Breaking Records and Barriers: Neely Spence Gracey's Trailblazing Journey as an Elite Runner and World Record Holder

Ready to hit the ground running with an episode that's all about breaking records and finding joy? Our special guest, Neely Spence Gracey is not just an elite runner; she's a Guinness World Record holder, a mom, and a true trailblazer in her field. This champion bolted past the finish line pushing a stroller, setting a new record for the fastest mile run with a stroller. Fasten your seatbelts as we sprint through a conversation that's sure to leave you energized and inspired.

We're not just talking about running in this episode; we're talking about the journey. Our guest shares her experiences, from the highs of crushing world records to the lows of facing challenges. We'll hear about her training process, the role her son, Rome, played, and the support she received from Adidas and Guava Family. We also take a look at her refreshing approach to women's running, which includes lacing up in a Moana costume and embracing the fun and whimsy that comes with runDisney events.

As we catch our breath, we'll take a coffee break (our guest shares her preferences) and get into her new book. This isn't just a quick read but rather a guide that breaks down goal setting, nutrition, and strength training and even delves into the specifics of female athlete hormones.

Get your autographed copy here and don't forget to check out her incredible "world-record-breaking" gear on her Instagram post here.  

So, lace up your running shoes and get ready to break records (or at least your personal best) with the inspiring stories and practical tips in this power-packed episode.

Chapters

• 0:03 Running Fun and World Records
• 16:16 Running With Stroller for World Record
• 29:25 Achieving Goals and Overcoming Challenges
• 43:01 Joy and Whimsy in Running Disney
• 49:13 Brunch, Coffee, and Elite Running
• 57:37 Excitement and Motivation for Upcoming Workouts

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

Hey friends, Coach Shelby and Coach Christine, welcoming you in and letting you know it's time for brunch. We're here. There's always an open table, a hot cup of coffee and endless running fun to keep you moving and grooving. This week we might not have a workout on deck, but trust us, when we say this episode plus, I mean countless other ones that we have as well, but it's gonna make you wanna get out, wanna run and, dare we say, maybe have a little extra fun. Do you think that's a fair synopsis, Coach Christine?

Speaker 2: 0:35

Absolutely without a shadow of a doubt. I know that I'm definitely super excited and motivated to get out and get some running in after this conversation. So, friends, buckle up because we're going for well a smooth stroll during your warm-up here and now, before you officially welcome in our guest Coach. I know that you had to have been beyond excited when you slid in her DMs. I assume that you slid in DMs because that's generally how you roll.

Speaker 1: 1:05

I did I always slide into DMs? I feel like DMs people see faster than emails and I think it's just personable. They get a chance to check you out too before they respond back. Like all right, who are these people? Are they legit, are they not? Do they like coffee? Do they like coffee? But yes, this guest. I won't give too much away, but it is one of my favorite elites. I followed her for a good couple of years and even when she announced her second pregnancy, I remember commenting and messaging her because the hashtags she used were, I mean, just roll on the floor laughing. It was highly relatable, as you may have seen in this episode's little bit of sub-plot twist, highlight spoiler alert, whatever you want to call it. She also recently got a little bit of a world record. Have you ever wanted to go for a world record?

Speaker 2: 2:04

Well, I have a world record now from Tokyo but I think it's been broken since then where the most amount of six-star finishers at one race, oh, I forgot about that, but I think it was broken shortly after that at Boston, so I don't know what happens. Once you have the record, do you keep it or can you?

Speaker 1: 2:26

No, yeah, so it was a true… I think you're a former world record holder.

Speaker 2: 2:30

So it was very short-lived and I don't exactly know that it would necessarily be something that I would consider my own. It doesn't necessarily have any of my specific talents, unless we want to go through to Nassi, to continue rolling through as we figured out the whole post-pandemic world, but that's basically the only reason why we have it is just because Tokyo was such a difficult holdout in terms of people getting back over there that a lot of folks were able to rack up their other stars before they were able to get into Tokyo. So I think yeah, I don't know that I actually have ever had a huge desire, but I am fascinated with the world record holders because London actually has a bazillion, like it's known for, world records over at the.

Speaker 1: 3:15

London, aircon, literally a bazillion, a bazillion.

Speaker 2: 3:17

Or is it a?

Speaker 1: 3:17

bazillion in one.

Speaker 2: 3:19

Probably a bazillion, in four to be exact, and I probably at least witnessed like a half a bazillion what would that be? 500 million? When I was there for the race, when I did it because they just they have so much whimsies, so I saw people trying to run it backwards for the world record, someone trying to break the world record for wearing the largest Big Ben costume. That was hilarious. Seeing them try to cross the finish line the most amount of people wearing rhino costumes, dribbling basketballs at the same time while running the marathon. So, yeah, I'm absolutely fascinated with it, but it's never been something that I've pursued. How about you?

Speaker 1: 3:57

I have to laugh, though for a second. You talk about running backwards. Now we've had two episodes that we've talked about running backwards, because now we're talking about it in the world record attempt and we're talking about how we use the elliptical to where you can go backwards. So what is it with us? Is this the universe trying to tell us something that maybe we need to tackle backwards, running on like a day to day? I don't think either of us are that coordinated for it. I mean.

Speaker 2: 4:20

I've done it a little bit and I think we all know after running any kind of a course it's a bit hillier that you're going to. If you have to tackle stairs you're going to be tackling them backwards because your quads are definitely letting you know that they're not going to go forward. So, yeah, there's something about that backwards. But maybe also in this conversation that we have with our guests we learn not just about tenacity, how sometimes life will hand us a few situations, maybe throw some lemons at us. It may make us feel like we're going backwards in the pursuit of our goals, but allows us to really kind of reconsider and approach it and tackle it from a whole different perspective. So I think this conversation is going to be quite illuminating.

Speaker 1: 4:57

I have no idea what I would try to get a world record in. I don't think there's anything that I can think of off the top of my head. Nothing at all. No, but I feel like you do.

Speaker 2: 5:08

No, I'm looking at me. I feel like I mean you. You probably have a Guinness World Record of the amount of coffee mugs you have in your house.

Speaker 1: 5:16

I'm almost sure. Listen, I just made new friends. Not only are they Chachki people, but they also love their coffee mugs, and we were talking in depth this weekend of how like we can't get rid of any. So I was telling him about how I cycle through them. I mean, now I'm going to have to look up, but I feel like I'm nowhere near the world record for coffee mugs.

Speaker 2: 5:37

Well, you're absolutely correct because the world record holder, unless if you have 6,353 different mugs in your house, because the current world record is 6,352 different coffee mugs in their home.

Speaker 1: 5:51

No, I'm only at 63, 51. So.

Speaker 2: 5:53

I'm.

Speaker 1: 5:54

I mean I'm really close. Maybe I'll have to go run to the dollar store and pick a couple up, just to there you go.

Speaker 2: 5:59

But yeah, I feel like you you're. I feel confident that you could gain a world record before I could on something, cause I feel like you have. You have some interesting like longest to go without using a porto potty, you're probably going to have that world record for a runner for sure.

Speaker 1: 6:15

Wow, my claim to fame's are very odd and confusing. I'm glad that our guests aren't as confusing as ours, but you know, this is what makes brunch brunch. We, we have all our different talents and they're all celebrated in equal but different fashions. All right, everybody, grab a cup of coffee and come on and sit down at the brunch table. Cause. Our guest today checks all of the boxes when it comes to our running love languages. She is, among many other things, but some of the highlights she was the top American at Boston. She has been qualified for the Olympic trials four times. She is a third ever female overall overall means. She beat all the boys too, winner of a run Disney race and most recently, on June 30th, she broke the Guinness world record for the fastest stroller mile with her youngest son. So I'm not going to give it all away, but it's pretty amazing, the story from here and beyond. So with that, welcome to the brunch table. Neely spends greasy. Thank you so much for being here today.

Speaker 3: 7:30

Thank you, that was a lovely introduction. We did our homework.

Speaker 1: 7:35

I mean, again, I've been following you for a quite a bit because one thing is, I do love my elites. I think it's awesome, and you especially are so great about sharing so much behind the scenes and not just the highlight reel. So, even though I gave your little bio, please feel free to introduce yourself and tell us who you are from your perspective Awesome.

Speaker 3: 7:58

Yeah, hi everyone, thank you. My name is Neely spends greasy. I am a mom to two little boys Athens, who is almost five, and Rome, who just turned two. I am also also an author. My book came out in 2022 called Breakthrough Women's Running, and I have a coaching business, and we are about to celebrate 10 years of the coaching business with get running. So yeah, lots of stuff going on, lots of fun, exciting things, and I'm going to talk more about it all here today.

Speaker 1: 8:39

Now you've been a lifelong runner because both of your parents were runners as well.

Speaker 3: 8:44

Correct. Yeah, I was born into a family of runners, so I think my introduction to running was a little bit perhaps non-traditional. I just grew up with it. I learned how to ride a bike really young, so that I could keep up with my mom while she was running, and spent the first seven years of my life traveling with my dad who was competing and going to the Olympics and qualifying for the world championships. And it's really cool because I learned that that was all possible and why couldn't I do the same thing? And so here I am and I hope that I can give that same gift to my kids.

Speaker 1: 9:32

I was going to say is it a different perspective now having kids of your own, having grown up with athletes, as parents as well?

Speaker 3: 9:42

Totally yeah. And my husband and I, we don't require our kids to run or expect that they'll have the same passions that we have. We just really want them to see and learn that having a passion that is healthy and good for your body, good for your lifestyle, is really important, and so, whatever it is that they choose, we will fully support. It's just, you know, we hope that they can take what they learn from our passions and apply it to their own.

Speaker 1: 10:12

Absolutely. I love that. And now one thing too as an elite, you have been working with Adidas for a long time and you've talked so highly about how they supported you through your pregnancy and really they really were part of that team. So I'd love for you to talk about, because I know we've seen a lot on social media about when you were pregnant with your first and then pregnant with your second. How has that been? Because you were able to run a little bit with your first, correct.

Speaker 3: 10:42

Yeah. So with my first I ran through about halfway and then I started to have a lot of SI joint pain with running just with that, you know, shift in your center of gravity and so I ended up stopping running because it was just like I could run but then like I couldn't be a functioning human for the rest of the day, and so I decided, okay, I need to let go of running so that I can just like walk around and like actually accomplish normal day to day tasks. So that was a pretty hard transition. I never taken that amount of time off ever since I started running back when I was 13. So I ended up taking about six months away from running between my time pregnant and then the postpartum recovery phase, and so that was a really hard time for my body because I think that I just spent like years being a highly fit elite athlete and here I was not running at all, which was mentally challenging. But then physically my body was changing so much and so it was just a lot of change, a lot of emotions surrounding that, but ultimately having a healthy baby at the end was the big goal and we were very successful there. And then my body was definitely a little bit stressed on the other side of it as well, and so getting back into running wasn't as smooth of a transition as I would have hoped.

Speaker 3: 12:25

And so, yeah, like you mentioned Adidas, I signed a contract with them in 2015, got pregnant the end of 2017.

Speaker 3: 12:35

And they stuck with me through the end of my five-year contract, supporting me throughout those years of pregnancy and that postpartum time that didn't go according to plan, and so, yeah, I was super grateful Whenever I was pregnant with Athens.

Speaker 3: 12:53

This was all before the dream maternity movement that we've seen in sport over the past few years, and so they really didn't have to do any of the things that they did, and now it's becoming a little bit more commonplace and contracts are actually having some support for pregnancy and postpartum built into them, but this was not a thing back in 2018 when Athens was born, and so I feel like they were a little bit ahead of the curve and they weren't part of. The brands now who have made those changes were kind of forced into it due to negative PR, and I feel like Adidas deserves a little shout out there, so I have not been sponsored with them since 2020. However, they've sent me some gear, and it's the brand that I've continued to run in, and I buy their shoes, I buy their clothes for my kids, and so it's a company that I feel good about and that's important to me.

Speaker 1: 14:02

I mean I bought Adidas after all of it because I was excited.

Speaker 3: 14:06

You got it girl.

Speaker 1: 14:06

Thank you, I'm not even going to shy away from that, like I was like, all right, I'm like they're legit me cool. I'm like let's go ahead and let's let's support Adidas a little bit, let's let's give them a shout, but no, I think that's really special. I love that you notate that it was before. It was the thing that had to slash should be done. It was just within them. And because, well, I'm a mom, moming is my love language. I can definitely talk about it all day. But, going back to our initial bio, you also speak the love language of Coach Christine, because she is a run Disney fanatic I am and I have so many questions about that.

Speaker 2: 14:50

But I'm not going to lie. I have a lot of questions about this mile record with the stroller. I mean a thousand questions because, to be honest, for myself to get motivated in the morning, it's pretty much a miracle if I'm willing to like actually get my hair brushed, even throwing it into a ponytail got for a run. So the matter of like training with a stroller adds a whole layer of just that assery that I want to give you kudos for. But I want to know all the questions like does Rome also have a Guinness World Record at this point? Because it's not, it's not just you. He was along or along for the ride. Shall we say yeah?

Speaker 3: 15:23

totally. I know it's funny. I kind of think that they should include the kids name but they don't. There was like nothing really surrounding the child. I like I didn't even literally have to use my own child, which was kind of odd to me. So, yeah, it's just my name. That will go on the record book for this year once everything is kind of verified and that's going to take a couple months here just to get all of the information over that. They need to make sure that we checked off every box and you know they have to review video footage and you know I had to get a ton of signatures from the officials there and the timers and two witnesses to confirm that what I said I did, I actually did.

Speaker 2: 16:16

Oh wow, what made you decide that this was something that you wanted to partake in as a goal?

Speaker 3: 16:22

Yeah. So last summer I read an article in Runners World about a man who ran with his son and broke the Guinness World Record for the mile. And actually a friend of mine sent me the article and he was like, oh my gosh, check this out. And I was like, wow, that's amazing. And he's like, what's the women's record? And I was like I don't know. I never even thought to look it up and at the time I think it was 609.

Speaker 3: 16:50

And I was like I'm pretty sure I've already done that, just in training, pushing my kids around the neighborhood, so I wasn't as concerned about the time. And then it since had gotten broke and it was 557, which was the mark that I was chasing these last months. And so I basically I went on Guinness and I was like you know what I'm just going to like sign up and see if they will accept my interest in creating an attempt at this record. And they did. I didn't know how hard that process would be and it takes a couple weeks. I think it can take up to three months to get accepted to attempt and chase down a record, and then they send you a 30 page document of all these things you have to do to make sure that the record can be validated, and so that was the part that was really stressful was like OK, well, I know I can run the time, so like can I check off all these boxes and like get through the red tape to like make sure that's actually an official record.

Speaker 1: 18:02

Well, and I saw that you have to keep one hand on the stroller at all times due to the speed and doing it on the track and everything. I saw that you did it with both hands. But I have to laugh like what would have happened if, like, oh, a snack went awry. Like did he have snacks in the stroller or was it just like OK, like I have enough going on between everything else. Like you're just going to have to sit.

Speaker 2: 18:25

Yeah, for five minutes Right.

Speaker 3: 18:27

You know Rome is so used to the stroller. We have spent hours and hours and hours and hours together running and you know my older one, he kind of needed distractions, he needed snacks, he needed the iPad, he needed, you know, toys or me to sing a song or play. I spy Like he needed constant engagement in the stroller. Rome doesn't. He's totally fine. He loves just looking around. You know he'll point out different things bird, dog, bus, you know but he really enjoys the time in the stroller and he's totally content if we're moving. As soon as we stop he's not happy.

Speaker 3: 19:10

So from the time that he was really little and he could first go in the stroller, I've been pushing him. You know, every week, for multiple days a week We've done up to 11 and a half miles in the stroller and he just hangs out and most of the time he's awake. Like you know, he doesn't really nap in the stroller anymore or anything. So for him, five minutes was a very short run and he was totally fine. He did not have a snack because I didn't want, like a snack cup to go flying or something. But he was obsessed with the drones because we had two drones that were video recording the event and he just thought that was so cool. So the whole time he was just pointing them out to me and I was like, yeah, man, I can't respond right now. They're like you're going to have to just talk to yourself or be with us.

Speaker 1: 20:05

We can't have baby shark on right now. You're just going to have to let mommy focus. Like again, not even six minutes, Like come on.

Speaker 2: 20:13

This is clutch time, so actually I'm seeing the gear that you wore for that you had, and again, a big shout out to Adidas, because it looks like those you're wearing their shoes and it's amazing stroller, and that's about as much. As I know is just that this is pretty cool fashion and that's that's it Like. That's like all I know about being a mom. This looks pretty sporty, so we'll go ahead and include a link to this on your Instagram for the coaching business, because I'm sure folks have questions about it. What made you choose these specific items?

Speaker 3: 20:45

Totally so. The shoes are what I've run and trained in, the Adidas out of zero pro three. So that's what I've been competing in for the past year and they are carbon shoe and so they've just worked really well for me and it felt like you know that was the shoe of choice, without a doubt. The outfit I wore my own shorts that I like to run in and train in that were also Adidas, and then the top. So I partnered with Guava family, which is most known for their Lotus bassinet crib, the travel crib that can be either a bassinet or a crib that you can take with you and it's like been ranked the top travel crib for years for kids.

Speaker 3: 21:48

And so I'd heard of their company before and then they reached out to me last year and they're like hey, you know, we just had a stroller hit the market. We'd love to get you know it in your hands, because we see that like you run with a stroller and you're a mom and you're an influencer and elite athlete and everything. And I was like awesome, that sounds great. I was like also, I just applied to try and break the world record and if the stroller works for me like, I want to use it, and they were.

Speaker 3: 22:16

They had no idea at that point and they're like, oh my gosh, this is amazing. And so I think the whole partnership blossomed into something bigger than you know either of us imagined, and so they were really a big part of this record attempt. Supporting me, they're the ones that got the camera crew out there so that we could have the footage required by Guinness. They had done some really nice PR work with me. We've done a couple of photo shoots together, and so they created the jersey for me that said world record attempt. And then Rome had a shirt on that said my mom breaks records, and I was like well, now I have to break it because it starts a lie.

Speaker 3: 23:03

So that was pretty fun and yeah, they kind of picked out the whole like ensemble so that we would kind of match and coordinate and match with the world record, match with the stroller and what would look best in photos and everything. That was kind of how my whole outfit came about. But they were very cognizant of what are you going to be comfortable in, what brands do you want? And we'll work with you to make sure that you feel good and what we choose.

Speaker 1: 23:35

I always say that's the one purchase. I never regretted my stroller and that's why I always tell parents I'm like get a stroller that you genuinely like because it can be a life saver, even if it's not a jogging stroller, but I do love jogging stroller. Again, that's the one thing I had on my registry that I'm like listen, I'm getting one. No one's going to pop my little bevel Totally. So I love that. Not only were they a great brand to work with, but I love that you genuinely do love the stroller as well. And if, hey, if it can go up to a world record in a mile, I'm going to say it's probably going to be sufficient for the everyday runner as well.

Speaker 2: 24:14

And it's a reasonably priced Like. It doesn't appear to be like ridiculous. It feels like a reasonable price for strollers. Again, with my limited experience, coach will have to tell me.

Speaker 3: 24:23

No, the stroller market is hot right now and, yeah, it's totally, you know, very competitive price for what you get, and for me is I've tried multiple brands of running strollers over the years and for me, the guava Rome stroller or OAM unlike my son or me, the guava stroller it collapses 30% smaller than its competitors, and so that's huge, because, as a mom, my trunk is full of stuff and so I need to be able to put my stroller in, but I also have a million other things that need to go in the trunk, and so it's really nice that it doesn't take up the entire trunk space, so I just keep it in the back of my car so that when we're out and about, I can use the stroller, and it switches really easily right at the handlebars from wheel lock to swivel wheel so that you can stroll around or you can run in it, and that's been a really nice feature too.

Speaker 3: 25:28

So, yeah, the stroller has worked great for our family and I've been really pleased, really impressed. They definitely engineered it really well and have dialed in a lot of little details that go a long way when it's something that you're using so frequently.

Speaker 1: 25:45

Yeah, well, and I, it's one of those, I, I, my chapter of having kids is now closed, but I'm like man, I'm like can I borrow? Like a World Record attempt, Can I borrow somebody else's kids so I can get the stroller?

Speaker 2: 25:55

and you've got a ringer.

Speaker 1: 25:56

You literally have a ringer roam like is a pro, just like rent him out. So that way you can just rent out both your kids like you want a World Record attempt, I've got the sitter for you? I'm thinking not at all creepy, but it leads me to. So you kind of stumbled on this World Record by happenstance. Do you have other ones that you're eyeing? Or was this kind of more of like a one off fun challenge and closing that door?

Speaker 3: 26:26

You know, this is the one that spoke to me the most at this point, primarily because of the ease of being able to complete it on a track. The challenge is that forgiveness to you know verify the record. Like I mentioned already, you have to video record the entire thing, and in a road race, that is so much more challenging because you have to have someone on a bike with you and it is hard enough to get a race director to allow you to run with a stroller. In a race, much less Now. You have to have your own bike person that is filming you the whole time, and so it's just a lot more complicated.

Speaker 3: 27:09

And so for me, this one, our friend that we went to college with, he and his wife do an all comers summer track series in Denver, and so they had the timing system, they had the meat, they had everything set up.

Speaker 3: 27:26

He created this event for me as part of his meat and you know, it just was so much easier than trying to figure out all those other details. So while, yes, I could most likely go and run the 5k, and you know, the 10k and the half marathon and all that, you know it's pretty complicated and I have a lot of other stuff going on, so this was a good one for me to be like all right, let's go, let's knock this off. It's really exciting, it's very meaningful, it's very special. And then you know we have this title together and you know, hopefully, that it is inspiring other parents out there who pursue their own goals, to show their kids how you know you can still work hard and run down goals even after becoming a parent, and I think that you know it's really special when you get to share in a passion that you have with your children alongside of you. And so for me, it had a lot more meaning, just beyond me becoming a world record holder.

Speaker 2: 28:42

I mean I absolutely love that, but I also love that I feel like that opens up a conversation about. In your book you do actually have quite a bit of discussion around goals and you have a PDF actually on your website that I love. It's on start, stop and continue. Could you share a little bit more about that, because I feel like these are very like three very simple questions in achieving a goal. That should be considered and Coach Shelby and I talk about this a lot when you sign up for races and you're excited about it, but you don't necessarily think about the training that goes into that specific race or whatever the goal may be. So I'd love you to kind of help us uncover a little bit more about your stop, start and continue.

Speaker 3: 29:24

Totally yeah. So this was something that we actually took from my co-author, her other book that she wrote called Rebound, and it was a lot about like how to recover from an injury as an athlete, and I really thought this one was so helpful, and so we were able to adapt it into our book Breakthrough, where we talk about okay, if you are at the beginning of a season or at the end of a season or you're considering trying to come up with a new goal for yourself, think about this what are you doing right now? What should you start doing that you're not doing? What should you stop doing that you're currently doing? That's not helping you, and what should you continue doing? Because that's good stuff and keep it rolling. And I think that is really good whenever you are figuring out goals for yourself.

Speaker 3: 30:22

And so, yeah, for me, when I was thinking about this goal of mine and it was like all right, I run with a stroller, I'm a mom, I have a kid who likes the stroller, I have a great stroller and a company who will support this effort, and so it just felt like a very natural goal for me. But one of the things that I had to start that I had never done before was doing track workouts with the stroller, because typically I do my workout and my long run by myself and those are the two days a week that I kind of dedicate without the stroller. I'm focused, I'm doing my own thing and then the other days, on my easy runs, I'll fill in with stroller miles. But I don't typically go to the track and do a workout with the stroller. But I needed to learn how to handle the stroller around the curves, how the stroller would manage at that pace and everything. So I had to start doing these track sessions.

Speaker 3: 31:24

So the three weeks leading in to the stroller race, the stroller record attempt, I did 8x200 on the track and then I did 8x400 on the track and then I actually did a mile time trial where I ran 545 on the track to just get the feel for how the stroller would manage and maneuver and what I needed to do. And so that was really helpful for me and I was. I was kind of able to dial in and figure out like what would work and what wasn't working. And for the one thing that I really learned was at that pace on the turns I really had to do two hands and when I'm just running and pushing the stroller on an easy run at eight minute pace or whatever, I have just one hand on the stroller and I kind of switch back and forth between hands, alternate, whatever, but at that pace I had to have both hands on. So I ran 524 for the mile with no arms, just my legs, because I had to have both hands on to keep this stroller in control and steady, extraordinary.

Speaker 2: 32:35

And I love how, just while that helped you in achieving a Guinness World Record, this is a principle that I feel like we could all use, because I'm automatically thinking like for me to achieve my goals this summer, I probably need to quit watching Netflix until like 10 o'clock at night. Granted, that makes getting up earlier a little harder, so I need to start getting out those for those early morning friends to avoid the stroller, Avoid that hot summer kind of humidity. So I absolutely love that principle and I do want to point out and call out right here now that you still have autographed copies that we can include a link to on your website, and it does appear that it's also available on Amazon.

Speaker 1: 33:11

Yes, correct, Amazons like the mom sanctuary. I feel like it is.

Speaker 2: 33:18

And it's always so exciting to have an autographed copy as well. So, like I mean, both are amazing. I know that for me, for sure, amazon's without being a mom is definitely a go to, but it's so much fun to have an autographed copy, so we'll include both things as well, and actually currently, right now, they cost the same.

Speaker 3: 33:33

So it's a there's there's no difference between buying on Amazon versus getting an autographed copy directly from me at the moment. So as we click add to cart, yeah, exactly.

Speaker 1: 33:46

No, but I really appreciate it Talking about the different ups and downs and kind of the troubleshooting it went through, because I think and I'll speak from my own experience what, after having my daughter and getting back into running and even now, almost six years in, I feel like I'm constantly troubleshooting and I think sometimes we can get in our own heads of it gets as hard. This is a struggle, Like, is it just me, Is it everybody? So it is reassuring just to again always have that extra rubber stamp of like no, it's just freaking hard and it's just harder in different aspects, whether you do this for a living or if you're doing it recreationally. But I do love your outlook with it and kind of breaking it down into actionable items. So it doesn't seem like you're stopping 15 things. It's like OK, let's break this down and really just make it these bite size chunks to make the changes, not just make yet another list and get overwhelmed and not really start from there.

Speaker 3: 34:53

Absolutely. I think that's like important in everything that you do is, you know, kind of taking a step back and then figuring out, OK, what's the obvious next step, and taking it one thing at a time. And you know, as a coach, I really work with my athletes on that approach, because it's very overwhelming when you make a goal and then it's like all right, day one of training and I am starting here and I have to get all the way to here in these four months and that's overwhelming and stressful. And so what I do is I only let my athletes see two weeks of training at a time so that they can't get too far ahead of themselves and stressed and overwhelmed. And then we kind of talk about like, OK, you're just focusing on what each run is building on the next one. Each workout is preparing you for what next week's workout is going to be. Each long run is just slowly inching up your strength and endurance. We do the same thing.

Speaker 1: 35:51

It's like don't get 16 weeks down the road because you're going to start sweating, Exactly.

Speaker 3: 35:57

And you know I'm currently taking a break from running right now after the Stroller mile attempt. I haven't run in nine days and when I start back, that first run of four miles is going to feel terrible, and I know it will. It always does, and I've been doing this for 20 years and it's always that like wow, how does four miles feel terrible when I can run, you know, 80 miles a week when I'm normally training? And so it's all about just those baby steps, and I think that we can apply that to everything, not just running.

Speaker 1: 36:29

No, absolutely, and I love that again normalizing that. You need a break in your body, needs a break Mentally. We need a break. There's a lot of different things, but that leads me into something that I'm excited for. I've read a couple of different places that you're shooting for the Olympic trials in Orlando. You're going to be in our neck of the woods in 2024.

Speaker 3: 36:51

I am I am super excited. I ran the California International Marathon last December and ran my personal best of 230, and I qualified for my fourth Olympic trials, which will be held in Orlando in February. So can't wait, super stoked.

Speaker 1: 37:12

Yes, you'll be in our neck of the woods with all of our heat and humidity and our loveliness. Well, that means she tackled it already in February. True.

Speaker 2: 37:21

Princess, just a little little different, 26.2 that you'll get to explore in Orlando. I am curious what leading up to it are you most excited about?

Speaker 3: 37:36

Well, for me, I guess I have a little bit of not the best history when it's come to the Olympic trials. So my first Olympic trials I qualified for in the 5K in 2012,. I was still in college at the time and then I was graduating just the month before the trials would have been held and I ended up getting a stress fracture in my foot. I missed the Olympic trials that year, but, you know, at that point I was like, hey, I still have lots of years ahead of me. It's sad, but I went on and ran a bunch of PRs and had a really good fall of trainings and racing that year. So it was one of those that, like you know, I kind of all made up for it and I was like I wouldn't have made the team at that point. I would have, you know, just been trying to, like, make it through to the final or whatever. And so in 2016, I had the opportunity to chase down the Olympic trials again. I qualified, you know, but this time for the marathon, and it would have been my first marathon ever, would have been the Olympic trials, and I was coming off of a fall racing season. My last race was October 31st and then the Olympic trials were in February and I just did not. I ran a really good race but midway through that race I stepped funny on a manhole cover on the course and around miles I broke my foot and I was like I finished the race, I ran a PR and everything, but I had to take a month off after that and like no running at all and then I was on the anti-gravity treadmill and anyways, it was just gonna be this like really rushed season, trying to get back to run my first ever marathon, which didn't make sense. So I ended up running Boston instead.

Speaker 3: 39:46

So I gave myself two more months of training and that's where I was the top American at Boston and it kind of catapulted my career in terms of coaching, because now I went from being okay, well, we know she knows how to run a 5K and a 10K and a half marathon, but now she knows how to run the marathon and so I had a bunch of people who were super interested in coaching at that point. So I doubled my coaching clients and that just really took off. And it also is something that you know is still one of my top accolades today, which is really special just because of how meaningful and historical the Boston marathon is in the running community. So I think it all worked out for the best.

Speaker 3: 40:29

And then 2020, I was coming off of postpartum with my first son and he was just over a year old at that point and I didn't really think I was gonna make it. And around November of 2019, I started to have some good runs and I was like, ah, you know, maybe I should just give it a try, just qualify, just see if I can do it. And I put in eight weeks of work and I ran the Houston marathon and qualified off of, you know, not a ton of training.

Speaker 3: 41:08

However, it pretty much destroyed my body to do that, and so I couldn't turn around and then five weeks later run another marathon, which was the Olympic trials. So, anyways, I feel like there's a little bit of that like cursed magic that's occurring for me when it comes to competing at the Olympic trials. I seem to be able to qualify really well, and so this time everything is kind of going much more smoothly with qualifying, you know, year over, a year out from the race, having you know a long time to be able to prepare and organize and get ready, fitness wise, without rushing, without injuries and all of that. So I think this is gonna be my year where I actually get to line up and start and finish. I'm in the marathon at the Olympic trials.

Speaker 2: 42:01

So we're definitely gonna be there cheering because I am a tech of a scientist.

Speaker 1: 42:05

As soon as they sat there and they said it was gonna be an Orlando, I'm like I can make that drive. I can make it happen. Can't run that far to Orlando, but I can drive.

Speaker 2: 42:16

Yeah, you never know, Maybe it'll tris in your future coach. You never know. So I'm hearing a lot of tenacity in this specific goal and a lot of like grittiness and having to get through it. But I'm curious, if you don't mind us asking this is there some fear Like I'm a super, super? I am a superstitious individual and I think I would have a lot of fear around this?

Speaker 2: 42:36

Are you, like I don't know, changing out those socks, the pairs of socks that you use, like I'm not gonna use that brand anymore? Or do you feel like you've done enough of work around the fact that life sometimes just hands us a little bit of a different expectation of what we would like it to be?

Speaker 3: 42:50

Yeah, you know, we're having a totally different place in my approach to running than I've ever been in all those other Olympic trials years. I'm not forcing it to happen anymore, I'm just having fun with it. I'm letting it come to me and I think I've dialed in exactly kind of the right amount of seriousness that I need to train and compete really well but to not have it be really tied to my identity in any way. For me now, like I kind of consider myself like equal parts elite runner slash mother runner, slash influencer for other runners, and so I don't have, you know, this pressure surrounding like oh, you know, this is how I pay the bills is if I run well or I don't, and I've just really found that this is just like a passion of mine. It's just something that I really enjoy doing and it's fun for me and it's nice to be good at what you enjoy. But it's not everything.

Speaker 2: 44:08

Ooh, that is very powerful, I think, for everybody rolling through here to take into account again, with running as something that we should come to from a place of enjoyment partly. I mean, hard work is fun and challenging ourselves is fun, but still finding ways to add a little bit of whimsy, which brings us very naturally to run Disney, because I can't think of anything more whimsical than that. How much confetti did you have when you crossed that finish line? It was the best.

Speaker 1: 44:33

Are you still picking it out of your hair?

Speaker 3: 44:36

I loved the whole atmosphere from Disney was so cool. And I'll be honest, like before I had kids, I was kind of like confused as to why adults liked Disney. I was like that's kind of strange, isn't it? Like I don't know, I didn't really understand the obsession with Disney and everything. And then once I had kids, when Athens was won, my in-laws are really into Disney and so we went to Disney with them for four days and we wore matching shirts and we did all the things and we got the Mickey bubble maker and we had so much fun and I was like, okay, I get it. Like it felt really magical, even as an adult and getting to see it through my kids' eyes and everything. But this was Running Princess.

Speaker 3: 45:28

Last year was my first run Disney event and I loved it. It was just so fun. It was the perfect blend of really well-organized, very good structure but fun and low stress, and to me that was so important to have that because I feel like that's like exactly where I'm at in my running at this phase of my career, so it just fit me really well and there were just some really nice things that I've never dressed up for a race before and I ran the 10K in a 2-2. And I was like this was awesome. I ran a 34-minute 10K wearing a 2-2. Like this is so cool.

Speaker 3: 46:22

And I wore a little like a little bit of a little bit of a silk march bra or a puffed pant, you know more, a little like Moana necklace and flower in my hair for the half marathon. I just well matched the Princess that the race was, since that seemed to be easy and didn't take a ton of actual thought behind what I'm like, what I was doing, and that that brings a lot of value to me as a runner because I've done all the big, serious, you know, focused, competitive things and I would just need to like have the time to run hard, push myself, compete well, but also just enjoy it and smile when I'm out there. And so having the bands, having the mcs, the fireworks, the confetti I mean it really couldn't get better than that and I think we're seeing that movement as a whole though through American women's distance running.

Speaker 1: 47:36

It seems like the everybody in the field not everybody, but a lot of the women in the field are embracing that, breaking the mold of what it has to look like and even even just doing a ultra because it seems like a fun idea, or doing the run, disney races, or doing the strollers, it's all of those little parts and we always say here, like you can't run without fun, and it's nice to see, on even the grander scale, those same principles being applied and kind of again breaking that mold of what it has to look like to be a runner at any level. And it all does have a trickle effect all the way down to somebody who never thought they could be a runner and they're like all right, well, maybe, maybe I could like, if they're out having fun, they're wearing a tutu and they're doing this, why couldn't I? So it's changing the narrative, not only within the industry but I think within just every day to day runners lives, of what we can do versus what we think we're supposed to do yeah, I would agree.

Speaker 2: 48:43

That's definitely an evolution that we've seen. That's exciting to see it continue with. That said, we want to be so. I mean we could talk to you for hours, there's no doubt about it. So we are. We are going to be respectful that we can't keep you here forever, but we are looking forward to cheering you on in Orlando 2024. We have one last question for you. It's very important around here because, again, this is our touch of whimsy we have a debate team suite versus team savory, team captain over there for brunch, of course, since that's the name of the of the actual podcast. When you're having a brunch, after maybe celebrating a run, disney win or a Olympic trial qualifying or breaking a world record, do you tend to gravitate towards something like sweet, like french toast? Are you more over in? Coach shall be side with like a bagel sandwich.

Speaker 3: 49:30

I, I'm usually sweet all the way. Um, to be honest, I am definitely a pancake waffle, french toast kind of person. Um, so yeah, if I get brunch, um, that's, that's the way I'm gonna go every time.

Speaker 1: 49:45

You may have broken coach shall be's heart, but it's okay, all right, I have a follow-up question because I need to have some dignity. How do you take your coffee? Um, just with cream? All right, I can, I can roll with that. So you and definitely I'm more like.

Speaker 3: 50:00

I like the normal coffee with the sweeter food. I'm not a big like latte person. It's like overly sweet. So if I get anything other than just like an americano with cream, it's gonna be a.

Speaker 2: 50:12

It's gonna be a chai yeah, oh, that's a good one, but americano is definitely a go to for me as well.

Speaker 1: 50:17

Yes, well as long as you drink coffee.

Speaker 2: 50:19

That's really all that matters. That's where we find our and I get like our middle grounds. Thank you so much for joining us.

Speaker 3: 50:25

It's such a pleasure and I feel like, again, folks go out and add this book to your cart, because I am already fascinated by so many great things that you are including in it thank you, I really appreciate that and that was kind of the goal for the book was that hopefully, you know, each reader could find something out of there that would be beneficial and help them as they worked towards whatever their next goal was. So each chapter is kind of its own thing and something that can help you become a stronger and better athlete. So we talk about goal setting, nutrition, strength training, breathing while running, mindset, pregnancy and postpartum running, female athlete hormones, and then there's also four training plans in the book. So if you're looking for okay, I want to try and run a 5k, there's a 5k training plan in there that you can follow along. So hopefully you know you guys can take a peek. If you look on amazon, they actually share some sample pages and we have 45 star reviews oh, phenomenal, phenomenal.

Speaker 2: 51:36

It feels like we need to have a book club with it, so we will.

Speaker 3: 51:39

We will be discussing that.

Speaker 2: 51:42

Well, again, thank you so much. Okay, Coach, I have to be honest. How hard was it not to fangirl throughout that entire conversation?

Speaker 1: 51:50

I was pretty proud of myself but like, can you understand? I mean, I know you do understand, but can you see why I really just have a love for some of these elites? Like just the realness. And again, like I said, breaking down what it looks like to be an elite, what it looks like to be a runner, there are a lot of them are so much more than what you get to see in a two hour race or in some cases of five minute and change mile. And I think it just makes me feel even more secure with my own running that we all have those different times and they're doing their part as these professional athletes to really break the mold and it does have that trickle effect. So I just I don't think I'll ever not love my elites.

Speaker 2: 52:41

Yeah, I don't see that ever being something you don't love. For sure it is. You get starry eyed and it's definitely something I feel like. You with elites is like me. Getting to see the evil step sisters at Disney World, I like, am giddy and like run to them. I don't know that price is a lot about my personality, but they are the best. You never get to see the evil twins, Okay, anyway, neither here nor there.

Speaker 1: 53:06

But it's just and nearly especially again, I followed her before she was a mom, after she had her first son, after she had her second son and I think there is just an extra added lettable of kinship there to see the trials and the ups and the downs. No pun intended, but the trials. But, and her being so open to talk about the less than starry portions, like with the OTQs, the Olympic Trial Qualifiers, having qualified and not made it to the line healthy, it's a whole different set of ups and downs and how she keeps picking herself back up, and it reminds me as a recreational runner that they have them and they do the sort of living they train, day in, day out, months and weeks on end, and they still have those hiccups. So it teaches me to be a little bit kinder to myself when I have my hiccups to where it doesn't make this unrealistic standard as starry-eyed, it brings it down to where, like shall we check yourself before you wreck yourself?

Speaker 2: 54:16

So did you feel that in your running journey that it is easier for elites when talking to them helps you to kind of see that, or following them helps you to see that it's as much of a struggle for them? I'm just curious on that.

Speaker 1: 54:31

For me? Yes, I really do. I think it kind of goes back to old knowledge like Misery Loves Company, like I don't wish them to have hard times, but I think them being able to be open about the hard times, it's kind of like social media. That's why my whole feed is cultivated and people who do keep it real. They share the good, they share the bad and it just normalizes the life happens. You get poop sandwiches sometimes. Other times it's a regular sandwich. Hopefully, before you bite into it, you know it's just, it's all of that. And I am so good at being so hard on my own self. I hold myself to such a high standard and, in the grand scheme of things, my running is only for me. It's not how I make my livelihood, it's not how I support my family. I mean, yes, I have, we have the podcast and it's about running, but my physical running there's no, there's nothing that's gonna make the world stop turning on my physical running that I should be that hard on myself.

Speaker 2: 55:36

Interesting, interesting. I do want you to know that because of your poop sandwich, I will always have trust issues when Nutella sandwich is now moving forward. So we may need you to start creating a new analogy, or I may have to lose my team sweet captain role because I'm just like, oh, poop sandwich.

Speaker 1: 55:54

Don't take stranger danger sandwiches then.

Speaker 2: 55:57

You're one. I'm always gonna take stranger dangers Like that may be my world record. Like how many can I recklessly consume at races? And I'm so curious we need to start asking, when we have an opportunity to have the elites here, if they've ever taken, at a casual race, something from a stranger. I'm so curious on that. I don't think so for some reason.

Speaker 1: 56:18

I think they do very many casual races though they have to.

Speaker 2: 56:22

I mean, we even read about it in Dez's book, where she rekindled her love for running by doing casual races. Yeah, but you have to figure. Their casual race pace is yeah, but it's still not their all out effort race. They could still stop in for a twizzler. I'm just saying.

Speaker 1: 56:41

That's where you are right. I'll make you a deal. The next elite we have on. Christine, you can make that the icebreaker question.

Speaker 3: 56:48

Okay, we love all your commissions.

Speaker 1: 56:49

But really tell us, do you ever take twizzlers from strangers? I just do for you.

Speaker 2: 56:55

And if you haven't, why not? Cause I think it would change your entire experience. With that said, friends, we're looking forward to hearing from you on what Guinness World Record holding title you either have or you would want to gain, or maybe something you want to utilize. A little bit of Neely's stop start and continue to help you in gaining your own world record. Regardless of that, though, we are so excited that you guys joined us for this conversation and, as always, we can't wait to hear from you in the community page, so drop on in and say hello to us over there. If you're going to shout us out on social media, we love you for it, but use that hashtag TF brunch so that we can follow it. See you like it. Show you some love to celebrate all of the miles that you're racking up as well, and we want to give you a big high five for such an amazing workout.

Speaker 2: 57:44

Make sure that you rehydrate and refuel, because Team Sweet is on point this particular weekend for sure. Humble brag, no humble brag there. Friends, I am super excited. I'm gonna take it. Don't forget to come back and check out our quick bites on Wednesday. And then, of course, we have quite possibly the most fun workout specific long run next weekend. You guys are gonna want to definitely tune in for that Friday. Oh, my goodness, I think I've now run it like two times. I'm already looking forward to going out and doing it again. It is the most fun I've ever had. Let's put it this way it's a safe bet that you're gonna want to do this specific run and workout with us. So until then, we're gonna see you again when it's time for brunch, because we're gonna keep serving up more miles with a side of World Record Smiles.