Finish Lines and Milestones

SandyBoy Productions
  • 4.8 (46)
  • Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

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

  1. 3d ago

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

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

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

  2. Sep 18

    Episode 174: Anthony Privitelli - Voice Notes on Race Day

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

    Episode 174: Anthony Privitelli - Voice Notes on Race Day

  3. Sep 16

    SEPTEMBER: CATCHING UP WITH COACH from Rachel Michelle Running

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

    SEPTEMBER: CATCHING UP WITH COACH from Rachel Michelle Running

  4. Sep 11

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

    Jared Ewing and I connected through our mutual friend Christi Dee (EP 3) after they met at the 2026 Boston Marathon (and again in Cape Town, South Africa). During this episode, sponsored by Huug, we talk about: [8:00] Finishing Leadville 100 in 24:40, just nine days before we recorded this — well under the 25-hour cutoff for the race's coveted "big buckle"[10:00] Finding pacers and why his parents have been his crew since day one[20:00] Meeting fellow adaptive-athlete community members at Boston, including Jason Noel (who Christi Dee was guiding that day)[39:00] The night of December 7th, 2018, when a drunk driver's car hit a bollard and sent concrete shrapnel into his leg, nearly costing him his life[1:05:00] The synthetic skin material from PolyNovo that helped save his leg, and the decision he had to make between amputating it or keeping it without his calf muscles or Achilles[1:10:00] Rebuilding his entire running form around his quads and hamstrings with no calf muscles or Achilles[1:25:00] Running a marathon just ten months later — after doctors told him he'd never run again[1:30:00] Being 27 states into his 50 States Marathon Club goal[1:31:00] Becoming a Six-Star Majors finisher and running on six of the seven continents (Rio next June to complete the set)[1:38:00] His frustration that most major marathons still don't offer qualifying times for adaptive athletes[1:43:00] His mantra, "Now We Go," and the drunken Cavs-game night it came from[1:45:00] The Grand Slam of Ultra Running — running four of the nation's oldest 100-milers within 14 weeks, with Wasatch 100 as the finale on September 11th 🤯[1:46:00] The documentary he's raising money for, The 400 Mile Attempt[1:48:00] Running the Indianapolis Marathon this November — I'll get to meet him in person! Previous Guests Mentioned Christi Dee - Episode 3Jason Noel - Episode 62Steve Gilbert - Episode 160 Sponsor Details Huug - Use ALLYB for 15% off (combinable with Buy 3 Get 1 Free) Other Links Support Jared's GoFundMe for The 400 Mile Attempt documentaryWatch the "No Categories" trailerFollow Jared on Instagram @jrod4513Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runsSubscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

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

  5. Sep 4

    Episode 172: Chris Jones - Stay Obsessed

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

    Episode 172: Chris Jones - Stay Obsessed

  6. Aug 28

    Episode 171: Carolyn Coffin - Inspired Soles

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

    Episode 171: Carolyn Coffin - Inspired Soles

  7. Aug 21

    Episode 170: Jeanette Ray - The Dunk Club

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

    Episode 170: Jeanette Ray - The Dunk Club

  8. Aug 14

    Episode 169: Bri Qualizza: Pace and Purpose

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

    Episode 169: Bri Qualizza: Pace and Purpose
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4.8
out of 5
46 Ratings

About

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

Information

  • Creator
    SandyBoy Productions
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    193
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © SandyBoy Productions
  • Show Website
    Finish Lines and Milestones

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