Finish Lines and Milestones

By SandyBoy ProductionsHealth & Fitness Fitness

Finish Lines and Milestones episodes

June 07, 2024Episode 59: The Summer of Speed
Mark Guyer and I finally, "officially" met in person at the Indy Mini this year. During this episode we talk about:
How you don’t have to be scared of people running fast 😂

Being a Boston Marathon sherpa to his wife, Michele, and, Fishers Running Club friend, Sara Farny, this year and how he was pushed into a trash can of empty water cups

How he made "real" friends with two guys he shared the podium with at a local race

Going from the football offensive line to the cross country and track teams

Ultimate frisbee and the Little 50 at IU (getting beat by the frat still hurts)

First marathon in Cleveland, OH

How he BQ’d but didn’t go and then didn’t end up in Boston until 15 years later

Running every day for a year to get back in shape after grad school

2017 Chicago Marathon

2020 Napa Marathon and breaking three hours for the first time before the world shut down

How he came to be coached by pro, Scott Fauble

The Paavo Running Camps in Indiana in the summer

2022 Monumental Marathon for his first elite field and how he broke his collarbone and had surgery Labor Day before the race but STILL managed a PR
2023 Carmel Marathon - broke 2:30 for the first time and finished 4th and felt good after running a negative split

2023 Berlin Marathon and Oktoberfest

2024 Houston Marathon - 1:15 and 1:13:28

Run(317) Races and “The Summer of Speed”

Winning the Monument al Mile Open in 2022 - 4:24

Adopting both of his boys through open adoption

First Steps Indiana and how Mark helped them recover millions of dollars 🤯

How he did some work in Central America for a few years and we both wish we could speak Spanish

Winning a race on the day of his dad’s triple bypass

His wedding to Michele and the running details they incorporated in their big day

Types of awards we've received - inflatable boat, pies, coasters

How he’s going after the course record for Masters at the Monumental Mile (4:20)
Previous Podcast Guests Mentioned:
Sara Farny - EP30

Vince Auten - EP56

Dania Whittey - EP44

Eileen Poore - EP17

Nate Spangle - EP47

Christi Dee - EP3

Michael Hartnagel - EP37

Timmy Howard - EP54
1 hr 49 min
May 31, 2024Episode 58: Take it from the Ironwoman
Susanne Mueller is an entrepreneur, podcast host, blogger, author, TEDx speaker, marathoner, and Ironman. A previous guest, Aum Gandhi (EP 12) introduced us - thank you, Aum! During this episode we talk about:
Her accent and what brought her to the US

How she first got into running and how over the course of her life it's helped her maintain balance and discipline

Starting her blog that now has 700+ posts

Her podcast, Take it from the Ironwoman, that has over 400 episodes

The fact that she's run 26 marathons and 15 of these are New York City Marathons

Her road to qualifying for Boston that included FOUR finish times of 3:42 when she needed 3:40

How she uses visualization during races

Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro (don't do it if you need a shower every day)

Her experience as a NYRR coach for 10+ years and the lives she's touched

How she loves how running in the elements brings out the dedicated runners

International race experiences in Canada and Brazil

Becoming a TEDx speaker (listen to her talk)

"Prepared spontaneity" and how you should always have your story ready

Mental health and what it means to her

Her third book coming in September!

Here's a link to her book, Lipstick Leadership
Here's a link to her book, Take it from the Iron Woman

Previous Guests Mentioned:
Timmy Howard - EP 54

Aum Gandhi - EP 12
1 hr 23 min
May 24, 2024Episode 57: Keep Showing Up
Jennifer Conner and I met through Instagram and our running coach, Rachel Sinders (EP 8). She has been on my list since day one, but I wanted to wait for her to complete her Six Star journey to have her on! She got her final star at the Tokyo Marathon this year. During this episode, we talk about:
Becoming a Six Star Finisher

Starting with Disney. Her first full marathon was during a Dopey (5K, 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon on consecutive days)

Did three world majors in one season

Running Boston as a charity runner and got a PR

Doing virtual challenges to get into Tokyo - 100K in a week, half marathons but ended up running for Ronald McDonald House Japan

Being in London for the Queen’s Funeral before Berlin 2022 (redemption)

Also ran Chicago in 2022 and broke 4 hours

Working with a coach from the beginning and had a unique coaching opportunity with Des Linden and Jared Ward, Endure Strong

How she fits running in with a full time job and three kids

"The Sloths" - Jennifer, Amanda, Jason

Spending twelve years in the Army on her path to becoming a Physician’s Assistant (PA)

The Gold Mile at the Indy Mini and why she can’t race the Indy Mini

37 half marathons, 19 marathons, and 5 Dopey

The Mesa Marathon in Arizona that’s currently her PR and how she’s never been more desperate for water in her life

How she hates lemon lime Gatorade

An exciting email she received that was in French so she almost deleted it

The fact that she’s a fast hole

Tokyo 2024 and her 8 days of adventures - bullet train, tea ceremony, hedgehog and otter cafe, real life Mario Karting

Volunteering in the medical tent at the Boston Marathon finish line in 2024

Her amazing kids traveling the world for dance, competing in Rubik’s cube competitions and starting new sports at 10yo
1 hr 37 min
May 17, 2024Episode 56: Becoming InVINCEable
Vince Auten is a connector, runner, coach and entrepreneur on a journey to help people become the best version of themselves and do things that seem to be out of reach. We found out we have a lot in common and during this episode we talk about:
Working in run speciality (he worked at Runner's Forum)

How he started walking and cut out sugar to lose weight which led him to running (Sugar Busters is the book he mentions)

All of the running sins he committed during his first half marathon at the Indy Mini in 1992

Race stories from Milwaukee, Bayshore, and Chicago

Types and flavors of fuel we like to use

What it was like being on the founding board for the Geist Half Marathon

How Vince got into triathlons and became and Ironman the week of his 50th birthday

Starting his coaching company, InVinceable Coaching

Here's a link to the bike analogy mentioned

The RAIN ride across Indiana

Working at a brewery and he likes Deviate Brewing

Giving back to the community through LLS and Team in Training

Running gear Vince loves

Previous guests mentioned during this episode:
Sara Farny - EP 30

Trena Roudebush - EP 31

Rose Scovel - EP 40

Jay Druba - EP 46

Nate Spangle - EP 47

Ryan Prinzing - EP 49
1 hr 29 min
May 10, 2024Episode 55: Inclusion Beyond Limits
Ashley Schwab and I have known each other for well over a decade and had the amazing opportunity to run with Ainsley's Angels at the Indy Mini this year. During this episode we talk about:
Her family's connection to Ukraine

Our experience pushing our Angel, Hope

How Ashley was a collegiate cheerleader despite the fact that she landed on her head during tryouts

The first time we met (and I really judged her)

Our tip for buying red wine

Becoming a stay-at-home mom

Going from "blade runs" to her first marathon

How running helped her manage her postpartum anxiety

The New York City Marathon in 2018

Serving the community through Heart Change

A funny thing we had in common after one of our Geist Half Marathons
1 hr 22 min
May 03, 2024Episode 54: From Heroin to Ironman
Timmy "Hotdog" Howard is one of three endurance athletes featured in the film, Inches to Miles, by Athletic Brewing. His story is absolutely wild and one I never expected him to tell.
During this episode we talk about:
How Timmy got into race photography (kind of how we met)

Early life and his upbringing

How he started drinking and partying at the age of 16

His time in the military that was short-lived

When and how his drinking evolved into hard drugs

What it was like being homeless for years

Getting out of the dark hole - how owing a drug dealer $50 ended up being the wakeup call he needed

Back on my Feet and the start of Timmy’s running journey

November Project is where Timmy found his family and his wife, Steph

Dealing with alcoholism after getting sober from heroin

Where Athletic Brewing comes into the picture

Inches to Miles - how the film came to be and some behind-the-scenes talk

Progression from marathon to ultra to triathlons

How he approaches giving back to the community

Where to see Timmy at the Indy Mini this year

Pushing with Ainsley’s Angels during

How he got the Hot Dog in Timmy Hotdog Howard
1 hr 26 min
April 26, 2024Episode 53: This is So Much Easier Than Parenting
Carly Stewart and I were introduced by a previous podcast guest, Nate Spangle (EP 47), and instantly became friends. We are both gearing up to run the Indy Mini on 5/4. During this episode we talk about:
How she moved 7 times before she was 4

The fact that her parents were super supportive and gave her a great experience with childhood sports

How a half marathon in the 6th grade was her first race

Her 5:42 mile in grade school that she ran for a friend

Carmel Cross Country and how she didn't run track because she was "very committed to not running in circles"

The TOMS in her life... so many Toms

How she signed up for her first marathon (Chicago) after a couple of drinks in 2012 and then didn't want to run one again until she was "boring"

Being a stay-at-home-mom

How she walked to the hospital to deliver her first son

Signing up for her first 50K and running it during the pandemic in 2020

How she got involved with New Shoe Day

Her pregnancy loss and how she ran her second marathon ever shortly after as a way to heal

Disordered eating in our youth

The adventures she's gone on with her husband Tom - Everest Base Camp, Kimaminjaro, Rim to Rim to Rim, and the Grand Tetons to name a few

The 2023 Flying Pig marathon in the monsoon 9 months after baby number two

How her and her dad, Tom, have both qualified for Boston and hope to run in 2025
1 hr 29 min
April 19, 2024Episode 52: A Treadmill Marathon at a Mav's Game
Farrell Hedrick and I both ran the Fargo Marathon in 2023. I stumbled across his Instagram ,@2run4, while reminiscing after the race and have since followed his crazy running adventures. This year alone he's run Houston Half, Miami Half, Tokyo Marathon, and is heading to the Eugene Marathon later this month. Oh, and three weeks before Tokyo he ran 26.2 miles on a treadmill at a Dallas Mav's game.
During this episode we talk about:
How you can pronounce his name FAIR-EL or FUH-REL, he gets it both ways (I went with the first)

The 2023 Fargo Marathon

His Boston Marathon experiences

Being overweight post-college while working in public accounting

The Dallas Marathon and trying to get him to come to Indy

The Paris marathon and how he still has logistics issues 20+ marathons in

His Cambodian heritage and a short lesson on Cambodian history read his full blog post on the topic here

Running for Cambodia in the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships (WMTRC)

Recovering from an ankle sprain that happened at WMTRC

The treadmill marathon at a Mav's game

Becoming a running coach

How amazing his blog is
1 hr 24 min
April 12, 2024Episode 51: That New Shoe Day Feeling
Casey Crouse is someone I've wanted to have on this podcast from the very beginning. Whenever I'd get guest suggestions from people - Casey's name would come up. So, we finally made it happen and it was worth the wait. He is an incredible human being and his "side hustle" is a nonprofit helping the youth of Indiana (oh, and running 100 milers).
During this episode, we talk about:
The recent solar eclipse and how Casey wants to go to space someday

Family and sending the first kid to kindergarten

How Casey has a full time job on top of all of the things he's doing

Sports growing up
His late sister Ashley and her legacy in IU Dance Marathon and the world

How he got started in endurance sports

Triathalons and Ironman

Helping his wife Danica train for and run her first marathon

One Thousand One City - running 10 miles a day for 100 days around the city of Indianapolis

All thing New Shoe Day

How he’s been to Sara Blakely’s house (ok, Jesse Itzler's house )

Leadville 100 milers and what's coming next this year

Donate to New Shoe Day here
1 hr 26 min
April 05, 2024Episode 50: The Podcast's First Birthday
I'm celebrating the 50th episode and birthday of the podcast with my best friend, Alyssa Stickley, interviewing ME. It was fun to turn the tables and have a chance to share more of my story. There's also a special Sydney cameo in the introduction. ❤️
In this episode we talk about:
Story of how Alyssa and I met

A little bit about my girls

My husband Zach - our first (and only) marathon together

How I started running in college

My first marathon on 10-10-10

How using a running coach has changed things for me

Life before Athlete Bouquets and how AB started

My big running goal

One of our race adventures in Utah

Planning to go to Berlin for the race and Octoberfest

Ragnar in September 2024

Routines before and after race

My love of the treadmill

Favorite races and stories
THANK YOU to everyone who has listened throughout the last year. It has been so much fun getting a chance to get to know so many incredible runners! Cheers to 50 more!
1 hr 24 min

About Finish Lines and Milestones

From the publisher's feed

Every runner has a story. Finish Lines and Milestones is a podcast that celebrates the everyday runner. If you run, you’re a runner. Join host, Ally Brettnacher, every week as she shares these runner…