. Mm-hmm. On your body, on your mind. And so everyone who's running [00:13:00] 26.2 miles, they have a reason.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. Or even if you're not a runner, if you're supporting someone out here, you have a reason why you're out here. Mm-hmm. Or maybe it's not having to, with the marathon or running related. Right. It's biking or, you know, even just waking up, getting up and like mm-hmm. Tackling the day. Mm-hmm. Yeah. You have a why.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I really want to, I know I'm really excited about interviewing people about their why and then compiling that to make, um, motivational video for the people running or the people to look back on and use it to inspire them and anything that they do. Yeah. I love it so much. That's why I'm pumped for this race.

So Cool. And to connect with more people like you and then just to have fun on Saturday. Okay. But do you have a time, are you gonna be with a PACE group? Are you, I don't even know. Um, I'm hoping obviously to PR. Okay, so the PR is sub 3 57? Yes. Okay. 3 57. Yeah. Second one was like, well, that's kind of, well, then you gotta get like a, well, you can't get a 47 without like super [00:14:00] training, so gotta be a seven.

Maybe you get some seven in the seconds. We'll see. I'm gonna go for it. Like mean. Hell yeah. You should go for it, I guess. I don't know anything about your training. Yeah, so, well, I don't know what's possible for you. Yes, we'll see. I feel good. Like the first one, of course, you have those nerves, like mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: Those nerves are like, mm-hmm. Oh my goodness. I'm doing like, what? And then the second one I was just like, okay, we're having fun. We're just, I don't know, we're here. Yeah. But this one I really wanna push myself, but also. I know I keep saying I wanna have fun with it. Like I wanna interact with the crowds, I wanna interact more with other runners.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. And like cheer them on too. Yeah. While I'm running. Right. Because I think that's, like we were saying, like that's the best part of running a marathon is that community. Mm-hmm. So couldn't agree more. Mm-hmm. So, while I have you Yeah. What is, what is, what's your why Abby?

Abby Anderson: So

That's a loaded question.

Ally Brettnacher: It's, we don't cry. We're gonna cry. It's, I, I told you already, I was like, I totally cried. Just prepping. So I was like, great, [00:15:00] we're gonna cry. So my why obviously has changed over the years. Mm-hmm. But my why now is, and again, I'll go back from the start, so, well, like I said, I'm from Cincinnati. My parents are both athletes.

Abby Anderson: My mom was an avid runner. She pushed me when I was little and my little brother and a stroller. And we would cheer on. And How much younger is your brother than you? I was three and a half years. Okay. Yes. He actually called me to Nashville, but now is back in Dayton, Ohio. Oh, in Dayton now. Okay. Um, he's in law school, so very proud of him, but sad that he left me.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Um, so we're very close, but him and I we're both athletes as well growing up. We, our family is a big soccer family. I feel like Cincinnati, it's just a soccer town. Mm. But that was our main sport, soccer. And my mom, since she was obsessed with running to, tried to get me to run with her and I hated it.

Abby Anderson: Hated it. Like would throw a fit. I remember I, she made me do [00:16:00] like girls on a run with some of my friends and like we had to do that 5K and she was making me like sprint the whole time. Like, I'm dying mom. I hate this. Like, no. So, and then, like I said, she would bribe me for my mile run in gym class with a veer Bradley lunchbox.

Hate. Yeah. Well, soccer I feel like makes you hate running because it's punishment when you're in soccer. Like, I hated running for so long and it's like sprints, but like, yeah. But then in high school I started, you know, realizing, oh, I need to run to build my endurance. Mm-hmm. And then I was also crazy enough like doing slack soccer and running track, but Oh my gosh.

No offense to all the track people that listened to your podcast. I hated track. I only did it one year in freshman year of high school. I hated it. I didn't hate it, but I, I don't know, I just, my a DD goes crazy. I can't be going around the same loop. Yeah. Like, no. I couldn't do it, but I absolutely loved like running five miles after school and just yapping with my friends [00:17:00] and just, I just thought that was just so fun and I enjoyed that part of it.

But then, yeah, my mom would run like different marathons. She ran the Boston Marathon in 2005. Okay. I was eight years old and I was that her, well, certainly couldn't have been her first marathon. No. She ran the flying peg, of course. Okay. Several times. Okay. And so do you remember like cheering for her when you were a kid?

Yes. Oh yeah. That's cool. We had like t-shirts. My dad also ran a couple and I was trying to find more pictures, but like of course, like my mom was the one taking the pictures before my dad's races, so there's more of those than, uh, totally can relate to that. Yep. Than when we were cheering her on. Yeah.

Especially for Boston because. He was holding us two little kids trying to follow her around this big crazy city. Yeah. It was so hot that I looked back. I think it was like the third hottest like marathon that Wow. Uh, for the Boston Marathon. And I just remember like my dad even tells a story that we were [00:18:00] on like b, c Does he go through like Boston College or what's probably, I don't know.

University. Yeah. Is it like one of them? And he said that I really had to go to the bathroom, son of a d like cheering for my mom waiting. There's like at one of the colleges and these girls I guess were like, probably hammered and they're like, you're so cute. My dad's like, do you have a bathroom? And let them like take me into like one of the houses.

That was a huge party, like a college party. Oh my gosh. To go to the bathroom, dad. And but so it was nice like just seeing that and experiencing that. Right. I still remember, well obviously like the aquarium, but also, yeah, just. The feeling of Boston. She said it was the hardest marathon she's ever done because Heartbreak Hill Yeah.

Was really a heart. It was a heartbreak. But, so yeah, she ran Boston and she ran I think one or two more after maybe one. I remember her running the half marathon, the fly bake half marathon. She literally had a hernia surgery a couple weeks [00:19:00] before, so she was upset. She couldn't run the full and she had to run the half.

But she ran it with um, my lacrosse coach and a couple other people I believe at the time. But she hated. Have you ran? No, because it's the same weekend as the Indie Mini. It's a different day. So technically I could and people do that. Oh my God. Because of course they do. Yeah. But I, I, I, I might do that at some point just 'cause I wanna go experience Flying Pig.

I hear it's phenomenal.

Tilly.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Super hilly. Right. That scares me. But my mom was upset because she always said like, you have to do the full for the Flying pig because the half splits right before you get to Hyde Park. Okay. Which is a really nice neighborhood in Cincinnati. And that's where I guess all the bands are like, literally people rent, like have live bands in their front yards and it's just a huge party.

Abby Anderson: So my mama was just like so upset and she would always say like, loser to the left, like she have to go to the left. Oh my gosh. I'm gonna think about that now at Indie when I go to the left. Oh my God. On Saturday. Be nice. It's, that's funny. [00:20:00] Like that was her. That's her. Yeah. I love it. Oh, like, oh my gosh, you Laurie just had hernia surgery and hernia is like in your stomach usually.

Ally Brettnacher: I swear my sister had one like at one point. No. Anyway, but, so her and I, whenever I would come home from like college and everything, we would run together. Every year we'd do the Turkey trot. Okay. Um, would your brother and dad do it too? The Turkey trot? Would you make them? Uh, no. We made David do it one year.

Abby Anderson: Okay. And he made it miserable. Right. So then you're like, fine, fine. He complained the whole time. So we're like, okay, okay. We're not asking you again. Yeah, no thanks. Um, that's funny. I don't blame you. Yeah. But my ta yeah, he doesn't run much anymore. Um, but then where, so have you done Cincinnati at all?

Ally Brettnacher: Have you done flying Piggott? No. Well, no. You're gonna have to. All my family wants me to, but I'm like, I, but I like Indy. It's so flat. I love indie. It's flat. Yeah. In the fall. I don't need the train in the winter. Winter, [00:21:00] yeah. That's rough. When it's literally, it's dark and gloomy though. I've never done a spring marathon either.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. Only fall. I was like to, uh, I'm, I'm sure I will at some point do a spring marathon 'cause I would love to do Boston at some point, but Yeah. Yeah. Now Boston's a life goal of mine. Yeah. Because my mom ran it. And so, but 2027.

Yeah, that'd be

Cool. Yeah. I'm like, I don't have to qualify right now. Right. Or just RA raise a ton of money, which I don't know which one's harder to be honest.

I told myself that I have to qualify. Yeah. I really wanna qualify too, because my mom, of course, she would be like, Abby, don't halfass it. Like, go, don't be a loser, Abby. I'm just kidding. I'm totally not saying that about charity runners because like I've said, I Yeah. Raising like sometimes tens of thousands, yeah's, I mean that's a thousands of dollars is a lot also like Yeah.

It's in incre. Like I would love to qualify but also raise money. Right. Like even if I qualify but don't meet the actual debt, like, you know, 'cause of the buffer and everything. Yes. I will still raise money. Yeah. Or even if I do qualify, I still would love to raise [00:22:00] money. Yeah. Um, because I think that's the one of the best parts of running too.

Not just the community, but all the money that people do raise can raise. Yeah. Yeah. Or even like the fundraisers, but we'll get to that later. Okay. Um, so I went to DePaul University. Okay. Green Castle, DePaul, Indiana. Yeah, green Castle, Indiana. Fuck Wabash. You can say whatever you want. Loved DePaul had such great friends there and that's where I really, um.

I fell in love with running, obviously, you know, being in college, I wasn't playing soccer anymore. Mm-hmm. But, so I would run as a stress reliever, but also just to stay in shape. Right. That was me. Mm-hmm. That's when I started running, was in college. Same thing. Like I gotta run off this beer. Uhhuh.

Ally Brettnacher: Uhhuh.

Abby Anderson: Lots of beer.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. So much beer. Oh yes. In Marvin's. So Marvins. I've heard of Marvin's. I've never had it. Oh good. But I've heard too good. That's what is it like a sandwich of some the GCB, garlic cheeseburger, garlic cheeseburger, Uhhuh. Yeah. Okay. And they have mac bites, which are like fried [00:23:00] mac and cheese bites or triangles.

Yeah. So ours at Miami of Ohio. Mm-hmm. I don't know if they brought them back or not, but they should. It's called a Clinton. Huh. And it was a grilled cheese sandwich with a P pizza. Ugh. In the middle. Yum. It was so good. Delicious. And they had these, what were they called? Oh my gosh, I'm blanking. But they were Oreo, basically an Oreo shake.

I forget what they called that, but like we would go to the dining hall that was open late night, which is crazy. And we would get Clintons and shakes. I mean, no wonder like I had to be running. Mm-hmm. If I wanted, if I wanted to like, oh, stay in the same shape. Yeah, same in shape. No, yeah, totally get that.

Abby Anderson: And especially with all the trash cans at Miami, Ohio. I don't know what you mean. The drinks.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh,

Abby Anderson: Wouldn't have those. They, they were not called that brick. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Yeah. So many nights there. I don't know. Remember the trash cans they might have come after me. All the types of alcohol and, yeah. Okay.

Ally Brettnacher: That makes sense. So why I wouldn't remember if it existed when I was there. Massive. Ugh. Gotcha. My grandpa and my brother, he would make me have, yeah. Yeah. [00:24:00] You're like, okay. Okay. So, and then what year did you graduate from DePauw? 2019. Did you do races, like while you were in college? No. You're just running to like stay in shape, just running.

Abby Anderson: I would say like the average mile, like I would probably run at least four to six. Yeah. Okay. Like, you know, but then the summer, going into my junior year, my mom unfortunately passed away and so that changed everything. And she unfortunately had a heart attack suddenly, and her and I, we ran six miles that morning.

Ally Brettnacher: That morning, Abby. Mm-hmm. It was my brother's 17th birthday as well, so,

Abby Anderson: so,

Ally Brettnacher: okay. Quite the day. Whoa. Okay. What, what was the day it was, what's the date was? I can when she Oh, so June 2nd. June 2nd, okay. June 2nd, 2017. Okay. Um, she had the heart attack and every year my brother's birthday, we go to Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse.

Okay. You guys have seen Elmo's here. But we would go to Jeff Ruby's and, and it was [00:25:00] funny 'cause there's this car that parked in front of us. There's this big van and all these guys got out and they, you could just tell like they were musicians. They had that like swagger. Mm-hmm. And I caught eyes with one.

Abby Anderson: I'm like, oh my goodness, I know him. I'm like, I know him. Who is he? And I was like, mom. And we like sat down like, mom, that's Dustin Lynch. She's like, you're full of shit. No it's not. I'm like, yes it is. It's Dustin Lynch. 'cause her and I became obsessed with country music, obsessed with Luke Bryan, of course.

And mm-hmm Dustin Lynch and Thomas Rut. And we actually went to the graduation present. Was tickets to see their concert. And so I'm like, mom, that's Dustin Lynch. I'm a hundred percent right. Asked the waiter. She asked the waiter, he was like, yeah, it's Dustin Lynch. He seems really nice. And of course my mom's like, well, can't I go over and talk to him?

Like, oh my goodness. Oh my gosh. So we went over, he's nicest guy ever. Super sweet, introduced us to his whole table. His parents, his whole [00:26:00] band like got Up, was like talking to us about the concert and like went out of his way to have a conversation, which I think is incredible. Yeah, it was so kind. And we took a picture with him.

And that's the last picture I have with my mom is with him, which is super crazy because now I'm in Nashville and Okay, so where was that? That was in Cincinnati. That was in Cincinnati. At the steakhouse that you go to. Mm-hmm. And that's why you go to the steakhouse. We would stake out because anyway.

Yeah. So, but, and now that's just part of the tradition of celebrating that day, your brother's birthday. Mm-hmm. That's the worst. Yeah. But we, I always make it fun for David, even when we're in Nashville. Well, oh my gosh. That's just like, okay, so sorry. No, it's, for some reason I don't think I knew it was so sudden.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. I, I don't know if it's just not something you talk about, like, I mean, it'd be kind of hard to like talk about that all the time. I know, and I'm [00:27:00] trying to, with my account more like, have those conversations because grief and death, they're not talked about, but unfortunately, majority of us experience it.

Yeah. Or experience like some of those emotions, like anxiety or stress or, you know, just like depression. You're sad. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Absolutely. I think that like with my account, like I want to be able to talk about those, you know, like I, I don't know if the right word topics because. When you talk about them and people can relate to them Yes.

Abby Anderson: And can find comfort and help in it. Especially with death. Like I have unfortunately have had friends that have lost a loved one. Mm-hmm. And they're like the shit people say when you lose a loved one, it's wild. Mm-hmm. And 'cause people don't know how to, the people don't know what to say. No. And they don't know how to act.

Yeah. And you don't know how to act. So it's just a weird time. And I'm just like, you know, everyone needs someone through this. [00:28:00] Yeah. That they can talk to. Or, and again, it doesn't even have to be death. It can be something else because everyone's going through something, something. And so that's why like on my, why I reacted the account because I wanna be able to talk about it.

So yes. Mm-hmm. You are right. I haven't really talked much about it. Yeah. Because it took so long for me, I believe to, you know. I guess grasp everything. But my mom, she unfortunately had an eating disorder Okay. And wasn't replenishing her body with all the vitamins that she needed. And that led to her heart attack.

Ally Brettnacher: Wow. Yeah. See that's what's so crazy. 'cause you're just like, okay, there's this, you know, she's clearly in shape running marathons. 45 45. That makes me crazy because I'm almost 40 and like a lot of my friends are in their forties. Mm-hmm. I mean, okay. So did she, was she, at the time that she passed, was she still dealing with her eating disorder stuff?

Abby Anderson: Mm-hmm. Ugh. [00:29:00] Yes. That's gotta be so hard as a, as a young woman too. Mm-hmm. Like especially you're in college. Oh yeah. Like, and it's crazy 'cause I feel like, ugh,

lot of women also deal with that. So that's why I want to talk about it more. Yes. Yeah. Um, in the latest like run buddies that I. I was talking with a lady and she was like, you know, I've experienced this too.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. And a lot of women do, especially in college. Yeah. Because, like we were saying, you know, I know. I was like, we were just talking about it. I'm like eating all this shit. Yeah. And then I'm punishing myself. Yeah. It's on the treadmill. Yeah. And when it shouldn't be. Right. And, um, so yes, unfortunately, like that's why I want to talk about it because a lot of people, especially right now with Ozempic and everything, it's, we need to be more cognizant of not only what we're putting in our body, but how we're treating it.

Right. And also like how it's affecting our mental health too. Yeah. And not using running as a punishment. Right, right. You know, a way to give back to yourself because running [00:30:00] can be so therapeutic. Or if it's not running something, whatever it is, whatever it is, man. Yeah. I know running's not for everyone.

Abby Anderson: Right, right. So yes, I, that's why I want to talk about it more, because a lot of women, it might not be to that extreme. But let's say they might eat like a bagel or cupcake Yeah. And have those negative thoughts. Yeah. But it's, I mean, I still do, Abby. Oh, same. It's so dumb. It messes with your head. Yeah. Even in like marathon training, like I'm trying to carb load and I'm like, I, I just recently met with a dietician actually not too long ago.

Ally Brettnacher: Um, Jackie Cus and, you know, I, I, it was almost like a therapy session. Oh yeah. 'cause I was like, I'm pretty sure like my whole life mm-hmm. Like beaten into my head is that carbs are bad. Mm-hmm. But, but when you are an endurance athlete, uhhuh. Carbs are everything. And so it was just, and I was like, wow. I think this is my, like previous, you know, my past history with eating.

Mm-hmm. I never was diagnosed with the eating disorder, but I had disordered eating for sure. And Miami of Ohio at [00:31:00] one point was, I don't know if it's an official ranking, but they like, were like number one for eating disorders. Mm-hmm. Oh, and college is the worst time because Yeah. You're going through so much change.

Yeah. And so, yeah, it messed with my head. So, yeah. How, how did that impact the re like relationship you had with your mom? Like, did you know mm-hmm. That she was dealing with it? Did you ever talk? It was tough, like, yes, but it's like your typical mom daughter relationship that can always, you know, be difficult.

Yeah. But, and at that time, so that was eight and a half years ago. Yeah. Okay. When she passed, no one really talked about it. Yeah. I think about it in the last maybe four or five years, it's been more of a conversation. Mm-hmm. I would say, especially like after I got out of college, you know, in the new generations.

Mm-hmm. Although we hate the younger generations and everything, so much crap. But they're okay talking about these things. Yes, thanks. Goodness. And body positivity. Yes. And it's not even body positivity, it's just having those conversations. If you are struggling, you know, other people are too. Yeah. [00:32:00] Just being mindful of everything.

Yeah. Well, and it's an illness. Mm-hmm. It's a disorder. It's, yeah. It is not just like this switch that you can just, no. Flip off. No. So, but yes. So it was a shock. So you were home from school? Yes, I was home. I was house sitting. So I wasn't there when she had the heart attack. And then, was your brother there?

Yes. I'm sorry. David. Okay. And then she was in the hospital for. I kind of blacked it out, like, yeah, I don't really remember of it because that was a mess. 11 days, I'm pretty sure. Wow. So it wasn't like she was instantly gone. It was No. Did you, was she, could you talk to her? Okay. No, she was brain dead. But of course my parents, they're divorced and they were divorced before that.

Oh, they were divorced before that? Yes. Okay. And so I was the head of her estate, and so I had to make all the calls, which I had of course, like my uncles and my aunts. They were like, let us [00:33:00] do it. I'm like, hell no. Like

Abby Anderson: no. Like there's

no one else that she would want to be making these decisions. Yeah. There is a reason that I'm like, no.

Ally Brettnacher: Wow. And so like 20 years old, so I had to make the call because my mom was brain dead. Take her off life support. Yeah. And my mom always said, again, she was extremely hardcore, but. And I don't know why she would always say this. She would be like, don't let me get to the point where I can't run. Yeah. Or can't.

Yeah. She wouldn't, she would not have been happy. No. That's just her. Like she needed to run. Yeah. And so I had to talk to all the doctors and be a part of all of that. Okay. I don't really remember much of it now. Right. But, so I had to make the call and I was just like, you know, she's not my mom still right now and she wouldn't want to be in the state because she needs to be running.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. And they said that we could, you know, try to donate some of her organs to kids and just do people. And I was, I thought about that. I was [00:34:00] like, you know, I can give them the chance to run too through her. Okay. Now you're, sorry, I don't wanna make you cry. Sorry. That's really cool. Yeah. Um, and I'm pretty sure they donated like parts of her eye to someone and I'm just like, that makes me happy.

Ally Brettnacher: Right. And I'm sure she's happy about it too. She would. I mean, yeah. Yeah. She would want that to be able, you know, to pass that gift on. Yes. Yeah. So obviously that was the, that's insane. Yeah. It was a lot. Obviously, being 20 years old, having to make those decisions, having a lot of change all at once. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Being in college and God, if I think about how, like I was in co like college, I, I mean I, there was no like talk about growing up like so quickly. Mm-hmm. I love it, but I'm so blessed for DePaul because I had such a tight knit of friends. Yeah. That I still remember. I also [00:35:00] gave my moms. What was it called?

Eulogy. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Um. 'cause again, how No, I, I didn't trust anyone else, bibe. It's just me being so type A. Right. You're like, I'm, she would get pissed if I let Yeah, exactly. Yeah. That's, that's her personality. Yeah. She'd be like, you're doing it. Yeah. Like, okay. Mom and I also, I'm like, you know, and similar to how I am to like, I don't want these hard times to be seen as depressing, as negative.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. I wanted to make it a celebration. Yeah. Because these things should be celebrated for their positive, like things like Right. But mom, she was a runner, you know? Yeah. It shouldn't be negative, but, so I gave her eulogy. I remember looking out in the pews and

Abby Anderson: all

my sorority sisters, like, I think there was at least 20 Yeah.

Of them that came in town probably more. Yeah. Including all my friends and everything. But I kept telling myself, you know. I need to keep smiling, hold my shit together, because [00:36:00] that's how she would want me to be like, yeah, I don't wanna be negative. Don't want this to ruin my life. And, you know, to turn it into something positive.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. And I would say like, I became so much stronger, obviously. I mean, I couldn't even read the petitions at my grandma's funeral. Yeah. My mom asked me to read the petitions and I was like, I can't do that. I'll get up there, I'll look out at the family and I will cry. Yes, I did do it actually for my other girl.

I did finally like mm-hmm. Figure out how to be strong enough. I think it just takes

some

experience. But for you, like doing that for your mom? Mm-hmm. No, it was hard. Yeah. And my brother stood up there next to me mm-hmm. With my hand and comforted me. Yeah. So it was the two of us together. That's, that's good.

Um, but I just knew she wouldn't wanna have it any other way. Yeah. So, and I didn't want it to be any other way too. Yeah. Uh, but.

Abby Anderson: I would

say, yeah. That moment changed my life forever. Yep. [00:37:00] Because I had the choice. Either I could be so upset, let grief take, you know, hold of me or use it to become a better person.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. To inspire more people to uplift others. Mm-hmm. Again, in college, I didn't ha I wasn't as crazy as I am now. Yeah. Everything that I've done, what I did, her birthday is September 19th. Mm-hmm. And so I started a birthday run where I run seven miles, so running four, seven, 'cause seven is. Our lucky number.

Abby Anderson: It was like our family number. Mm-hmm. Um, of course, seven is everyone's like, oh, that's my lucky number. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yes. Yes.

Ally Brettnacher: wish I chose more recent, super original. Uh, this is crazy, but my lucky number is seven. Yeah. Yeah. 27 actually is mine. I think I had 27. That was my soccer number. Yes. For soccer.

And like my bus uhhuh, like a lot of weird 20 sevens for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I'm also like, okay, seven other people can relate to it. Right? Yes. Like [00:38:00] that's the whole goal is to be relatable. Yeah. And to help them out. Yeah. To have that luck or mm-hmm. And so, of course for her birthday, I started running to the miles to celebrate her.

Abby Anderson: 'cause I didn't wanna be upset that day. Yeah. 'cause those days are hard, but I'm like, you know what? I need to make this again a celebration. Yeah. Yeah. And so I had the first running for seven Run, which was phenomenal because I ran obviously at Depa. But my whole sorority's house, they all came out and cheered me on as I finished and some of them ran with me and then like the following year, like more and more people started running with me or each would like pick up on a mile.

Yep. And then I kept that going till this day. So on my mom's birthday I always run seven miles and I'm hoping to obviously grow that, but that's a whole other story. Yeah. Oh my gosh. And that's kind of where Brian four seven got started. And so you said reactivated, so did you start the account after she [00:39:00] passed and then just took a break at some point?

Ally Brettnacher: 'cause you didn't wanna do it anymore or like it just too much stuff going on or what happened? So I actually, great question. I was going to study abroad and That's right. 'cause she wanted to go That's, she was so excited to go. She never had been outta the country, which was crazy 'cause.

Abby Anderson: that

She would've loved it.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. And so I of course, through DePaul had the opportunity to study abroad second semester and I created the account running for seven so that I can track all my runs when I'm over there and

Abby Anderson: And

you know, post them on Instagram so that my friends from back in college or all my loved ones at home could see what I was doing and smile and also be like running with her.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. So that's why I created then that was 2018. Okay. Yeah.

Yeah. Spring.

Abby Anderson: But then since then, you know, it's just funny 'cause I've obviously gotten way more into running. Right, yeah. Since I activated that account, but I never really would [00:40:00] post on it and occasionally, but just, it wasn't really, you know, top of brain.

Mm-hmm. Like it was just there. But then I guess, you know, fast forward to last fall, I was

I was

just feeling. I dunno. I felt like I could do more with my life. Yeah. That I could give back more, but I didn't know how to, and I was talking to my running coach, Megan Connor, and she was like, Abby, you have a phenomenal story.

Like unfortunately, I, yeah. Great, great. Yeah, I do. Yeah. I'm like, I do. Sorry. I, I, you know, I'm at the point where now it's like there's things that I can laugh on because I use humor to Oh yeah. How else? Yeah. I mean, otherwise we would just be up here crying the whole time. I know. Yeah. Gotta, yeah. But she was like, Abby, you have a great story.

You should use it. Make it more than just the miles. Make it more than miles. Mm-hmm. It's like, okay.

So I'm

like, I'll start doing that. So I made it my New Year's resolution this January. Mm-hmm. [00:41:00] To postwar on my writing account, which has been a lot, but it's been. Amazing. And then this spring I saw a video of a girl, is it, what's her name from New York?

Yeah. Yeah. Kate. I forget her name. Kate, yeah. I saw a video. Yeah. Kate, I think Kate Marks, yes, yes, yes. Running with celebrities. Mm-hmm. And politicians. And I was like, that's amazing. But I'm like, I wish there was one like that for nonprofits, because a lot of their main fundraisers are with five Ks and running, or like a lot of people raise money, like we were talking about.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. You know, when they're running. Right. Charity runners. Exactly. A thousand percent. And also, I wanna hear stories about people like me that have gone through something like, I wish I could see on my phone, you know, stories of like how to deal with, you know, grief or just people like entrepreneurs, badass people.

Abby Anderson: Mm-hmm.

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Abby Anderson: I wish I could see on my phone, you know, stories of like how to deal with, you know, grief or just people like entrepreneurs, badass people.

Mm-hmm.

That, or even like a mom. You know, that's also running a amazing podcast. Like these are incredible stories and incredible reasons. Like they're why. Yeah. And so that's why I've kind of taken her idea of, you know, running interviews.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. I love

Abby Anderson: it so much. And created a segment called Running Buddies where I run with nonprofits.

badass

but shared those relatable, uplifting stories.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: So, and that's what led me to today

which

is insane that within the last year I counted back because I was like trying to prepare for this.

Ally Brettnacher: I [00:45:00] like,

Abby Anderson: how

How many have I done?

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, yeah. How many have you done?

Abby Anderson: So it's, I, I was the first running buddy to share like my story, but with that one aside, I've done eight this year.

Ally Brettnacher: That's so cool.

Abby Anderson: Which I'm like, it's since the spring.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: So it's six months.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: So

Ally Brettnacher: it's a lot of work doing stuff like that. It's

Abby Anderson: so much

Ally Brettnacher: because people see stuff like that and they're like, oh, that's so easy. And then you try to do it and you're like, yeah, like I'm trying to do this some good news segment mm-hmm.

That I will continue to do. But it's like, you know, you want, you want it to be good.

Abby Anderson: Oh yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: And it takes a lot. People just, yeah, no. So anyway, I applaud you for, it's.

Abby Anderson: Done. It's so much

Ally Brettnacher: work you've done to

Abby Anderson: edit to

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: The outreach to like

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Meet with people. Yep.

Ally Brettnacher: Absolutely.

Abby Anderson: And then also, like I have a full-time job.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. I, uh, about that. Yeah. What do you do for your full-time job?

Abby Anderson: I'm in sales.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Abby Anderson: I work for Paychex Payroll, hr.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, yeah,

Abby Anderson: yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: that's right. Yeah. Sales. Sales women unite sales. Yeah. I know. My sister is still, still doing it. I mean, sales for like, being somebody who has a small [00:46:00] business and pie, I mean, it's sales is everything.

Mm-hmm. But yeah.

Abby Anderson: Well, I, so I work with small businesses.

FLAMS - ABBY ANDERSON - AUDIO V2 (1): That's

Abby Anderson: good. And I work with a lot of nonprofits, and I've just realized that a lot of nonprofits, they don't have the marketing budget.

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Abby Anderson: They don't even have a marketing person.

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Abby Anderson: They're not like, they have a social media account, but it's not as engaging as it could be.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: And so

that's why I'm like, you know, I need to give them a platform. Through my running account to share more about them because then people like me, that was, you know, last fall, I could have seen that and been like, you know, they need help with X, Y, Z. This is how I can help them.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: So it's kind of like, you know, helping.

Ally Brettnacher: I love it

Abby Anderson: both sides.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, I guess. Absolutely. I dunno. Yeah. Well, I mean in, yeah, depending on the stories, the nonprofits, like, it just starts to, yeah, share both sides. Like you as the person who is behind it, but then yeah, the nonprofits that you, or people you interview. Mm-hmm. It's really cool. Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: [00:47:00] So

Ally Brettnacher: I love it.

Abby Anderson: Really excited for that. Again, I reactivated, that's why I say reactivated it,

Ally Brettnacher: right.

Abby Anderson: I never really deactivated it, but I started posting on it more.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And so back to your original question of what's your why now? My why is, you know, my why before was, you know, just to be happy and spread positivity. Out of a negative situation.

Mm-hmm. But now it's of course to do that too, but to help even more people like share stories of hardships and to help them, you know, produce something that they can relate to.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: And find meaning from to, I'm really excited and that's why I'm really excited about this race.

Ally Brettnacher: Yes.

Abby Anderson: To get to connect even more runners, but to talk about their whys too.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Because it's also interesting because it is so different.

Abby Anderson: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: People run for so many different reasons.

Abby Anderson: Oh yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: And I love that too. That's part of the reason why I started this podcast, is like what I

Abby Anderson: know.

Ally Brettnacher: Like, I'm like watching somebody run down the street and I'm just like, wonder why he's running

Abby Anderson: Uhhuh.

Ally Brettnacher: Like wonder what he, you know, yeah. [00:48:00] Wonder what his story is. Mm-hmm. And so it is, it's just fun to be able to, to get to know people and understand what makes them wanna run. Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Why they run.

Abby Anderson: Or even if you don't wanna talk about it, like some people, like, again, some of these conversations, like back then it was hard for me to talk about my mom's passing, but I know that, you know.

There could be a girl in college that's also going through that.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: That if I talk about it or even talk about like signs,

Ally Brettnacher: I can't wait to talk about signs. Science is like one of my favorite things to talk about.

Abby Anderson: I know. It's crazy.

Ally Brettnacher: It's crazy.

Abby Anderson: Crazy that I'm helping them.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Like in the last Running Buddies that I did with Kristen Nichols said, who I need to connect you with.

She's amazing. She's the founder and CEO of Urban Sweat. They don't have one here in Indy, but she's created a franchise. So they're also, I believe CYL and other

Ally Brettnacher: mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: States. But she was telling the story of how, um, she quit her corporate job to start a business and she kept hearing [00:49:00] the phrase Bet on yourself.

And I posted that video and a lady comment on it. She's like, this is what I need, needed to hear today.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm. And

Abby Anderson: I'm just like, if I can even do that.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Great.

Abby Anderson: I'm ducked

Ally Brettnacher: done. Job done.

Abby Anderson: I'm gonna cry.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: So that's what you know, my why is today.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Well, it's so easy to get caught up, especially in like the world of social media and like it's, you get caught up in like, oh, you know, only, you know, 10 people watched my video.

And it's like, but if you were standing on the street and like you had 10 people there, this Nate Spanel said this to me. He's like, wouldn't you keep talking? Mm-hmm. And it's like, yeah. Like I might even do that for like one person. Right. And so it's, it's hard because you get swept up in all of this, but it's, you know, if, if you can just inspire one person.

Abby Anderson: Exactly. Because

Ally Brettnacher: that also, that's all that matters.

Abby Anderson: Like the, maybe they can inspire

Ally Brettnacher: somebody else. It all like, yeah. Yeah. It's like a snowball effect. I wanna talk about the science.

Yes. Because

Abby Anderson: crazy,

Ally Brettnacher: I mean, clearly the number seven. Yeah. Like how has the number seven shown up for you?

Abby Anderson: Oh my gosh, so many [00:50:00] times. Obviously, like I said, my first marathon, 3 57, where I was studying abroad, I saw Sevens everywhere.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah,

Abby Anderson: of course. Again, like it's a common name for like bars or like

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. It's like, yeah, I get, it's everywhere. It's, but, but still

Abby Anderson: it kept popping up. Yeah. Like everywhere I would travel, there would be a seven, which I'm like, oh my goodness, this is wild. Mm-hmm. The first sign I got it was during her first birthday run, and I was upset.

So up until that point, I never received a sign. I'm like, what the heck?

Ally Brettnacher: Where are you?

Abby Anderson: And, and then we're running and this big ass snake just comes lathering right in front of me. And I hate snakes, hate snakes, and she always thought it was hilarious and would laugh her ass off when I'd freaked out about a snake.

And so I'm like. Thanks. Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Like, that's the one you're giving me first time. I'm

Abby Anderson: like, that's totally, that's her.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Because she just wanted to scare me and make me

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Like make her laugh. Yeah. That is totally her.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Um, and then [00:51:00] on our wedding day, this one's crazy, but on our wedding day, there was a big, beautiful butterfly that stayed in our tent for the whole reception.

Like would not move the whole reception from like the beginning when we had dinner to like, even when Nick and I did our, like, our last dance together.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: It was, it stayed there the whole time. So that was an insane sign. Of course I get like, I see Cardinals when I, uh,

Ally Brettnacher: yes.

Abby Anderson: Reassuring.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But I see that the signs as like reassurance.

Yes. And a people can see them like for different meanings, obviously, or if they're like, that's just a cardinal, but

Ally Brettnacher: like, okay, fine, fine. Like you can see, like, I, I just feel like why would you ever. Take that away from somebody too. Like why would you say, you know, be like, oh that's, oh there's sevens everywhere.

Yeah. Okay. But like, you don't notice them all. So like, when you're drawn to certain things, Uhhuh it just, it's meant, I, I am like all about it. Yeah. I truly believe.

Abby Anderson: No, it's crazy and I've [00:52:00] gotten some crazy ones. So besides the butterfly, the snake, I also got one that completely shocked me. I was getting ready for a fraternity party and I was really nervous before, 'cause I was going to study abroad.

Mm. Um, it was like the last week before we went home for Christmas and I'm, you know, cutting up t-shirt on the floor, making an hour,

taking a shop book or something. Yeah. To get an alert from my phone. I'll show you the video. And it's like September 19th, I'm like, I'm in it's December. Like why is it giving me.

An alert from my mom's birthday and it was a video that it compiled of,

Ally Brettnacher: oh yeah.

FLAMS - ABBY ANDERSON - AUDIO V2 (1): Those

Abby Anderson: pictures, like of my brother and I growing up, of my dogs, of my family, like old family photos and then of like my mom's, like siblings as well as us with my nana. And like the last picture is like the picture of all of my mom's family and us, like [00:53:00] Dine Easter eggs.

And I was just like, what the heck? Like that, that just caught me off guard.

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Abby Anderson: Um, so that was a crazy sign that I got. And then I've found several more, but then recently I've gotten several signs because I'm like, okay, maybe that's just her way of reassuring me that this account, like what I'm doing is good.

Because like you said, it is very difficult to do.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. It gets really demoralizing when you're like, yeah, cool. I'm trying to put effort into this and

Abby Anderson: yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: nobody cares.

Abby Anderson: But, and also like, you know. Talking about these like topics, people are like, I don't wanna talk about it. And I'm like, I get that.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah,

Abby Anderson: that's fine.

I totally understand that. So, but it can make people uncomfortable.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And so I just think it's her way of reassuring me like, you're doing great.

Ally Brettnacher: Yes.

Abby Anderson: Um, maybe I'm reading into it too much, but I got so they're armadillos. This is, I'm a little weird. I love animals. I'm obsessed.

Ally Brettnacher: There's supposed to be armadillos in Indiana now.

Yeah. I've yet to see one. Maybe, maybe this weekend will be the [00:54:00] time.

Abby Anderson: Oh my goodness. Well, in Nashville, I've lived in Nashville for over six years and you always see dead armadillos on the, like, on the side of the road. I'm like,

Ally Brettnacher: oh,

Abby Anderson: why haven't I seen an alive one?

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Like in six and a half years I'm like, I see so many dead armadillos, but never an live one.

And I literally made a video. What week before my mom's birthday run of me just on one complaining about how I haven't seen an armadillo. Yeah, I'm, I'm crazy. And it's just me being like, why haven't I seen one? I want an armadillo. And then on her birthday run, I look over and I seen armadillo just running.

And I'm like,

Ally Brettnacher: oh, okay.

Abby Anderson: No way. I'm like, no way. And so I thought that was hilarious. Then there was another one.

Ally Brettnacher: Are they fast?

Abby Anderson: No. Okay. So, oh, there's another one in the middle of the street, so of course my ass runs in the middle of the street. And my friend who hopefully I can introduce you to. Yeah. Um, she's running the marathon too.

[00:55:00] Oh,

Ally Brettnacher: awesome.

Abby Anderson: Um, she's like, Abby. Get out of the street, you're gonna get hit. They're like, I'm not having this armadillo get hit

Ally Brettnacher: on my watch.

Abby Anderson: No.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. On my mom's birthday, I almost

Abby Anderson: picked it up.

Ally Brettnacher: I was gonna ask you, how did you get it out? How did you I

Abby Anderson: was like making it

Ally Brettnacher: go. Or you just like kind of directed it.

Yeah. It was, didn't want it to be near you. I was

Abby Anderson: ing it and it was running.

Ally Brettnacher: Do they, 'cause I do they bite? Do they have teeth? I

Abby Anderson: guess

Ally Brettnacher: so many questions. They

Abby Anderson: look, look, now I'm like obsessed with them, so I'm like, they're, they're so weird.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. I

Abby Anderson: guess they're like,

Ally Brettnacher: because they roll up in a ball, they can roll up in a ball.

Abby Anderson: I guess they ruin foundations of houses and, 'cause my husband was like, you don't want that? Like, no. I'm like, I want an armadillo.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, you're like an armadillo Kind of cool. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Two armadillos.

Ally Brettnacher: So crazy. I

Abby Anderson: just Couldn stop. Yeah. I'm like, that's just so funny to me. I'm like, yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: what

Abby Anderson: the hell? That's so weird.

Ally Brettnacher: Right?

Abby Anderson: Such a weird animal. But I

Ally Brettnacher: like, and like what are the odds that like the two in one day?

Abby Anderson: Yeah. Adam. Since I've been in Nashville. Right. Six and a half years.

Ally Brettnacher: [00:56:00] Yeah. That's crazy.

Abby Anderson: I love it. And I hadn't, didn't see any. And then I also got myself a really cute running set for my mom's birthday. You know, I have to treat myself.

Ally Brettnacher: Yes. I watched this video. It is

Abby Anderson: wild

Ally Brettnacher: nuts.

Abby Anderson: And I've been eyeing this like running set. It's like from like LSKD, it's not Australian company and it's orange quartz. My mom and i's favorite color is orange. And I'm like, this is adorable. Okay, I'm gonna treat myself, I deserve this. Maybe I can wear it for my marathon. And I open it. I was trying to do a cute unboxing. I like, I'm trying to be an influencer.

Ally Brettnacher: You're like, here's what I'm supposed to do.

Abby Anderson: I'm like, here's Yeah, exactly. I like trying so hard. And then I open it and she hijacks my unboxing with a sign because they wrote like, you know. Packed or like packaged with Love from Sue and I'm like, and my mom's name is Susanna.

Yeah. Or Sue or Sue's. Um, and I'm like, are you kidding me? I'm like, what? I'm like, I was just in disbelief, like [00:57:00] complete shock.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And I'm like, you couldn't paid for it too.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, right. You couldn't have like, somehow like just gotten this for free.

Abby Anderson: Like, come on.

Ally Brettnacher: Hello.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. But like, I was just so excited because I was just like, okay, you like it then?

Because it's just funny because she would've totally worn it too. Yeah. Like we shared clothes, so I'm like, okay. Like I know that she would've love this and so yeah. I'm gonna wear the, the brawl. Um,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah.

Abby Anderson: For my race. But I'm like, so I got that sign recently as well.

Ally Brettnacher: You still wear some of your mom's clothes?

Do you have some of your mom's clothes?

Abby Anderson: I think these are hers.

Ally Brettnacher: That's fun. I like that.

I like that.

Abby Anderson: Oh, every, we are the same size. Trying to

Ally Brettnacher: think.

Abby Anderson: Yeah, yeah, yeah. This is hers. Oh, pretty much. She was a Lulu whore.

Ally Brettnacher: Everything

Abby Anderson: Lulu.

Ally Brettnacher: Everything. Lulu.

Abby Anderson: Oh yeah. Like it was so bad. So much Lululemon. And then she would match her shoes with her Lululemon, her running shoes.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: She had so many running shoes. Like we even buried her in Lululemon because

Ally Brettnacher: Oh,

Abby Anderson: sorry, [00:58:00] sorry, sorry. She made me find a Lululemon sticker to put on her car.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh my gosh. That's so funny.

Abby Anderson: Yeah, like obsessed. So I have like all her like, yeah, yeah. I'm pretty, these are hers and other leggings. But of course like now I have like my own.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Thankfully I have my own stuff now.

Ally Brettnacher: Right? Oh my gosh. Yeah. Man, Suze.

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. I, the signs, I was trying to think of like my most favorite sign that I've had, and I tell your grandparents, my grandmas and I have afr, I lost a friend, my, um, my college friend, uh, to cancer. And so sometimes I'll get signs from her.

Oh, Cardinals a lot. Um, I recently did, um, I interviewed a woman on this podcast, Christina, who lost her sister to suicide, and I finally got to their 5K this year. They, it's called that 5K Tori's hike for another tomorrow. And I was so excited I got to go. Yeah. And then I, I had to [00:59:00] rush home and go to a soccer game and I'm sitting at the soccer game.

And this butterfly keeps landing on me. And I sent it to her picture, to her mom, and I was like, Tori is very happy that I was able to come today. Aw. Like it was just really one of those things where you're like, this is, this is so sweet. But there's been things like that that happen in my life where I'm just like, okay.

Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: I hear you.

Abby Anderson: No, I bet your friend has probably

Ally Brettnacher: helped

Abby Anderson: you. Some crazy ones too.

Ally Brettnacher: Megan, why can't I think of any off the top of my, I should have thought more about it before, but yeah. I see a, I mean, Cardinals, there's so many here on the Mona, and it's always nice because I just feel like no matter who you're thinking about that day, like they're around.

And I'm also now old and I love birds, and so I know what they sound, I know what they sound like. And so they sound like little lasers. Yeah. I mean, I might look out, I have an app that's like Shazam for birds. It's kind of cool. So I know what's Cardinals sound like? Um, they're like little lasers is what they sound like.

And so now when I

Abby Anderson: know that,

Ally Brettnacher: see now when you run you can hear them too, which is nice. Yeah. So anyway.

Abby Anderson: Or a laser,

Ally Brettnacher: [01:00:00] just listen to the little lasers and then Yeah. Blue Jays sound like they wanna be hawks, but they're not, and they're just really obnoxious. Yeah. Yeah. But I know a few. I know some, I'm getting better, but it's really funny.

It's actually just kind of fun. 'cause I've, I don't run with music as much as I used to, and so then I'll just listen to the birds.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. Do you run with your daughters Ashley?

Ally Brettnacher: Um, I, my oldest, she's eight, and so she is getting into it. She's interested. Oh. And so is my youngest. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: I did not want it.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

I'm like, I hope that I can just give them a healthy love of the sport because I never, I didn't really like it until college, or even then, I, I don't know that I liked it. Mm-hmm. I did it to myself. But yeah. So Sloan went to that five KI just mentioned. She was with us and she, I swear she ran two and a half miles.

She's four.

Abby Anderson: Dang.

Ally Brettnacher: I couldn't get her to go back in the stroller, so I was like, well, okay. But she has so much energy, so Yeah. So that's

Abby Anderson: actually, she was exhausted.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. So, and then, you know, as you know, I, my dad and I have had shared a love of running, but my mom was the one who started in our family, and sadly, [01:01:00] we never ran together because she had started having hip problems.

And so she is still very active, but, um, it wasn't something we got to share.

Abby Anderson: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: But yeah.

Abby Anderson: That's so special that you,

Ally Brettnacher: so special

Abby Anderson: your dad.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah. And now thinking about the num number seven, I'm like, you, you can't say that in craps because

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Seven is, is, it can be good because the first rollout of a new roll, if it's a seven, you get paid.

But other than that, seven is very bad and you cannot speak the number at the table. Like there have been times where somebody would be talking about it and then it would, and you're like, you cannot do that.

Abby Anderson: Yeah, no.

Ally Brettnacher: So it's a very meaningful also number for Vegas. Um. So

Abby Anderson: I went to Vegas for the first, oh, this is another funny sign, but I dunno if my aunts did it on purpose.

Um, so I went to Vegas for the first time with my two aunts, my mom's sisters. It was one of their 60th birthday and the other's 50th. And then I went with my cousin as well who went to Miami and she's around my brother's age. So we like went to a pool [01:02:00] party and everything. It was just so much fun. But they surprised us with a limo all over Vegas and like it had a seven on the license plate.

I'm like, did you guys do this And no.

Ally Brettnacher: No. I'm

Abby Anderson: like, mm-hmm. Are

Ally Brettnacher: you sure? Are you sure? That's cute. Yeah. It's gotta be everywhere, which is so nice. It's, yeah, that's nice.

Abby Anderson: That's nice. But also I'm like, okay, people think like, oh, it's so cliche, right? For Yeah. But like, again, my whole goal is to make it be relatable.

Mm-hmm. Because yes, it is cliche, but also we wanna talk about those things.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Lot unpack.

Ally Brettnacher: Lot to unpack. Okay. Uh, how did you meet your husband? How'd you and Nick meet?

Abby Anderson: So we actually, Nick's a.

How he met our friend is way cuter than how he met me.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Abby Anderson: Like literally the notebook, one of our friends Gray, um, he's a guy, uh, he actually went to DePaul, what's a cool name?

De with Nate and [01:03:00] I knew him obviously 'cause of college and him and his now wife moved to Nashville and so I became closer friends with them. But Gray was out golfing, he was walking his bag and Nick was golfing too, but had a cart. And both of these guys are super tall and skinny. And Nick even says, he was like, you know, I saw this guy like, just like walking with his bag and it starts storming.

And so Nick. He was the best person ever. Like, he's the, the kindest person I've ever met. I'm not just saying that because he's my husband, but he's mm-hmm. And he drove the cart over and was like, Hey, I know you, you don't know me, but do you wanna get in the cart and bolt, just park under a tree to like, you know, wait off the store.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, totally.

Abby Anderson: And so they, that's

Ally Brettnacher: so sweet.

Abby Anderson: Sat under a tree for like 30 minutes. Again, it's raining. They're talking about their lives and it's like, oh my

Ally Brettnacher: god. Probably doing shots of Fireball.

Abby Anderson: Oh yeah, right there. Yeah. And but Grace [01:04:00] from the similar area in like out of Chicago, one of the suburbs outta Chicago that Nick's mom is from.

And so they were talking about sports, they were talking about baseball and became best buds. And then they just introduced us.

I'm

like, your, their story's so cute. And then I was just introduced to him and I thought he was so cute.

Ally Brettnacher: So wait, they were like, oh, you should meet. You should meet Abby.

Abby Anderson: Oh, they were like all friends.

We, it was a big friend group.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And I saw him and I was just like,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah,

Abby Anderson: okay. So cute. So ever since I saw him, I was like obsessed with him. And then I history ever since, like he's, it's funny. Um, he's from Kansas City and my great nana, my mom's great nana and like lived in Kansas City and so there's like little similarities.

Like we would visit Kansas City and go to the same place that like he would be at. And so like our pictures at our wedding and like [01:05:00] his dad put together this whole like power or video and it would be like the, the same photos.

Ally Brettnacher: That's cute.

Abby Anderson: And it was so cute. That's

Ally Brettnacher: fun.

Abby Anderson: But now we've been married for a year and a half now and he's amazing because he played baseball his whole life.

Even in college. College. And so he understands, you know, what it takes to be an athlete mm-hmm. Train that goes into it. And he never, you know, he always is there to cheer me on. He never sees it. You know, sometimes I see it if I have a long run

Ally Brettnacher: mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: I don't wanna do this. He's just like, you got it. Like, he is my number one cheerleader and he bikes behind me.

Ally Brettnacher: I've, I've seen That's really awesome.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. It's

Ally Brettnacher: fun. Is he, is he ever gonna run with you?

Abby Anderson: So we, I did run, so I partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project and for our running buddies and those girls, the girls are gonna Warrior Project phenomenal. Shout out to them. They're so sweet and so supportive too, of everything I'm doing.[01:06:00]

But, and Nick of course, were very passionate about helping our troops and so Nick was like, you know, I wanna do that 5K with you. We'll walk it like, but the last five or half mile I'll run. I'm like, really? I've never really seen you run, like, I have seen you run like, like basketball. I li I'm like, oh.

It's like you think? I'm like, I can't run. Like, no, you're an athlete. I think hand on. He's like, I'm faster than you. And I'm like,

Ally Brettnacher: oh boy.

Abby Anderson: He's like, Abby, I am 6 3, 6 4. You are five, one and a half.

Going.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. My stride. My stride is like 10 of your strides.

Abby Anderson: Well on try running a marathon. He was like,

Ally Brettnacher: you'll

Abby Anderson: beat me.

I'm like, Uhhuh?

Ally Brettnacher: You're like, I'll, yes, I'll,

Abby Anderson: but, so that was fun. Like we ran a little bit of that together and hopefully I can do one mile.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. But yeah,

Abby Anderson: he's good with Viking,

Ally Brettnacher: so at least for now. Yeah. Just wait. Maybe someday. I don't know. Yeah, he used to You ran one? [01:07:00] Yeah, we did one marathon together. Yeah.

And then he, he would do like the Indie mini every year, half marathon here, but he stopped training as much for it, so then it's really hard. I'm like, well, yeah, uh, you're getting older, so Yeah. Now it's very much as you can tell my thing, I love it so much that it kind of makes it hard for him to have any like Yeah,

Abby Anderson: I can imagine For you having two girls, a dog, a husband, a podcast.

In life. Yeah. Life and everything that you're doing. Just to be able to balance it all. Like I don't have, I only have two dogs.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And it, it's a lot to balance and so it's phenomenal everything that you're doing. I feel like it wouldn't be hard for both of you guys to be that.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. If we both were running.

Yeah. It'd be, well, I mean, I talked to a lot of couples that do that and it's like, you know, they just do their long runs on different days or it's like you switch off and you just figure it out.

Abby Anderson: Make the kids

Ally Brettnacher: Yep, I know. Get in the stroller,

Abby Anderson: we're going.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Okay. Okay. You just, since you brought up my dog, I'm gonna bring up your dogs.

Okay. What are your dogs' names?

Abby Anderson: Oh [01:08:00] gosh.

Remington and Ruber.

Ally Brettnacher: So

cute. Where are the names from?

Abby Anderson: Guns.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay. Nashville.

Abby Anderson: Well, so my dad. He's a big hunter.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Abby Anderson: And we got Remington in 2010, so I was in the eighth grade and my dad wanted a Remington.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh my gosh. Remington's like your family dog?

Abby Anderson: Yes. Well both of them kind dog.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Abby Anderson: Remington's 15, but like Remington is

Ally Brettnacher: actually, oh, he doesn't look so old.

Abby Anderson: He's a sexy

Ally Brettnacher: beast. Yeah, he is. Well, so is my dog, who's 11. He is an old man, but he's still got it.

Abby Anderson: Um. Yeah. So actually Remington was our family dog.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Abby Anderson: He had it even before my parents got divorced.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Wow.

Abby Anderson: But my dad didn't want a dog.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: So we went out and got a dog behind his back.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh.

Abby Anderson: And he wanted a Remington shotgun, a rifle. I always get it wrong. I always get a mix like mixed up.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And so we came home and we're like, dad, here's your [01:09:00] Remington. Not happy.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh boy.

Abby Anderson: Not happy at all. Wouldn't look at it. He was just like, it smells.

And after a week he became obsessed.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Because,

Ally Brettnacher: I mean, it would be hard not to at those, are they golden doodles or what?

Abby Anderson: Mm-hmm. Remington, the standard.

Ally Brettnacher: Goldendoodle. Okay.

Abby Anderson: And then Rugers And

Ally Brettnacher: Oodle. Oodle. Ugh.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. Yeah. So Remington loved to run.

like,

I think

Ally Brettnacher: would he run with your mom?

Abby Anderson: Mm-hmm. Oh yeah. Because my mom wanted a dog that would run with her.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: And so he was out like running six miles as a puppy.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And loved it. Like, I couldn't say the R word.

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Abby Anderson: Because he would get so

Ally Brettnacher: excited. I can't either.

Abby Anderson: And like

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Go straight to the door.

Ally Brettnacher: Yes.

Abby Anderson: Um, Bruer or Ruger, on the other hand, no, he hates it. Uh, because he was a puppy when my mom passed, so didn't get to be forced.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But Remington, oh my gosh, is such a great running buddy. The ultimate running buddy. But. I would say, I think like he stopped [01:10:00] running with me I would say three years ago.

Ally Brettnacher: That's pretty good. I know Doug, I could still take

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: But his paw pads have gotten so much thinner and so I took him, I don't know, it's probably been a year now, but I took him on a four mile run and he like, his, his paw pads were like,

Abby Anderson: Doug like

Ally Brettnacher: bleeding though.

And so then I bought him little boots and he really hate tho hates those. Like you can imagine like he, like the way he walks around hates it. So he still would, like, he still will run around, but he just, I don't know. I just don't wanna, 'cause he can't really, he can tell me if he doesn't want to, but I just kind of am like, well I don't wanna hurt him now that he's an old man.

Abby Anderson: Oh, for sure. But also I'm like, it made him so happy.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: So I would like go on like little like. We'll run a little bit and we'll walk.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Run a little bit.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. I can't say walk. The girls know that too. If they say walk then we're going on a walk.

FLAMS - ABBY ANDERSON - AUDIO V2 (1): Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. Because Doug will not leave you alone.

Abby Anderson: No.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Especially the doodles. Does he like slap you?

Ally Brettnacher: Oh yeah. Yes. In his wife or

Abby Anderson: like nudge you?

Ally Brettnacher: Oh yeah. He does the nose like the nudge all the time. Like if I, especially like if I'm on my phone, phone,

Abby Anderson: yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: It's [01:11:00] cute. He'll come up and just like start smacking like, or like with his nose, like under my, it's

Abby Anderson: about me.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. He's like Hello?

Abby Anderson: Yeah. No, that's all mine are. But then we got Ruger rug's nine. Okay. Remington's 15, rug's nine. And they have the same birthday too.

Ally Brettnacher: That's crazy.

Abby Anderson: Which is wild. 'cause we got him from different places. They're different types of dogs.

Ally Brettnacher: That is weird.

Abby Anderson: Um, but yeah, Remington's 15, Ruger ISS nine.

Gotta keep it the theme going. So that's why we named him Ruger.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And

Ally Brettnacher: shows how much I know about guns.

Abby Anderson: Well, and it's funny 'cause everyone's like, oh, you hunt and I go. Hell no. Yeah, yeah. No, no, no. You do not want me to go hunt you because I'm gonna be screaming, scaring everything away.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah,

Abby Anderson: no. Yeah. I could never,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah,

Abby Anderson: but, and so they, they're.

They've gotten me through everything.

Ally Brettnacher: So how did you decide that they, that you got to have, like how did David feel about you having the dogs? Were they just,

Abby Anderson: he, so they actually lived at a farm when my mom passed.

Ally Brettnacher: [01:12:00] Okay.

Abby Anderson: My dad couldn't keep him with his work and everything. But then after I graduated I got them because David was in college, so I gonna, Miami

Ally Brettnacher: he couldn't.

Yeah, that's,

Abby Anderson: except we didn't visit Miami and we went all around Miami. I think they might have gone to Brick.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh my gosh.

Abby Anderson: But they've definitely been to Miami a couple

FLAMS - ABBY ANDERSON - AUDIO V2 (1): times.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. That's funny. That's really funny. I

Abby Anderson: went to DePaul several times too, and

Aw.

Ally Brettnacher: Aw. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But

Ally Brettnacher: that makes sense because you, yeah.

Abby Anderson: So

Ally Brettnacher: were in the real world first.

Mm-hmm. So you got to have the dogs.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. So, but Remington has been there, like through like, you know, growing up in middle school,

Ally Brettnacher: oh my gosh.

Abby Anderson: High school girl drama, like my parents divorced.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: Um,

Ally Brettnacher: how old were you when your parents divorced?

Abby Anderson: 16.

Ally Brettnacher: 16? God.

Abby Anderson: 17. Yeah. Um, and then

Ally Brettnacher: that's hard too.

Abby Anderson: And then we, like, I've had him since, you know, going to college, making those decisions.

Mm-hmm. And then obviously through my mom's passing. Yeah. Both the dogs have been there and [01:13:00] moving to a new city, meeting Nick and then getting married and I, Nick loves them. He loves dogs. So that was a big

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Must love dogs.

Abby Anderson: Yes. I actually had, I forget, it was a doormat that said like, you better like dogs.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Or something like that. Yeah. Or you're just don't come inside or whatever. Yeah. Those are cute.

Abby Anderson: Yes. But, so yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Were they in your wedding?

Abby Anderson: Oh yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Of course

Abby Anderson: they're, they have little tuxedos. Ugh.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay. We're just gonna need Remington to live forever. Yeah. And Ruger. But like Doug, I know, it's like we talk about, you know, talking about death, um, talking about death with kids is weird.

And, um, they are really fixated on Doug dying. And so they talk about it a lot actually. And I'm just like, this is gonna be awful. Oh my gosh, girls. Yeah. I'm like, yes, he's gonna die. Yeah. Sloane will be like, when's Doug gonna die? I don't know, honey. Hopefully a long time from now. Okay. But he's gonna die.

Yes. Yes. He's gonna die. And it's just like, that's, yeah. I'm trying, I'm trying to get my husband on board to get a puppy.

Abby Anderson: Oh.

Ally Brettnacher: Because I would like [01:14:00] there it to be an easier transition and like, keep Doug, Doug Young. Right. And that like show, show the dog the house rules, like

Abby Anderson: no.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah,

Abby Anderson: definitely. But that's so hard.

Yeah. Like having those conversations with little girls.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. They don't, they still don't quite get it. But yeah.

Abby Anderson: There are some adults that don't get it.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. They

Abby Anderson: say the most ridiculous things.

Ally Brettnacher: What's the worst thing somebody, what are some of the examples of,

Abby Anderson: I would say like people just, you know, jump to conclusions or like, make up stuff about things, you know, like it could be weird.

And like, even with like suicide too, the older generation see it as, you know, such a negative thing.

Ally Brettnacher: Right. When again, it's an illness like

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And so it's like they don't know how to talk about that.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: As abrasive or even like, you know, a disor like a disorder.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Like,

Abby Anderson: you know, people see it in very different ways.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And not. As you know, this is something that like they lived with [01:15:00] and they didn't want, they didn't choose it. Yeah. You know, I bet. Like they would try to change that. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah. Have you, what's, how do you have a relationship with food that's normal. Do you,

Abby Anderson: I would say it has taken a lot of time.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Do you go to therapy?

Abby Anderson: I sometimes do.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: I would say when I, obviously it's kinda hard to, in college,

Ally Brettnacher: well, it's also really expensive.

Abby Anderson: Yes. Expensive. But I would say when I first moved to Nashville, uh, I found myself having like, disordered eating, but even just like those negative thoughts, um Right.

This is

Ally Brettnacher: bad.

Abby Anderson: Yes. And doing some of the same things my mom would do. And for my birthday, I was like, you know, I'm going to therapy. And so that was like my, my big thing is, you know, I just moved to a new city. I'm gonna go see a therapist and work through these things before I have kids because I wanna be able to talk.

Right. You know? Of course I wanna have a girl, I wanna name her Remy. Sorry Nick, he's not on board. He says we should name our first kid [01:16:00] if it's a boy. Patrick Mahomes. No. Oh boy. Um, but I'm, I wanna be, or even just like talking with friends mm-hmm. Like, you know, having a better outlook with food.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: And I, I don't know if it was a podcast I listened to or what, but there was talking about how like runners, you can't have disordered eating or else you're not going to perform, perform at the level.

Ally Brettnacher: Right. You're gonna get injured.

Abby Anderson: You'll get

Ally Brettnacher: injured.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. But they use analogy of course. I dunno if you've heard this, but like, you know, your body's like a car.

Ally Brettnacher: Hmm.

Abby Anderson: You have to fuel it with gas and food and nutrient and vitamin. You can't just put water in it.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. You

Abby Anderson: expect it to run.

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Abby Anderson: And so that kind of hit me because I was just like, if I wanna do well.

Running and even just in life, like having, you know, positive like mental health and

Ally Brettnacher: things like that. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: I need to fuel my body.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And it [01:17:00] also, it's made me like look at some of like the ingredients. Mm-hmm. Because I feel like we're not necessarily taught about like how to look at like, what we're consuming.

Ally Brettnacher: Right. Because everything Oh, it looks so pretty. They make it look healthy.

Abby Anderson: No.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: So it's just like, and I think that's the conversation we should be having too.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: Not food's bad or puff is bad. It's like Right. Look at the food that is bad.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Not all food, like you even said, like

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Is bad. It, there's a complete difference between like raw, natural, organic food.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: Or stop that doge process.

Ally Brettnacher: Right, right.

Abby Anderson: But that can be a whole, I

FLAMS - ABBY ANDERSON - AUDIO V2 (1): can,

Ally Brettnacher: I know that can be a whole podcast for sure. Oh

Abby Anderson: yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Well, and, and then also just giving yourself some grace because you know what,

Abby Anderson: yeah. I'm,

Ally Brettnacher: it's all a lot. It's

Abby Anderson: a lot.

a lot. Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Life

Life's a lot.

Abby Anderson: It's a lot.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And especially with kiddos, I'm

Ally Brettnacher: like, yeah.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. I'm like, I'm not having kids anytime soon.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Well, even not though. I, I still remember working in sales, one of my first jobs in sales, and I [01:18:00] remember talking to this woman who was married with kids, and she was on my team. And I remember just being like, oh, I don't have time to cook. Yeah. And then I looked at her and I was like, oh, I mean, like, and she said something to me I'll never forget.

And she was like, listen, like not everybody's gonna have kids. Mm-hmm. And like, just because I have kids doesn't mean that there's like, doesn't mean that your life's not important because you don't Yeah. Or that you don't have stuff you're worrying about. And so I think that was really important to me to understand and just looking at, because life's a lot, no matter what,

Abby Anderson: life's a lot period.

Ally Brettnacher: Life's a lot. That's it. End of the story.

Abby Anderson: Everyone's going through.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Something,

FLAMS - ABBY ANDERSON - AUDIO V2 (1): something,

Ally Brettnacher: something.

Abby Anderson: like,

And a lot of times we don't even know because people are scared to talk about it.

Ally Brettnacher: Right. Right. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And so it's just like, if, even if you are scared to talk about it, like having this conversation like your podcast, or if, you know, like when I make a post about something

Ally Brettnacher: mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: If they can relate to it and be like, oh, like, you know, maybe have them think about some of the things that they're going through or see that they can relate to it. Mm-hmm. Or find, you know, like when one of my [01:19:00] friends, um, lost a loved one, she was just like, how do you get through this? Which that's a golden answer.

You're like,

Ally Brettnacher: good luck.

Abby Anderson: Good luck.

Ally Brettnacher: I'm still trying to figure it out.

Abby Anderson: I'm like, it's day by day.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But I always say, and I, I'm, again, I need to talk about it more on my account, but look for the signs like they're having, you know, I guess again, like I'm trying to say, it's just being able to see something, not you go on your phone and.

Social media nowadays is just crazy. You see a lot of negativity, but also, you know, like pop culture, politics. If you would see something that's relatable, that can help get you through some of your hard times.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: But also I laugh because I'm like, when I see a dog video, I'm immediately sobbing.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Or like,

Some of those like really good.

Ally Brettnacher: I can't

Abby Anderson: feel good touching video.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, yeah, yeah.

Abby Anderson: Sobbing. [01:20:00] Yeah. Emotional. Um, so I'm like, I wanna put out content that won't make you cry, hopefully.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But will be helpful.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And also make you aware of some of, you know, different nonprofits or resources or just badass people that even if it's just a quote.

That can get you through your day.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: So,

Ally Brettnacher: ugh, so good. Well, I want people to be able to meet you this weekend. I'm hoping that people listen to this Friday, because Friday you'll be at the expo. At the Expo. Um, so this comes out, this will come out Friday morning of Marathon weekend for Indianapolis. And if people missed it, clearly you're on a streak, so hopefully they'll get to see you next year.

But, but do you, okay. What are you, you said you were wearing, you're wearing running for seven. Yes. What should people, if they're like, trying to see you on race day, what will you be wearing?

Abby Anderson: So I'm wearing, depending on the temperature,

Ally Brettnacher: right?

Abby Anderson: Um,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah, that doesn't make,

Abby Anderson: I'm happen to have my name, but it's gonna just say Abby on it.

Um, my bib [01:21:00] does think if I entered,

Ally Brettnacher: oh, put the, I should have brought you, my friend makes these bib kits that you can put your name on. Oh, you put running for seven on your bib. That's cool.

Abby Anderson: Mm-hmm. I don't know if you'll be able to see it, because sometimes those are,

Ally Brettnacher: it's not super big.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. But I don't even know what my bib number is.

Ally Brettnacher: Well, people can look it up.

Abby Anderson: Yeah, you can look it up. It's

Ally Brettnacher: Abby Anderson. Anderson. You have such a cool name's.

Abby Anderson: Abby Anderson. Bo. It's Abby Anderson. Bosma. Haven't changed my name yet.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, so you're Abby Anderson.

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Pre-marriage.

Abby Anderson: Yes.

Ally Brettnacher: It's such, it has a nice ring to it. I know. Sorry, Nick. I mean,

Abby Anderson: but, and sales.

Ally Brettnacher: Abby Anderson. Yeah, it's, I

Abby Anderson: can't change it.

Ally Brettnacher: It's nice.

Abby Anderson: It's nice. And then Abby Bosma, like,

Ally Brettnacher: dude, I was, I'll never forget a sales call I was on. The week after I got married or came back from work and, and this guy's like, man, Brett knocker, when you get married you should definitely change your name. And I was like, cool bro.

I just did that. And yes, I love him because Thank

Abby Anderson: you. Yeah. Everyone b Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Bosman,

Ally Brettnacher: whatever.

Abby Anderson: And

Ally Brettnacher: it'll be worth you got, I mean, I don't know. Actually, you know what? Teach there on my best friend didn't [01:22:00] change her name and yeah, people don't, it's whatever you wanna do now, which is nice. So

Abby Anderson: it's Abby Anderson though.

Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Abby Anderson.

Abby Anderson: But

Ally Brettnacher: yes,

Abby Anderson: it's still, it's Abby Bosma, but you know.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Still haven't,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah. Oh, and we didn't talk about while we were recording where you're staying in this Airbnb that has a hot tub and Asana.

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Which is so cool.

Abby Anderson: No. Um,

Ally Brettnacher: now I'm like wondering who lives there, like, wonder if they're a runner.

Like,

Abby Anderson: um. No. Again, kinda going back, it's like the last Running Buddies segment that I, I think I mentioned that. So the segment running buddies, the last one was with Chris and Nicholson.

Ally Brettnacher: Yes. You mentioned mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: What?

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: So she has me hooked on like cold plunge sauna.

Ally Brettnacher: Ooh. I've never done cold plunge.

FLAMS - ABBY ANDERSON - AUDIO V2 (1): Oh,

Abby Anderson: really?

Ally Brettnacher: I know.

Abby Anderson: You become addicted.

Ally Brettnacher: That's the prob That's probably why I have it

Abby Anderson: don't like being cold, but somehow I, I do great in the,

Ally Brettnacher: I've done cryo. So like, you stand in the booth and you're like in Sub-Zero temps and it's jarring.

Abby Anderson: I think cold plunges even cold.

Ally Brettnacher: I bet, I bet.

Abby Anderson: I

Ally Brettnacher: just thinking of the [01:23:00] pressure of the water.

Oh,

Abby Anderson: it's crazy. But I was even telling Kristen, I'm like, I wish there was an urban sweat, an indie, because like, I need to cold plunge after my race.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But, um. So, yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: we have other ones, but I forget what they're called

Abby Anderson: now. I'm hooked though on like saunas and like just wellness and things like that.

Yeah. Like I'm the cold plunge. But because it just helps with recovery.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: So much. Like, it makes a huge difference if I do a cold plunge if I don't.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: So it's wild. I know. It's a fad right now. It's a whole

Ally Brettnacher: who cares? Whatever works, man. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: You have,

Ally Brettnacher: I like, I'm in the, I'm on the red light therapy.

Oh. I train, I have

Abby Anderson: Amazon.

Ally Brettnacher: I have a mask and then I also do, I, a place I go has has a sauna that's red light. So I use that a lot.

Abby Anderson: Oh yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Um, I love the

Abby Anderson: red light.

FLAMS - ABBY ANDERSON - AUDIO V2 (1): Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Remington has a red light now too.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh my God.

Abby Anderson: He have matching ones.

Ally Brettnacher: That's funny.

Abby Anderson: He's in physical therapy as well on the water treadmill.

I'm like,

Ally Brettnacher: shut up. That's adorable.

Abby Anderson: Yeah, this past one I was like, Remington, come on. You could go a little longer. Have to run 26 points.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. You're like, you can just [01:24:00] make it. Just come on.

Abby Anderson: But no, I can even mention too, 'cause we were talking about the dogs.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Going back. So yeah. Remington, Ruger, uh.

Obviously, and even like with the armadillos and with fricking snake on, like I'm obsessed with animals and you know, kind of relating it back to when I first started the account and Megan making tell me to make it more than Miles. Yes. So I started posting more in January and February is my birthday month.

I am ridiculous. I'm one of those

Ally Brettnacher: of whatever I like my birthday too. Best

Abby Anderson: of their birthday. My mom loves birthday, so that's why

Ally Brettnacher: That's good. What day in February

Abby Anderson: 27th.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Abby Anderson: Yeah. I don't wanna be sad on those days. Mm-hmm. Like, I want to live it up.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And so I held my first fundraiser because I'm, again, I'm still at that time was processing, okay, how can I make this more than Miles?

Yeah. And so again, with running it goes great with like fundraising. [01:25:00] So. I partners with Nashville Humane Association.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm.

Abby Anderson: Because again, obsessed with dogs, cats, like it helps cats too. But

Ally Brettnacher: I don't like cats. Sorry cats. People.

Abby Anderson: You're hilarious.

Ally Brettnacher: I'm allergic to them and they're, most of them are mean, and so I'm just not interested.

Abby Anderson: I don't like how they're independent. Like I want something that

Ally Brettnacher: loves me. You gotta love me.

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: No, sorry, I'm a words of affirmation. Yeah. And a physical touch person. So if you're not gonna like snuggle with me, then

Abby Anderson: no, I get it.

Ally Brettnacher: But there are dog type like cats. That's fine. But they then I'm allergic, so I'm like, well I can't really love those either.

Abby Anderson: Understandable.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Completely get that. But I didn't, we had cats like that came up in our backyard. Yeah. First interacted with the cat, which was funny because I was like, I dunno what to do.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But I'm obsessed with dogs and animals and so I last, or I guess this past February, I had my first fundraiser.

We raised almost like $3,000.

Ally Brettnacher: That's amazing.

Abby Anderson: For Nashville Humane in like a [01:26:00] month.

Ally Brettnacher: That's awesome.

Abby Anderson: And so that really obviously made me super happy because I'd volunteer at NHA and so I could see, you know,

Ally Brettnacher: where the money, yeah,

Abby Anderson: exactly.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But also I was just like, wow. Like this account, even though at the time I think I had around 600 followers.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

FLAMS - ABBY ANDERSON - AUDIO V2 (1): Or

Abby Anderson: 800 followers. It's still making a big difference.

Ally Brettnacher: Right. I know. It's so hard not to get caught up in that, but like

Abby Anderson: mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: That's a huge amount,

Abby Anderson: huge amount of money. And I was just like, okay, so this can be something.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Abby Anderson: Even though I'm just starting, I'm two months in of reactivating the account.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But $3,000 to help dogs. I'm like, this is phenomenal. Yeah. It's amazing. Best birthday ever. And then that spring was when I saw Kate Marx's video. Mm-hmm. There

Ally Brettnacher: you go. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And it was just like, okay, I can. Tie everything in together where not only helping nonprofits and, you know, hopefully in the future I can help do more fundraisers and different events like that.

Again, this is the first year.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: But

just

making [01:27:00] this account that's for, you know, helping nonprofits, giving them a outlet to tell their stories. Mm-hmm. You know, to raise money, raise awareness, talk about how everyday people can help them. Where, because I didn't know how I could help out. Mm-hmm. Or where to go.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And so giving them an outlet to market themselves, but then, like I said before, just everyday people relatable content.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. Versus, yeah. Right. Well, you're doing absolutely amazing work. I know sometimes it feels like, especially when you're doing it alone, I mean, I know you're not alone alone, but like, it sometimes it feels that way.

It's just I applaud you and you're making a difference clearly.

Abby Anderson: Thank you.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, Anna, it brought us together. I know. Which is so cool.

Abby Anderson: Which I love. 'cause I, I think I messaged, well I texted Nate.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: And he introduced us.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Was that like three months ago?

Ally Brettnacher: A million years ago? It feels like. I don't know when That was

Abby Anderson: a long time ago.

Yeah. From like, this

Ally Brettnacher: is

Abby Anderson: just Okay. Oh,

Ally Brettnacher: it all works [01:28:00] out. Yeah. How it's supposed to. Which is so cool.

Abby Anderson: Seriously.

Ally Brettnacher: And you're gonna be episode 1 33, which I texted you and I was like, what does that add up to

Abby Anderson: Course seven?

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: No, I love it. It's

Ally Brettnacher: crazy. Episode

Abby Anderson: seven.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. It's like, that's pretty cool.

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: So, uh, well, okay.

I'm gonna ask you the end of the podcast questions 'cause we're gonna go do a running Buddies. Yeah. And my stomach is growling into the microphone. Um, speaking of eating. Yeah. So we're gonna go eat. Yeah. So, okay. First question. Okay. Is, what is your favorite running mantra and or song? Okay.

Abby Anderson: I would say my mom would always say like, no pain, no gain.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, that's a good one.

Abby Anderson: I know. Inclusion. And then of course, that's

Ally Brettnacher: great

Abby Anderson: running song. I always end My Race is to Mr. Brightside because that was my mom. Ooh, favorite

Ally Brettnacher: song?

Abby Anderson: Yes, great song. Now. But when it's the most common song I played at a fraternity,

Ally Brettnacher: Ugh.

Abby Anderson: It, it was so hard. Now I laugh at it, but I'm just like, all my,

Ally Brettnacher: and music is hard.

Abby Anderson: All my friends know too, and I'm just like, sobbing. And the [01:29:00] fraternity, it's

Ally Brettnacher: hard. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Abby Anderson: But I always end all my races to Mr. By side.

Ally Brettnacher: That song is already on the play, the play my writing playlist. 'cause somebody else really likes that song.

Abby Anderson: Great.

Ally Brettnacher: And it's a great song. I remember when my friend Megan, who I mentioned earlier, when she passed, um, it was like the same, around the same time that Maroon's Maroon Five song came out.

What is it called? It's like shit. The really sad song that they, it's like, you're not here anymore. Like, oh yeah, cheers. And you're just like, forget.

Abby Anderson: And they kept playing.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. And it would just always come on all the time.

Abby Anderson: Immediately. I'm like,

Ally Brettnacher: PI know what song it is, but I'll, I'll remember it later, but it's really hard.

And I just remember being like, really? Like, really this song had to be like created right now.

Abby Anderson: But, you know, she was laughing.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah. She would've hated it too, probably. Mm-hmm. Um, so anyway. Okay. Both good. No pain, no gain.

Abby Anderson: Yes.

Ally Brettnacher: So good. And then next finish line obviously is the monumental Yes.

Saturday.

Um, yeah, so just like tomorrow as we listen is if you listen to this, the day it comes out tomorrow, no big deal. [01:30:00] Um, 26.2, I'm gonna be in a teal sweatshirt at the end. I'm like, I'm gonna have a big ass teal sweatshirt on so that people can see me. Um, and I'll be probably with all the running clubs, like right as you turn to go to that final turn, there's all the running clubs are lined up there.

And so that's where I like to be. Either that or I'll be at the finish line, one of the two, or just like bopping around. I don't know. I actually don't have a plan yet. And then milestones for you so you're, yeah. You got married. That's a big ass milestone.

Abby Anderson: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: What other races do you have on your like, bucket list for racing?

Abby Anderson: Uh, I definitely wanna run Chicago.

Ally Brettnacher: That's a good one

Abby Anderson: because all my friends live there. I have family that live there.

Ally Brettnacher: That'd be fun.

Abby Anderson: And

Ally Brettnacher: did you put in the lottery?

Abby Anderson: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Abby Anderson: I did. And I'm just like that the environment just seems phenomenal and it's blah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yes.

Abby Anderson: So definitely wanna run Chicago. Of course. I wanna run Boston at some point, right?

Ally Brettnacher: Yep.

Abby Anderson: That's my life goal. Um, not even just running really like that is my life dream [01:31:00] to do. I kinda know it's cliche but

Ally Brettnacher: not here.

Abby Anderson: Yeah,

no, my,

Ally Brettnacher: no, my, you're in good company on this podcast. I think.

Abby Anderson: Definitely wanna do Boston, but I don't really know. Um, outside of that, like I just wanna continue running and having fun with it and just, you know, continue to meet incredible people and hear more about everyone's why.

And I love how I don't know about you. Like running's really, it's gotten so popular.

Ally Brettnacher: It. Oh, believe me, I sit well with monumental. I sit on the board and, um, this is probably the earliest I think we sold out of all of our distances. Yeah. And it just, I mean, New York City, that was the last weekend. I mean, the biggest marathon yet, like the number of finishers that those big races keep climbing and specifically the marathon distance actually too mm-hmm.

Is really gaining popularity, which I saw a video somewhere. It was like, time to update the 1% metric. That's like only 1% of the population runs marathon. It's like, well it sure feels like more than that now, but Yes. But we're also in the running, like I

Abby Anderson: know

Ally Brettnacher: bubble, so it's, but

Abby Anderson: I feel like even [01:32:00] people who aren't runners

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: They're, they always say like, I wanna do it at least once.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Or half once. So they definitely need to update that number.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Abby Anderson: That sat is. Yeah. Is not correct.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. It's gotta be like 2%. I don't know. It'd be interesting at least. Yeah. Well thank you so much for doing this. This was so much fun.

Abby Anderson: No, thank you for having me.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, I

Abby Anderson: glad we finally got to meet. This is amazing. I love your podcast. So thank you. And I'm glad that, you know, hopefully there's gonna be way more monumental marathons and so now we can connect.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. See you next year.

And

to everybody who listen and happy running and look at us Happy because of the happy.

Yeah. And the swag will be available at some point. At some point. Yeah.

Abby Anderson: Once I get it fixed.

Ally Brettnacher: All right.

Abby Anderson: Thank you.

Ally Brettnacher: We did it. Yay.

if you enjoyed this episode of Finish Lines and Milestones from Sandy Board Productions, please go share rate review that helps others find the show. I appreciate your support so, so much. Good luck to everybody running [01:33:00] this weekend, and I will see you next week.

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Finish Lines & Milestones: Episode 133: Abby Anderson - Running for Seven

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