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. 5d ago

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. Aug 12

    AUGUST: CATCHING UP WITH COACH from Rachel Michelle Running

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

    AUGUST: CATCHING UP WITH COACH from Rachel Michelle Running

  5. Aug 7

    RERUN of Episode 43 with Gordon Strain

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

    RERUN of Episode 43 with Gordon Strain

  6. Jul 31

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

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

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

  7. Jul 24

    Episode 167: Kelvin Quang: 3RUN7

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

    Episode 167: Kelvin Quang: 3RUN7

  8. Jul 17

    RERUN of Episode 17 with Eileen Poore

    Eileen Poore and I had been friends over Instagram DMs for a while before this recording — this was actually the first time we ever met in person. This rerun comes to you on July 17th — the same date that, back in 2021, she lined up for the 8 Hour Endurance race just three days after her criminal case closed, and ran the farthest she ever had. This episode discusses sexual assault. During this episode, sponsored by Goodr and HUUG, we talk about: Growing up in New Orleans and starting work at the legendary Brennan's Restaurant at age 15Her mom contracting polio as an infant on a transatlantic crossing, being paralyzed from the neck down, and regaining partial mobility after a pilgrimage to LourdesGrowing up with an alcoholic, addict father (16 years sober now) and using running as a way to "escape the shit"Being a competitive junior Olympic diver long before she was ever a runnerMoving to Indianapolis after Michigan State and meeting her husband Dave at Lockerbie PubHurricane Katrina destroying her family's home in 2005 and pushing her to run her first marathon, Columbus, in 2006 — with two stress fractures and, unknowingly, in early pregnancyNursing her newborn son between the start and finish of the Indianapolis Half a few months after he was bornRunning a Ragnar relay from Prescott to Tempe in the middle of a bankruptcy and a housing crisisQualifying for and running her first Boston Marathon in 2011 while training on treadmills between two toddlers in daycareMissing a Boston cutoff by exactly 17 secondsHer first ultra, the Gnaw Bone 50K, run with one gel and no drop bag2018, her "banner year" — a marathon PR, a new job, a new house, and qualifying for Boston 2019Being raped by her Uber driver in July 2019, and the hours that followed at the hospitalThe forensic nurse and the Julian Center advocate who helped her survive the first year afterwardRunning the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon weeks later in the sweats she was released from the hospital in, dropping "I forgive you" index cards along the courseThe multi-year criminal process — the DNA warrant, the arrest, three different prosecutors, and reading her victim impact statement on her own birthdayRunning 8 Hour Endurance three days after her case closed and covering 32.17 miles, the farthest she had ever runReturning to Boston in 2022 and what it meant to cross that finish lineTraining with PBT under coach Matt Ebersole, and running the Tecumseh Trail Half along the wayHer message to anyone in a hard season: "you just have to hold on" Previous Guests Mentioned Matt Ebersole – Episode 89 Sponsor Details Goodr – Use ALLYB for $10 off your first orderHUUG – Use ALLYB for 15% off (combinable with buy 3, get 1 free) Other Links Follow Eileen on Instagram @leenie353Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runsSubscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletterThis is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.

    RERUN of Episode 17 with Eileen Poore
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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
    188
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © SandyBoy Productions
  • Show Website
    Finish Lines and Milestones

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