Have you ever laced up your running shoes and felt that rush of not just endorphins, but companionship? It's a unique blend that guests that the guests in our episode know all too well!
On this episode of Time for Brunch, we sprint through the love story of these two avid runners, exploring how their shared passion for hitting the pavement has reinforced their bond over the decades. From the sparks of a family-arranged first encounter to crossing countless finish lines hand in hand, their narrative is a testament to how couples can find a harmonious stride in both life and love.
But running in sync doesn't come without its hurdles. Balancing family, work, and personal goals can seem like an obstacle race, yet Cheryl and Kyle reveal their strategies for maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle alongside the chaos.
They pass the baton of wisdom, demonstrating how discipline and planning can help navigate the complexities of scheduling, parenting, and carving out precious time for fitness. They also generously share their "Going the Distance" pump-up playlist that you can find here.
As we race through this episode, we hear inspiring tales from another "going the distance" couple, Marion and Mort who remind us that it's never too late to embrace an active lifestyle, and that the pursuit of movement is a daily choice that fuels both the body and spirit. They share the power of movement and gratitude becomes evident, not only in their relationship but in the broader scope of well-being and aging gracefully.
Marion and Mort share their story of intentionally choosing each other and crafting time together built on respect, love, and commitment, along with cultivating an attitude of gratitude.
Join us at the brunch table for a dose of motivation that goes beyond the running track, urging us to chase after our goals, support our partners in theirs, and above all, embrace each day with determination and a thankful heart.
Join the newsletter list for updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Want to become a member of Time for Brunch+ to show your support of the show? Join here.
Join the Brunch community on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
Have you ever laced up your running shoes and felt that rush of not just endorphins, but companionship? It's a unique blend that guests that the guests in our episode know all too well!
On this episode of Time for Brunch, we sprint through the love story of these two avid runners, exploring how their shared passion for hitting the pavement has reinforced their bond over the decades. From the sparks of a family-arranged first encounter to crossing countless finish lines hand in hand, their narrative is a testament to how couples can find a harmonious stride in both life and love.
But running in sync doesn't come without its hurdles. Balancing family, work, and personal goals can seem like an obstacle race, yet Cheryl and Kyle reveal their strategies for maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle alongside the chaos.
They pass the baton of wisdom, demonstrating how discipline and planning can help navigate the complexities of scheduling, parenting, and carving out precious time for fitness. They also generously share their "Going the Distance" pump-up playlist that you can find here.
As we race through this episode, we hear inspiring tales from another "going the distance" couple, Marion and Mort who remind us that it's never too late to embrace an active lifestyle, and that the pursuit of movement is a daily choice that fuels both the body and spirit. They share the power of movement and gratitude becomes evident, not only in their relationship but in the broader scope of well-being and aging gracefully.
Marion and Mort share their story of intentionally choosing each other and crafting time together built on respect, love, and commitment, along with cultivating an attitude of gratitude.
Join us at the brunch table for a dose of motivation that goes beyond the running track, urging us to chase after our goals, support our partners in theirs, and above all, embrace each day with determination and a thankful heart.
Join the newsletter list for updates, special offers, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
Want to become a member of Time for Brunch+ to show your support of the show? Join here.
Join the Brunch community on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.
Time for brunch. Empower, inspire, connect. Ignite your journey.
Speaker 2:Hello friend, welcome to the Love in Motion series on Time for Brunch. I'm your host, coach Christine, and I'm sprinting through the airwaves to bring you tales of romance that go the extra mile. How many puns can we get into one episode? Let's see. Well, this February, as Cupid laces up his running shoes, we're exploring love stories that are more than just a quick sprint. They're marathons of the heart. We've got two couples from the brunch community who truly understand that love isn't just a race, it's a relay. We're passing the baton means sharing dreams, goals and the occasional energy gel. First we'll meet Cheryl and Kyle, who not only run together but also pace their lives to the rhythm of each other's heartbeats. They're planning to rock Indie together, with their eyes set on Boston next year. Talk about a couple who knows that love is a journey. Enough from me. Let's go ahead and bring them on in and welcome to the Time for Brunch table. Hey, christine and Kyle, hello, glad to have you here as well.
Speaker 3:Thank you, Christine.
Speaker 2:So, friends, I know that you guys have quite a bit of connection to the community. They've been able to support you along your journeys, but we want to get to know you just a little bit more. So how about you guys first share a little bit about how you two met?
Speaker 4:You want to take it. Well, we joke that we haven't arranged a marriage. Our families have known each other for a long time and our moms traveled together. When I was a teenager Kyle was in early 20s at that point maybe, but my mom had always told his mom that she hoped that maybe I would get to know one of her boys better one day. She's like I wouldn't mind if Cheryl ended up with one of your boys. To Kyle's mom she was like oh yeah, cheryl's a nice girl Anyway. So we had a little nudging along the way but we ended up sort of dating when I was in high school and I actually asked Kyle out on our first date. But yeah, here we are 25 years later. Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2:So I assume you kind of grew up with each other as a little bit as friends, it sounds like since your parents, since your moms were friends Right. Yeah, we grew up at the same church.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we grew up at the same church, okay, so yeah, we've known each other pretty much our entire life.
Speaker 2:Kyle. So when Cheryl asks you out for the first date, what are you thinking?
Speaker 3:Okay, I mean we had talked about some common interests and some things prior to that, and so so, yeah, it's like, okay, let's go.
Speaker 2:Now, cheryl, you were you dabbled in running at this point already. Were you doing cross country or tracking in high school?
Speaker 4:I had done some like middle school track and field. I didn't run in high school per se, but I kept doing it for exercise in general. So I was maybe going out and running a mile a couple of times a week just in general for exercise. So yeah, just it was just part of kind of what I was doing. And when we started dating, kyle was a swimmer or enjoyed swimming, and I was not any good at swimming and so we started going to the YMCA together and doing he'd swim laps and I'd kick along on a paddle board and but he started running a little bit with me at that time. So, cheryl, Kane-Okay.
Speaker 2:So you both have athletic backgrounds too. It sounds like, and do you feel like, that helped connect the relationship a little bit more, or was it just one of the many commonalities that you guys discovered as you started dating Kyle?
Speaker 3:Lerner, I'd say one of the commonalities there. I do remember the first time that we ran together and I don't remember exactly the distance. I do remember how out of breath I was from her, practically running circles around me at that point. So but yeah, there were a lot of things, I think, between family and church and exercise and several things that I had all kind of worked together, that we, that we just kind of fit.
Speaker 2:So who popped the question to make it official moving from dating into marriage?
Speaker 3:I did that. I did ask her parents for permission before and then, probably less than 48 hours before, I actually proposed to Cheryl, because we were concerned about the word getting out. I won't name which parent was so excited that we contained themselves. But yeah, we tried. We tried to make that window really short, sarah.
Speaker 2:Holt, you know that we all want to know. Now I mean, I have to think, cheryl, it's gotta be your mom, right, cheryl Lerner?
Speaker 4:Yes, yes, the instigator of the arrangement.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Sarah Holt. I mean she was so happy that finally she could say, like I told you, so they were meant to be. Oh, so exciting. So fast forward, 25 blissful years, because I'm sure it's all smooth sailing this entire time. Give us an idea of how, maybe, life changed and how, along the way, running became part of more of your central to your daily lives. I'm going to ask Kyle Kyle.
Speaker 3:Lerner. So we we both kind of found found running in. Maybe five or six years ago. There was a particular event that was was a. It was a 5k fundraiser for for a friend of ours from church who was going through a surgical procedure for double lung transplant, and so we volunteered for that race is in in the timekeeping section and, you know, grabbing the numbers off people's bibs and things like that, and it was like that was really cool, you know. And by the end of the event I'm like man, I kind of wish I would have run it. And so then the next year, go figure, similar procedure.
Speaker 3:Another person within our circle of friends has also going through a lung transplant.
Speaker 3:We have and we have this race and I ran it that time and the boys ran, ran it, cheryl volunteered, and we had some, some friends also in in the group of runners, and one of the friends who later became one of our training partners for for Cheryl's first marathon says to me hey, you kind of look like you knew what you were doing and I'm like I had no idea what I was doing and so, but that encouragement kind of started to push us in that direction and then I ran half marathon in 2019.
Speaker 3:And then we ran the Indie Mini together that same year and then that just kind of took off from there and those goals kind of started to happen and I wanted to get a little faster and then Cheryl wanted to get a little faster and we found that as we learned stuff, that oh there's this, there's this one run of the week that is just you're just out there for a long time, and we got to be able to kind of carve that time out together, even though, you know, I had always kind of been an early morning Exerciser and Cheryl was not as much. But the one thing that that really did work together was Saturday morning, you know, if it's one, two, sometimes three hours Out there doing doing the long run, that that was. That was kind of a time that we kind of carved out together.
Speaker 2:I Mean, and now we're all. Everyone who has been wanting their spouses to run with them, of course, is gonna be incredibly jealous that this is your official date. But how does it work? Like it sounds very romantic, it sounds incredible because you get to talk about the week and, of course, there's that connection that's always formed when we're running together. But is it in theory or is there any kind of little squabbles? I'm gonna ask this of Cheryl. Cheryl, it's okay, we won't tell Kyle.
Speaker 4:So sorry, I missed a little bit of your feet and I had a little bit of a part, so that's okay.
Speaker 2:So my question is it sounds really romantic, but in theory now is it Occasionally, though, there's a few little squabbles or mishaps that happen on these long run dates.
Speaker 4:Um, most of the time the running part is Generally okay. It's usually been getting out the door part. That can be the the crux for us. Like Kyle said, he's the early morning person and I'm the. I tend to snooze once or twice. I try not to, especially if I know he's waiting on me or we've got something else we're doing.
Speaker 4:You know, trying to get that run in at a certain time. But, um, usually that I think that's the only thing. It's like I'm ready to go and the other person is still either Getting their gels together or filling their water bottles or I still need to stretch, you know that kind of thing. But once we get out the door, um, generally you know he pushes me to go a little bit faster. You know he mentioned that maybe when we started running together I was running circles around him, but now it's the other way around and he tends to have a little bit quicker pace than I do. But he pulls it back and runs easy with me when I need to run easy, when I'm looking to kind of push a little bit harder. You know he's he's a good built-in pacer for me.
Speaker 4:So in general the runs themselves have worked out great and we kind of have this understanding now too. You know, we've had a few maybe times where he was pushing and I was like I need to go slower and I was feeling frustrated and we finally just got to the point where we were like you know what, so where? If, if you need to go on, you just say I'm gonna go and I'll say, okay, that's fine. And you know, we've just Figured it out, that you know for us that that's what works for this. But most of the time we stay together the whole time. If our distances don't line up exactly, sometimes our training plans aren't exactly in sync we we use two different programs. Then you know, either he'll start early and I'll catch up with him, or we'll run together and then I come home and he finishes whatever he's doing. If he's doing more, so yeah, but most of the time it it works up pretty well.
Speaker 2:So it feels like the, since you guys said this started about five years ago and, of course, getting in these long runs which, by the way, extraordinary. That within five years you guys already Boston qualified Says so much about your consistency and your dedication. But I'm curious now what does the rest of the family think? Are they tired of you guys talking about running all the time? You're inspiring the boys to come along with you.
Speaker 4:Well, maybe that's the good thing about doing it together, because nobody else wants to talk to us about running. We can talk to each other.
Speaker 4:Absolutely yeah yeah, we we have both of the boys did cross-country in middle school. Neither have really like jumped right in like we have with it. But you know it's been fun, especially with our youngest, who was not an really an athlete at all Decided he thought he would like to try cross-country when he was going into seventh grade and so I actually did couch to 5k with him Leading up to that first season and now he's gone out on a couple of easy runs with me and I'm like, hey, you slow down just a little bit. So you know he's he really kind of took to it and has, you know, enjoyed it and pushed himself as well. So you know they're into it a little bit. They understand you know what it's taking for us to do what we're doing, but yeah, they're not gonna be joining us for any two-hour long runs.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, but I bet it'll be coming. It'll be coming. Yeah. So I'm curious, kyle, you mentioned you're an early morning runner. You get out the door pretty early, I assume during your work week, before you get out to your regular day.
Speaker 2:How does it influence your regular day in terms of getting out those runs? And then I'm curious what Cheryl conversely like, do you get out later in the day? I'll let Kyle you take us through how you get out those for those early morning runs, how you stay motivated and how you get prepped for that. And then I'm curious if, cheryl, you could tell us more about how your running looks during the week.
Speaker 3:I Think the easiest way for motivation for me is I've tried to do it the other way and it's just hard to make it happen. So there are instrument lessons and sports practices and and other parts of life that happen after the work day that it's really hard to fit it in. I Also find for me that I feel better during the run. The earlier in the day it is. It just feels like if I try to go for a run at you know four or five o'clock it just feels like a slog to me. Not that you know running sometimes, when you're getting into the longer distance miles feels that way anyway, but I just feel better. So so what that then means is there's some nights that we're like okay, if you need algebra homework help, the homework helpline closes at 9 30.
Speaker 3:Okay so you know, that's the point where, where dad is cutting things off and take these contacts out and going to bed, so so that does kind of change my day or shift my day a little bit. But getting getting into that routine then Then also, you know, that's just the way that now my kind of my body clock kind of works, is that I wake up early. Even on days I don't have to wake up early, I still wake up early, and and Then that's where it fits for me.
Speaker 2:Okay, and now, cheryl, I have to ask, before you get into how you're running works Does your algebra Hotline last a little longer? Are you going till 10 pm, or do the kids know that you guys are knocking it? You're both closing it down at 9 30.
Speaker 4:Well, once they got past junior high, homework help that pretty much falls to dad's hotline. So yeah, but I will say I feel like that's one of those things that with us has kind of become complimentary. And one of the things I think about our relationship that has been a strength for us is, even when the boys were little, kyle was always very intentional about because he was kind of an early riser that he would get up with the boys, especially like on the weekends. He would let me sleep in and he would, because he was already up, he would get up with our the boys when they were little and kind of let me sleep in, let me take my time getting ready. So that kind of still happens with us even today is that he's going to bed. I'm kind of helping get them wrapped up for the evening, you know anything that they might still need help with, or just prodding them along and you know, and then he's kind of up early in the morning.
Speaker 4:But I'm doing the kind of the late, a little bit later shift with the boys as far as getting them to school, you know, kind of help and clean up with breakfast and stuff, and so then I will, depending on what I have to run.
Speaker 4:Sometimes I'll get up and try to get that done before we start getting ready for school.
Speaker 4:But a lot of times I'm fortunate that I've been able to either work from home or have time off just to be mom, and so my schedule is a little bit more flexible. And now that I have a part-time job so I'm work having to work around that, but it starts a little bit later. So usually I get the boys off to school and then if I need to get a run-in then I'm doing that between Maybe 8 am and 10 am, so still in the morning. And I do agree I feel better when I'm doing it first thing in the morning. I Don't mind getting up and running early in the morning, although right here in January in Indiana it's pretty cold, and so if I have the time to shift it and wait till after they're off to school, then that's when I'm doing it. But you know, if I've got a full day I will get up, you know, and get my run in at maybe 6 am or something, but not nearly as early as Kyle.
Speaker 2:I've been trying to advocate for a runner exchange program, but I don't know that you guys, I necessarily want to qualify with you guys, because you have really hot summers too. So there's no escaping it. You truly have all four seasons and have to get through them all but Exceptional dedication, which is obviously runs through.
Speaker 2:What came first for you both? Is it a chicken versus the egg? Do you feel like your traits? Your value system has consistency and dedication already, and that's why running was a natural fit. Or has that been sharpened through running a bit more? Kyle, what do you?
Speaker 3:think I think there were things that we already had some self-discipline about things. So there was a period maybe I wanna say about 2004-ish that we worked really hard on our personal fitness and we're becoming disciplined about what we were eating and how we were preparing that part of life. So I think that kind of started and then, once running came along, then there were specific goals to shoot for. That kind of then allowed those things to kind of come together. So there was some discipline already there and it was kind of easy to plug that in. I say easy discipline's never really completely easy, but there was already kind of some structure to plug into. And then once it's like, okay, now not only is there some structure to what we're doing, but then there's a goal, there's a race coming up, there's a time we wanna go for, Then it's easier to say, okay, in order to meet that, here's what I need for me, here's what Cheryl needs for her, here's where we're gonna line up, here's where, okay, we need to meet our own objectives.
Speaker 2:I feel like Kyle, you picked up my question, then you're like preemptively answering what I was gonna ask next, which was gonna be as a husband, what advice can you give to other couples who wanna pursue shared goals but struggle to find that balance? And it feels like in that conversation you just really beautifully encapsulated that yes, dedication comes into play, but communication sounds like it's pretty vital and an important role for you both.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's exactly true, and I think one of the things that we learn is there are certain things that each one of us needs and then there are certain things that each one of us that will derail us right. So I'm thinking of we were at the monumental marathon in Indianapolis this last year and I'd crossed the finish line and I was actually talking to another brunturer at the time and we pulled up the tracker to see where Cheryl was and I'm looking at Cheryl's splits and I'm thinking this is gonna be really good, this is gonna end, and my friend says we should go find her and cheer her in and I said, no, that is not what she needs. So, knowing that she needed to focus and didn't need somebody else, all of a sudden yelling from the side and a voice that she would recognize like let her finish, we'll celebrate at the end. So you learn those things about each other and what you need and what you need from the other person to make you successful, and that's part of how this works for us.
Speaker 2:That's so powerful and I feel like talk about a beautiful life lesson that translates to every aspect of your relationship, which is gonna be my next question for Cheryl how do you feel that your shared passion for running has strengthened your relationship with Kyle? I mean, he's touched on it quite a bit, of that communication, getting to know each other, but has there been more?
Speaker 4:Well, I think for both of us we have a little bit of a competitive edge and so a lot of things that we've done together as couples, especially in maybe an athletic realm, it was like, well, she's doing that, so I'm gonna join her. Or I was like, oh well, he really likes that, I'm gonna join him. And so when one we have that shared I don't know not love, but yeah, enjoyment of similar things and taking up something that the other person you know, something that they like and so I think with running, it was kind of started the same way, like, oh well, he's running, oh well, I could do that too. And then he's doing a longer distance, well, I could do that too, you know, and we kind of spurred each other on in that way, and I think it's one of those things that just makes us better each of us, because what we are not comparing my runs to his runs because we are in different places, our bodies are different, what we've been through is different, our mental states are sometimes different, I think, just as a man and a woman we've come at it from different places. But it has given us a lot of time to talk, and sometimes we run and we don't say a whole lot to each other. And then other times it's like we gotta hash out the week, you know, and if nothing else, it's just given us that opportunity to encourage each other along the way.
Speaker 4:Again, like you said, our running dates, you know, it kind of is just some quiet time for the two of us, whether we're talking or not. Just having that opportunity to be out and enjoying that time together has really been, I think, an encouragement in our relationship. You know, and we hear a lot of people who are like I can't believe you both do this, you know, and that you do it together, you know, but there's not really anybody else. I mean, I enjoy running with other friends and things, but to me it's always more fulfilling when we finish something together, even though we don't race at the same time, knowing that we're gonna show up at the finish line and get to greet each other and tell each other. You know how proud we are, regardless of the outcome. You know that's always, I think, a fun part for me at each of the races that we have.
Speaker 2:So I mean I would love to give the credit to running for solidifying this beautiful marriage, but it's very clear that you guys have worked and honed in on all of the skills that it takes to really literally go the distance in the marriage and that just translated to your running. So, absolutely inspiring. Love everything that you guys are saying and, goodness, I can hear the oz from here as people are listening to this. But now maybe we're gonna get into a little bit of how well do you truly know some of the little?
Speaker 3:tiny things in each other there's one where the panic sets in.
Speaker 2:It's okay, take a deep breath. You can do this. You Boston Qualified. You can handle these questions. Okay. So, kyle, do you know what kind of music that Cheryl likes to run to, or if she has a particular favorite song?
Speaker 3:Well, we like to keep it upbeat and we use Cheryl's playlists, so there's a fair amount of let's see. We've done some country caffeine recently. We've done some of the dance type, more upbeat type stuff. So that's about as close as I'm gonna get. That's really good.
Speaker 2:Hey, I don't know half the new artist names at all. So, Cheryl, what usually do you have spun up in your playlist?
Speaker 4:Well, honestly, there are some of the artists that I don't necessarily know, but I'm like, oh, I heard that song and it had a good beat and so I just added it to my playlist. So, yeah, we well, we added some pitbull. That tends to be on there someplace.
Speaker 3:It always makes me run a little faster when pitbull comes on.
Speaker 4:And that's usually what I'm like slow down, wait for me. But I really enjoy a lot of the 80s and 90s dance type music. Will Smith is always popular on my list, I don't know, it's kind of eclectic really. I mean I have everything from rap to Janet Jackson, you know, like in and in between.
Speaker 2:It sounds like you need to share one of these playlists with us, because it sounds incredible.
Speaker 4:So I did one for one of our races. I did decades and it was all female artists from like the 80s, 90s, 2000s, 2010,. And I like just kind of picked any upbeat song that I could find some of my favorites from that time.
Speaker 2:So I mean, I 100% am going to annoy you for that playlist, so that we can share that link. So just so that you're aware, not like you have anything to do like you know train raise a family. Do your job, nothing like that, but still, we want that playlist for sure. Now I'm curious, cheryl do you know if Kyle has maybe a go-to gel fuel that he always has to have, and does he have one that he would never, ever want to consume?
Speaker 4:Yeah, so his favorite right now is the you Can gels and or fuel I guess I don't know that you could exactly call them gels, but yeah, you Can has become his definite favorite. Before that it was the honey stinger, just the plain honey stinger, no flavors. Pretty much anything that has like fruity, gummy flavors he's going to be like. Nah, we did try at one point this crank I think it was crank sports that we joked that. Just pretty much every flavor to me tasted like some form of Mountain Dew.
Speaker 4:It was just super sour. And he's like, yeah, no, don't even, I would rather just go without.
Speaker 2:Are you both using you Can right now or do you have a different gel that you prefer?
Speaker 4:I like the Huma gels, or Huma gels, however you say it. Yeah, those are my and I like. I like a little bit of a fruity flavor. I feel like it makes my mouth water and it makes it easier to get things down, but those are my favorite for consistency and taste.
Speaker 2:Okay, I think you definitely passed the test, kyle. I'm going to bring it back to you again. Is there a specific running gear or running item that you know that Cheryl cannot live without, like if she doesn't have it packed, if you guys make it to your long run and she didn't bring it, she's going to head back home to go grab it, besides running shoes, because obviously we usually always need those.
Speaker 3:So most of what we're going to do is before we get out the door, between what we're wearing. Now I will say that whatever, especially if it's the kind of the bike shorts kind they have to have pockets because we're packing gels, we're packing specific hydrate, hydration, which I usually just bring straight water, but Cheryl will have water and will have some sort of a hydrate with her in addition to then having the gels or whatever. And then we've got, then we got to have music and there's going to be some sort of a belt to help carry all this stuff.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, Okay, that's fair. Now you guys wearing a speaker. Are you wearing like a speaker and playing it out loud? Are you listening to separate headsets?
Speaker 3:We're usually just playing it through our phone.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:So I usually have my headset with me in case we end up splitting up and then I'll tune in something else. But in general, if it's the two of us and it's not, it's not super crowded on the trail that we run on, primarily, so we're not going to annoy people too much with whatever we're listening to.
Speaker 2:Now I am curious if you guys could invite maybe one of your running inspirations, running heroes out for a run or a post run brunch. Who would it be and why?
Speaker 4:I think Kip Chogy is probably the person that I would just, I just feel like he's such an inspiration, you know, and just kind of wanting to get advice, you know, from the ghost.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yes exactly, yeah, yeah, kyle is Kip Chogy making it to your brunch? Official invitation.
Speaker 3:Well, we're going to be brunch party of four, because I'm going to invite Ryan and Sarah Hall. I just finished Ryan Hall's book, so yeah that's, it would be a party of four, for sure, that would be the best double date, for sure.
Speaker 2:I think, that sounds extraordinary. All right, my friends with that said, I want to know, before we head out, is there advice that you'd give to folks that maybe are considering starting to run with their partner?
Speaker 3:Yes and I think we kind of touched on it already a little bit no and no and understand your partner's goals. So that will help you figure out where you, where you align and where and where you don't, because if you're working towards, you're working towards different goals or different, it'll be a little bit more challenging to make it work. We're, while we may have different time goals, we're at the similar distances. You know we're running half marathons and full marathons, primarily. So you know, that's for us, even though there's differences in how we train or the different workouts for the given day or something like that, we do kind of know what the, what the end goal looks like and that we've got some similarities there.
Speaker 3:Understanding the differences, then how we get there might be a little bit different. Or, like I said, there are certain things that may pump me up or may get me excited about things that may not necessarily work for her, you know. And so certain things that we talked about, you know, should we go cheer for her at the finish line? No, that's not, that's not what she needs. So it's a, it's a great party at the finish line. We will get there. But you know, just kind of understanding each other's, each other's goals and then trying to make make the alignment work that way.
Speaker 2:So I'm going to have you put. I'm going to ask you, cliff, a little bit more how do you start to learn each other's preferences and goals? Is this something where you just can pick up on her mood you can pick it up or do you guys actually communicate these, like over your runs, or afterwards Do you kind of do a little race recap? How do we do all that? I think, it's husband.
Speaker 3:Listen to your wife, she will tell you.
Speaker 2:Okay, I think that's very powerful.
Speaker 3:Go ahead Cheryl.
Speaker 4:Well, I was going to say I feel like that's probably a big part of it is just the communication, whether it's beforehand or afterwards, or you know, usually, I don't know Wednesday or Thursday, we start saying you know well, how many are you going to run this weekend? You know, oh well, I want to do 13. Okay, well, I was planning to do 16. Okay, so then we you know it helps us, we don't just get up in the morning on Saturday and be like, okay, what are we going to do? Oh wait, I don't have time to do that. So I think, just knowing that, you kind of have to plan it out a little bit. You know it doesn't have to be exact.
Speaker 4:And then again, I just kind of piggybacking on what Kyle said, just that communication, whether it's while you're running I mean we even had you're asking about difficulties during runs or whatever but, we even had a morning where things weren't we didn't get out the door quite like we had wanted and I felt like he was a little bit annoyed at me and while we were running, like it was really quiet and we weren't talking, and I was like I need you to talk to me, cause if you're not upset about it, like I'm having the argument in my head, you know, and I was like I, so I just I need to know that you're okay, because otherwise I'm going to spend the whole run, you know, feeling worried about like that you're aggravated at this or whatever, um, or the fact that you know he, he knows that he didn't need to come cheer for me at the end, um, because we went on some long runs where, uh, for whatever reason, I got overwhelmed or frustrated and he was trying to be really kind and sweet and like he had run ahead. But he came back, came back to run with me, um, and for whatever reason it just it was I was like, oh, that's so sweet. He came back for me and I couldn't breathe. It was like I don't know, I just like it disrupted my running, um, and so he, he just knows that I got a little bit emotional about things, um, and so that cheering for me if it was going to be a close, close race, if I saw him at the end before I finished, I get choked up, yeah, and it would be hard for me to complete or keep my pace or whatever you know.
Speaker 4:So it's just some of that. Just it just happens, you know, like it's not like we planned, or that one day I was like I need you to not be at the end of races, like probably early on I wouldn't have thought anything about it, but the fact that we've done so many runs together, you know, and things just come up, and so I think, um, just being ready to talk about it, you know, um, and then we almost always after, after we've run a race, we'll be on a long run and I'm like, oh, so what did you think about that, or what was hard for you? You know, and and we'll hash it out, you know and um, and so that's always fun. Afterwards we do our own little race recap with each other and we learn a little bit more about each other's running strategy or what worked for us or what didn't Um.
Speaker 4:So I mean, I think, if, if there's a couple that's wanting to run together, if, as long as they're open to sharing, you know, um, they're going to, they're going to be pretty successful at it and they may decide that they can't run all two hours together. You know, maybe like I want to run an hour fast and and I want to run an hour slow and, and the other person's like, oh, I only want to run an hour slow, okay, fine, you know, then you split up, like you don't have to do the entire thing together, um, but knowing that we have the same goals, um, and that we're kind of working towards the same thing, uh, it definitely makes it. It makes it more fun when we're out there together.
Speaker 2:I don't know about you guys, but I am definitely. I can feel the love, but I can also tell you that you had I thought we were going to we're going to say the same thing where, when my other half comes back for me and a run and annoys me and I kind of want to punch him, and then you, you're like hey, emotionally it took me up. I was like that's why they've been together for 25 years. A lot of love here. Okay, one last question Do you guys have a mantra or a motto, a couples like, like motivational quote that you both love, or do you have three words that would describe you as a running couple? I mean, I have a bunch that I could come up with just from this brief conversation, but what would you guys use as your three power words maybe for describing you guys as a running couple? I don't know.
Speaker 4:I don't know, I don't know. I feel like being just willing to share might be my three words into a phrase Perfect, sharing the time together, you know, sharing your personal experience with it, willing to share the other person's perspective. I think those things are are really important. I think that's a great question. I think that's a great question Um, willing to share the other person's perspective. I think those things are, um, maybe one of the things that helps, keeps us going, and Sure, I love that because I get.
Speaker 2:I feel like so much that I love about running is that it translates to other parts of our lives, right? So when we're talking about solidifying a you know, fitness commitment to each other, willing to share, is a beautiful one that translates to every aspect of our life. So, absolutely incredible, kyle, she really took one for the team and threw that out there to give you a little bit more time, do you want to? You want to go for willing to share as well? Are you thinking a couple of different words?
Speaker 3:Well, it's going to be really hard for me to top that. Oh, I know, I know this isn't a competition, but I bet it is.
Speaker 4:Because we are competitive yeah.
Speaker 3:And it's going to. It's going to dovetail a little bit, but I think it's. I think I could, I can go one word, but I think it's engage, and that is with you know, engaging with the process, the person, the goals and objectives. You, you bring those things together, and it's not just your own, it's also the other persons and you're trying to to bring those two things together. So, yeah, engage, yeah, I feel it.
Speaker 2:I mean, I could see the connection and how you guys work on strengthening each other along the way. I could see why there's been so much great support. Well, my friends, I want to thank you so much for sharing your inspiration, your love story with all of us and, of course, we cannot wait to cheer you on at Indie and at Boston, cause we know that those registrations are tough, but you guys are going to make it happen. So thank you so much for sharing time with me, Thanks.
Speaker 2:Christine, I had a great time. Thanks for the change. I had so many incredible takeaways from that conversation. I believe my first one, though, that comes to mind, is the consistency in their communication practices and really getting to know each other and talking to each other and talking those things out, whether on or off the run. And I have a special treat for you guys all Cheryl took the time to send us her really incredible pump up playlist that they talked about during the segment, so you can find that on our Spotify playlist, and, of course, I linked it in the episode notes. Thank you so much to Cheryl and Kyle for sharing their love story with us. Well, next up friends, we have a very, very special to my heart cause. I connected with this individual such a long time ago because she has an incredible practice that I think we should all take into our everyday lives. I won't tell you about it, though, because her husband's here to tell us all about it.
Speaker 2:We're going to slow down our pace a little bit, not our enthusiasm. We're going to meet Mort and Marion. They may not be hitting the pavement together every single day, but they've been walking through life side by side with a stride that's endured the test of time. Their love story isn't about racing. It's about setting the perfect pace for gratitude and mutual respect and, out of that, a continued love. While Mort was only able to join us for a portion of the warm up of our next segment, we still appreciate him joining on in. In history and wisdom are like a marathoner's endurance, always present and always supportive. So let's welcome on in Mort and Marion and catch a glimpse of their lifelong love relay. Hello, mort and Marion, hello.
Speaker 2:Hi I'm so glad to be here, woohoo. I've been inspired by your love story and by you, marion, for now going on years, and I feel like everyone who gets to walk away from this or run away from this episode will feel the same way. So we're so thrilled to have Mort with us because, mort, we feel like we've gotten to know you through Marion, sharing a bit of your love story. I know that this is going to be a bit shorter for you, so I'm going to ask you a little bit about how is it being married to this dynamic, incredible woman, marion?
Speaker 5:The basic concept I have is that we're no longer two people, we're one person, we. I don't almost don't need her to talk to me. I know what you're saying, so it's pretty much probably the same way. We know each other so well, because we spend so much time together with doing all kinds of things, that it's like you know what marriage should be, I think.
Speaker 2:So tell us a little bit about that. How did that happen? Were you guys always so on the sink, or, over time, did you grow closer? Was it because? Of walking, raising a family. How did this develop?
Speaker 5:We had probably a rough first four or five years because we weren't, but we didn't have a relationship with each other that was as tight as it is now. So it grew, but that's it started from a tangled mess. You know, I was attracted to her, she was maybe attracted to me, but there was no real cohesion. Then, when the boys came, that caused a little, you know, that caused work, and so we really didn't get together until they were in, probably in in uh, but we home schooled. So I didn't marry and did uh. When she started home schooling they became busy, they started growing up and then we finally started to uh, uh, you know, start sharing inner, inner thoughts, directions, future, everything else. That's um got us this far.
Speaker 2:I want to talk a little bit more about that as well before we let you go, because I think that's pretty powerful. I hear a lot of concern from folks that maybe as the kids get older or there's a little bit of emptiness, that there's going to be that disconnection with their partner. So do you feel that? What? What was it for you guys that intentionally helped you to to decide okay, this is it. We have to be in a partnership together.
Speaker 5:Um have to be we chose to be.
Speaker 2:I don't know that we.
Speaker 5:I don't know that we look. I didn't look at it as have to be. I looked at it as I want to be. I want a relationship and I want to be with Marian. So the only problem I had is communicating that I'm a guy, I don't. I don't talk like a woman. It's like if you can't read my mind stuff, but I it got to the point where uh, we really had to work.
Speaker 5:I had to work my issues out and get rid of them that were interrupting and interfering with, uh, normal conversation attitudes. You know the whole thing with Marian, uh, and that's it. Took work, takes work on my side. That takes work on her side to to be patient to receive it and for me to generate it. So, and it's probably true on her side also, I think we also started doing a lot of.
Speaker 6:We started doing more things together. Mm hmm, that's when the doing things together stuff really started happening.
Speaker 2:Okay. Is it because you guys started to do it together as a family the boys kind of came along or did you guys become intentional about doing it?
Speaker 6:together as a couple. Yes, yes Afterwards, yeah, just yeah, it was more 90 year old to the fastest growing population in the United States, so we're going to be around a freaking long time. So are we going to not try new things or develop new interests, or so that's sort of kind of what. We started getting concerned about our health and so we started looking for activities. We always were yard sailors, so when the kids left the house we started doing weekend yard sailing and we were like all the time doing that every weekend Our house. We were featured in the Boston Globe because we choose, reuse, recycle kind of thing. So that was that became our thing. We would have breakfast out, we would hang out together, spend the morning Saturdays, sometimes Fridays, doing that, and so that sort of started putting things together really well, okay.
Speaker 2:So intentionality of connection is what basically made it really sticky.
Speaker 5:You can't ignore it. I mean, if you ignore it and you start living on your own life in a, you know, in a married situation, it's going to fail Because you're going to go your way and she's going to go her way.
Speaker 6:But that was the thing he chose to say yes. Not everybody chooses to say yes.
Speaker 2:Okay, and it sounds like you both said yes to each other.
Speaker 6:Yep, you have to. We chose to forgive. We chose to start the day new. We chose to look for things we could. He talks about stuff I don't care about. I talk about stuff he doesn't care about. But if I want respect when I'm talking about stuff I don't he doesn't care about, he needs I need to show respect to him when he's talking about stuff I don't care about or understand. I need to be interested, give a crap about what he's talking about because it's important to him and if I can engage in that, he has turned into a golf lover. I he made his way through college playing pool. He's like super hand-eye coordination. One of the reasons I run is because everybody else is safe Nobody's going to get hurt.
Speaker 6:There's no flailing, everybody's okay. He's got good hand-eye coordination. I don't care about golf, but he does, so I have gone putting with him. I stink, I stink, but he loves it, and he's been so willing to do things I want to do. I've got to be willing to do things he wants to do.
Speaker 2:So, Mort, how do you feel about her hitting the links with you At this point? You think that it's true. Is she being humble here, or she really doesn't have that hand-eye coordination for golf?
Speaker 5:No, she's not. She's not the active. We go shooting too, Everything we do. I've got to be careful with her. She hasn't done it. She's a girl. That's not something she likes to do or wants to do. She doesn't. Well, up here in Maine you can be out in the woods and you better be careful. If you're carrying a gun, you need to know how to use it. That's what I'm trying to get her to learn, but she doesn't want to carry one anyway.
Speaker 2:So wait, marion, is this a new hobby for you? Are you starting to go to the gun ranges a bit more?
Speaker 6:I've had a permit to carry for a long time in Maine but I'm not mechanically inclined, so the whole it's hard. When we first got married we would go shotgun shooting and he had a muzzleloader with 50-caliber bullets that I helped him not to lead and cast them because I thought that's what wives did, and it's like now, not so much. Now I'm just like that sounds great, honey, that sounds wonderful, so yeah.
Speaker 2:And then same for you. You're probably not going to join Marion for a marathon any time in the near future, but it seems like you're her number one cheerleader and supporter.
Speaker 5:Yeah Well, yeah, you need it because you face the fact. She's not an Olympic speed to our marathoner. She does what she does. She does it the best that are at her age limit and her capabilities. So you know, that's all. If she wants to keep running, I don't. I find it very boring, but you do it with me anyway. Yeah, I do it with her anyway, but I don't run marathons. I you know, we'll do two, three miles. Well, mostly two miles, just because she has to practice so much.
Speaker 2:I'm hearing compromise has been key for you guys connection and creating, being really intentional about creating that connection, even if it's something you don't necessarily love, and then communication has been pretty foundational. So are those, are those the three key takeaways that anyone who's listening here, who's talking about man I want what Marion and Mort have. I want that you know that kind of side by side, navigating life's adventures together Are those the three key components that they should take away from this conversation.
Speaker 5:What I was thinking about, actually, is that Marion started a communication between us, probably about two, three years ago. Before we go to bed, we share the three best things that happened today and which is your favorite. So it kind of causes your brain because we're getting older, you know, my brain ain't as good as it used to be. It's not as sharp, but it does cause you to go back through the day and you know, what did I do when I woke up? I don't remember, but when you do that and you come up with the three things, sometimes I steal hers, because we did it together.
Speaker 5:But, you know that's, that's an important thing. So you know, it's, you're fighting, age you're fighting. You know the world Negativity yeah. Yeah, negativity. The world doesn't share the same values, kind of I don't care, it's not dynamics, but the shame kind of attitude about each other.
Speaker 2:It's, you know it's a lot of freebie out there.
Speaker 5:There's so many of my friends I knew when I grew up I probably had maybe 15 or 20 guys. I knew that we would hang out, you know, do whatever, and I didn't even get married till I was 26. So I was goofing around for a long time, and of those I think there's only one of them, one, no two others that are still married. So you can see that you know people take it for granted. They just kind of yeah, okay, we get married.
Speaker 5:And then all of a sudden three, four years the thing falls apart and you have to fight that. Sometimes for some people it's, you know, love and there's no problems. But we had our. We had pressure in terms of financial pressure, bad attitude pressure.
Speaker 5:You know, I wasn't doing the right things and those things had to be identified. And then you know, make a commitment, and commitments are really counted. If commitments weren't made and you kind of fluffed it off, then that's even worse than even trying it and even saying that you were going to do it. It throws a negative feedback to her.
Speaker 2:That's beautiful, that is beautifully said, because actually that translates so much into, I think, our journey with movement is our commitment to ourselves but committing to each other More. I am going to say that this has been very, very insightful. You have been gracious to give us an insight as to, maybe, the other half of Marian, and it sounds like she's just as fabulous on the other side as what we see on our side.
Speaker 2:So thank you so much for sharing time with us. Thank you more. Let's pick up with this conversation because he got into it very early on, but you're three things that you're grateful for every day. What do you actually call?
Speaker 6:this practice, so we just yep three good things.
Speaker 6:Three good things I started. So not always, but often women tend to be the better relational person and so it has sort of kind of oftentimes, as a wife, women will say my husband is not providing this, my partner is not providing this, and it's kind of our responsibility to let people know what it is you need, and without yelling and all that stuff. So one way that I tend to be happy as just my normal step 50% of happiness is genetic, 50% is a choice. More doesn't tend to be as happy automatically. So one way that I am trying to before we go to bed, so we don't have like scary nightmares talk about bills, do talk about trouble.
Speaker 6:We had we do three good things, and so this happened, probably started in 2019 that I started doing that and then over the last couple of years I have added tell me what your best thing was. And sometimes the best thing isn't even in the three good things, which is crazy. So so it kind of. I mean for him, one of his three good things is going to be riding his tractor. If he had the opportunity to ride his tractor and I'll know that that's one of his three good things when he says that it's just so cute, so I just it helps us go to bed connected. We say a little prayer. I say a prayer when we wake up, grateful to God that we're both alive and healthy. He says a little prayer after three good things, thanking God that we had a date together, another day together.
Speaker 2:So an attitude of gratitude is a pretty important component to your relationship. I want to touch a little bit more on this because it's one of my. I think one of the reasons why I'm so drawn and have always been drawn to you and what you do is because you are such a positive influence and we do tend to just human nature, maybe kind of gravitate towards the negative or outrage or whatever the case may be. But you are this beacon of positivity and you said that you're kind of naturally inclined toward it, but you also cultivated yourself. Do you feel that your practice with movement, with moving your body, with running, walking, every other thing that you guys do, be it golf or heading to the shooting range, do all of that stuff? Does that help?
Speaker 2:you with your attitude of gratitude, absolutely Okay, so tell me more about.
Speaker 6:Tell me more about how you integrate the two. I have a friend who's known me for 25 years in the business community and I started running nine years ago and she told me last fall she said you're much easier to get along with now that you run, because I'm a tense person, I have I wake up and I'm like on 110%. I don't drink caffeine, for the sake of humankind, I don't drink caffeine, so I'm just like full on. And so sport, which I didn't think I mean we've had a lot of people on this podcast who've said I got picked last, I got picked last, I got picked last. Okay, because until you find your place, be it dancing or golfing or skiing or skeet shooting or running or walking or hiking, until you find your place, bowen, arrow shooting, archery, until you find your spot, you feel like you don't fit in to some of group dynamic kind of things, and so I think that's where we kind of fall off. But movement has made me feel like a badass.
Speaker 6:No I don't think that you already heard what Mort said. It's like he worries about me with the golf club and with a gun, because I'm not great at this stuff. My fastest marathon was six hours and that was taking a half an hour off my first marathon. So I chug its determination. But that's what also is the attitude of gratitude. And when I'm running, sometimes I say to myself if Nana can do it, because if Nana doesn't do it, other people are going to feel like they can't either. You've got to push through this crap. It doesn't matter if you're walking and running. It doesn't matter if you're walking more than you're running. It doesn't matter. You've got to keep on going.
Speaker 6:Are you determined to make your life better or not? I think it's more important to Christine, because I'm 68. I'm going to be 69 in June. He's 74. He's going to be 75 in May. It becomes more essential. It was something we were.
Speaker 6:I did the 20 minute workout back when I was 30 years old and that thing was on TV and it was sort of like soft porn where she was doing all kinds of weird stuff. I did that. I mean, I did step classes, but it didn't feel like it was as essential as it feels like it is now. It feels like as we get older. If we pick your heart, pick your heart. Do you want 10 years before you die of infirmity? Do you want to pass away at too young an age? Do you want life and all that you can have from it? I do. I want life and all I can have from it every bit of it. So I'm going to choose gratitude, because that makes people live, because I'm entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and, by God, that's what I'm going to pursue. I'm pursuing happiness.
Speaker 2:Mary, I feel like I'm going to have to put a disclaimer on this episode that you are taking us to church, my friend.
Speaker 6:We're going for it Preach it.
Speaker 2:You are speaking to my soul on this. I always say that it's not necessarily a longevity, while, yes, there are practices that we know that will help us longevity, but it's the quality of life that we have leading up to that. Because who wants to live to be 90 and not be able to move at a pace that they want, or be able to stay mentally sharp or even have that attitude of gratitude? So I feel the component of how important it is to you Tell me more. Are you surprised by the amount of people that I know reach out to you that say you're an inspiration, or is that not at all shocking to you?
Speaker 6:Totally shocking, because I mean that hashtag is I started running the month before my 59th birthday. I don't run fast when I. There are groups that call themselves the slow runners and it's like I'm slower than some of the people posting, a lot of the people posting there. I'm a slow runner Skiing. I started skiing at 65. Mord started golfing at 71.
Speaker 6:I mean, life is so much out there for you, so much out there for you, why wouldn't you say what's the worst that can happen? You fall. Oh, I've got scars all over my legs from tripping on crap. Even though I run slow, I don't pick up my feet very much and boom, I go. I got scars in my hands. I'm just so. You're going to fall, you're going to break a leg. You're going to yeah, are you going to look stupid? Is that your concern? I could care. It matters to me what people think, unfortunately, but it matters more to me to pursue things that I want to try, to be brave enough to try.
Speaker 6:So an opportunity came up at 65 when people who owned a retreat near the mountain for skiing. We brought our snow shoes, we brought our cross country skis and they said look, we've got our college age daughter stuff here. Do you want to try downhill skiing? And it's like I had an opportunity. Do I want to say yes or no? It's going to be free for me to try. Do I want to try it? I said yeah, let's try it. So I hit the snow fences, I fell off the chair lift but the few minutes I was upright I was like this is so fun, this is so fun. So learn to dance, get out on a boat, kayak I kayak Some things you can't afford or you don't have time because the kids are home and you just can't get it done.
Speaker 6:And I get that. But you can fit something in. You can fit something in. You can fit being joyful in. You can fit a tiny activity. You can fit 10 minutes of something. You can jump up and down. You can run up and down the stairs. You can do something and say I'm a bad ass because other people are not doing it, not to compare. But you are freaking, kicking butt because you did it. And when it comes to your three good things about today, the thing you're going to say is I did that, I did that.
Speaker 2:Ugh, ugh. So powerful I don't even know where to start. I do think I want to take it back, because you hit on something, you nailed on something, whether it's because we have a lot of other roles and responsibilities or multiple hats, what I'm hearing you say is that it's integral to take time to prioritize our self-care, be it through an attitude of gratitude for a few minutes a day while you're driving the kids around, or be it because you're on your way to work and you have to take that opportunity to appreciate and you have a job, or if it's because you're just physically allowing yourself to go up and down the stairs for five minutes and that you have that capability of moving your body in that way.
Speaker 2:So I'm curious how has your relationship to your movement and gratitude practice changed over the seasons? Because, again, you guys were married, younger. You've changed together. You had a family, now your Nana. How does that work for you and how do you continue to evolve it? I hear you saying that you never stop saying yes, but is there?
Speaker 6:more to it. I wasn't brave or confident. When I got to be about 30, I realized I mean, there's so many hormones involved. When I got to be 30, I remember having a conversation with myself, looking in the mirror in my bathroom and saying it isn't as irregular, my life doesn't feel as high and as low. So some of it has to do and I don't have those hormones now, so I have a more stable mental state. Hormones play a part, a significant part, in all kinds of things, and it depends on where we are in our life.
Speaker 6:It doesn't feel like prioritizing yourself. It's important. That feels like it feels weird, but if you look at the table and there's two kids and a partner and yourself, aren't you equal to them? I had a dream once that there were people on a rock and some people were trying to dig a hole into the rock bleeding, making their hands bleed, and other people were trying to take piles of whatever they could find and make themselves taller. So some people were trying to make themselves smaller and some people were trying to make themselves taller, when in fact we were all the same, and so you are of equal value. You're not more important and I'm not suggesting you are less important. You are of equal value.
Speaker 6:If you would expect your child to shower, you should try to shower. Not every day. Is that going to happen? This I get. If you hope for your child that they will eat well, will you try to eat well? If you will hope for your child or a person who you love that they would be physically fit so that that way they're healthy, then I would hope you would do that for you, so that just see yourself as equal. Ok, don't see and you certainly don't want to raise daughters or be a mentor to younger women and hear yourself say disrespectful things.
Speaker 6:One of the important things in our marriage is and I think in any relationship is that we try to respect each other. That's the whole thing about. When he talks about stuff I don't care about, I show respect. I show respect for the thing that he cares about and I show respect for him. And I think we have to do that for ourselves, to show respect for ourself, like we do for the person we're caring for, like we do for the person we love, like we do for our friends. Show the same respect, the self.
Speaker 6:Talk. If you don't have anything good to say, button your freaking lip, and I know that's hard. So what I do is I try to say something good About somebody else. I'll say a prayer for somebody else. So I stopped talking about me. So contact somebody on Facebook. Don't you know somebody who is in the throes of cancer? Don't you know somebody whose kid just got a concussion? Don't you know somebody who's just lost a spouse? Isn't there somebody you could take care of, besides thinking about you? That might be a way to shush the voices, to stop the foolishness. So, because we all have it, what is it? 70% of self talk is negative. So it's more than that.
Speaker 2:But it's again. You're hitting on so many beautiful points. I remember coming from a place of deep insecurity and what was like a really foundational change. Transformation was also the running practice, because that allowed me to literally rewrite my story with every footstep I took. But I consciously made the practice of only speaking out compliments about other people, and that changed completely. I was able to rewire how I spoke about myself, because it was just so easy to recognize the beauty of others, be it a beauty item, not just a skin level either. So absolutely incredible, mary. I think every single person who's listening is not going to officially want to reach out to you and be like Mary can you?
Speaker 2:give us a daily coaching through the day. I do want to talk a little bit about your running, or a whole lot about it in your movement practice, because you have some incredible stories. I know you've got some big goals yourself. What's next in your journey of movement, be it solo or be it with more? What do you see yourself tackling?
Speaker 6:because you're willing to say yes, to adventure.
Speaker 6:I don't think I'm going to be doing any marathons, unless something weird happens where I get accepted into New York or something like that, because I'm just so slow, because fueling is such an issue, because of reflux, because of blah, blah, blah. But half-marathon I do like running 10 miles, so it seems like half-marathon and I don't hate running. I do not love running. I have people who think I love running. I do not love running, I don't hate it. It is an efficient way for me to chill some of this lunacy. So that's super important, yeah, and my body has now become addicted to it. So when I get stressed it's like oh my gosh, I gotta get outside. I can't stand running on the treadmill. We live in Maine. It gets cold. I run outside all the time, so unless there's an ice storm, then Mort is like please, don't, please do it on the treadmill. So we have a treadmill, but it's. I know where the refrigerator is. It's. I just get off the treadmill, walk right over to that fridge and have a snack. It is.
Speaker 6:I have to run away from my house to run a distance and I'm tempted to call Mort all the time. It's like cause, this is hard, this hill is hard. This is taking a long time Talking to yourself about how slow you are. You have to shut that crap up. And one more thing I didn't start this way. Some of the challenges Mort and I had was I had mental illness and I was hospitalized for it when my first oldest child was a baby. So I didn't like come out of the womb going hi, this is great. I had a traumatic childhood, lots of abuse, lots of drugs on me. So this isn't just these decisions.
Speaker 2:No, you look into it, these are decisions.
Speaker 6:These are decisions that sometimes you make because of that. You make them more forcefully, because it wasn't easy, whereas people who had a wonderful time sometimes are more apt to take that for granted. So so the running, the running has provided to. I've got to keep doing it so I can see my buds. I got to see the buds. The friends that you make from this is just, yeah, I mean, I wouldn't know you without running.
Speaker 2:I know it's given me my entire community, truly like, the stickiest of relationships or friendships have come from running specifically. So again, for anybody who's listening, they're like I'm not a runner. And again, as you mentioned, marion, it doesn't have to be running, it just has to be finding your people and being willing to, day after day, like, choose to connect. Just as Mort said, you guys choose to be with each other. It was never it had to, and whether it's friendships or it's a relationship that they're, it's a relationship that spans decades, or choosing ourselves, which is what I heard. You say, a lot in that. I cannot thank you enough for taking this beautiful time. I feel like I would. I'm sorry.
Speaker 2:But now no, me too, girl. We are going to definitely have to schedule some times to chit chat. I do want to finish up with a little bit of questions about your, your infamous Mort sponsored brunches after your long runs. What are some of the favorite things that you have come home to for for your run fuel?
Speaker 6:I like this sounds gross. I like wet scrambled eggs, so not like overly cooked so that they look like cardboard. I like cheesy wet scrambled eggs, so I kind of like savory, but then so I want a little of both. So I would like a super saturated French toast that got custody, because that's not like hard bread, so you just kind of flipped it really fast but you let it sit there so it soaks up the custody stuff and then you cook that you have, and mostly I want butter on it and then just a little real maple syrup, not fake maple syrup, real maple syrup.
Speaker 2:And bacon, bacon, bacon, all the things. So basically it's another reason why I run with Bay of Goodness, oh goodness gracious. With. That said, before we officially leave this conversation, I am going to challenge folks to to create their own three good things for today, before they go to bed. What are your three good things?
Speaker 6:because you're, you're, my, the three good things for me today of this screen, because today one of my three good things is going to be you and talking to you, so I'm getting my camera out right now. Anyway, and three good things for today. So we had a rest day, so that's going to be a good thing, okay.
Speaker 2:Because you did a hard work out yesterday. Yeah.
Speaker 6:In my most excellent spare room that is lined with things that are important and have to be kept at room temperature, but has a small space in the center where we put those mushy, cushy things, and so now we can work out together without dogs sniffing and all that stuff. Okay, so this rest day and what will be my third good thing? Oh, hmm, day has a minute. I woke up this morning next to a healthy, loving spouse.
Speaker 2:And with that attitude of gratitude, we have officially reached our finish line for today's episode with more and Marion. I want to thank them both, along with Kyle and Cheryl all of our guests, for today have truly shown us that love is not just a sprint. It is the original ultra marathon. I want to thank every one of you who have raced through these love stories of me today and remember, in the marathon of life, it's the shared water stations and cheer squads that make our journey worthwhile.
Speaker 2:Again, in the inspiration from Marion, I want to share my three good things today, and they are the inspiring tales that we've heard, the laughter that we've shared and the unstoppable spirit of our couples. And the best thing well, friend, it's usually the best thing for me every single day it's this community running alongside each other, supporting and cheering every single step of the way. So I'm going to ask you to stay tuned for more stories that remind us that love is a journey, not a sprint. Keep your laces tied, your heart open, your brunch plate full. This is Coach Christine reminding you to keep loving at a marathoner's pace steady, strong and always forward. Until next time, stay sparkly.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining Time for Brunch. If today's conversation sparked your interest, be sure to join our supportive online community. Don't forget to sign up for our weekly newsletters to keep the inspiration flowing. It's packed with insights, stories and tips to fuel your journey of growth. Follow us, subscribe and stay connected. Until next time, keep smiling and let your journey shine.