Ep. 41: Leaving Toxic Cycles and Finding Freedom on the Run | Heather Rosemand

SPEAKER_00 0:00

There's so many things that people have said that have been able to help me and guide my brain into rewiring really from such a negative perspective of, oh, my life is over because my life isn't over. It's still beginning. Yes, I'm in my late 30s. Yeah, I still don't know where I'm going with everything. But, you know, when I decided that I wasn't gonna be sad anymore, I wanted to show other people that we can be happy even in really hard times. I don't know everybody's story. Everybody's probably ever gonna know my whole story, but we can show glimpses of that to prove to others. And that's why I really just posted, started posting online because I wanted to be happy myself. And so I felt talking about it and kind of just being like, hey, I ran a little bit today. I hope somebody else goes and runs too. So that made me want to stay happy too, because you know, everybody deserves to find a little happiness in their life.

SPEAKER_02 1:01

Welcome back to Through Their Stride. I'm your host, Sam Sutton, and today I'm joined by Heather Rosemond, an ultra runner who's built a life marked by consistency, including a 500-plus day run streak, and she openly shares a journey that includes more than five years of sobriety. In this conversation, Heather talks about what it took to leave an unhealthy relationship, step away from an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, and start rebuilding her life from the inside out. We talk about how running became more than exercise for her. It became a way to heal, a way to grow, and a way to connect with other people. What I love about Heather's story is that it shows how movement and community can completely change the direction of your life. So whether you're in the middle of your own fresh start or you're just needing a reminder of what's possible, I think you're really going to connect with this one. So here's my conversation with Heather Rosemond. Right. Welcome back to Through Their Stride. I'm your host, Sam Sutton, and I'm joined by Heather Rosemond from my hometown of Keller, Texas. So welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 2:03

Yeah, I was uh I asked you before where you were from, and I was like, that's like that's my stomping ground. So I loved growing up there. I love the trails out there. So I saw you've kind of become a little bit of a trail runner. So what's your your trail of choice out there?

SPEAKER_00 2:16

Um I actually I go to Eagle Mountain Park a lot because it's fairly close. And then I found last year a mountain biking trail out in Knob Hills. Um, so it's like just out past Roanoke.

SPEAKER_02 2:28

Yeah, that's so okay. So my mom lived for a long time in the Keller Roanoke River area, and she would run that trail like all through my college days, and I'd go out and join her, and that was always such a fun trail. I uh I loved it. There is one like real like steep downhill, and I rolled down that one day, and she just kept going. So yeah, I know that one very well, very familiar with that one.

SPEAKER_00 2:55

I love it out there, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:57

Yeah, well, cool. So, well, the reason I wanted to have you on is because I found your story on Instagram as I was, you know, doom scrolling the other day, and I was like, this person is seems like a very genuine person, just like more than just running. And I I saw that you had kind of a sobriety journey, and I was super interested in that. But before we get into uh every all my questions, can you tell my listeners a little bit about you and who you are?

SPEAKER_00 3:24

Yeah, um, so I'm Heather. I'm from Texas, and I started my running journey um 2022, 2023. It wasn't actually supposed to be a running journey. I was just trying to get healthy. Um, I had left a very bad relationship and I was rebuilding my life and I really didn't know where I was gonna go. And uh basically for a few years I just tried to run some races and did the best I could. And then last year things just kind of fell into place. And you know, I I found out about trail running because yeah, I like running, but road running wasn't really my thing, but I was trying really hard. And then people were like, Oh, um, you know, people run 100 miles, and I was like, Oh, that's crazy. I would never want to do something like that, and then here I am, you know, that's my goal now. Um but I still have a little bit to go, but now I just I just want to be on the trails all the time. Like I just feel like that's where my heart belongs.

SPEAKER_02 4:24

Yeah, that's awesome. And I feel like I haven't really personally taken on the trails that much, but I feel like there's a lot of like spiritual heal healing on the trails, way more than there is with the roads. Because you know, roads, you're in the city, you're amongst cars. It doesn't really feel like you're in nature and on the trails, like you get to kind of experience everything and and literally touch grass.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Literally. And and it's not, I mean, obviously it's competitive, but I don't feel like it's as competitive as road running. And I'm not a competitive person. Obviously, I want to do better, like competitive against myself, but I'm not trying to compete against anybody else. I just want to go out there and have a good time.

SPEAKER_02 5:04

Yeah, awesome. And so tell me a little bit so uh about how your running kind of started, how you found the sport, and what uh what kind of got you interested in it?

SPEAKER_00 5:14

So I was extremely overweight and I needed to lose some weight. And obviously I couldn't run, but I was walking, just the neighborhood, three to five miles every time I could go out there. Um, and I saw my friend sign up for the cowtown marathon, and I was like, oh, what a dream. I was like, I wish I could do it. And I had written in my journal the day that I decided to start over my life that I wanted to run a marathon. And I was like, maybe that's the one that I do. And he actually told me, he's like, well, you can sign up for the 5K, 10k, whatever. And he's like, actually, you're gonna sign up for the 10K. Don't even do a 5K. I hadn't trained, I didn't know what I was doing, and I just went ahead and did it, and I was hooked. Like at the end of it, I was like, I'm running the Cowtown Marathon the next year.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

I love it.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

And there that was the beginning.

SPEAKER_02 6:03

Yeah, oh man, I love the I love the cowtown. I've never done the full, I've only done the half, but it is a beautiful race. Like, talk about seeing all of Fort Worth.

SPEAKER_00 6:13

It it really is, and it's um it's hard.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

Yes, it is. It's hilly, it's very hilly. The cobblestone, like the the brick roads, like it you're in the in the stockyards are not forgiving.

SPEAKER_00 6:26

No, not at all.

SPEAKER_02 6:28

Yeah. Well, so how was that first marathon experience and and how was training for it? And what uh what did you learn a little bit about yourself in that?

SPEAKER_00 6:37

I learned so much, and I'm still learning. I feel like I still have so much to learn, but um I didn't know what I was doing. So I literally just the first training plan I saw online, I was like, okay, that's what I'll do. And then I was like, how serious do I need to take this? So I didn't even do like my longest run. I didn't do I didn't do so many things. I didn't do research on like clothing, I should wear socks, hydration. I didn't know anything. So it took me seven and a half hours to run my first marathon. Uh basically when I hit mile 20, I was like, I'm done. I have to walk the last 10K. And I did, you know, like and I didn't feel completely fulfilled that I did it, but I finished, so I I did, and I went back and I tried two more times until this year, and I actually was able to complete it better.

SPEAKER_02 7:31

Yeah, that's awesome. Actually, that's very similar to my uh first marathon story. I did Austin for my first one and did it with a good friend of mine, and you know, like I didn't I didn't respect the the race at all. Like I kind of barely trained, I would hit like three runs a week, maybe. Sometimes that wasn't the long run. Um, I didn't know anything about fueling or jet, you know, gels or anything, so I just relied on coarse electrolytes, which was like, you know, the noon tablets. Um, and I took those and like by mile 17 my stomach was like in knots, and by mile 20, I'm like, looks like I'm walking to 10K. And so I did I did six hours and 53, so very similar.

SPEAKER_00 8:16

Very close. My I didn't know that like you should wear like specialty socks or anything. So I just wore like regular cotton socks. I didn't know what I was supposed to wear. My blisters were so bad, I couldn't walk for days. I was like done.

SPEAKER_02 8:30

Yep, yep. And then I'm sure you told yourself never again, and then of course you signed up again.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

And then I signed up like two weeks later when the when the next year already came available.

unknown 8:41

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:42

Yeah, we we never learned. Well, we do learn, and that's why we keep doing it.

SPEAKER_00 8:46

Yeah, I mean, a little bit every time, right?

SPEAKER_02 8:49

Yeah. And so, you know, with your running and with your your journey so towards sobriety and away from the abusive relationship, finding confidence in yourself. Um, how has learning been a how has r running been a tool for you um through all of that?

SPEAKER_00 9:07

Yeah, so um I worked in the bar industry for 15 years. So I was surrounded by alcohol the time. That's all I kind of knew. Um, and so when I decided that it was time to start my life over, that wasn't the route I was willing to take again. Um, I had already been sober for over a year, and I chose not to go back down that route because I already knew what it was gonna lead me to. So the only thing that could come positive out of it is trying something completely new. And so when running came around, it helped me be able to process things a little bit better. Like I didn't even really listen to music or anything when I started because I didn't really know what I was doing. I just kind of go and do it, and then slowly I've like made friends through it and you know, run a bunch of different races, found different ways to run, trained very differently, and and mentally I just feel like it's been an outlet where it's not my only outlet, but it definitely allows me to get some of that anxiety or insecurities out that we all have, whether we want to admit it or not.

SPEAKER_02 10:17

Yeah, it's I think running can be so healing and just getting out there and moving your body and and like you said, not listening to stuff sometimes, like just going, you know, nothing in the nothing in the ears and just decompressing about things that you're going through with life. Like some people say running is my therapy, and I don't think running replaces therapy, but like it definitely is like a fortress of solitude.

SPEAKER_00 10:42

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 10:43

Yeah, well, cool. So um, and I saw a post that I think that you made recently, and you were like, it was like a why do you do it? And you're like, I do it for her, and it was a picture of yourself from back in the day, and I was like, man, that makes me so emotional because I was like, that is something like to commit to uh self-improvement and commit to something is always inspiring to me. And and what did that commitment look like for you? Uh, and how did how were you able to commit? And what was kind of the day that you decided I'm gonna change my life?

SPEAKER_00 11:19

Um so that picture that you see in that video is me actually crying in the moving truck that I had, and I was so confused, so lost. Like I didn't have a job, I didn't have any money, I didn't know where I was gonna live, I didn't know anything at that point. Um so when things started coming together, I really did lean on, you know, other people and running, and I finally actually asked for help from the people in my life, the few that I did have left. Um I think I'm going off topic, but it's just I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 11:58

Sorry.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

It's a lot. Um yeah, I I just I want other people to see that you know, just because you s have to start your life over or because things get hard, like maybe it's not running that helps you get through it or anything like that, but you don't have to stop living or feeling like you're not enough. And and you can keep going on. There is light at the end of that tunnel.

SPEAKER_02 12:22

Yeah. And I mean you're like living proof of that. Like you are it seems like you have a like a glow about you and and a positivity about you that that radiates. And so where where has that come from? What what has kind of given given you that?

SPEAKER_00 12:38

Um, I just decided that I don't want to give up anymore on anything. So um I I mean the whole thing of do no do hard things um has really stuck with me. Uh I read a lot of self-help books and stuff like that, and I know that they're not necessarily supposed to be the end all be all, but there's so many things that people have said that have been able to help me and guide my brain into rewiring really from such a negative perspective of, oh, my life is over, because my life isn't over, it's still beginning. You know, yes, I'm in my late 30s, yeah, I still don't know where I'm going with everything. But, you know, when I decided that I wasn't gonna be sad anymore, I wanted to show other people that we can be happy even in really hard times. Um, I don't know everybody's story. Everybody's probably never gonna know my whole story, but we can show glimpses of that to prove to others. And that's why I really just posted started posting online because I wanted to be happy myself. And so I felt talking about it and kind of just being like, hey, I ran a little bit today. I hope somebody else goes and runs too. So that made me want to stay happy too, because you know, everybody deserves to find a little happiness in their life.

SPEAKER_02 14:01

Yeah, and I think, you know, sharing like your story and sharing, you know, your ability to find joy when times are tough and when things are hard, that's only gonna make life better for somebody else. And and someone's gonna see your profile, like I did, come across your page and be like, that's incredible. Like I can, if she can change her life in a certain way, I can change my life in a certain way. And have you gotten any like messages on social media since starting this of like, you know, this is like I'm super inspired. Thank you so much for doing this.

SPEAKER_00 14:37

I have, and actually, it's like it's so amazing when somebody actually can be like, I can relate so much to what you did. I wish I had met you sooner, or like, oh my gosh, I want to go run now because you went to go run, and I don't think I can do it. And I've like had conversations with people that I've never talked to again, just like a one-time conversation where they're just like, you just changed my whole perspective on my life. Thank you. And I wish I had that when I was going through things, and I didn't know where to find that. I didn't even know, like, there was a whole running community online, you know. I thought that I had to go be in an in-person community, and I was really shy and I didn't want to do things like that. So yeah, when people reach out, it's I feel like I'm doing something right.

SPEAKER_02 15:23

Yeah. And it probably gives you the confidence too to begin like getting out there and excuse me, and meeting like people in person and and doing things like running and everything with other people because you get to kind of start to see like I'm not alone. Like other people are going through their own things as well. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, awesome. And then so I also want to talk a little bit about your running and your journey and and and everything. So you did the cowtown, it sounds like a couple of times. Uh, and what have you done since then? What's your your progression looked like?

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Um, okay, so I've run actually a lot of races and um probably like eight or nine this year so far. Um, I use a lot of races just as like training um and to have fun.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:10

So since my first cowtown, I have run it two more times. Well, I attempted to run it the second time. I had to DNF because I couldn't get my heart rate to go down. Um, and so I used that actually as um a way to just propel myself into something more. I was really, really upset, but I didn't understand that a DNF didn't mean like you were actually a failure. It it meant that you had work to do and you can come back and do it again.

SPEAKER_01 16:33

Right.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

So I did come back and I did it again. Um, I did it in around six hours, which was great for me because that is a very hard course. Um, I'm not for speed or anything. I just love to go out there and enjoy myself. Um but since that also I wanted to start getting into ultras. So I trained all last summer so that I could run my first 50k ultra. I did it's called the Mammoth 50K out in Glenrose.

SPEAKER_02 17:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 17:01

And even though it was in October, it was so very hot. It was like 88 degrees the whole time. I had no idea what I was doing. I actually over-trained for it because when I was done with it, I was like, that's it. I wanted to keep going. Um and I did that in around nine hours. So for my first time, I was like extremely happy with everything. And I, you know, I have a run street going on where I was able to still keep going after that. And what else? Oh, I had I flew to Michigan and I met a whole bunch of strangers off the internet and we ran together and we're all still in touch now. And I've done road trips all across the US trying to like run races with them and other trail races and meeting new people. And I just I've really just loved the community and like everybody who comes together and like being able to go help other people during their runs too. If I find out someone's doing a run, let's say in Pennsylvania, I'm gonna drive all the way to Pennsylvania and hang out there for a week and go run with you. Um, it's just that part of running has been really fun for me too.

SPEAKER_02 18:12

That's incredible. And that's like that also is a benefit of sharing your story online because like you get to start seeing pockets, you know, in your algorithm of other people like going through similar things, getting into running and like get to go all the way to Michigan and Pennsylvania. That's like that's awesome. I mean, that like it sounds like this this kind of opened up a world for you.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

It it really did. Like last year, when so I started posting online really, really regularly at the beginning of last year. Um, and I was like, nobody cares about my story, nobody cares about me, so I'm just gonna post whatever I feel like that day. And then I learned very quickly, like, people actually did care, people did want to know, and it opened everything for me. And I'm just so glad I did that. And I try to tell people all the time, like, tell your story. There are people out there that can relate.

SPEAKER_02 19:04

Yeah, no, for sure. I mean, like, I see posts all the time, and I so believe it where it's like people are like, post your wins, post your losses, post your ability to show up, like continue posting your story, because like, even though someone might be like, it's corny, you know, like, and that's a hater, and it's like, whatever, like other people, like random strangers online are gonna be like, way to go, like you're so inspiring, keep it up, and you're like, wow, like not only am I getting positive affirmation from this, I'm also building a community and I'm helping other people.

SPEAKER_00 19:39

Yeah, I mean, and it's just it's really amazing how we all just can come together from the internet.

SPEAKER_02 19:44

Yeah, yeah. Cool. So uh, and then I wanted to ask a little bit too about obviously your run streak. So, how did that the streak start? I mean, I'm sure you were running a little bit before then. How when did you kind of start that? And when did you kind of be like, I'm gonna see how long I can keep this going?

SPEAKER_00 19:59

Yeah, so I'm actually on my second run streak. Um my first one I started right before, like a couple months before the first time I tried to run Cowtown because I could tell that I wasn't being consistent in my training, which I obviously said I wasn't doing. I thought that I could just do Cowtown without any training. I didn't understand. Um and that one lasted about 80 days and it was just a mile a day. And it was great. It did keep me a little bit more consistent, it helped me kind of understand what I was trying to look for. But the second I did Cowtown the next day I was done. And um then when I went to go train for Cowtown the second time, I decided to start it up again. And I was doing um, so it was December of 24, and I was just doing one mile a day, and then I DNF' Cowtown, and I was like, well, I mean, I can technically still run, my legs don't feel trashed, so I'm just gonna keep it going. And then that's when I decided to start training for my ultra, and I was like, Well, I still have my run streak, but I need to up my mileage. So I went from one mile a day to a 5k a day, and so now I've been doing since last summer a 5k a day, and I I'm just not ready to get rid of it yet. Like it really does help me have some sort of productivity every day, um, even on the days that I'm like, I just don't want to do it. Yeah, because I have a lot of those.

SPEAKER_02 21:27

Yeah. I mean, I think all of all of us runners do. I think there's some people who say, like, I like to run every day, and I'm like, I don't think anyone likes to run every day. Like, I I genuinely enjoy running and I genuinely enjoy getting faster and chasing all this stuff. But there are a lot of days where I'm like, I I would love to just sit in bed or like come home after after work at 5 p.m. It's like I would love to just sit on the couch and eat chips and not worry about getting out on the trails. But like, you know, I if I do it, I'm gonna I never have a day where I run and then feel awful after I. Run like I'm always like I'm so glad I did that. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 22:03

Like, absolutely. Yeah, I never regret a run. Never.

SPEAKER_02 22:07

Yeah, it's almost impossible. Even if even the bad ones, you don't regret it.

SPEAKER_00 22:11

Yeah, never. Never.

SPEAKER_02 22:13

Well, cool. So, um, and then have you ran today?

SPEAKER_00 22:17

I did. I ran my 5k this morning.

SPEAKER_02 22:19

Okay. Are you a more of a morning runner or evening runner? What's your kind of favorite time?

SPEAKER_00 22:25

I love running in the morning, mainly because I love the cooler weather and we've already approached warm weather in Texas. But I'm trying to be more of a midday runner because I want to practice that heat running and kind of suffer.

SPEAKER_02 22:42

Yeah. Especially like with for trail running, like that can become a suffer fest with the heat in Texas.

SPEAKER_01 22:48

So yes, yes, it's so bad.

SPEAKER_02 22:51

Yeah. I uh I do all of my marathon trainings in the summertime, like a crazy person. And like I'm not a morning person, so like I you know, I always try to get up at like 5 a.m. and do my runs before work and the alarm rings, and I'm like, mm-mm. So and then I go running at like lunch when it's 90 degrees out, like just dying of heat.

SPEAKER_01 23:14

But you know, we go to my own.

SPEAKER_02 23:17

Yeah, you get something out of it. I hear that it's the poor man's elevation training.

SPEAKER_00 23:21

So that's a good perspective.

SPEAKER_02 23:24

Yeah. So well, cool. So uh, and then like as far as training and as far as everything like that goes, how has how has your training improved? How what do you use to train now and what are some techniques that have helped better your your running?

SPEAKER_00 23:39

Um, so I still have no idea what I'm doing with my training. I don't have a coach. I basically just decided that I'm going to piece together pieces of training that I've learned online based off of like other people that I've seen use it, um, things I've read, uh, Reddit forums and stuff that trying to gain knowledge to see, like, you know, okay, I need to run on tired legs, so I'm gonna have like a long run and then like a semi-long run the next day, and then still go run the next day, something kind of long, you know. Um, learning techniques like that has really helped. I probably could definitely use a little bit more weight training because I slack on that a lot. Um I just it's just not my thing, even though I know how important it is. Um but I I try, and I will say I haven't been sticking to my training plan again, and I know that that is my fault, but I have been running. So I'll give I'll give myself that.

SPEAKER_02 24:46

Yeah, it's better than nothing, right? Like that's what I always tell myself. Like, I I get into a marathon build and I'm like, I'm gonna I'm gonna do like weight training twice a week, I'm gonna be in the gym, and like three weeks in, I'm like, well, I'm still running, so at least there's that.

SPEAKER_00 25:03

Exactly. And here's the thing is that like, even if I don't train like the complete proper way, once race day comes, I'm still gonna run and I'm still gonna give it my best, and I'm not gonna quit unless like it's a dire need anyway. So it it's just what it is.

SPEAKER_02 25:19

Yeah. Um, and then I you touched on something there when you said I'm still never gonna quit. Um, and you know, that can be in running, obviously, but in life too. And the parallels between running and life, I think, is are so like are so similar. And what are some things that you've learned in your running, you know, like when it gets hard, when it like when you don't want to quit, you don't want to give up. How has that helped you in life as well?

SPEAKER_00 25:48

Oh man. So I have this like thing in my head that I've already been through the hardest things in my life.

SPEAKER_01 25:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

And yes, there's possibility that I might go through more hard, but I don't feel like any run, any race, any anything will ever, ever, ever be as hard as things I've already been through. So I can't quit now. I mean, I would just be giving up on myself and I've already done that. So why would I not try, you know? And um it I don't know. I just like have no reason to not try to do something harder, to go farther, to push myself even when it hurts, because I mean, there's a pain that you know I can't even describe sometimes. And and I'm okay with that. Like I feel like mentally, like it's helped me so much to put it into that perspective, but also like I don't even think about it in that way anymore. It's just like I can just do it, and I want to prove to myself like I can do it. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:56

Awesome. Well, I wanted to say also, I saw your charm bracelets on your wrist with your watch. I think that's so cool. So is there a story behind the bracelets?

SPEAKER_00 27:07

Um, so I just went and ran Broad Street in Pennsylvania with like 12 other people, and my gift to everybody was bracelets, and I brought the kit so that we could all make them. So this it just says Heather and Run, and then this one says do hard things. And they're just kind of like my little reminders now until they break.

SPEAKER_02 27:28

I love that. That's so cool. Like thank you, spreading, spreading joy and spreading positivity, not even just in online, but outside as well. So that's so cool.

SPEAKER_00 27:39

Yeah.

unknown 27:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:40

And then uh, I think I missed what you uh if you said it. So uh what are you training for currently?

SPEAKER_00 27:45

Um, so next weekend, I'm actually running my farthest distance ever. I'm attempting my first hundred K.

SPEAKER_01 27:54

Awesome.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

So um I my goal for this year was to attempt a 50 miler, and I couldn't find one before it was like peak summertime, and this was the closest thing I could do. So I signed up for 100k, because what's 12 more miles, you know, like another loop. It's no big deal. So it's called the High Hope Endurance Run. It's also out there in Glenrose. And yeah, so we'll see how that goes.

SPEAKER_02 28:22

Yeah, and what and it was it you said so it's next weekend, so next Saturday?

SPEAKER_00 28:26

Next Saturday, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:28

Okay, so uh because I was thinking about when I was gonna release this podcast. So maybe I'll release it Friday, the day that day before your race, so it can cool anticipation for that. So that'd be awesome.

SPEAKER_00 28:40

Yeah.

unknown 28:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:43

It's either gonna be storming or it's going to be extremely hot. So it's gonna be a new adventure either way.

SPEAKER_02 28:50

Yeah. Well, cool. So um, and does that scare you at all to take on 12 more miles? What's the kind of thought process? And how's the training been?

SPEAKER_00 28:58

Oh, um, I mean, training's been fine, but I probably could have run a little bit more, uh, honestly, probably some more longer runs. Um, but I still feel good. Like I, you know, I I don't really doubt that I can complete it. Am I gonna complete it in like a timely manner that like other people can? Probably not. Um, I do have a goal. My goal is 20 hours, um, but I'm thinking closer to 24. Um, but we'll see. Like, I don't know. I really, I mean, it's been six-ish months since my last since my 50k. So I don't know how my body has progressed because I've never done that distance before. Yeah. Especially in this weather. So Yeah.

unknown 29:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 29:45

Is it what time does it in the morning does it start?

SPEAKER_00 29:48

It starts at 7 30 in the morning, and then I have 48 hours to complete it. But I really, really want to just go straight through, no naps, no nothing. I want to power through and just like literally see what my body can do.

SPEAKER_02 30:02

All right. Well, more power to you. I think I always think ultra rudders are like so cool because it's like y'all, y'all take on 24 hours. That's a whole day. Like so I more power to you, because I don't think I could ever. I mean, like, people keep trying to get me to do trails and ultras, but I'm like, that's a day. Like, that's a whole day. It is. Yeah. Um, are you one of those people who kind of check the weather like every day is like to see what the forecast does, or what uh are you just kind of letting letting it go and and seeing what happens?

SPEAKER_00 30:35

I'm freaking out because like five days ago it said it was gonna be, you know, Texas thunderstorms. And I'm like, how am I gonna do this if it's like downpouring and thundering? Um, which I will still try. I don't know how, but um, I almost would prefer it to be like super hot at that point because I don't know how to run in mud, to be honest.

SPEAKER_02 30:58

What's uh so what's your uh and just a kind of random question, what's your trail shoe of choice?

SPEAKER_00 31:04

Um I like the Sokany Exodus 4, I think is what it's called.

SPEAKER_01 31:10

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 31:10

And they I've tried so many, and I haven't been able to stick to one, but the Sokany, man, they they knew what they were doing, and I need stability for my ankles. I've tried working really hard on them. Um, but these like no pain, no blisters, ankle stability, all of it. And so it's great.

SPEAKER_02 31:30

Awesome. Well, cool. Uh this has been so such a fun conversation. Um, I wanted to also ask you, so you know, obviously, you know, you're out of the woods, like you've done the hardest things in life, and now look at you, you're you know, chasing hard things, finding joy in the chase, and you know, building a life all over the world, it sounds like. And so if you could go back today and talk to the person who you were and who who you you know as the person you became now, what would you say to that person? What uh what would you what what would you yeah, what would you say to that person?

SPEAKER_00 32:11

Man, if I could go back even just let's say 10 years ago, before before things, you know, I would tell myself to quit my job and I would tell myself to just start doing the things that you don't think you can do. Because I I felt like my job held me back a lot. And a lot of it was also alcohol because I found fun in that and that's what all my friends did. Um, but I mean, even if I could just go back four years, I would just keep telling myself, don't give up, don't give up, just keep going, like you will make it through. Because there were times where, you know, days there were I just like cried all day long and I was like, I want to be over this. And I would tell myself, you don't need to cry every day because that's not going to help you get anywhere. And I would just push through and eventually it it worked, you know, trying to mentally just tell myself positive things. And I would I would definitely tell myself that. I tell people that now, like we all go through things, and you know, even in the doubts and stuff.

unknown 33:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:18

Well, and then to someone who is just starting on their journey and and just you know, trying to trying to start putting one foot in front of the other and build their life piece by piece uh out of out of depth of the depths. What would you tell them? What was some advice that you would give them?

SPEAKER_00 33:36

Well, if it's as far as running goes, I would definitely tell them to start with walking. Like you do not have to run. You can walk. Walk will get you so much farther. Like I do a lot of walking as it is now too. Like I consider that a lot of training um for ultra stuff. So I hate that like a lot of people feel pressure to have to be able to run a 5k at first and be to be able to be successful in running. Like, yeah, get to that 5k, but don't injure yourself, do it correctly, like understand that there is a progress, there are steps, and you can make it there. And with that, like with life also, like you have to go through those hard times to be able to get to that level that you actually want to be on. So if you can sit in in that hard time, if you can mentally wrap your head around what you're going through and why it's that hard, eventually the pieces will start to fall apart and you can bloom in all of that and find what you're supposed to be doing with your life. And I feel like that's what I was able to do.

SPEAKER_02 34:45

Man, this has been so fun. This has been one of my favorite conversations. I think like you know, I I always tell people like when you're when things are when when things are hard, like when things are hard, when things are you know going poorly, just find the joy in one thing in your day. Like find do something, like find find the joy in whatever it is that you're doing today. And like kind of step by step every day, find something that you can be grateful for in the hard. And it it sounds like you've done that for the last you know several years. So I'm I'm personally proud of you, and I'm so happy that I was able to talk to you today.

SPEAKER_00 35:26

Thank you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 35:27

Yeah. All right. My last question is so if you could give somebody a reason to go for a run today, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00 35:34

Oh, because you can. I mean, there's so many people out there that can't, um, whether it be a disability or a health reason or just mental doubts. Like, if you can do it, like why wouldn't you? And that's everything. Like, if you think about it, like why are you holding yourself back? I I don't know. I don't ever want to hold myself back anymore. Like anything that sounds crazy, like I'm just out there and I'm ready to do it now.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

Yep. Love it. Well, thank you so much, Heather. I really appreciate it. Good luck. I guess I will say this weekend, since this is gonna be coming out, coming out the day before uh your race. But uh good luck in your race. Um, I'm I'll definitely be following along. And uh yeah, I've I uh if you don't mind, I'd like to let my listeners know how you do when whenever you finish. So if you post something, I may share it to my my Instagram story.

SPEAKER_00 36:28

Absolutely, I'll let you know.

SPEAKER_02 36:30

Awesome.