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Finish Lines and Milestones

SandyBoy Productions

Every runner has a story. Finish Lines and Milestones is a podcast that celebrates the everyday runner. If you run, you’re a runner. Join host, Ally Brettnacher, every week as she shares these runner stories.

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  • 30 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 1 hr 10 min
  • English

Episodes 30

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  • Friday · 1 hr 31 min

    Episode 177: Alyssa Eichholtz - You've Done Harder Things

    Alyssa Eichholtz, founder of Pennsy Run Club, and I first connected through one of her women's-only runs. She was 36 weeks pregnant when we recorded, which makes her the first pregnant guest I've interviewed. During this episode, sponsored by Huug, we talk about: [3:00] How to say "Eichholtz" (think Indianapolis Colts) [4:00] Her due date, a baby boy on the way, and why being pregnant and active can feel so isolating [6:00] Not finding out she was pregnant until almost her second trimester [12:00] The Carmel Marathon being postponed six weeks, and running it at five months pregnant [17:00] My own pregnant races at the Austin Half and the Indy Mini [18:00] Why mile 26 at Carmel was the first time a marathon made her emotional [20:00] Growing up a figure skater and theater kid in Tinley Park, Illinois [21:00] A move to Greenfield, a new job and COVID all at once, and how the Peloton bike pulled her out of a mental funk [25:00] Depression, loneliness, and choosing a full marathon as a way out [29:00] Training alone for her first marathon at Monumental in 2024 [33:00] Going from bartending at Ike & Jonesy's to 911 dispatch, thanks to the IMPD officers who were regulars [37:00] Delivering a baby over the phone, and why dispatchers ask so many questions [40:00] How running helps her handle a job where "no one calls 911 on a good day" [45:00] Discovering the running community at Monumental, and driving 40 minutes to run with Abby Prentice and Indy Social Run Club [49:00] Getting stuck in 465 traffic, deciding "there's gotta be a better way," and starting Pennsy Run Club on February 1 [52:00] Growing from 93 members to ~120, with Tuesday night and Saturday morning runs [59:00] Special Olympians in the club, and how they handle different paces [1:01:00] Why Pennsy Run Club stays free, running a 501(c)(3) on donations, and local support from NineStar [1:04:00] Her vision for the club, and how pregnancy changed her perspective [1:07:00] Her dream of a point-to-point race once the Pennsy Trail connects [1:09:00] How bartending trained her to remember everyone's name [1:13:00] Whether she'll make it to the Indiana Women's Running Festival at 38 weeks [1:20:00] Becoming an Indiana Women's Running Festival ambassador [1:22:00] Back Your Badge, and Luke's first marathon [1:23:00] The ultra bug, Prairie on Fire, and Pennsy Run Club's growing ultra crew [1:25:00] Her mantra, "you've done harder things," and the Monster Mash [1:28:00] Her next finish lines: having a baby, and running the Monumental full next year Previous Guests Mentioned Christi Dee - Episode 3 Rachel Sinders - Episode 8 Larry Coblentz - Episode 9 Mary Pittman - Episode 10 Todd Oliver - Episode 39 Timmy Howard - Episode 54 TJ Dailey - Episode 68 Joe Hardin - Episode 92 Lindsey Hein - Episode 100 Abby Anderson - Episode 133 Hillary Burgess - Episode 138 Steve Gilbert - Episode 160 Kelvin Quang - Episode 167 Abby Prentice - Episode 168 Chris Jones - Episode 172 Sponsor Details Huug - Use ALLYB for 15% off (combinable with Buy 3 Get 1 Free) Other Links Register for the Indiana Women's Running Festival (October 17, Carmel) - use code ALYSSAVIP for 15% off any distance and 15% off merch Join our Shake Out Hang Out run - Friday, November 6 at 8:30 AM at Bottleworks Hotel Get your ticket to our Monumental Weekend celebration event with Athletic Annex and Brooks Running - use code FLAMS for $10 off Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • October 2 · 1 hr 21 min

    Episode 176: Sasha Wolff - Still I Run

    Sasha Wolff, founder of Still I Run, and I were connected through my friend, Lindsey Hein, of I'll Have Another. This episode comes out right before National Run for Mental Health Week and Still I Run's 10-year anniversary on October 10. During this episode, we talk about: [1:00] How much Still I Run has changed since Sasha was on Lindsey's podcast [3:00] Being hospitalized for depression and anxiety in 2011, and the conversation in a Best Buy parking lot that got her there [6:00] Building a "mental health toolkit," choosing running, and the first run home from the hospital [7:00] What a week inside a mental health hospital is actually like [10:00] Digging into the science behind running and mental health, and searching for a group that didn't exist [13:00] Finding out we both have daughters named Sloane (Ferris Bueller fans unite) [16:00] Her husband's promise to get her to run a marathon, the Dopey Challenge, and how Maya Angelou's "Still I Rise" became a tattoo and then Still I Run [17:00] Pitching local TV and turning "a girl and her Facebook group" into something bigger [18:00] Selling hand-stamped jewelry in church basements and donating every dollar back to the hospital that helped save her life [21:00] Being one of those "nerdy running couples" [22:00] Running through three pregnancies, and what going off her medication cold turkey taught her [25:00] Trying to run a race every month of her first pregnancy, and her daughter arriving early on race day [26:00] Meeting the first Still I Run member in person, the first World Mental Health Day 5K, and the Still I Run tattoo that told her this was really something [30:00] The Starting Line Scholarship (now Mental Health Runner), and why it has always been free [32:00] Why running is therapeutic, but it is not therapy [36:00] Becoming a New York City Marathon charity partner in 2022, and leaving the corporate world to go all in [39:00] Year 10: a new mission and brand, and why everybody has mental health [43:00] 380+ ambassadors, run chapters across the country, and the "pace protectors" who promise to be last in a group run [45:00] Cold emailing Women's Running, and keeping reminders of the good around you [47:00] The lululemon grant that put Still I Run alongside organizations from Chicago and Minneapolis [51:00] Running 30 races in 2016, the Dopey Challenge explained, and realizing running had swayed into addiction [57:00] Her Hyland's Boston Marathon team spot, the 2020 virtual Boston, and "the one that got away" [1:00:00] How charity applications for Boston and New York work, and why charity runners aren't being greedy [1:02:00] Bayshore, and running the New York City Marathon two days before her 40th birthday [1:03:00] My Alex's Lemonade Stand regret, and her advice for charity runners in their final weeks of training [1:05:00] Her fourth Hood to Coast, a 7:30 opening mile downhill, and the van magnets [1:12:00] National Run for Mental Health Week, the Strava challenge, Kara Goucher, and the World Mental Health Day 5K [1:17:00] "Forward is a pace" Previous Guests Mentioned Lindsey Hein - Episode 100 Other Links Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs ⁠Get your ticket to our Monumental Weekend celebration event⁠ with Athletic Annex and Brooks Running - use code FLAMS for $10 off Monumental Shakeout Run on 11/6 - Free tickets Join the National Run for Mental Health Week Strava challenge - ~45K participants and counting! Get the full National Run for Mental Health Week experience - sign up for the email list for running and mental health research, stories, daily challenges and intentions, and each day's partner activation Sasha on I'll Have Another with Lindsey Hein This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • September 25 · 1 hr 31 min

    Episode 175: Lauren (Kort) Starek - An American and a Canadian

    Lauren (Kort) Starek and I met through my husband, Zach, at F45 in Carmel — and this year we finally got to run a race together, running the Indy Mini with Ainsley's Angels. During this episode, sponsored by Huug, we talk about: [1:00] How Lauren and I met through Zach at F45 [3:00] Running her 5th New York City Marathon, including the 2012 Superstorm Sandy cancellation and the view from the top vs. the bottom of the Verrazzano Bridge [9:00] Growing up in Colorado Springs, her parents' Pikes Peak Ascent/Marathon tradition, and finding her competitive stride on the high school swim team after hating running as a kid [15:00] The extra-credit campus 5K that got her hooked, and signing up for her first half marathon on "maybe I could just do a marathon in six weeks" logic [19:00] Studying nutrition at the University of Dayton, and how dramatically sports fueling has changed since 2007–2008 (25 grams of carbs an hour was the goal back then) [25:00] Being the first of her siblings to run a marathon — and her brother's all-treadmill training plan for his first [27:00] Her second marathon, Chicago 2008, run as a Boston qualifier — working with a coach and her dad meeting her at mile 25 [35:00] Running Boston anyway after getting injured 10 days out, with her mom meeting her at mile 15 [39:00] Her parents' continued athletic life — her mom's move into cycling and triathlon, her dad's Pacific Crest Trail hikes [40:00] Learning to love open water swimming in San Diego — the Alcatraz swim, the current-assisted 10K Bridge to Bridge swim, and her surprisingly casual relationship with sharks [51:00] How she met her husband, Greg, on a dating app and three years of long distance while both worked remote during the pandemic [56:00] Greg's career jump from the 49ers to the Colts, and deciding to move to Indianapolis on days' notice [1:04:00] Her two-year wait for Canadian dual citizenship, and finding out it finally came through via an email she opened at Costco [1:07:00] Taking seven or eight years off from marathons after getting a puppy, then coming back to New York with a coach and a hard-won understanding of her own training limits [1:09:00] Running the Indy Mini as part of an Ainsley's Angels team and meeting Angel rider Laney and her family, who traveled from Louisiana [1:16:00] An honest conversation about mental health — losing her uncle and her cousin to suicide [1:20:00] Deciding to have a full wedding and her wedding-morning run wearing her mom's veil [1:23:00] Getting married the same weekend as Taylor Swift — down to the same signature drink [1:26:00] Adjusting to her new last name, and keeping "Kort" on as her new middle name [1:28:00] Her go-to mantra, "no stress pace," and her next finish line: the 2026 New York City Marathon [1:30:00] The reveal at the very end that she's also quietly run a trail 50K Previous Guests Mentioned Carolyn Coffin - Episode 171 Larra Overton - Episode 61 Anthony Privitelli - Episode 174 Lindsey Hein - Episode 100 Tammy Mills - Episode 165 Hallie Patel - Episode 141 Sponsor Details Huug - Use ALLYB for 15% off (combinable with Buy 3 Get 1 Free) Other Links Get your ticket to our Monumental Weekend celebration event with Athletic Annex and Brooks Running — use code FLAMS for $10 off Free shakeout run — Friday morning at the Bottleworks Hotel, open to anyone local or in town for Monumental Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • September 18 · 1 hr 21 min

    Episode 174: Anthony Privitelli - Voice Notes on Race Day

    Anthony Privitelli is the founder of Rally, the app that lets your people leave you voice notes that play automatically at every mile marker on race day. I love Rally so much that I had to know the story behind it. Thank you to Abby Anderson for introducing us! During this episode, we talk about: [2:00] The Sicilian nickname situation — why colleagues call him Tony but family and friends use Anthony [4:00] His pre-Rally life building an AI-powered walking-tours app with ex-TikTok coworkers, and its surprising tie back to Descript's own origin story [5:00] Seven years as an early Patreon employee (2013–2020), watching the entire creator economy get built in real time, before a stint at TikTok [8:00] Being 36 and building his latest startup while sleep-deprived with a one-month-old [12:00] The moment Rally was born: driving across a locked-down Orange County to catch a friend for a five-second flyby at her marathon, then thinking, "That's it?" [14:00] Cold-testing the very first version of Rally on four strangers from Reddit's "first-time marathoners" subreddit [16:00] The X-rated voice notes he had to quietly delete during beta testing, and the PSA that came out of it [19:00] Why Rally deliberately hides who left you a voice note until you choose to find out [23:00] How gifting a voice note works, the new race-bundle pricing, and the DM mix-up that led one user to think a friend had already gifted theirs [30:00] The "Go, Abby, go" voice note that still gives him goosebumps, and the harder ones — messages from people who passed away before their loved one's race day [39:00] Turning down $15–20K a month in ad revenue to keep Rally's share pages clean [47:00] The brand and race partnerships so far — Goodr, Shokz, Orange County Marathon, Pittsburgh, and Indy Mini — and building an ambassador program for everyday runners instead of just big creators [56:00] The next problem he's trying to solve: building a fundraising feature into Rally the right way, without stepping on races' existing charity partnerships [1:02:00] Being a brand-new dad to one-month-old Sophia, and the honest reason — beyond the newborn — that he pulled out of the Chicago Marathon this year [1:08:00] His hot take on "hard work" [1:15:00] His go-to mental mantra on race day: "your body will go further than your mind" [1:18:00] What's next for him — trying to break an hour in a solo HYROX Previous Guests Mentioned Abby Anderson⁠ - Episode 133 Rob Perez - Episode 150 Lindsey Hein - Episode 100 Other Links Download Rally - runwithrally.com Follow Rally on Instagram @runwithrally Get your ticket to our Post Race Celebration event with Athletic Annex and Brooks Running — use code FLAMS for $10 off Enter our Indy giveaway — closes Tuesday, September 22nd Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • September 16 · 52 min

    SEPTEMBER: CATCHING UP WITH COACH from Rachel Michelle Running

    SEPTEMBER CATCHING UP WITH COACH Rachel and I catch up on a busy September of back-to-school chaos, my trip to Austria, and kicking off Half PR training, then relive all the mileage and shoutouts from Prairie On Fire before looking ahead to Monumental Weekend and a giveaway and live celebration event with Lindsey Hein. The first Wednesday(ish) of every month this year, I bring you a conversation between me and my running coach, ⁠Rachel Sinders,⁠ of ⁠Rachel Michelle Running.⁠We'll talk about my training and running journey while celebrating other members of Team RMR. You don't have to work with Rachel to enjoy these conversations, but if you're looking for a running coach - look no further!Thank you, Rachel, for supporting me and my podcast. Previous Guests Mentioned Christi Dee - Episode 3 Alex Baker - Episode 6 Mary Pittman - Episode 10 Eileen Poore - Episode 17 Sarah Farny - Episode 30 Trena Roudebush - Episode 31 Jennifer Nei - Episode 33 Carly Stewart - Episode 53 TJ Dailey - Episode 68 Cam Balser - Episode 75 Wes Doty - Episode 79 Gabby Behr - Episode 85 Logan Turner - Episode 123 Bob Roudebush - Episode 146 Carly Trulock-Quinn - Episode 149 Tammy Mirante - Episode 154 Chris Jones - Episode 172 Other Links Rachel Michelle Running Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • September 11 · 1 hr 50 min

    Episode 173: Jared Ewing - The Grand Slam of Ultras as an Adaptive Athlete

    Jared Ewing and I connected through our mutual friend Christi Dee (EP 3) after they met at the 2026 Boston Marathon (and again in Cape Town, South Africa). During this episode, sponsored by Huug, we talk about: [8:00] Finishing Leadville 100 in 24:40, just nine days before we recorded this — well under the 25-hour cutoff for the race's coveted "big buckle" [10:00] Finding pacers and why his parents have been his crew since day one [20:00] Meeting fellow adaptive-athlete community members at Boston, including Jason Noel (who Christi Dee was guiding that day) [39:00] The night of December 7th, 2018, when a drunk driver's car hit a bollard and sent concrete shrapnel into his leg, nearly costing him his life [1:05:00] The synthetic skin material from PolyNovo that helped save his leg, and the decision he had to make between amputating it or keeping it without his calf muscles or Achilles [1:10:00] Rebuilding his entire running form around his quads and hamstrings with no calf muscles or Achilles [1:25:00] Running a marathon just ten months later — after doctors told him he'd never run again [1:30:00] Being 27 states into his 50 States Marathon Club goal [1:31:00] Becoming a Six-Star Majors finisher and running on six of the seven continents (Rio next June to complete the set) [1:38:00] His frustration that most major marathons still don't offer qualifying times for adaptive athletes [1:43:00] His mantra, "Now We Go," and the drunken Cavs-game night it came from [1:45:00] The Grand Slam of Ultra Running — running four of the nation's oldest 100-milers within 14 weeks, with Wasatch 100 as the finale on September 11th 🤯 [1:46:00] The documentary he's raising money for, The 400 Mile Attempt [1:48:00] Running the Indianapolis Marathon this November — I'll get to meet him in person! Previous Guests Mentioned Christi Dee - Episode 3 Jason Noel - Episode 62 Steve Gilbert - Episode 160 Sponsor Details Huug - Use ALLYB for 15% off (combinable with Buy 3 Get 1 Free) Other Links Support Jared's GoFundMe for The 400 Mile Attempt documentary Watch the "No Categories" trailer Follow Jared on Instagram @jrod4513 Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • September 4 · 1 hr 3 min

    Episode 172: Chris Jones - Stay Obsessed

    ⁠Chris Jones⁠ and I first connected online, and got to know each other over coffee before this conversation. Support Chris's inaugural Big BO 50K (5K, 10K, 25K, 50K) on 10-10-26 During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Kila⁠, we talk about: [00:07:00] Playing goalkeeper for five years in college soccer [00:12:00] Signing up for the Indy Mini Half Marathon with zero training at his wife Fiona's request [00:16:00] The accidental progression that followed: one marathon (Monumental), a 50-miler he signed up for without ever running a 50K, and a 100-mile finish at the Indiana Trail 100 [00:20:00] The complete stranger who paced him the final 20 miles of that 100-miler [00:02:00] His work as a physical therapist and running coach at Divergent Rehab + Wellness in Carmel, where 90% of his caseload is runners [00:05:00] Why he refuses to tell an injured runner to just stop running [00:13:00] Meeting his wife Fiona in sixth grade — and the two mutual friends (now his best friends) she dated before him [00:09:00] Moving to Washington state during COVID, then back to Avon for family and free childcare [00:37:00] Building Running Coach Chris on Instagram and how the name stuck from a childhood nickname [00:42:00] Training through the middle of the night to prepare for Prairie on Fire, and why headlamp practice matters more than people think [00:48:00] Last year's Prairie on Fire, getting sick mid-race, and still covering 71–72 miles before calling it [00:34:00] Launching Stay Obsessed with his friend Joe — the lifestyle brand behind a brand-new race [00:24:00] The Big BO 50K debuting October 10th in Speedway, with 5K, 10K, 25K, and 50K options [00:54:00] His go-to ultra fuel: mashed potatoes and broth, and rice with soy sauce and pineapple [00:59:00] His mantra "if I just run faster, it'll be done sooner" — and the healthier one he actually leans on, "just move forward" [00:51:00] His daughter "playing ultramarathon" around the house, and teaching his girls to love the sport the right way Previous Guests Mentioned: ⁠Chris Jones⁠ - Episode 13 ⁠TJ Dailey⁠ - Episode 68 Sponsor Details: ⁠Kila⁠ - Use ALLYB for $50 off your first order Other Links: ⁠The Big BO 50K registration⁠ Follow me on Instagram ⁠@allytbrett_runs⁠ ⁠Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter⁠ This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • August 28 · 1 hr 25 min

    Episode 171: Carolyn Coffin - Inspired Soles

    Carolyn Coffin and I met through the SandyBoy Productions podcast network — she hosts the Inspired Soles podcast and just celebrated her 300th episode. During this episode, sponsored by Kila and Huug, we talk about: [01:32] Learning to embrace milestones without ever feeling like she "knows what she's doing" [06:00] Life in Winnipeg, Manitoba [13:00] Growing up "dabbling" in running and hating a childhood 5K her parents made her run every spring [15:00] The wild story of how her mom found out she was having twins from an X-ray days before Carolyn and her twin brother arrived [24:00] Her brutal, untrained 4:17 debut at the 2000 Marine Corps Marathon — and why it sent her underground on marathons for 15 years [28:00] Getting coached by her brother in her 30s and dropping from a 48-minute 10K to sub-40 almost overnight [30:00] Her path from physiotherapy to health coaching to becoming a run coach, and why that background still shapes how she coaches today [37:00] Meeting her Inspired Soles co-host Kim Sankey and building the podcast from a list of just 50 potential guests [49:00] Coming back in 2015 to run a 3:21 PR at the Vermont City Marathon [51:00] Turning 42 and launching "42 at 42" — the ongoing quest to run her fastest-ever marathon at her current age [52:00] Raising money for a 2020 Chicago Marathon that got cancelled at the last second [54:00] Getting pulled off the course at the halfway point of the 2022 Manitoba Marathon because of extreme heat [59:00] A near-perfectly paced 3:23 at CIM that reignited her belief a sub-3:21 was still possible [60:00] Hiring a two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner as her coach [63:00] The 2024 Chicago Marathon bathroom emergency that cost her a PR by about three minutes [65:00] Winning the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas 10K outright — and wearing the finish tape out on the town that night [70:00] Discovering The Marathon Project — the pandemic-born race in Arizona — and DNF'ing it despite a great training block [81:00] Coaching 15 women toward a sub-1:40 half marathon and a client chasing a sub-44 10K this September [82:00] Her rhythm and fight mantras, including the one she saves for the finish: "it's go time" Previous Guests Mentioned Whitney Heins - Episode 163 Lindsey Hein - Episode 100 Sponsor Details Kila - Use ALLYB for $50 off your first order Huug - Use ALLYB for 15% off your order (combinable with buy 3, get 1 free) Other Links Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • August 21 · 1 hr 12 min

    Episode 170: Jeanette Ray - The Dunk Club

    Jeanette Ray and I met when I sent her a DM about sponsoring a live event and we've been friends (and Dunk Club members) ever since. During this episode, sponsored by SWTHZ and Kila, we talk about: [04:00] Getting walked into an office and laid off from her 10-year hospitality career during COVID — and the line she told her bosses on her way out the door [05:00] Starting her weight-loss journey in February 2019 and losing over 120 pounds [24:00] Why she can't finish the Indy Mini without crying, and FaceTiming her mom every year at the finish line [26:00] Her dad Jim's glioblastoma diagnosis — discovered after he couldn't keep rhythm on the drums and dropped a Diet Coke can without noticing [35:00] What contrast therapy actually is — a private suite with an infrared sauna, vitamin C shower, and cold plunge — and the science behind it [41:00] The "Dunk Club," the county rules around dunking, and why Sweat House studios are technically licensed as public pools [58:00] Her upcoming HYROX debut — a doubles simulation race in October with her district manager, Shane [1:03:00] The tattoo from her grandma's last birthday card, sent days before she passed Previous Guests Mentioned Lindsey Hein - Episode 100 Jason Noel - Episode 62 Colleen DeRyckere - Episode 48 Karen Kirkpatrick - Episode 162 Sponsor Details SWTHZ - Use code ALLYB5 for $5 off your first session Kila - Use code ALLYB for $50 off your first order Other Links Follow Jeanette / Sweat House on Instagram @jraywellness Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • August 14 · 1 hr 9 min

    Episode 169: Bri Qualizza: Pace and Purpose

    Bri Qualizza and I have been internet friends for quite a while, probably crossing paths at a lot of local races, but this was the first time we actually got to meet in person. During this episode, sponsored by Athlete Bouquets, we talk about: [2:00] Growing up a competitive dancer since age three, plus a self-described "not good" stint on her middle and high school track team [4:00] How that dance background led to five years cheering for the Indianapolis Colts, including a calendar shoot in Mexico and missing the Super Bowl the year of Deflategate [7:00] Meeting her husband, Ryan, at Howl at the Moon in downtown Indianapolis [9:00] 15 years at Riley Children's Health — from student tech to the sedation team to earning her doctorate this year (yes, you can call her Dr. Qualizza) [12:00] Running her first half marathon, the Indy Mini, in 2013 — and driving straight home afterward without realizing what a big deal it was [14:00] Becoming a Geist Half Marathon ambassador and getting certified as a run coach [15:00] Losing her first pregnancy, Charlie, at the height of the pandemic in 2020, and fighting to get Ryan into the hospital for her surgery [19:00] Coaching group fitness at CycleBar to stay active postpartum, before her daughter Eva was born [20:00] Running the 49th Indy Mini as her first race back after Eva — and the first time Ryan was able to cheer her on at the finish line [25:00] Launching her own run coaching business, Pace and Purpose, after a friend asked her to help train for her first half marathon [31:00] Training for her "redemption marathon" at Carmel — and getting sidelined by two shin stress fractures just weeks before race day [39:00] Her return-to-running plan with coach Sara Farney, starting a run club at Riley Hospital, and her fall race calendar: Geist Half, Indianapolis Monumental, a Disney Princess race, and a return to Carmel [44:00] Supporting her husband Ryan's own Boston Qualifier goal, and her go-to running song ("Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin) and mantra — "You get to" Previous Guests Mentioned Christina Cook – Episode 65 Abby Prentice – Episode 168 Gabby Behr – Episode 85 Sara Farney – Episode 30 Sponsor Details Athlete Bouquets - Use PODCAST for 10% off your order Other Links Pace and Purpose - Bri's run coaching business Geist Half Marathon - Use BRI10 for 10% off registration THAT 5K – Tori's Hike for Another Tomorrow - happening Saturday, August 15th Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • August 12 · 30 min

    AUGUST: CATCHING UP WITH COACH from Rachel Michelle Running

    AUGUST CATCHING UP WITH COACH Rachel and I catch up on a busy July of birthdays, Greece, Colorado training camp, and back-to-school chaos, then look ahead to a strong month of fall races — Prairie On Fire, Monumental — as I kick off Half PR training. The first Wednesday(ish) of every month this year, I bring you a conversation between me and my running coach, Rachel Sinders, of Rachel Michelle Running. We'll talk about my training and running journey while celebrating other members of Team RMR. You don't have to work with Rachel to enjoy these conversations, but if you're looking for a running coach - look no further! Thank you, Rachel, for supporting me and my podcast. Previous Guests Mentioned Alex Baker - Episode 6 Renae Saager - Episode 14 Eileen Poore - Episode 17 Jennifer Nei - Episode 33 Carly Stewart - Episode 53 Christina Cook - Episode 65 Amy Lawless Shinneman - Episode 87 Sponsor Details Rachel Michelle Running - Follow Rachel @rachelmichellerunning on Instagram Other Links THAT 5K (Tori's Hike For Another Tomorrow) - Avon, IN Prairie On Fire Backyard Ultra - September 12, Noblesville, IN CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Half & 5K - November 7 RUN(317) benefiting Ketchup to Cancer - September 24, Carmel, IN Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • August 7 · 1 hr 25 min

    RERUN of Episode 43 with Gordon Strain

    ⁠Gordon Strain⁠ — and I recorded this one back in February 2024, but I'm re-running it to celebrate his latest milestone. Gordon's production company, ⁠Pigasus Pictures⁠, is currently filming their new movie Little Five on IU's campus in partnership with Anne Hathaway's production company, and my daughter, Sydney, and I got to be extras in the movie. During this episode, sponsored by ⁠HUUG⁠, we talk about: What's changed since we recorded — Gordon just squeezed in his first ultra-marathon while filming a movie [INTRO] His movie Little Five filming on IU's campus [INTRO] How he got into running through CrossFit in 2012 with his wife Diane [8:00] His first 5K — throwing up 100 yards from the finish [9:00] Choosing the full Dopey Challenge at Disney as his debut marathon, as a 45th birthday gift to himself [12:00] Daughter Josephine's Disney Wine & Dine half marathon [20:00] Running his marathon through torrential rain and 30 mph headwinds [24:00] Getting lost on a 10K that turned into a 15-mile run in Bologna, Italy [36:00] Founding Pigasus Pictures with business partner Zach Spicer in 2016, and their mission to build a film industry inside Indiana [49:00] Filming The Duel in secret during the pandemic at Asherwood Estate, starring Dylan Sprouse [57:00] What it's like to live with a film "for the rest of its life" versus a crew that moves on to the next job [55:00] Gordon's bipolar diagnosis during his divorce, and hiding it for years out of fear of losing custody [1:00:00] Calling roughly 20 therapists before finding the right fit, and using genetic testing to land on the right medication [1:03:00] Why he speaks up about mental health on Running With Bipolar, even when it draws hate mail [1:11:00] Ally's own postpartum anxiety story and the trial-and-error of finding the right antidepressant [1:09:00] His tattoos ("Dreams Aren't Dumb" and an Oscar Wilde quote) and his spring 2024 race lineup — Carmel, the Kentucky Derby half, and the Indy Mini [1:18:00] Previous Guests Mentioned ⁠Christi Dee⁠ - Episode 3 ⁠Tracie Hunter⁠ - Episode 36 ⁠Todd Oliver⁠ - Episode 39 Sponsor Details ⁠HUUG⁠ - Use ALLYB for 15% off, combinable with the buy 3, get 1 free offer Other Links ⁠Sign up to be a Little Five extra⁠ ⁠Pigasus Pictures⁠ Follow me on Instagram ⁠⁠@allytbrett_runs⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter⁠⁠ This is a ⁠⁠SandyBoy Productions⁠⁠ podcast.

  • July 31 · 1 hr 8 min

    Episode 168: Abby Prentice: You Don't Have to Run Alone

    Abby Prentice and I met years ago at Monumental's very first Indianapolis 5K, when I saw her running the Monumental Community Mile with her mom. During this episode, sponsored by HUUG and Goodr, we talk about: How the Community Mile has become a family tradition Getting her brother Ryan hooked on running, from spectating her races to signing up for Monumental this fall The trail fall at Avon Town Hall Park that left her covered in blood Fundraising for Team Chicago Run, and how a friend's foundation unexpectedly landed her a New York City Marathon bib Growing up in the small town of Covington, Indiana Being a sprinter and high jumper in high school, and specializing in high jump at Indiana State, including getting to run Division I cross country Meeting her husband, Deshaun, on the high jump squad in college Her first marathon (Chicago, 2023), trained completely solo, versus how much easier her second (Monumental, 2024) felt Founding Indy Social Run Club — weekly run club based out of Athletic Annex Becoming a brand ambassador for Indy Monumental, the Indiana Women's Running Festival, and Lululemon Keystone, and how she got into content creation Running the aid station — a "tiki bar" themed pit stop — at the Full Mo ultramarathon, and just how much work goes into it Her go-to fuel (Tailwind, Never Second, Huma) and current shoe rotation (ASICS Superblast and Novablast, New Balance SC Elite, Nike Vomero+) Her running mantra ("You can do hard things") and go-to running music (Big Booty Mixes) What's next: Fort Ben 5K, Chicago Marathon, New York City Marathon, and the Monumental 5K Previous Guests Mentioned Rachel Sinders - Episode 8 Himanshu Varandani - Episode 28 Gordon Strain - Episode 43 TJ Dailey - Episode 68 Kelvin Quang - Episode 167 Sponsor Details HUUG - Use ALLYB for 15% off, combinable with their buy 3, get 1 free promo Goodr - Use ALLYB for $10 off your first order Other Links Little Five extras signup (Aug 2nd) Abby's Chicago Marathon Fundraiser Indiana Women's Running Festival - Use code ABBYVIP for a discount CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon - Use code ABBY26 for a discount Indy Half Marathon at Fort Ben 5K - Use code ABBY26 for a discount Follow Abby on Instagram @abby__prentice Follow Indy Social Run Club on Instagram Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • July 24 · 1 hr 10 min

    Episode 167: Kelvin Quang: 3RUN7

    Kelvin Quang is the co-founder of 3Run7, one of the fastest-growing (and coolest) run clubs in Indianapolis. But even if you're not local, you should listen. During this episode, sponsored by Huug and Goodr, we talk about: How 3Run7 started as a tiny group chat called "Runners Boys Club" Why keeping it free is central to the mission — running as one of the most accessible sports out there The story behind the name 3Run7 (Indianapolis's 317 area code) and designing the brand colors after the Indianapolis flag and the Pacers Someone getting the 3Run7 logo tattooed on their leg The limited monthly sticker drop that gets people showing up every week just to earn one Measuring the club's success by who comes back, not just who shows up once Running cross country and track at Warren Central High School, and his first (and so far only) marathon at Monumental in 2024 Running without tracking time or mileage 🤯 Teaching himself photography, videography, and graphic design from scratch to build the 3Run7 brand His mind-blowing side hustle 🦁 His family's story immigrating from Vietnam as refugees and growing up without plumbing or reliable electricity His running mantra, "This is easy," and why he thinks running without music can be its own form of meditation Previous Guests Mentioned Nicole Linn (@belowaveragerunning) - Episode 124 Trena Roudebush - Episode 31 Sponsor Details Huug - Use ALLYB for 15% off, stacks with their buy 3, get 1 free offer Goodr - Use ALLYB for $10 off your first order Other Links Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • July 17 · 1 hr 40 min

    RERUN of Episode 17 with Eileen Poore

    Eileen Poore and I had been friends over Instagram DMs for a while before this recording — this was actually the first time we ever met in person. This rerun comes to you on July 17th — the same date that, back in 2021, she lined up for the 8 Hour Endurance race just three days after her criminal case closed, and ran the farthest she ever had. This episode discusses sexual assault. During this episode, sponsored by Goodr and HUUG, we talk about: Growing up in New Orleans and starting work at the legendary Brennan's Restaurant at age 15 Her mom contracting polio as an infant on a transatlantic crossing, being paralyzed from the neck down, and regaining partial mobility after a pilgrimage to Lourdes Growing up with an alcoholic, addict father (16 years sober now) and using running as a way to "escape the shit" Being a competitive junior Olympic diver long before she was ever a runner Moving to Indianapolis after Michigan State and meeting her husband Dave at Lockerbie Pub Hurricane Katrina destroying her family's home in 2005 and pushing her to run her first marathon, Columbus, in 2006 — with two stress fractures and, unknowingly, in early pregnancy Nursing her newborn son between the start and finish of the Indianapolis Half a few months after he was born Running a Ragnar relay from Prescott to Tempe in the middle of a bankruptcy and a housing crisis Qualifying for and running her first Boston Marathon in 2011 while training on treadmills between two toddlers in daycare Missing a Boston cutoff by exactly 17 seconds Her first ultra, the Gnaw Bone 50K, run with one gel and no drop bag 2018, her "banner year" — a marathon PR, a new job, a new house, and qualifying for Boston 2019 Being raped by her Uber driver in July 2019, and the hours that followed at the hospital The forensic nurse and the Julian Center advocate who helped her survive the first year afterward Running the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon weeks later in the sweats she was released from the hospital in, dropping "I forgive you" index cards along the course The multi-year criminal process — the DNA warrant, the arrest, three different prosecutors, and reading her victim impact statement on her own birthday Running 8 Hour Endurance three days after her case closed and covering 32.17 miles, the farthest she had ever run Returning to Boston in 2022 and what it meant to cross that finish line Training with PBT under coach Matt Ebersole, and running the Tecumseh Trail Half along the way Her message to anyone in a hard season: "you just have to hold on" Previous Guests Mentioned Matt Ebersole – Episode 89 Sponsor Details Goodr – Use ALLYB for $10 off your first order HUUG – Use ALLYB for 15% off (combinable with buy 3, get 1 free) Other Links Follow Eileen on Instagram @leenie353 Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • July 10 · 55 min

    JULY: CATCHING UP WITH COACH from Rachel Michelle Running

    JULY CATCHING UP WITH COACH We recap our 4th of July races and I interview my daughter, Sydney, about her first 5K! The first Wednesday of every month this year (today is an exception) I'm going to bring you a conversation between me and my running coach, ⁠Rachel Sinders,⁠ of ⁠Rachel Michelle Running.⁠ We'll talk about my training and running journey while celebrating other members of Team RMR. You don't have to work with Rachel to enjoy these conversations, but if you're looking for a running coach - look no further! Thank you, Rachel, for supporting me and my podcast. Previous Guests Mentioned Mary Pittman - Episode 10 Alex Baker - Episode 6 Trena Roudebush - Episode 31 Gordon Strain - Episode 43 Jordan Huffman - Episode 80 Lisa Hurst - Episode 95 Lindsey Hein - Episode 100 Sponsor Details Goodr - Use ALLYB for $10 off your first order HUUG - Use ALLYB for 15% off, combinable with their Buy 3, Get 1 Free offer Other Links Want to be a movie extra in the Little 500 film? Sign up here Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • July 3 · 47 min

    SPECIAL EPISODE: Relay for America with Mary Pittman and Trena Roudebush

    Mary Pittman and Trena Roudebush are two previous guests who are back for a special 4th of July episode to talk about their experience running in the Relay for America — the nation's first-ever cross-country flag relay, founded by Wyatt Moss and Joe Nail, carrying a single American flag from Rodeo Beach in San Francisco to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in honor of the country's 250th birthday. Previous Guests Mentioned ⁠Mary Pittman⁠ - Episode 10 ⁠Trena Roudebush⁠ - Episode 31 ⁠Whitney Bevins⁠ - Episode 4 ⁠Christi Dee⁠ - Episode 3 ⁠Cam Balser⁠ - Episode 75 Sponsor Details Goodr - Use ALLYB for $10 off your first order Other Links Relay for America Cam Balser's 4-hour run on August 15th Follow me on Instagram ⁠@allytbrett_runs⁠ Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

  • June 26 · 1 hr 11 min

    Episode 166: Peter Merante - Gritty, Not Pretty

    Peter Merante ⁠and I first officially met in person at the 2025 Carmel Marathon Expo. Since then, I've run into him on the Monon Trail, at local races, and at ⁠Athletic Annex⁠, where he's worked for three-plus years. During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Goodr⁠ and ⁠HUUG⁠, we talk about: Growing up in Cold Spring, New York — a Hudson Valley town of 3,500 people right across the Hudson River from West Point Being born in Japan and how his Japanese mother made every effort to acclimate to American life — and why he took Japanese in college as a way of honoring her How he discovered running about 20 years ago, dropped 40-plus pounds doing it, and eventually worked his way through Couch to 5K on an original iPod His one and only marathon — Monumental 2013, just under five hours ⁠Back on My Feet⁠ — a national nonprofit that uses movement to help people experiencing homelessness become independent and self-sufficient — and his years volunteering with the Indianapolis chapter at Wheeler Mission and Progress House The equalizing power of running side by side — and the heartbreak of losing members along the way Running the Selma to Montgomery route (~40 miles from the Edmund Pettus Bridge to the state capital in Alabama) Hood to Coast and a Colorado Ragnar — both fundraisers for Back on My Feet — including a 2 AM leg that had him briefly convinced a train was a UFO, and a van-decorating situation that required polishing compound and a coin-op car wash 31 half marathons, five relays, one full, and one eight-hour endurance race Three-plus years at ⁠Athletic Annex⁠ in Fishers and a deep dive into running shoe foam technology (ATPU, PEBA, dual-density, etc.) His dream of a "Parks and Rec"-style run specialty TV show June being Men's Mental Health Month — and his experience with individual therapy, couples therapy, and ADHD testing (including a surprise: he's Mensa eligible) Being an internal processor and what identifying that has meant for his relationships His mantra: Gritty, Not Pretty — and the song he wants removed from all race playlists His next finish line: the CNO Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon, an entry he won in a social media contest Previous Guests Mentioned ⁠⁠Maury Plambeck⁠⁠ - Episode 105 ⁠⁠Jim Patton⁠⁠ - Episode 71 ⁠⁠Timmy Howard⁠⁠ - Episode 54 ⁠⁠Wes Doty⁠⁠ - Episode 79 ⁠⁠Jason Noel⁠⁠ - Episode 62 ⁠⁠Jennifer Conner⁠⁠ - Episode 57 ⁠⁠Lindsey Hein⁠⁠ - Episode 100 ⁠⁠Eileen Poore⁠⁠ - Episode 17 Sponsor Details ⁠Goodr⁠ - Use ALLYB for $10 off ⁠HUUG⁠ - Use ALLYB for 15% off Other Links Follow me on Instagram ⁠@allytbrett_runs⁠ ⁠Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter⁠ This is a ⁠SandyBoy Productions⁠ podcast.

  • June 19 · 1 hr 28 min

    Episode 165: Tammy Mills - Chin Up, Crown On

    Tammy Mills⁠ and I finally met in real life for this interview. Her journey from never being allowed to play sports as a kid to running the New York City Marathon when she turned 60 is one I know you will find inspiring. During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Noogs⁠ and ⁠Batch⁠, we talk about: How she found her coach, Christi Dee, after attempting to train for the New York City Marathon using multiple training apps Growing up in Selma, Indiana and never being allowed to play sports as a kid Finding running in her 30s while getting sober, and running the Indy Mini with Ken Long's training program Her infamous "Jump the Gun" story — and the lady with the purse who passed her Truly finding running in her 50s after realizing she couldn't keep up with her kids at a Tamika Catchings basketball camp Running from mailbox to mailbox until she fell in love with movement Her first marathon at Indianapolis Monumental in 2016 — buying new shoes the day before and swearing she'd never run another one Running five marathons total, including the Kentucky Derby Marathon and Shamrock Marathon Her ultramarathon debut at The Full Mo, finishing despite a serious foot cramping injury Becoming a Peloton devotee through Robin Arzon and the Swagger Society community Running the New York City Marathon with Kathrine Switzer's 261 Fearless team for her 60th birthday Her mantra, "you don't know what you can't do," and how it carried her through training and the race itself Her path to becoming a United Methodist pastor, getting defrocked after coming out, and eventually being "re-frocked" and serving a church in Michigan City Meeting her wife Nancy, their fight to legally adopt their children as a same-sex couple in Indiana, and celebrating Pride Month together as a family 32 years of sobriety and how running and gratitude have transformed her life Her love of building Lego and her Instagram account, mills365lego Heading back to New York City Marathon this fall, running for ⁠Tell Every Amazing Lady⁠ (ovarian cancer research) Previous Guests Mentioned ⁠⁠Whitney Heins⁠⁠ - Episode 163 ⁠⁠Mike Vollmer⁠⁠ - Episode 156 ⁠⁠Christi Dee⁠⁠ - Episode 3 ⁠⁠Mary Pittman⁠⁠ - Episode 10 Sponsor Details ⁠Noogs⁠ - Use ALLYB for 15% off ⁠Batch⁠ - Use FINISH for 30% off Other Links ⁠Support Tammy's Tell Every Amazing Lady NYC Marathon fundraiser⁠ Follow me on Instagram ⁠@allytbrett_runs⁠ ⁠Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter⁠ This is a ⁠SandyBoy Productions⁠ podcast.

  • June 12 · 1 hr 5 min

    Episode 164: Zach Burton - World's Fastest Caterpillar 🐛

    ⁠Zach Burton⁠ and I have been crossing paths in the Indy running community for a while now, most recently at the ⁠Full Mo 50K⁠, where he ran for the second year in a row. During this episode, sponsored by ⁠Goodr⁠ and ⁠Noogs⁠, we talk about: Running the Full Mo two years in a row — the second time on basically no training 🤣 How ultras flip the script on marathon pressure ("who cares what the time is, can you just run the mileage?") Growing up in Pike Township, playing baseball, and hating golf until he didn't Walking on to the Anderson University cross country team while commuting an hour each way and working nights in radio His rise at WZPL from weekend fill-in to music director and afternoon drive — as a 20-year-old The Two Faces for Radio pandemic podcast and interviewing artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae, and Avril Lavigne How boredom + a random Instagram video led to Googling whether there was a world record for running a half marathon in a caterpillar costume (there was) The Guinness World Record process: three-month pre-approval, costume design sign-off, a GoPro-wielding cameraman running all 13.1, and a 3.5-month wait for the certificate 📜 Running the Indy Mini as a five-person caterpillar in 1:30 and getting smoked by the elites anyway Meeting his wife in middle school ("the old-fashioned way — online") and proposing to her center stage at Gainbridge Fieldhouse during a Jingle Jam concert with Lizzo headlining 💍 Blue Bell Cookie Two-Step ice cream, which he describes as "diabetes in a cup and the greatest thing ever" Previous Guests Mentioned ⁠⁠TJ Dailey⁠⁠ - Episode 68 ⁠⁠Mike Cole⁠⁠ - Episode 88 ⁠⁠Larry Coblentz⁠⁠ - Episode 9 Sponsor Details ⁠Goodr⁠ - Use ALLYB for $10 off your first order ⁠Noogs⁠ - Use ALLYB15 for 15% off your order Other Links Follow me on Instagram ⁠@allytbrett_runs⁠ ⁠Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter⁠ This is a ⁠SandyBoy Productions⁠ podcast.

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