Episode 5 | Part 2, Chapter 4: The Date Is Set | Reading The Long Run Home

There comes a point in every big dream when planning has to give way to execution.

In this episode of Dare To Begin, Ashley M. Schneider reads Part 2, Chapter 4: The Date Is Set from The Long Run Home.

The dream of running across America was no longer hypothetical. The start date had been set, the countdown had begun, and there was no turning back.

From San Francisco, just days before the first step of a 3,288-mile journey, Ashley reflects on what it really took to reach the starting line—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.

In this chapter, you'll hear:

- Why her first marathon nearly brought Ashley to her knees.

- How the motorhome arrived only weeks before departure.

- Meeting Nate, Ashley's boyfriend, who agreed to become the only support crew member for the next six months.

- The mindset that kept the journey moving forward when the resources weren't there yet.

- Why action—not certainty—is what builds confidence.

Sometimes the biggest obstacle isn't the challenge itself—it's believing you can begin before everything is perfectly in place.

If you're waiting until you feel ready, this chapter is your reminder that readiness is often created through movement.

If this episode resonates with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs the encouragement to take their own next step.

Order The Long Run Homehttps://a.co/d/0j2GO96a

Learn more about Ashley M. Schneiderashleymschneider.com

Learn more about MS Run the USmsruntheus.org

Episode Title

Episode 4 | Chapter 3: Then Do It Now | Reading The Long Run Home

Episode Description

What if one simple thought follow by action changed the direction of your entire life?

In this episode, Ashley reads Chapter 3 of The Long Run Home, where an ordinary three-mile run on a treadmill in Barcelona became the beginning of an extraordinary journey.

At the time, she had never run a marathon, never raised money for charity, and had no idea how someone could run across America.

She simply had an idea—and chose not to ignore it.

This chapter is a reminder that our biggest dreams rarely begin with certainty or a clear path forward. They begin with curiosity, courage, and the willingness to take the next right step.

(And yes...there's also some wholehearted off-key singing along the way.)

If you've ever wondered whether you're ready to pursue something that feels bigger than you, this episode is for you.

In This Episode

- The moment the idea to run across America was born

- The idea that what gets you started doesn't have to be what keeps you going.

- How ordinary moments become life-changing ones

- The courage to act before feeling ready

- A reminder that authenticity beats perfection

About the Series

This podcast is a live reading of Ashley M. Schneider's memoir, The Long Run Home. New chapters are released twice a week.

Whether your dream is to start a business, write a book, change careers, improve your health, or simply take the next step toward something meaningful, these stories are here to remind you that confidence is built through action.

In Chapter 2 of The Long Run Home, I share what it was like growing up as the daughter of a mother living with multiple sclerosis.

This chapter explores the impact my mom's MS had on our family, the emotions I struggled to process as a child, and some of the ways I coped while trying to make sense of a disease that was slowly changing the person I loved.

During this reading, I reflect on how chronic illness affects entire families—not just the person living with the diagnosis—and why sharing these stories continues to matter.

If you've ever loved someone through illness, loss, or circumstances you couldn't control, I hope this chapter reminds you that your experience matters too.

The Long Run Home is a memoir about running across America, building a nonprofit, living with purpose, and learning to take the first step before you feel ready.

Learn more about Ashley, her book, and her work at MS Run the US:ashleymschneider.commsruntheus.org

If this episode resonates with you, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

#TheLongRunHome #DareToBegin #MSAwareness #MultipleSclerosis #MSRunTheUS #ChronicIllness #CaregiverStories #FamilyStories #PurposeDrivenLife #MemoirPodcast

Episode 2 | Chapter 1: Leading To This

In this episode of the Dare To Begin podcast, I read Chapter 1 of The Long Run Home.

Before there was a run across America, a nonprofit, or a book, there was my family—and my mom, Jill.

Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis years before I was born, my mom's journey with MS shaped the environment I grew up in. The uncertainty, inconvenience, and pain that came with the disease were part of our normal, but so was resilience.

Looking back, I couldn't have known that our family's story would one day become my purpose.

In this chapter, I share the beginning of that story and reflect on how our experiences—especially the difficult ones—can shape us into who we become.

Because sometimes what starts as pain can become something profound, if we're willing to take action.

In this episode:

- Meeting my family and my mom, Jill

- Jill's diagnosis

- What multiple sclerosis is and how it affects a family unit

- When Jill's symptoms turned bad

🎙️ The Dare To Begin podcast is a Lunch & Listen live reading series where I share a chapter from my memoir, The Long Run Home, every Tuesday and Thursday.

📚 Join me live on Instagram Tuesdays and Thursdays at Noon Central.

🧡 If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review.

#DareToBegin

In this first episode of Dare To Begin, Ashley introduces The Long Run Home Summer Reading Series and shares the Foreword written by Robin Arzón.

More than a story about running 3,288 miles across America, The Long Run Home is a story about taking the first step towards a goal before you feel ready.

Whether you're pursuing a big dream, navigating uncertainty, or simply looking for encouragement to take your next step, this series is for you.

📖 Reading: Foreword by Robin Arzón

Find Ashley at:Website: ashleymschneider.comBook: The Long Run HomeNonprofit: MS Run the US

If this episode resonates with you, consider sharing it with someone who needs the reminder that they're more capable, resourceful, and resilient than they think.

All you need to do is dare to begin.