S3 Ep 22 How Running Streamlined my Sobriety Journey: Jamee Jenen's Story

What if your training plan wasn’t just about miles, but the mindset that keeps you steady when life tilts? Jamee joins us to share how running became the backbone of nine years of sobriety, a pressure valve for anxiety, and the bridge back to endurance after three kids. From a fearless first half marathon run too fast and unfueled to a deliberate, coached build for Chicago, her story shows how structure, community, and small daily choices add up to big change.

We dig into the nuts and bolts of marathon prep: rebuilding a base after pregnancies, time-boxing workouts around a full-time job, and discovering that speed work can coexist with long, easy days that train patience. Jamee breaks down the fueling strategy that saved her late in the race—timed gels, simple carbs, and a no-drama approach that kept her head clear. She also talks candidly about the mental side: missing family at mile 19, walking the inclines to reset heart rate, and the roar of Chicago’s neighborhoods that makes headphones optional.

Beyond the splits, there’s the power of a run crew. Saturday long runs turned into a lifeline, replacing late nights with early laughs, stories, and accountability. We talk post-race blues, processing grief, and the simple truth that movement is medicine. Jamee’s eyeing a sprint tri and a 70.3, weighing another Chicago start with the wisdom of experience, and proving that goals can be both a compass and a comfort. If you’re chasing your first 5K, rebuilding after a break, or aiming for a marathon PR, you’ll find practical, compassionate guidance here—plus a reminder that the best plan is the one you can live with.

If this conversation sparked something, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a friend who needs a nudge. Want to tell your story? Email Carla@Coffeycrewcoaching.com and let’s get you on the mic.

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Transcript

Jamie’s Origin Story And Early Sobriety

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Hello and welcome back to Over the Next Hill Fitness Podcast. I'm Carla Coffee, your coach and host for today's program. I just want to let you all know that you can find me on Facebook. You can email me, Carla, at coffeecrew coaching.com. If you need a coach, uh running coach, fitness coach, and apparently, as you'll hear, life coach. That's kind of funny. Um, but at any rate, you can find me on the socials. Uh this uh podcast is also on YouTube. For those of you watching on YouTube, uh, you can also listen on your favorite podcast channel. Over the Next Hill Fitness Podcast is what you would look for on Spotify, iTunes, and several others. Uh so today I'm going to be talking to Jamie Jenning, uh good friend of mine now. Uh started as just a uh running athlete that I was coaching, and now we're great friends. So I hope you'll enjoy this. Uh we had some laughs. We actually did it side by side, so it's a little different if you're watching where you can just look at my ear the whole time. Um but yeah, so listen in and we'll see you at the end. Hey Jamie, welcome to the show. It's great to have you here. Thank you so much. Yeah, it's gonna be fun. We had a few technical difficulties, but it's all gonna work out now. Um, so when and why, I guess, did you start running?

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Ooh, um, I would say I really started running in 2011, probably. And I mean, at the time I had been dating someone for years, like long term, and he ended up moving away, and I um just kind of needed something to keep my head straight. Um I I mean you know this, but I um have had a drinking problem and um I'm nine years sober this year. But um back then I was really struggling and with him gone and um and everything, I just needed, I needed something to focus on. And I was like, no, I should try running. It's easy, just throw my shoes on, and then like I can just go and do it on my own time. I always feel better when I'm done, when I'm done with a workout. I'd always worked out, but never like really just focused on running. And so I started then. I started um that fall of 2011, and then I decided to sign up for a half marathon. And um honestly, like deciding to sign up for that half marathon really gave me a goal of and an excuse to not drink. Um, because I'm like, you know, I have this marathon coming up, and God, at that point it was like four months or five months, and I'm not gonna drink, I'm gonna take it really seriously. I'm gonna train. And um, it just made it a lot easier for me at that point in my life to have the excuse of this is why I can't drink, is because I'm training. And um, and so yeah, I it just kind of helped me keep my head straight um at that time in my life. So I ran that half marathon. I trained every day. I mean, I overdid it. I didn't use a coach. I would just go out every day and run like five miles, didn't do long runs, didn't, you know, I just kind of went out, ran it. I followed um eight-minute pacer when I did the first time I did it. I mean, I ran that half marathon in one hour and 45 minutes. That's great. Um, you know, I was in like a ton of pain after and like had injured myself, of course. Yeah, but I did it.

SPEAKER_00 4:08

Um so I just want to stop right there. So you didn't do like a 5K, then a 10K. You just said, oh, let's just go for the half.

First Half Marathon And Lessons Learned

SPEAKER_01 4:15

I was like, I'm gonna do the whole thing. I'm gonna just go for this half marathon. It was a distance I'd never, I mean, I'd done like five Ks before and back in my hometown. I know we talked about this, like the BICs. It's like a seven-mile run. I'd done that quite a few times. I was like definitely the longest that I'd ever gone. But I was like, you know, I'm really just gonna push for this like half marathon distance. I think I can do it. Um, like I said, it it just gave me something to focus on while that person I had been with for a long time was like gone. And anyways, I just it really helped me in my state of mind at that time be training for something. Did it, did a great job. He ended up coming back, um, went back to drinking. And um obviously other things happened. Um, but that was my first attempt with sobriety. And I think I was sober for I was sober during that whole training. I would say like six months. I think I had like a really solid six month stint where I didn't drink and I was just running a lot, and that was my goal. Um and I kind of kept running a part of my life, but it wasn't like goal-oriented as far as like races were concerned. But like I would continue to run on my lunch hours, um, kind of help with anxiety and stuff like that. I definitely deal with a lot of anxiety, I always have. Um and I mean, heck, back then I smoked too. So I would like I know, isn't it wild? It's like the drinking and the smoking, and I would still get my runs in. And I was freaking fast too, you know. But I I just I don't know. It it affects some people differently. And I just was always able to get my runs in. Um, so, anyways, um yeah, then I I met my husband. Um, we started dating in like 2014. Me and the other relationship obviously ended, met my husband, decided to become sober um for real this time with the nine-year stint. And it's just continued to be a huge part of my sobriety, a huge part of my mental health. Um I still struggle with a lot of anxiety. And I have just found that if I can keep one thing consistent um in that being running, that um, you know, it just it helps me immensely.

SPEAKER_00 6:34

Sure. So did you um start running outdoors, indoors, a mix of both? What and what made those choices for you?

Chicago Lunch Runs And Spin Detour

SPEAKER_01 6:43

I ran outdoors and I would run. I'd I I've always been someone that worked out on my lunch hour. Like that just time, that time of the day for me has always just I just love that time of day of working out. And fortunately, I've always like worked at a place that it was feasible that I could do that. Um, so I lived in Chicago for like 16 years and I would work downtown and in every like high-rise building that I had worked in, there was like a locker room, sometimes a gym, but like definitely like a locker room that you could like I'd hurry. I mean, I would like change into my clothes, I'd go outside, I'd run the river, I'd come back, I'd do it all within an hour, right? So I'd work a lot of speed work and and stuff like that. But that's how I would spend my lunch hours is I would just go outside, rain or shine, and I would get my run in. And um so that's really how I always did it. Um, I'd say primarily. And then I got a gym membership at a really fancy place in Chicago. Um, I would say during that time that I was training for that first half marathon, and I I started incorporating spin classes too. So I started doing like some of that with my running. Then I got my spin instructor license. Oh, wow. Yeah. So I I got that, and that was cool. Um and do you still teach spin? No, no, no. I had just really gotten my feet wet with it, and then COVID happened. Of course. I had just gotten my first class um at this little boutique gym where I used to live in Ravenswood in Chicago. And then um, well, actually, I got pregnant. I got pregnant. I uh got married, got pregnant right away on our honeymoon, and then COVID happened a couple years after that. But like during that whole time was kind of when it would have, you know, really would have taken off for me. And with being pregnant, I was so sick. There was just no working out for me. And then, you know, I ended up having three kids. And so I feel like I took probably six or seven years off of endurance type uh training, working out, stuff like that. Um, and now my youngest is gonna be three in January. And so the last year or two, it I've really gotten back into it. Um, and that's why I, you know, decided to do the marathon.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

Okay. Um, so before we talk about your marathon, do you have maybe like hopes of going back into spin teaching at all? Or is that just kind of do you? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 9:11

I mean, I've thought about it. I don't feel like I ever really was able to execute it. So it's like I got the instructor's license. My now husband, you know, he's my boyfriend at the time, but I got like a Schwin, whatever instructor's license. I went to Ohio. We took like a weekend trip to Ohio so I could get it. He's like the most supportive person ever. Um, so we went there, I got it. So it's like I still have all that stuff, you know. I think it'd be cool to utilize it at some point. Um, I don't know that like biking is my forte at this point in my life anymore. Um, I really like running. I love to swim. I grew up being a swimmer. Um, so I don't know. I don't, I uh probably, I would say sometime in my life I'll get back into it.

SPEAKER_00 9:52

Very cool. I don't know. Get so injured from running that all you can do. I know what you can do is bike.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

I mean, for real. Right. Um, I'd really like to uh dip my toes into triathlons. And like we've talked about it, like Iron Man's, um, definitely a 70.3. I don't know about a full yet. I say that now, but yeah. Um, and so I'll be biking more, I'm sure, in the next couple of years. Cool.

Motherhood, Time Off, And Return To Training

SPEAKER_00 10:17

All right, so let's talk about that marathon. So I got a call from you, I don't even remember when, um, and you were looking for a run coach, and you had put in the lottery for the Chicago marathon and got it.

SPEAKER_01 10:32

Yeah, I know. And January 2025 is when we started officially working together, I think. But like, yeah, I got in, I got notified in like December of 24 or something.

unknown 10:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

And I was like, holy crap.

unknown 10:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:44

I couldn't believe it because I've been putting in for all the majors and well, Boston, I qualified in all the other ones. And I couldn't get in and I was I hung up that phone, I was like, I can't believe that. She tried one time and got in. I know. I couldn't either. I was like, holy crap, I really got to do this now. Yeah. So so I was really excited for that. And we uh I tried to kind of meet you where you were in your training. But where were you in your training at that point? As far as um, had you maintained a base, um, were you lifting weights, things like that?

SPEAKER_01 11:46

I'm trying to think back to them. Um so I had had Declan in January of 23, and I really just, I mean, tried to dip my toes back into a lot of things. Um, tried to just really try to strengthen my core. And after like three pregnant, well, four pregnancies, three births, like it just was um a long, long process for me to get my body even to the point of being strong enough to run um and bike and like do all of those things that I used to do just so effortless, effortlessly. Um and so I was doing like weights. I was doing some running, but I would say, I mean, at most, I was maybe doing like 15 miles a week. I mean, I would just do some miles here, miles there. I was doing probably more weight training, core work, Pilates. And so I remember when we first started talking, you're like, yeah, your base is like 20, right? 20, 25. Like, I'm like, oh yeah, no, not at all. Um, but we started like very easily into it. And so, yeah, that's probably where my where I was at at that point, I think if I remember correctly.

Coaching Starts And Building A Base

SPEAKER_00 12:56

Okay. Yeah. So then um I remembered, I was like, okay, since we're gonna be doing long runs on the same weekends as me, basically, because I was training for stuff too. But I was like, well, might as well introduce you to the group. And so you joined the crazy women running shenanigans. So what was that like your first time running with us? Um, I remember I think it was Liz had said, um, and I won't use the the words that she used, but basically that we talk about everything. Was that shocking for you to go, oh man, who are these women?

SPEAKER_01 13:34

Well, I always have run by myself. Like I always preferred to run by myself. I mean, I would sometimes run with some coworkers. And although I was happy, you know, I was always like, yeah, let's go, you know, go run, whatever. I didn't like to talk. Like I like to listen to music and be in my own head. Like I said, it all circled back to like mental health. Like, this is my time to like process the stuff that I have a hard time processing and just to grind it out. And I really didn't like, especially running. I didn't like running with people. So when you invited me, I was like, oh boy, like, well, I gotta get some of these long runs in. I guess I'll try it. I've never really done anything like this. Um, you know, we moved to Madison in 2021. And although I'd met people, you know, I'd definitely made some friends since being here. I definitely didn't have any friends like in the running community or like the workout spectrum. I don't belong to a gym since I've been here. I just kind of work out at home and and all of that. So I was like, all right, I'm gonna give this a try. And it was an experience. I mean, especially when it's like you're meeting new women, right? Because sometimes that's intimidating.

SPEAKER_00 14:40

Yeah.

Finding A Run Crew And Belonging

SPEAKER_01 14:40

And um, especially runners, you know, or just anyone with like physical ability that like you're like, oh, these people run marathons or ultras or whatever. And you're like, what am I doing? You know, like I'm so amateur here, but the friendliest group. I mean, truly, like I would say the best gift you could have ever given me. I mean, obviously the training was like amazing, but just the community. And um, yeah, that first run, I was like, wow, I just kind of listened. I still kind of listen. I don't know that I'm like the biggest talker. I like listening and partaking sometimes. But man, you know, when you've had a really rough week and you just wanna talk about it and just have someone listen while you're running. I mean, I've never had that before. And so it's just, I look forward to it now. Like I never knew I'd love 5:30, 6:30 on a Saturday morning. Let's go run 10 and just like it's like my going out. That's like what I do in lieu of going out to the bar, right? Like, I'm like, no, I got a 530 run in the morning with my girlfriends, you know? And so yeah, we talk about everything. I mean, you name it, we've talked about it. I think I wanted to share like one story at the very beginning, and it was like so PG. I mean, it wasn't even bad. And I'm like, so I've been thinking, I want to contribute to this conversation. Here's like one thing that I want to add, you know, I'm a little embarrassed, and I think it was Jesse, and she's like, Oh, please, like, that's nothing. You want to hear our story? And, you know, I mean, talking about all the experiences of you guys have had with marathons and training and bodily functions and just all the things. It's like, okay, it's like anything goes.

SPEAKER_00 16:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:19

So it's great. It's a great community.

SPEAKER_00 16:22

Yeah, I was um, I don't talk that much either. So that one week that it was just you and I. I was so nervous.

SPEAKER_01 16:28

It was kind of a quiet little run, wasn't it? I I was really nervous about it. Like, because I know you and I kind of just are the same. You know, I we just kind of like run it out, we listen to other, you know, we'll like throw in a comment here or there, but I was nervous about it. But we had a lot to talk about.

SPEAKER_00 16:42

We did good. We did really well. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:44

So sometimes you can just get in your head so much, you know. Um but yeah, no, it was great.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

So um with the training, um, what was like one of the hardest things that you had to overcome um with the things like that I gave you, or because I know we did like hill repeats, we did some track work. Um, so thinking about that, or like even just the longest run that we did, what was something that you were nervous about? But then when you got it, you're like, Yeah, I did that.

SPEAKER_01 17:18

I mean, definitely those 20 milers. We did three of those.

SPEAKER_00 17:21

We did.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

And uh like I had trained one time on my own. I did 18 miles for that 2012, you know, early that first half marathon I did. I think my longest I ever did was like 18 miles just to see if I could go that far, even though I was doing what 13 point, whatever. And um that was hard for me. I mean, that was like I think it gets in your head too. Like I've never gone that far before. Can I?

SPEAKER_00 17:46

And um Especially alone.

SPEAKER_01 17:49

Yeah. It's a lot of mental tough. It's a lot. Yeah. And so that was hard for me. I loved the track workouts. I like loved that. And if I had all the time in the world to give, you know, I have three young kids. I have a two-year-old about to be three, five, and seven-year-old, um, and a super supportive husband. But it's like, I still can't be gone all the time. And I work full-time. So it's like I've got to find a way to get my training in. Um, I loved that. I mean, I really like the speed work. I like hill workouts. I've, you know, I'm consistent with that. I'm more of a sprinter probably. And um I just have even with swimming, it was like I was never like long distance. It's just not really my build or anything else. So I just think the marathon in general, because of that, I mean, that's a big distance for me because I don't practice that way, I don't work out that way. So being able to take things at an easy speed for a really long duration of time was tough for me. I'd rather just hammer it out and go fast and, you know, get into 10K. Like that's more my speed, probably.

Hardest Workouts And Mental Hurdles

SPEAKER_00 18:54

But I remember um when your runs would come through on the faster runs um before we did like our first track workout together. I was like, so how am I gonna run track with her? So I had to go the opposite way because you're so much faster. Because I've trained other people and I'm gone to the track with them, and usually they're chasing me, right? And I'm like, I don't know what I'm gonna do. And so then I thought, I'm gonna run the opposite way, and so that I could still encourage you, yeah, you know, meet you part way, or like at the end when I would flip and you would be out of gas. But because I hadn't really spent that much, I was like, come on, run faster. Chase me, catch me. But yeah, you are definitely fast. So that was that was a hard one for me to be to work out. But thankfully, on the long, slow runs, I'm like, Yeah, I got this one. Oh yeah. Like, how do you do this? We've been out here for five hours. Yeah. How was it for you?

SPEAKER_01 19:51

Um with learning how to eat for those long runs. Tough. I mean, I'd never, like most people, done fuel training. Um, even when I ran that very first, you know, it's wild thinking back to how wrong I did all that. I ran that so fast and I didn't have any fuel. Wow. None, none, not one. I didn't take any water with me. No, I ran the whole thing. That's how think of how good I could have been if I did do those things, you know. But like I was young, I didn't know. Yeah. Um, fuel training was fortunately, I haven't had an issue with eating while I run. Like I'm there's certain gels I don't like at all, but the ones when I found the ones that I did, easy to get down. Um, I've taken tricks from you guys, and like I'll do um like the gummy, uh even just like my kids' fruit snacks, you know. Yeah, like those. You've done jelly beans, like that's always good. Like anything, yeah. I don't have a problem with fueling. That's and I think it really helped me with the marathon. I mean, it I did I had six gels, like and I had my timer on every 30 minutes. I mean, and it was like, oh, okay, and done. Like that was an easier part of everything for me. And I know it isn't always for most people, but that was for me.

Fueling Smart For Long Runs

SPEAKER_00 21:09

Yeah. So let's talk about the marathon. Um, so tell me from like start to finish what the process was in your brain. Did you follow the pacers? Did you see your family? Tell us the experience of Chicago.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

Experience of Chicago. So we got there, the expo was huge at McCormick Place. I, you know, usually when you get your bib, it's like, it's it's always kind of cool. And but this was like next level. I mean, the way it was organized, like the majors are just, they know what they're doing. I mean, they better, they make a lot of money. Um, but it was just super organized. And race day came. Um, you know, I was there by myself. My husband and my kids were there uh going with uh my best friend to watch me, but they weren't gonna come until the back end, probably until mile 19 is when I was gonna expect them.

SPEAKER_00 22:04

Wow.

Inside The Chicago Marathon Experience

Post-Race Choices And Future Goals

SPEAKER_01 22:04

Um, like I said, I I lived in Chicago for like 16 years. So a lot of the area that we ran, especially the first half. I mean, I used to run that all the time, like on the lake. And, you know, I went up through my old neighborhood, through my friends' old neighborhoods. Um, so there was a lot of like just mental like reminiscing I was doing, you know, going through Boys Town. I used to live right there. Like it so it was really, really cool. That first half, I mean, I was feeling good. I was like trying to hold back, um, like you do. And I really was. And then I was like, oh, I'm gonna save it all for the back end. And I mean, it humbled me. Like, it is no joke. Um, the sun came out, it was warm. Um, I hadn't, like we had talked about, I hadn't really trained for like running non, I was having some of the knee issues. And so with my PT, kind of last minute, it was like, I need to run the whole thing. And I did really, really good. Um, but then like 18, 19 hit and I didn't see my kids, I didn't see my husband. I end up calling my girlfriend. I'm like, are you guys here? Because it takes so much energy to find people, especially at that marathon. I mean, there are people in every inch, like every neighborhood. It was so packed. I had music the whole time and I paused it because I just wanted to hear the people. It was like it's nonstop. I'd never had anything like that. Yeah. So I just listened. Um, but anyway, so I get to 19. I didn't see them. And so I call her on the phone as I'm running and I'm like, where are you guys? Like out of breath. I'm like, should I stop looking for you? Because I'm exhausted. And if you're not here, that's fine. I just want to quit looking. And she's like, We were there, but we were on the opposite side. She had said, We'll be on the right side, but for whatever reason, the way it worked out, they were on the left side. So of course I just didn't see them. And she's like, Oh, don't worry about it. Like, we're gonna go to 24. I promise you, we'll see you at 24. It was after Chinatown. So I was like, All right, and I knew I had a friend that was coming at mile 22 at Chinatown. So I'm like, make it to Chinatown, let me see her. And I did. I like spotted her. So that like revved me up. And then at 24, I saw my kids and my girlfriends and my husband. And and I stopped and I walked and I gave him a kiss. And um, yeah, that was awesome. And then those last like 2.2 miles, I just um I was tired. I mean, I was really freaking tired. Yeah, you know, and I'd already so really I mean, I'd already seen my family. I'm kind of like, all right, like I've done it all. Like, is it time yet? Like, where is this finish line? Um, and then I always kind of did the thing we talked about, like, listen, if I'm gonna walk up this hill faster than I jog up it, like I am. So there were some like parts towards the end that were definitely more inclined. And I'm like, I'm just gonna walk quickly up this. And and I did, and that helped me my heart rate come down a little bit. And uh yeah, I mean, I finished it running and I got, you know, my goal was four hours. That was my goal. And I know you and I had talked about that. And I I was on pace-ish at the beginning to hit that. Um, and then when I knew I wasn't gonna hit it is when I kind of was like, all right, now I'm just gonna try to enjoy this, you know. I'm not gonna try to be so hard on myself. Cross, I know I can cross this finish line, like just take it at my own speed. So I finished at what 4274. So I'm like, for my first one, like I'm really proud of that. Um, I did it. And you're automatically registered for next year, right? And I'm automatically registered for next year. I know it's been swimming in my head. Like, do I do it? Um, and the reason I'm automatically registered is because for Chicago, if you do the distance series, the sh I know you know this, but the shamrock shuffle, the 13.1, and the marathon, which those are the three I did that you get automatic entry for the following year. Um, I, you know, after I finished that race, I was like, I don't know that a marathon is like my thing, like my distance. Um I'm warming up to it more now as time is going by. Like right when I was done, I was like, all right, one and done, I did it. Yeah. Now I'm like, I already got this automatic entry. Like I might as well do it. I don't know if I'm gonna do the distance series again. Um, I mean, it's kind of nice to, I guess, have the like training uh segments, right? Because it goes along with your training. So maybe I'll decide. I don't know. I just I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on it. And you've got time. I've got time. I think I have till November 18th. Yeah, I think. Um I really want to do that Iron Man. I really want to do the 70.3. I just I'm thinking like in the spring, I'd like to do a sprint try, see how I feel, and then maybe that would be my next thing.

SPEAKER_00 26:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:40

Um, so I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 26:42

Okay. Well, hell. That sounds like all the thanks. All the things it keeps me out of trouble, right?

SPEAKER_01 26:47

When I have a goal like that. So I just really enjoy. I mean, I I I do. I live my life with goals. It just keeps me on the right track. For sure.

SPEAKER_00 26:57

Yeah. And did you get what they call like the um racer blues or whatever ever after? Because you didn't have anything set for sure on the calendar. I mean, I've definitely had the blues.

Blues, Grief, And Movement As Therapy

SPEAKER_01 27:09

I guess I attributed it to other things, but um, maybe it is the racer blues. I don't know. Um, yeah. I mean, as you know, uh I've been going through some things. Yeah. You know, had a couple, had a really important death um happen a few months ago, and running has just kept me sane through it all. Um, and all the mileage and you know, just knowing it's like the rest of my day sucked, but like I had to get these eight miles in, you know. So it's like get out, do it. And so I guess now not having that and just kind of having to process my grief and um, you know, maybe maybe that is part of the blues. Maybe it is like, what do I do with all this? Um, I'm dipping my toes back in, like I had told you, I'm, you know, getting back into doing some Peloton classes or some things here and there. Um, but yeah, not having like a training schedule, it does give you the blues. It's kind of like, uh, what's a purpose here?

SPEAKER_00 28:12

Yeah. Yeah, not having that written down and going, oh, I gotta do this is what I have to do today. I gotta do legs and then I gotta go for a run or whatever. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:20

Yeah. But it does also give me the opportunity to catch up on areas that I haven't been giving my full attention to, like hanging out with my kids more and, you know, like having the energy to, like, of course I still would, but having the energy to, and I really do wanna um, like in the off season of different events, uh take advantage of that time. You know, they know me as mom that runs and mom that works out. I mean, every day. It's a it's a part of my life. It always has been since they've been born, but um yeah, I want them to see the ebb and flow too of like, okay, like I'm not training for anything. Like, you know, we can incorporate more fun stuff too. I I will always do my long runs on Saturday mornings because I love that now with just like the camaraderie we have.

SPEAKER_00 29:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:03

But um, you know, not so many hours spent just logging miles.

SPEAKER_00 29:09

Yeah. Yeah, there won't be any 20 miles for a while. So that long run might consist of six or eight, you know. So it's nice. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:16

Just, you know, not coming home at 11 in the morning, but coming home more at like nine and you know, or 8:30 and having the whole day. And having the energy to stop and get donuts to take. Exactly. I mean, I would do that even when I didn't have the energy. It's every Saturday morning they know that they get donuts after mom's long run. Um, that's something I've definitely started doing since we worked together and I'll just keep doing it.

SPEAKER_00 29:38

But yeah, you do the work and they get the benefit of like that.

SPEAKER_01 29:41

Pretty much. And I mean I do too. It's like, oh, I get them donuts, but like I eat them too.

SPEAKER_00 29:44

So I earned it. I've just worked out. That's right. Yeah. So what other things about um the race or your training or um anything that you would like the audience to know?

SPEAKER_01 30:01

For this race in particular, the Marilyn Member?

SPEAKER_00 30:04

Yeah.

Sobriety, Quitting Smoking, And Daily Choices

SPEAKER_01 30:06

Um I guess something that took me a really long time to figure out. Um, and I don't know that I have it totally figured out because I still struggle, but if you are someone that struggles with um life, I guess, right? Whether it's like anxiety or maybe your thing is drinking like it was mine, um having to be all the things for everybody all the time, work, you know, um finding an Outlet, a healthy outlet, can really change the trajectory of your life. Um, you know, before I found running, like back in 2011, and even though I ebbed and flowed um with my sobriety at that point, um, I knew I always had that. Like if there was one place I could feel at peace and one place that I knew that I'm gonna feel really good about myself is after that run. You know, like I can get out there, even if I do three, four miles, I feel like garbage when I'm before I do it. I don't want to do it. I'm being hard on myself, this, that, and the other, and give myself a million reasons why I don't want to do it. There's never been one time ever in my whole entire life, or probably anyone's, that it's like after that workout, you're like, I just did something really good for myself. And I'm proud of myself. It's like the one part of my day that I feel like I can give myself a pat on the back. And whether it's a marathon, a 5K, whether it's just getting out there to clear your mind if you're having a tough time, um, if you're trying to work through grief, if you're trying to work through anything really, um move your body, you know, like movement is therapy. Movement just can change the trajectory of your whole day. If you can just move, uh, you'll get to a different place. And and so if I've learned anything, I guess that's what I've learned is um I'm not good for anybody if I'm not feeling good in my own body. And in order to feel good in my own body, I need to move it.

SPEAKER_00 32:16

Yeah. Wise words and congratulations on your sobriety. That's thanks. Yeah. Nine years this September.

SPEAKER_01 32:24

Um hasn't been smoking. Oh my gosh. So yeah, my sobriety date was December 28th, 2016. And then three months in March, like March 13th, I kind of forget that date. And that was a lot harder to quit than drinking. Oh, sure. I mean, I love to smoke. Um, I did. It was like that helped my anxiety. Man, I was stressing out. It's like I'm just stepping out to have a cigarette, you know. That really was something that I leaned on. But it wasn't fun. If I wasn't drinking, it wasn't fun to just be a smoker that didn't drink. Like, it really wasn't. And I was like, this isn't really my thing, you know? And so I was like, okay, like if I'm quitting the drinking thing already, like this is the time to do it. And I was 34 when I quit drinking and then smoking and I hadn't had kids yet. I really wanted them, was at a kind of crossroads in my relationship. Um, and I just knew to be the person that I needed to be, to be the mom I wanted to be, the wife, and like all those things to move to that next step. I I had to get rid of those things in my life. So I ripped it off. I still miss a cigarette. I do. No, you don't. I will not go, I will not go back to it because it's too hard to quit. But I I do miss a cigarette every now and again, then I miss a glass of white wine. Um, but I tell you what, like in those moments that I'm I'm fiending for something like that, it's just I'm fiending for a release. And if I put on my workout shorts and I tell myself I'm just gonna walk around the block and do an easy jog, I tell you what, those are my best workout days because then I'll just like start jogging, I'll get five miles in. It's freaking hard workout. I earned it. And you know, it's just it's taking a feeling and spinning it into a positive outcome versus a negative. And I think everybody, you know, you can go two different directions in life and in everything's about a choice. And and you're making great ones. I try. I mean, not always. I yeah, I do some stupid shit sometimes. Me too. But um, but if I was drinking on top of it, it would be a lot worse.

SPEAKER_00 34:27

Right.

Community, Coaching, And Gratitude

SPEAKER_01 34:28

And so expounded. Yeah. So I just try to stick to the things I know help me and be around the people I know lift me that lift me up and help me be a better person. You know, I I really try not to keep company with people that um that bring me down or that I don't really respect. I really try to be around the type of people I want to be. And I found that in the running community, big time.

SPEAKER_00 34:55

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, and we've got a a great group of girls that we run with. Oh my god. And we're it's like the best. It's that's the one thing we have in common is just the running. We're all other than that.

SPEAKER_01 35:08

That's I mean, we're like I know it's like we'd never come together otherwise. And I have to say, just to toot your horn, like you are so inclusive, like truly. Like, you know, I came across you on Google and it's like, oh, Carla. And and yes, you were like a great, great coach, but it's like everything else about you. It's like the inclusiveness, the oh, you know, come running with us on our long run. Like you're always really wanting to help people. And uh yeah, I mean, my life would be so different if I didn't have the girls and you and the Saturday mornings and you know, all the races and all the things we look forward to. Like, you're a great coach and you're a great person.

SPEAKER_00 35:50

Oh, thanks. I appreciate that. And I didn't pay her to say that.

SPEAKER_01 35:54

No, I'm I mean that. I mean anyone that's looking to just, I mean, it's kind of a life coach, truly. I mean, truly, you know, you you're you're a running coach by far, but you know, you really help people.

SPEAKER_00 36:06

Oh, thanks. Well, I guess with that, we've got to wrap up. Is that all I need to say? That's all you need to say. We spent all this time. You just need to do that.

SPEAKER_01 36:17

I know, that's all I gotta say. You're the best person ever, life coach.

Closing Notes And How To Reach Out

SPEAKER_00 36:21

I'm not doing life coaching. I know. All right. Well, thanks so much for being on the show, and I'll look forward to our run in a couple days. I know next time. Yeah. All right. Thanks. All right, thanks for listening, everybody. Um, please rate and follow the show, share the show, um, all those things that you can do on social and uh YouTube. You can be a follower or whatever. I don't know. I guess subscribe, I guess would be the thing. Um, if you would like to be on the podcast, please reach out to me, Carla at coffeecrew coaching.com, and I'll get you on and you can tell everybody about your journey, whether it's running or whatever. Um, people love to hear your stories, so please don't be shy. It's a lot of fun. It's usually fun for me. Hopefully, it's fun for you too. Um, there are some advertisements in the show notes. If you're looking for some coupons, I guess is what you'd call them. You can go on there and get some great discounts. And let's get your journey started, and I can coach you to your first endeavor, whatever that might be. So thanks again, and we'll see you soon. Bye bye.