Here's how people can enjoy this episode:
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Guest: Caroline Barlow @carolineerigg
Show Notes:
Caroline Barlow and I met through St. Jude of Indiana, where her late brother, David, was treated for cancer and where she now works.
Donate to Team David for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon
During this episode, sponsored by Noogs, Amazfit and Previnex, we talk about:
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Representing St. Jude of Indiana at the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
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Having her dad as her coach in middle school and high school
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Why she ended up at Alabama for college and running in college
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Her brother David and his cancer diagnosis they received her freshman year
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The St. Jude Memphis Marathon
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Meeting her husband, Oliver, on the track team at Alabama
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How she ended up getting a job at St. Jude and the work she does for them
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Coaching cross country at Brebeuf High School
Sponsor Details:
- Noogs - Use code ALLYB15 for 15% off
- Amazfit - Use code ALLYB for 10% off
- Previnex - Use code ALLY15 for 15% off
This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.
Episode Transcript:
[00:00:00] This is a Sandy Boy Productions podcast.
Ally Brettnacher: Welcome to Finish Lines and Milestones podcast for everyday runners. I'm your host, Ally Brett 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.
I am so excited to welcome a new sponsor to the podcast, Noogs Sour Energy Chew. I actually was introduced to Noogs back in February when I ran the Rock and Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon. There was a shakeout run with Nicole Lynn from Below Average running, and she brought Noogs for everyone to try. She said they tasted like Sour Patch kids, and I was like, yeah, right.
But they did. And they do. And they are delicious. And I ate my entire package of them on this short shakeout run [00:01:00] because they were so good. So take it from me. You've gotta try noos if you have never heard of them. I actually interviewed their founder Paige Foot on my podcast.
She's episode number 1 29 and her and her husband, Ben, own this company. So it's woman owned. Ben is a veteran, so it's woman and veteran owned. And their product is great. Noogs Sour energy chews bring you the delicious taste of your favorite sour gummy candy with everything you need to stay energized on the run quick digesting carbs, essential electrolytes, easy to chew, texture, and they're gluten-free and vegan.
They also just announced a brand new flavor, blue Raspberry Blast, which I have yet to try, but cannot wait. And they also have two caffeinated flavors that are now available. They are poolside pop, you know, like those 4th of July pops. And then Strawberry Lemonade cannot wait to try those as well if you need a little caffeine on your run
so if you wanna try Noogs, go to no on.com or they're also sold on [00:02:00] Amazon. But if you go to their website, you can use code Allie, B-A-L-L-Y-B 15, Allie B 15 for 15% off of your first order. Thank you so much to Noogs for supporting this podcast.
And then really quick before I tell you about this week's guest, I just have to say thank you for listening. Spotify creators, which is where I host my podcast, has done a Spotify wrapped of course, and I found out that 101 of you. Have finish lines and milestones as your number one podcast. So thank you so much for listening.
It means a lot, especially those who shared with me that I was number one for them. It's just really cool and I can't wait to see where this show goes next year. , It's really exciting. So appreciate you and if you don't already follow along, share rate, review so that we can continue to grow this community together.
And now for this week's guest, I have Caroline Barlow, who is getting ready to run the St. Jude [00:03:00] Memphis Half Marathon this weekend in honor of her brother David. And she also works for St. Jude. So I really loved getting a chance to sit down with Caroline and hear her story. She's been a runner. For a really long time and now does it in such a cool way to honor her brother.
So I think you're gonna really be inspired by Caroline, and if you are inspired by her story, I'm going to link to her St. Jude fundraiser in the show notes and on my social media. So if you feel so inclined, please go support Caroline and her family with Team David.
Thank you Caroline, for being on the show. And now here's our conversation.
Good Welcome. morning, Allie. Thank you. So to finally meet You too. How was your weekend? Busy. at, it was about it. Yeah. We were at Monumental Marathon this
Caroline Barlow: past
Ally Brettnacher: weekend, so
Caroline Barlow: got
Ally Brettnacher: before the race set up our little heroes hospitality booth for our St. Jude
Caroline Barlow: runners
Ally Brettnacher: and was there area waiting of them across and celebrate [00:04:00]
Caroline Barlow: their
Ally Brettnacher: accomplishments.
So super fun day. So And we just saying how. Happy we are that it's today 'cause we are recording this. It is the snow day. Yeah. First the year Yeah. Yeah, yeah. So where do you the hospitality tent? At the beginning? like with the clubs over gear check and all Okay. Okay. Yeah. Surprised I didn't So do you take do you move No it stays there the whole time Okay. I know why, because I, don't I when my race. Went by all running Yeah. Was it in it was. Yeah, it was. I didn't, where we were between Tri-City Runners.
Caroline Barlow: Okay. And, uh,
Ally Brettnacher: Okay. walked far enough know. Anyway. Yeah. 'cause when I were just tired from running a race. Yeah, then I like went to the fence the just spectated and screamed. Oh, nice. Scream out.
Oh, fun. so was,
that's
much [00:05:00] fun. Yes. It was the perfect perfect day.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. not better weather that. So
Ally Brettnacher: yeah Really happy How many runners did
Caroline Barlow: had
Ally Brettnacher: eight.
Caroline Barlow: good. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: first year doing this in
Caroline Barlow: a long So.
Ally Brettnacher: Excited about it. Well, thank you.
so happy to have Heroes. My Alex was out there in his Yes, he was. Yes. We love Alex. He's great. What a representation of us we do Totally, totally. Mm-hmm. Yeah, so, so you're a pretty big runner in terms of background. Yes, I've been,
Caroline Barlow: yeah, I
Ally Brettnacher: started.
Officially running, I guess in sixth
Caroline Barlow: yeah,
Ally Brettnacher: so like
Caroline Barlow: almost
Ally Brettnacher: two decades now.
Caroline Barlow: Wow. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: And you got college I did. I
Caroline Barlow: ran at of Alabama
Ally Brettnacher: for five even. Wow. Okay. Uhhuh, where are you from originally So my
Caroline Barlow: family's
Ally Brettnacher: from Indiana, but we moved to
Caroline Barlow: Florida when I was
Ally Brettnacher: in elementary
Caroline Barlow: I
Ally Brettnacher: grew up in like Naples, Florida
Caroline Barlow: area.
Ally Brettnacher: Oh, you did? Yeah. Yep. And
Caroline Barlow: I was
Ally Brettnacher: there all through high school and
Caroline Barlow: then.
Ally Brettnacher: for college and then
Caroline Barlow: now happens to [00:06:00] Zionsville.
Ally Brettnacher: it of
worked
Caroline Barlow: out
Ally Brettnacher: so perfectly for us to, be here
Caroline Barlow: now.
Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Where in Indiana is your family?
From Southern, like Bedford, Mitchell area. Okay. Mm-hmm. And my. now. no way Of Of course. Yes. Uhhuh. Like before this weekend, even They had south winter. Yeah. Yeah. I have a love hate relationship with Because I love going to visit.
Yes. But I hate that Yes. hard Yeah They're in Bonita Springs. Oh, in Naples. Very such a beautiful area. It's, Yeah. So lucky to be to them there. So you're you were went Uhhuh? yes. I was used to the heat, even
Caroline Barlow: like a lot
Ally Brettnacher: more hills than I was used to.
Really? Yeah. Naples is like completely
Caroline Barlow: flat,
Ally Brettnacher: but then like our country course was
Caroline Barlow: a lot places go
Ally Brettnacher: run had quite a few hills. So
Caroline Barlow: that was adjustment
Ally Brettnacher: for me. Interesting. Okay. So where, is It's hour like
Caroline Barlow: northwest of
Ally Brettnacher: Birmingham.
okay, so where is the Gulf? [00:07:00] South. Really far south. Really far south, yeah. You're in like the northern
northern part? Okay. geography general is not elaborate, especially when it comes to states that haven't frequented. I but I ha I don't yeah.
Okay. Yeah. So more than northern the So there's, are there mountains speak of or just kinda hills. rolling
hills. Yeah. Yeah There's some mountains, I guess, but not not near
Caroline Barlow: us.
Ally Brettnacher: Your parents were
Caroline Barlow: right?
Ally Brettnacher: My dad a coach.
Well, he started coaching me in middle me through high school.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. But
Ally Brettnacher: then you realize he coached you? Yes, he was which was Uh,
there were moments, we'd get in arguments.
Caroline Barlow: My mom
Ally Brettnacher: get annoyed with us, like
Caroline Barlow: other.
Ally Brettnacher: Running
Caroline Barlow: stuff, but that's
Ally Brettnacher: so funny. Yeah. My dad was soccer coach lot when young. you get it. But never, not in high school. a whole nother level. Especially like, don't was a when I so I everything. Right. Yes, of [00:08:00] course he does it. School coach would've been, you know, but yeah That's so interesting. But really cool. Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: Very my
Ally Brettnacher: husband's
Caroline Barlow: my mother-in-law
Ally Brettnacher: was
a
Caroline Barlow: here as well, so
Ally Brettnacher: Oh gosh. What high school here? Zionsville. Oh, right. cool. Mm-hmm. And so what did you in school? Um, so cross country of course. And the 1600 3,200 were my main
Caroline Barlow: And then I would the by
Ally Brettnacher: eight with my team as well. Okay. Mm-hmm. So more long distance? Yes, definitely more distance. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, so at what point. Did you do any sort of like races, like did you do that or while you were younger? Um, like long distance races you Uh I actually did my first half I was in college. It was the St.
Caroline Barlow: Jude
Ally Brettnacher: Memphis Marathon weekend. So that was my first half. Oh my gosh. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. special? You a sibling Mm-hmm. David. Was he [00:09:00] your only sibling? a, older brother as Oh my gosh There's four. Yes. crazy. I have so much respect I two young girls, Uhhuh and people who awe. Yeah. It You know, things dizzy, but really fun. Yes. Yeah. And so were you all
Caroline Barlow: you all
Ally Brettnacher: run? No, it's actually funny.
So. little brother was the
Caroline Barlow: only one didn't
Ally Brettnacher: run.
He
did it for one season
Caroline Barlow: and of hated
Ally Brettnacher: it
and did it the rest of us we runners. Okay. Uhhuh. And
did your coach all then? He did, For
Caroline Barlow: of,
Ally Brettnacher: yeah High school
Caroline Barlow: at huh
Ally Brettnacher: really cool.
Yeah, very special And what made you choose Alabama for college? So I knew I wanted to go to like a bigger university, um, preferably somewhere in the where it was warm. Yeah. All year. And so I took my just ended up really loving
Caroline Barlow: the
Ally Brettnacher: team.
Caroline Barlow: The coaches Alabama.
And that
Ally Brettnacher: was
first visit that I
Caroline Barlow: went on
Ally Brettnacher: and I remember [00:10:00] getting to campus and oh, this is what college in this is
Caroline Barlow: where I want
Ally Brettnacher: to go That's I went to Miami High. Yes. I I literally on the campus and it was a like Bluebird day, not uhhuh, everything's red And I was like, this is perfect. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Hard to beat. cool. So what about your other siblings? Where did they to college
Caroline Barlow: Um, my
Ally Brettnacher: brother.
Caroline Barlow: at
Ally Brettnacher: University of Florida
Caroline Barlow: and then around graduating from State. wow, okay. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yep. He's a geology
Caroline Barlow: guy,
Ally Brettnacher: so Utah's a good place for
Caroline Barlow: that.
Yeah. And
Ally Brettnacher: then my sister went to Harvard, actually. Whoa. Yeah. Uhhuh Just she had yeah, exactly.
exactly. That's cool. Mm-hmm. Then at what point love to talk I don't know how to just bring it up He's really part of story. He's And your running story and now Yes. professional life too, Yeah,
Caroline Barlow: it
Ally Brettnacher: is. Yeah. So he
Caroline Barlow: um,
Ally Brettnacher: is, well was
Caroline Barlow: five years me. [00:11:00] me.
Ally Brettnacher: and he was cancer during my freshman year of college. Uh, college. Okay.
Caroline Barlow: Yep. Yep.
Ally Brettnacher: So he was a, a patient
Caroline Barlow: at
Ally Brettnacher: Jude for
Caroline Barlow: about years he ultimately away.
Ally Brettnacher: He was diagnosed with.
Super rare aggressive form cancer called Desmoplastic, small
Caroline Barlow: round cell
Ally Brettnacher: Which is a what? a form of sarcoma. It's
Caroline Barlow: like less
Ally Brettnacher: than or 200 been diagnosed. 200 ever.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: So very rare, very
Caroline Barlow: aggressive.
Ally Brettnacher: And Jude ended up like. One of the only places
Caroline Barlow: that had, uh,
Ally Brettnacher: treatment for him.
Right. So
Caroline Barlow: that's
Ally Brettnacher: where we went.
Caroline Barlow: My,
Ally Brettnacher: it was,
Caroline Barlow: so
Ally Brettnacher: it all kind of by track
seasons kind of big milestones of it
Caroline Barlow: happened.
Ally Brettnacher: it was right before conference track
Caroline Barlow: meet my year, my dad
Ally Brettnacher: called told what was going
Caroline Barlow: on,
Ally Brettnacher: and then maybe two.
Weeks later, [00:12:00] like when he to St Jude and
Caroline Barlow: they started
Ally Brettnacher: treatment away. That's so fast. that was like two weeks
Caroline Barlow: from they
Ally Brettnacher: found he even had to
Caroline Barlow: like
Ally Brettnacher: making it to
Caroline Barlow: St. Jude.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah Okay Crazy
he would've
Caroline Barlow: been
Ally Brettnacher: not high school then he years younger was he 14
Caroline Barlow: at
Ally Brettnacher: the time. Eighth grade. Yeah. Jesus. so what were. His, like know to get him So my older brother actually has Crohn's disease, so, Hi. David's
Caroline Barlow: was stomach and so complaining
Ally Brettnacher: of and kind thing thought oh
Caroline Barlow: this
Ally Brettnacher: is the same the same time as
Caroline Barlow: when brother
Ally Brettnacher: experiencing Crohn's symptoms. We go make sure this isn't
Caroline Barlow: that.
Ally Brettnacher: And it wasn't. Um Yeah. Sucks. they probably like, is probably that.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. And eighth insane. and then you had to find out over had to be kind of, Yeah. Yeah So I remember [00:13:00] I in a
Caroline Barlow: class
Ally Brettnacher: and my dad was texting me, call me right now. And that, you know it's something that normally happens whenever your parents send you those kind of messages.
Yeah. You start panicking. I actually had time trial coming up
Caroline Barlow: class
Ally Brettnacher: to see who was gonna make like our conference roster. So really bad timing for you still do that? I did. And you know what, I didn't even tell
Caroline Barlow: my had yet wanted like focused.
Ally Brettnacher: Something I obviously regret
Caroline Barlow: can't back
Ally Brettnacher: Playbook. No you're to do that. Yeah. Like go tell your coach your brother has cancer. So didn't go well. Yeah, I was gonna say either like like. Crazy. Well, yeah or you were like, can't, like even yeah Was not, not my finest, finest running, that's for sure. Did you tell your coach, like after the fact
Caroline Barlow: like,
Ally Brettnacher: Hey, this uh really hard
or can't Yeah, I can't quite remember when
Caroline Barlow: I
Ally Brettnacher: told him
Caroline Barlow: Um,
Ally Brettnacher: actually, I kind
Caroline Barlow: of that. my [00:14:00] teammate,
Ally Brettnacher: told him for me. probably that would be
Caroline Barlow: yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah remember him like texting me, why didn't she say stop Right And you Like, I, I don't know. Just processing Well, and everybody does that yeah. Talking, speaking it loud makes it more real sure. So that was in the fall. That would've been like winter of my Yeah. I'm trying St. Jude half been that Yeah. So my family first
Caroline Barlow: participated, that
Ally Brettnacher: would've been they first participated December, 2015.
Caroline Barlow: I didn't go to that Um,
Ally Brettnacher: yeah, 'cause it, does fall So it's like the weekend after Thanksgiving, first weekend of December.
Caroline Barlow: it's kinda at the
Ally Brettnacher: end of country into
Caroline Barlow: track time,
Ally Brettnacher: all of that. Right? That's a Yeah. So sophomore year I
Caroline Barlow: didn't
Ally Brettnacher: participate.
Caroline Barlow: I
Ally Brettnacher: think my been, uh, actually it was 2017, so
Caroline Barlow: my passed I was, did it. [00:15:00]
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Okay. The years he as well.
if he was in, was he like out there? Oh yeah, of course. he was. actually one of really cool
Caroline Barlow: race the
Ally Brettnacher: hospital and you So all the patients and families can be
Caroline Barlow: there and like cheering
Ally Brettnacher: you on and. be super emotional a lot of runners.
so one year, I think he was actually inpatient the
Caroline Barlow: race happened, my kind from hospital Um, and then yeah, got go around and remember my older me about how like the VIP
Ally Brettnacher: hospitality.
Caroline Barlow: He
Ally Brettnacher: like pulled his little beanie off his head he was would let He's like fake in. wherever. Exactly. funny Yes Oh my My, my I
wish I would've looked up when my family did the
Jude Yeah cause they did
all me which you have to, you to about, I don't know why I didn't do have had something [00:16:00] Probably I think I in high school college. Yeah. But they all went and they all did Mm-hmm um, yeah. 'cause we know Susie Tatum, who works in It's A Mm-hmm I high school with and Kelsey. Right. Her late sister. how we got St. and Yeah. I, that I definitely yeah.
Caroline Barlow: It's,
Ally Brettnacher: it do races
Caroline Barlow: by far. I would say I've done it.
Ally Brettnacher: Uh, I guess this will be 10th year running it this year.
Yeah. So that's super exciting and it just gets better every I'm there
think
Caroline Barlow: Um,
Ally Brettnacher: it's, yeah. Super moving. Meaningful. Yeah. it's in Nashville. Memphis. Memphis. Gosh.
Caroline Barlow: Memphis. Yeah, I
Ally Brettnacher: knew it was. it was Um, okay. Yes. how is, how is the race? Is it hilly? Is there are some hills there.
So there's a 5K, a 10 k, Okay. All of them? Yes. Everything. Wow. got choices. I'd say the and the 10 K are not [00:17:00] hilly, but the
Caroline Barlow: half they
Ally Brettnacher: little bit A
Caroline Barlow: little yeah. Yeah,
Ally Brettnacher: yeah. Okay Your 10th so. IS math in my head of how long David lived cancer was was about two years. Two said that two years. That seems a long time a long time
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: So.
Caroline Barlow: He, we treatment 2015 and
Ally Brettnacher: treatment super well,
Caroline Barlow: like August, of
Ally Brettnacher: 2015
Caroline Barlow: he underwent like
Ally Brettnacher: this kind groundbreaking surgery where they moved as of the tumor and and that was super successful.
We
Caroline Barlow: got point
Ally Brettnacher: where we were, we were
Caroline Barlow: thinking like, know, these
Ally Brettnacher: scans that he's gonna do are gonna the all clear we were ready to move on and of like
Caroline Barlow: you pick out
Ally Brettnacher: he was go finish school
Caroline Barlow: and.
Ally Brettnacher: Thinking
Caroline Barlow: and all Um, when those
Ally Brettnacher: scans ended
Caroline Barlow: saying, you it's back
Ally Brettnacher: in the form
Caroline Barlow: has, like, [00:18:00] back,
Ally Brettnacher: it's to treat.
Caroline Barlow: like a a half
Ally Brettnacher: of everything going really
Caroline Barlow: about
Ally Brettnacher: six months it was just was like okay that was this is all
Caroline Barlow: we
Ally Brettnacher: can do sort of thing. I, I realize we didn't really tell what why it's so special. Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: So St. Jude
Caroline Barlow: is Tennessee, um,
Ally Brettnacher: where all the patients are participating in some sort of research for
Caroline Barlow: cancer or other catastrophic
Ally Brettnacher: illnesses, and patients and families never
Caroline Barlow: housing,
Ally Brettnacher: or food.
Which is truly incredible because, so incredible. Yeah. you can imagine, experimental research treatment
Caroline Barlow: is often not
Ally Brettnacher: covered by Right can be a on top what they're already going through, but Yes Yeah. So did he like. does that work for treatment?
Go for necessarily stay right, like in that so it's different for every patient. Some get to do where [00:19:00] they'll go for, you know a week a couple weeks, whatever, few
Caroline Barlow: they need, then
Ally Brettnacher: can go home because of how aggressive treatment had to be for my brother, we
Caroline Barlow: actually ended up
Ally Brettnacher: moving there
Caroline Barlow: were there the
Ally Brettnacher: full years
Caroline Barlow: and
Ally Brettnacher: so
Caroline Barlow: provides
Ally Brettnacher: housing for patients and families, so it in it's called Target
Caroline Barlow: House. So style
Ally Brettnacher: housing So first it was my and brother
Caroline Barlow: Then after
Ally Brettnacher: I finished
freshman of college lived with them for that summer, hospital during the day and
Caroline Barlow: that
Ally Brettnacher: kind of thing.
And
Caroline Barlow: then my dad
Ally Brettnacher: wanted to move up there
Caroline Barlow: as well, we house But
Ally Brettnacher: most patients could housing the whole time
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. Wow.
Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. And what did, what did your mom do for work where that'd be hard too. Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: Parents, yeah.
that.
Ally Brettnacher: So she did some bookkeeping and things, but
Caroline Barlow: ended up stopping that that
Ally Brettnacher: point. And just was full-time caregiver. Yes Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: And
Ally Brettnacher: learned way more than wanted to know about
Caroline Barlow: you know,
Ally Brettnacher: changing
Caroline Barlow: bags
Ally Brettnacher: and all that [00:20:00] I totally imagine yeah.
Caroline Barlow: your
Ally Brettnacher: siblings?
they were Florida. Harvard you were all in college
Caroline Barlow: at time. Um,
Ally Brettnacher: at one older brother ended up. Moving to live
Caroline Barlow: in Memphis
Ally Brettnacher: my parents and brother well and
classes of Memphis during that time so he spend some more them.
That's so great that you
Caroline Barlow: got time. Yeah. is, I one of
Ally Brettnacher: the things we're most thankful for and wouldn't have happened we were being treated
Caroline Barlow: time St. my family
Ally Brettnacher: together. Yeah. Mm-hmm. So, so amazing. Were you really close to David? We were So. There was like probably a year or so where we were the two at living home
with my and you know
Caroline Barlow: got to
Ally Brettnacher: just a lot of we were super close. Um,
Caroline Barlow: he
Ally Brettnacher: always would come to my races and watch and cheer despite not being himself. He did love to cheer his siblings
Caroline Barlow: on
Ally Brettnacher: very supportive and I remember he like text before race is good luck or were so he could [00:21:00] to his friends and all that kind of
Caroline Barlow: thing.
Yeah. sweet. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. That's so special special. five years apart. Were you ever like in school together? I was a fifth grader when he was in kindergarten, that that's was Yep Mm-hmm Yeah. My are four years So I always try
do yeah, they'll be like, Bookends of school Of high Yeah. Which will be fun. is kind It be very Yeah
To
Caroline Barlow: be able you
Ally Brettnacher: know, the old, especially the older. Yeah. Like, show 'em for the younger for sure. Yeah. the bus together one yeah.
Yeah.
So So. Your first marathon at St. Mm-hmm Like after losing your brother? Mm-hmm. can't I mean I tell people what that was Like deciding to do it Like train for it. Yes. While you were in college Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: I was still
Caroline Barlow: the
Ally Brettnacher: time Luckily, training was kind of
Caroline Barlow: just my that was kind my
Ally Brettnacher: long run for the week.
But
Caroline Barlow: passed know,
Ally Brettnacher: this year we're gonna do a large team, Memphis
Caroline Barlow: we're
Ally Brettnacher: gonna raise as much money as we can.
Caroline Barlow: [00:22:00] Um,
Ally Brettnacher: we ended over a hundred people year, which was incredible. can't remember
Caroline Barlow: much that highest
Ally Brettnacher: that we've ever done.
Caroline Barlow: Um,
Ally Brettnacher: maybe in the
Caroline Barlow: like
Ally Brettnacher: $70,000 range for that year, which was,
Caroline Barlow: yeah, incredible. I thinking like, know, it's, I
Ally Brettnacher: run all the time. This will be big deal. then run through campus of the hospital
Caroline Barlow: see all
Ally Brettnacher: these patients and families, I remember getting really emotional.
gosh I think
Caroline Barlow: actually speeding
Ally Brettnacher: up, which did hurt later in the race, course Yeah But yeah, mean,
Caroline Barlow: having, I like
Ally Brettnacher: high school college teammates that
Caroline Barlow: came and did it with me
Ally Brettnacher: and just really supported and, and loved Mm-hmm. What time, what time of year did he this? Oh, he passed It was Spring Break, it was April.
Okay. Yeah. So when did team, did Team David while he still alive? diagnosed
Yes Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, that makes sense. And like to this day, you've raised, I mean, almost a half Uh, yeah, we're [00:23:00] getting really close a million, which is a big milestone for That is, in mean that's so much
Caroline Barlow: yeah. Much.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Makes such a big difference in so many people's lives, for sure.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. Yeah. I that
Ally Brettnacher: is how Jude is funded, is primarily through donations
Caroline Barlow: and so it of effort that kind
Ally Brettnacher: of institution together and mm-hmm.
It's, it's nice to be even small part of that, so, yeah. yeah Do you remember line?
Caroline Barlow: I
Ally Brettnacher: somewhere. Bit of relief, bit of excitement, you know, just all the
Caroline Barlow: emotions coming
Ally Brettnacher: out. Mm-hmm. your parents and your other siblings, I'm assuming there, did they Yes.
Run. Did they So they
Caroline Barlow: ran, um, my dad marathon that Okay. And
Ally Brettnacher: my older brother, we have,
Caroline Barlow: funny Instagram.
Ally Brettnacher: Real of him doing he is you know checking
Caroline Barlow: in every mile.
Ally Brettnacher: He really didn't train for [00:24:00] this. he gets to like mile 15 or pretty. Okay. each
Caroline Barlow: mile check-in after that is getting
Ally Brettnacher: more and more painful.
But he made it across the line. Couldn't walk for like two weeks after, but Cool He finished, so, yeah. have you done there as well? Um, I signed up for it one ended up having knee issues and couldn't finish
Caroline Barlow: it, but. Okay,
Ally Brettnacher: there's a chance.
Caroline Barlow: a
Ally Brettnacher: chance.
We'll see. Yeah. Now I'm kind of like working as well. Oh stone Yeah Nevermind Uhhuh that is. somebody who is part of helping Ru Ara, like organize Yes. And volunteer and do all the things a race right Yeah. FI marathon.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. a marathon, you it it's credit like. Sitting on your couch for two days beforehand, just eating carbs and all that.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah But not
Ally Brettnacher: running No. sure, for sure. Oh man. [00:25:00] what other have you Um, so I've done, I've done monumental, did the full marathon
Caroline Barlow: there.
That
Ally Brettnacher: was first full
Caroline Barlow: that?
Ally Brettnacher: was and windy. Yeah.
that? Was it the ice Rain year? would've
Caroline Barlow: that.
Ally Brettnacher: was it 2022 then? Yes, it was 2022. that year. Yeah. Yeah. That That was first ever did
full well. Yeah. And you were at
Caroline Barlow: Mile like,
Ally Brettnacher: I 23 or and it just snapped you in the face turn
Caroline Barlow: on
Ally Brettnacher: radio and you gonna end and just literally uh I remember could feet. Yeah. you felt like not moving
Caroline Barlow: at
Ally Brettnacher: all. At all. It was brutal Uhhuh.
was super humbling. Very much so. Okay. was your first
Caroline Barlow: marathon was my
Ally Brettnacher: first ever yes. only so far? No, I've two. Okay. So was,
Caroline Barlow: um, not past,
Ally Brettnacher: so 2024. Okay.
Caroline Barlow: The
Ally Brettnacher: City
Caroline Barlow: Bayshore Marathon,
Ally Brettnacher: which was Oh, a beautiful Highly recommend. [00:26:00] Yeah. Traverse City's really hilly, It wasn't too bad 'cause along the, the Okay, so the course wasn't
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. Yeah. too I did, um.
Ally Brettnacher: I did a Ragnar, started in City went to Muskegon Michigan. And I, it was pretty the route that we Yes. ran in the Philly Out of
Traverse City, but it's so, so pretty there.
It Yeah. Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: have like on one side and like
Ally Brettnacher: cherry trees on other. So how did you pick I was just looking for like good
Caroline Barlow: fast
Ally Brettnacher: one
Caroline Barlow: and one the right
Ally Brettnacher: time of year for me for it to out. What
time years is that? I can't remember.
year is that I can't remember End of May End of
Caroline Barlow: May. Yeah. So was probably
Ally Brettnacher: still gonna really good
weather
Caroline Barlow: Not hot yet, up there. Um, yeah, timing
Ally Brettnacher: and location worked out amazing. Mm-hmm. you in college? So
Caroline Barlow: have a
Ally Brettnacher: undergrad degree
Caroline Barlow: in
Ally Brettnacher: psychology and then
Caroline Barlow: a master's
Ally Brettnacher: in human and family studies.
Okay. Yes. So when you [00:27:00] college, you didn't initially work Or did No, no, Um, so I graduated and did those degrees thinking I wanted to be a child life specialist,
Caroline Barlow: which was found
Ally Brettnacher: out about St
when was What does that mean? So they work with patients and siblings like kids and
Caroline Barlow: kind of.
Ally Brettnacher: Teach them what's on with them the
Caroline Barlow: like
Ally Brettnacher: help them prepare for procedures and
Caroline Barlow: that kind of thing. Um,
Ally Brettnacher: so it's a lot of like
Caroline Barlow: and based
Ally Brettnacher: activities.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. So really meaningful and to do But
Caroline Barlow: then finishing my master's
Ally Brettnacher: spring 2020 with COVID.
You have to hospital internship, which work down for Yeah. Yeah temporary of time. So then took work style
Caroline Barlow: job in Louis area, with, um,
Ally Brettnacher: middle
Caroline Barlow: high that had kind
Ally Brettnacher: of like
Caroline Barlow: health
Ally Brettnacher: diagnosis.
Caroline Barlow: Um. [00:28:00] Which
Ally Brettnacher: I think was enough for me to realize, like
Caroline Barlow: of like day-to-day interaction
Ally Brettnacher: with these very emotional cases would've been And could that for that long. And so then when
Caroline Barlow: my grad
Ally Brettnacher: school, we moved up here and was started working for a
Caroline Barlow: small nonprofit until about and now at
Ally Brettnacher: St Jude Okay Which you work for here Joseph Mayley Foundation. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay. Yeah. yeah, it takes. Really, really people to be able to do Absolutely. That work. I how people do that for a long time.
Caroline Barlow: It's very special type that
Ally Brettnacher: like the empathy for it, but can like compartmentalize, Alize go home and even
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: how not just let
Caroline Barlow: know. I'm sure it's
Ally Brettnacher: something you learn over
Caroline Barlow: time
. but I think.
Ally Brettnacher: I much more enjoy working on this things you know, still supporting those families, but a different way. you. are
Caroline Barlow: thank yeah,
Ally Brettnacher: it's not like, yeah. Where you're like directly [00:29:00] in the trenches Well absolutely.
And especially after personal experience that had, Yeah,
Caroline Barlow: not like
Ally Brettnacher: kind of. own
Caroline Barlow: into
Ally Brettnacher: absolute every situation. Absolutely. Mm-hmm. St. Louis, wait, wait. Where did you meet Oliver, your husband?
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Now back to the show.
wait. Where did you meet Oliver, your husband?
So we actually met on the
Caroline Barlow: at
Ally Brettnacher: Alabama.
Okay. That's Yes So what So what did he run? What were his events? His, so he would do country but his main was the 800, sometimes 1500 mile. the team together was, it That well, so he's actually years younger than me. Okay. So it's kind of
Caroline Barlow: fun. We, um, that
Ally Brettnacher: like first really talked to each other was a
Caroline Barlow: bus ride back a, a track um, where I excited I thought I get like of
Ally Brettnacher: seats to myself.
he had run a four
Caroline Barlow: by was
Ally Brettnacher: like last one on bus
Caroline Barlow: My
Ally Brettnacher: seat was open, but we talked the whole like hours and No wonder you wanted the seat yourself. I thought I was gonna get to sleep, but like, oh, yay. Yeah. Yeah. I guess it's worked in the long That's pretty, that is a pretty cute story, really. yeah, yeah, That you were like, okay, that [00:33:00] hours of chatting and sleeping. Yes, exactly. That's funny. Uhhuh And then Did he like did you numbers and then Yeah, I think so. can't remember. We probably each other's phone numbers already.
Just being on the team.
Caroline Barlow: Um, like date later
Ally Brettnacher: and then, yeah.
Caroline Barlow: date?
Ally Brettnacher: We went to breakfast. Oh, yes. Yes. After
Caroline Barlow: a run. Of
Ally Brettnacher: course but to
right runs yeah. Uhhuh That's have you been married?
Just over a year. Thank you. And you have is your dog Yes. Mm-hmm. What is, what is Look? Breeded. He's a Britney What is Like a Britney Spaniel
Caroline Barlow: a,
Ally Brettnacher: it's so type of hunting dog. Okay Uh Okay. Like a cocker spaniel,
Caroline Barlow: in that family.
Ally Brettnacher: Okay So what color is Teddy?
white
Caroline Barlow: reddish like white spot
Ally Brettnacher: on his chest. Okay. Yeah, he's super cute. Does he like
Caroline Barlow: the snow?
Ally Brettnacher: does. It was actually hard to get
Caroline Barlow: him
Ally Brettnacher: inside this morning. Yeah, we are. [00:34:00] Um, have a goldendoodle, Doug? Yes. And he's 11. Oh. So this morning, of course, in the snow, and so gets real excited to run.
Oh, Yeah. Even, even though he's getting old, he still loves But then I feel like as long as Right. I mean, it is cold. It's Yeah. Okay so you moved, you moved here. Remind me when it would've been, 2022. Okay.
Caroline Barlow: think. married? Did you get Yes, got
Ally Brettnacher: married at the Ritz Charles up Carmel Yeah. Uhhuh okay. That's senior prom was. Oh, love it. A million years ago. It's was there, yes. But it was, they've like since redone. they've
done
a It's great venue absolutely. And okay, worked for small nonprofit and then mm-hmm.
How did the with St. about? So there's a local advisory panel for St. Jude,
Caroline Barlow: uh, my dad is on. Okay. And they,
Ally Brettnacher: you know, mentioned an opening, do you
Caroline Barlow: know anyone that
Ally Brettnacher: kind has [00:35:00] these qualifications? he was like my daughter does. And
Caroline Barlow: the
Ally Brettnacher: application link and
Caroline Barlow: went process
Ally Brettnacher: and got it.
And yeah, I've been here ever since.
That
Like, feels also like, meant to be oh for sure Opportunity Came up. Yeah Yeah got yeah, I someone who can do that. Yeah. Yeah. And so your are your parents here? They are. moved here after
Caroline Barlow: I did. Yeah. they're following you
Ally Brettnacher: Following me around. Yeah. all their college friends and everyone
Caroline Barlow: are joke they like
Ally Brettnacher: have more of
Caroline Barlow: than
Ally Brettnacher: us.
Caroline Barlow: of town live on?
Ally Brettnacher: Uh they're up in Fishers. Mm-hmm nice. That's have them It is. Yeah.
And other siblings live now? Uh, my brother and his
Caroline Barlow: my
Ally Brettnacher: sister and her husband
Caroline Barlow: are
Ally Brettnacher: in Boston. That's nice. it's nice. Again, back to the whole like having somebody to visit. Uhhuh Uh Yeah. sure. Yeah. Oh, so. [00:36:00] about the work that you do for St.
Jude? Yeah, so
Caroline Barlow: I am
Ally Brettnacher: a development specialist
Caroline Barlow: the Indiana area. there's
Ally Brettnacher: several different programs of one of which is our heroes program,
Caroline Barlow: which are
Ally Brettnacher: runners
Caroline Barlow: fundraise us
Ally Brettnacher: races Monument, and of course our St Memphis Marathon
Caroline Barlow: also opportunities get
Ally Brettnacher: bibs the world major
Caroline Barlow: marathons.
Mm-hmm. lot of the rock roll races
Ally Brettnacher: us,
Caroline Barlow: one aspect.
Ally Brettnacher: Are you always looking for new races to a part of, or that would more at the corporate level partnerships You like. Here's all the races where we wanna get to a sure.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. And
Ally Brettnacher: I mean, there are some opportunities for us with
Caroline Barlow: like that. like how monumental
Ally Brettnacher: came about Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. Do anything with
Ally Brettnacher: Carmel yet? have in the past. Um,
Caroline Barlow: I was
Ally Brettnacher: at their expo this past year before. was too They didn't get to run. yeah, yeah.
yeah Right. know that was brutal know that Okay. then And [00:37:00] somebody runner Depends on right. So different races and then there's different levels you
Caroline Barlow: sign up for. Okay.
Ally Brettnacher: So for Memphis Marathon,
Caroline Barlow: the highest think
Ally Brettnacher: they commit to raising
Caroline Barlow: $10,000 an individual,
Ally Brettnacher: which of course you get like your hotel
Caroline Barlow: room, like that.
Flights
Ally Brettnacher: stuff in exchange for work.
Caroline Barlow: lot
Ally Brettnacher: of, it's like Alex Baker level. Yes.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Alex Baker is a prime Right
Yeah So He's
Caroline Barlow: fundraised for
Ally Brettnacher: Berlin. He's
Caroline Barlow: getting ready
Ally Brettnacher: do London. Yeah, he's done a lot of your team up with ways to help, Yes. seems like there's many, I love learning
all the creative ways that people come up fundraise.
Absolutely. that's that's part of what
Caroline Barlow: I as I our Indiana out fundraising. I'll meet We talk like, what's
Ally Brettnacher: your community look like? What kind opportunities do you are your interests How can [00:38:00] we. Mesh those
Caroline Barlow: to.
Ally Brettnacher: Um come a plan for you and people that out. What some of your, most fun or like seen? Yeah, so we have, um. A super high level
Caroline Barlow: down in
Ally Brettnacher: and she does couple
Caroline Barlow: car
Ally Brettnacher: shows every year.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Which
raises a
And then
Caroline Barlow: Alex Catch Up
Ally Brettnacher: Cancer is of the most creative fundraising campaigns I've seen Which is
Caroline Barlow: awesome. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: And I so honored
helped um, make stickers. Oh, oh, that's awesome. Love People can go Uhhuh, anything besides like helps me
sticker.
Yeah, the
to his efforts.
Yeah. Yeah
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: And then a lot of people will do social posts or
Caroline Barlow: dying donate kind events,
Ally Brettnacher: things that So
yeah I like the ones where people. up
to a mile.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah,
Ally Brettnacher: Support. Sponsor a
Caroline Barlow: mile.
Ally Brettnacher: Sponsor a
Caroline Barlow: run training run, that [00:39:00] kind thing.
Yeah,
Ally Brettnacher: for sure. Okay. And that's the first of your job is heroes Yes
Which big. And so listening, questions because if interested in being part of that, do? Just go to
the sign or? Yes. So there's like interest form you say you wanna do for Chicago
Caroline Barlow: would
Ally Brettnacher: click. The button, fill information
Caroline Barlow: and get notified when
Ally Brettnacher: registration for opens, or they can
Caroline Barlow: contact me and I'll get 'em.
Ally Brettnacher: The information for
Caroline Barlow: have going on.
Ally Brettnacher: And you only, I imagine, have only number of bibs.
So is there a like where they have to of that they're capable of fundraising or like Yes. Yeah, so it for
Caroline Barlow: Boston
Ally Brettnacher: Marathon for only get five bibs
Caroline Barlow: For
Ally Brettnacher: that We get five. We
Caroline Barlow: only five.
Ally Brettnacher: on the year. But's Indiana. Yeah No, for all St.
Jude, we get
Caroline Barlow: five.
Ally Brettnacher: So, yes. 'cause it's Boston, so everyone wants do it So for that there's like and you'll fill
Caroline Barlow: out your
Ally Brettnacher: and there's an
Caroline Barlow: interview process. Wow. [00:40:00] Alex
Ally Brettnacher: do Boston for St. Jude? He did it for Dana-Farber.
Caroline Barlow: Dana-Farber,
Ally Brettnacher: Boston. Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: That makes
Ally Brettnacher: makes Well, yeah, because it's only five.
Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. it's competitive. like applying for these spots.
Ally Brettnacher: Um so
Caroline Barlow: like, I've already got
Ally Brettnacher: my fundraising plan. even hit the minimum I'm above and beyond that of thing Yeah
Caroline Barlow: Um, like run with
Ally Brettnacher: us before, then,
Caroline Barlow: we know care
Ally Brettnacher: and support
Caroline Barlow: what
Ally Brettnacher: St Jude Um, yeah. But other races, for like the rock and roll
Caroline Barlow: races, it's option when
Ally Brettnacher: you register to So that's little competitive, right? If you just sign up a little a little bit, you bit, you wanna support. I did, I New City 2018, Uhhuh and I did Alex's Lemonade stand.
Oh cool. I
didn't my friend had to do I like, I didn't even, husband I give every year just, you know, moved giving to [00:41:00] be Right. To Be your fundraising. really do. a I Right. Um, and then the dinner, which I really of regret at this point because now that I've been part of Angels mm-hmm.
Which I did Marine Corps with. Mm-hmm. You just realize that it's more than just up like getting the funds. Absolutely. The Community, there's a lot of benefits. Yeah a lot mm-hmm. To it. So for monumental, which I as huge as St. Jude, but like Do you, did you do a dinner or anything like that for monumental or, we didn't this year.
Planning on doing in the future
Caroline Barlow: Um, yeah,
Ally Brettnacher: we our
little meetup of that Yeah. A lot of times these, they'll give you, like, you get swag as a puppet Yes,
Caroline Barlow: of stuff, like
Ally Brettnacher: people who haven't it before just have I mean I had no idea.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah,
Ally Brettnacher: yeah. So for Memphis we there's a
Caroline Barlow: massive pasta
Ally Brettnacher: party
Caroline Barlow: run out of big.
Ally Brettnacher: Um, so it's hundreds of all have fundraised for [00:42:00] us.
Caroline Barlow: Um,
Ally Brettnacher: and yeah.
Caroline Barlow: meaningful. They'll have, know, and
Ally Brettnacher: speak and share
Caroline Barlow: about
Ally Brettnacher: why they do it
Caroline Barlow: celebrate.
Ally Brettnacher: Gosh you has to be like a whole new level inspiration right? Absolutely. For sure. sure. Yeah. So Heroes. Heroes. Just one part of a time. Kind of crazy. So we have
Caroline Barlow: that. Um, another that I
Ally Brettnacher: is called Jude Leadership Society. so this is
Caroline Barlow: students.
Ally Brettnacher: They
Caroline Barlow: in
Ally Brettnacher: this leadership
Caroline Barlow: Um.
Ally Brettnacher: It's monthly of each focusing different
Caroline Barlow: leadership
Ally Brettnacher: traits which we of uh, Thomas, the founder of St. Jude, and kind
Caroline Barlow: of
Ally Brettnacher: these leadership traits
Caroline Barlow: that he embodied.
Ally Brettnacher: So get this free leadership opportunity and
Caroline Barlow: to fundraise, if
Ally Brettnacher: they reach certain fundraising threshold, they get to come to Memphis over summer.
Caroline Barlow: With
Ally Brettnacher: all these members from all across the country, learn more about St. Jude tour, do incredible stuff. That's really,
Caroline Barlow: [00:43:00] yeah. So an
Ally Brettnacher: Indianapolis cohort that And
Caroline Barlow: how
Ally Brettnacher: many students from Indianapolis? so last year we had just three
Caroline Barlow: year
Ally Brettnacher: applications are open. Um, of high school kids listen this.
No, but it's, I bet you lot their parents, kids. Let's see who Absolutely. Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. So
Ally Brettnacher: applications are currently think we've had. Four or apply so far and, okay. Yeah. Still, still getting
Caroline Barlow: ready go that.
Ally Brettnacher: speak to my high school classes this week about That's Yeah And so where do they go apply on, to St
Caroline Barlow: jude.org/sj
Ally Brettnacher: ls. Okay. Leadership Society, yeah. Okay. That's a cool opportunity. Yes. As somebody, again, in I wasn't, I wasn't looking for those types of opportunities.
didn't the importance of those types of things
Mm-hmm Like what great for young people Oh for sure.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. I think,
Ally Brettnacher: and often when they do it [00:44:00] once
Caroline Barlow: they back and
Ally Brettnacher: do it again and fundraise more and get more involved
Caroline Barlow: advisor,
Ally Brettnacher: which are kind of like mentorship role
Caroline Barlow: side of it.
So I
Ally Brettnacher: think
it's super special opportunity for kids. And how long that program been around? It's pretty new, right? one of our newer yeah Yeah, Well that's cool Well hopefully this will word out and help Yes. Some, more applicants. Mm-hmm. Because that's great sure.
are they typically. Do they intermingle with like running? do you that like fun some
fun So some
em actually do we have a lot members
Caroline Barlow: that
Ally Brettnacher: high school runners, Yeah things
Caroline Barlow: like that, is Like I feel like
Ally Brettnacher: that personality really fits it exactly quite well.
Um, yeah we've had some parts of the country like put on
Caroline Barlow: fun as their fundraising
Ally Brettnacher: aspect for the Impressive to be able to that
Caroline Barlow: on
Ally Brettnacher: Exactly. Yeah I'm thinking of it general as great resume builder. Oh, for sure. Yeah. That's, that's really incredible Yeah. for like to applying for school or just get [00:45:00] a job or already like, yeah, I know how to do And then there more
Caroline Barlow: of job?
Ally Brettnacher: There is more. So a couple other things. We some radiothons, um, so
Caroline Barlow: our stations, um, So I
Ally Brettnacher: support couple of those. does entail? So it's like a. They'll do a two radiothon
Caroline Barlow: I'll be at station with
Ally Brettnacher: them for two full days
Caroline Barlow: where
Ally Brettnacher: every they're about St. Jude
Caroline Barlow: and
Ally Brettnacher: why it's so important to people to
Caroline Barlow: sign up
Ally Brettnacher: as a so, a monthly donor for us, so they call in.
to Yeah, they call or text or whatever. Right. my side of is just helping make
Caroline Barlow: sure the radio
Ally Brettnacher: hosts you know they're saying about St. Jude supporting them, letting
Caroline Barlow: how, at, that
Ally Brettnacher: a days.
Do you bring in. Patients or families stories throughout those days? So sometimes, [00:46:00] more so we have prerecorded story songs for them.
Caroline Barlow: Oh Oh, that makes
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. And country music huge supporters of St. Jude, a
Caroline Barlow: lot
Ally Brettnacher: of them these songs patients and things that.
That's really they play
Caroline Barlow: Okay. radiothons,
Ally Brettnacher: how of those you I think responsible for three but
Caroline Barlow: we have than that
Ally Brettnacher: Okay. And then I know there's I do.
Yeah.
And everything else, and everything else yeah
Just kind because the team, like for St. Jude of mm-hmm.
it's state, right? St. Jude's Indiana. Yes Yes. a pretty small team. Yes. Right now it's, how many of you there right now? There's
Caroline Barlow: like of us out of Indiana.
Ally Brettnacher: So Susie being
Caroline Barlow: Juan Stephanie, my manager, and then Patrick, our area
Ally Brettnacher: director. Okay. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm so I met at outing. Oh, right. Yes. I play outing Very cool. Bridgewater. Which fun. I'm not a very. golfer. I that's Yes. Do you help plan I don't that's
Caroline Barlow: the [00:47:00] difference So that's
Ally Brettnacher: like
of you're like of things don't do.
Yeah. But it is a very cool event. So we have
Caroline Barlow: have
Ally Brettnacher: a new thing happening this
Caroline Barlow: year, is
Ally Brettnacher: basketball based fundraising event. Okay. So
Caroline Barlow: shoot
Ally Brettnacher: free, free throws
Caroline Barlow: and
Ally Brettnacher: get people like a walk-a-thon, but a, throw Aon Interesting
Caroline Barlow: so you people give money hit out of
Ally Brettnacher: a hundred or whatever.
Okay. So like where do you do that? That's a
Caroline Barlow: question.
Ally Brettnacher: So it'll be in March. I'm not in charge of this one, so I don't know all the details on It's gonna be
Caroline Barlow: in Evansville year. Okay.
Ally Brettnacher: Well if it's in March, like March Madness. March Madness. Exactly, yes. Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. That's interesting.
Okay. And it cool. Yes. I'll share the information. Mm-hmm. Yeah, there's always just like these new different ways. Yeah. Lots new Creative of,
Caroline Barlow: sure. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Raising awareness and all that. Mm-hmm. Wow. Gosh. you for work that you know you That I mean that's feel, I mean that's really Yes. Oh, especially if somebody with like personal connection. Oh yeah. What were you gonna [00:48:00] say big thing do, this just happened, so I don't know why slipped
Caroline Barlow: we
Ally Brettnacher: That's funny. How Is it
Caroline Barlow: Monday. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: a, a walk September. Oh right. For childhood cancer. Weird. This
Caroline Barlow: month,
Ally Brettnacher: this past year was State Park. Okay. Um,
Caroline Barlow: and that, a big event. event
Ally Brettnacher: for people to participate but we encourage them
Caroline Barlow: to fundraise.
Ally Brettnacher: So they'll fundraise. We
Caroline Barlow: come walk.
Ally Brettnacher: There's, we had patient family speak this year.
Oh, that's, the 5K? There's a 5K walk, or there's like a
Caroline Barlow: mile and a half course they could instead.
Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm That's really cool Yeah
Caroline Barlow: So years
Ally Brettnacher: that's happening? happening? That's happening a while.
Caroline Barlow: Um,
Ally Brettnacher: this was first
charge of
Caroline Barlow: it though, Yeah. My first Okay. how you've been at St. Jude's. um, like and months. Okay. Yeah, I actually
Ally Brettnacher: started like six weeks before I got which was kind of crazy a little bit. Yeah. Just like job.
Uhhuh super easy do Yeah for sure Yeah, my gosh, nuts. So, oh my gosh. Yeah How you coach at [00:49:00] Reba? do. Yeah. That's what you haven't talked about? Yes. Okay.
Caroline Barlow: my
Ally Brettnacher: coach. Your mother-in-law's a coach? My mother-in-law's. A coach. so does does your, Oliver did coach coached for about a
Caroline Barlow: year. Okay. He gave try.
Ally Brettnacher: So did you. Yeah. Uhhuh Now you coach
Caroline Barlow: now
Ally Brettnacher: So just
Caroline Barlow: finished my cross
Ally Brettnacher: coachee
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. Yeah. then track well.
Ally Brettnacher: so this
Caroline Barlow: year my track
Ally Brettnacher: season of coaching, but Well that's so awesome.
did you get connected with Buff? So, Joseph Mayley Foundation, sons were buff. and Helped
Caroline Barlow: cross
Ally Brettnacher: country. They knew
Caroline Barlow: a
Ally Brettnacher: know So. yeah Got started with
Caroline Barlow: that
Ally Brettnacher: love so to like give and think to
Caroline Barlow: when I
Ally Brettnacher: was in high school and what would've helped
Caroline Barlow: me at that Right. And these girls. fun.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, Mm-hmm that's, so important. mean, I just got to hear from Emily Feld at Monumental. Yeah. like all she's sharing about like, young female [00:50:00] athletes With body positivity for sure. And fueling your body. And all
of the things like. When you were growing and you were in cross country, do dad's so assuming your I mean don't know, not like telling need to lose weight. Absolutely not. Yeah. If so, we have like, uh, another problem.
Yes I lucky to grow up with some really good running role models, but definitely very prevalent
Caroline Barlow: throughout
Ally Brettnacher: my career.
Caroline Barlow: Like when go to.
Ally Brettnacher: Cross country camps or be around
Caroline Barlow: other runners,
Ally Brettnacher: it was definitely something you aware
Caroline Barlow: of
Ally Brettnacher: that was happening. Like eating disorders.
Caroline Barlow: Or, or just like feeling like, I need be doing else
Ally Brettnacher: better. Mm-hmm. Um, but yeah, feel in that I felt very supported and educated on what was important to help me be a strong
Caroline Barlow: runner. Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. So do you bring
Caroline Barlow: that
Ally Brettnacher: to your girls?
Caroline Barlow: actually have like
Ally Brettnacher: dieticians or and things come and [00:51:00] our girls.
Caroline Barlow: Um, definitely try model behaviors or, yeah, they're like, you
Ally Brettnacher: know, very open communication you what are you before practice and
Caroline Barlow: after
Ally Brettnacher: practice? Are you getting enough Are you hydrating enough? Are you mm-hmm being taken care of in all the ways that you need to be and encouraging to
get blood checked they've been feeling tired to start taking some iron.
All
Caroline Barlow: that
Ally Brettnacher: kind stuff, right? Mm-hmm. Yeah. amazing. Yes. That you're able to do that
Caroline Barlow: Yeah,
Ally Brettnacher: for sure. And it, I mean super rewarding me as I think.
Caroline Barlow: I'm not this my
Ally Brettnacher: own personal
Caroline Barlow: probably gonna run fast
Ally Brettnacher: 5K times, but
Caroline Barlow: I
Ally Brettnacher: fulfilled by watching them run the fast times Right And cheer that and see them get Yes, goals for sure. Um, how many, women the cross country team This year we had 52. Oh yeah. It's a team. It sounds really good for pretty pretty small school. Yeah. who aren't UFF a local Jesuit high Yeah. sister [00:52:00] Mm-hmm. and sisters went to Funny funny. But yeah many kids the school do you know? Like between 800 and 900 think. Yeah. So to have 50 of cross country kind crazy.
It's really Yeah And
Caroline Barlow: is
Ally Brettnacher: the team Great.
Caroline Barlow: had
Ally Brettnacher: two of our girls qualify for state this year
Caroline Barlow: and
Ally Brettnacher: finished super
Caroline Barlow: well, 27th
Ally Brettnacher: 31st, I think.
Caroline Barlow: that's
Ally Brettnacher: Great season for both of
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. our like. Top
Ally Brettnacher: all time times.
Caroline Barlow: Uh
Ally Brettnacher: ooh. Yeah Big deal. But, we actually finished regionals with
Caroline Barlow: varsity running PR at which
Ally Brettnacher: was super impressive.
Doesn't happen often. That is insane.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. very exciting. How
Ally Brettnacher: them celebrate, so they all went breakfast after the meet. Um, and then we actually have
Caroline Barlow: our
Ally Brettnacher: awards banquet
week so
get to celebrate together Then that's fun Mm-hmm We do
Caroline Barlow: that at
Ally Brettnacher: school? Yeah. That's Mm-hmm. Congratulations. Thank you. [00:53:00] you I'm just like processing that every, every single one. Woman on VAR running
Caroline Barlow: Yes, They all
Ally Brettnacher: ran a Yeah Some huge and actually girl even tripped and fell during race and still What a race. I know that's That's really cool. For sure. I love that. love you take after dad that way. yeah. It's been fun. My. know, my dad me and sister's soccer. my husband is the one who's Girls soccer.
Yeah. Which fun I mean, do, that's really fun. For Okay, so know what you?
Caroline Barlow: So I
Ally Brettnacher: think my next race will probably be the
Caroline Barlow: drumstick dash. fun.
Ally Brettnacher: Do you guys do that every We did it last
Caroline Barlow: year, my second doing Okay. But
Ally Brettnacher: I remember like
Caroline Barlow: and stuff, trot. Yep. that kind I they're
Ally Brettnacher: fun. I know that's controversial to to, I mean,
Caroline Barlow: not
Ally Brettnacher: [00:54:00] in this podcast, not on a Yeah Running podcast. At least you're in you're in Yeah, you're in Although, what's crazy is, Broder Pool, Uhhuh so we used the stick Yeah like went right by our house where we lived, so convenient. But now one. I don't know It just, it just like maybe point it's bit of a
are a little bigger. Mm-hmm. Like, wanna do it. husband deals enough my running. Like can have Thanksgiving off, you can have off doing a race.
Like I'll run Thanksgiving morning, but. He has that off. So, yeah. Yeah. Did we miss anything with St. Jude? don't so Yeah. Well, so I'm running, I'll run the half marathon there. That's right. In December. Yeah. So the
Caroline Barlow: Thanksgiving.
Ally Brettnacher: Okay, so that's coming up.
time comes out, So how can people help support you
Caroline Barlow: they
Ally Brettnacher: go look
Caroline Barlow: at St.
Ally Brettnacher: Jude Memphis Marathon site
Caroline Barlow: and find
Ally Brettnacher: somebody to donate to, or just donate in
Caroline Barlow: general
Ally Brettnacher: to any volunteer, sign up to
Caroline Barlow: run with
Ally Brettnacher: year. [00:55:00] Excellent. Yeah. Excellent.
have list type races you wanna do? I don't know. think I wanna at least one more
Caroline Barlow: marathon
Ally Brettnacher: waiting see which sure we'll also do that and then
Caroline Barlow: wanna run
Ally Brettnacher: another one but. We'll see which one ends up being. Um not sure at the moment
Caroline Barlow: I
Ally Brettnacher: think to do like all the world majors, but but
Caroline Barlow: that's obviously big commitment.
Ally Brettnacher: Yes. And so difficult. Oh yeah, yeah, for Yeah. Well, and it's like, for you, it would be so interesting because is a great avenue Yes. But then since like kind your then gets of weird
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. It be
Ally Brettnacher: a lot to and like, you know, compete against the people I'm supposed to be supporting.
Right. I didn't really even think about
Caroline Barlow: that.
Ally Brettnacher: All
Really? Yeah I mean I would love to
Caroline Barlow: to time
Ally Brettnacher: qualify for them also. I would Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: marathon
Ally Brettnacher: time Traverse City
Caroline Barlow: I ran
Ally Brettnacher: 3 21 I think. Okay. the reason I
Caroline Barlow: definitely
Ally Brettnacher: wanna do at [00:56:00] more is during the race I getting massive blister on the
Caroline Barlow: bottom my foot like
Ally Brettnacher: split open.
So
Caroline Barlow: I having to
Ally Brettnacher: like stop a So I know there was more that I have done, uh, ran So. In the future. you Uhhuh. blistering And you Yeah. That's not That's not so bad. Yeah. that I don't know how old a Boston for day?
It was, you know
Caroline Barlow: how have that
Ally Brettnacher: additional time off, so
Caroline Barlow: then I like
Ally Brettnacher: close but
Caroline Barlow: not quite
Ally Brettnacher: that year So were hoping for would assume. Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: I
Ally Brettnacher: was hoping to. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So what, much more you buffer?
Caroline Barlow: I
Ally Brettnacher: feel like it was like 30 ish seconds, tough
Caroline Barlow: So Yeah. so sorry. Yeah, Mm-hmm. I'm
Ally Brettnacher: like, mm-hmm.
mm-hmm.
40 so it plenty on podcast, but it's I, I hope to qualify for Boston. Right. Uhhuh, it's like one of those things that they keep moving the goalposts, like, wanna know.
Yes. Like time that I need that I know hopes up Exactly And then so people. By just seconds you're [00:57:00] like, It's like, well if I
known I 30 seconds. Yeah. I could've like walked walked one less time. Yeah Right. Absolutely. Okay. Well yeah you'll get there.
time. so For sure found is like, it's so weird like I never
thought
I would getting faster as I'm getting older, but yes.
Caroline Barlow: I,
Ally Brettnacher: you hear about that a lot now. Like I feel like just running training
Caroline Barlow: and all that
Ally Brettnacher: is
so better people able
Caroline Barlow: longer. Mm-hmm.
Ally Brettnacher: we talked about Teddy, your run with you? He likes to
Caroline Barlow: sprint.
Ally Brettnacher: Okay. sometimes we'll take him
Caroline Barlow: on run and get like mile, half mile from the house plant feet
Ally Brettnacher: in and to go further. Okay. So that, yeah.
doesn't really work. Which is funny I thinking he would be then. is not. Well, you always get another one. Yeah. I'm on the train right now trying get my husband a puppy but yes, I'm not winning yet. you're not running, out with Teddy.
and Oliver like fun going to restaurants,
Caroline Barlow: like trying
Ally Brettnacher: new, new places around Indie [00:58:00] actually has like a ton of really good
Caroline Barlow: Um, like that.
Ally Brettnacher: We recently
Caroline Barlow: bought our house, so I've
Ally Brettnacher: been. well,
Caroline Barlow: a strong
Ally Brettnacher: word.
Decorating, I would And, you know, picking
Caroline Barlow: out all the
Ally Brettnacher: that kind of stuff. Doing No That's
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. And then traveling of course. Where do you travel? So,
Caroline Barlow: my actually
Ally Brettnacher: lives in London, so my
Caroline Barlow: husband's family. gonna go, going
Ally Brettnacher: there for
Christmas this which will be fun.
Are
Caroline Barlow: fun. Yeah, it'll be
Ally Brettnacher: fun I've been
couple
Caroline Barlow: times. Um, market
Ally Brettnacher: in London? I think there are
Caroline Barlow: year at
Ally Brettnacher: Buckingham Palace, they're
Caroline Barlow: time ever.
Ally Brettnacher: really cool so cool. Yeah. it's been a CO two, three years. I went to go, we went to Germany for the Christmas market. Mm-hmm. Yeah. 'cause our would that. Obsessed with that. And so we're like, okay. And it was really it was really fun. That'll be amazing. Yeah. Super excited for
Caroline Barlow: that. Let's see, [00:59:00] where
Ally Brettnacher: else have I been?
Italy, Hawaii is where we went for our
Caroline Barlow: honeymoon. That. Amazing. one I gotta get, went
Ally Brettnacher: infant, count. like, technically I've there. of need to know that Didn't get to enjoy it. at all at all did parents probably Yeah probably not. Right. Yeah. gosh.
I'm gonna ask the podcast question. Okay. And of already covered one, but we'll, we'll go deeper. Okay. Okay. So the first one is, is your favorite running mantra? And or song.
Caroline Barlow: My running mantra. my
Ally Brettnacher: coach used to me this
Caroline Barlow: like, run lap in mile I guess now.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah that's my favorite Yeah Yes just cause am and many runners, often starts to hurt, think like how I'm only a third of the
Caroline Barlow: way
Ally Brettnacher: in am I this whatever. And would
Caroline Barlow: always that me,
Ally Brettnacher: which kind just really helped
Caroline Barlow: ground me. Remind it'll pass.
on where you're at now don't worry about rest of it yet. Yeah. do
Ally Brettnacher: you listen to music when you run? I do now [01:00:00] often. any songs, a walkout song? Oh, really pop, song. Um, my running playlist is Taylor Swift Music, which,
Caroline Barlow: yeah,
Ally Brettnacher: there's more
Caroline Barlow: like that now back when I
Ally Brettnacher: was high school listening to yeah.
with me. I super yeah, but it's, I mean, song is good Yeah. favorite song new album? Good question. I think Alite Me Yeah. That's a good running a great running one. Yeah. It was actually the only song I had on my marathon.
Oh, there you go. It was a good one. Yeah. Okay. And the next finish line or milestone we've kind of touched
already Yeah. Obviously running. Yeah. Jude.
Caroline Barlow: Dash,
Ally Brettnacher: then St Jude marathon the milestone of like a a million raise Yes think you'll there?
This year or next year? Um, it'll be close this year. Yeah, I think it'll close If not, definitely next Yeah. And how do you, speaking [01:01:00] of like milestones, like how you celebrate David like. you celebrate his birthday? Yeah, yeah. When he passed? Like what are those milestones we do both. So birthday is December 16th, which is always close to the, race. Yeah. So we we have our team shirts every and then you
Caroline Barlow: know, run the race altogether.
Ally Brettnacher: Do stuff
Caroline Barlow: there for him. then
Ally Brettnacher: on his birthday and the day that he passed, my
Caroline Barlow: family likes like of his
Ally Brettnacher: favorite meals.
So often we'll do sushi, he's big sushi guy.
That means that's, yeah that's funny actually Yeah.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah. So often
Ally Brettnacher: or other things that he
Caroline Barlow: then watch like movie like,
Ally Brettnacher: he was like Star Wars, Harry like those kinds things. So if new
one of those we'll see
Caroline Barlow: it in the theater.
If not, find. Watch one
Ally Brettnacher: at home, but yeah.
Caroline Barlow: Yeah, like I about
Ally Brettnacher: him pretty much every day right
Caroline Barlow: now,
Ally Brettnacher: so yeah. doing things. What [01:02:00] What do you get signs from him? Like you feel how do you, does he show up you?
Caroline Barlow: Yeah, I
Ally Brettnacher: remember when he like. was a kid, he always a puppy.
Like his whole bedroom was like puppy like every like writing prompt like, I wish I could have a puppy. I'm so mad at my parents that I can't have a puppy. You never get a puppy. So when he patient at St. Jude, he eventually got his
Caroline Barlow: puppy.
Ally Brettnacher: So we still have Dexter. It's my parents'
Caroline Barlow: dog, had
Ally Brettnacher: this stuffed, it was
Caroline Barlow: bear,
Ally Brettnacher: but he named
Caroline Barlow: it puppy.
Ally Brettnacher: And was convinced it was, it was a puppy. Okay. It is now. Yeah. And so he
Caroline Barlow: like kind was end. Yes. have it, gave that me. then I like when passed
Ally Brettnacher: like, every
Caroline Barlow: time dog on my run, I would
Ally Brettnacher: of him.
And so that's something
Caroline Barlow: I still do.
Ally Brettnacher: That's crazy. dogs.
Caroline Barlow: great Well,
Ally Brettnacher: do you Yeah, uh the
Caroline Barlow: Yeah.
Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. On rail trail, all [01:03:00] kinds of Yes. And monumental this year, lots of dogs. The dogs showed Dogs during I love to see those. Yep. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yep.
Especially now there's well at Marine Corps, and I know at. Chicago. Mm-hmm. I saw they'll like for like free Yes.
the Yes. So got to a dog Uhhuh during my marathon And that's always New York they had therapy dogs. Did they really? love I actually said. my friend Ashley, I ran with at Monumental. team, we need to have therapy dogs start. It'd so great. Yeah, absolutely. 'cause you're like, I would
love that the start of a a Just like like calm. your nerve. and that's really, that's he did eventually get a yes. Did he name Dexter? He named
Caroline Barlow: Dexter, yes. debate in my family if it's like Dexter's like. Dexter. like
Ally Brettnacher: serial killer. Serial killer show. know. That's what I
Caroline Barlow: like, I
Ally Brettnacher: knows? That's, yeah.
That's amazing. Oh my gosh. Well, I'm so grateful to, you for doing this. Yeah. And for all the working, having me all working you for St. Jude, which [01:04:00] important many families. Yeah. Well, you. it. Absolutely. Mm-hmm. And thank you everybody who has Yes. And happy running.
If you enjoyed this episode of Finish Lines and Milestones from Sandy Boy Productions, please share rate review. Again, I appreciate you guys so much and good luck to anyone racing CIM this weekend. I know that my friend Christy D is out there along with Anthony Bruss, who is soon to be on this podcast, and I am cheering you all on.
See you next week.