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The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
Ever wonder what really goes on at a small-town morning radio show?
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett and Best Friends is your daily dose of real callers, big laughs, and unforgettable characters straight from QCountry 925 in Show Low, Arizona.
The Morning Brew with Chris Bennett
His passion for fitness is tearing our marriage apart
Marriage is about compromise, but where do we draw the line between supporting our partner's passions and protecting our family's needs? Today's episode dives deep into this emotional territory with a letter from a woman who delivered an ultimatum to her triathlete husband.
After watching her husband spend three months intensively training for a triathlon—often missing time with their three young children—our letter writer found herself feeling like a single parent. When he announced plans to compete in triathlons year-round, she took a stand: either scale back or they might need to separate. Though he agreed to stop, months of passive-aggressive comments have followed, leaving their relationship in limbo.
Our relationship expert Janine offers thoughtful analysis, pointing out that fitness pursuits aren't inherently negative—they demonstrate discipline and provide healthy role modeling for children. Rather than taking absolute positions, she suggests professional counseling to find middle ground: perhaps fewer competitions, modified training schedules, or ways to incorporate family time into fitness activities. The goal isn't to extinguish passion but to balance personal fulfillment with family responsibilities.
Producer Ryan joins later for a lighthearted game of "Start, Bench, Fire," bringing some comic relief while sharing his own contrasting relationship experience. What makes this episode particularly compelling is how it tackles a universal relationship challenge: when individual goals and family needs collide, how do we chart a path forward that honors both? Listen now to explore this delicate balancing act and consider where you might draw your own boundaries.
Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew Janine. You over there? Yes, yes, All right, it's Thursday. You know what that means.
Speaker 2:Relationship advice.
Speaker 1:Yep, here we go. I'm going to read the story. When we come back, we'll get your advice for this person. Here's the headline. I gave my husband an ultimatum about his hobby. How do we move forward? Here's the deal. We've been married for 15 years and we have three kids under 10. We've both always been into fitness, but my husband is always looking for more ways to do more.
Speaker 1:Last year he trained for and completed his first triathlon and we're all pretty proud of him and glad he had the experience. But training really kind of stinked for us at home. He spent over three months working out nearly every day. It was very time consuming and he'd spend hours three months working out nearly every day. It was very time consuming and he'd spend hours a day working out. For example, some days he'd work his job, then come home and do a three-hour bike ride or run, and there were many days when he flat out didn't see our kids at all and I really felt like a single mom.
Speaker 1:Well, after a month after his triathlon, he started talking about how he wanted to do another one and I immediately asked what his plans were for triathlons and he said he'd like to do them continuously throughout the year and I told him, if that was the case, then I really didn't think I could do that and then it might be best for us to part ways.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, janine, he was so upset and told me I was unsupportive and I was trying to sabotage him, and I didn't really feel like I was making a demand. I was just stating a fact that it was really hard to support the family alone while he trained and that I couldn't see myself doing it forever. Oh my gosh. He eventually agreed to drop the triathlons because we're the most important thing to him, but it's been months and he still finds ways to make snide comments about it or will bring it up out of the blue if we argue. I can't tell if he's just feeling resentful or if he's trying to get me to feel bad and change my mind about it. At any rate, I still feel the same way and there's no chance I'm going to change my mind. How do we move forward from this?
Speaker 2:You know, this is one of those situations. I'm not big on always saying, oh, I've got to go to a counselor or whatever else. This is one where I would do that. I would say you know what? We need to sit down and go, because here's the thing. I'm looking at both sides.
Speaker 2:I think there are much worse things that you can have a husband doing or a wife doing. Right, he's a triathlete. I mean, he's staying in good shape, he's a good example for his kids there's a lot of good things to this and for her, shutting him down, I see that's kind of a negative and he's resenting her and that kind of thing, and it seems like they need some common ground. She maybe needs to compromise a little bit. Maybe say to him how about if you do two triathlons or one a year or we do something to where you can carve out more time or have more time with your kids, Maybe there's not quite as much training? There's got to be a compromise here. Because he's doing something good. I wouldn't keep him from doing what he loves.
Speaker 2:And also, he's staying in shape and he's a good role model for the kids. I think she needs to talk to somebody, maybe herself, and see if she can grow to compromise with this, because I think there's so much good in staying in shape and the things he's doing. I don't think she should be shutting him totally down.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right, I agree with that. They've got to find some type of common ground. And Janine says go get some therapy and find out what that common ground is. But yeah, he's not doing anything malicious.
Speaker 2:I know, yeah, and he's staying in good shape and he's doing triathlons, he's competing and maybe he involves his kids somehow. Maybe he doesn't do as many in the year, something. There's got to be a compromise, but I don't. I'm not crazy about her just totally shutting him down. I don't like to change it when people are growing and changing and doing good, positive things, uh, try to figure out how to keep that in in the in your life. You know Right.
Speaker 1:All right, well, awesome, well, janine, thank you so much for the great relationship advice today. Hope you have a great day and we'll talk to you tomorrow.
Speaker 2:You too, Chris Awesome.
Speaker 1:Bye-bye From the Horn Auto Center Studios. Chris Bennett and the Morning Brew. Good morning, it's the Morning Brew with Chris. Who's this? Producer Ryan? Heck, yeah, I stumbled. My best friend, producer Ryan, emmy Award winning Producer Ryan in Wilmington, north Carolina. Did you hear the relationship advice this morning with Janine Ford? Absolutely.
Speaker 3:And I agree with her take. With Janine's take, I really do. However, I was thinking of my own relationship, my own marriage. My ex-wife would have been totally stoked had I been doing multiple triathlons per year, because she was always on my case to work out more and get skinnier, and she would have loved me not being around as much. So maybe that's why we are divorced now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know, one time I got in really good shape and my wife didn't like it. She was like no, no, no, you can't be in better shape than me there you go.
Speaker 3:That's how you know you found the right woman.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like the more attractive I make myself to others. My wife doesn't like it, but when I like make myself look less attractive, she's like that is real good, I like that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, she likes the bar set low.
Speaker 1:That's right. Hey, you want to. We are back with Emmy Award winning producer Ryan McKee, and normally I have the games planned, but Ryan, who is producer of the Steffi Small Show on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network, has a game planned for me. What are we playing today?
Speaker 3:We are playing a game that I made up. Actually, I didn't make it up, I stole it from NBA teams that do this with their players. It's called Start, Bench Fire. Okay, so you have to pick one of these to start, like start in the game, one to bench and one to fire. You're kicking them off the team.
Speaker 1:All right, sounds good, let's play.
Speaker 3:All right, first one up. Since this is a country music station, I'm going to do some country ones Garth Brooks, alan Jackson, travis Tritt.
Speaker 1:Garth. Oh my gosh, I thought this game was going to be easy. This is horrible. I'm going to have to fire one of these legends. I feel like you have to start Garth Brooks. I've never seen him in concert, but his concerts look amazing and he's a showman You're firing.
Speaker 3:Garth Brooks. No, I'm starting him. Oh, you're starting Garth Brooks, I'm starting Garth Brooks.
Speaker 1:I think I got to. I can't fire Travis Tritt. He's got a song about it being a great day to be alive. Can't fire him and I hate to do this, but I got to fire. So I'll bench Travis Tritt and I'll fire Alan Jackson and I'm starting Garth Brooks. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:I really disagree with that. Any singer who wrote the lyric it gets hotter than a hoochie-coochie is all right. In my book I would bench Alan Jackson.
Speaker 1:I'd have to fire.
Speaker 3:Travis Tritt.
Speaker 1:Okay, but you'd start Garth Brooks.
Speaker 3:I'd definitely start Garth Brooks. Yeah, friends in Low Places to this day gets me All right next one To this day gets me All right.
Speaker 1:Next one Shania Twain, dolly Parton, carrie Underwood. Okay, this one's a little easier. I got to start Dolly. I mean, she's a legend and she's one of my heroes, so I got to start, dolly. I'm going to bench Shania Twain. She's been in my life a long time and she deserves a little rest. I'm going to put her on the bench. And Carrie Underwood she has a song about tearing up her ex's car and I don't think that's good behavior, so I'm firing her.
Speaker 3:Okay, that's interesting because you regularly on stage sing let's Go, girls. I thought you were going to start Shania.
Speaker 1:Twain. Well, yeah, I do love Shania Twain and that is my go-to karaoke song, but she's going up against Dolly. I think Shania Twain would understand.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:And last one.
Speaker 3:Last one. Okay, this is labeled regret meals, so gas station sushi. Okay, 3 am Taco Bell or all you can eat buffet shrimp, oh gosh.
Speaker 1:All right, so I'm going to have to start the 3 am Taco Bell. I'm going to have to bench the gas station. No, no, I'm going to fire the gas station sushi. I'm just not going to take a risk with that. And then I'm going to go ahead and bench the all you can eat shrimp buffet.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would do the same Awesome.
Speaker 1:Well, ryan, thank you so much for that fun game that was Start Bench or Fire with producer Ryan. Make sure you check out the podcast that he produces, the Steffi Small Show, on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network. We love you, best friend. Thank you, love you too.
Speaker 3:Bye, bye.
