Finish Lines & Milestones: Episode 169: Bri Qualizza - Pace and Purpose

Finish Lines & Milestones: Episode 169: Bri Qualizza - Pace and Purpose

Here's how people can enjoy this episode:

Guest: Bri Qualizza @briquals_

Show Notes:

Bri Qualizza and I have been internet friends for quite a while, probably crossing paths at a lot of local races, but this was the first time we actually got to meet in person.

During this episode, sponsored by Athlete Bouquets, we talk about:

  • [2:00] Growing up a competitive dancer since age three, plus a self-described "not good" stint on her middle and high school track team
  • [4:00] How that dance background led to five years cheering for the Indianapolis Colts, including a calendar shoot in Mexico and missing the Super Bowl the year of Deflategate
  • [7:00] Meeting her husband, Ryan, at Howl at the Moon in downtown Indianapolis
  • [9:00] 15 years at Riley Children's Health — from student tech to the sedation team to earning her doctorate this year (yes, you can call her Dr. Qualizza)
  • [12:00] Running her first half marathon, the Indy Mini, in 2013 — and driving straight home afterward without realizing what a big deal it was
  • [14:00] Becoming a Geist Half Marathon ambassador and getting certified as a run coach
  • [15:00] Losing her first pregnancy, Charlie, at the height of the pandemic in 2020, and fighting to get Ryan into the hospital for her surgery
  • [19:00] Coaching group fitness at CycleBar to stay active postpartum, before her daughter Eva was born
  • [20:00] Running the 49th Indy Mini as her first race back after Eva — and the first time Ryan was able to cheer her on at the finish line
  • [25:00] Launching her own run coaching business, Pace and Purpose, after a friend asked her to help train for her first half marathon
  • [31:00] Training for her "redemption marathon" at Carmel — and getting sidelined by two shin stress fractures just weeks before race day
  • [39:00] Her return-to-running plan with coach Sara Farney, starting a run club at Riley Hospital, and her fall race calendar: Geist Half, Indianapolis Monumental, a Disney Princess race, and a return to Carmel
  • [44:00] Supporting her husband Ryan's own Boston Qualifier goal, and her go-to running song ("Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin) and mantra — "You get to"

Previous Guests Mentioned

Sponsor Details

Other Links

This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

Episode Transcript

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

Bri: not only did I end up having a fracture, I had two. One of them was a grade four. The other one was a grade one, four inches long. and he goes, " , so I'm just here to tell you under no circumstances are you running your race."

Ally: Welcome to Finish Lines and Milestones, a podcast for everyday runners. I'm your host, Ally Brettnacher, 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. Before we get into today's episode, I wanted to make sure that if you are local to Central Indiana, you know about That 5K. Stands for Tori's Hike For Another Tomorrow. It's happening this Saturday, August 15th. It's put on by Christina Cook and her mom, Tu Anne. If you haven't heard Christina's episode yet, go back to episode 65. It's one that has certainly stuck with me. Her and her family started this race in honor of her sister Tori to raise awareness around mental health. It is a beautiful cause, beautiful community, so if you are local, you should come. This week's episode [00:01:00] is brought to you by Athlete Bouquets. More on that in a minute. My guest this week is Dr. Bri Qualizza. She is a nurse, mom of two, plus an angel baby, former NFL cheerleader, brand new run coach with an energy that is so infectious. We talk about her redemption marathon, a shin injury that you just heard about, and how she is building her own coaching community called Pace and Purpose, one lollygag long run at a time. Let's get into my conversation with Bre. Hope you enjoy thank you for doing this. It's so nice to finally meet you in person. Yeah. We've interacted a little bit on the internet, but- I know ... yeah.

Bri: how it all starts.

Ally: And probably like run by each other or been at the same race as many times- Yep ... as it happens here.

Bri: Yeah. And I'm notorious for being creepy. Like, Abby, who was on your podcast a few times ago.

Ally: Yes.

Bri: I met her at the 20-miler for Carmel and I was just like, "Hi, Abby," and, and she was like, "Uh," I'm like, "I, we have liked each other's things on the internet."

Ally: Yeah, for a long time. So we're basically friends.

Bri: friends. This is just now how we are in person.

Ally: Yeah. So this community [00:02:00] has been just so fun to get to know.

Bri: Pretty cool.

Ally: And so you've been running for a while, since middle school?

Bri: Yeah, since middle school. So I started doing track, to keep me in shape for dance, and because you just like do a lot of really quickly, quick things, ideally beautifully for, short little bursts. Mm-hmm. And so I was like, well, an endurance sport will kind of help me be that. So my event was a mile. I was very bad at it. I was like B, C string all the time.

Ally: Gosh, a mile, that sounds awful.

Bri: Oh my gosh. For track, no one cares-

Ally: Okay ...

Bri: about... Also, I was bad, so I was, like, not only not good, also a mile. but then one time, I did do long jump once at my

Ally: There you go.

Bri: short stature, but we didn't have enough kids, and they were like, "Hey-

Ally: Well, you just-

Bri: Gimmicky, you're gonna be..." And I'm like,

Ally: Oh my gosh ... "

Bri: Okay."

Ally: All

Bri: always my claim to fame is I was a track and field athlete- There you go ... one time.

Ally: Does the high... Well, high, does high jump count for the field then? Yeah. I guess so. Yeah.

Bri: think so.

Ally: the track. Yeah. So I did that one time, as did Abby [00:03:00] Prentice- See ... speaking of. So we

Bri: There you go. Yeah,

Ally: yeah, so.

Bri: That is cool.

Ally: dance, when did you start dancing? Before middle school? I think like three. Okay. Yeah. Like,

Bri: yeah, it's been a lifelong-

Ally: Thing ...

Bri: thing. Dance and gymnastics- Oh

Ally: do you have siblings?

Bri: you have siblings? I have a little brother- Little brother. Okay ... who is now, well-

Ally: of the family

Bri: the dancer. He swam.

Ally: Okay.

Bri: I- Nice ... typically doggy paddle-

Ally: Yeah, same. So. Are you from here?

Bri: I'm from Terre Haute, so it's on the border, um, for those who don't know, it's on the border of Illinois and Indiana. Yep.

Ally: Okay.

Bri: Yeah. ISU, Rose-Hulman is

Ally: Rose-Hulman. Mm-hmm. Been there.

Bri: went, so that's-

Ally: There you go.

Bri: you go so I know the- Yeah ... Fighting Engineers. Yes,

Ally: the engineers. Ooh.

Bri: The little elephant.

Ally: I'm also married to an engineer. He went to Purdue though, so. I understand. But yeah, same, like they're the best. They're the best. It's great to be married to an engineer.

Bri: It's li- we have such cool things. Mm-hmm. Everything works.

Ally: Yeah, and if it doesn't, it will.

Bri: It will. It will very quickly and effectively.

Ally: Yeah. Oh my gosh. okay, so back to dance real quick. Mm-hmm. So you started when you were really little. Mm-hmm. And what types of dance did you do growing up?

Bri: So dance team, so starting in middle [00:04:00] school we did, jazz and pom. pom is basically what you think of, like you have pom-poms- Okay ... you're doing sharp movements, you do the jumps, all the things.

Ally: they call it pom dance, not cheerleading?

Bri: because then if you're cheerleading, you're doing the tumbles and all of the things. Ah. Whereas dance is mainly like... Although now people are so talented, they're doing aerials and they're flipping and they're doing-

Ally: All things

Bri: all the things that I never had to do. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. and then in high school we did some hip hop which l- led into the collegiate pro stuff very easily- Okay ... and made it kind of blend together, 'cause you think of, like with the Colts stuff- Mm-hmm that's, pom and hip hop combined, like cutesy dance.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Yeah.

Ally: Okay, so in middle school, high school- Mm-hmm did you cheer and dance then, or could you only pick one?

Bri: You could only pick one and- Only pick one ... because you perform at the football games, you perform at

Ally: it's all... Yeah, okay.

Bri: Yeah. Okay. And so yeah, I just, I danced. I went full send into that.

Ally: then when you worked with the Colts, were you, you were a cheerleader though- Yes versus dance. And so then is it everything at that point? It's everything.

Bri: Okay. So you have some women who had been cheerleaders, you have some that [00:05:00] were just gymnasts, you have some that danced like me. Okay. Got

Ally: Yep, Got it.

Bri: but yeah, I mean that was, that was fascinating.

Ally: And then in college, where did you go to school?

Bri: I went to IU and then I transferred up here, freshman year for nursing school.

Ally: Okay.

Bri: So as much as I went kicking and screaming after going into sophomore year up here at IUI now, it was IPUI back then, it was the right choice. I've been at Riley for 15 years. Wow. You know, I've just been everywhere doing everything, so it was nice. And it also brought me to where, when I was in nursing school I was able to do the Colts- Wow ... because I was

Ally: I was able

Bri: to

Ally: do the Colts. Wow. Being up here working. Yeah ...

Bri: which was

Ally: guess my only frame of reference is when they, they have the Dallas Cowboys

Bri: reality show. I know.

Ally: reality show. Yeah, Dallas. And I'm like, oh yeah, like there were a lot of nurses on there I feel like where they do-

Bri: 'Cause you can do three twelves- Yeah ... you know, and then you can just

Ally: then just, geez. I mean, I thought, I was like, that is nuts, but it kind of makes sense.

Bri: Yeah, it's just easier Yeah You know? 'Cause we did like five-hour practices on Tuesday and Thursday, and then you would just... Oh, it was nuts. It just-

Ally: Wow. How long did you do that?

Bri: Just one season, 'cause then I graduated, nursing school and-

Ally: Okay ...

Bri: it was just a lot, and so I'm like, "All [00:06:00] right."

Ally: I can only imagine. It has to be so intense.

Bri: was so intense And

Ally: interesting, like I feel like body image stuff

Bri: Yeah, you know-

Ally: know- ... interesting

Bri: really funny is it got so much better with the Colts than it ever was growing up, because I was like, I mean, probably 90 pounds- Oh ... my entire

Ally: I mean, I guess that makes sense, right? And- You'd already dealt with that your whole life.

Bri: Yeah, but then like I, I gained 10 or 15 pounds with the Colts because it was all muscle, and I think that that was finally the shift where I was like, "Oh no, you can be strong and like look great-

Ally: Yeah

Bri: and have muscle," and it w- and it was fascinating 'cause I was like, "Oh, this is the healthiest I've ever you know, been and looked, and I'm, you know, moving muscle and stuff," so- Yeah ... it w- that part was really refreshing for me- Yeah ... coming from dancing your whole life. not that I had struggled with it, but it's something that everybody talks about.

Ally: Right, all the time,

Bri: All the time.

Ally: You're conscious of it whether it's- Yes ... something you struggle with or not. Right. Yeah. So tr- I guess the track and field you said in

Bri: yeah, just track ... 'cause

Ally: to help with your stamina-

Bri: Yes ... for

Ally: dance.

Bri: And I did that in high school for a couple years as well. lettered in [00:07:00] that too. Again, I was not

Ally: not good.

Bri: I,

Ally: Believe me, I went to Westfield High School back when it was small.

Bri: Oh, okay.

Ally: And so I played- Yeah ... yeah, I lettered in-

Bri: You could play everything Yeah. I mean, I lettered in show choir. Yeah. I was like, I had like four letters.

Ally: You could play anything. I would just show up, and if you like can run around, then you're good to go.

Bri: Oh my gosh. Well, and then they would just let you free, and so I would run to Taco Bell-

Ally: Oh ...

Bri: and like eat and then run back.

Ally: That's great. Perfect.

Bri: is insane.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: But, you know.

Ally: Insane. Okay, so your husband went to Rose-Hulman, so how'd you meet your husband?

Bri: Howl at the Moon.

Ally: Ooh.

Bri: Downtown. Um-

Ally: Excellent. Tell people about that bar who may not know what it

Bri: is. So it is a dueling piano bar. It's on Georgia, I believe, in downtown Indianapolis. so we met... We were out for two separate birthday parties, and we met in line. His buddy Cameron, struck up a conversation with the girls and all of this stuff, and then we saw them again inside. And one of my buddies, she was talking to Ryan first, and I was, I just, in fashion, I was [00:08:00] like, "Hi, I'm Bre. We should, we should talk instead."

Ally: my gosh. That's so great

Bri: Oh my gosh.

Ally: And I was

Bri: like, "Bye, Jess."

Ally: he's

Bri: me." "See you later."

Ally: like, "Hi, Jess." Yeah. "Excuse me, uh, bye." That's great.

Bri: it was ridiculous, but... That was almost 10 or 11 years ago. Okay. So, and he had season tickets the season I was cheering, but we didn't really, like-

Ally: Oh, interesting

Bri: he saw me. He saw me dance. Yeah. He just wasn't my boyfriend at the the

Ally: time. That's so funny. Yeah. So, okay. Were you a cheerleader at the time you met?

Bri: I was, yep. Okay. And then he, like... But it was, like, towards the end of it and- The end of the season. Got it.

Ally: it. Okay. And why did you decide you just, it was too much with nursing school and then going to have a full-time job- Yeah ... and then doing it?

Bri: it was just, yeah, it was just a lot. 'Cause it was, you know, you, we... They travel, I think, less now. You never went to the away games. But I mean, we went to Mexico for a calendar shoot. We always had to have the hair done. Oh, wow. We had to do... Oh yeah. That's a lot. It was crazy. Yeah, so somewhere out there, there

Ally: never went to away games? That surprises me.

Bri: Yeah. They, just the home cheerleaders

Ally: Okay. Okay.

Bri: except for the Super Bowl. And [00:09:00] my year was Deflategate, and so we were like- " This sucks."

Bri: this close. I was, I'm still mad about it. Wow. Like, I could've gone to the playoffs. I could've been at a Super Bowl on the sidelines. the sideline.

Ally: Whoa.

Bri: Yeah. So Tom Brady, I have his number.

Ally: Yeah. S- He's think anybody, well, local to Indiana- Exactly ... likes Tom Brady, but yeah. Man, that's crazy. Yeah. Oh my gosh, Mexico. So there's a calendar. You don't have it? Why don't you have it?

Bri: do have it.

Ally: Okay.

Bri: I mean, I have a giant locker room poster just in our basement of- That's

Ally: so great. Well, yeah, you have to keep

Bri: Ryan's like, "What are we doing with this?" I'm like, "I, not throwing it away."

Ally: Yeah. Hey, Ryan, turn it into a cardboard cutout for her 40th birthday- in a few years.

Bri: Just,

Ally: just- Yeah. Or for her next marathon.

Bri: Just for next marathon.

Ally: a good idea. You're welcome.

Bri: Noted.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: You're welcome.

Ally: Somebody do that. okay, so then you've been a nurse-

Bri: Mm-hmm. Yep.

Ally: for your whole ca- at Riley the whole

Bri: At Riley the whole time. Um, yeah, it's been a long journey. So yeah, while I was cheering, I also worked, as a tech, so like a student nurse, [00:10:00] twice a week. I was in resource center, so you floated around Methodist, Uni, and Riley just going to all the different units who needed help. And that's when I'm like, "Okay, well, a lot, yeah. " This is where I wanna be." That's also the best. Yep. And so I started in the cancer center there. I was there for a few years before transitioning to what we call the sedation team. So we do a lot of procedures, and I worked with the, PICUs, so the ICU physicians sedating kiddos for procedures. Mm-hmm. while I got my master's, and then I taught for a little bit. and then now I... So I just got my doctorate this year, and- Congratulations. Thank you so much. And now I do quality improvement for the PICU, so I'm back in the ICU. I do, process improvement, quality metrics, data management stuff, and-

Ally: Cool ...

Bri: it's phenomenal.

Ally: That's Incredible ...

Bri: it's the best, 'cause my anxiety cannot handle bedside anymore now that I have two kids of my

Ally: Well, yeah, and we'll get to the kiddo stuff too. Oh. But I'm sure that what you went through also, gosh- Yeah ... I can only imagine. Ugh, the horror of knowing-

Bri: Mm-hmm ...

Ally: too much information-

Bri: You know, too much. I am so crazy for these poor kids. Yeah. Like- Everybody send them good vibes and [00:11:00] luck growing up with me. gosh.

Ally: No, they're, they're in good hands,

Bri: They're... Yeah ... clearly. I mean- It's so funny 'cause we freak out about two different things. You know, Ryan freaks out about... I'm like, "Oh, that's not too much blood. We're fine."

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: We're... But then I'm like, "D- if they look at a lawnmower while you are mowing, they will not be outside." And he's like, "Okay."

Ally: Like I've seen too much. Yeah. I have seen... Yeah. That, that has to be, yeah, interesting as a parent,

Bri: Yeah. It's very odd. So yeah. So now- Yeah ... I'm away from the bedside. I get to talk, to the nurses when they're doing the phenomenal work that they do. Um, I would not have been able to get my doctorate project done without the bedside staff. and then I was able to get published. Like, just crazy.

Ally: So now we should call you Dr. Quiliza.

Bri: Yes. D- Is that right? Dr. Quiliza. That's... Yes. You did it.

Ally: Dr. Kualiza.

Bri: I know. For my graduation, Ryan did have them call me Dr. Mommy for-

Ally: Oh ...

Bri: like for a while. That's fun. And I was like- Dr. Mommy ... "That is. That's me." Yes.

Ally: Wow. Yeah, congrats. That's really- Thank you ... amazing.

Bri: Yeah. And I can do no more school unless I switch

Ally: careers. Yeah. You're like, "I am now done."

Bri: I'm done done.

Ally: Yeah. Wow. that is a [00:12:00] lot of It's

Bri: so much. Yeah. It's ridiculous. the next role that I would fade into in nursing, requires a doctorate, and I told Ryan, I'm like, "I might as well just get it done while the kids have no activities." Like-

Ally: I mean,

Bri: Cause then if a opportunity presents itself-

Ally: you're ready

Bri: I'm ready. I'm not gonna be limited by a degree, a

Ally: Good for you. Yeah. Amazing. Wow. And okay, your ha- first half-marathon was in 2013?

Bri: was, yes.

Ally: okay, so where was that in your life?

Bri: It was, um, it was the Mini. It was junior year of nursing school, I believe. so there were, like, seven of us that went. and it was the funniest thing 'cause I had never run that far. Training was, like, fine, you know, not a big deal. but then I got my medal, I took a picture, and then I just drove back. I was dating a guy who had a baseball game that day, so then I was just like, "All right," I'm getting in my car and go- And I'm like, looking back, I'm like, no, you should think how cool that is. That's a really amazing feat. Yeah. This started this trajectory on something that's so important to you, but- Yeah ... so the Mini was my first one, and [00:13:00] then we just kind of faded into it and-

Ally: Okay. Yeah ...

Bri: haven't really stopped except for having babies since.

Ally: So how many times have you done the Mini?

Bri: Ooh, the M- So I think I've done, like, 10 or 11 halves. Probably half of those, maybe four or five of them are the Mini. Okay. I know I have the Milk Jug, I have the Race Car. Oh yeah, all

Ally: the medals.

Bri: You just go by the medals. Yep. The little 2013 one,

Ally: Yep. Yeah. Have your, has your five-year-old done the rookie run or anything like that

Bri: So we couldn't make it this year. I really wanted to, but we were, we have a camper, and so we were camping that weekend. It's so fun 'cause we did a lot of tent camping. We ha- I mean, we had a Pack 'N Play, two dogs, and a c- um, cot and us- It's a lot ... in the tent two years ago, and Ryan finally was like, " Should we-" Maybe have a vehicle.

Ally: Yeah, that sounds smart. I just- That's crazy. I'm not a tent camper.

Bri: Oh, no. So we, I w- was not really, but that humble brag on my husband. He did the Appalachian Trail, so he did Maine to Georgia on foot. Wow. And I c- he's so cool. And [00:14:00] so he was like, " That's fine. This is great. We have a plan." And, and I'm like, "Okay, great comparatively to bears trying to eat us, but-" Right.

Ally: Yeah. I mean, well at well at

Bri: least- "... an RV is lovely."

Ally: Yeah, an RV. That's what I did as a kid. We did RV

Bri: trips. It's so fun.

Ally: But I, we never, we didn't camp outside as a result 'cause we had our camper. Yeah,

Bri: you had the camper.

Ally: camper. Yeah. Which was fine by

Bri: And it's great memories.

Ally: Such great memories. Such good memories, yeah. So, okay. So you did the mini handful of times. You've done other races. Now you're an ambassador for Geist.

Bri: an an ambassador.

Ally: Very cool.

Bri: So cool. yeah, so that race is September 12th. code BRETON. but it's, I did the 5K for Geist last year, and then I just started, I'm getting more into this, and I was getting my certification for run coaching. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, "Okay, let's just like fully dive

Ally: Yeah, let's just

Bri: Let, let's just

Ally: Well, when we get to talking about your race calendar, if you-

Bri: It's insane.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: coming off of an injury, I mean, that's just, I can't say it's the smartest decision of my

Ally: I can't say

Bri: Well, we'll find out. We'll find out.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Come [00:15:00] 2027, we'll know.

Ally: It looks like a blast, so,

Bri: looks so much fun.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: I'm so excited. Yeah.

Ally: Oh my gosh. Yeah. So, Let's talk about becoming a mom, 'cause that's such a big piece of your story.

Bri: Yes. Yeah. So- I think it's a big part of my love-

Ally: Yeah

Bri: For

Ally: what you do.

Bri: Yeah.

Ally: Yeah. So what year was that?

Bri: So I became a mom, so with our fir- we ended up losing our first, babe, so that was Charlie. That was in 2020.

Ally: No, it

Bri: And it was in the height of the pandemic. Really? I went full nurse on this too, because it was COVID, and it was- Wow two months after everything, and they tried to tell me my husband couldn't come back for the surgery, ' cause I had to have a surgery. I had to have, I had to have two, 'cause I was hemorrhaging.

Ally: Gee.

Bri: It was insane, and they were like, "Well, you know, because of the restrictions..." And I was like, "I will call every single person I know within this facility. He is coming back." And they were like, "Well..." And I was like, "You can provide him with the PPE. Do you need a fake badge?" And they're like, "That, no, that's, uh..." Yeah. And I was like, "This is after [00:16:00] hours. Everybody's gone. you can test him if you would like. Cause he wasn't allowed in the appointment with me when they told me we had lost Charlie. Like- Oh ' cause he w- so he just, poor guy, was, like, in the hallway

Ally: Okay. Let's, let's talk about what it was like... Well, I guess it was just before, so two months after-

Bri: Mm-hmm ...

Ally: the world shut down is when you... So you were pregnant when all this was happening. How was that experience? It was- As a first-time mom being pregnant it

Bri: so odd. It was so odd, because I'm, you know, anxious to begin with, so I'm like, "Well, I don't wanna be around anybody who could potentially hasten any loss that ended up occurring." and so I was really nervous. And then, we did, we, you know, we went in. We had lost any heartbeat and all that, so we ended up having a couple surgeries. but then I got, we got pregnant with Noah, and that pregnancy was so much worse-

Ally: Oh, great.

Bri: Because I had known what-

Ally: Yeah. I've- ... could happen.

Bri: Yeah. So the, the Charlie pregnancy wasn't- bad

Bri: until it was Right.

Ally: Okay

Bri: And then with Noah, I mean, God bless my mom, you know, she'd be like, "Are [00:17:00] you excited for..." "No."

Ally: " No, I'm actually..." Yeah.

Bri: When, when are you gonna paint the..." "I don't know."

Ally: I mean, yeah.

Bri: It was, I mean, yeah. It was cr- it was crazy. And so I think that Noah's pregnancy was probably tougher on it, Because I didn't move for a while after we lost Charlie, 'cause I was just, you know, sad. Yeah. And we were like, "Okay, well, we need to get clearance. We need to do all of these things to be able to move again." And I remember we were about six or seven weeks after we had lost him, and we, we went to Colorado with my brother and sister-in-law live out there. And we went, and Ryan's like, "I think we should do this, like, hike. It's called Mount Ida." And I'm like, "Okay, yeah, that sounds great." And it was so hard. And I got to the top of the mountain. I smiled, you know, did all the things, and then it was a really tough hike back. It was so windy. It was cold. Mm-hmm. I wore shorts, inexplicably, and I was just so mad at my body, at, my legs, at my heart, for no good reason. I had to take a break, but I was like, "This is ridic-"

Ally: ridiculous." Yeah.

Bri: [00:18:00] is a waste of my time being on this mountain." Like, insane- Yeah ... thoughts. but then come, Noah delivered, beautiful, healthy boy. and I tried to be active throughout his pregnancy, and I remember telling myself, and it was the best thing, for anybody who is struggling with maintaining physical fitness- Mm-hmm ... while you're pregnant. I was like, "Give, g- 10 minutes a day. You can try to work out, you can try to move for 10 minutes. If it still is trash by the end of that 10 minutes, you tried."

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: like, 80% of the time I was able to make it, you know, 20, 30, an hour. Yeah. whether that was yoga, whether that was a jog, a walk, you know, anything like that. Yeah. and so once I got through that, I started, sinking again where I was just full mom mode. Mm-hmm. and so I told Ryan, I was like, "I think I need to start teaching group fitness," 'cause I had coached a dance team. I t- coached some high schoolers, before and throughout my pregnancy with Noah. I was like, "I think I need to coach something to stay active." Yeah. And so Noah was like 14 months, and I ended up, getting a coaching job at [00:19:00] CycleBar and- Which

Ally: Cycle... Which one?

Bri: Uh, it was Fisher's.

Ally: Okay. All right. I've never been to that one. Fisher's had three. Yeah.

Bri: of them closed.

Ally: Did they all? Even Traders? Traders

Bri: Traders Point held on for the longest time, but then they, they also closed. Yeah. Yeah. So

Ally: a tough business. man ...It's

Bri: tough. I mean, 'cause it's, cycling's very... I mean, I love it. I have a bike in my basement. yeah, I have a Peloton. I love it. You have a Peloton,

Ally: Yeah, yeah

Bri: Yeah. but just maintaining classes, like I had a few that, I had one or two- Yeah ... maybe three people in, like- Right.

Ally: Totally. You're

Bri: Hey ...

Ally: Let's go.

Bri: Let's go, I'm gonna yell at you at a mic. And you're

Ally: not even, you're not even doing it for, like, a video of people, like you're a Peloton instructor, right? Yeah, it's just like- It's like you're just then there for the people that are there.

Bri: Yeah. And it- And it, you know, and it was great, but yeah. It was just, it was funny 'cause I got right into that, and then I ended up co- coaching that until I was eight months pregnant with Eva, and that just kind of kept spiraling. And then Eva turned about a year old, and finally I told Ryan, I'm like, "All right, we're like, we're racing again. We're doing all the things. We're proud of our body. we're going." And he's like, "Yeah. Let's go." Yeah. 'Cause he'd been able to continue doing whatever he wanted.

Ally: Right.

Bri: Every

Ally: man.

Bri: He just-

Ally: [00:20:00] Yeah

Bri: could, and yeah. And so then I think it was what was the last race? 50th was '25, and so I got back in '24, and I did my f- first mini again since 2018.

Ally: Okay. Oh, wait. Oh, wait. What? 50th, 50th was this year. It was this year. Yeah.

Bri: Is that the tw- it... Yeah,

Ally: we're already

Bri: Oh yeah, it's already 2026.

Ally: know. I do know what year it

Bri: is. I, I do not it turns out.

Ally: It's okay. It's all right. Hey, for anybody who else who didn't know, now they know

Bri: The 49th woman who running- Yeah ... of the Mini Okay. Okay. Was it?

Ally: was that your first race back- Mm-hmm ... as mom of- Part of it. Yeah. And so the proper way to talk about, are you a mom of three? Do you say you're a mom of three?

Bri: So it's k- it's kind of tough, you know? Yeah. 'Cause we, um, we, I typically say, you know, I, I have two babies and an angel baby.

Ally: Okay, yeah ...

Bri: I have, like, my little bracelets, and so we have the little-

Ally: the rainbow

Bri: you know, 'cause- Yeah ... it, you know, we never got to meet, we got, never got to meet Charlie, so we don't know. I always say him, but we didn't even make it, we didn't get genetic testing, and so it just, like- Yeah ... is a vibe- Yeah ... that I, that I feel. But, yeah. [00:21:00] I don't, I don't know

Ally: Yeah. Right.

Bri: But it, it's a very interesting thing because, you know, you can't tell the kids yet. Like, we have a stuffed bunny that we had used to tell our families like, "Hey, we're pregnant." And, and the kids play with it now, and Noah's like, "Did I get this when I was a baby?" And I'm like, " Yes."

Ally: Kinda. I let y- You seen it when you were a baby. Yeah, I

Bri: I know ... like, it wasn't for you. So

Ally: So wait, the kids don't know about Charlie? No. Oh, that's so interesting. Yeah. Well, I mean- So- ... it's a weird thing. They're young

Bri: they're a weird... They're young. They're young. They're like- It's

Ally: tough ...

Bri: little ones.

Ally: ones. F- Well, kindergarten they start getting, a lot smarter, where you're like, "Wow, those are really good

Bri: Yeah. And so maybe this is the

Ally: Maybe it'll, you

Bri: kindergarten, and then we'll just-

Ally: Be like, yeah, you... Yeah.

Bri: That's- There's a little, little baby watches over you- Yeah ... and-

Ally: No. Yeah. He's not coming. How, how many weeks?

Bri: Uh, we were about 13. 12 or 13. Okay. Um, in the middle there. And so we, we got past what I felt was safe. We got past eight weeks.

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: And so I... And, you know, and then it was... Yeah, we had the, the loss, and then, like I had said, we were camping in a tent. Yeah. And I... the nurse in me, I, [00:22:00] I remember I went and I told Ryan, I was like, "Hey, so I'm hemorrhaging a lot of blood." And he was like- You,

Ally: you in a tent?

Bri: Yeah, 'cause luckily there was a bath house. And so I went to the bath house, and he was like, "What?" And I was like, "Let's just see if it continues." And he was like throwing the tent in the truck.

Ally: "Absolutely not, you crazy lady."

Bri: And it's like, "No, we're going." I'm like, "We can wait." He's like, " No, that's crazy. We're gonna leave."

Ally: Jeez, that's so crazy.

Bri: Yeah, it's so-

Ally: Yeah. Do they know what caused it?

Bri: Mm-mm.

Ally: No.

Bri: No, and we didn't- That's nuts. Yeah, and we didn't do any, like, testing or anything. You know, we were just like, "Well, we'll just sit in the grief and the unknown and, and come out the other side-" Yeah stronger. I gotta say, I mean, our communication got a lot better. I think our parenting is better for it, cause we, as hard as it is, they are three and five. we try to be more patient and, like, thankful

Ally: Right. We are so lucky to have these kids.

Bri: Yes. And we, yeah, we do a lot of that with the kids. Like, how lucky are we that we were able to... Like, we went to Hot Wheels this weekend and got a suite. Like- Oh, that's the [00:23:00] best ... it felt so cool, you know? And I was like, "How lucky are you guys?" we're, we're able to, like, do these really cool things and be with our friends. Yeah. Incredible. And I know they're gonna grow up thinking I'm just some sort of, crazy woman, who's like, "Yes, of course, we're lucky. Great." "Great, Mom."

Ally: that's good. You're, yeah, that's the best

Bri: We should

Ally: be

Bri: grateful.

Ally: feel like living where we live- Mm-hmm ... it's hard for the kids to truly understand how lucky they

Bri: Yes. Yeah. When you really think about it. Yeah. And, you know, and we're, like my day-to-day, I'm like, "Guys, we're-

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: how blessed are we?"

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Very.

Ally: Very. So the 49th Mini was your first race back after Eva- Af-

Bri: after Eva, yes.

Ally: And then, so between then- Mm-hmm ... when you lost Charlie- Mm-hmm ... had Noah, you stayed active, but you didn't necessarily run any races during that

Bri: Nope. I did, a couple 5Ks, like a jog walk situation, and I was like, "This is great. This is..." And then you become a mom, and you're like, "No, I can do anything." And you-

Ally: Well, especially after what you, yeah, went through and survived.

Bri: Yes. And you're like, I, my body is cool and capable and I don't have [00:24:00] to be the fastest person out there, but I'm gonna go and I'm gonna run my butt off. I might pass out, I might not.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: and the 49th, the, the, uh, 25 Mini was so fun. It was just 'cause Ryan was able to... He runs much faster than me. Mm-hmm. Um, and he was able to be on the sidelines of that one. Like, he finished and then made it back. Oh

Ally: yeah, that's

Bri: cool. And it was the first time he'd been able to cheer for me at a race.

Ally: That's really special.

Bri: yeah, I was just like- Yeah ... I'm not even emotional and I'm like teary and like, "This is so nice."

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: He's like, "Well, I didn't mean to make you..."

Ally: Yeah. and you're like, "But it's, it's good crying." It's It's just,

Bri: yeah. I was like, "It's just happy." Yeah. And then, yeah, and then this year I was able to PR, from a pre-baby half.

Ally: Yeah, that feels good. I've done that.

Bri: it's like-

Ally: It took forever.

Bri: Yeah, yeah.

Ally: But then you realize, oh, I can be faster than I was?

Bri: well, I can be faster than I was. Faster than my 20s?

Ally: Right. Crazy.

Bri: Insane.

Ally: But true. There's hope. There's hope.

Bri: There's hope. I know, and now I'm just like, okay, well, we're gonna do sub-two next mini. It'll be fine. It'll

Ally: Yeah. And you-- yeah

Bri: And I'm working with, Sarah Farney, [00:25:00] and she was like, "Let's get through the injury recovery." I'm like, "Oh yeah, no, for sure. Complete Geist."

Ally: Complete, right." Oh my

Bri: then

Ally: And then we're gonna do this, this, this one, and then I just signed up for this one. Sarah's like, "Okay."

Bri: I sent her the countdown app and I was like, "You are with me for so long." And she's like, "I can't wait."

Ally: Yeah. It's the be- well, I mean, I know that she loves- She's phenomenal ... loves cheering on her athletes. Oh my gosh, yeah. What point did you become a coach?

Bri: recently. Okay. So, Chrissy, my buddy who had reached out to you, she was like, she's getting into running. She's doing her first half. It's gonna be monumental. And she's doing the 10K for Geist, and she's like, "I want you to make my plans. I want you to be my coach." And I said, "Absolutely. Let me get certified." I need to do this with science. I don't need to do this with vibes. I need to just like, you should probably run more.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Maybe less. Like, let's not do that. and so yeah. And so I started coaching her and then her husband, got on board, and that was recently. That was a couple weeks ago, and it was [00:26:00] so funny 'cause then I have three other people who were like, "Hey, like whenever you're ready to take on more people"... And I, and I told Ryan, I was like, "Oh, I need a name. I need a logo." Yay. "I need a website." He was like, "Let's go. Let's do it." Yeah,

Ally: do it.

Bri: So yeah. So I have, Pace and Purpose is now my- Oh, have a logo with me running with the two kids and the little, like it's, it's very cute. I like it a lot. Made an Instagram yesterday.

Ally: Wow. Congratulations.

Bri: Thank you. Let's go. I just, we're doing it. Yeah. 'Cause yeah, I'm like, okay, I would love to cheer all these people on, and how much confidence Sarah has given me and-

Ally: Right. I know. I'm so thankful for hav- having had a coach. Yeah. Rachel's great. But I never knew that that's like, was a thing.

Bri: No, and we talk about it all the time where, 'cause I had someone text me yesterday. She's like, "Well, you coach below average athletes?" And I was like, "Oh my God, um-

Ally: what I do.

Bri: that's my sweet

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: are you talking about? I was like, also like, running is not average. People don't do that.

Ally: That's hard to remember sometimes in this

Bri: because you get inundated

Ally: Mm-hmm

Bri: all this [00:27:00] stuff.

Ally: Amazing things

Bri: All these amazing thing, and I'm surrounded by all these phenomenal people and, so I'm like, " Okay, I can be the slow hype girl. We're good. I can create a great plan for you, and you still be faster than me and achieve your goals." Right.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: And that's been very weird.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: to lock into because I wanna be fast and I wanna be, and I'm like, "I'm, you're 5'2", ma'am. Like, let's just-

Ally: Hey, well, you know, I mean, you can get faster as you get older. And it... And I think what I've learned in just talking to so many people about it is too, is it's like you can if you want to.

Bri: Yeah.

Ally: You don't

Bri: You don't have to.

Ally: You don't have to. You don't ha- have to ever try to PR.

Bri: Yeah. You can just vibe.

Ally: can just... Yeah. Like- You don't have to wear a watch.

Bri: Y-

Ally: You don't have to have a strap. I mean, it's just so crazy.

Bri: I-

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: insane. You don't have to do any of that. You can, like I've been saying cause one of the, my athletes that I'm coaching

Ally: that's what you say ...

Bri: who, um. what you said. Ooh, ah. Um, he was like, "Oh, you know, like I could go faster." I'm like, "You don't have to though. Like an easy run is a lollygag. Just vibe." Right. Like y- [00:28:00] it's going to feel slow. We're building the aerobic base. It should feel- like-

Ally: Like-

Bri: You can go all day. Yeah. that's, that's it. That's the point. Yeah. And it's so hard when you wanna like do more.

Ally: Right. Absolutely.

Bri: But you don't have to. Mm-mm. Like...

Ally: Yeah. Well, congratulations. That's

Bri: Thank you. It's so, I'm so excited.

Ally: And when did you do your first marathon? And what made you-

Bri: Oh my gosh ...

Ally: go that there? Yeah.

Bri: marathon. That, so that is why I'm so mad at Carmel for getting rescheduled 'cause I wasn't injured for the first one. oh my gosh, not really. It was the right choice. but it was so funny. So it was in 2016. I went to San Antonio for the Rock 'n' Roll. They do St. Jude, fundraising, so I was a charity runner. And- Do

Ally: you follow, uh, Hillary Burgus? Do you know who that is? I do not. You should. She's from San Antonio,

Bri: Ooh, okay.

Ally: That made me think of her.

Bri: No, I should.

Ally: the only person I know that lives there, so.

Bri: No, and it was like, and I'm like, "Okay, I'm going for this bigger purpose." I wore all my patients 'cause I was, working on the cancer center at the time. I wore all of their bracelets. That's really sweet. and it was awful. It was so bad. It was [00:29:00] like, I, I think it was a six hour, which again, looking at the pace per mile, that's still 13 minutes. Like that's a fine

Ally: jog. yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Bri: That's a fine pace. But I, you know, you have analysis paralysis and you compare yourself. But I stopped at, uh, almost every medical tent for my ankle. I would take ibuprofen then Tylenol at every one. I yelled at this poor spectator 'cause he was like, "It's right around the corner." And then it was a cul-de-sac. It was a cul-de-sac Came back around, I passed him again and I was like, "You effing liar," this and that. And he was like, "I'm so sorry." But sorry."

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: But it was before watches, so I had no idea how far I had gone. Oh. I didn't know if I still had four miles, you know? And-

Ally: So what year was it, did you say? 2016. Okay, 2016.

Bri: And so I, you know, I went and I called Ryan crying from like a curb I think at one point, and he was like, "Just get your Were

Ally: you married at that time,

Bri: We were, no, we were dating. Okay. Okay. And he's like, "Get your butt off the curb and walk." He was like, "You can just move forward." And I was like, "Okay. This hurts." And he's like, "I know. Keep going. It's fine." Yeah, I'm used to

Ally: do that, yeah.

Bri: but I [00:30:00] had an injury in my ankle and I ended up having ankle surgery the week after that marathon.

Ally: Oh.

Bri: So you know, whatever. Got it done. Whoops.

Ally: Whoops.

Bri: And, um-

Ally: What was wrong with it?

Bri: it? It was insane. It was like an extra bone had been like cutting into my tendon. So it, like some people have an extra bone in their ankle. And because I kept running, it was like scraping the tendon.

Ally: really horribly

Bri: all sort of damage.

Ally: Jeez.

Bri: So they, yeah, they took that out. And I remember the physician was like, "Did you run that marathon?" And I go, "I told you I was going to."

Ally: Yeah

Bri: Obviously. I said I was gonna do it. You're in there anyway, just scrape it." Did

Ally: Did you have the surgery scheduled when you did the marathon? I did. Stop I did. did. I thought it was like, not emergency, but like, "Hey, okay, finally you need to get this done so you can like-"

Bri: Nope. December 12th. I think the race was like December 4th or something. Okay. December 4th or something.

Ally: Okay.

Bri: It was so dumb. But I was like, "I raised this money. These kids are going through more than I'm going with my an- Yeah. Like I'm not gonna be a charity runner and not do it.

Ally: [00:31:00] Yeah.

Bri: And so I did, and then I was like, "I will never do another one." Of

Ally: course.

Bri: Ever. I was like, "This is, I am a half girly." Mm-hmm. "We're good." And no, and then I ran last year's mini, I'm like, "Nah."

Ally: that's..." You gotta do that again. Redemption. Yeah. And

Bri: I w- and so the whole thing was redemption marathon, all through like my socials and my training and all

Ally: Oh, no.

Bri: And so did the 20-miler with the Carmel Run Club. I felt so good. I was like-

Ally: Do they do... D- Is that 20-miler on a lot of the course? Is that the

Bri: is. It was a course preview ... preview thing, yeah And so this- I would've done that, That sounds perfect ... it was amazing. Yeah. It, like, it was well organized. Gabby, who I think has been on your podcast-

Ally: Mm-hmm

Bri: Mm-hmm um, I ended up talking with her 'cause she and my husband end up working at the same company, so it was a course preview. We met at the brewery, did the whole thing. I ended up, running with this girl named Lydia- Okay because she just, we ended up kind of going, and it was the most motivating thing because we probably spoke 10, 20 sentences to each other the entire time, but we were like next to each other. Had never met, just like-

Ally: There's something [00:32:00] about that, that you just like know. You're like, "We're just in this together."

Bri: was great. And then she was like kind of heading f- like a little faster than me t- for the last mile, and I was like, "Oh, you're good. I'll see you at the end. It's fine." And she's like, "Okay, cool. Thanks." But then she was waiting for me- Aw ... at the end. And then we, I was like, "This is, this is it. Like, this is the-" Why, yeah

Ally: community. This is cool. Yeah, for sure. Um,

Bri: is cool. Yeah. Um, but yeah, so felt great, did all that. Started the taper. had the postponement or whatever. I'm like, "Not a problem. Fine." did the mini and then I was telling Coach Sarah, I'm like, "Okay, in the 16-miler, I'm... I was dehydrated. I felt kind of bad, but it's fine." And then I did I think one more 18-miler. I'm like, "Well, we got it done, but like I'm still hurting, you know?" And she was like, "Maybe go see a doctor just to make sure."

Ally: was hurting?

Bri: My shin. Oh. And I'm like, "Oh, okay." I'm like, "That's weird. fine." And I went and saw a physician a- and he was like, "Okay, where's your pain?" And he was like, "All right, we need an MRI." And I'm like, "Okay." And he was like, "When's your next race?" I'm like, " It's in two and a half weeks." And he was like, "I don't think you're [00:33:00] running it." And I'm like, I hear you." It's like

Ally: Such a runner.

Bri: understood. Yeah. And I said, "However," I go, "Am I correct if you think this is a fracture?" I was like, "It can be grade one to four." And he's like, "Yeah." And I go, "L- listen, if it's a grade one or two, my butt's on the course." And he was like, " Okay, but like then you have to put a boot on. Can you wear a boot until then?" I was like, "Yeah. Yes. I will be a star patient."

Ally: Oh my gosh.

Bri: God. And so he, was like, "Yes, wear the boot. We'll get your MRI scheduled." So not only did I end up having a fracture, I had two. Two fractures. One of them was a grade four.

Ally: What?

Bri: All the way to the bone marrow, complete fracture. The other one was a grade one, four inches long. I just... And they called me, and he goes, "Hey, so I'm just here to tell you under no circumstances are you running your race." And I go, " Okay. Let me ask." And he was like, "Oh my gosh." And I was like, "I

Ally: Yeah, but-

Bri: you could- ... what could happen?" It was like the nurse in me, like, "What, what could happen if I did it, if I wrapped it up real [00:34:00] good?" And he was like, "Your bone is not connected. It could come through your skin and cause permanent na- nerve damage." I'm like-

Ally: I'm like- Okay ... that seems like

Bri: a bad consequence.

Ally: Yeah. Well, and I'm sure your husband was like-

Bri: Yeah ... "

Ally: What are you thinking?" Yeah.

Bri: He's like, "You don't need to do this." And I was like- Like ... "The 20-miler felt so good." I'm like, "We're doing this. It's redemption." Oh. And he's like, "I don't think we are."

Ally: Gosh, that had to be hurting for a while too though, even

Bri: It, b- but like-

Ally: how did it

Bri: happen? Not enough to be that dramatic of a break. Like, you should have hurt more.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: I don't know. That sounds insane. Well, we did, I... They did do labs, and my vitamin D was, like, single digits. It's supposed to be, like, 40 to 60 or something. Ooh. And it was nine. Ooh. And, and it was also funny too, 'cause one of those physicians, she was like, "Well, you know," she goes, "Once you get out, you know, it's been winter, so when you get outside..." I go, "I run outside a lot." And she's like, "Oh, no." So it was probably lower.

Ally: So it's like the Lord- Oh Oh, no.

Bri: So I think just-

Ally: Yeah,

Bri: just- ... brittle bones- Yeah,

Ally: Dang. That's nuts, [00:35:00] Bre.

Bri: It's insane.

Ally: I'm like- And then you you had the postponement, so your injury didn't even... Okay, so you had kind of a double

Bri: Mm-hmm, yeah. So I was

Ally: Oh man, and you did the-

Bri: And then we had the garbage weather.

Ally: Yeah. '

Bri: Cause I wasn't injured back then. But

Ally: yeah,

Bri: it

Ally: was- garbage weather is right.

Bri: Oh, my gosh. And it was, it was a terrible

Ally: would've been not a

Bri: The day of the actual race, I went and cheered on some of my friends, and I'm like, "This-"

Ally: Yeah

Bri: would have been perfect. This is nice." It was

Ally: warm, but you know.

Bri: Yeah, true. At least they pushed it up. Yes. Like, the 7:00 start was so

Ally: Yeah, absolutely.

Bri: But,

Ally: um- Yeah, and they said they had a ton of ice that they ended up not using a lot of it 'cause it wa- it got hot, but- Oh my gosh ... they were like, they were like, "We are gonna be prepared." Yeah. "If it's 90 degrees-" We- "... we are gonna have all of the ice that there is." you

Bri: have to. Yeah. Like, you have to be prepared.

Ally: oh man. Okay, so now...

Bri: Now, oh my gosh, also with Carmel. One I forgot, so w- I got your Athletic Bouquets Carmel 26.2 because I was like, Marathon, I get my new mug.

Ally: Oh,

Bri: Oh. That's why I have it sitting on my desk. [00:36:00] And I told Ryan, I go, "I'm gonna stare at that until next year." And he was like, "That's not the healthiest thing thing to do." I was like, "I'm gonna look at it."

Ally: it." Yeah. It was, it is motivate. I appreciate that.

Bri: Thank you.

Ally: I, I, yeah,

Bri: look at it every time I'm remotely working. I'm like

Ally: There, it's come, you're, I'm coming for you. Coming. I'm coming

Bri: You're coming. I'm coming. Yeah. Catch me in

Ally: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That's right.

Bri: and then I got antsy and yeah, coming up next I'm gonna do Monumental and-

Ally: November.

Bri: It'll be great.

Ally: Okay, so let's continue the story about this- Oh ... crazy shin issue with like the- With the broken bones ... broken bones. Okay, so you had... Did you have to have surgery on that?

Marker

Ally: Quick break in the show to do something I normally don't do, and that is promote my own business. If you didn't know this, I actually have my own small business. It's called Athlete Bouquets, where you celebrate the finish lines and milestones of the people you love by going to athletebouquets.com. Think of it like an edible arrangement, but for runners. It comes in a mug that can be race-specific and has things like blister Band-Aids, fuel, lip balm, [00:37:00] peanut butter, all the things somebody might need and want for a race, and a great way to celebrate somebody who's done something amazing or is training to do something amazing. Visit athletebouquets.com and you can use code PODCAST for 10% off of your order. All right, back to my conversation with Bre. Okay, so let's continue the story about this- Oh ... crazy shin issue with like the- With the broken bones ... broken bones. Okay, so you had... Did you have to have surgery on that?

Bri: No, thankfully. Okay. So I was in a boot for 10 weeks.

Ally: Oh my.

Bri: And I'm just, and I'm so stubborn if you haven't-

Ally: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Bri: But my daughter had her third birthday. She wanted to go to the zoo, so I'm hobbling in the zoo in my boot. We went camping. I'm going in Brown County trails in the boot. I'm like-

Ally: Not gonna let this keep me

Bri: This isn't gonna stop me from doing the fun things."

Ally: Jeez. Well, good for you. I mean, yeah, what else are you gonna do? Not do stuff? How am

Bri: gonna j- They're toddlers. Yeah. Right. We have to do those things. Yeah. Yeah. but yeah, 10 weeks and then I had my follow-up with the physician and he was so [00:38:00] funny. He was like, "Okay, so what, you know, what do we need to do?" I'm like, "You, you tell me." I was like, "I'm good." And he's like, "Oh, okay. Like, let's talk s- specifics." He was like, "I can tell you don't wanna be active, you want to be running." And I was like, "C- Correct,

Ally: Yeah. Yeah. No, like I'm gonna run a marathon, sir, this

Bri: I, and that's what I told him. I was like, "We are 18 weeks out, so that's where I would like to be." And he was like, "Okay." He was like, "You can walk as much as you want." He was like, "And then you can start doing a mile at a time." And I was like-

Ally: I was like- Which for, yeah, that's-

Bri: I was was like, "I hear you." And he was like, "That needs to be a one to two week build." And I said, "Yes." And this was July 8th. And I go, " Now my birthday's tomorrow."

Ally: So I'm gonna

Bri: Can I run on my..." And he was like, "Oh my gosh."

Ally: Oh my God." That's so great. And you did, you ran a mile

Bri: on your birthday. I did. I ran a mile on my birthday and it was phenomenal. I was like, "This felt great. Thanks. I just wanted to prance about." Good for

Ally: you for only doing one mile.

Bri: Thank you. I'm proud of you. Thank you. 'Cause I, yeah, 'cause you feel good.

Ally: Right. You're like, "Oh, I'm back, baby." I'm not even tired. I'm back, baby.

Bri: I'm back, baby. Yeah. Yes,

Ally: that much time off. Ugh, yeah.

Bri: And so yeah, Sarah and I came up with a [00:39:00] plan. I'm doing three today. it's so

Ally: In this oven. Yeah, it's nasty. I ran on my treadmill 'cause I'm... I was like, "Eh." Maybe tread it out, 'cause I... Yeah.

Bri: I'm like- be treading it up 'cause I, yeah. I'm like- We can

Ally: We can talk about after we're done recording. 'Cause I'll go down a true crime tangent here if I don't- Oof

Bri: Ooh, I know. Yeah, we need to, well, yeah But

Ally: yeah, Worst Neighbor Ever is a good one if you aren't familiar with it. And so- I watched it. You do. Okay. So there you go. So go watch it on the treadmill- Yeah and it'll be great. The second one's about Indianapolis, so PSA. Anyway, I could talk about- PSA ... we could go

Bri: We- it'll be its own podcast.

Ally: be, yeah,

Bri: It'll be like runner interest who also like true

Ally: Yeah. Yeah. But then you don't want, like, running true crime-

Bri: Oh, no. I did one long run listening to a murder podcast. Oh,

Ally: yeah.

Bri: And, I was like doing it. Yeah. I'm like, no, this is-

Ally: like that's probably not a good-

Bri: Audiobooks are a good- Audiobooks are fine. Maybe let's not- Yeah ... do

Ally: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. That

Bri: didn't work

Ally: well. Yeah. okay, three today, and then you'll just keep working your way. Do you have follow-up appointments in the interim where they'll make sure you're not, like, somehow-

Bri: As long as I don't have pain- Okay ... he said we're good. So yeah, my long run is this weekend at four and a half.

Ally: Whoop. [00:40:00]

Bri: Woo-hoo. So excited. We are starting, a Riley run club actually Thursday.

Ally: Oh, that's really exciting.

Bri: And so I'm trying to, like, get routes and stuff together for that, 'cause one of my coworkers texted me and she's like, "Hey."

Ally: texted me. she's like, "Hey." Oh, that's so fun. Thank

Bri: Thank you.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Yeah. She goes, "What do you think about, like, a run club, whether it's midday, before?" And I was like, "This is my dream. Yes."

Ally: Oh, I'm already, like, thinking about the wagon logo, and I'm like you could make one of those little kids, like, look like a runner.

Bri: Oh my gosh. I gotta sh- I have to show you. I made a logo for that too. Yeah. 'Cause I was like, I got coaching logo. Yeah. I got this.

Ally: this. Got this. That's so exciting.

Bri: Yeah. And it's-

Ally: Cool

Bri: so cute. Yeah.

Ally: Aww.

Bri: And so I'm like... And I, we obviously brought it up in one of our meetings, and I forwarded it to a bunch of people, and they're like, "You know it's July, right? Why are we starting a run club in July?" I'm like, "They have showers in the hospital."

Ally: And also everyone's like, if people are running their mar- you know, a lot of fall marathon or half marathon training's happening

Bri: Yeah. Sarah baked it into my training calendar. Yeah. I'm like, "No, this is great. We'll be good."

Ally: Excellent.

Bri: So hopefully Hillary and I, she's the one that is starting it with me, hopefully we have the same pace, ' cause I don't know. We've never run together. Yeah.[00:41:00]

Ally: We've never run together. We'll figure it out.

Bri: need to lollygag.

Ally: Yeah. So for that, what's your vision for that? Is it people who work at Riley? Is it Riley families? Is it just like- It's all ... anybody who wants to support us can come?

Bri: You know, our vision right now is, coworkers, cause we're on the, like, quality and safety practice team. Yep. but we have a lot of nurses who live downtown, and I'm like- Yeah ... if you don't... 'Cause for me, I would love to run during the workday, but I'm a big baby. I don't wanna run alone downtown. I wanna, have a buddy. And and so we were like, that kinda gives you the space. and so I would love for it to grow. And then I thought, you know, how amazing would it be to have a tent or have a table or- Ooh ... you know, 'cause I think about, like, the full mo' that you did, and I'm like, if I have our little run club be a tent, like, that'd be a blast, you know? And then immediately one of my buddies was like, "So you want us to come bring you snacks?" I'm like-

Ally: Yes

Bri: Yes, and wouldn't it be so amazing

Ally: for you? Yeah. Yeah.

Bri: "Yes, it would be

Ally: Well, yeah, I mean, you think about what St. Jude has built too. I mean-

Bri: Yes ... yeah. I'm like, it could be, it could just open so many doors where-

Ally: Yeah. Yeah. [00:42:00] So you're gonna slowly build and pray for no pain, which I feel like if I was you, I'd be like, "Well, does it hurt? I don't know if it hurts that bad."

Bri: I can't even trust the pain 'cause I'm like, I th- I told Sarah that I was dehydrated. Like, I had a fracture in two of them, and I'm like, "I don't, I can't trust pain."

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: So I was looking back at the notes that we had written to each other, and I'm like, "Okay, like, if you just feel off, that might just be your-"

Ally: Indicator that like, just make sure. Like if you're starting to maybe f- almost favor- Yeah ... your left and

Bri: just be cool." Yeah. "Let's-"

Ally: Yeah. Injuries are just really hard. I'm very much... I'm, I'm stubborn too in the fact that like when I tell Rachel about something that's bothering me, it's like after it's been bothering me for a while.

Bri: It's been, it's been a whole problem for "

Ally: I actually scheduled an appointment to like go to PT." So you know it's bad- Yeah ... if I'm doing that. yeah.

Bri: yeah, 'cause yeah, we met last week and she was like, "Your long run's gonna be like 16 or 18. It's gonna be fine." She was like, "I know you well enough that you're gonna do it." And I'm like, "Yeah."

Ally: You're right. Yeah.

Bri: Let's, yeah, let's do it." Yeah. And then, 'cause I did [00:43:00] tell her, I'm like, "Okay, well maybe I'll be a little bit more generous about my goals on just like enjoy the marathon."

Ally: it done again. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, yeah. The time stuff, no matter what, seems like you're gonna ha- You're, you're gonna want, to get a time. I mean-

Bri: You can't not.

Ally: Yeah. I mean, uh, some people maybe are born with the magic of not caring about that, but, I'm not one of those people. which brings us, too, to the Full Mo, because that was a good practice for me because it was like I really went into it being like, "I'm not gonna look at my watch. I'm not-"

Bri: I loved that ...

Ally: going to care."

Bri: Yeah.

Ally: And it was hard not to. Yeah. 'Cause Rachel and I ended up sticking together the whole time, and then our two, the two other women we were with were like, "Hey, actually we kinda wanna hit this time." And I was like, "Oh. Well, good jo- Go do that."

Bri: Yes. And I-

Ally: but I am- Go do that. Yeah. It was tempting to be like, "Oh, should I see?" Yeah. But you're probably- But yeah, I didn't feel that great, so it was fine. Yeah. I was like, "Okay."

Bri: like, "This is fine. Let's just finish it." No way I

Ally: you

Bri: Oh my gosh. Well, you think like, I feel like you are probably like me where I'm like I am hypercompetitive with me.

Ally: 100%.

Bri: Do not care what you do. Yeah. [00:44:00] Do not care what Jane does. Like, I don't care.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: But what I set out to do, I'm So locked in

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: And so yeah, I did sign, I just deferred Carmel did this year. Okay. And I was like, "Okay, like let's try to like fire it up for Carmel and then- Mm-hmm ... enjoy Monumental," 'cause- Mm-hmm also my husband's trying to BQ this year as his goal.

Ally: Oh, boy. Okay. So- And I was gonna ask you how much he runs because- He ran qualifying. Oh, he does. Yeah. So he supported you at the Mini last year- Mm-hmm ... because he had already run it. That's right. Okay. And so has he done a, a marathon?

Bri: Yes. Okay. So he's done Chicago was his first. Like how lucky. Yeah. So

Ally: that was my first marathon. It was the best. And so good

Bri: And he's done Monumental two or three times. It's all been pretty local. Okay. and so yeah, he signed up for Monumental too. and then probably Carmel as well- Got it ... 'cause he was like, "I need to do all of that." But he's happy that I'm running 'cause we... He stopped to see the kids three times last year, like lovely and so nice. Yeah. And he wasn't close last year- Yeah ... so it was fine. He was [00:45:00] like, " I'm glad that you're not gonna have the kids 'cause they would cry if I-"

Ally: Oh, I've made that. I, that happened, that happened to me with like the 4th of July race. I thought I was going so fast.

Bri: I heard, yes.

Ally: I thought that I, I just was like, "Well, I gotta give somebody high fives," but I didn't pay attention to like who. Mm-hmm. Big mistake.

Bri: oh, th- they were

Ally: Oh, they were locked in. Shoulda just, shoulda just not high-fived at all.

Bri: like- Yeah. do both of you.

Ally: They would've been all mad, but you know, whoops. You j- and you're just- Yeah ... locked in.

Bri: You j- and you're just locked in.

Ally: Mm-hmm. '

Bri: Cause you know,

Ally: Yeah. But who cares? I know that was me like comp- I wanted, well, I was kinda competing 'cause, you know, I wanted the- You wanted your age group ... my age group award. But yeah- Yeah ... it's silly, but it's fun.

Bri: I know, but it's- Yeah ... like it just gives you like that much of an edge, and I think that that's-

Ally: Yeah. It's fun

Bri: Exciting.

Ally: know, as long as it's fun and it's not something that, you know, I beat myself up about too much. ' Cause the BQ thing is in the back of my mind,

Bri: Mine too, and I'm like, "I'm so slow. I have so far to go."

Ally: You just never know

Bri: But yeah, but then I think if these go well, if I get faster, if I don't get injured again, like- Yeah. Well,

Ally: shit, you end up, you'll end up running for Riley at Boston Marathon [00:46:00] someday

Bri: Well, I did tell Ryan, I was like, "If you BQ, I'm a charity runner."

Ally: Okay, yeah

Bri: I was like, "We have to do it together."

Ally: That would be cool.

Bri: And he was like, " That's a great idea." And I was like, "I would love to like BQ with you."

Ally: Yeah, that'd be really awesome, but- I

Bri: think that-

Ally: Yeah

Bri: a way, is a way. I was like, "I will gladly raise money- Yeah ... and,

Ally: Mm-hmm ...

Bri: know, g- donate to a cause I'm passionate about and- Yeah ... and go and h- experience it with you,

Ally: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I mean, I've been working with Rachel for, gosh, it's been five years now probably, and it, I've told her maybe at the beginning that was something I was interested in doing, but that I, I could be patient about it. You know? I could

Bri: Yes.

Ally: cause do it the right way, 'cause I also didn't wanna... I don't know. I still worry about burnout.

Bri: know. You know. I know. I'm a little, little worried about it this year, but I got so

Ally: Well, you were injured for a while, so it's-

Bri: Yeah, I'm like, I had 10

Ally: Yeah yeah ...on

Bri: the sidelines-

Ally: right. so Geist is next- Geist is next ... in September.

Bri: Yep.

Ally: And then Monumental Full.

Bri: Mm-hmm.

Ally: And then just Paris. Disney. That's

Bri: We, we got

Ally: ever done one of those?

Bri: Uh, back [00:47:00] in 2014-

Ally: Okay ...

Bri: I think it was.

Ally: I've never done one

Bri: It, you know, it's, it's interesting because you're on the highway for some of it. Like, you're not- Mm ... in the parks that much. and I was, again, so in my head, I, I think I got a picture with one set of characters for why. But you know where I'm not-- what are we doing? And then I did, tell Sarah, I was like, "You know, I bet I could get an age group award at Disney." And she was like, "Maybe." And I'm like, "That's crazy. I could go real fast." And she ... And I was I like, "No, I'm gonna be with..." 'Cause it's me and two buddies that are doing it. yeah and so my friends Chrissy and, Shelby were gonna go and do it together, and I'm like, "No, let's take the pictures. Do the thing." Yeah. "Look

Ally: it'll be- That's cool. Well, it does seem like that's the purpose of that's

Bri: the purpose of those, is more like- It is yeah, you doing it. It's the fun of it and, and the husband's gonna come, so we're gonna just

Ally: But husbands and, and no kids?

Bri: no kids.

Ally: Okay,

Bri: yeah. We do Epcot. Yeah. We

Ally: That'll be nice. Yeah.

Bri: I told Ryan, I was like, "I can do all the single riders. I don't need you to sit next to me. This is gonna be great." Yeah,

Ally: you're like, "I'm good to just be a

Bri: line and [00:48:00] just go for it. So that'll be fun, and then after Disney Princess will be Carmel Full. 'Cause I did tell-- I told Sarah, I was like, "If, if I have the best race of my life for Monumental, and then Carmel doesn't make sense for full mo training, then we can like-

Ally: Yeah

Bri: push it. I can drop it back to a half, or I can do something. and that, but then the other part of me is like, "But the mug is on my desk"- Yeah ... "and that says 26.2." Yeah,

Ally: Right. Right.

Bri: And I can't drink out of a mug that it's the wrong distance. The

Ally: distance. That's, that's the wrong distance. I know. I think I have one that I messed up that says 26.2 that I drink out of sometimes, and I think about that 'cause I'm like, "Well, I've never run the marathon. I've only done the half there." Yes. And so it's like, meh, that's-"

Bri: And you're like, "You know, I've done-"

Ally: It's fine. "

Bri: I've done them. They're fine."

Ally: Yeah. It's fine.

Bri: No one

Ally: No one cares. I know. No one. I have a mug that says that as well. Yeah.

Bri: That's amazing. It's

Ally: perfect. Yeah.

Bri: Yeah.

Ally: Yeah. So, let's talk more about your coaching.

Bri: Okay.

Ally: Cause obviously you're-- new, but- Yeah ... already have the start of a community. What do you think about... I mean, and you have such a great model in Sarah [00:49:00] Farney. Like, what do you think about as you look to build that community?

Bri: So I think my hope and dream for it, because, you know, we, the sta- stage is set for these phenomenal coaches who have BQ'd. They have done, I mean, I mean, Sarah with her 100-mile ultra. You know, they have accomplished all these things, and so I'm like, I think my niche is gonna be more of like, where can I get you to where you wanna be? Like, my early starting runners, my people who want to improve their time, or, you know, I was working a little bit on the website today, and I'm like, you know, I am the poster child for committing to too much and still somehow making it happen. And living a thousand lives and like- Mm-hmm ... okay, if you need, if you have kids at home and you need to wake up at 5:00 and do a treadmill run, like how can we make that happen? Mm-hmm. Or you're traveling, where are your capabilities within that space that you're gonna feel- Mm-hmm ... confident in your training, but not overwhelmed and burnt out, and still feel like I am enough to support you through that, is kinda my [00:50:00] idea is where I like fit in.

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: and hopefully just as like your own personal cheerleader and like, what, what do you need from me? Like- And

Ally: you were literally a cheerleader.

Bri: I was literally a cheerleader, so whatever you want. You

Ally: I did not even think about that until right this moment. I'm serious. I'm like, who else would you want on your sideline

Bri: There's Someone whose only

Ally: NFL cheerleader? do you get to keep your outfit?

Bri: So we, not mine Sorry for the tangents No, you're fi- Y- listening I got tangent. No, you're fine

Bri: to today's podcast, you'll Yeah sponsored by tangents.

Ally: Yeah, I know.

Bri: But, no, we ended up, we do every five years there's an alumni reunion.

Ally: Oh.

Bri: And so as unis retire, so I have a retired uniform. So it was not mine, but it's one of the retired ones that I need still. That was when Eva was, like, three months old, so it's, like, three years old I to put in a shadow box-

Ally: Yeah That's cool. Make beautiful.

Bri: Yeah I need to replace a few of the little Swarovski's and- Mm-hmm.

Ally: Mm-hmm

Bri: Mm-hmm. But, so no and.

Ally: But, okay, so here's what I envision f-for you. Mm-hmm. You have to make cust- like a custom cheerleading uniform [00:51:00] that you use when you cheer for your athletes.

Bri: that's what, that's what it is. That's what it is. At this point it'll look like one of those bikini T-shirts. Just, uh,

Ally: Ev- the, whatever,

Bri: and purpose, here we go.

Ally: No, you've gotta get like the pom- I mean, yeah, that would be-

Bri: That would be good. Oh my gosh. I mean, and yeah, at the alumni weekends they always, you get new poms, and so the kids play with my poms all the time, Ugh.

Ally: I love how they're called poms.

Bri: Yeah.

Ally: Not pom-poms.

Bri: No, of course not. If

Ally: you call them

Bri: If, if you're cool, grab your poms. Don't

Ally: Don't you dare grab your pom-poms, you weirdo.

Bri: Oh my gosh. You know what's funny too? Speaking of, like, poms versus pom-poms, when I coached the high school team, they would get so over me, all the time because some people call them costumes. Like, so their uniform, or for, for their- Oh ... competition wear and things like that. Mm-hmm. I'd be like, "Okay, guys, like, do you have your uniforms packed? Do you..." And they're like, "Oh man, Bre, it's a costume." And I'm like, " You are representing this team. This

Ally: is

Bri: is your uniform." Yeah. And I'm like, that is so like- Yeah. That i- that's very cult. That's very, like, no, you are a representation of this brand, [00:52:00] and this brand is Fusion. Thanks. Yeah.

Ally: Mm-hmm, and you are wearing your uniform.

Bri: a uniform. Oh my gosh, and one of them actually texted me the other day, and she was like, "Hey, I wanna let you know I did a 5K. I'm so sorry for all the complaining that I did every time you made us run." And I'm like-

Ally: That's sweet ... "You're welcome." Like, "

Bri: Hey, now you're

Ally: funny ... "Oh my God." You're like, "Yeah, now you're gonna like it. Watch out.

Bri: I, I literally, I was like, "Whenever you do the mini, let me know and we can run it together." Yeah. She's like, "Bre," and I'm "Bre." And

Ally: I'm like- Yeah, you're going to. " I love it." Yeah. You're like, " Just promise you

Bri: I, you say that now. You won't like it. It's gonna be nice. Yeah. Oh, so I'm excited to start to see them ' cause they're all... I mean, they graduated college already. They're like grown-ups.

Ally: Yeah, crazy to about.

Bri: With careers.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Like no, you were 14. You're just a baby.

Ally: Oh my goodness. Yeah. Okay, and what platform are you using for coaching?

Bri: Vdot. Yeah. It's just nice. It's

Ally: That's what Rachel uses.

Bri: Yeah. That's what Rachel uses. And it make-- I love that I can see the accuracy, I can see the splits, which I'm sure other platforms use as well. Mm-hmm. But it's also like that's what my coach uses. Right, so

Ally: used to operating

Bri: used to, and so then it's like, oh, [00:53:00] I, ideally a smoother user experience for everybody on both ends- Right where I'm like, I can just-

Ally: Yeah

Bri: put in here. And I really like, one thing, and I don't know if Rachel does this as well, like Sarah releases a week at a time, and I lo- I'm absolutely stealing that because it's like I've already had to make adjustments where I'm like- Mm ... okay, like we loved this pace. Like we can try to step it up a notch. Mm-hmm. Or like, okay, we didn't love that easy pace long run. I'm not gonna add any pacing in until we start to that recovery week- Mm-hmm ... where you have fewer miles to try to maintain that try to maintain that pace. Yeah. And because when I made my plan initially before I had Sarah, it was analysis paralysis. I made this whole spreadsheet and all the things, and I'm like, "I'm gonna mess myself up."

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Which I did, but not because of that.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: So

Ally: Well, speaking of spreadsheets, Sarah made an excellent spreadsheet for The Full Mo, so you'll have- That is amazing ... I'm sure she'll make a revised one next year. Yeah, it like had all the... I'm like, "I can appreciate-

Bri: She's so organized. It's so, it's-

Ally: so- That's- It's- That's amazing.

Bri: She and I communicate very well because of that. Yeah. I'm like, yep. [00:54:00] yes and.

Ally: Yeah. Yeah, somebody has to... Yeah, that helps, helps a ton.

Bri: Oh my gosh. Well, I'm excited 'cause I had told her, I was like, "Prairie On Fire 27," because Geist and Prairie are on the same day this year.

Ally: Oh, they are?

Bri: Mm-hmm.

Ally: Oh.

Bri: Yeah. Because I was like, "Oh yeah, that'd be fun to do." Yeah. And then like, "Oh, Geist. Okay, so you won't be at Geist, fine." And then she was like, "But if you guys wanna come to the tent afterwards," I'm like, " I think I do wanna do that." Yep. I'm gonna spectate

Ally: I gotta spectate again. It was so fun.

Bri: Yeah. I'm, so it's on my count- calendar. It's on my countdown. Yeah. So we can do it in 27 because I'm like, I'll do the Full Mo. I absolutely roped one of my athletes into doing the Full Mo. I'm like, we're kind of the same pace, like just-

Ally: Yeah

Bri: lock

Ally: in." Well, that's, I mean, that's the best. I did it with Rachel, like I said. I mean,

Bri: it was on the 4th. I

Ally: did-

Bri: did... He had had some of my husband's like, so he brews beer, but he, it was the 4th, and so we had had a f- few brewskis. Okay. And I was like, "It's, it just opened. Go ahead and register. So much fun. Like why would you say that you couldn't?" And he's like, "You're right."

Ally: Oh my gosh, that's so perfect.

Bri: this is, I'm absolutely peer pressuring,[00:55:00]

Ally: how my very, my best friend did her first marathon. She was the second episode of this podcast, like a million years ago- She's so funny ... feels like. And she registered for her first marathon sh- when she was drunk.

Bri: Yeah. Y- that's what it is. It's

Ally: fun. Yeah. And she was like, "And then I just had to do it." I'm like, "You could've just, like, eaten the money." She's like, "No, I signed up for it. I, ran it." No,

Bri: the, it's on my emails. Like, I, I did

Ally: so it was so funny.

Bri: my gosh. Well, that's how the full mo happened. I was, like, looking at it. I saw your, memories coming up, and then I saw Sarah had registered, and I'm like

Ally: Yeah. It's fun. It, you'll like it. And for people who aren't local, it's, it's ba- it's a 50K that goes through our whole city basically. Yeah. From the suburbs or, like, farm, farm land- Yeah ... all the way to downtown.

Bri: North of me,

Ally: yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Bri: And so, yeah, I'm excited.

Ally: It's fun. It's fun. It's, you know, I would definitely do it again.

Bri: Yeah. Well, and I'm like, it could be terrible, but, like-

Ally: Some of it... Here's the deal. Some of it was terrible.

Bri: Yeah.

Ally: And s- and some of it wasn't. That's good. So that's good.

Bri: And then the, but the fountains at the end.

Ally: It's perfect.

Bri: I'm like, I will hand that phone off so fast,

Ally: Yeah, just lay in the splash pad. I mean, every marathon should have a splash pad at the end. Yes. I mean, [00:56:00] every, I should say every spring 'cause like, yeah. Or maybe even Chicago. Chicago gets warm, but usually Monumental is cold. You wouldn't wanna

Bri: Yeah. Oh my gosh. I hope we have weather like last year. Did you do Monumental year?

Ally: I did the half last year.

Bri: It was beautiful.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: We spectated Ryan. I made, like, the cutouts and everything. Oh, that's right. And I mean, I brought mimosas and donuts. We had a g- we had a great time. Probably had a better time last year than

Ally: I always like to say spectating's a sport. You ha- I mean, you can be good at it.

Bri: Yes. And it was- You can improve so much fun. And

Ally: you al- I mean, I find that doing that brings me almost as much joy.

Bri: Yeah. I mean, I think... And it was funny too, 'cause Ryan, I didn't tell him anybody was coming, and so then all of the sudden he looked and there were... You know, I think we ended up having, like, 15 people. That's so fun Just, like, with his- Aw ... cutout face- Yeah screaming And I'm like, that's really exciting.

Ally: Yeah. I mean, you know how it feels to have people on the sidelines. It is. It's like that means a lot

Bri: Just to see, like, okay you took time out of your day-

Ally: Mm-hmm ...

Bri: to come support this dream that I have, whether... Where I'm not winning anything.

Ally: [00:57:00] Right.

Bri: I'm just completing something- Right ... that m- is meaningful to me. Mm-hmm. And, like, a reward of all these months, of all the hard work that you put in, and-

Ally: Yeah ...

Bri: that matters to good friends.

Ally: Mm-hmm. So. Yeah. See, now I'm at a point though where I've done so many half marathons that my family and my

Bri: They're like, "A half is fine" ...

Ally: don't even care about that. It's not that they don't care, but they're just like, "Oh, you ran another half marathon." Like- You have ... "Didn't you just run one yesterday?" Like it's just- Yeah ... kind of what happens. And I've, I've done nine marathons, and so that's, I mean, that's,

Bri: gosh

Ally: it's a lot. Awesome. But relatively speaking, you know, in this world you're like, "Well, it doesn't feel like that many."

Bri: It doesn't feel like, but it is. like, but It

Ally: is. But It still yeah.

Bri: It's so many.

Ally: Yeah. so I'll definitely do another marathon. Yes. I mean, I have to have to do at least 10. I- Obviously

Bri: I'm not here to tell you. Yeah,

Ally: right.

Bri: But-

Ally: Yeah, but gonna ... you're beautiful though.

Bri: number.

Ally: Yeah, Well, and I, and you know, the BQ thing, I think if I, if I really wanna go for it, I can. And I just, but I've kind of still been noodling with like, do I really want it, or is it something that I just feel like I should want?

Bri: Do you just see it?

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: want... And that's, and that's where I [00:58:00] was like, "Okay, let's do the full mo," because that's- maybe where I need to start going.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: but then again I'm like, "Okay, well if I get through Carmel and my feet feel great and I'm just getting faster, like maybe there's, maybe there's hope."

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: And if there isn't, there isn't. And that, and that was one thing that Ryan and I talked about too, 'cause I forced him into a coaching scenario with Sarah 'cause I was like, "I can't be the only one that believes in your dreams. But like, I am not experienced enough to be pushing you to this goal." Yeah. And so I was like, "You need to set up a meeting." I said, "I don't, you know, I don't care. Here are like four different coaches that you can use. Talk to people."

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: but if you want it, like I'm here for you to want that, but I can't put the miles on your legs. I can't get up early. Right. Yeah. I can't do all of those things. Yeah. So, it's been really fun to watch that shift. Mm-hmm. 'Cause he's like, he was very much like, "I'm just running and I wanna get faster," and he was getting faster, but not exponentially.

Ally: Sure.

Bri: You know? And, and so I'm like, " Might as well try something different."

Ally: Mm-hmm

Bri: that hasn't worked.

Ally: So how will you manage the young kids and the [00:59:00] marathon training?

Bri: So we currently are doing, both of us run on Mondays. He does Tuesdays. I'll do Thursdays with the work group, and then his long run is Saturday, and mine are usually Friday or Sunday. Okay. Yeah. And then especially with this slower build, it's easier because I have to do some biking, and we have an indoor bike at home.

Ally: Okay. Yeah.

Bri: And so I'm like, I can do my cardio

Ally: While the kids are playing and yeah, yeah,

Bri: they're fine. And they're pretty good at, like, staying out of our gym space. Mm-hmm.

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: Um, and so just little by little. I'm trying to be more intentional about stretching, too.

Ally: Ugh. Yeah.

Bri: Because- you would think with all the dance and everything, like, oh yeah, of course, stretching is important. Like, I can throw my leg above my head like that. Yeah. Yeah, that matters. But now I'm like, no, like, when your shin is hurting and your calf is just rubber-

Ally: Geez,

Bri: yeah ... like, you need maybe a little bit more help.

Ally: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bri: So- have the scraper, have the percussion gun. I do all the-

Ally: What time do you run on Friday?

Bri: So I usually do early, like 6:00 or 7:00. [01:00:00] Okay. Depending on the mileage. Yeah. Are,

Ally: Are, and are you, do you work remote some of the time you said?

Bri: One day a week, yeah. And so that's been really helpful, because I get up before the kids, I get some work in, start my workday, finish those hours. Sometimes I'll run, get the kids home from daycare, get them ready for bed, all the things. And then sometimes those days just end up with a couple hours of work on the couch if something needs

Ally: Right. Yeah.

Bri: Um, because if I have an 18-mile run and, like, I can't do it on Sunday or something, I'm like- Right ... that turns into four 10s, and then- Yeah. Yeah. But, I'm very lucky and blessed that a lot of my job has that flexibility and like- Yeah,

Ally: That's great

Bri: And also I'm much calmer when I'm able to run. I'm like level set.

Ally: Yeah. I

Bri: know. Anxiety is at a low.

Ally: my husband gets fed up with my running frankly, and he, it's... I'm like, "Do you want me to not run?"

Bri: He's- "

Ally: You're not gonna like me."

Bri: There's gonna be a whole new Ally.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: No, I didn't really realize how much the running had really, like, taken off helping me, like, sleep and [01:01:00] all- Right all the things. There was one point Ryan woke up, it was like a c- a few weeks ago. It was before I was able to run again, so probably June. And he goes, "When are you cleared to run?" And I was like, "It's 6:30. Why are you mad? It's so early." And he was like, "You did not s- sit still all night. You just tossed and turned." Oh, no. And I'm like, " Yeah, hopefully soon." Right. And he was like, "You slept so much better during that training block." Right. 'Cause I usually don't 'cause I have too many things going on, and I'm like- Yeah ... "Okay, well I need to get up and I need to start work and

Ally: I need to

Bri: do my, need to do need to do all

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: That truly I don't.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: But-

Ally: Right. I'm- In my head ... I understand, in your head. I know. Yeah. Bl- believe me. There's just a long list of things always in my head. Always.

Bri: And that, yeah, and that link, links back to the, CycleBar coaching is 'cause I was like, I wasn't working out at home 'cause I was like, "The laundry needs done. The house needs cleaned." Yeah. "I should be playing with this kid." Like, he doesn't need me for 30 minutes.

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: He's truly fine.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: He, we, I have a great partner in my husband. Like he can- Yeah ... he can be with his dad for 30 minutes- Right ... while you work out, but-

Ally: Yeah, [01:02:00] absolutely.

Bri: Leaving the house was helpful.

Ally: Mm-hmm. Yes. My, my husband likes to leave the house to do his work. Yeah. So he does F45. That's gym.

Bri: Oh, nice. Yeah, I have a few friends that

Ally: He loves it.

Bri: Love

Ally: it. Loves it, yeah. So, but for me, I'm like, I don't care. I can work out at home. Yeah. I love group fitness, I really do, but I don't need that as my motivator to do it.

Bri: I, I like the camaraderie of it.

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: And that's why I love the way that running's going because it's like... And, and like with the coach, like I have that personal accountability in Sarah. Like even though she, she's not, on the app every day like, "Hey, it is 6:00 PM, why have you not run yet?" Right. Like-

Ally: Yeah ...

Bri: she, but I, I know that the support is there, and then I can go talk to other people who are also training for that race. Yeah. Right. And I can do all these other things, and that just makes it like group fitness.

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: It's

Ally: Right. It's pretty good. Yeah. Well, you're part, I mean, I'm part of a team. You're part of a team.

Bri: Yes.

Ally: Yeah. Which is not something I really ever anticipated getting out of having a coach either.

Bri: Yeah. And you wouldn't think you [01:03:00] would.

Ally: Yeah. And

Bri: Because like, I don't know, and I think so many of us are just coming from sports or activities whether that's track or dance or basketball,

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: You know, you do that all throughout your youth, and you build the ethic, you build the heart, the perseverance, the accountability, the timeliness, and then you lose it when you get into adulthood, especially if you don't play collegiate sports or you don't do these things. And that, and this is like sneaking it back in where you're like no one cares truly, but they love it when you're there.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: And that's nice.

Ally: Yeah. Absolutely. Amen.

Bri: Preach

Ally: it. That was perfect.

Bri: Thank you. Thank you. Clip that. Just...

Ally: Just... That, that's the clip. Okay. Um, okay. I'm gonna ask you the end of the co- podcast- podcast-

Bri: Oh my gosh, yeah. Okay ... questions. Oh

Ally: I know. okay, my first question is, what is your favorite running song and/or mantra?

Bri: I have both because- I know ... yeah. So the easy go-to, song is "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin. The little aah [01:04:00] is so nice.

Ally: I don't-- Hold on. Go, which one?

Bri: The, it starts like, "Ah." Yeah. And then it's like, "Come from the-" Oh. Yes, yes. Okay. It's like, Come from the land of the..." Yeah.

Ally: I don't know. I'm not very good with certain songs and, like, knowing who it's by.

Bri: Right. So Thor: Ragnarok then opened with it, and I was in the theater, like such a nerd, just like, "Yes!" I love that song. "Babe!" And he's like, "I know." Yeah. I'm like, "That's my song." And he's like, We're in a, we're in a movie theater."

Ally: That's great. That's good.

Bri: That's so funny. So that's the song. It alway- Like, it is such a song. It,

Ally: that is a good

Bri: It is. Like, it makes you so excited- Yeah ... all the time. and then Mantra, so it's always been kind of in the back of my mind, but it's really solidified. we ended up buying our house last year, last August, from a family friend. So-

Ally: Oh, wow.

Bri: she had built this house with her late husband in 2001. He passed seven or eight years ago, from cancer, and his whole thing was you get to. Like- Mm ... you get to do all of these things [01:05:00] that aren't exciting. You get to do all these things that your body, like, is tired by. And, it stuck with me, and then when we bought Annie's house, they did a thing where they decorated light switches, you know, for him. And I have a light switch now going into our basement and it says, "You get to"- Mm ... on it. And then, God bless Ryan, he, for the seventh, nope, sixth anniversary of marriage, it's iron.

Ally: Mm.

Bri: And he got wrought iron script for our gallery wall, and it says, "You get to," 'cause he was like, "I really want our kids to see that every day." Yeah. And it's just back to the

Ally: so cool. I wanna see a picture

Bri: It's... I have, I have a picture. I'll send it to you. Yeah. Or show it to you-

Ally: Yeah. For- Both

Bri: now. Yeah.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: But, it's just like how lucky are we thing again. Right. You know, it's like you get to be tired. Mm-hmm. You, your legs get to carry you all of these miles in this God-forsaken heat and

Ally: Yeah. But

Bri: like-

Ally: But you get to run

Bri: get to run. Yeah.

Ally: not injured. You don't have a sore heart. Yeah.

Bri: heart. Yeah. You g- Like, yeah. Yeah. And it's just, it's nice.

Ally: Yeah. I love

Bri: And It's important.

Ally: Yeah. That's one of my most favorite.

Bri: Yeah. It's so good

Ally: [01:06:00] It's got a good r- especially when you're like, "Oh, I have," and you're like, "Oh, no. Nope."

Bri: Yeah, you don't have to You

Ally: to.

Bri: You, you can just skip your workout. Right. You absolutely can. Should you? Do you need to?

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Or like, do you get

Ally: Or like, do you get- Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Amen. Yeah. Okay, and then we've talked about your next finish line at Geist. Oh, yeah. So September 12th.

Bri: Yeah, yeah.

Ally: Excellent. What... Do you know the year, how many years they've been running Geist?

Bri: I, I think 15-ish.

Ally: Okay

Bri: Or it started in '15. I

Ally: Okay. Well, I mean, shoot, monumental. I mean, it's hard to keep track- It's- of all the years of stuff and how long things have been happening. I don't... I mean, shoot, we don't even know what year it is half the time.

Bri: I know there was gold on my mini marathon this

Ally: you're like, "It was yellow." It was yellow.

Bri: There was

Ally: Yeah, and so that was that year. Yeah. okay, so that'll be, that'll be exciting to see.

Bri: Yeah, Yeah. And it's, and it's like the rolling hills, it's a beautiful course. I mean, like, it's gonna be really challenging.

Ally: Mm-hmm.

Bri: But also, I think it being challenging helps me not go for a PR-

Ally: Yeah, when

Bri: I

Ally: [01:07:00] Geist. I know, you know what? I know a few people who've PR'd there, which blows my mind. It's amazing. But yeah, I'm like, "What?" And then I tell myself, "Oh, I like the hills." You just gotta tell yourself you like it.

Bri: Well, 'cause you go down.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Who cares about the going

Ally: Yeah. and you're just like, it's a change in your muscle. Like, you get to use different muscles and-

Bri: Yes, yes ... ...you just I know one of, one of my favorite, coaches from Orange Theory, Coach Tony, he says flat roads, flat butts. And I'm like, " You know what?"

Ally: I like that. Yes. That should be on a sh- That's, I'm sure there's that says that somewhere. Yeah, right ... that says that somewhere. Flat roads, flat butts. That's pretty good. Yeah. Perfect. I'm gonna think of that when on the next hill I'm up.

Bri: I keep trying.

Ally: Yeah. I'm like- Maybe you should put that on the back of your shorts.

Bri: Just like the juicy? Just-

Ally: just says- flat roads, flat butts. Yeah. And so then- yeah. Anyway, yeah. we

Bri: More

Ally: on and on. Marketing. Yeah, more marketing, more opportunities. Well, yeah, BRE10 if people... Is that 10% off?

Bri: It is 10% off. Yeah. Yep. So if you have not yet registered-

Ally: Go do it. Go do it. Yeah, I love Geist. I did it the first few years they had it, and then my husband and I got married the weekend they used to have it, which was in mid-May. Yep. and then I've done it o- I think only one time since they've moved it to [01:08:00] September. Yeah. but I will definitely be back at that race at some

Bri: It's just ni- And the post-race party is really nice. They've got, you know, Ma- I, I think it was MashCraft last year that came, and just breweries. They've got coffee.

Ally: Yeah. It's so pretty out there too. I love, I mean, all the houses and-

Bri: Yeah, you go through some neighborhoods.

Ally: Yeah.

Bri: Just so people, again, spectating being a sport.

Ally: Right.

Bri: People are out there- Yeah ... cheering for

Ally: on the streets. Oh my gosh.

Bri: my gosh, it's so fun. So.

Ally: Yeah. It's great. Well, thank you for doing this.

Bri: I'm so excited you did. Thank you. I know, me too.

Ally: Your energy is just infectious. I don't know if people tell you that a lot, but it is. you are gonna make such a great coach and cheerleader. Such

Bri: Yeah.

Ally: a great coach. Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. And yeah, well thanks everybody for listening. Thanks.

Bri: Thanks. Thanks for having me.

Ally: Happy running.

Bri: Happy running.

Ally: Hey, before you go, if you enjoyed Finish Lines and Milestones, you might also enjoy a new show that has come to the Sandy Wear Productions Podcast Network, Maybe Running Will Help. It's hosted by Nikki Tamburrino, and it's running and personal development, mindset, identity, comeback stories, the stuff behind the miles. Search Maybe Running Will [01:09:00] Help wherever you listen and give it a follow There's plenty of other shows in the network as well. As always, check out the show notes, subscribe to my weekly emails. If you missed it, there is a new episode of Catching Up with Coach for the month of August that I recorded with my coach, Rachel Sinders, this week, and I will see you again next Friday. Thanks for listening. Bye.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.