Over the Next Hill Fitness
Welcome! We all know, as we age, it’s harder to put ourselves first and get in enough fitness, flexibility, and nutrition. Maybe you’re new to formatted exercise, maybe we need to push to the next level or set some goals. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to run a 5K, a marathon, or even an ULTRA marathon. This podcast is designed to get you moving and headed towards those goals. You’ll have opportunities for general coaching during each episode or you may contact me for personal coaching afterward. Are you ready to get over this next hill in life? Let’s get started.
Over the Next Hill Fitness
S3 Ep 16 A Multi-Generation Running Journey featuring Charles and Sarah Coffey
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Imagine standing at the starting line of your first marathon, rain pouring down, wondering if your months of training will pay off. Now imagine sharing that journey with your family across three generations.
In this deeply personal episode, I bring you into the heart of my family's running journey. From my grandsons' joyful recounting of their first one-mile race in the pouring rain to my son Charles' and daughter-in-law Sarah's transformative marathon experiences, you'll witness how running creates bonds and builds character.
Charles reveals the mental fortitude required for marathon training while juggling work and family responsibilities, explaining how "95% of it's between your ears." His remarkable recovery story—completing 500 air squats the day after his marathon—demonstrates the power of cross-training. Meanwhile, Sarah takes us through her grueling trail marathon experience at Devil's Lake, where she conquered over 3,000 feet of elevation gain and pushed through unexpected additional mileage.
What makes this conversation special isn't just the physical accomplishments, but the shared wisdom about life beyond running. The family discusses practical race strategies like the surprisingly effective hat-cooling technique, but more importantly, they dismantle the "I could never do that" mindset that prevents so many from pursuing challenging goals.
This episode captures why running communities are so special—supportive, encouraging, and accessible to everyone regardless of pace or appearance. Whether you're an experienced runner or someone contemplating their first 5K, you'll find inspiration in my family's journey and perhaps discover that you're capable of more than you've ever imagined.
Follow the podcast, leave a 5-star review, and reach out if you'd like to share your own running story at carla@CoffeeCrewCoaching.com.
You can reach out to us at:
https://coffeycrewcoaching.com
email: Carla@coffeycrewcoaching.com
FB @ Over the Next Hill Fitness Group
IG @coffeycrewcoaching.com
and Buy Me a Coffee
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Carlau
https://hydra-patch.com/discount/OTNH20
https://hydra-patch.com/discount/OTNHBOGO?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fhydrapatch%C2%AE
https://rnwy.life code: OTNH15
https://jambar.com code: CARLA20
Episode Introduction
Speaker 1Hello and welcome back to Over the Next Hill Fitness Podcast. I'm Carla Coffey, your coach and host for the program. This program is brought to you by Coffee Crew Coaching. If you need a run coach or a fitness coach, I do virtual training as well as in-home, if you're in the Madison area. So you can reach out to me, carla, at CoffeeCrewCoachingcom and let me know what you're looking for.
Speaker 1I got a really special episode for you guys today. I have the grandsons on there. My son and his wife, sarah, are on the program today. We talk about all of our running that we've done together. I coached them through their first marathons and so you're able to hear their experiences. A couple of things that didn't get put into the recording we talked about afterwards. When Sarah was pregnant for her last baby, one of the challenges in their workouts that she did was 300 air squats and she was just within days of delivery. And when they didn't have a treadmill, when they first started working out, she would run circles in the basement and she said it was like 22 laps to a mile or whatever something crazy like that. So it just shows that if you have the determination, you can get things done. So I hope you enjoyed this episode and I will look forward to seeing you at the end. So welcome to the show. Finley, tell me about your race today.
Kids Share Their First Race Experience
Speaker 2Well, I ran my well. It was one mile and I ran with my brother Cassius and Charles and Grandma Carla and it was really fun. What was the weather like? It was pouring rain.
Speaker 1It was pouring rain. Did you have a good time? Yeah, yeah. And how old are you, finley Five Ari? In a running time? Yeah, yeah. And how old are you, finley Five Ari, in a running career? I love it. So do you think you'll do another race? Yeah, maybe. Okay, cool. Is there anything else you'd like the audience to know about you?
Speaker 2No, thanks, okay, All right, come on up Cash, you're next.
Speaker 1Come on around, there you go, all right. So, cassius, what did you think about your first race?
Speaker 2I thought it was awesome because at the end we got medals, which was pretty cool. And there was the shirts, the flying pig shirts. Those were pretty cool because it said flying pig and then it had like a pig with wings on it. Yeah, indeed, yeah, and that was kind of funny and the badge was pretty cool also.
Speaker 1Very cool. And how old are you, cassius? I'm seven. Okay, do you think you'll run another race sometime?
Speaker 2Yeah, probably, but it won't be soon because I want it to be on a day that's not willing to be raining.
Speaker 2Because, that one, my shoes were soaked. I could feel the water on my toes. Yeah, it was pretty rainy. It was like there was probably almost a half inch of water. It was crazy, wasn't it, but we had fun. We were a good team, weren't we? Yeah, we were. It was crazy, wasn't it, but we had fun. We were a good team, weren't we? Yeah, we were. And then we also ran with Finley and Papa, and so like there was so many people there and like they all were, like we definitely didn't stop.
Speaker 1You never stopped running.
Speaker 2Yeah, we never walked once and we didn't even stop for that water. We didn't. We didn't, yeah, because it didn't even feel like it and we did great. Well, it was probably because I roll over later and I sleep every day.
Charles Discusses Marathon Training Journey
Speaker 1Yeah, you're a pretty strong runner, all right. Well, should we get the rest of the family over here and talk to them? Sure, all right, so come on over, mom and Pa. Yay yay, yay, over here and talk to them, all right, so come on over, ma and Pa, come on in. All right, charles, let's start with you all. Sarah plants the troops a little, all right, so tomorrow. You ran a mile today so you got warmed up for tomorrow, but tomorrow is your very first marathon.
Speaker 4Yeah.
Speaker 1Are you excited?
Speaker 2I am excited.
Speaker 4I'm not excited about running in the rain, but I think it'll be good. You know all that mental toughness and even just seeing my kids do it was a pretty emotional thing, so it was cool seeing them persevere through that and I'm excited to see what I can accomplish.
Speaker 1yeah, yeah yeah, they were.
Speaker 4They didn't care about the rain so I guess we gotta not care about the rain, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1So how's it been, having me coach you for several months and putting you through the, through the miles? How has it been?
Speaker 4It's been really good. It's hard with the family figuring out a time because I feel like I'm taking time away from them, and then I was running at night on the treadmill so my job kind of forced me to be able to run during work hours. So when that works out it's really nice. And then it kind of just got used to us. You know they're like oh, we're going for a run and they do. Yeah so.
Speaker 1So really you're a professional runner, because sometimes you were getting paid to run. That's true, I love it yeah that was nice. Most I've ever gotten paid was $5. I found a $5 bill on the ground once and so that we can really see how it went um, what you thought about it, uh, how our, how our mental toughness goes running in the rain all day again tomorrow, so that should be yeah lots of lube will be involved in the feet, making sure we don't blister, so it'll be interesting.
Speaker 1Um, so I'm gonna get sarah over here. She had her race, uh, this morning, actually in a little less rain than what the kids had. So welcome to the show, sarah. It's great to have you here. So you ran the 10k today. How was it?
Speaker 3it was good, it felt good. Um, it was nice to have been trained. Good, because I've done runs in the past without any training and it definitely doesn't feel as comfortable or, I guess, confident, going in knowing I got this.
Speaker 1Yeah, you definitely had the distance. For sure Was that your longest race distance Longest race, yeah yeah, not your longest distance because you're preparing for your first marathon. Yeah, for July.
Speaker 3Yeah, so yeah, I used to run in the past, but I didn't really know anything about it. I was just kind of doing it as an outlet, but it's. It does make a difference to know more about it and to know ways to become a stronger, more confident runner. Like the hill sprints, like I was telling you, yeah, there's. At first you hate them, but then you're like, oh, there's really something to that.
Speaker 3Yeah, because it was hilly race you said today super hilly, and then the marathon is going to be really hilly and yeah. So to be able to run up a hill and feel like Rocky, I understand, is really good yeah you're very strong.
Speaker 1So funny story I wasn't running in the 10K this morning and I was line tracking Sarah and it said she was at mile four and I'm like she's finishing first, it's got her in first place, and so I was like so excited and I'm waiting. And here comes this girl and it's not Sarah. And it said she finished and I'm like wait a minute, that's not Sarah. Then I thought she must have fallen and this girl passed her. I didn't know really what was happening. Oh no, so then you came in on your time, which was fine, and I went okay. But I seriously was worried for a little while because I was like oh no, she broke her ankle sprinting.
Speaker 1I kept checking my phone, but she hasn't texted me, so she's still moving. Somebody must have picked her up, I didn't know.
Speaker 3But I was confident you were winning this race this morning really funny?
Speaker 1no, I was not. And kim was like is she really that fast? You would have to pass all those people. I said she's pretty fast, she probably could have done it, so it was fun. So, yeah, well, I really appreciate being on the show. Do you have anything else you want to tell the audience? I didn't get a chance to ask charles that, but we'll ask him on his next interviews.
Speaker 3Yeah, no, just that. I think it's a worthwhile venture. I think that it's something that is great for kids to experience. I think it's great for families to do together. I think it's good for people to push themselves to do something that they've never done or always wanted to do. Or, yeah, just go for it.
Speaker 1That it's it's really important. Yeah well, I appreciate you uh taking time out of our beautiful airbnb time here to to uh do a recording with me and uh look forward to another time after your marathon we'll get another interview yeah, yeah, all right, all right, thanks you bet.
Speaker 1Thanks, hey guys. Welcome back to the show. Hey thanks, yeah, so I'm super excited. Um, so it's been a couple of months, uh, for you, charles, since you ran yours, sarah's, yours it wasn't very long ago for your marathon. Uh, so I thought we would try to tie it all back in and and see where we go so, charles, if you can remember, back to May, how was the marathon for you?
Speaker 4it was awesome, yeah, I really enjoyed it and I was surprised at how many people were out there so early in the morning and just doing crazy stuff, like they had this chair and it was like come have a seat, we dare you. It was like this huge sofa chair at the fire station and like people in pig suits and then, uh, like a lot of potty humor and that was like really funny. So, yeah, it was like the. The people made it really awesome, cause it'd be kind of boring. You'd be running down the highway and then you turn a corner and all of a sudden there's just people cheering for you and even though you didn't know them, it did like make it more exciting, especially when I saw the kids and they wanted high fives and stuff. That really pumped me up.
Speaker 1So that was pretty fun yeah, you were entertaining to me running alongside you watching you interact with the crowd.
Speaker 4That was so fun it was like you got to do it because it keeps you going.
Speaker 1It changes the monotony of it yeah, and the spectators, you know they really make a difference to me, they really give you the energy, yeah yeah, it was.
Speaker 4I don't know how well we talk about sarah's later, but yeah, it was. That really made it special and sometimes emotional for some reason. Like you know, when all the people are cheering you on, you're like, yeah, like I can do this and it helps. You keep going so, and people volunteer their time so it makes it really nice. And all the snacks you know I had, like I tried everything. So like pickles and bacon and cheese and gummy worms and sweetest fish. They're like holding one fish with their fingers and you like grab it as you run by. It's kind of weird, but yeah, it was really fun.
Speaker 1Yeah, that was fun. So those of you listening, because I can't remember in the introduction, if we mentioned that it was the flying pig marathon that we were running together, I was so surprised when those people had those cups and it was bacon in it. And when I ran by and I grabbed one I'm like what am I doing with bacon?
Speaker 4It was amazing, it was really good.
Speaker 1I threw it away. I was like, yeah, I can't eat that. You know, I rarely have enough spit in my mouth to swallow anything but bacon.
Speaker 4Yeah, my mouth to swallow anything but bacon.
Speaker 1Yeah, so, um, the next day, uh, charles, after we had gone home so I think maybe been a tuesday and I said how are you feeling? And you had done like 300 squats and a whole bunch of push-ups or something yeah, tell me what you did that next day. Do you remember what it was?
Speaker 4yeah, it was on monday. So, yeah, the marathon was Sunday and then we had to drive home from Ohio, which was like eight hours, and I drove, I slept for a little bit and then we got some food and then I drove a better part of it, four or five hours probably, um, but I had rolled and stuff and and did that shake that you said. And then on Monday I'm like you know, the best thing I can do is work out and so I think, yeah, it was like 500-something air squats, like 175 push-ups, and then I don't remember what the other exercise was. It might have been sit-ups or something, I don't know, but I felt really good moving and then I felt fine the rest of the week. So I was, I was kind of surprised, but I would say, with the marathon, like 95% of it's between your ears, just being able to tell yourself to keep going, which is a lot of what we do in our workouts, um, you know, five days a week, it's like you're uncomfortable for most of the workout.
Speaker 4It's not as long obviously, it's not four hours and 42 minutes like the marathon but being able to get to that space in your head where you're not focused on the pain or not focused on what you have left, and be able to keep going. It's very beneficial for day-to-day life because life is difficult and there's always going to be challenges and to expect that your life is not going to be challenging is unrealistic. So to be able to get yourself into that mental zone like I can do anything. Then when something comes up in life, it's like oh, this is nothing, you know, I got this. So I think that's what it all comes down to the marathon.
Speaker 4Honestly, running the marathon easier than the training. The training took up so much time and so regimented and inevitably you're going to get hurt because you're either going to run weird or you're going to do something silly and then have to like nurse through that, which I did. So the training is probably the toughest part to just, at least for me, you know, with the three small children and taking care of a family and working. But I felt prepared and it felt really good. It was really fun and obviously doing it with you made it really special and, yeah, it was definitely memorable. I loved it.
Speaker 1Yeah, great. Yeah, for me too. Yeah, I, for those of you listening. So I coached Charles for his marathon, but I didn't coach his strength workouts Normally I do, but he does his own workout. Tell us about the workouts that you do. What are they called?
Speaker 4Yeah, so we are subscribed to this workout platform called Mountain Tough MTN it's spelled tough, and so it's for mountain athletes and, like Montana, um, guys who go, guys and girls who go on elk hunts, and so there'll be, you know, eight, 10, 12 miles into the mountains and they kill something. They have to be able to take that meat, the hind quarter, and get it out and be able to, you know, walk over huge logs and brush and be able to keep going. So your legs and your cardiovascular working under load, you know pack workouts and lunges and squats. It's a lot of that, a lot of intense workouts, and so I do that every day, and so does Sarah. Sarah does it at home. So they have many different programs at Penn A&M. If you have full gym equipment, sarah does likea daily, you know.
Speaker 3And minimal gear minimal gear.
Speaker 4Yeah, so just like a sandbag or like a cooler she uses our Yeti cooler for a step up. I have a full gym at work, which is I'm really lucky to have that. But yeah, they have all different levels and we we just I mean, we started doing it in 2020 and I've gained like 15 pounds of muscle since I started doing it, which is crazy. And I'm not, like you know, eating a bunch of red meat like taking steroids, like I eat normal food, you know, but I don't really care too much about how I look. It's just the feeling of being able to get yourself to that mental grind each day of 30 minutes to 30 to 50 minutes every day. So, yeah, if you want to do some hard workouts, check it out. Mountain Tough. They have a nice subscription, awesome app. You can get it on Roku, which is how I use it. You can use it on your phone, tablet, whatever. They're really awesome.
Charles Reflects on Marathon Completion
Speaker 1Yeah, and I will say that, um, had I not, had you just decided, oh, I'm just going to jump in because you weren't able to do all of the long runs that I prescribed with your busy schedule. And you did great, I mean, I was, I was like, yeah, I have no doubt you're going to finish this race because you, you have so much endurance from those workouts. And so, yeah, it was, it was. I mean, it showed that you were prepared no matter what. So, yeah, that was. That's pretty cool thanks.
Speaker 4Yeah, the only thing I really hurt were my hip flexors, for whatever reason that was. You know, I had to run through that pain, um, but it went away and it didn't stay. So that was the only thing. I think like mile probably mile 18, I started to like hurt and then I finally went to the bathroom. I think like mile 20 or 22. And then I got really stiff cause I peed for so long. But then you're like, what were you doing there? I was like I was just peeing. It's like oh, a long time, like yeah, well, I hold it this whole time. And then we kept running and I was like getting going again.
Speaker 1It was tough, even though it was only like two minutes. Yeah, I was like oh man, here we go.
Speaker 4You were in there so long I was like oh my God, you can edit that out if you want. No.
Speaker 1I'm not, I don't edit much unless you say so, but it was so fun because, for those of you listening, it was my 50th state marathon and it was Charles' first marathon. So it was really special because I had invited you to come, thinking just that you would spectate when I first invited you and telling you I was doing it, since it was pretty close, being Ohio and we live in Wisconsin, and I thought it would be great to have one of my family members there, you know, to watch me finish and whatever. And, of course, at that time I didn't know anything about the award that you get. Yeah, I didn't get it for like a month, so I was like, well, that was pretty, they just they had nothing to do with anything that happened at that race that day. We had to kind of make that up and make it, make it special.
Speaker 1But, um, so it was just so great to have you there I mean, that was very emotional for me to be to, to coach you to the finish. Um, but having that be your first marathon, you know, because it's pretty, like I like I knew you could do it, but it's I don't know, it was just meant something for me and to be my last one and your first one that was. It was very special, so thanks for coming.
Speaker 4I really that was great for me yeah, and interestingly enough, 11 years earlier I was there for your first marathon, right?
Speaker 1You were.
Speaker 4Yeah, and that was in Marquette, wasn't it?
Speaker 1Yeah, marquette Michigan.
Speaker 4Yeah, and I just remember how crippled you were after you had to get in the lake and you were just like you couldn't move, you were just destroyed. And then after this marathon, you were completely fine, even though you were older. So how interesting, right the training and the endurance.
Speaker 1What's interesting is for you to watch me go through that pain and go. Yeah, I'll do one with you.
Speaker 4That's true. I guess I blacked that part out.
Speaker 1It's kind of like childbirth. I thought the same thing. It's so funny. But yeah, you were. I remember that because Ken and I had talked about that too that you were there for my first one and my not my last marathon, but my last marathon, so that's pretty cool. Yeah, I'm a lot smarter than I was when I first started.
Speaker 4Yeah, I mean, there were so many things that you told me that helped me too, and I didn't. I didn't have any chafing and I didn't lose any toenails. You know like my body was in good shape after, which, you know, was testament to your coaching, and just like, hey, you're going to want shoes like this and you know you're going to want to run this and run that and take this, and you were always telling me when to eat, when to drink, and you know all of those things helped keep my body in good condition so that I didn't suffer after. So, um, your knowledge goes a long way. So, you know, I'm sure your other students would say, or your other, whatever you call them clients, would say the same yeah, thanks, yeah they um, I don't know if they'd say that nice of things, but thanks you are pretty mean, but I'm used to it we like that, like getting beat up maybe that's what it is
Speaker 1so I work with another couple. Um, I go to their home and we do strength training and we were in the middle of the workout on Friday and she says why didn't we just lock her out Because they were working hard? And she said we should have just locked the door, not answered the door. Oh yeah, it's all fun though.
Speaker 4Yeah.
Speaker 1But you have any other things that were like aha moments for you. Um, as we were going along to the marathon because the one thing that I remember is, well, I think it was like mile 20 and I had said remember those people that I told you about went out too fast I said that's what that looks like. Do you remember? Remember that?
Speaker 4guy. Yeah, you could just see it like he was just laboring. You know whether it was physically or mentally, probably both. Yeah, it was like he just couldn't keep going and you know likelihood he probably did finish. But once you get to that point mentally where you have convinced yourself that you cannot keep going, it becomes grueling and so you never want to get there. So yeah, that was very true. You could see a couple people like mile 18, mile 20 where it was like, oh boy, you know you could tell they were really hurting. So not that you ever want to see anyone in that position, but I was thankful that that didn't happen that you ever want to see anyone in that position, but I was thankful that that didn't happen.
Speaker 1Yeah, it's um, with the run walk that we did. You know we get to walk and you could tell that he had to walk, whether it was physically or mentally, because he was um. I looked at his bib. He was two corrals ahead of us at the start. Okay, so you know he. You know, remember how they had us.
Speaker 1We had to wait forever and then we could go and yeah so he started quite a bit ahead of us and then we passed him. So, whether you know, a lot of that was probably mental, because, if I mean, you know mile 18, you're ready to be done and if you feel bad too, he was just walking he had that like defeated walk. I imagine he's still finished, but that's hard once you get to that mentally.
Speaker 4Yeah, it just makes everything so much harder. So being able to push through, that is good. Being able to pace yourself and know you know what your body can handle, and it is exciting when you start. They got the music cranking and the fire, you know, blasting out of the towers and like people going nuts. So it is good to just like okay, you know, just stick to the plan. And that's what we did. It definitely worked.
Speaker 1The adrenaline is hard to overcome. Yeah, for sure. Do you have anything you'd like, anything else you'd like the listeners to know? Before I switch over to Sarah, and you can pipe in later.
Speaker 4Yeah, no, just your passion for the marathons and very knowledgeable. You've helped both of us a lot. So if you're thinking about getting a coach, definitely use Coffee Crew Coaching. She's pretty awesome, thanks.
Speaker 1You should say that, because I'll come over to your house. I know where you live, you'll just pop in yeah right, all right, all right, sarah, so the first recording that we did. In the beginning of this recording, you had just done a 10K, but now you've since finished, in my opinion, the hardest marathon in Wisconsin For your first marathon you chose that one. So tell us all about your marathon.
Speaker 3Well, it was really pretty, it was really fun and it was also really hard. And I did it by myself, which was really empowering but also makes it harder at some points because you kind of just have to keep pushing yourself to go through just over 3,000 feet of elevation climb for the marathon. And they measured it a little bit incorrectly, so I ran 28.3 instead of 26.2. And I remember wanting like being close to the 26.2 and thinking I was almost done, and not being done was you had to like get over that and work through that. But there were some times where I was like man, I just want to lay down on these rocks right now.
Sarah Shares Trail Marathon Experience
Speaker 3Or there was one point where I wanted to stop so bad, I was so tired and I was walking up this hill and I was just getting slower and slower and I took a big breath and then I just kept going, because you just have to or you'll never finish. You just have to keep moving forward. So I learned a lot and it made me want to do more. Like I would love to just keep doing that, because it was a fun, psychotic as we are.
Speaker 3Yeah, yeah, it was a really fun challenge though. But yeah, the the training does take a lot of time. I wish I had more time in my schedule. I would totally do more. I've been meaning to ask you, like, what can I do with running to just be ready to do whatever whenever I can like? How can I do more sneaky half marathons where I can just squeeze in and do I don't know or like pace you? That was really helpful. Pacing you in the Huron 100, that taught me a lot. Seeing you go through, um, the really challenging parts of the race and being with you and hearing your feelings and and seeing you work through that and continue to go, um, yeah, just helped a lot with the whole, the whole race.
Speaker 1Yeah. Yeah, that was definitely a site, I'm sure I don't remember a lot of it. I don't think maybe it was so terrible, but you did but you want to do it again, I know. I'm going to do that. That dances with their marathon at devil's lake man. That is no joke, that is a hard race, cause you were telling me there were some of the bluffs that you guys went over twice in the rocks.
Speaker 3Yeah, yeah, yeah, going down was hard because it was really slippery.
Speaker 1Yeah, drum races are tough, and because it's not a road and they can't use that little rolly thing that marks the, they just get as close as they can to you know. So, yeah, go on the 28 miles. And didn't you say that there was somebody that had gotten lost and so they were doing like 30.
Speaker 3So they did more than you.
Speaker 3Yeah, there were some younger guys and there were other people who had taken wrong turns that I had talked to. Also one guy kind of in the beginning. He had passed me. He said I like your pace. I said thanks, and then he passed me and I was like, well, I'm not fast enough, but, um, I ran. He passed me again. Later he was like, oh man, I got lost, I took a wrong turn and I was like shake it off, it's going to be okay, you're doing good. Um, yeah, so, some people. There were some younger guys, younger than me, they did. They were on mile 30 when I was on 27 and they were pretty angry. They had some choice words and I just, um, yeah, yeah, okay, yeah, it stinks. Well, we've got to keep going. And they were like how are your legs? And I'm like they're pretty terrible, but I'm just going to keep going. And they were walking, they were done, but yeah, they finished a little bit after me.
Speaker 1So and that's that's part, I think, of the that defeating mentality because they got lost. They also weigh over 26 miles, so the extra mileage I mean it matters and especially if you're not expecting it. So then that gets in your brain. Like you said, Charles, 95% of it's between your ears at that point, Because you know they train. Most people will train a little bit. So yeah that's really tough.
Speaker 3Yeah, when you get angry, I guess maybe that's not a great place to be. But reading the flags, I had a lot of experience with you which helped me a lot in the um the devil's lake Cause. We had run there for training and man, we were toast. We got really lost. We were supposed to do flags.
Speaker 3No, we didn't. We were supposed to do, I think, maybe 10. I can't remember our run, but we ended up running a half marathon because we were lost in the woods. So, yeah, I'm glad I wasn't lost. Yeah, and I didn't follow people in front of me, which is good. Right, yeah, so true, yeah.
Speaker 1Yeah, you did so good in my race of finding flags. I just remember when the headlights, when my headlights died in the night in the woods and we were and I got my phone and we're trucking along I'm like, have you seen a flag in a while? And you were so good at finding them in the dark so I had no doubt you would do great on your race and I think that really made you like aware of like what things were. So that really helped. My lack of headlights really helped you with your race.
Speaker 3It did, yeah, yeah, and just to keep keep being aware of what's going on, cause it. I think when you're doing that long of an exercise you want to kind of unplug and just not think and just go. But you can't do that in that situation. You just can't. You have to have your, your wits about you.
Speaker 4That's. That is part of the mantra of the workouts that we do too, because people will go out in the woods, you know, and they'll be out there for days, sometimes weeks. Like you know my friend Ben, he'll go two or three weeks and he's not in contact with anyone. He's got his bear spray and his food, his dehydrated food or whatever his space food, and people get out there and they'll bonk and basically you have no, you're just like brain dead. You don't know where you are, you don't know why you're out there and people can die that way, you know. So, or you're with someone, maybe, and the guy with you bonks because you've been in the woods for so long and you're so tired and you're so dehydrated, so you have to have your wits about you. So even when we're doing our workouts, there's like rep schemes. You got to keep track of your reps and you know you're moving through movements really fast. So all of that is helpful for being able to think and think through situations, even when you're exhausted.
Speaker 3Yeah, you have to do math when you're tired.
Speaker 4That's hard.
Speaker 3There's like rounds within rounds and you're trying to keep it all straight. Yeah.
Speaker 1Yeah, we laugh about that, because doing math when you're running is hard, right?
Speaker 3Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1I laugh about that because doing math when you're running is hard. Yeah, you know it's so hard. It is, yeah. So do you plan to do something like that, charles, go out to Montana and kill an elk or whatever?
Speaker 4I have been invited to go with Ben. I'm not going to hunt, but usually he takes someone with him for safety. I'm not going to hunt, but usually he takes someone with him for safety, so I have been invited to do that. I'm just not a big, I'm not that crunchy of a person to like sleep on the ground, and you know.
Speaker 1Did you say crunchy?
Speaker 4Yeah, I like that.
Speaker 3Yeah, you know, like bugs everywhere and like no showers and going to the bathroom on the ground.
Speaker 4Yeah, yeah, I don't know, and he would have to leave me.
Speaker 3Yes, that's probably the number one that's probably the number one reason yeah, good answer, charles.
Speaker 4Yeah but I did go out there to um bozeman, to the headquarters of mountain tough, and they have a tough fest it's called. They do like a this team's workout. It's really cool, so they part you. It's like four or five people, you don't know, and you have to do all these exercises as a team and then whoever finishes first gets an award and stuff. But it's all about teamwork. But anyway, we did do a mountain climb. We got there at six in the morning and we did. I think it was like two or 3000 feet in like 30 minutes. So it's just a straight climb with a pack on and then you get up and the sun's coming up and it's like it's unbelievable. You know you're up there and it's and it's amazing. So, um, I definitely like being out in that and getting the views and stuff.
Speaker 4It's beautiful I definitely like being out in that and getting the views and stuff. It's beautiful. Did you guys win? No, those people are so. No, we didn't.
Speaker 1There's people that do the whole workout with a weighted vest on and still beat us. Wow, sarah, tell us what you won at your race.
Speaker 3I placed third in my age group, which was very unexpected because I had some goals and I couldn't help but think of you when you were doing your race and you were like I had goals. I had goals too and I said to myself, yeah, the the run was longer than expected. I did actually run the marathon portion, the 26.2 in under six, which I was proud of myself for. Um, cause those last miles take longer. They just do. You're not moving. The same Um, um.
Speaker 3So, yeah, to place third was a very pleasant surprise, was very emotional for me, because I um, when the goals went out the window, I thought that, you know, any chance of me doing well was gone. Um, and maybe that's why I want to do more. I don't know. I was going to ask you if that's a thing, if, like, if you place, all of a sudden you have this like drive to just keep doing races because you, you did good. I don't know. But yeah, I like, want to. I want to run with you again in the here on. I want to like, I want to do the end half with you and just run together, and then one day I want to do the whole thing Like it. Just it's awesome. It's a really cool community. It's a really pretty place to be. It's just fun.
Speaker 1Yeah, I learned so much on that race that I want to go back and do it again next year because I know I can do better. Yeah, I was very shocked because my first 100 wasn't like that, you know, because it was a road race. I mean, it's hard, of course, you're pounding on the pavement for 100 miles, but it's a different kind of hard and that trail race I learned so much. The main thing I learned was I bought a better headlight. It's like 2 000 hours or something, yeah. But yeah, I was um, I was very surprised, um, at how much that I learned and I'm like okay, I can do this again. Yeah, after that race, I was probably never gonna run another one. And then about three days later, I was like I can do better, I'm gonna do it again last year.
Speaker 3so that's what I felt about, yeah, yeah, the devil's lake. I was like, oh, I could do better now that I know what to expect and I've been through it. And I I was so nervous at the start. I feel like I had like runner brain, pre-runner brain. I was just like doing dumb stuff. You know, like I forgot my bug spray in your car and I like put hand sanitizer on my sleeve and I thought my water was frozen, but I just never actually opened it and you know, I was just being really dumb. And then I like got my head in the game but I cramped up a lot and I had that injury prior to. So I think my, my brain was trying to tell me I wasn't ready, and so I was really nervous beforehand because I was worried that I wasn't.
Speaker 3But all of the rehab to strengthen the tendon that was strained made my calves super strong. So I didn't have any problems with my calves. I didn't have a single knot. While I was rolling my legs after the marathon, my ankles were really sore just from all of the stabilizing, yeah, all of the rock, yeah, and it was just so much hill like throughout. There were some big hills, but it was mostly just lots of hills just throughout. Just yeah, through. Lots of hills just throughout.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, it's amazing what you learned during that. Like you're prepared because, again, with you too, with those mountain workouts you do I knew for sure you would finish this race. I mean, there was no doubt in my mind that you wouldn't finish, but you still learned a lot, didn't you about?
Speaker 3you know the things.
Speaker 1And you ran out of food too, which I was very surprised that.
Mental Toughness and Marathon Mindset
Speaker 3I just got like the food I had wasn't going to work for me. I have like tummy troubles, I guess I don't know. I have like a nervous tummy. I get queasy before important events and things like that, and so I thought that this honey with ginger would help me. But now I never want to eat that again in my life, and I think it's hard for a runner because they have at the stations like tons of sweets. It's nothing but like candy and goo, and when you have an upset stomach that's not what you want.
Speaker 3So there were like several times where I was hungry as I was running. So I think if I had more fuel I would have done better because I wouldn't have been hungry. So I was running. At one point there was a place that had potatoes and I remember just taking the potato and dipping it in the salt and eating it, and it was just a wonderful experience for me Because I had eaten all of it. Well, I'm glad you left that table. Yeah, I just all of the snacks were too sweet and I I thought, man, if I had a baked potato in my pocket that I could take bites of or something, savory it, it probably would have helped me a lot more bacon yeah, bacon, but you know, watermelon was good.
Speaker 3I remember I got to one station and I was like, oh, do you have watermelon? And they were like to one station. And I was like, oh, do you have watermelon? And they were like, yeah, we do. And I was like, thank goodness, because that's all I want to eat right now, the fuel. And I remember when I was pacing you, I work out in the midday. I'm not really an early morning person. Neither of us are. We're not morning people of us are. We're not morning people. So I think that changes things when you do a marathon, because it starts early and your body's like whoa man, we don't work at this time and you haven't eaten enough and you haven't drank enough, and you're not ready for this and obviously you push past it.
Speaker 3But if there was an evening and then I ran with you in the evening, you know I had eaten throughout the day and I was stopping and eating like sloppy joes and all the fuel and you're like, just give me the broth.
Speaker 3but when you're, when you're going for that long, your body's like oh yeah, I don't fatigue for sweet it's just it's tough to to keep eating that stuff, and it's funny, the things that you aren't willing to do. So I did have like almonds and pistachios in my bag, but I would have had to take my pack off to get to that and I just wasn't willing to do that while I was running. It's not easy enough, I don't care, I'm just going. I was running, it was not easy enough, I don't care, I'm just going to keep going. It's going to slow me down. And then turns out my pack had been rubbing my back raw, so it was probably a good thing that I didn't take it off, because I might have noticed, yeah.
Speaker 1Yeah, or someone would have told you if they would have noticed and that would have even been more mental.
Speaker 3Wear a hat and then fill it with water and put it on your head. I did that, I think, at least three times, and it was awesome. Yeah, I did it today on my run.
Speaker 1And it wasn't even really that hot yet today, and it just wakes your brain up yeah and so. Yeah, it was amazing.
Speaker 3Yeah, one guy did ice water and that was. The best time was when it was the ice water and I needed it the most because it was the least shady area. Everything is pretty well covered for the trail run, but when you hit some of the fields and you get that like morning sun and it's beating down on you after being in the shade, it just hits a little bit harder. So to come back through and get the ice water put it on my head, it was like yes, you are the man.
Speaker 1When I ran Vegas, when we started it was in the dark and it was, I think, 77 degrees at the start, and then you know that sun comes up quick and it comes up hot. And I had about I think maybe five miles left and I caught up with this young guy and he wasn't doing good and he didn't have water bottles. He had one of those disposable cups I mean non-disposable cups, or one of those plastic ones, and it was empty, right. We were between water stations and I had an extra little bottle and I said, here, take some of this. And so he's like okay. And so I said come on, when I run, you run. When I walk, you walk. And we got to that next aid station and he had a hat clipped on his um pack around his belt. He had a weight, uh belt on to hold his bib. I said, okay, take that hat off. And I said, and let's turn it on and put it under the water. And he put that on and he was a new man like that is so smart. I mean you're in the desert, you know, yeah, vegas, and it was so. And then he just would fill up that water bottle, that little water bottle I gave him and he finished the race.
Speaker 1He didn't think he was going to finish. I'm like, dude, you got this, let's go. And so I said, just go ahead, because he was starting to kind of come back. He had no fuel with him. I was giving him jelly beans, but the main thing for him was that water on his head. He was just like that was brilliant. I'm like, yeah, because I'm brilliant, I don't know. You know, it just made sense and I felt kind of bad because these people are just out there in the middle of nowhere with water jugs, you know, and I said, well, I'm sorry if we're taking all your water, but figure it out, because we're taking water for our hats, you know. And yeah, so it's just an amazing little hack that really kind of perks you up and away you go.
Speaker 3Yeah, yeah, it's amazing. Yeah that was a good tip, Very helpful. I remember on your 100 mile where you were like run over that water pump and see if it works and fill my hat up.
Speaker 1You're so great to me, I could not have done that without you. There were some times and I remember at one point saying am I complaining too much? I was just like, oh, that was hard.
Speaker 3Yeah, it was tough.
Speaker 1It was a hard race. But you do it again and do better.
Speaker 3Yeah, I was amazed that you just kept going and just like every time I would point out a flag, you would say yay, the same way every time it was like the best and, yeah, at every station you would get your broth and then you, you would have something to look forward to.
Speaker 3It was really cute. Like I put a potato in here. I can't wait until I get it. You know, it's just like those fun little things that like you have to do to keep yourself going, or like Andy right, who was like I just need a burger in my pocket, I don't want a bag.
Speaker 1You know, you just have to have those little things yeah, yeah, little pancakes that I had at the one station oh, you love those, good they were fantastic yeah, I remember at night when I was getting you and I had that burger hanging on my mouth while I was changing shoes and socks and you guys were like can we hold that burger?
Speaker 1no, yeah, don't you dare take this from me yeah, I feel like you become part animal at some point during your race, no matter like what, the distance you know yeah beginning you care about you know, does my outfit match or whatever. By the end, you're like eating burgers out of your pocket.
Speaker 3Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1So fun Are you guys have any last words for the listeners? Anything, if somebody's you know stuck on the couch, afraid they can't do something that you'd like them to know or anything that I haven't asked you that you want to be made known.
Speaker 4I will say most people, when they find out that I did it just speaking for myself almost everyone says there's no way I could ever do that and it's like, yeah, you can, anyone can do it. And, like I said, it is like 95% mental. So a lot of people think you have to run the whole time. You don't, I didn't. There's no rule that says you have to or maybe you want to. That's great. But there's so many people that do this as a hobby and, just being at Sarah's marathon, maybe you want to do another one Because, like she said, the people are so great. Everyone's cheering for you. So if you're thinking about running at all or doing any type of event, definitely do it, because anyone can do it with the right training and with the right mindset. So that's what I say.
Speaker 3I agree wholeheartedly. Also, I think, um, a lot of time people struggle with their view of themselves, maybe their confidence. Are people going to be judging them? They don't look like a runner, things like that. None of that really exists in the running community.
Encouragement for New Runners
Speaker 3I mean, every single time I passed somebody, we said something Good job, way to go, keep going. You got this Every time because on a trail there is nobody cheering for you. You have the people at the aid station and then the photographers don't really say anything. I thanked them and they said have a good run, you know, and that's about it. They aren't, nobody's really cheering for you, except for the leaves and the trees. So you know, you got to. Just whoever you can talk to. Good job. And everybody, everybody said it. There were people faster than me, people slower than me. We just cheer each other on and that's the running community and nobody's out there to judge you. Everybody just loves. We're a bunch of tree huggers, I guess out on the trail we're all just happy to be outside.
Speaker 3There was one guy not even wearing shoes, and I thought, man, this guy is crazy, but you know what he's doing it and he's doing better than me. So just whether you wear your shoes or not, however fast you go, just go, because it's so worth it to do something like that than to just sit and think my life is just boring. I'll never be able to. Don't do that, just make sure. Yeah, it's your choice. You're choosing to have that and you? You shouldn't. You should want better for yourself. You should want something exciting. Get up, do it. Yeah, run a marathon or a 5K or a 10K or whatever it is that you want to do. You should do something. Yeah, that's what we, I think, started this year. Yeah, really.
Speaker 4I read a book and it was about goals. And we sat down and I was like, is there anything you'd want to do, you know physically, as a challenge, or is there any type of skill that you'd want to learn? And I wanted to learn how to make bread, so I got a book and I learned how to do that. I started making sourdough. Sarah did the same thing. She taught herself how to crochet.
Speaker 3Yeah.
Speaker 4I can make animals. And we were like let's run a marathon.
Speaker 3Yeah.
Speaker 4I wanted to do it with you and I thought you know I had tons of time, because I think it was like September last year and the marathon was in May, so, plus, I had a great coach, so that you know, we set those goals and then we did it and it felt really good and I would definitely do. I would probably do a 50K or a 50 mile or next. I would just need to figure out the scheduling of the training part of it. But yeah, set some goals and do it, because the journey is what makes it fun.
Speaker 3Indeed, and goals are goals. I said and goals are goals. You know like it's okay if you don't exactly meet it, but come close, you know like it's okay if you don't exactly mean it, but come close, you know.
Speaker 1Yeah, because didn't we? I think, um, I'm not positive, but I usually have people set three goals. One of them is to finish, obviously right. And then you have your, your b goal and an a goal, something, uh, probably hard to attain but you might get it right did you do that?
Speaker 3I can't remember I did it. I think I said not just A, b, c, I think I did like five.
Speaker 4She had 37 goals.
Speaker 3Yeah, I had a lot of goals.
Speaker 4I'm very type A.
Speaker 3No one was like a pace goal, like can I maintain 11 and a half minutes? And then it was like, okay, if I can't do that, can I at least get in um at five hours and then five and a half and then six, and I made the six technically um but yeah, yeah. So goals are good goals are good.
Speaker 1Yeah, all right, guys, thanks so much for being on the show and, uh, maybe when you do another big goal thing maybe kill an elk or something, I don't know. Yeah, we'll talk again.
Speaker 4Yeah, yeah, sounds good.
Speaker 1Thank you All right, all right, thanks, bye-bye, bye, all right. Friends, I hope you guys enjoyed that episode. It was so fun for me. The whole journey of just running with my family was, I mean, just made my heart. You just have no idea. It's really hard not to cry, but yeah, it was a lot of fun. I hope you enjoyed getting to know us a little bit better, just how crazy we are. We always have so much fun and just laugh together a lot. So I hope you know that you'll share this episode.
Speaker 1If you haven't started following the program, I hope you'll hit, follow, go in and rate me five stars. I appreciate that. There's some links in the show notes that you can get the Hydra patch from you. There are some other links in there for some other products. You can buy me a coffee if you'd like to participate in producing, which just helps produce the show. I appreciate that. But if you want to be on the show and have some fun, like we did again, carla at CoffeeCrewCoachingcom will get you hooked up to me and you can get your story out there too, because I'm sure it's wonderful. So thanks again for listening and have a great day.
