Finish Lines & Milestones: Episode 179: Scott Saucedo - It's Gonna Get Better

Finish Lines & Milestones: Episode 179: Scott Saucedo - It's Gonna Get Better

Here's how people can enjoy this episode:

Guest: Scott Saucedo @scott_sauce_fit

Show Notes:

Scott Saucedo is a full-time single dad, personal trainer and endurance athlete who coaches IndyCar drivers Alex Palou and Conor Daly, and he's been running for decades.

During this episode, we talk about:

  • [4:00] Running in Bo Jackson cross-trainers, college cross country at 70 miles a week, and pulling both hamstrings deadlifting with a decathlete
  • [14:00] Quitting his job to become a personal trainer with one client, signing up for an Ironman after watching it on TV, and helping start CrossFit Carmel
  • [19:00] His first marathons: Columbus, a Chicago BQ by 30 seconds, and changing clothes on the plane after Boston
  • [29:00] Becoming a dad at 41, and filming workouts with three-year-old Luca in 2020
  • [33:00] Training with PBT and the morning crew, and his Fort Ben PR
  • [36:00] The New Shoe Day crew, and his first 100K at a backyard ultra (fueled by a jar of pickles)
  • [43:00] Why he didn't want to "just get good at suffering," how ultras prepared him to be a full-time single dad
  • [50:00] Running the UTMB course over a week and finding hope under Mont Blanc
  • [59:00] Pacing a friend at Leadville, then losing his job, hernia surgery, sauna training and switching from keto to carbs
  • [1:06:00] Running MoMoFo through the night with a dying headlamp, and Leadville 100: two "resets," no calories for 30 miles, and the last 12 miles as fast as the first
  • [1:17:00] Breaking 3 hours at the New York City Marathon by 10 seconds, and a Carmel Marathon PR at 50
  • [1:25:00] Training Indy 500 champion Alex Palou, and turning IndyCar drivers into runners
  • [1:32:00] Coaching his daughter Luca without over-coaching
  • [1:38:00] The Mammoth 50K, and a six-hour Yosemite hike with his 73-year-old mom and Luca (plus a bear)
  • [1:46:00] "Raise a Hallelujah," and his message for anyone in a hard season: it's gonna get better

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Episode Transcript

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

Scott Saucedo: it's hard to have hope sometimes, but it's so important to remember, it's okay you don't have the answers and you don't know what it's gonna be, but tomorrow can be better, right? The sun's gonna come out tomorrow, we'll just figure out today.

Ally Brettnacher: Welcome to Finish Lines and Milestones, a podcast for everyday runners. I'm your host, Ally Brettnacher, also allytbrett_runs on social media. And if you run, you are 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 I get into this week, I am in the final throes of my training for the CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. I'm doing the half, and I'm going for a PR, which for me will be anything under 143.14. So I am praying to the weather gods and the race day gods that I have a good day, but I'm really excited.

I just did one of my last hard workouts yesterday, and then on Friday of this week, when you're maybe listening to this, I have a 16-mile workout, which I've [00:01:00] never run 16 miles training for a half, I've gotten up to 14 so far this block. But the 16 was kind of surprising, so thanks, coach.

but I'm looking forward to getting that behind me so that I feel confident heading into race day. I've had some struggles throughout this training block, which I've talked to my coach about. If you wanna hear those, you can listen to the Catching Up With Coach series that I have also on this podcast feed.

I can't believe Monumental's almost here. So anyway, enough about me. This week, I am so lucky to have Scott Saucedo on the podcast. he is local to the Indianapolis area. He's a single dad, personal trainer, and endurance athlete.

he did his first marathon in Columbus in 2003, but was running before that. He started in, in middle school Scott has seemingly done it all in running. He did his first marathon in '03 in Columbus. Then he did Chicago the following year and qualified for Boston, and then did Boston in 2005, and then he took a really long break, like until he was 40, which was around 2016, and he decided he was gonna be a runner then, a real runner, which is funny to think because most of us, I think, [00:02:00] would say that he'd already been a real runner and did things that we only dream of as everyday athletes.

And he's since done an Ironman. He has run a sub-three-hour marathon in New York City, and he's completed the Leadville 100 miler in Colorado, And he's done the Leadville 100 miler in Colorado, which is nuts, all training while being a full-time single dad. He also trains IndyCar drivers, so anyone who's local or follows IndyCar will know the names Alex Palou and Conor Daly, and he is getting ready to do his first Hyrox with both of them soon, which is pretty cool.

But the heart of this conversation is really Talking to Scott about what running has taught him as a single dad. He talks about letting go of the training he used to do and finding hope, specifically on the trails of Mont Blanc, which is a cool story too.

And he ran a PR recently, um, during a time when life has been really rough. So we talk about fueling, we talk about coaching his daughter Luka without over-coaching his daughter Luka, a 10-mile hike at Yosemite with his [00:03:00] 73-year-old mom. So if you're in a hard season right now and you're looking for Scott's message is so good.

It's going to get better. So I hope you enjoy my conversation with Scott Saucedo

Ally Brettnacher: Are those your notes?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah Get out of town. That's why I have a few pages. Do you wanna-

Ally Brettnacher: Put those away.

Scott Saucedo: Just wanna make sure- I'm

Ally Brettnacher: just kidding.

Scott Saucedo: No, I- ... I, I get certain things, but, yeah. It's a- There's so many... The, the thing is, like, I feel the pressure of, like, there's things I wanna share because I wanna sh- but also just like I've lived several decades.

I had to kind of go by decade. Right. And of, like, all the things I've done, and it's, like, not like it's a list of accomplishments, but, like, funny stories. Like, we can start wherever, but go ahead.

Ally Brettnacher: Right. No, I... It's great because I do realize, yeah, people who have been running a lot longer-

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm ...

Ally Brettnacher: you have so many stories and experiences.

'Cause you asked me

Scott Saucedo: if I had money to run marathons. Like, well, most of them were before Instagram.

Ally Brettnacher: Which is so cool. The people who listen- Yeah ... who have just started running will have no concept of what that was even- Yeah ... like, right? Yeah. No Strava.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Well- Okay, so let's just start- So let's, let's go

about how you started running.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. Well, I started running in middle school. I liked playing [00:04:00] soccer. I was always a soccer player. Um, didn't make the team, so I'm like, "Well, I'll start running." I- the funny story I thought of is that, like, one of the first pictures of me running, um- I was wearing Bo Jackson cross-trainers- Okay

'cause I only had one pair of shoes, and I wanted those. And they were not the best for running, but that's my shoe, so I ran the whole season in Bo Jackson cross-trainers. And I thought-

Ally Brettnacher: Were they huge? I feel like-

Scott Saucedo: Yeah ...

Ally Brettnacher: they'd be big.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: They're big. And- Bo Jackson is a baseball player. I actually know that.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. I'm very

Ally Brettnacher: proud

Scott Saucedo: of myself. And he was a football player, and all that stuff. So anyway, so I was like, yeah, I did that. And then, um, I remember one of my first things is, like, I wanna... I was the kid in gym class that wanted to run fast. Yeah. Like, you know, when you go do the, the gym class mile. So, like, I wanna have the fastest mile.

So I think as a freshman, I might have had the fastest mile. But I was, I liked running, but I wasn't the best at it. I just, ever since I was young, I loved to play. Being at play, like in Chariots of Fire, like, the, the movie where he talks about, like, I feel like I feel God's happiness when I'm running. And like, for me, like, when I was at play, like, I just loved to play.

Like, [00:05:00] I always wanted to be good, but I didn't care if necessarily if I was the best, I just wanted to play. And so I loved anything that involved running. So in soccer, I wanted to play midfield. I wanted to do the most running, right? And in running even, like, I wanted to run with people. I wanted to run and, and I wanted to be fast, but I also knew, like, I didn't have the, the drive, especially in high school, to, like, run every day.

Like, I wouldn't run on summers, really. Like, you know- Yeah ... it's like- Right ... you show up to camp, all right, let's g- let's get started. Do

Ally Brettnacher: you ever think about that looking back? Oh,

Scott Saucedo: yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Being like, what if I actually tried?

Scott Saucedo: Well, that's where, like, now, like- ... obviously I've, I've had a few decades, and it's like, yeah, if I would've practiced in high school or college-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm

Scott Saucedo: yeah. So I, again, that wasn't the goal for me. The goal was like, let's have fun. Mm. So I ran in high school, was able to, to run varsity, and, and, you know, place in a few meets, but it was just, it was good. It was okay. Um-

Ally Brettnacher: Are you from this area?

Scott Saucedo: I grew up initially in Michigan, Southwest Michigan. Okay. Then moved to Fort Wayne in, uh, middle school, and went to middle school and high school there.

Ally Brettnacher: Where'd you go to high school in-

Scott Saucedo: Homestead.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay. I have some Lur- my parents went to Luers.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: I have a [00:06:00] friend that went to Homestead, but she graduated when I did in, from

Scott Saucedo: Luers, so. Lurers is a good soccer school, too, so I had some friends that went there.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But then after high school, I had played one year of soccer, and the rest was running 'cause we had a good soccer team, won state when I was there.

And- Wow ... um, I'm like, well, rather than just sit on the bench, like, I might as well run and, and do something productive there.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, but in college then, like, I had talked to the coach, and I was going to a small D3 school. Didn't really have any goals in my life, but like, hey, we'll figure it out.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: And, but I'm like, well, if I have the chance to play in college again, that would be fun. So kind of was tossing up, didn't do much training. I just worked all summer. I was working two jobs to try to pay for school. And, um, like two weeks before, I'm like, "I'll run cross country." Okay. So I go to Anderson, and it's a, it's a good running school, really good coach.

I didn't know anything about it. Mm-hmm. But they kind of like, they let you show up and, and did not know I was gonna be running 70 miles a week. Like, that was a big shock. Um, but also a funny story there, like, so I go in, I'm just this weak kid coming in, and like, "Hey, well, let's see what happens." And the first day, [00:07:00] they have, um, like, the gear drop.

And so, you know, like, 50 people show up. I'm like, "That's a lot of people." Well, it turns out, like, half of them are, like, the track team. They just come to get their free stuff. Oh. And so, I meet, see this guy, like, "He's really fit," and he's a decathlete. And so I go, "Hey, what's up? What, what do you do?" And so-

Ally Brettnacher: Tell people what that means, 'cause I actually

Scott Saucedo: don't know if I know.

Yeah. A decathlete is a, a, it starts in college and goes up to pro where they do 10 events over two days, and it's a really cool combination. It's like, um, many people consider decathletes to be some of the fittest people in the world because- Oh, yeah ... they have to have, be powerful, they have to be, um, be fast and ru- run long.

I think the, the pros run a 1500. Um, so you have to be fast in the 1500 as well as the 100. They have to do hurdles, shot put, javelin, a lot of different events. Wow. High jump, pole vault. So it's this multi-discipline thing, and so you have to be strong. You have to- Yeah ... do a lot of things. And so he looked like he worked out.

I'm like, "Hey, I wanna get stronger. I'm just a freshman. Like, show me your ways." And so I would go and lift with this guy before practice.

Ally Brettnacher: Good for you.

Scott Saucedo: And so, [00:08:00] well, good, but also, like, I would show up to practice like tired every day- ... because I just lifted for an hour with this guy, and I'd never lifted before in my life.

I was a- Ooh ... you know- Yeah, the

Ally Brettnacher: soreness must, must

Scott Saucedo: have

Ally Brettnacher: been-

Scott Saucedo: So, yeah. So halfway the season, I'd never dead- deadlifted before, and it's pulling weight off the ground, and he showed me the, showed me once and I did it and, and pulled both my hamstrings. Like, "Sorry, Coach, I can't run."

Ally Brettnacher: Ouch.

Scott Saucedo: So it was one of those funny, like I ended up gaining weight during cross-country because I was getting stronger, but al- lifting so much.

Um, but so that kind of ended that season.

Ally Brettnacher: Dang it.

Scott Saucedo: But then I'm like, I didn't have anything to do to run, so I started lifting more and then met some of the guys on the soccer team, ended up walking on and playing soccer.

Ally Brettnacher: Really?

Scott Saucedo: And that was fun because, uh, at that point I was a good athlete, and at that level, if I could play a position well, it didn't matter if I had all of the best foot skills or whatever, as long as I could play a position.

So-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: then I got to play college soccer, which was really cool to go in and to be a part of a team and to kind of play my position, right? Mm-hmm. To go in and be a support. Um, so I was either outside half [00:09:00] or, like, a marking defender, where I could mark their player and just stay with them all day kind of a thing.

But that was fun. So I got to have that experience, so even though it was a small school, and-

Ally Brettnacher: Right ...

Scott Saucedo: didn't really know what I was doing with my life, it was like, to have that experience was really cool.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, I went to Westfield High School and it's small.

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: And I played number one singles in tennis.

Oh, yeah. That's pressure. And when I tell people that now, they're like, "Oh, my God." I'm like, "Wait, wait, wait. Okay. I..." It was a long time ago.

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: But it was such a great experience to go to a small school because I could play whatever. I tried track, I did basketball. Mm-hmm. I played tennis, I played soccer.

It was so nice.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: So that's really cool you were able to do that at a collegiate level.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. And it was, it was fun. Like, it was definitely tough and r- and you get beat up a little bit, but I learned a lot, and that was the start of, too, like, how do I become a better athlete to be better at this sport or this position?

And, and rather than being kind of judged on just what k- skills do you have, it's like, "Well, can you do these? These are the th- the tasks that we need you to do." Um, so, like, the next summer I got a job moving things just so I could get stronger. So I like, I would essentially- Smart, yeah ... lift every day and then go lift after that so I c- then- I came [00:10:00] back even heavier and stronger, and so like- Mm-hmm

yeah. So let's say that was kind of a fun way to get into college. And then, um, I ended up transferring halfway through to a s- even a smaller school.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh.

Scott Saucedo: Uh, the smaller Christian school called Huntington, which is again, great school. Um, had some friends there, and it was, um, it was kinda what I needed to be in a good place with good people.

And again, lots of facilities. You could, you could play sports. Um, I played soccer for a year, and then also was hanging out with runners as, as I seemed to be. You know, like- ... school people were like, "Hey, we're gonna go run 20 miles tonight. Do you wanna do that?" And like, I remember like one night I ran the, I think first time I'd run 20 miles, but I got dropped.

And so it was like running back to school in the dark, like no headlamp, just trying to find my way back to campus 'cause they had run way out into the country. Um, but-

Ally Brettnacher: J- on a road at least? Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: It was road and trails. Like- Oh,

Ally Brettnacher: geez ...

Scott Saucedo: again, it was one of those things like it sounded cool at the time, and it's like, "Sure, we can do this," like, um- So

Ally Brettnacher: did you know how much you ended up running?

Scott Saucedo: Did you- No, I mean, I didn't have a watch. Right. Like, so yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: So that's just crazy to think- That was just the

Scott Saucedo: [00:11:00] joy

Ally Brettnacher: of- ... that you could have run a half marath- probably, you know, more

Scott Saucedo: than a half marathon Yeah. I knew it was a couple hours. Yeah. And I knew that I was, I was the last one back, but, uh, made it back to campus safely.

Um-

Ally Brettnacher: Did they check on you, I hope? God.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, maybe we regrouped later, but it was, uh, it was like a different time back then.

Ally Brettnacher: Right. You're a dude too, so.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. It wasn't... And yeah, it was... We were blessed. But all this to say like finished school. It... Being able to do some sports, but not really having the desire to, to train seriously for anything after that.

And so after school, end up just lifting, kinda doing the thing, like reading whatever the coolest workout at the time was. "Hey, let's try that for a while." Just working out at the Y, and then moved down to Indy, um, in the early 2000s.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: And, um, that was a really cool time too 'cause I, again, I said I didn't know what I was doing with my life, so I, I'd found this, this businessman down here that was mentoring.

Um, and I'm like, "I wanna be mentored 'cause I wanna figure out what I'm gonna do." So like at 24, I spent a year working with him, which was really foundational for my life 'cause it helped me kind of find- Yeah ... a center, find a focus for [00:12:00] my personal life.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. And-

Scott Saucedo: How did

Ally Brettnacher: you find him?

Scott Saucedo: Through a mutual friend.

Um, I was going to a church in Fort Wayne and met this other guy who, again, seemed more confident than the average 23, 24-year-old. And he's like, "Yeah, I've been mentored by this guy named Bo." And I'm like, "Well, that sounds pretty cool, like let's do that." So-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: I literally moved to Indy just to, I got a job just to be mentored by him for a year.

And it, it's one of those things like coming from- My parents got divorced when I was in high school and didn't have a good strong father role model. Mm. And so he was kind of like that for me.

Ally Brettnacher: Wow.

Scott Saucedo: But then getting at that impressionable age too, like I want to do something more with my life.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: And I was trying to find that fun in college and didn't find it.

So after school like you're making money, you're, you're doing stuff, but like just felt like purposeless if that way.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Did you ever feel a pull to go down the wrong path? 'Cause I feel like that could happen if you're in that environment, especially you know Anderson... Is Anderson a Christian university?

Yeah, it says Christian God. It is. Okay. Yeah. So it's a little bit better. Yeah. So it's not like you're going to a party school. We had like

Scott Saucedo: social clubs, but not like sororities- Okay. All

Ally Brettnacher: right ... and frats and stuff like that. Well, then dis- disregard that, 'cause it seems like you were in a good-

Scott Saucedo: Yeah

environment. Yeah, [00:13:00] Anderson was mostly and then Huntington was even more conservative. Yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: so.

Scott Saucedo: So I, I definitely put myself around, around really good people and that, that's the thing like- Whether that was God's guidance in my life or just like kind of like because I always chose that more conservative- Right

path. Um, I, I did go to IU a lot. I remember that when I was at Anderson I had a- Okay, yeah ... a good friend at IU. But that was a good experience for me because it was like, wow, eyes open. I can't even- Completely different ... imagine what that

Ally Brettnacher: would feel

Scott Saucedo: like. But I, I loved it, having someone... I, I didn't want to go there by myself because I wouldn't have known what to do.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But, uh, my friend was in a sorority in the Greek, um, intervarsity, whatever it was, and she also rowed Little Five. So go and get to- Oh ... experience like the big school stuff-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: with her. And, and s- she was still very conservative too. Like, in that we would go and, and go to the, the, the what I was...

Think intervarsity. But it was cool to get that experience.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And to be around, again, good people. Like I've been blessed to have good people in my life at each of those really- Yeah ... probably, uh, pivotal moments and pivotal [00:14:00] seasons that then helps keep you not just on the right track, but keep you kind of growing- Yeah

and challenge you to be better, as opposed to like, "Hey, let's just go out and, and party," whatever- Yeah ... and then kind of forget whatever happened.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so yeah. Yeah, I mean- So I've had good friends, and then good people- It's good ... good places. And then coming down here too, that was m- more intentional choice to come down and kind of choose like, what am I gonna do with my life?

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: Because I, I have felt that, that, that inner pull, if you will, of like, what am, what am I here for? Like what am I supposed to do with my life?

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And I never felt like I had to tie to one career. Like I need to be a banker, or I need to be, um, whatever, like whatever even career. Like I got a ministry degree because I liked working with kids.

Like I'm gonna work with kids, maybe be a PE teacher. And then I actually s- was about... I was doing my student teaching to be a PE teacher and the recession hit, and it's like really hard to get a job. Oof. And so I'm like, "Well, let's not do that. Let's..." So I'm like, "What about being a coach? I can be a coach."

So I, that's how I got into personal training. And so- Wow ... I had, I was doing accounting at the time. [00:15:00] Um, and I quit my job to be a personal trainer without having any clients. So I was then working at Starbucks. Your

Ally Brettnacher: mom's like, "What?"

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. So I'm working at Starbucks, and had one client, uh, who the guy was, I had mentored.

Um- And that... All that to say it was, it was kinda cool like how like I just chose, like well, let's see what happens. And through that is when I found CrossFit, um, which the timing was really cool too because I didn't really like how things were working at the like what they call the big gyms or global gyms.

And I was trying all these different things and trying to piece it together to what I thought would make- Me fit or help someone be fit

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm

Scott Saucedo: And someone else just told me about it, it's like, "Hey, you might like this 'cause it's a lot of crazy different stuff." And I'm like, "Okay." Mm-hmm. And I was also, I had saw...

I wasn't really running or working out, doing anything towards a goal at this time, but I saw on TV, like probably every night, having ice cream, I'm watching TV, and I saw the Ironman Championships on TV. Oh,

Ally Brettnacher: no.

Scott Saucedo: I'm like, "Wow, that's really crazy." Yeah. That... And [00:16:00] I, I couldn't, I didn't know how to swim with my head in the water, so I'd never really had good swim lessons.

I didn't have a bike. Um, but I'm like, "I should do that before I turn 40," 'cause I'm like 30 at the time. And, uh, and I, I think we had the internet, so I l- look online. I'm like, "Oh,

Ally Brettnacher: there-" I think we had the internet. I love that so much.

Scott Saucedo: We, uh, there's one next year. I should do that one. And like, and-

Ally Brettnacher: Stop ...

Scott Saucedo: so I sign up for it the next year, like-

Ally Brettnacher: Tell, tell people about that signup process.

Is it like, do you have to listen to the dial tone of the internet to like get

Scott Saucedo: on? No, no, it wasn't that bad. Okay. It wasn't that bad. But just coming from a perspective like- It was like early 2000s and- ... I still wasn't in the mindset of like you could Google that. Like, I had a friend that was younger than me that was like, "Let me Google that for you."

I'm like, "Oh yeah, I forget that's a thing." 'Cause it was just like you was- Yeah ... you're stuck in the mindset of like I don't know these things, I have to go ask someone that does.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so that was my kind of entry. Like, I'm gonna try something really hard, but also I wanted to use what I was learning about CrossFit, and CrossFit at the time was a thing, something called CrossFit Endurance, was that instead of just focusing on volume, let's build your body up and make it [00:17:00] stronger.

Hmm. Because if you've seen an Ironman, like at the end, people, most of the people, I'm not talking about the pros, but the average person, isn't getting to the finish line like out of breath. It's like they can barely stand up straight- ... 'cause their, their core is shutting down, their legs are cramping, or they're walking or have stomach issues.

Mm-hmm. It's like, let's make your body stronger and focus on power and strength rather than just more volume.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: I'm like, "That kinda sounds good." Plus I didn't have the time or desire to, to work out for 20 hours a week. And so I would do two swim workouts a week, and one bike workout a week, and I would run a couple times a month, and the other three days or four days I would do CrossFit.

I would lift and- Hmm ... try to get stronger.

Ally Brettnacher: Where was your first gym that you did CrossFit? Does it still exist?

Scott Saucedo: Um, no. Um, but it w- the, the funny thing there was there wasn't a CrossFit gym, and so I worked out at LA Fitness. Oh, right, I guess

Ally Brettnacher: there... Oh,

Scott Saucedo: yeah. This was like 2008. 2007, 2008.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: Um, I worked at LA Fitness.

I would start, I started bringing my own equipment into the gym and just doing stuff there because that's all I could do. And [00:18:00] then-

Ally Brettnacher: Did ever, anyone ever be like s-

Scott Saucedo: Oh, yeah ... "What are you doing?" ... like when I was hanging rings from the pull-up bars, they're like, "Yeah, you probably shouldn't be doing that there."

Ally Brettnacher: And you're like, "It's fine."

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. I'm a professional. I'm

Ally Brettnacher: a professional. Okay.

Scott Saucedo: Um, but no, we, I helped start CrossFit Carmel. That was the first CrossFit gym in the area. So that, that started, and that was really cool. Then I was like, I was the evangelist. That is really cool. I was like, "Hey, everyone, you gotta come to this gym."

And so I would go to LA Fitness, "Hey, you wanna come to CrossFit? Let's go j- let's go to that." And like guys would joke, like 'cause initially they would see me doing workouts there. Like one of my friends, Chris, I had him do this really intense workout that he was not ready for. And like halfway through it- He just disappeared.

I'm like, "Where did he go?" 'Cause it was like a 45 hour m- hour-long workout. And he was under the stairs, like hiding, like trying not to throw up. He had so he was sitting under the stairs at LA Fitness. I'm like, "Dude, are you okay?" He's like, "No, I, I don't feel good." But that was like, again, me, me not, me giving too much to too soon, but- Can you

Ally Brettnacher: imagine that video on the internet today?

Like- Yeah,

Scott Saucedo: I was just like that guy that was so excited, like, "Hey, come tr- come see what I found." Yeah. Like, "This is gonna be really good." [00:19:00] Um, but it did- Oh my gosh ... we built up this, this gym of people, and it was mostly guys I had met at LA Fitness or people I'd met through running- Mm-hmm ... 'cause I was doing, if you've heard of the Dino Trail Series.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, back then we thought like a 5K or 15K, that's a really big deal. Like, for running for like an hour,

Ally Brettnacher: you know? Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, be- leading up before the triathlon.

Ally Brettnacher: So did you do trail before you ever did road then?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. Um, I had done... Oh, that's right. I also heard about Boston Marathon. I'm like, "Oh, that'd be cool."

And so I signed up for a marathon. First one, didn't know anything. Got it done in Columbus, and then- Columbus, okay ... went to Chicago the next year and trained for it. And h- like I printed off Hal Higdon, you know, off- Yep, that's what

Ally Brettnacher: I did ...

Scott Saucedo: off the internet and did that. Um, had like one gel. Didn't have time to stop for food-

so like I think I had a sip of water and one gel. Got done, qualified by like 30 seconds. Oh

Ally Brettnacher: my gosh.

Scott Saucedo: And it was just like, that's the hardest thing I've ever done. And I remember like, I remember writing down, like, "I don't think I could ever run faster." That was, I'm like 25 years old, I'm like, "That's as fast as I can go.

That's it." Like, I gave everything. [00:20:00] Um- Wow ... and then I, so I, I did go out to Boston the next year, but that was like a fun trip. Like, "Hey, let's go to Boston." So we drove.

Ally Brettnacher: Wow.

Scott Saucedo: I think we, I flew to Philly, we drove in, we stayed at some friend's house that was in seminary, and just like all slept on the floor.

And then someone said, "Hey, I'll run the race with you." So I had another friend that just ran, just dropped in, so we ran at the back, just ran the race. Wow. Like had a disposable camera, took pictures along the way. Like, this is fun. Stop it. But also then I didn't plan on, on the late starting time, 'cause it starts super late.

Oh, right. And I started at the back. And so the funny story there was that I got done, I'm like, "Oh, I gotta get to the airport. Like my flight leaves in an hour." And so I didn't have a phone, so I had to go and find someone that had a phone and have them call my friend to pick me up, and he literally picked me up with like my, you know, space blanket on and drove me straight to the airport.

And then I got on the plane and like changed on the plane- That

Ally Brettnacher: is so- ... to

Scott Saucedo: fly home ...

Ally Brettnacher: ridiculous.

Scott Saucedo: But all that say, that, that was my Boston story. It's like-

Ally Brettnacher: What? ...

Scott Saucedo: I did it, but like it wasn't, it wasn't like [00:21:00] a race. That was just like a fun weekend with

Ally Brettnacher: friends. That's fun. Okay. What, which, which year did you run Columbus?

Scott Saucedo: I think 2003.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay. I think- So your first marathon in

Scott Saucedo: 2003 ... 2003. I think, I think I ran Chicago in 2004, and then Boston I guess must've been 2005. '

Ally Brettnacher: 05. Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay. And then the Ironman that you did came before-

Scott Saucedo: So it was a couple years later ... later. Okay ... so I, I had forgot about that.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Oh, I just forgot about the- Yeah

three marathons I ran before I did an Ironman.

Scott Saucedo: Because it was like I did a couple- ... and then like I'm done. Yeah. Like, well, I did that. You know, you check, check the box. Check. Okay. And this, I literally didn't run after Boston. I'd gotten sick. I had some health problems where I got sick for a while. It just didn't feel good to run, so I didn't.

So I just lifted, found CrossFit, and then I was like- Wow ... oh, Ironman, 'cause I'd done a mar- marathon before, so I'm like, oh, if I just get to the marathon, it'll be fine. Completely underestimated how hard that is, like just learning how to swim efficiently- Oof ... and not get scared in the water, so that was a whole process.

Made friends that taught me how to swim, basically. Um, did my first one having no... I'd never drove the course.

Ally Brettnacher: Where'd you do your first one?

Scott Saucedo: Wisconsin.

Ally Brettnacher: [00:22:00] Okay.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. Beautiful. I just wanted something... I think that was the closest one. I just-

Ally Brettnacher: Okay ...

Scott Saucedo: whatever.

Ally Brettnacher: How was that compared, the course there compared to other-

Scott Saucedo: Um, it's a-

Ally Brettnacher: ones? ...

Scott Saucedo: relatively easy swim 'cause it's in a lake. Okay. Um, it's easy to see people. The, the ride course is not easy. It's probably closer to the tough run, like Coeur d'Alene is harder, Lake Placid's harder, but it's, like, in the middle. It's not easy, but it's rolling hills. Okay. It's not smooth. I liked that 'cause it wasn't boring.

Like, you couldn't, you weren't sitting down in aero position- Right, in the same ... it was, like, lots of up and down. Um, but it was very beautiful. And then the marathon was nice, that you do two laps. Oh, that was one of the hardest things that, didn't do any course recon. My mom was there with some family, and I- you run the half marathon, the marathon, you run to the finish, and you stop, like, 100 meters short, and you turn around and go back.

And I was- No, you do not ... so tired at that point. And I, I, like, waved at my family. I'm like, "If they would've walked three blocks, they could've seen me, like, three more times, but they had a good seat. Like, we gotta save our seat for the finish."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But they sat there for, like, six [00:23:00] hours. So- ... that was one of those things that, like, this is a long day.

This is, again, this is one of the hardest things I've done. Um, but I did it, and I'm like, "Okay. It wa- it was tough, but it wasn't that bad."

Ally Brettnacher: Wow. Yeah, so. That's so mean. Do they still do that, turning around and having- Yeah ... to keep

Scott Saucedo: going? It, it's, it's one of those things, like, if you know it's coming, but, and too, if you've done hard things, right, like, you get to the point, like, sometimes you're just, like, emotionally you're kinda like, "Ugh, this is tough."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And I was feeling it. Yeah. And, like, I literally cried, like, "I have to go do another half marathon." Um, so turning and running away from my family at that point- Right ... and just back into the night, 'cause I wasn't, uh, fast at that point. Um, and because, oh, that race, I'm such a bad swimmer. I came out, like, it was 2,200 people in the race, and I was, like, 2,000 and something out of the water.

Ally Brettnacher: Wow.

Scott Saucedo: So I'm at the back. And on the bike I'm not passing many people. Again, I'm just cruising. But that means I get to the run, and I, I'm gonna run.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: You know, it's, this is my time to shine. Well, no one at my position is running. Yeah. They're all walking 'cause they've all been going hard all day. Oh,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And so then I'm, like, [00:24:00] by myself because I'm the only person that far back that actually is running. So yeah, it was another story, but-

Ally Brettnacher: Wow ...

Scott Saucedo: all this to say, like, I got through it, and it was like, again, okay, check the box. Let's go back to having fun and working out with friends. And why w- it, I think I was attracted to the CrossFit at the time, it was different, it was challenging, but it was something you could do with friends.

Yeah. And what we were doing, like, we weren't trying to be professionals with it. We were having fun. It was middle-aged at that point, almost middle-aged, hanging out after work.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: And so I'm like, this is, this is, to me, the start of what feels like community and making friends, and, like- As you know, that you're in that age, like mid-30s, like people start having kids.

Ally Brettnacher: Yep.

Scott Saucedo: And like every time someone had a kid, it was like, "Oh man, so-and-so's having a kid. Let's write co- workouts." We like write workouts about our friends having kids, 'cause it was like such a thing to celebrate.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh.

Scott Saucedo: You know, it's like the first one, like, and it's like by the 10th or 11th, okay, like, okay, now everyone's having kids.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But, um, it was that, that time of season to have friends and to have that community of people- Mm-hmm ... to celebrate life with, to, to go through life with, um, [00:25:00] and to get fit together. Yeah. Again, and it wasn't like we were trying to be, uh, insane competitors, but we were all trying to be a little bit better.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And so that was just really, really cool.

Ally Brettnacher: Did the CrossFit Games exist at that point, or still really-

Scott Saucedo: It started a few years after, yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay

Scott Saucedo: Which, about the time, so I got more into it. Um, and through their session, like I, my job was in real estate, so my job kind of wound down, and as it did, I just started coaching more.

Um, which it was cool, 'cause it gave CrossFit more publicity, but also made it harder as a coach because people would see it on TV and they would either say, "I can't do that because that's insane." Mm. Yeah. Or they'd be like, "I wanna do that." I'm like, "Well, you're 45 and have a bad back, so no, we're not gonna..."

We're, that's not- It's a poor life decision ...

Ally Brettnacher: and it, yeah. That's not gonna

Scott Saucedo: happen. Yeah. That's not gonna be something that you're gonna try right now. So it was like this kind of tension between both of those extremes. Um, but it was g- it was a good time. I had my own gym for a while. Um-

Ally Brettnacher: Oh ...

Scott Saucedo: which was cool, like helping run a gym.

Although I, I would have to go and work another job to pay for that gym, 'cause it- Right ... that, that whole struggle of like-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ... "Is this a good [00:26:00] idea, really?

Scott Saucedo: Am I making good decisions to get up at 5:00 to coach for two hours and then drive to work?"

Ally Brettnacher: Oof. "

Scott Saucedo: Work all day and then drive back to the gym." Um, but it was a season.

We got through it, and we'll always be happy with the community that we built and- Mm ... thankful for that time. Mm-hmm. And just, and still friends with a lot of those people today.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, and the timing was also good. Like after a couple years of that, I was like, "Okay, I think I need a break." Um, and also I had gotten hurt, um, moving, which again, getting to be a certain age.

Yeah. And, uh, I, uh, was tired. It was a long day. And, um, picked up a treadmill to move my treadmill, and held it wrong and tore my bicep tendon. And so it was like, all right, well-

Ally Brettnacher: Ouch ...

Scott Saucedo: probably that's the end of my, my serious CrossFit days, but also like I kinda need something different anyway, so... And, uh, my daughter was about to be born.

Oh, wow. So my wife's like, "You are not going to do anything that makes you inable, incapable of helping with the baby." Right.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. And

Scott Saucedo: so like- I've heard

Ally Brettnacher: crazy stories about that,

Scott Saucedo: yeah ... yeah, like, okay. Guy, like, breaks his [00:27:00] leg. I, I'm done. I'm good.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so we closed the gym, and the gym then split into two gyms, and now one of them is called CrossFit Westfield, um, which I'm still a part, which is cool, like to still have- Okay

again, so some of those people I've known for like 15 years, which is really-

Ally Brettnacher: That's

Scott Saucedo: so cool ... so still good to have that, but also then it was like I knew I wanted to be, have the time and, and capacity to be a really good dad. So, um, that was kind of the end of that season.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Wow. That's nuts.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: That's a lot.

Scott Saucedo: And that was just kind of the start. So-

Ally Brettnacher: Right ...

Scott Saucedo: all that to say is that-

Ally Brettnacher: That's just the beginning ...

Scott Saucedo: through, that was through my 30s. Um, so I, I ended up doing another triathlon just with friends from the gym. Okay. And that was like-

Ally Brettnacher: Another Ironman?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. So we just did the same one, because I'm like, "We know the course."

And there was a few of us training, like, "Well, let's just go." And, and that was almost like a celebration. It was like, "Let's go do something really fun." And knowing the course and knowing that, and I remember, like, we, instead, like, the night before, instead of, like, taking it easy, like, we went out and then, like, went bar hopping the night before.

And, like, I was the, the designated driver, but it was like, "Let's stay up late and- Yeah ... and have fun, [00:28:00] and then just throw down the next day." And that, that theme of, of doing it for fun, and the, the- Mm ... having the friends there, it was, it was a great time. Um, but after that, didn't have any goals, and so was looking for something.

Then after I hurt my arm, like, well, if I can't lift really heavy and do crazy things like that, what else can I do? And well, I guess I could run. Like, I'm good at running. So then when I turned 40, I'm like, "I think I'm gonna be a runner now." So that was kind of- And,

Ally Brettnacher: and here we are.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, so that's the start of like, okay, like, I think I'll run some more marathons- Mm-hmm

and see what happens.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Go- and your daughter is Luca, right? Yes. Nine years old.

Scott Saucedo: Yes.

Ally Brettnacher: She runs, too, which we, we'll talk about, I'm sure. Mm-hmm. But where does her name come from?

Scott Saucedo: Um, honestly, I didn't do enough research. I didn't know it was primarily a boy's name, but we-

Ally Brettnacher: It's a, oh, it's a beautiful name,

Scott Saucedo: first of all.

I- it's a beautiful name. Um, it, it's- Just it's an Italian name. Yeah. Um, had been to Italy and love that name. So sh- her real name is Zoanne, which is her, her grandmother's name, so I like that, having, like, a [00:29:00] shorter, fun first name and then a family name for the middle name. Yeah. So Luca Zoanne.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, I mean, you could have, you could have called her Zoanne for the first name.

Yeah. And that would've been probably a little tough

Scott Saucedo: to cover. Well, like yeah, we would've been Zoe. Like, that was our initial choice. Zoe is cute. But then, like, right before she was born, another cousin was named after the same grandmother, and so it's like, gosh.

Ally Brettnacher: So what was it like becoming a dad?

Scott Saucedo: And I was a late dad, so I was, like, 41- Right

when she was one. Becoming a dad at 41. So, like, we waited for a long time. Like, do we... We both traveled a lot and had, again, had a lot of fun. I traveled a lot in my 20s, traveled in our 30s, and it's like, well, we want to do it for the right reasons, not just do it because everyone else is doing it, 'cause all of our friends were having kids.

Right. Um, but it was very intentionally, yes, we wanna have a kid. Um, and I was, at this point, really am like, okay, I am gonna focus on this, and, like, learning from other dads, and one of the things that comes is like, well, how does it change your life, and how do you, like, make time for that? And so it's like one, one guy I followed talked about, like, it's like this new level's unlocked, and it really was like that for me.

It's like you thought you [00:30:00] didn't have enough time before, but it's like you make the time. Yeah. And so I, and I was anxious about that, but it was, it was really cool how, like, it just kind of evolved. Like, yeah, like, I don't feel like I'm more busy than I was before. I am investing the time where it matters.

Um, and there's some things that went away, and, and like I didn't hang out at the gym for three hours, you know, after- Mm-hmm ... I worked out. It was like, no, I do my stuff and I go home, or I get up early, and it's-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: Before that, wasn't really a morning person, but like I'm gonna be a morning person now because that's when I can get it done and not interrupt anything with her day.

It, and for me, I was also one of those people that, to be honest, like, when she was born, it was like, it wasn't like, oh, my life changed forever. It was like, okay, what do we do now?

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And because I didn't know. We'll have to figure this out. Yeah. And so it wasn't really until she started talking where it's like, okay, now we can start bonding.

And so th- that's what initially I felt like this guilt of, like, well, I feel like I should feel like this, this, like, insane, like, oh, heart and, and love for this kid. Like, I love her, but, like, my life really didn't change. I just reprioritized some things. But-

Ally Brettnacher: [00:31:00] Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: when she started talking and, and you could see more of that personality- Mm

that's when it was like, oh, okay, this is where it's at. And-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: and really core for us was that- It was rough, but it was cool for me in that 2020 when things shut down, my job, I got furloughed. Ugh. And so I was off for most of that summer. And so, uh, my wife at the time was still working, and so I would just hang out with Luca all day.

And I was also coaching at my job, and so I would have to write workouts every day. And so one of the, the, the best things about that year is that I would write workouts and, like, two or three times a week I would do videos of the workouts, and I would have Luca join me. Oh. But I wouldn't tell her what the workout was.

I would just say, "Okay, you do whatever I do." And she, her- ... her weights were either her stuffed animals or wa- empty water bottles. Stop it. And watching her mimic me, like, still is some of the most, the most cherished memories I have. Love it. Because it was just like, she's like, "Okay." Yeah. And she would just do it.

And then sometimes I would swing her as the weight, and she loved that. [00:32:00] Oh,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah. And

Scott Saucedo: her doing burpees. And she'd, like, keep going. Yeah. Like, and just like-

Ally Brettnacher: Aw.

Scott Saucedo: And so that twen- So she would've

Ally Brettnacher: been three?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, she was three. Yeah. Like, just such a cute age. But that's, like, we bonded so much that year because we spent, like, we would go for a hike in the morning, go do something, get out of the house, and we'd come back, and we'd film a workout, and then we'd play in the yard.

Aw. And so it was just like, it was play all day, right? Yeah, yeah. And then we had a couple months of that, which was really cool, 'cause her daycare was shut down, too.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, her daycare shut down. Um, yeah. That's... Our never, ours never closed, which blew my mind. #

Scott Saucedo: blessing, yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so that was, that was really cool.

And that's kind of when my life really changed and that, like, having that bond with her and having that time meant so much. It, it worked out so well, um, which then helped us prepare for the, the couple years that got tough after that, 'cause things did go back to normal. Um, I went back to work, and then ended up getting a different job where I did work from home more, and her mom started traveling more, ended up moving abroad.

So then that was- Oh, geez ... that was tough.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, that's really

Scott Saucedo: hard. But then that kind of leads to the next season. So in this time I'm also running a little bit, and I'm like, "Well, if [00:33:00] I'm gonna get better, I should probably... I'm getting older. I should probably hire a coach." And so I joined PBT, and it was one of those things, like, I found him because a, a client at the gym, a woman, was a good runner, and she was a good CrossFitter.

I'm like, "Well, I want a coach that's gonna let me do both, 'cause I'm not gonna just give up lifting."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And she's like, "Well, my coach, Matt, lets me do it." I'm like, "Okay. Well, then Matt's gonna be my coach." So Matt at PBT, I'm like, "All right. Jen says you're really good and, and lets her do this, so this is what I wanna do.

Um- And that's, that's really the only reason I went to him. I didn't know how good he was and how good- Right ... the team was. Yeah, and what kind of- But it turns out- ... community he's built.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: So but then I'm like, I start showing up to workouts because, like, he's like, "Well, you should come to the workouts."

And so I started going on Tuesdays, and it, you've talked to a few of these people, but, uh, Wes-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: was there, and he was just- Oh, Wes Durie ... joining, which those were some such cool times, like meeting this guy who has never run before, didn't own a watch, but could run any pace. He'd just be running sixes and smiling and talking.

You're like, "Oh, what number are we on?" It's like- You know, and I just loved [00:34:00] him so much. And then Jesse Davis, who-

Ally Brettnacher: Oh- ...

Scott Saucedo: was really good ... I have never

Ally Brettnacher: had, I haven't had him on

Scott Saucedo: this podcast- Oh ... which is- And such a good guy, and so humble, and it's like, like I was chasing Jesse. He, he was, I think, close to my age, but, um, it was fun to have these fast, mix of fast and fun people.

Mm-hmm. So did that for a while, and then with our schedules, I couldn't go to those, those workouts, so I had to go to the mornings. Um, but then he introduced me to Chris Galloway. Mm-hmm. So again, this is like one of the, and who you've had on the show. Yeah. Meeting Chris and his friends in the morning, again, changed how I looked at running, changed how I looked at community.

Like, I didn't like to get up at 4:30, but, like, I would do it just to spend time with those guys. Like, th- they were so encouraging and had so much fun. Like, go up and just talking, encouraging, and then running fast. That's their thing too is like they weren't- Yeah, yeah ... out there just jogging every day.

It's like you show up for workout Wednesday, and they're throwing down.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, it's

Scott Saucedo: scary. And, um, and they're making jokes and talking about the stock market investments while they're- Yeah ... yeah. So having a year or so training with them, it, it changed me and, and it gave me like, okay, I [00:35:00] can, I can achieve more, especially when I have these other people around me.

Yeah. And so having that, that strong community around me, um, it just, it inspired me, it pushed me, and it was fun again. It was, it's like this is how it's supposed to be. So, um, one of the highlights was after, because I was always the guy that lifted, like I, I, in CrossFit, I was the guy that ran.

Ally Brettnacher: Uh-huh,

Scott Saucedo: right.

And I switched to running, like you're the guy that lifts. Like- Mm-hmm ... yeah, maybe, you know, come back when you're running like six days a week or like- ... and you're like, 'cause I was running at the time, like, "I run three days a week. That's all I have time for right now." Yeah. And like, well, you know, when you wanna really join, you know, the big boys- Mm

and like, you know. And, uh, but then I'm like, well, someday I'm gonna be able to keep up with these guys. And so my, one of my favorite races was Fort Ben. Um, Chris and I ran the whole race together.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm.

Scott Saucedo: And I was able to beat him at the end. I'm like, I, the first time I had like a, a, a, a good race. Oh, no. And they're like, "Okay, you're legit.

You know, like you're in now."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And so that felt so good. And because, like I ran, I PR'd by like three minutes, and it wasn't like-

Ally Brettnacher: Wow ...

Scott Saucedo: I wouldn't have done that on my own. Like I wouldn't- Mm-hmm ... have done without [00:36:00] them- Mm-hmm ... being able to run with weekly, but then even during the race, like to be able to have someone like that that is so close in your ability to be able to push you-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm

Scott Saucedo: and like that was awesome, so.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Wow. So then- How did you end up in the world of ultras? Like, where did, then how did that happen?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, so-

Ally Brettnacher: And there's plenty of stories I'm sure- Yeah ... in between there too, but.

Scott Saucedo: Well, in the timing of things, um, the PR with Chris I think was right before COVID. Um-

Ally Brettnacher: Okay

Scott Saucedo: so when COVID came I was signed up for a road race that fall. That, that got shut down and then, um Trails were still open. Mm. And so the, the group of guys I was running with at the time, um, it was mostly guys fr- from the CrossFit gym that were like, "Hey, let's do some, like, old man running kind of thing.

Let's run together and have fun." And they're like, "Well, these guys are running over at Eagle Creek." And so that's when I got introduced to the New Shoe Day crew, so Casey- Mm ... and Dan, um, [00:37:00] Renee.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Ugh. Give, just shout out to Renee, like, I thought about her f- for this as, like, someone that, like, just makes you smile every time you see her.

It's like, I wanna be that, you know- Right, for other people ... I wanna have friends that, like, she would show up to a 6:00 AM- Ugh ... run at Eagle Creek wearing, like, one of her highlighter onesies. And just, like, no coffee, no caffeine. Just, like, just that's her. Yeah. Just roll out of bed like that. She woke up like that.

Like, that's amazing. I need that kind of energy. Yeah. Um-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, she's the best ...

Scott Saucedo: so, like, but we just had fun. So then it became, like, this instead of going racing with, like, the, the super fast guys that, like, it's all about, like, pace, pace, pace. Now it's like, let's just go have fun in, in the woods. And so we started doing these training runs, and we all did a Last Man Standing race together in 2021.

Wow,

Ally Brettnacher: okay.

Scott Saucedo: Um, and that was cool. Yeah, it

Ally Brettnacher: wouldn't, wouldn't have been Prairie On Fire at that point?

Scott Saucedo: No, it was- Which- ... we're down in Kentucky. Okay. It was just someone found it and like, "Hey, let's all

Ally Brettnacher: go." That's, I mean, 'cause I'd never really even h- knew

Scott Saucedo: that was a concept. Yeah, I, I didn't know what it was either, too, and it was like, all we knew was, like, it was gonna be quote unquote easy.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: Except it wasn't, because it's like, you, your rhythm gets [00:38:00] messed up every lap. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Like, tell people what the format is,

Scott Saucedo: just in case. Yeah, so Last Man Standing is every hour on the hour you run a 4.1 mile loop. Mm-hmm. And you do that, and if y- the loop, really you could be done in 45 minutes, and so then you have 50 minutes to rest until the next hour, or you run slowly and do some walking and maybe get done in 50 minutes.

It's really nice as your first- foray into ultra running- Yeah ... because you can have all of your aid stations there. Logistics are super simple. You just have to get up and start each hour. And for us, like, you have 30 people coming down at varying abilities. We all get to run together, right? That's fun.

'Cause it doesn't- Yeah ... incentivize someone to run faster, so we could talk. And so every lap there was John Hendren, who was, like, 60-some years old. He was running with us every lap because he could, right? Yeah. So you have at least 10 to 15 hours- That's

Ally Brettnacher: a good

Scott Saucedo: point ... of running with your friends. I didn't really

Ally Brettnacher: think about that.

Scott Saucedo: And, like, you all get to start together every hour. Yeah. So you're like, hey, you're in a conversation. You, you go up to the break, come back and you pick it up again. Yeah. And it's like you could have so many different kinds of... As opposed to a, a long race where you can only talk to people around you running your pace.

Yeah. So here, you get [00:39:00] to run with people of all paces because it's all kind of, uh, collapsed down into a pretty consistent pace.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, but one thing there, like, I'd never practiced walking in a race, but walking, like, uphills and downhills is a different way, and so I end up getting a blister in the second hour.

Oh. It's like, well, this isn't, this isn't good. And so I'm like, "I thought this was supposed to be easy," but I have a blister in hour two, and I'm supposed to make it however... So I end up running. I had... I, I had to run to not make the blister worse. Um, so I made it, like, 100K, which was good for me. Like, that was great.

That was my first 100K.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, and then stayed up and cheered on Nick and Casey and Dan, who were trying to get 100 miles. They were trying to qualify for some other ultra. But that was kind of cool. Like, our first- That's

Ally Brettnacher: nuts ...

Scott Saucedo: first introduction to it. But, like, to me, again, that was like, it was, it was fun because we got to hang out all day- Do you have-

and all night ...

Ally Brettnacher: what was your setup like? Do you remember, like, how the setup was for you? You... I mean, first time doing that. I, I think about Prairie On Fire, that I've witnessed these tents with these containers of all the stuff and e- all the equipment and everything. Oh, yeah. Like, it had to be a lot [00:40:00] different when you went in not knowing- Yeah, like-

and-

Scott Saucedo: I was more, like, showing up- ... like, old school. Like, I had a chair. And I had, uh... I did have a, a bag of energy balls.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: Like, that, and a jar of pickles and some chips. That's, uh, that was... I was like, "Simple. I'm gonna have a pickle." Yeah. "I'm gonna have an energy ball, some chips, and then go."

Ally Brettnacher: What'd you do with your blister, then?

Did you have... Somebody else had Band-Aids-

Scott Saucedo: Yeah ... or like- I didn't bring anything, so- Yeah ... yeah, I found some- So, yeah ... from someone else. But then also too, like, well, I just figured out how can I move my foot so it doesn't hurt? And it's like, well, if I just run, I tied my shoe really tight, and then honestly didn't take it off for the re- Yeah

I, I put a Band-Aid, tied it really tight, and just, like, I'm not gonna look at it until I get done. Um, so that was, that was a fun... But that training was also the, the thing I, I wanted to say. With coming into the season, I've had these really good experiences with, with racing. I had run a couple more fast marathons, for me at least, and had- I really enjoyed, like when I was running with Chris and the team, I also was able to run Chicago and got a PR.

And like that year I'd been hurt for half the year, so I started [00:41:00] running in like July. I'm like, "I don't know." But you know how those times where you have low expectations, it's like kind of takes the pressure off you.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And that was big for me, like going into that Chicago race I was training with a friend, but I'm like, "You know, I don't know if I'm gonna have time.

Like I have like two and a half months to get ready for this." But like not having any expectation, I went to it more free.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm.

Scott Saucedo: And I ran, again, one of my best times. Yeah. Or that, at time was my best time. Um, and that was in like my mid-40s. Like, well, that's not bad, right? Yeah. I'm like still running fast. Um, but then coming back into, to trails, it's like it changes your mindset because now instead of focusing on I have to be so consistent with this pace, now it's like, well, as the races get longer, the mindset shifts, right?

It's like now it's about- How do I problem solve if something goes wrong? Because if I get a blister, it doesn't mean I have to stop. Mm-hmm. Like, my legs still works. If I get a cramp, it's okay if I have to walk. I'll just do that. If I get really tired, I can sit down.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: Take a break. It's, it's allowed, you know?

Yeah. That, that mindset is different. So, like-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: also, like, to be able to think, like, how [00:42:00] am I doing? Like, just, just doing this bio check. Like, instead of, like, kind of blocking things out. Like, "No, my knee doesn't hurt. My knee doesn't hurt." Like, s- like, "Okay, my knee hurts. What can I do to mitigate that?"

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so I spent now a year or two, 2020 and '21, a lot of my friends started doing more ultras. I was a little bit, at that, hesitant to do more. Um, 'cause in doing it, you realize, "This is hard." Yeah. It's a different kind of hard. Um, I, I had done, like, I think the Dino 50K, um, and Tecumt- or Tecumseh 50. Okay.

Um, so I'd done some of those local stuff, and that was a challenge. And it's like, I was still in the mindset of, like, racing it, and it's like going in with a marathoner's race mindset. It was, like, friction because I couldn't run a consistent pace, and I would trip. I would fall. Ugh. And it's like, well, then it's like, well, like, I want it to be smoother.

Like, can it be just like the Monon? I want to run like the Monon. Yeah. But it's not. But it's like I was missing some of the beauty and the, the uniqueness of trail running. Mm. And so, instead of trying to do more, I'm like, "I need to figure out," because I don't want to be just good at [00:43:00] suffering. Like, I res- uh, realized I could push through stuff, but, like, in the end, like, what am I learning or what am I teaching myself?

Ally Brettnacher: Mm.

Scott Saucedo: And now, you know, as, as a dad, like, what am I teaching my daughter that I'm just getting good at suffering? Like, what, what... You don't get a medal for that, right? No. You don't... There's no award for that. Yeah. It just means that you can do hard things. Mm-hmm. And I'm like, "Well, I want to find or rediscover the joy in that, and to be able to have it mean something more."

So, as they all started doing the, like, they started doing their hard mile races and I just stepped back and like, "I'm just gonna run and train, and we'll see what comes." But in that season, like, that '20, '21, and '22 was really helpful because then my marriage ended, and when her mom moved abroad, then it was like, "Well, now I'm on my own."

And now it's like this is a different kind of experience. I'm like, I don't know anyone else. Like, at a time, I think I only had one friend that had been divorced, and don't have anyone that is a full-time single dad.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And so, that mindset obviously is like, "Well, [00:44:00] I'm on my own now." But training for ultras, like, prepared me for that because it's like, "Oh, it's just like the race.

I need to go in. I need to problem solve. If we're having a bad day, we're gonna pivot. We're gonna do something different."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Also, I need to have a longer term focus and, like, not just worrying about, like, okay, things have to be the same every day. It's like, well, some days they're not gonna be the same.

Right. Some days are gonna be longer. Some days are gonna be earlier. Some

Ally Brettnacher: days she's gonna be sick.

Scott Saucedo: And, yeah. Yeah. And, and the, the- Yeah, every time you got on a plane, like put your mask on. Like it wasn't like I had to put my mask on first, so for me, that was like, I need to sleep and I need to move. Mm-hmm.

And so what do, how do I get that in so I can be the best dad and still have a job- Mm-hmm ... and still do the things I need to do to be able to keep, keep it all together? Yeah. And

Ally Brettnacher: so- And she's in kindergarten maybe at this point in 2023?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, she was in kindergarten. It's still a fun time. It was a fun time for her, but like trying to make it enjoyable for her, but on the back, in the background, because I, I had the job and I also was doing personal training at this time still.

I've, I've always done personal training, [00:45:00] but, um, I had to cut it back to just having a few clients in. I got a really cool client in '21 that, that we can talk about in a later... But so I'm committed to like having, helping these clients, you know, maximize their life and their career. I'm committed to my job, committed to being a dad, and like running in the sense, that's also why I wasn't trained for a race, 'cause I'm like, "I don't know if I can commit to that," because these are a higher priority than running a race.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: That being said, like I value what running had done for me- Yes ... and how it had prepared me for that, and that's something again, like it, I believe it was kind of God orchestrated in that like having two years of preparing myself mentally-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: for something that... Like parenting, as, as you know, like it can feel physical, but it's mental.

It's like getting through the mental challenge 'cause there's so many times where the day can, or, or their, their, their attitude, their whatever changes, and it's like you have to be able to, okay, let's deal with that, you know? Mm-hmm. As opposed to if you're, if you're worn out yourself, if you're tired, or if you're like, "Hey, I'm about to go for my run, [00:46:00] we cannot do this now."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Like if you get, like if you're that on edge, it's like it, it doesn't go well.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And so having this more relaxed mindset and just this confidence of like long-term perspective and it's gonna be okay, that kind of a thing. Um, I don't know, I, you, you said, or Bob I'm sure someone said like it's never not always gonna get worse.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, that's, um- What's that

Scott Saucedo: line?

Ally Brettnacher: Shea Aquilano said that to me, and she's now, yeah, pro for Nike. Yeah. But she said, "It never always gets worse."

Scott Saucedo: And-

Ally Brettnacher: And I was like-

Scott Saucedo: But we need to remember that ... wow,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Like especially like in parenting, like there's gonna be bad days and bad seasons, but like it's not gonna get, always get worse.

Like, and so it's like you just gotta ride it out sometimes.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And sit in that. So that kind of a mindset, like- That was like a gift back to me that, that I wouldn't have known I needed.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: But like especially of how driven I was in trying to be, when I actually applied myself to be a good marathoner, but now switching to ultra and it's like, [00:47:00] wow, I'm so glad that I had that mindset shift.

'Cause now it's like okay, you know, one day at a time, run the mile you're in. Yeah. Like all the mantras. Amen. It's like- Mm-hmm ... it's like we're gonna focus on right now. We're not gonna worry about like, yeah, that workout I was going to do because, yeah. And so that's where training went out the window. It's like whatever I have time for.

And I'll say this too, I was blessed in that I had a lot of drive time, and so I got really into podcasts. And so-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm ...

Scott Saucedo: Andrew Huberman, I learned all about like neuroscience, meaning like physiology, how to apply yourself, how to be better. Brett Contreras, how to grow stronger. This guy Julian Pineau about almost like, like almost like woo stuff, but it's like how to like recognize your body and, um, the, what's he calls, like the, the different pulls from your body.

And, and like there's some days you need to go hard, and talking about anxiety and like how when you're anxious, where do... Sometimes you're anxious and that's okay. Recognize that. Mm-hmm. And maybe don't do a workout that's gonna make you more anxious, right?

Ally Brettnacher: Right. Right.

Scott Saucedo: And so like recognizing your body and being more at one.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And then, um, Sally McRae, like found her and, [00:48:00] um, have you heard of Sally?

Ally Brettnacher: Yes.

Scott Saucedo: So the one thing I learned from her, one of the many things, was that like when she started getting into running as a mom, like she couldn't just run as much as she wants. She had to fit in. She's like, she might run three miles in the morning, six miles in the afternoon.

She might run two miles with a stroller and then go to the gym and run six miles on the treadmill. And it's like whatever you can get in sometimes- Yeah ... it's something. Something's better than nothing, right? Mm-hmm. And, uh, that's what I needed because now it's like, well- I can't really run whenever I want, and I might just be on the treadmill.

So getting treadmill miles, that's, that's might be what all I get, and I need to be happy with that. Because if you're not happy, if you're always trying to, like, hold yourself to a training- Mm ... plan or schedule, it's like you're just gonna be disappointed all the time.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And so having someone like that, that had been there, and it's like, okay, her situation's different, just that her husband had to drive a long way, and so he left early and came home late 'cause the traffic and the drive.

But that, for me, that, I needed that lesson, okay. It's okay. If you only get three miles in, that's okay. Like, no judgment. Like- Yeah ... it's three miles [00:49:00] more, and it's gonna be a blessed, it's gonna be a blessed. And I think I am uniquely blessed in that, like, I don't have to run a lot to be able to race, and I get, I don't know why, but that's how I've been able to run decent.

Like I said, most of my training has only been three days a week. Getting through the last few years, those, those few years led me to, one I wanna talk about, was in '23. So '23 was kinda like this year, like, hey, we're, it's a new season. Um, I've had to now mourn a lot, let go of what I thought was gonna be like getting to run with Chris and the PBT guys some more.

Like, that, that's not an option, okay? I c- I can't leave the house in the morning. Um, I can't run every, every Saturday- Right ... with my friends at Eagle Creek. So that was like once, once a month, I would get a day off, and so then I would use that to go run with my friends. But, like, the other weeks, like, I can't hold onto that.

Like-

Ally Brettnacher: Right. That's just- ...

Scott Saucedo: gotta let that go- Mm-hmm ... because I, I don't wanna be bitter about it. Mm-hmm. So, um, I'd let all that stuff go and think, "Well, what am I gonna do now?" I'm gonna make the most of what I [00:50:00] have. I got a treadmill for the first time, and I'm gonna run at home. Um, but I also had, had this bucket list trip to run UTMB In the Alps Wow And so I'm like, "You know what?

I'm gonna do that. That's, that's my gift for myself for this year." And so- What? Um-

Ally Brettnacher: For people who... I, I mean, I'm somewhat familiar-

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm ...

Ally Brettnacher: but for people who aren't really familiar with the ultra world- Yeah ... like paint a picture of

Scott Saucedo: what that's like. So UTMB is one of the more famous ultras in the world.

It's 106 miles around this mountain called Mont Blanc. Oh. And the mountain sits on the border of France and Italy. And to run the, circumnavigate the base of the mountain, you actually go into Switzerland as well. So the route covers three countries, 106 miles, and the pros do it, I think, in under 20 hours now.

Like, it's insane how fast they are. I think the cutoff is 40 hours.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so, 'cause it's a, it's a very technical course. There's like 30,000 feet of gain, um- ... which is a lot of hiking. Um, but it's, it's Alps. It's beautiful, right? Ugh. Like I've been to Europe, I'd never been to that area. I'm like, "I wanna go to the mountains.

I, I [00:51:00] need to be in the mountains to have a reset, but also I wanna see this course, like, in the daylight. Like, I don't wanna, I don't wanna spend half the race in the dark."

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: I don't think I could have done the race at the time anyway. But so I did this, this running tour where you go with a group and you run the, an entire course over the course of a week.

That's really cool. So every day we'd end up maybe running like 15, 20 miles, which it's a lot, but, like, conversational pace, and we're literally stopping at, like they call them refugios- Okay ... these little huts. There's literally a hut on the top of a mountain- Wow ... and it serves up coffee, espresso, tarts.

Ally Brettnacher: Stop it. I had no idea this existed.

Scott Saucedo: Oh, you would love it because it's, like, literally, like, it's like you're running with cool people.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. '

Scott Saucedo: Cause everyone's cool that pays to go there to run, right?

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Scott Saucedo: And- Yeah ... you're stopping every two or three hours and eating delicious things.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Right? You don't have to care- And you're in the Alps.

You're in the Alps. Like, every day is 10 out of 10 views.

Ally Brettnacher: Ugh.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so- Wow ... if you have the, the chance, I highly recommend it. Yeah. I would do it again.

Ally Brettnacher: Add that to my bucket list.

Scott Saucedo: Yes. Because again, like it, it... And I, I've told another friend that, uh, should be on the show at some time who's a runner, it's like at our age, like there's some things that are just [00:52:00] worth spending money on.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And, like, you could, you could wait 10 years to get into this race, or you could just pay and run the course. Yeah. And it's like, it's about the same cost, and, like just do it. Like, you know, don't wait 10 years. Just go run the course 'cause it's beautiful. Well, and

Ally Brettnacher: then you're there when it's not in s- so one of the things I saw this year in particular is just how overrun-

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm

Ally Brettnacher: Chamonix has gotten.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah

Ally Brettnacher: With all the people who come for that race- Yeah, it's- ... because it is so famous, because running, uh, this is just under this, like, huge growth period.

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: So it's kinda cool that you also got to go- Yeah, see it ... without all the fanfare. '

Scott Saucedo: Cause, and it's a busy town. Like, there's, it, uh, you're right, like, I was glad it wasn't more busy, that we could walk around, and you could actually get, you know, into restaurants and not have- Right, yeah

to wait. Like, the famous coffee shop that people go to, you could go in there. Like, there was three people in line. So that was, in a sense, that was like- Wow ... just to get there was amazing. Along the way, I'm with eight or nine strangers, and I'm, I'm just telling my story because, like, I haven't been out much, right?

Like, so I've been, like- ... in my bubble at home. And like, literally, like- Right, being like- ... I'm almost, like, shy at this point because I'm like, "Hey, I don't get out much. So my name is Scott." "I'm a full-time single dad, and I like to run." And, [00:53:00] uh-

Ally Brettnacher: So please ask me about running, because-

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, so- ...

Ally Brettnacher: that's, then we

Scott Saucedo: can be friends

but, like, telling my story, like, again, you have six, seven hours to run together every day. To seven strangers is, like, it was so therapeutic. Ugh. 'Cause it was like, I'm, like, literally working through things on the trails while looking. And then one day especially, like, we had crossed from France into Italy, and you have this long, rolling run.

You're literally looking at the, the mountain- Ugh ... all day long, and it's just like, I stopped and, like, just sat there for an hour, like, in the sun, just looking up at the mountain. And it's just like, there's just, like, this, this almost, like, this hum sometimes in big mountains where it's just, like, the energy is so palpable.

Ally Brettnacher: Ooh.

Scott Saucedo: And it's just like, I needed that. Like, I just felt like God, like, looked down, said, like, "You get to enjoy this," and-

Ally Brettnacher: Ugh ...

Scott Saucedo: it, it literally changed me. There's, like, those- Mm ... are those times like, having that is like this huge weight came off that's like, "It's gonna be okay."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And even though I didn't know how or when or-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm

Scott Saucedo: any of the, the answers, I knew it was gonna be okay. I had this hope of, like, it's gonna be okay.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um-

Ally Brettnacher: What made that possible for you as a dad? [00:54:00] Did your mom help watch Luca?

Ally Brettnacher: Quick break in my conversation with Scott to talk more about Indy Monumental. I know if you're not local or you aren't running the race or you didn't get into the race because it sold out, you're probably annoyed at this point. But I'm still so excited, and maybe this will get you excited for the opportunity to register for 2027.

So I am co-hosting a couple of events. The first is a shakeout run that I'm hosting together with Lindsey Hein, Bound Running, Rerun, and then Filla Endurance. It's gonna be super fun. We're gonna have carbs, coffee, a bib and shoe decorating station, samples, a giveaway, and obviously all the camaraderie and inspiration you need and want before race day.

And then on Saturday after the race, we're doing a celebration event, and that event is Lindsey and myself and then also Athletic Annex, our local run specialty store, and Brooks Running.

At that event, your ticket gets you appetizers, your first drink is on us. We will have medal portraits being done by a professional photographer. There will be a live podcast with special guests to be announced that'll take place as [00:55:00] well. So you do not wanna miss out on your chance to celebrate with us.

We want you to wear your medal, and the first 100 who register are gonna get a goodie bag when they get there as well. So you can use code FLAMS, which is Finish Lines and Milestones, F-L-A-M-S, for $10 off of your ticket while supplies last, which for the celebration event, we've got plenty of space for you.

But we outgrew our space for the, uh, for the shakeout, so stay tuned for an update there. And since we also mentioned Conor Daly, the IndyCar driver, during this episode, got some stuff cooking there. He is running his first half marathon at Indy Monumental, and that is public knowledge too.

I didn't just blabber mouth it from Scott, but Conor mentioned it on a podcast with James Hinchcliffe, who we all know and love too. So Conor's gonna be out there with you guys at Monumental as well. Sorry for everyone who's not running. More FOMO for you. but I hope to see you in Indy.

Now back to my conversation with Scott What made that possible for you as a dad? Did your mom help watch Luca?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, so my, I have family. They're a couple hours away, so they're not able to help out, like, on a, a regular basis. Yeah. But for big trips like that- That's great

yes, thankfully my mom, um, [00:56:00] can take her. And during, I plan it during the summer, like, before school started, so- Yep,

Ally Brettnacher: yep ...

Scott Saucedo: um, we c- Wow ... and that was one of the things, too. Like, I'd never been one for logistics. But, like, most parents have to know. You have to have a minor in logistics- Ugh ... to do anything. Yeah, you

Ally Brettnacher: really do.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so now, like, I'm all about the Google Calendar and have, so basically utilizing grandparents to be able to have time for myself- Yep ... and just to plan. Okay, I need these weekends off. And with my client, I sometimes travel with him. And so they have been super helpful to allow me to do the things. Again, it's, it feels like a lot for me.

For them, it's not, 'cause it's like, okay, once a month we go and, and do that. Um, but that, for things like that. And with my mom, too, we're very similar, and she loves adventure and mountains, so, like, every year we take a trip with her-

Ally Brettnacher: Stop ...

Scott Saucedo: too. Oh, my gosh. So, and we'll talk about that. Yeah. So she came with us to, to California this last, two weeks ago.

Ah. Um, but so we go on a hiking trip or something that she gets to do, because I want her to enjoy that, too.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. How old is she?

Scott Saucedo: She's 73.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay. Yeah, so she had you very young.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Wow.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, I'm-

Ally Brettnacher: That's awesome, though.

Scott Saucedo: So-

Ally Brettnacher: Because now,

Scott Saucedo: like- When I had my daughter, my [00:57:00] parents were grandparents at the age I had my first kid, so, and my sister was also a grandmother- A year after I had my kids.

So it's like all my family are into like the small town, we start early and-

Ally Brettnacher: Super weird. Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Right? Yeah, I mean- So I'm, I'm the outlier there.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Wow. But that's so special because of the fact that you get to spend all this time together, right? 'Cause if your mom is, quote-unquote, like normal age, then, you know, she's not able to do- Mm-hmm

those things with you and your daughter. Yeah. So

Scott Saucedo: that's

Ally Brettnacher: really special. Yeah, the thing is

Scott Saucedo: she's always been young mom. Yeah, so-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: always been active and, um, have enjoyed ha- that's the thing, like even in college, after college, because we both love the mountains, so there'd be trips, um, driving the mountains.

Almost every year we're doing some kind of a trip in the mountains. Um, one of our best ones is we drove out to Colorado and then to Jackson Hole. So we used to have a, a family member that lived in Colorado, have like a nice base stop. But then driving, if you've ever been driving through Wyoming to Jackson- Mm

like it's so beautiful. Um, 'cause I had worked in [00:58:00] Jackson for a summer, worked on a ranch- Oh, cool ... after college. It was like, thought I'd try to be, you know, a mountain man. Cowboy. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I don't like the cold though, so I made it to winter and was like, "Yeah- Mm ... I can't do the-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm ...

Scott Saucedo: the Jackson winters."

Um, so it's been really special to have, um, still do trips and, and, and adventures with her. Mm-hmm. And also then to have the, the flexibility where I get to travel and have some time to myself. 'Cause that, that year I really needed it. That was like the, that was the refresh and the reset I needed for myself to, like I said, have hope again.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: To, to feel like, okay, like it's gonna be okay and that, that I still, that God still has a plan for my life and that like I haven't lost out on that or like... 'Cause at the time I'm like I, I still have a lot more I want to do with my life and I don't know what that is, but like I don't know how I'm gonna get there-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah

Scott Saucedo: with all the, the, the things I'm carrying.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: So that was just such a blessing. Um, I'll always be thankful for that. Yeah. But that kind of reignited and then like, okay, I think I'm gonna to do a mountain race.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And [00:59:00] so- God ... that lit few months after that I'm like, well, I... Oh yeah, a month after that I paced my good friend Nick at Leadville.

I'm like-

Ally Brettnacher: Ooh,

Scott Saucedo: gosh ... and so I gotta run the course. Oh, man. I gotta pace him and I'm like,

Ally Brettnacher: at

Scott Saucedo: first I'm like- And Leadville's another

Ally Brettnacher: one of those iconic-

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, iconic. It's a 100-mile race, starts at 10,000 feet. You go up to 12, and it's all at elevation. So it's one of the highest elevation mountain races. So you're always above that high elevation or at the high elevation.

So for stomach, for, and for anyone from the, you know, from the West, like it's just a- For flatlanders ... yeah. Yeah. It's an additional challenge. But he did it and I was able to run the last 38 miles with him and- Wow ... and that gave me more confidence. I'm like, I think- I- And a- again, no idea how if I'm running most of my runs on the treadmill, but like we're, let, let's try that.

So I signed up for the next year- Wow ... for Leadville. So in 2024. That was, again- Going into it not knowing the answers, but, like, it's just gonna be okay. I also didn't know that I was going to, my job got eliminated in January, [01:00:00] and I had hernia surgery 'cause I had been lifting so much I got a hernia.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh

Scott Saucedo: my gosh.

And I, well, if I run Leadville I should probably have it fixed, but that's means I'm gonna miss a couple months of running. Like, what do I do? I'm like, well, I wanna get it fixed. Like, I, I- Yeah ... would rather bet on a short ramp-up time than running hurt.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: So-

Ally Brettnacher: Smart ...

Scott Saucedo: then, like, February, have no job, have, can't run, and, um- Oof

something else happened. But, like, I'm like, okay, so this is gonna be different. But- Oh, gosh ... I'm like, well, what can I do? I, well, I can train people. So I started training more people until I got a job, but went all in on that. And it helped 'cause there was a few months where I could kind of flex and get some outdoor runs in.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: Um, got big into sauna training, heat training. I really believe in that. And I'm like, it's just gonna, we're gonna make the most of it. Um-

Ally Brettnacher: What is, what is, you said sauna training?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, heat training.

Ally Brettnacher: So did you d- go, like, run on a treadmill in a sauna, or are you like-

Scott Saucedo: No. Like, I, I would- Just go to the sauna

run and then sit in the sauna. So- Yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: um- Okay ... I was able to work out at lunch, and so I would, I did sauna like three, four days a week. And the things I had heard from other coaches and stuff, like, if you can't do [01:01:00] altitude training, one of the things you can do to help your body adapt is to do sauna training.

And it felt really good, and I'm like-

Ally Brettnacher: Interesting ...

Scott Saucedo: I, I believed in it, and I'm like, well, I'm, again, it's one of the things I c- I can do. I can't do altitude tent, I can't go out to the mountains early. Right, for a

Ally Brettnacher: month. Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. So I'm like, well, I'ma see if it works for me and it makes me feel good, so I'm gonna do it.

And it did. It- it... I've been- Wow ... good elevation, but that's the best I've felt going into that race. Wow. Um, but yeah, so then we can talk about that if you want, but-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Geez. I'm just, like, trying to process the fact that you, you know, lost your job, and then, I, I mean, all those things. Hernia surgery is not a joke.

Scott Saucedo: That was one, if, you know, like, when you can't run-

Ally Brettnacher: Oh,

Scott Saucedo: awful for mental health ... or can't do anything, like, I couldn't lift anything. Like, I couldn't pick up my daughter. Oof. So it was like, that was a hard month. That was, I don't know if we took a trip, but I'm like, we probably should have taken a trip

Ally Brettnacher: and

Scott Saucedo: gone away.

Yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: just to, like, get out.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But, um, I was still riding the high of the previous year. Um, and just knowing, like, okay, I have a goal, and that to get to that goal is gonna require more than I've [01:02:00] done before. But also, I'm not gonna run 60, 70-mile weeks. Like, don't have time for that. Just isn't gonna happen.

So-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: there's some weeks I might get to 40, but if not, I'm gonna run my three days and do some sauna and do some strength. And I believe that God's gonna bless it. You know, that's just how I went into it.

Ally Brettnacher: So- Mm-hmm. What about for the fueling part? Because we, you joked about- Oh, yeah ... Chicago, like a little bit of water, a little gel.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, that's one

Ally Brettnacher: thing too. How did that

Scott Saucedo: change? Thankfully, I've gotten smarter a little bit in my older age- ... that, like, I, I don't know how I survived on- Yeah ... so little fuel. Because I went, I was paleo for when I got sick, and so then I didn't have any, like, fake sugars.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, man.

Scott Saucedo: And then I went keto. Actually, I did- Oof

two years running on keto, which you can do, but you- Wow, that sounds hard ... it's harder on fast. Yeah. But, like, I did a 50K, um, with I- almost no carbs, and it's like- Talk about challenging, like I was- Yeah ... I was really pushing my body and like, like let's try... How to make this easier? Like, instead of making it harder- Yeah

let's make it easier. Yeah. You know what? It's good just to eat food and to fuel properly, and [01:03:00] Dave Roche and his podcast, I love him, learned so much from him. And as higher carb fueling is getting more popular, I'm like, "I just need to eat more," and it makes sense that like that's- Yeah ... why I feel so bad even after a half.

Like, why would I eat in a half? It's an hour and a half. Like y- y- you have glycogen storage. Right. But it's like, well if you do, you don't feel awful afterwards, which means you recover better, which means you can train the next day.

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Scott Saucedo: As opposed to me, it's like well I'm not gonna run for three days anyway, but I started eating more and fueling more, and that was, that year too was like really being intentional about like, again, maybe I'm, I'm cheap or lazy, like I didn't wanna carry food or buy more gels t- for training, right?

Yeah. I just go to races and stock up on gels- ... and hope those last a few weeks. That's so funny. Like that's one of the goals, like can I leave with more gels than what I came in? Yeah. I'm like, I'm coming out ahead. But- ... um, actually investing, no, I'm gonna take care of my body. I'm gonna, I'm gonna eat and drink along the way.

Um, but it is like, oh, that feels really good, and I don't feel as bad. I don't cramp as much.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so it's been a big learning... It's been harder to learn. [01:04:00] Oh, Matt was good at that too, um, at PBT. He told us, 'cause when I was racing with him, I, I would just take two or three gels for a marathon. I'm like, I'm doing really well.

That's like one an hour, right? He's like, "Well, Brady Hall just ran 2:30. He took six gels." I'm like how do you take six gels while you're running? That's like fast, too. He's running like five something pace. Yeah. Like 5.30 pace. Like he took six gels? I'm like, well then it's possible, right? So it's like- Yeah

okay, well, I have to do better 'cause- like having, having someone else lead like that has taught me, and also like the fact that like just don't be, take care of yourself, right? Don't be so hard on yourself.

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Scott Saucedo: We joke about sometimes with my friends, like, "Why is my life so hard?" But then like what are the things I'm doing?

Like- ... y- I mean, like intentionally making my life harder. Right. Like, why am I wearing a weight vest while I mow my yard? Like, just get the yard done. That makes

Ally Brettnacher: sense. Yeah. I could see that, yeah.

Scott Saucedo: So yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: I- With ankle weights and- Yeah ... uh, yeah, and wrist

Scott Saucedo: weights. Yeah. And, and it's not a se- self-propelled mower.

It's like one from the '90s. Of course. Like, you just have to [01:05:00] manually do it.

Ally Brettnacher: Push it. But, mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: Um-

Ally Brettnacher: Put a kettlebell on top

Scott Saucedo: of it ... I'm like maybe if I eat more, I'll feel better and it'll feel even easier. And you know what? That's been true. Yeah. And so that was one thing, like with Val, one of the girls that I've coached, one of the clients I've had, like, "Hey, let's, let's eat more than we've ever eaten before and see if you feel better because it's worked for me, it's working for others."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And now I'm definitely all in on that train, like, "Hey, let's really take care of our bodies."

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. "

Scott Saucedo: Let's fuel properly." And I, I like the positive, uh, on so many levels, and because like with younger kids too, it's like you get into this mindset of like, um, whenever, if they talk about like power ratios, and if you weigh less, you can be more powerful, you know?

But like no, actually, if you weigh less, you're more susceptible to injury and you're probably- Yeah ... not gonna have the energy you need to- Yeah ... to be fast. So I love all of that now. That, that- Same ... the sh- the focus- Especially as mom of girls ... for women especially, yeah, the shifting, like no, we need to fuel, and if you wanna be better, you need to fuel like you're, like preparing to be better kind of a thing.

Yeah. Um, so that w- that year was kind of the first [01:06:00] applying that work I did. To lead up to it, one of the things I had to practice was running. I had never run through the night, so I did the first year of the MoMoFo.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, yeah. The 100K-

Scott Saucedo: Yeah ...

Ally Brettnacher: you did there?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Where is that, the MoMoFo?

Scott Saucedo: It's in Morgan-Monroe County.

That's south? North, forest, yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: Southwest, so south- Okay, southern Indiana ... of, um- Morrisville? Yeah On the way to Bloomington. All right. It's a beautiful forest and you can run at night. I had run there before, um, 'cause they have two 10-mile loops, so it's nice. You can go and, and like- Oh, yeah ... a lot of ultra guys will go and, or ultra people will go and run those loops, um, because you get a m- and you can start early, still be back for breakfast kind of a thing.

But that w- race was unique 'cause it's like, well, we're gonna start at Friday night at, like, 7:00.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm.

Scott Saucedo: And so you have an hour of daylight and then you gotta run through the night. And so, and you, and it's good 'cause you're not gonna sleep on the way there, right? So work all day Friday- Right ... drive down there- Ooh, yeah

get your stuff on and start running. Um, and that was a really good learn, and that's where I met Ashley Haines.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh.

Scott Saucedo: Because she started, she was like [01:07:00] second, third place. So I'm like, "She's

Ally Brettnacher: fast." She is such a badass.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: I love her. And so- She's gonna help me PR at the half- Nice ...

Scott Saucedo: this fall, hopefully. I believe it.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: She's fast. She is. And so it was a small group of people. Like, I don't know- Oh ... how many people were in that, but it was small. That's so cool. And so we do the first lap, we're all kind of staying in a pack, and then it was three loops of the 20 miles. Um, and the middle one, I think, I, this is one of the things you learn, like, maybe at my age I should've learned earlier, but I was falling a lot, and I didn't realize, like- Hmm

I need to wear glasses at night- ... 'cause I don't see the ground well. It was, like, after the fourth lap- You gotta need glasses ... I'm like, "I can't see." Interesting. I just feel... That and my headlamp was dying and, but you're so tired you don't realize it. It was like, I'm, like, squinting. I'm like, "I can't see anything."

She's like, "Your headlamp is out." Oh.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, that explains

Scott Saucedo: it. Okay, let's, let's get that battery fixed. Yeah. Yeah, so, the third, the second lap was really bad for me. I fell a lot and I had some stomach issues.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh.

Scott Saucedo: But we got a new headlamp and, uh, I was off the races. And so I was able to run back and, um- Mm. I just remember that race 'cause, like, Ashley's parents were at every aid sta- I'm like, "How are they getting to all these [01:08:00] places so well?"

Ally Brettnacher: So cool-

Scott Saucedo: Um ...

Ally Brettnacher: that they do that for her.

Scott Saucedo: But that was fun. Yeah. It, and to finish then at dawn. But they gave me confidence, okay, I can run through the night. Yeah. I should get glasses. So I did get glasses for... And leading to Leadville, I'm like, "I don't want to be falling on rocks and stuff out there." Right, in a

Ally Brettnacher: mountain-

Scott Saucedo: Yeah

'cause that could be a

Ally Brettnacher: lot

Scott Saucedo: worse ... it's different than if I was falling on-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: on roots here.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um-

Ally Brettnacher: Who, by, speaking of crew-

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm ...

Ally Brettnacher: how, who crewed for you and paced for you? Or did you just go solo?

Scott Saucedo: Um, pretty much I had, my girlfriend at the time was my crew, but didn't, had never been to one before, so it was just, like, like, just figure this.

And then I didn't have a pacer, so I, I found one online of like, "Hey, if anyone wants to run with me," but he was just kind of using it as a recon for another race. And so-

Ally Brettnacher: Wow ...

Scott Saucedo: it was like, there wasn't a lot of, of planning when it goes to that. Also, I'd run almost by myself, I mean, by myself almost the whole year.

Yeah. So like, I, I didn't necessarily need to have someone to talk to the whole time. When I ran with my friend Nick, that was cool to be able to have conversations and-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm ...

Scott Saucedo: but also, like, they're kind of tired, so they don't always want to talk. Right. So I mean, really just keep me from falling asleep and don't let me, [01:09:00] like, fall off- Yeah, right

the side of the hill. Um, but I went in with such a stronger mindset because of seeing the course, having a friend do it- All the stuff I'd been through and it was just like, "You know what? This is gonna be a celebration no matter what." Mm. We're gonna do something really cool. It's my first hundred mile race, maybe my last, I don't know.

We'll see. Um,

Ally Brettnacher: and- Doubtful.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, we'll see. At this point. But the mountains were so... And, well, the other thing is, like, I think Bob had done it a couple years before me. Usually when Indiana people do it, it's like you hear about it 'cause there's not many that, that finish. Right. You're like, "

Ally Brettnacher: Oh my gosh, you ran 100 miles in the mountains?"

Scott Saucedo: Like, when we went out a couple years before, there was, like, eight or nine people from loosely associated with New Shoeday- Mm ... and only two finished. Yeah. And so it's, okay, so this is tough. This is not a, a guarantee by any means. Right. It's like if two other people finish and, and one of them was, like, battling cutoffs the whole day, 'cause it's like they have aggressive cutoffs so that- Oof

you don't stay out there all day. Um, but it, again, it was just like, "Okay, whatever happens, we're gonna do it." Um, and it just felt so good and running with people [01:10:00] on the way out. But, um, I got to halfway of that race and was way under pace. I'm, like, doing great. Eat, eat my lunch at, at 50 and it all comes back up.

It's like, "Okay, not good." But problem solved. Nothing I can do about it right now. There's no cell service, so I'm just gonna start running, just keep going. So not gonna try to replace those calories, just gonna go. So go back over Hope Pass, which is like the hardest part of the course. Um, do great climbing up, going over, like, no...

And it was early enough in the day, like, it wasn't, like, burning hot and it wasn't... I, I felt good. Come into Twin Lakes, which is, like, 62 miles. That's where you can get your pacer.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm.

Scott Saucedo: I'm like, I feel a bit tough. I feel like I need calories. Um, but we're way ahead of pace. Um, ate a bunch. That immediately came back up.

Like, okay, now I've missed two big boluses of, excuse me, of, of carbs and fuels. Like, what do you do? So I sat there for a while to try to eat more, but, like, it wasn't settling. My stomach was... And learning, too, that from Sal, the [01:11:00] people that sometimes in the mountains it will mess up your stomach a little bit.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But also, too, like, and she's done some really crazy stuff, and she's not young, right? She's a couple years younger than me, but she's done a lot of hard stuff in her 40s, and it's like, it's okay if you- like, sometimes the- when people say you threw up, it's like, "Oh, are you done?" It's like-

Ally Brettnacher: Right. I mean, the thought of that as a

Scott Saucedo: road racer- It, it, like nor- normal

you're like, oh, you throw up- Normal, quote-unquote, normal people are like- ... normal people ... "Oh, yeah, you probably should stop." That's done. "You should." Yeah. And it's like, she's like, "No, sometimes you just need to have a reset." She calls it, like, a reset. I'm like, "Well, I've had two resets and I feel okay. My legs are fine.

I just have, don't have any calories in right now."

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Scott Saucedo: So it's like-

Ally Brettnacher: Puke and rally. Yeah. That's, that w- I was... I lived in a house in college called Puke and Rally. So obviously, like, a different, um, different meaning behind that one, but yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Different meaning- That's amazing ... but same mindset. It's like-

Ally Brettnacher: Right

Scott Saucedo: doesn't mean you're done.

Ally Brettnacher: No.

Scott Saucedo: Means you're, you got more capacity. Yes. So similar but different. Ooh. So I go back in that and I'm like, well, I am going to slow down because I'm, have less calories, so I can't probably push the pace, but I can still move. And so, um, basically just told my pacer [01:12:00] just... And I had a couple more times where I had a few more resets-

on the way. I'm like, you know, I'm just not gonna eat, 'cause it seemed like everything's coming back up. So I didn't eat for the next, like, 30 miles. Um, I think I had, like, two spoonfuls of mashed potatoes, which were really good, but, like, like, I'd rather go on the side of let's keep moving and not, uh, lose any more food.

Um, and then I got to the last aid station. I'm like, I think I wanna run now, and he was kind of done. So I'm like, "You just stay and I'm just gonna go." And I then ran the last 12 miles, like, as fast as I started the race. It was like, even though I hadn't got any calories, like, I had gone long enough Those 25, 30 miles where I didn't take in calories so it didn't upset me anymore.

And so I was able to finish running-

Ally Brettnacher: Wow ...

Scott Saucedo: pretty quickly. Um, so all being said, like again, it was awesome to run it 26 hours and to, to finish feeling really good. And, uh-

Ally Brettnacher: 26 hours?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, and I didn't fall asleep, didn't hallucinate. Like that was, that was really

Ally Brettnacher: cool. Okay. Yeah. That's really cool. You get an extra belt buckle for that?

Scott Saucedo: No, it's [01:13:00] 25. That was, my goal was 20- Oh ... like the A, A plus day was 25 hours.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: Um, but that, like the special people- 26 hours after- So it's still really good ...

Ally Brettnacher: you're just puking, like, the whole second half?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: That's

Scott Saucedo: unbelievable. And then just not even, I think the hard part too is, like realizing I wouldn't have been able to do that though if I hadn't learned from other people like Sally or people- Yeah

that share their stories. Mm-hmm. Like, "Hey, it's okay. Like, it's problem-solving," and it's like you wanna be careful in that. Like, not running to your, your absolute, like, exhaustion, but also- Yeah ... it's like I wasn't feeling bad. Like my feet were fine, my head was fine. I never- Right ... never lost, like, mental capacity of anything.

So it's like you're capable of doing more sometimes. And that mindset of the couple years before of struggle, like I know I can do hard things. I know I can endure. And so right now it's like this means a lot. Like, I'm not gonna let something like, uh, almost like a Annoyance or like inconvenience- Mm-hmm

of me not being able to keep food down. Like, it's inconvenient, but I can still move. Like, if I was like, "Hey, I can't, I can't walk,"- Right ... whatever. Yeah. That's, that's different. [01:14:00] But I'm not bleeding out, I'm not, nothing's broken. Mm-hmm. It's like, okay, well, we're just gonna go slower. There's just so much to learn.

And, and- Mm-hmm ... I wouldn't have been able to do that three years before. And so like, I was, again, was prepared for that moment. And it's like, so thankful for all the things at the time you're probably not excited about or thankful for-

Ally Brettnacher: Right ...

Scott Saucedo: but the, all the things before that, that led up to that, that literally prepared me to be successful there.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. What time of year is Leadville?

Scott Saucedo: August.

Ally Brettnacher: August, okay. Mm-hmm. Wow. And so that was when? This Au- this last August? Two years ago. Two years ago, okay.

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: So that was, that was really cool.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: What do you do with your belt buckles or your medals? Do you do anything with them?

Scott Saucedo: Um, I need something cool like what you have.

I don't have anything cool. Um, I only have one buckle. That's the only 100 mile I've done. I have- I've only kept my favorite medals. Um- Okay ... so I've done a bunch of marathons, but like, it, I guess because I don't have anything special to hold them on, like one of my friends did make a, um, a holder. I think it says like, "Celebrate every mile."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, but still like, [01:15:00] so Chicago, New York, and Boston are the ones I keep, um- Mm ... 'cause those are special. My first IRONMAN. Um, so like, again, like a handful, like of the really special ones, and then Leadville. Yeah. Um, I'll wear that out for a special occasion, like, just to be funny. You will?

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, yeah.

That's great. But- I've joked on here saying like, they need to have running shorts that can hold the buckle.

Scott Saucedo: That would be hilarious,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah. 'Cause it's like, well, why not? Yeah. You run, you

Scott Saucedo: run a- You don't get to wear it as much as- Right ... you really should.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah. '

Scott Saucedo: Cause it's- But the, you don't get to show your medals off either, so it's like-

Ally Brettnacher: Same.

I know- At least you- ... if I have a chance to wear my medal somewhere, you better believe- Yeah ... I'm going to.

Scott Saucedo: One of my friends actually planned a family, uh, photo shoot for the day after-

Ally Brettnacher: That's

Scott Saucedo: great ... and then wore that on all of his family photos. Like, that's a, that's a good move

Ally Brettnacher: there. That's perfect.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Exactly right. Shout out to Dan, yeah. Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: That's the

Ally Brettnacher: way to

Scott Saucedo: do

Ally Brettnacher: it. That is, that is funny. So this will come, this episode should come out right before New York. What year did you run New York?

Scott Saucedo: I'd have to Google that. I don't know. Um- It's

Ally Brettnacher: not in your notes?

Scott Saucedo: Um, no, I just, I, I try to look up my, um... Sorry, I didn't make a lot of notes for this.

Ally Brettnacher: I have a spreadsheet so that I

Scott Saucedo: can remember years. That was really cool. Have you, have you been there?

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, I did it [01:16:00] in '18, 2018.

Scott Saucedo: Um, that was one of those things I got in because I was working at Finish Line at the time. Shout out to-

Ally Brettnacher: Oh,

Scott Saucedo: yeah ... Finish Line, now it's JD Sports. But, um, I got in because one of, uh, my friends was the brand rep for Brooks, and- Cool

she got us a sponsor's ticket basically. She ran it, I ran it. Um, she was a runner, Tabby. And, uh, so we got the, the cool treatment of taking the buses, and that was... But, like, you know the logistics that you wake up early. We took the subway to Times Square.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Walking through Times Square completely empty at 5:00 in the morning, like unbelievable.

Yeah. But then getting on buses and taking charter buses to the start, um, but then having to sit in the parking lot for hours, that was, that was tough.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, I'm trying to look it up.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, I feel like people don't... You know it's, like, the biggest marathon in the world- Mm-hmm ... but then you don't really truly understand what that takes until you get there or you've talked to people who have been there.

Scott Saucedo: You're just kind of tired by the time you get there, and then you stand on the bridge for 20 minutes in. Ugh, yeah. And like, "I gotta go to the bathroom." Like, there's [01:17:00] nowhere to go. So, like, one- I ran up the bridge, down the bridge, went to the bathroom. I'm like, "Okay, I gotta make up that time." Um- Me al- also not knowing, I'm like, "I'm gonna go for a PR," because, like, I'm in good shape.

But not knowing how hard that course is. Ugh. Like, those bridges are legit.

Ally Brettnacher: It was the- And- ... Central Park for me, man Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: the

Ally Brettnacher: hills at the end.

Scott Saucedo: Well, yeah. I had no idea. I was cramping at that point, but, like, the, the middle bridge, maybe from Brooklyn over to Manhattan on 16, mile 16, 17.

Ally Brettnacher: Was that the Queensboro maybe?

Scott Saucedo: The steep, steep one on- I think that's the one that everyone talks about ... that broke me. And like-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: I was out... I was just with friends, and so I'm like, we were just gonna meet up after, so there was no crew along the way. Like, anything. It was just like, "Just try to get there." Um, I love the energy of that race, so I love it.

Yeah. It was just so tiring. And then me, like, I took that break and said, "Well, if I'm trying to PR, I have to make that time up." So I'm like, "Okay, next five miles I'm gonna be eight seconds faster." Oof. Um, and I cramped up outside of Central Park. And then going in, like, I had one gel. I'm like, "Please, please, God, just help me get through this."

And I think I... 'Cause I was trying to break three. Ooh. And so I broke three by, like, 10 seconds.

Ally Brettnacher: Stop.

Scott Saucedo: And it [01:18:00] was like, "Oh, this is so amazing." But then it was like, I chose-

Ally Brettnacher: That is so amazing ...

Scott Saucedo: you get to choose, for New York it's kind of special, you get to choose the short, um, what's it called? The, the chute at the end of the race-

Ally Brettnacher: Oh

Scott Saucedo: and get out, and you get a medal and something else, or you get the long chute if you want the, the, the cloak hoodie thing, what they call it? Oh

Ally Brettnacher: yeah, the poncho thing.

Scott Saucedo: The poncho. Yeah, I remember. I'm like, "Well, I gotta have the poncho."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But, like, didn't think I'd be cramping and how mu- so it took me, like, 30 minutes-

Ally Brettnacher: Oh,

Scott Saucedo: no

to get through the chute to get my poncho.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But then I sit there. Well, Tabby was starting behind me, and so then I'm like, I don't know if I... I don't think I have my phone then, too. It's like, I'm just waiting on the curb for, like, 45 minutes for them to come up so that we could all go back together. So it was just, like, one of those things that it was such a good day, but hard.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Hard day logistically.

Ally Brettnacher: It's a long day.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Well, I mean, after you finish and you've given everything you have to the marathon, then you have to walk, like, five... it felt like five miles. I don't know. It was a long way. I felt like I... Well, I went to the Med Tent after New York. I was... I couldn't catch my breath.

Mm-hmm. I was a mess. And it was, you know.

Scott Saucedo: So it's, it's a, it's a tough [01:19:00] race.

Ally Brettnacher: It

Scott Saucedo: was- It's one I would love to do again and just have fun with it.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Because it... that'd be different, I think, going in with the mentality of like, "Hey, let's just celebrate this."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Were you trying to run fast in it?

Ally Brettnacher: I wasn't necessarily trying to run fast.

It was my first marathon postpartum. Okay. After having my first child. So it was 2018, the year after I had Sydney. And yeah, so it was special in that way. I was just proving I could cover the distance. Mm-hmm. And but, you know, of course, I always have a time goal. So then I was like, "Oh, could I do it in under 4:30?"

And so I did. Did it in under 4:30. Oh, nice. Which for me- Mm-hmm ... was what I wanted to do. Um, but yeah, it took me longer to get to the start than it took me to run the race. Which for you, obviously, running at that speed, too- Yeah ... especially, it took longer-

Scott Saucedo: Yeah ...

Ally Brettnacher: to get there. It

Scott Saucedo: was a full day effort, but just so happy.

That's one... It was- Good experience. I'm just-

Ally Brettnacher: So magical

Scott Saucedo: there ... glad, yeah, so glad to g- to take all that in.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah,

Scott Saucedo: absolutely. Kinda like with Boston, I would like to go Boston, to go back again to actually run the race.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And, and that was 20 years ago, too, so- I was

Ally Brettnacher: gonna say, that's the only one you've done.

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: Wow.

Scott Saucedo: I've qualified several times, but like [01:20:00] haven't had a big enough reason to go back-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: other than, like I've never got the jack- I didn't know that getting the jacket was a thing. And so it was like-

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, shoot.

Scott Saucedo: I'm like, I guess I should have something that proves that I ran that race- Yeah ... or whatever.

But, um, yeah, maybe.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Wow. That's great. Okay, so your first 100-miler, you're probably gonna do another one at some point.

Scott Saucedo: Maybe. It, it just needs to be the right one. Yeah. So last year, I don't think I did much last year. Um, I paced Monumental, and then I'm like, that was ... Last year was just kinda like an off year- Yeah

relaxing. And then I'm like, well, I turn 50 this year, so it's like-

Ally Brettnacher: I can't believe

Scott Saucedo: you turned 50 ... maybe push the pace a little bit more. Let's just see if we have anything left in the tank. And so- Wow ... I ran Carmel in the spring. That went really well, so I got a PR at Carmel,

Ally Brettnacher: um-

Scott Saucedo: Okay. Congratulations ... which, thank you.

It was kind of unexpected, too. Like, life was not going well, like lots of changes, and it's like, well, again, let's just show up and see what happens.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, and the race gets ba- pushed back six weeks.

Scott Saucedo: Oh, yeah. That's our thing, too, 'cause I had a vacation in the middle of [01:21:00] that. I'm like, I'm not running on this vacation.

Oh, yeah. So it's like, they more so like, well, I was gonna try to PR, but now it's like, hey, just go have fun. Right, just do it. And I found Joe, um, Kitchell. I'm like, I'm- Oh, yeah ... just gonna run with Joe. He doesn't talk much, but he's solid. He's smooth. And so we just cruised. Like, "Yeah, he's actually running kind of fast, but if I can stay with him, I'm gonna do well."

And I think I hung with him to like 15 miles, and then I think you guys had a cheer tent.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, at 20.

Scott Saucedo: Just, yeah. Like

Ally Brettnacher: right at mile

Scott Saucedo: 20. That's right when I needed some inspiration, 'cause I was ... Then I'm like, okay, this is where it gets hard. There's

Ally Brettnacher: nobody out here. Yeah. It's, yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: It's a tough

Scott Saucedo: spot. So thankfully, and someone was handing out maple syrup at like 20, 'cause I cramped at 21 and had to walk for a little bit.

Yeah. And like, please, I need something. So I got a pickle from some random person on the Monon- ... and then I got that maple syrup and that got me to the finish. So-

Ally Brettnacher: You know, the founder of that brand ran that race.

Scott Saucedo: Oh, really?

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, it was the first time I got to see her in person.

Scott Saucedo: Okay.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: No, it was good. So just a fun

Ally Brettnacher: fact.

Scott Saucedo: It, it went down

Ally Brettnacher: quick.

Scott Saucedo: I love syrup. And I needed that. For fueling, yeah. I needed those calories, so. Yeah. Yeah. So that, that kind of inspired me again to like, okay, well, maybe I [01:22:00] can do more, 'cause I didn't think I'd be able to run faster, but I did. Yeah. Um, yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, it can be so surprise ... If you don't let your mind limit you, seems surprising what you can do.

Mm-hmm. I, I say that- That's the only way ... just so I can hear it-

Scott Saucedo: Yeah ... for

Ally Brettnacher: myself.

Scott Saucedo: Because like mindset matters. It, it's like one of the things I do wanna say, like have you heard of epigenetics?

Ally Brettnacher: No.

Scott Saucedo: It's kind of a fancy word.

Ally Brettnacher: So- Yeah, I was like, "Say it again."

Scott Saucedo: Epigenetics.

Ally Brettnacher: Epigenetics.

Scott Saucedo: Epa, E-P, epigenetics. It, it's this science of- Like what you eat, you can change your physiology to, like, different foods.

Like the power- Oh ... of healing foods. It, it's a real thing. Yeah. Right? So the same way, like, kind of what I'm trying to share with others is that, like, your mindset is the same way. Like, just how you, you think about things and, and some people might s- call it, like, um, like a vision board or, like, manifesting.

Mm. Mm-hmm. But, like, really, like, change your mindset from frustration to thankfulness, from scarcity to gratitude. It's like it changes how you see things. Right. It's like I believe that, like, if you wake up a day, like, just so thankful for this opportunity, like I think [01:23:00] you said before, like, "I get to do this."

Ally Brettnacher: Yes. Yes,

Scott Saucedo: yes, yes. And going into it, like, that's different. Like, "Oh, I have to do this." Right. But no, like, I get to... Like, I've been blessed to the point where I get to do this. I get to Be better- Yeah ... because I have legs. Um, watching this, um, video from Go On More, from the Bear Performance, like, back, like, blew up.

Yeah. But one of the most inspirational things is, is this guy in the wheelchair, like- Yes ... doing the race, like Mike Egan. Like, Mike Egan is, is literally inspiring millions of people because he went there to find himself and to find something for himself.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: I mean, as every- everyone should.

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Scott Saucedo: But him pursuing his best inspired everyone, because it's like, well, if he can do that-

Ally Brettnacher: Right

Scott Saucedo: I can do that. If he can

Ally Brettnacher: do that

Scott Saucedo: in a wheelchair- If he can be in the mud, on his hands, pulling his chair one foot at a time, sit back, pull, sit back, pull, like literally dragging his chair through the mud- ... like, like, I was crying, like watching, like- Yeah ... I'm literally crying, like thank you, God. Like, I needed that reminder, like-

Ally Brettnacher: Right

Scott Saucedo: I can do a hard thing. I am blessed-

Ally Brettnacher: Yes ...

Scott Saucedo: because [01:24:00] I only have 40 minutes to run today instead of an hour. It's okay. Right. I get to run. Yeah. I get to do this. Yes, yes, yes I get to be better. I get to still race at my age. Like, that's really cool. Like, I get to run fast. It's okay. I'd, I'd be okay if, if I could only run, like, 10 minute miles, I'd still be okay with that because I get to run, right?

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: I get to do something that feels good and makes me a better person.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I feel like that gets, it can get lost-

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm ...

Ally Brettnacher: because of, I think the internet has a lot to do with that. It's very inspiring, but it's also, then people are like, "Well, if they're, that person's doing that, I need to do that."

Right. It's like, well-

Scott Saucedo: That, that you, that you need to be as fast as them or- Right ... even, like, like these big time goals. Like, it's good to have a goal, but it's okay if you don't get it. Like if you wanna- ... break four hours and you don't, it's okay.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Try again.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Because in trying, you're making yourself better, right?

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But like, let's not have those goals, like going back to the, the mindset, like you wanna have goals that, like encourage you and support you, but that don't make you feel bad about yourself, right? Right. You don't want goals that then, like if you miss a goal, that's something you learn from. Like- Yeah

um, someone told me too, like [01:25:00] you learn so much more from failure-

Ally Brettnacher: Right ...

Scott Saucedo: um, and discomfort, and that's, talking about clients if you wanna talk about that. Like one of the things with Alex, like teaching him to, to feel okay with discomfort and when it crosses, it even talks about like being, be comfortable with uncom-

Ally Brettnacher: Yes

Scott Saucedo: being uncomfortable,

Ally Brettnacher: right? Get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Scott Saucedo: And so, but like a lot of people, like if his life is about precision and doing the same thing over and over again, and he's so good at it-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: but if I make him do things that like mess up his breathing, make him feel tired, like it, it messes with his whole paradigm 'cause it's like, well now, now it's uncomfortable, now it's hard.

Right. Like how do I respond? But like, if we train those things, kind of like the couple years where my life, I intentionally made it harder with my training-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: but then w- when my actual life got hard, it's like, oh, it's okay. I've been uncomfortable before, right? Mm-hmm. I can deal with this. And for him, it's helped that like-

Ally Brettnacher: We have to tell people who you're talking about.

Okay. So- 'Cause you say Alex like it's just, like, guy down the street.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. So one of my personal training clients is Alex Palou. So he's a IndyCar driver, and we started working together in 2021.

Ally Brettnacher: That's so cool. Um- How did that, [01:26:00] how did that come about?

Scott Saucedo: Really, I mean, it was God's blessing. He, he came into the gym.

He moved in next door to literally next door to the gym, and he's like- Wow ... "Hey, I need a personal trainer." Um, he was a race car driver in IndyCar, and he's like he didn't want someone that was associated with motorsport. Um, and I'm like, "Well, I like racing. I'll be your trainer." And so literally, like, I got to be his trainer.

That's- Didn't know him. He didn't meet- ... stop ... know me. And so that's another thing, too. Like, he was young at the time. He was 23. Um, and it was only his second year. He wasn't good the first year, and he had back pain. It was coming off of COVID. He hadn't been able to work out. Oh. I'm like, "Okay. Well, let's get you healing."

And I had just been working with, like, uh, executives, like middle-aged men with back pain for the- ... previous couple years. I'm like, "Okay. I can do that."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: I was, "I don't know anything about how to make you faster in the car yet." "But I will. I'll learn that." Yeah. Um, so we spent a couple months getting him pain-free, and then it was like, okay.

And also, he won the first race. I'm like, "Okay, so you're kinda good." And then he's doing well, and then he almost wins the 500. He got second. He's- Let's go ... I'm like, "Holy cow, like you, you almost won that race." And, and then he ends up winning the championship. And so [01:27:00] by the end of the first year, like we had gotten in this rhythm.

But also it's like, this is really cool. Never saw this coming kinda thing. Like- Well, you're like- ... I thought I was just helping out a driver- Yeah ... and he was gonna be a client, but now he's actually really good. He's winning the championship. And so like, well, we're definitely gonna keep working together, right?

And-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: but also the hard part with him, like he, he's from Spain, so he would go back to Spain in the off season.

Ally Brettnacher: Ah.

Scott Saucedo: So then I'd have to train him virtually, you know, for a few months to get him ready, and then the season's... So all this to say, like, it's been this new challenge of like the accumulation of the 10 to 15 years before him of what I learned of training, uh, people with back pain, training how to get your core stronger.

I was big on core for a long time and learning from that. And, like, his whole thing is like he needs his core to be strong, a very unique position, upper body grip, and so a lot of things I learned from all these things I'd done before. It's like, okay, this is perfect. I know what to do now. Um, and it's just been fun.

Like, in the, how cool is that? Like- So cool ... I get to get this introduction to this whole other sport. But then also it's like the 500, like a lot of people know about the 500.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, Indianapolis 5- But- That's why people know Indiana- Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: because of the 500. And they have a whole [01:28:00] series that, that he, that he's good at, but then to, last year he won the 500.

And it's like, again, like I got to have my dad with me in Victory Lane. My dad's been a lifelong fan. Oh. It's like how cool is that? I get to have my dad in Victory Lane with Alex and his family. It's just like- Insane ... man, this doesn't get any better, so.

Ally Brettnacher: Right, just 'cause he, he walked in your gym.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, just- It's like-

feels this, this God thing, this connection. I do think,

Ally Brettnacher: yeah, I believe in that as well. Um- It's

Scott Saucedo: like- ... it, it's been so amazing. So all this to say, like I've learned a lot from him, and I've never worked with someone on that high of a level. And the, the story I like to tell is that he's not a runner. He doesn't really like to run.

I've made him run more. I was gonna ask you that question.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: He now runs more, and, and he's, he's doing an endurance thing with me in a couple weeks. But, um- I would have him run 200s in a workout. So it'd be like, "Okay, we're gonna do runs, we're gonna do squats, and we're gonna do pull-ups."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And without a watch, he could run the same 200-meter time.

I- On a track course, he could run the same time every round, even as he got tired. And like m- most cross-fitters, most runners are not gonna do it. If you have to do squats and, but [01:29:00] your heart rate's up- Yeah, right ... it's like you're gonna get tired and have some degradation. Like, no, he ran the same time every time, and like his internal, like, timekeeping is so amazing.

And- Oof ... again, his ability to be... His whole job is being precise and doing the same lap times lap- Yes. Yeah ... after lap. That's, you know, I- Even

Ally Brettnacher: if he gets tired- ... didn't even think about

Scott Saucedo: how that would translate ... as the tires go down, he manages all the factors around him that are changing to keep himself consistent.

Yeah. And that's where it's like nice. Also, he's like the perfect client in that like, "Hey, here's what you need to eat on a race weekend." "Okay."

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: And he does it. "Okay, I can't travel you to the race. Here's what you need to do." "Okay." And he does it, except when I say, "Okay, you need to run five miles." "No, I can't do that."

Ally Brettnacher: That's

Scott Saucedo: really funny. But now, now he is running more, and so one of the things we joked about, like, "Hey, we need to do a 5K." He's like, "Well, maybe a 5K." And, um, I'm like, "Well, Luca's running now. Like, you're gonna have to at least run as fast as Luca, 'cause she's running pretty fast. I mean, she's running- Yeah

4:30 Ks, so." Yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: we still need to talk about

Scott Saucedo: her. Yeah. Yeah. You need to get up there.

Ally Brettnacher: That leads me to, have you done the Indy Mini, or has Alex ever? Well, I guess he might not be allowed while he's in season, obviously.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, no, he... And he's [01:30:00] has no interest- He's ... in doing that. Um, um, I will say I also coach Conor Daly.

Okay. And he's probably more recognized 'cause he's local.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And he's been here his whole life. So he probably has more s- local recognition, and I've also then got him to be a runner 'cause he, he has to-

Ally Brettnacher: Yes.

Scott Saucedo: And that I feel most proud of. Like, if I convince these drivers who don't like cardio to be a runner, um...

So Conor's doing the Monumental Half Marathon. Oh, yes. And so he's gonna do the car simulation as well with another member from the gym, and then he's doing the Monumental Half, so gotta cheer him on 'cause it's his- That's so

Ally Brettnacher: cool ...

Scott Saucedo: he's done, I think, the Mini one time- All right ... when he was younger. Um-

Ally Brettnacher: But this is like his first-

Scott Saucedo: This is his first one a- as, uh, uh, being older and actually tr- training for it

trying. Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. That is so

Scott Saucedo: cool. Yeah. And my... I love the Mini, but it's always been like this social... Like, you know how like you have social races? To me, it's like- Yeah ... I would do it with friends from the gym. When I worked, I would like, "Hey, who's signed up for the Mini? I'll do it." Yeah. And like I'd wear like a different outfit every year.

Like, one year I was business casual, so I'm wearing slacks and a polo, and then I'm like- That is

Ally Brettnacher: great ...

Scott Saucedo: I'm doing like the, the jorts and a, a flannel, and I'm [01:31:00] just like- That's

Ally Brettnacher: awesome ...

Scott Saucedo: making more fun of that- Right ... because to me it was like almost like this reunion of people I haven't seen. Yeah. Like runners and non-runners, like- It's the best

'cause it's just such a fun...

Ally Brettnacher: Yes.

Scott Saucedo: So that to me is always like a reunion kind of, of a race. Mm-hmm. I, I've raced it a few times, and I still like to run it, but-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: um, I just see that one as fun. I love the, the, the crowd and the intensity of all that, so.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Same. I think that's where we first met in person in passing.

It was at the end. Oh, yeah. Because I remember I got confu- I was like- 'Cause- ... "Who are you?"

Scott Saucedo: And- Again, I follow you from afar. Right. Like, I know you, but you actually don't know me.

Ally Brettnacher: Well, and it's like, oh, that's like the hardest thing about Instagram is that there's people I've had, like, conversations with for months.

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: And then they'll be like, "Ally," and I'm like, "Hey."

Scott Saucedo: And I think you were running with Christie At the time or like the Ain- Yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: Chrissy D and Ainsley's Antes,

Scott Saucedo: yeah ... Ainsley's Antes. And- Yeah ... I wanna do that some- You should ... if anything, I think that would be fun because-

Ally Brettnacher: You should do that next year ...

Scott Saucedo: I don't need to race them in it anymore, but, like, that would m- be more enjoyable-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah

Scott Saucedo: um, to do something like that and-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ... yeah. I'm trying to get... Do you know who Rob Perez is? No. He's a Highrocks guy. Okay. He's, like, now a Highrocks celebrity almost. Oh, okay. And so I'm trying to get him to [01:32:00] come do it.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: And

Scott Saucedo: that would be so fun. Just fun stuff like that, like, um, going back to, to Dick Hoyt, if you remember that, remember- Yes

inspirational people like that. Yes. Like, I want more of that, you know? Yeah. 'Cause that, too, again, like, that is meaningful and purposeful- Mm-hmm ... and brings joy. Like, for me, like, I don't need to race a bunch of races to find joy. Like, I'll do a couple 'cause, if anything, races are more, um, stressful. Yeah, right.

But when you go and do something like that, that is fun. And, like- Yeah ... the Hugh girls, like, you're just so fun, and it's like- It's fun ... you're having fun, you're smiling. And like you said, you get to start in the front, and so everyone gets to say hi on the way by. It's

Ally Brettnacher: ama- it's my favorite.

Scott Saucedo: And yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: I love it so much.

Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: So anything like that, when you can make people smile, encourage people-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: like, yeah, I'm here for it.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Ugh. Okay, I, I do wanna make sure we talk about Luca- Sure ... and her running because I think it's unique as people who are parents who love this sport-

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm

Ally Brettnacher: It's like the balance of, "Oh my gosh, I want you to lo- like, I didn't get to do that when I was your age"- Mm-hmm

so I really want- I know ... you to love it and I want you to have success. And of course, we want what's best for our kids, but what is your approach when it comes to, you know, kinda s- [01:33:00] quote, unquote, "coaching Luca"- Mm-hmm ... and being in that environment with her?

Scott Saucedo: That's a great question, and that's one thing for me I've thought a lot about, and that I didn't want to over-coach her.

Um, and so I've taken the same approach I took for myself. It's like I want it to be fun and I want you to feel like you're playing. Um-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm ...

Scott Saucedo: when I grew up, there wasn't organized sports until I got to Indiana, like, I think, I think 12, 13 is the first time I played organized sports. Wow. And so- Yeah ... it was just, like, playing outside.

So, like, I want she to do stuff that feels like play. And so, of course, we do like soccer, so she's played soccer.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: And we'll practice soccer. And running, Westfield has a great youth pri- uh, youth program. Is

Ally Brettnacher: she in third grade or fourth grade?

Scott Saucedo: Third. She's older for th- I held her back for a year- Which

Ally Brettnacher: is what we

Scott Saucedo: did with mine

'cause she has a summer birthday.

Ally Brettnacher: But I was like, "Mine can't run yet at our school, in Carmel Schools."

Scott Saucedo: Okay. Yeah. So I'm kinda, like, waiting. Westfield starts at six.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, but then- Wow ... it's like two year age groups. Um, so I'd love that. And my thing with her, like, with soccer it's easy 'cause she loves it.

You go in and like, "I'm not gonna coach you. I just want you to go have fun."

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Scott Saucedo: If you wanna practice on the side, like, I will, but, like, I'm not gonna make you. It's all I want you to want to do it. Yeah. I'm not gonna feel like you [01:34:00] have to do it.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Um, and, like, in the last year, like, she wanted to get better at soccer, so we'd practice.

And she, we practice different things, and it's mostly just kinda dribbling together and shooting. Um, but you know, I want it to be fun, right? Mm-hmm. Like, I'm not gonna make her do drills and, like- Yeah ... stuff at this age, like, 'cause-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: um, we're not gonna get- It's gonna make her... It's gonna have the opposite effect

exactly. That's my biggest thing is, like, if I can keep it to be light and fun to getting into middle school, high school. And yeah, the school is big now. Like, you know Westfield- Right ... is big.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And so she might have to get more practice to, to play for the team, but that's okay, we'll get there. But I don't want to over practice now- Right

and have her be worn out and, like- And not want to even do it ... "Hey, I'm kinda bored." Oh, yeah. "I'm sick of practicing- Yeah ... four days a week for this." Right. Right? Yeah. So, um, so Westfield has this youth cross country. They practice three days a week and run. Wow. But I'm like, "Okay. Well, I don't really wanna take you to three practices a week," and she doesn't wanna run 'cause she wants to play soccer and play with her friends.

Mm-hmm. So, like, we'll do one practice a week, and then go to the race. And that was kind of our deal is, like, we'll do one practice. And I will be the pace coach on that. Like, if you want me to run, I will go and run your pace for the pace groups they do on Wednesdays- Wow ... which is fun. Uh, but she [01:35:00] doesn't always run with me.

That's the other thing, too, is like, you don't have to.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. '

Scott Saucedo: Cause she doesn't wanna feel like she has to run- Yeah ... with me.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: Um, so my thing is let's keep it light, let's keep it fun, and not wor- 'cause initially it's like, "Well, did I win? Did I, did I beat so-and-so?" Like, well, it doesn't matter. Did you run faster than before?

Right. And just focus on, they are all nice, like, they celebrate PRs with PR ribbons, so it doesn't matter what place you get in the race- Right ... it's like, well, were you better than last time? Is it your best? Yeah, it's your best.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah,

Scott Saucedo: yeah. And that's the biggest thing. Um, I love that message. And, um- And I'll say again, she's blessed too.

Like, she runs once a week, and then she races, and she's like, every race she's like 20 seconds faster. So fun. And I'm like, "Okay, this race let's go out slower." Nope, straight out. She's at full send from the start. And, uh, like the one race she had a shoe untie and just like didn't wanna stop, and just ran with a shoe untied the whole way, like still PR'd.

And so- She's- ... she's blessed, and I, I love watching her run, but also it's like she's like this time she's like, "I don't know about this next one." I'm like, "That's okay." Like, I'm not gonna force it at this age. So I just, [01:36:00] I f- I'm so happy to get to see her, and 'cause she does like it. Yeah. She likes the racing.

Yeah. As most people probably, she doesn't like the training- Right ... she likes the racing, so that's okay.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: I'm like, "You know what? Sometimes we'll just run together." We'll do... I'll come up with some intervals, but we're gonna make it fun. And if we parlay it over into like a soccer thing, where we're running on the soccer fields, almost like it doesn't, they don't, they don't track that, right?

Right. It doesn't seem like a running practice. Yeah. But in soccer she runs a lot.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, yeah.

Scott Saucedo: She's all over the place. Yeah. And so, um, it's been a joy, but it's also too trying to encourage her effort as much as possible without saying like, "Well, it doesn't matter what your time is, it doesn't matter where your place is, I just want you to have fun and do your best."

Ally Brettnacher: Yep. So. Amen. Yeah. And it's hard. In this environment that we're in- It, yeah ... in Westfield, Carmel, Central Indiana, it's very competitive with these sports.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. And soccer I think is even more so. Ugh. And like, if you're good at all, it's like, well, club.

Ally Brettnacher: You need to go to- Travel ... travel. Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: It's like, and I've had friends do that, but like it's a big financial- Yeah, we,

Ally Brettnacher: we've

Scott Saucedo: been there, this, that

but more than financial, it's the time.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And like remember, like if you do that, you can't play with your friends every day. Like, you gotta go to practice every day. And so [01:37:00] because I do have the ability to coach her, I'm like, "If you wanna get better, we'll practice for 20 minutes and then go play."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: And then I'd rather you do that for a few years until like... 'Cause some kids, that is all they wanna do, and that's great.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But if she wants to play with her friends too, like let's not- Let's not lose the things that you really wanna do- Right.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: and then make it seem like somehow this is a negative that you would have to go to

Ally Brettnacher: practice.

Yeah, right, right. Yeah. So- I mean, we were grappling with that. She wants to... Her team from outdoor this year, in Carmel Dad's Club, wanted to play indoor.

Scott Saucedo: Mm-hmm.

Ally Brettnacher: And so they're putting together a team, and they're like, "Do you wanna do it?" And she, you know, so we were talking to her about it, and we're like, "Here's, you know, here's how long the season is.

Mm-hmm. Here's what this..." And she was kind of like, "You know, I just, I wanna take a break." Mm-hmm. And we're like, "Great."

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. "

Ally Brettnacher: That's fine."

Scott Saucedo: And that, it's, I mean, no judgment on any parent that wants to do it. No, absolutely not. It's just so hard, and every kid is different.

Ally Brettnacher: Every

Scott Saucedo: kid's different. I think knowing your kid and knowing what, what motivates them, um, but with our schedule and our time, it's like we really don't overbook our life.

So we'll have one or two nights we have stuff, but other nights we're just gonna be at home, and that's okay. Like, we have a great neighborhood-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: great kids to play with, so let's just play and have fun, [01:38:00] and look forward to the times where we get to go to practice- Yeah ... and stuff like that.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Amen.

So, um, before I get to the end of the podcast questions- Mm-hmm ... I wanna hear about Mammoth and what it was like- Mm-hmm ... to have your mom there.

Scott Saucedo: Yes. So two weeks ago I got to run the Mammoth 50K in Mammoth Lakes, California. It's a race I had heard about, hadn't done, uh, had never been in that region. Um, and I wanted to go.

Um, and- Where

Ally Brettnacher: is it in California? Is that north, south?

Scott Saucedo: It's an hour south of Yosemite, if you know where that's- Okay ... so Yosemite's kind of in the middle. So y- you can get there from San Francisco, you can drive through Yosemite to get there. We flew into Reno, you drive past Tahoe. It's, I mean, it's kind of in the middle- Oh

where it's like a f- four and a half to five-hour drive from LA.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: So it's really remote, but it's beautiful. And that's probably why- It's beautiful ... 'cause it's hard to get... It's not like the, some of the, the ski towns or, or mountain towns that you can easily drive in- Mm ... and out of. So because it's so remote, like, the people that go there, like, are really invested.

And so, um, it's just beautiful mountain range. Um, elevation's like 8,000 feet, so it's decently high. Um, and Tim Talusan, the, the race director, I've heard [01:39:00] it, again, from Sally McRae, and I know they just started a 200-mile race that's supposed to be epic. Might have some friends doing that next year. Um- I'm like, "Well, I just wanna go and be in a beautiful place."

Like, this year, like, my goal was to run a fast marathon and I did that. I'm like, "Let's go run a fun 50K." And my mom had never been to Yosemite, and she loves the mountains. Oh. And so, so she and Lu- Luca came, and we spent a day, half a day in Tahoe hiking around the lake, which was beautiful. Mm. Again, never been there.

And then Mammoth, we took the gondola up the day before to see the top of the mountain, which is really, they gotta see that. And then on race day, I start at 7:30. I... And they, they didn't try to see me. Like, it was gonna be too much logistics. Yeah. So I'm like, "Just have fun." 'Cause there was also a kids' race.

So Luca ran the 1K- Yeah, I saw that video ... kids race. They did that, which was awesome. And then they just played, um, Luca played, and, um, I'm like, "I'll try to be done by lunch." And, uh, thankfully, like I, I had one of my best races ever. Um, especially in the mountains, like, learning from things like eating- Geez

the most I've ever eaten. Like, every 34 minutes eating something. Um, and just running, like, [01:40:00] I don't often try to race an ultra. Yeah. But like, well, if you feel good, let's go for it. So I ran pretty quick, and again had a fast finishing time. And to get done by lunch, uh, 'cause he has a generous cutoff 'cause he wants more people to do it.

Yeah. So it was like a 12-hour cutoff.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: And so we got done, you know, had lunch, and then went out for dinner, and people are still finishing, so you get to have dinner right there and watch. It was really cool. And just to celebrate, like, how hard this really is.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm.

Scott Saucedo: That people do work really hard. Some take eight to 10 hours- Right

and that's okay. Yeah. Like, it's cool. It's still a really good experience. But then the next day we got up and drove to Yosemite, and I'm like, well, my friend Nick and I had done this, another recognition. We did a five-day tour of Yosemite- No ... where we ran 100 miles of backcountry around Yosemite.

Ally Brettnacher: That's so cool.

Scott Saucedo: Again,

Ally Brettnacher: 10 out of

Scott Saucedo: 10. It's right up

Ally Brettnacher: Ashley's alley.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, it is. Ooh. It's like, it's camping. I think she's more into like- Yeah, I'm not a very good camper ... and I, she's like, "I, I, I need a, I need a bed." Give

Ally Brettnacher: me a mattress,

Scott Saucedo: man. Yeah, exactly. But back then it was like, that was like 2019, we camped. [01:41:00] Um, so I'd run all these trails- Wow

and like, "I think you could do this trail, Mom." Um- In my mind, I'm like, I hike 15 to 20 minute miles in the mountains- Yeah ... like, "It'll be fine. She can do that." She had hurt her knee a few weeks back transferring her husband, which is a whole other story, but like- She has a bit of a bum knee, and it's, it's net downhill out and then uphill up back out.

Ooh. So i- it's a 10-mile roundtrip hike to... From the road, we hike down to the, it's called North Dome, which overlooks the... It's from the north end of the valley. You can see down into the valley, but it's directly across the valley from Half Dome.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: So you have these beautiful views, and relatively flat.

Like, it's not, like, a lot of up and down, that you don't need, you don't need to have anything, other equipment. But I'm like, "Well, this'll be four hours."

Ally Brettnacher: And Luka's doing it too,

Scott Saucedo: right? Yeah, Luka's doing it too. Like- I mean- ... she's got legs on her. She's, she's a runner. She'll be fine. Wow. But also that not thinking, like, a nine-year-old is not gonna be mentally invested in-

a four-hour hike.

Ally Brettnacher: Right.

Scott Saucedo: Right?

Ally Brettnacher: So I was like,

Scott Saucedo: my- So, like, she was like, the first hour is like, gets walking, it's like she's good, and then she's like- Yeah ... "I'm bored. My legs hurt." I'm like-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ... "

Scott Saucedo: I know you ran [01:42:00] yesterday, Luka, but, like, we're gonna make it. We're gonna..." Like, I, I bought, I brought some Nutella for her for lunch, like, "Hey, just look forward to lunch.

We're gonna have lunch." Right. And we did. We had lunch, like, overlooking Half Dome. Oh. It was beautiful. My mom loves it. Like, now we gotta get back out, and the timing I was thinking of was my pace, not my 73-year-old mom's pace. And so credit to her, like on limited training, she started walking like six weeks ago, like training for this, like, on the treadmill.

And so it'd be like walk, walk, rest, you know- Mm-hmm ... walk, walk, rest. Luka's getting bored at this point. Like she's, like, digging, like covered in- Yeah ... like, every pine cone, she's making stuff up. Um, and, uh, thank- uh, almost, like, thankfully, like, someone spotted a bear, like, on the trail just ahead of us. And so then, like, everyone's on high alert.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: My mom's like, "Don't leave me." I'm like, "Mom, I didn't bring you out to Yosemite to-"

Ally Brettnacher: To have you get eaten

Scott Saucedo: by a

Ally Brettnacher: bear, okay?

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. We're gonna be fine. I- we'll figure it out. Um, but that kind of re- uh, relit their fires because they were both done 'cause it was six hours. So dad failed on that point. Like, I probably [01:43:00] should have brought more food and water.

Daddy and Son fail. Like, they're out of everything. I'm like, "Let's just get to the car."

Ally Brettnacher: Guys, we, we have to get to the car.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: There's not really an option here.

Scott Saucedo: Like, actually it's getting dark soon. We should probably go. Jeez. So all that to say it was kind of an epic trip for my mom 'cause- Epic trip

this, like, no one, her friends are hiking 10 miles in the mountains. Yeah. Um, and, uh, Luka made it. She was good by the end, and we were all like, we went to the gas station 'cause we're also in the middle of nowhere. Hm. 'Cause we had to fly out of Reno, so it was like a three-hour drive. Gosh. On the first gas station, like, "You guys get whatever snacks you want."

Yeah. "Luka, you can eat whatever you want. You did great." Um, but to celebrate that with my mom, I had heard of this podcast a while back, like- We, we take for granted, like, how much time, especially if you move away from your family. Mm. So, like, I don't get to see my family every week. Um, like, you have to be intentional about it, right?

Yeah. Especially when you get busy with kids. And so, like, I want to be intentional. Like, I... How many Christmases do I have left? Like, how many holidays do I have left? I know, it's- And you don't know.

Ally Brettnacher: You don't

Scott Saucedo: know. Right? Especially as they get older, and-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: not only that, like, how many more experiences do I have left with my mom?

Like, I think it's a blessing that she can hike 10 [01:44:00] miles-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: um, on a bum knee. Um, and so I wanna... Like, last year we went hiking in Sedona. Like, "Okay, Mom, where do you wanna go? Like, let's go there and experience this," because- You deserve it, number one. Yeah. Like, you, you put up with me for however many years.

And you, you gave me the opportunity to do all these things, like I want you to have the opportunity. And, um, she's traveled a lot, but she hasn't had anyone else to be adventurous like that.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Like, take her, like, to drive her to the Yosemite and like- Yeah ... hey, we're, this is what we're gonna do. So I love that and that- that's, this has been really cool.

And it was a good way to cap off the trip. Yeah. It was, it was to have that, the experience for both them. Luca was over it, but it's okay. You know, she'll

Ally Brettnacher: be- Well, I mean, and I think of it as like no big deal. You're like, "Yeah, I just ran the best 50K of my life, and then I'm gonna just hike 10 miles the next day."

It

Scott Saucedo: was a good recovery walk. Yeah, yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, gosh.

Scott Saucedo: I, I, I was depleted 'cause I gave all my water to, to them. Um, 'cause I'm like, "I'm gonna be okay, but, like- Yeah ... I need to keep these two fed because, yeah, I do

Ally Brettnacher: not want them to crash out." Otherwise, it's gonna be really bad. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I remember being, like w- hiking when I was a kid with my family.

I can't remember which national park it [01:45:00] was in, and, uh, there were bugs and I was miserable. Hmm. And I was like, "I'm gonna jump off the side of this mountain." My dad's like, "Okay."

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Like, we were just getting so ... It was just so hard. I just remember as a kid. Yeah, we

Scott Saucedo: were blessed thankfully with perfect weather.

Um, but that's one of those things, like you realize too, like, okay, I could have made this a little bit easier- Yeah ... on ourselves. But, um, yeah, it was a great experience. Better story. Yeah. And again, the, uh, those kinds of things, like however many we, more we get, like we're gonna keep trying to do those things.

Mm-hmm. And to have both generations kind of together too. Like, even if Luca doesn't like re- recall it fondly, like she's taking a picture of school, like she got to see a half dome over the weekend. Like, that's kind of a cool thing, right?

Ally Brettnacher: That's a really cool

Scott Saucedo: thing. Um,

Ally Brettnacher: so yeah. That with her grandma. Yeah.

Like, "Hey, my grandma hiked for six hours." Like that's- Yeah ... people are like, "What?"

Scott Saucedo: That's how we do it in our family.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. That's, that's amazing. Yeah. My mom's 70, and for her 70th, we went out to Vermont just a couple weekends ago and we did it. We had to pick a hike. There was a hike that was a little bit more strenuous than the others- Mm-hmm

and we, we chose the right one. Mm-hmm. And it was still really hard for her.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: But it was the perfect amount, um, which was good 'cause yeah, [01:46:00] didn't want to have to carry her, carry her down.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. So, okay. Now end of the podcast questions. Mm-hmm. Are you ready?

Scott Saucedo: Sure.

Ally Brettnacher: What is your favorite running song and/or mantra?

Scott Saucedo: I don't really have a mantra, um, 'cause it does kind of depend on what I'm feeling like. I, I am in my head a lot on those runs, so like so much time to think, like I don't, I've never run a race with a, with a, uh, headphones or a phone, so it's just like, I just, a lot of thinking. So it's like when am I- Never

Ally Brettnacher: run a race with headphones?

No. That's also another amazing feat.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. But I, like, in training I'll, I'll, I'll listen to podcasts. Yeah. Like, it's always like, I don't try to rely on that kind of like simulation. Like, I want to enjoy it and I want to take it in. Like, especially like in Mammoth, like I want to take in all this. I want to s-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm

Scott Saucedo: the smells and the sounds. Like, I want to be able to take it all in. So I'll just say like I've almost like, well, I should have one, but like, I don't have one that like works for every situation because like I did a 50K around Mont Saint- Mount St. Helens in-

Ally Brettnacher: Wow ...

Scott Saucedo: June or July, and that was brutal. And I was like, "I [01:47:00] just need to not be mad at- Yeah

all these rocks." Like, I'm over the rocks.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: But like, it didn't matter what mantra I had. Like, so coming, that being said- This song for like the last two years has been called Raise a Hallelujah.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm.

Scott Saucedo: And it, it just reminds me like in the middle of the storm I'm gonna be grateful and in the middle of the storm I'm still gonna be thankful.

And to remind myself that's what it comes back to. Like-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: I don't listen to it, but like I've listened to enough where I can s- I literally just say the words over myself. Like- Mm-hmm ... I did the Rim to Rim to Rim last year. Of course. I think that was my thing last year. Oh yeah,

Ally Brettnacher: that's just casual too.

Scott Saucedo: That was, but it's like-

Ally Brettnacher: Throw that in there ...

Scott Saucedo: at, at the, at, at, if you have friends that run 100 miles, for them it's like it's an easy day because- Yeah ... you're gonna be back in one day.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh

Scott Saucedo: my goodness, just crazy. Um, it was not an easy day.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah, it

Scott Saucedo: doesn't- We all had stomach issues. If it was the water, whatever, but like...

And the Kaibab Trail is much steeper than Bright Angel. I didn't realize that. Like- Yeah ... coming out Kaibab, legit. Um, but like even there like saying those words like, "It's okay. I'm gonna be grateful. I'm gonna be thankful." So- Mm-hmm ... yeah, it's Raise a Hallelujah, and then Gratitude is another song that I love.

Like I will just say those words over-

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm ...

Scott Saucedo: [01:48:00] myself and I'll, like, just, uh, reminding myself I get to do this, that I am grateful, um, and that I've been given gifts and I'm making the most of them. Like, I don't ... Like the rim to rim to rim, like, I didn't get to train for that. It was like, "Hey, are you gonna do this?"

I was like, "Yeah, let's do it." Um, and it's experience, right? Going through that with friends and seeing, and the sunrise- Mm ... in the Grand Canyon- Mm-hmm ... and sunset in the Grand Canyon. Mm-hmm. Like, that's amazing.

Ally Brettnacher: So

Scott Saucedo: cool. Getting to hike up snow in the middle of the summer, like, that's, that's amazing.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: And so, yeah.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Long story on

Ally Brettnacher: that but- So good. I mean, such a good message. Okay, and then your next finish line and/or milestone.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah. I've helped several girlfriends this year with turning 50 and then PR-ing in the marathon, but I'm doing the HYROX in two weeks. Yeah. And then Monumental. And then-

Ally Brettnacher: Are you doing the half there?

Scott Saucedo: No, the full.

Ally Brettnacher: Oh, you're doing the full.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, might as well.

Ally Brettnacher: Are you pacing or-

Scott Saucedo: No, this one- No ... that's the thing, like, it's open. Like, that was gonna be my PR race, but since I PR-ed Grandma Mus- But now you already did ... I, I will either- No

Ally Brettnacher: pressure ...

Scott Saucedo: go again, or if I'm not feeling great, then I'll pace. Because if you haven't paced before, like, [01:49:00] it's so fun.

Like, some of my ... I, I've done Monumental four times, I think, as a pacer, and my most fun have been, like, the mid-threes pacing where it's, like, helping people get their BQ. Yeah, that's really cool. And it's so fun. Like, like, lower threes and, like, s- I've done three before, too. Mm-hmm. It's, like, people are more serious at that point, but- Mm-hmm

it's, like, people all can be serious all paces, but, like, for me, it's, like, helping pe- it's, like, more older people, I guess. Yeah. 'Cause the older people have higher PR and, like, more people my age- Yeah ... like, helping them get there. It's like taking your mind ... It's like those marathons have felt so easy because I wasn't thinking about myself.

Ally Brettnacher: Mm-hmm.

Scott Saucedo: And so I love that. Like, I'm gonna help you. I, I see you're dropping back. "Hey, uh, this is the tough part. Like, coming around new fields, this is gonna be tough."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. "

Scott Saucedo: Just get through it. Get a gel. Let's get back on." Mm-hmm. And so I love doing that, and i- i- if I switch and do a pace, like, I'm not gonna be mad about it 'cause it's been a good year, and-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah

Scott Saucedo: if I could do that again- It's been a fr-

Ally Brettnacher: great

Scott Saucedo: year ... yeah. And again, totally unexpected. Like- Yeah ... if you would've told me all the stuff I've gone through and I still get to run my fastest marathon, [01:50:00] my best 50K, like, okay. Wow. Check.

Ally Brettnacher: Amazing.

Scott Saucedo: I'm here for it.

Ally Brettnacher: When's your birthday?

Scott Saucedo: April.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay, so you just turned 50.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah, so that's, so that- Okay Carmel was like weeks after, initially- Yeah ... weeks after. I'm like, "This is my best chance."

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: Also, like I've gotten faster, so like I was planning on not getting faster, so.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Yeah. And so you're not, you're not doing Boston next year then?

Scott Saucedo: I don't know.

Ally Brettnacher: Okay.

Scott Saucedo: I don't know when signups are.

Like, I could- Oh,

Ally Brettnacher: well you missed that ... I

Scott Saucedo: could look at- No. I guess not.

Ally Brettnacher: I love that for you. Yeah. You're like, "I have no clue." Yeah. But you, I mean,

Scott Saucedo: yeah. I could try at Mighty Minnal,

Ally Brettnacher: like- They just... Yeah, you could be c- And then for- I

Scott Saucedo: actually don't even know what my qualifying time is. Like, I just wanna run fast.

So like-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah,

Scott Saucedo: for yourself ... if I do that, then I'll, I'll qualify.

Ally Brettnacher: That's cool. Yeah.

Scott Saucedo: So.

Ally Brettnacher: Wow. I... So amazing.

Scott Saucedo: You're so amazing. But that's true too. It's like I just wanna have fun, like, right? Like- Yeah ... if, if I do Boston, I want it to be because we're gonna go out with friends. Like Nick, I do it, that's his first time.

Like, that was cool for him. Mm-hmm. Like yeah, experience it, like. But like just to spend the money to go out, like it, yeah. Because I've done it once, like I don't need to do it again, but like if someone else wanted do it or like, "Hey, I'll do that with you"- Right ... like, then maybe I would. But-

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah ...

Scott Saucedo: I just, I, I'm thankful I get to do this and [01:51:00] enjoy it and be good at it.

Ally Brettnacher: Yeah. Amen. Yeah. Oh my gosh, you're so inspiring.

Scott Saucedo: Hopefully. And that's one thing- Yeah ... thing about like I, I hadn't heard a lot of people that had, had my story before. And e- and even meeting more people, um, divorced or just single parents, like, like it's hard to have hope sometimes, but like it's so important to remember, like t- still have hope.

Like it, it's okay you don't have the answers and you don't know what it's gonna be, but like tomorrow can be better, right? The sun's gonna come out tomorrow, and we'll just figure out today. Let's, let's, let's figure this out. Let's be the best we can be. Take care of yourself. Get your sleep. Eat your carbs.

Like, take care of yourself, and it's gonna be okay. And that's what I want people to know that. Yeah. Right? Yeah. Because it's like we put so much pressure on ourself to be the best parent, to be the best employee, to be- Yeah ... even, and then to be good at running, which is supposed to be fun. Yeah. But like running should not be, make us feel bad about ourselves.

So like it's okay. Just run whatever you can run, or walk. Yeah. Just move and enjoy it, and it's, it's gonna get better.

Ally Brettnacher: Yes. It's gonna get better. All right. Well, thank you so much for doing this. Mm-hmm. Thank you [01:52:00] for having me. It's so much fun. And thanks to everybody who's listened, and happy running.

Scott Saucedo: Yeah.

I'll see y'all on the trails.

Ally Brettnacher: Woo-hoo. Oh my gosh.

All right, we're at the finish line of this episode. If you're new here and you liked it, awesome. Stick around. You can opt into my weekly Finish Lines and Milestones Friday emails in the show notes, And thank you, Scott, for being such an inspiration and for coming on the show. One more time, I'm gonna talk about Monumental. This is the la- this is the last time, I promise. But yeah, super excited heading into race weekend. If Connor Daly happens to listen to this, which would be wild, good luck in your first half-marathon.

Either you're gonna love it or you're gonna hate it. I don't know if there's a in between, event links are in the show notes. Sign up. Come see us. I'll also be volunteering at the expo on Friday, I believe, so look for me at the welcome table there.

And yeah, happy running. Thank you so much for supporting this show. Talk to you next Friday. Bye. Bye-bye.

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