Ultramarathon Mindset: Surviving 125 Miles in the Florida Everglades & Running Across Bali

Oh, wow. Yeah. that's an interesting mix. Yeah. I've never had like the whole ancestry thing done. Yeah. But I know that those are things that she is, yeah. And my grandmother was Cherokee. Oh. Wow. So we have like the olive skin and then like the Cherokee skin. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Pretty hair. Yeah. And then my dad is Italian.

Hmm. so his side or his mother, would she do the Italian, food feast? She would Christmas thing? She would, yeah. She, she would also make the Italian cookies, like the rolled ones with the icing on 'em. But she would make, yeah, she would make them for everyone. And we had like 20 cousins, massive batches, 20 cousins.

Oh yeah. Like, I mean, it's like the Sears and JC Penney's, like clothing boxes that like, she would still have, because nobody has those anymore when Sears. Yeah. But she would fill those boxes for. All of us. So like I would get a full Sears box of Yeah. Cookies. Yeah. And then like just random box that Yes.

With became a cookie box. Yes. Right. It's like a clothing box. And then she had like the tissue paper that would come with clothing. Yeah. Like each was a layer and then there was more She's Italian. Yeah. Yeah. You would never leave this crazy looking box that you would never think. 'cause I've had that in my family.

I can relate to it. I know. Like, yeah. And it's just packed to the gills. Like for a hundred people, not for one, but it's a no no. And she's giving it to one person and it's like 85 cookies. Yes. That we're all like, also at the time, we're all living in the same house. Like me and my mom, my dad and my brother, each one of us got a box of like 85, 50.

Like why do we have this many cookies? Yeah. But that's Italians for you. It is. It's so true. They cook for arms always. They want you to feel loved. And they don't want you to be hungry. No, no. It's none of us do. Of is food is the way they give their love. Yeah. That's And you gotta enjoy their food and eat their food.

'cause that's part of the part of that because then it's an insult. It is. You're not like, it's even an insult if you're not hungry right at the time. Right when you get there. Yeah. Right. You have to eat that. You have to eat. I used to actually run to my grandmother's house and then that was a whole thing because I obviously wasn't gonna like sit there and eat.

'cause I had to run home. She would be like, this is the time. Like you need to, like, I've made all this food. I'm like, yeah, okay. Well I'll guilt you into it will run home and drive back and then I'll eat. But. Yeah. Yeah. She is. She was a great lady. Mm. Both my grandmothers were, didn't matter what time of day it was when you were there.

It was, it was time to eat. No. Yeah, yeah. Right. It was time to eat. Yeah. Well, that, that's cool. So you were that close to her that you could run to her house everywhere? Yes. Yes. I was luck, luckily close to both of my grandparents. Yeah. and also luckily got a lot of years with them. but, yeah, my Italian grandmother ended up moving into the house that I was like born, like up until age eight.

We moved out of that house and she moved in, so the house kind of stayed in the family. Oh, nice. Nice. So that was cool and we were able to do it. And, this, this was in what part of Maryland? Where? So, Perry Hall area. it's like a suburb of Baltimore. Okay. but it's, near tows. Are you familiar with Towson or Maryland at all?

No. Towson is where the university is. Okay. It's like 20 minutes from Towson. Okay. my mom's mom was more in Towson and then, my dad's mom, was in Perry Hall like three miles from us. How far is that? From the Chesapeake? From an hour and a half. Okay. Yeah. It would take us three hours to get to Ocean City.

But at the ti it's funny because like now I live so close to the beach that like, you drive and it's 5, 6, 8 minutes. Yeah. we used to drive to Ocean City three hours. For vacation and we'd stay, we'd stay a week when we would go as a family, but my brother ended up being on Beach Patrol, so we would go for sometimes the whole summer.

Pure Bliss though, wasn't it? Wasn't it? Oh my God. But it wasn't, it didn't seem long. Like the drive was three hours, but I mean, we used to do it in no time. It felt like. Really? Yeah. besides the fact that you were like excited Yeah. To be going. Yeah. But, yeah, it was, it was an easy drive and, I loved it there.

I miss it there. Yeah. We did the o we did the Jersey Shore, the Ocean City version. The Wildwood version of, oh yeah. You can go back. My parents still, I think they still love the Jersey Shore. They go there. Oh, they go there? Yeah. Yeah, they go there. they go to Ocean City, Maryland too, but Yeah. they like the Jersey Shore a lot.

Yeah. Yeah. It's different, it's like similar but different. Right, right. I've never been to Ocean City, Maryland, but I've just heard that it's, it's similar and for a little while we had a salon in, Cambridge. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Where the Hyatt was built. Yeah. There was a Hyatt built there, 25 years ago.

We were in a couple different Hyatt hotels, and that was our first venture outta state, and we went to Cambridge. so we would fly into BWI and then go to. Across that bridge that it was terrifying to go over that. yeah. Wherever that bridge is that, the Bay Bridge? Yes. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. I know actually, speaking of my grandmother, my one grandmother didn't do bridges, but she didn't drive, but she would go to the beach with us and she would have her eyes closed the whole time.

Yeah. And we have to be like, we're over the bridge or whatever. But it was high and it was, yeah, it was Seems so tight. Yeah. And they'd sometimes have one lane closed, so it was like that big, like X So you're like, I do remember when I first got my license thinking like, what if I ended up in that lane and I didn't know, whatever.

'cause it just was closed. I don't know. But it was, it was scary a little bit to go over that bridge. Yeah. That was, that was a, we had one of, Jesse who used to work here, went there to do some hiring. And so she went on this mission to be there and, had to stay in the hotel for, she ended up staying there for three months.

But the worst part of it was just getting across that bridge. Oh, yeah. Around a car and having get across. And that was kinda like the halfway point. So once you're over the bridge, you like kind of know like you're over the hump. Yeah. You're like in, you're not really in Ocean City, but you are on your way in Yeah.

At some point. Yeah. And that Cambridge was like a, I guess it used to be a. Big crabbing, or they used to have a crabbing plant or factory there or something like that. Yeah, it's cute little town. Cambridge is cool. Easton. Easton. Yeah. Easton is nice. Yeah. Yeah. My cousin actually just got married in Easton in April.

I mean, it was in April, but, I had never spent much time there. I mean, I had driven through it or been there, whatever, for an hour or two. But we stayed there at, one of the older bed and breakfast. Yeah. And it was just really a nice little town. Yeah. little shops. And like breakfast places and the bed and breakfast, the Tidewater, I think it was that we stayed beautiful.

Like they, they had it updated enough to keep it like restored. Yeah. But it would still had that like old feel. Yes. Yes. and I love, like anything antique or anything older I love. Yeah. It was a, it was real. I remember going there the first time and the hotel was not open yet. And apparently that hotel was built on grounds where there was a old mental institution years ago.

So there was this mystique about it. Initially when I went there, the hotel wasn't open. They were still doing the finishing touches, so nobody, their staff wasn't there. But when I went there to meet the general, general manager, they were gonna allow me to stay, but there was nobody staying there. There was like one security guard overnight.

Yeah. And they had the beds just on the floor of the hotel. That wasn't all set up yet, but the power was on and so it was the eeriest thing because it was reminded me of the shining because it was, oh my gosh. It was, alone in this. On this property that was this old mental institution.

And then in the morning I thought, I thought he set this up because I went out and it's the, it's right there on the water and it's this beautiful setting. And I, the 18th green is right outside of the hotel. And on the green there was a, a deer, like a fox over on this side, like an eagle up in the trees.

I thought this is, this has gotta be staged. Like this was the most beautiful morning I'd ever seen it. Wow. It was cold, really cold. But I see this wildlife and the setting of the water behind it was just, magical. Yeah. Know me. It like stops you in your tracks. Really? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

That's awesome. Yeah. So that was my introduction to, to that part of Maryland. We used to keep, my father used to keep our, our boat there. We lived in Philly, but we would go down and keep it in Maryland. Oh, love Philly. I love Phil. It's not far from you. Yeah. We used to take like day trips there. I do. I just think it's a cool city.

Yeah. Yeah. I like to visit. I wouldn't wanna live there anymore. Yeah, I know, sadly. I agree. But I've done the Philly marathon a couple times. Oh, really? And where does that go through? It's nice. Do it go through in the city? Oh yeah. The whole, the whole city. Yeah. they have like a really cool falls there.

I forget what it's, it goes around the lake and then there's like a falls, I forget what it's called. Yeah. But I remember the first time ever doing it and seeing that I had never seen that part affiliate. And it just, it was so cold that day too. So it was kind of like icy. It looked very just, oh yeah.

Again, majestic. Yeah. And you kind of like make your way all the way around the lake, and it's more at the end of the race, so you're at least 20 miles in. it just is a nice little scene to like stop and take a breath or Yeah. I forget what it's called. Maybe near the Schuylkill River or somewhere.

Somewhere like, it's, it's beautiful, but the race is really nice. Yeah. it's very popular, big city Marathon. I don't think it's a majors, but it's, that's gotta be something that is unique when you run in different places like that. Oh. When you get to see, I actually, so when I first got introduced to running, I was introduced by my dad and then he would run with a couple of his work friends and, her name is Susie.

She used to run and vacation and I was like, this lady is awesome. Like, that is so cool. And, I started doing it. I started picking like one race a year, whether it was a marathon or half or now ultra. somewhere where I can also visit and kind of either whether or not I have a friend out there or not.

I have gone and I've traveled alone, I've taken friends, my parents have met me, but I've seen a lot of really cool places on foot and I think that's really cool. Yeah. I actually will be going to Bali, in May of 2026 to, run across Bali, to lift. The community out of poverty. So there's 42 of us going out there, for a mission trip.

First and then we will, we'll run across the island, but, it's to, fund the Bali Children's Foundation. so we actually get a chance to be with the families and be with the schools while we're out there. Wow. which will be really Yeah. Impactful and remarkable. Yeah. And, it's definitely the reason why I run like those types of events Yeah.

To where you're doing something way bigger than running and it's just, it allows you to, go farther. How did you find that? How does that come about to this place back? well, I do search a lot of, like, again, things and like where I can go and, I mean, obviously Bali is such a dream place to go. It wasn't necessarily on my radar when I was looking up the race, but, I was looking up like mission style ultra marathons, and I found it maybe three years ago.

It's a little bit on the more expensive side. So, I am blessed. I did get sponsored for it. so that was, that allowed me to be able to like, set a goal and reach it. otherwise I think I would still be dreaming about it. so Im really thankful as to how it kind of came together, and the support that I've already received.

But I was just searching like runs that are bigger than runs kind of Ultra marathons that, have a purpose. and it came up, it's called the Bali Hope Ultra, and, Tom is his name. He created it 10 years ago and originally did it himself. and raised $10,000 for the Bali Children's Foundation.

So now that he has kind of a team that goes out there, it looks like there's, all over the country. So there's four Americans, I believe. and we have a lot of Australians. there's a couple people from Germany, and Ireland, I think, that we'll all meet there, that we'll all meet there. We all do the same seven days.

I think we get two impact days actually with the kids. actually at their schools. And, but yeah. like non runner family and friends are invited and, it's just, it's really cool. So once you, get there, everything is at the resort. and then they take you, I think on a boat over to the school, which will be really cool too.

Just like a different culture, a different way of living. Yeah. But, you're kind of like boots on the ground and I love that type of way,? Yeah. Like actually like being involved in something. I think raising money for something is amazing, but I think then actually being able to go and be present with them and Yeah.

Just really changes your perspective. Yeah. And, makes things. Like everyday things seem so small in comparison to the way people live and Yeah. and like how much joy they have and, it's, again, it, it doesn't compare, like that type of experience I don't think does compare to anything.

Yeah. so I'm excited to be present with them and yeah. kinda share that experience with friends that may be going with me and then also new friends that I will meet there. So. Yeah. And to see who you're directly impacting Yes. To actually be with them. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And, again, I'm just, I'm, I am an emotional person and I'm a sensitive, deep feeler, so I think running does help me do that, but also, like seeing the lives that can be touched through it, I've always wanted to, like create something or be a part of something that involved both, like running and empathy.

So yeah. I think it'll be both. Yeah. It's fascinating to put that together that way. So it's a, it's a, you're, you are experiencing the world like somebody would on vacation. But you're going there for a cause and you are, it's seeing a part of the world through your experience of as a runner, which is Yes.

And I think running long distance like that, like, so this will be 86 K, so it's about 54 miles across Bali. Hmm. running a distance. Any type of long distance though does like, heighten your feelings. Hmm. So, Not that it makes things like more emotional, but it does in a sense because you're, physically doing something, you're mentally doing something.

So I think that exhaustion a little bit really like, makes you meet who you are and like what you're reaching, what you're touching and like everything is elevated. so it does allow you to, I think, feel a little bit deeper. Yeah. which I think is a gift. I think sometimes that gets missed in like, the day to day.

Yeah. So it's like that time you can actually like, feel everything. And I don't think that's a scary thing. Yeah. I think sometimes it's, like that frequency doesn't reach day-to-day life or No. Or people every day. Right. That, they're busy doing their thing and everything's really scheduled and everything is sometimes really rushed.

Right. to where, I don't know, running has really allowed me, I'm a, again, a deep feeler anyway, but it is how allowed me the time and space to like, allow that to just be who I am. Yeah. and enjoy it almost. And, everything that's coming in is real. So whether you're feeling good or you're feeling bad, like those are both your, like we were saying before, moods.

Yeah. and it's up to you to kind of work through them, or enjoy them. so I think it's, it's very special. Well, what is that, do you think that, well, I'll notice, if I do a very intense CrossFit workout. I'm not a great CrossFitter, but I do, it's my form of fitness 'cause I'm with a group. Yeah. that problems that I had before are, are kind of gone.

They're there, but they're not as dominant in my brain. I can actually feel like I can breathe easier or I feel a sense of peace. I guess maybe something like that. I, and I don't know, they talk about the runner's high. Yeah. that, that place that you get to, that we don't ordinarily get to

Where you just have this, it's almost like, and I don't know that I've ever hit it or the longest I've ever run was I did a half marathon one time. Yeah, that's fine. but even in a 5K or even in a, 1600 meter Yeah. Wad that we do or whatever, there's still a, something that I'm affected by that, that, that, like the endorphins, I guess yeah.

There's my own internal drugs. Right. Yeah. No, it's true. And I think they're commonly like underused, but also I think when you're out there kind of putting everything on the table physically again and mentally it does just like, give you a chance to, be present. Yeah. In it or not, or be like, free from whatever you're dealing with.

I think that's great. Yeah. Be present. I, yeah. I really, you've used that a few times and I get it. I get what you're saying 'cause Yeah. 'cause if I'm sitting somewhere and I'm worrying about an issue that I'm doing nothing, you're not working through it Right. At all. You're just like sitting in it.

Whereas like, even if you were to like, stand up and go for a walk, anyone, even I, and like, again, myself, I am a mover, but there are times where like you can be debilitated by whatever you're feeling or Yeah. Anxiety or like, I'm nervous about something. Yes. But if you get up and even like for a minute, for walk outside and just be moving for whatever reason, also what you're going through is moving.

You're moving through it. Yeah. So you feel like you're a little bit maybe more purposeful and functional about what you're thinking about. Yeah. You can make lists and they make sense. Or you can go through them and they make sense or maybe they don't make sense, but you're still like working through them.

Yeah. There's a lot of clarity. I'm more functioning functionally than just like, oh my God, oh my God. Oh my god. And it's like taking you over. Right. Right. I'm, I'm frozen with fear. Yeah. About what was gonna happen. Yeah. Because you're frozen too. You're still Yeah. Which stillness, I think you can be in stillness while you're moving.

Yeah. And I think too, like that's like, some people are like, oh, well, it's not a rest day or whatever. Like if I'm running and I'm like. No, and I do understand that, that like, obviously like physically you do need to rest, but there are times where I feel so still in my brain when I'm running or walking or doing any type type of exercise, fitness or,.

Yeah. so I think they can coexist. Yeah. Stillness and movement can coexist. Yeah. Calmness and, well, what is ultra marathoning? What, what is that? What's the ultra part? So, ultra marathoning is actually pretty cool how it, how it came to, to be. so a marathon distance, a full marathon is 26.2 every time.

That is the distance of a marathon, half marathon, 13.1. So anything over 26.2 is considered an ultra marathon distance. but as you get into racing ultra marathons, like if you were to register for something, it's gonna give you a distance or a time. So it would be 50 k, 50 miler, a hundred k, a hundred miler, 200 k, 200 miler as we go on, or a time period.

So like a six hour run, a 12 hour run, a 24 hour run. Hmm. those are commonly used distances or times for ultra marathon races. If you were to like, wanna look up one and register for one. Yeah. Yeah. But ultra marathoning actually started as a horse race. So the Western states Ultra, started as a hundred mile endurance horse race, and there was one of the first years, one of the horseback riders or jockeys, horse got injured.

This is like 1800 times. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. got injured and he showed up on foot and they said, he's an animal, let him run it. He ran it, completed it. So that's why every time someone runs a hundred mile race, they get a belt buckle, so Oh, wow. It's, yeah. A tradition. Yeah. Wow. Which is cool. The belt buckles are cool.

Ah, a hundred miles, is that? Yes, a hundred miles. I mean, sometimes they'll give 'em to you on a hundred Ks, but, usually a hundred mile distance or over, you'll get a belt buckle. So for anyone who's still trying to wrap their head around this a hundred miles continuously, you don't stop and take a nap.

You can, but it's, it doesn't always do you a service, so, you really have to know the science behind, like your body and how it best performs. So for me, I've done 700 mile races and a 200 KI ran from the Miami Pier to the Naples Pier. Wow. in one shot it took me, just under 42 hours. So yes, it is continuous in a sense that was.

A race that I signed up for, it was a 200 K mile distance called peer-to-peer. I was allotted 48 hours to complete it. So if you're, you're allowed to sleep, you can't leave the course or anything like that. Yeah. But you would open a chair, sit on the side of the road, fall asleep. your crew is there, hopefully, or not.

I mean, sometimes people go un crewed and they like, literally like lay down on the side of the street. it's on, on 41, it's reckless. yeah, it was, I would prefer to like pull over somewhere safe. Like I wouldn't just lay on the side of 41. Yeah. But there were parts where we were in, loop Road on that race where it's like in the Everglades.

Yeah. So you're a little bit more on a trail, but again, then you're dealing with like animals and things. It's better to have a crew I think. it's, it's safer. It's, more emotionally stable and you do really feel like the support because you are going through it. Yeah. but yeah, so I've slept probably for like five to eight minutes in races like that uhhuh, that feels so rejuvenating.

It sounds crazy, but yeah, just closing your eyes and shutting your body down for like that amount of time does really give you a reset. it's hard for me to sleep for any longer than that for a hundred mile or something. the 200 K was about 125 miles. Something of that distance because. Like if I was going for a week long, yes, you would obviously have to sleep, but the hour can really like, make you tighten up.

You can start again and then you're like, oh my gosh. Like I'm really out of it now. Yeah. Like I was in it, that, that little short period of time gives you enough of what you need to like, reset your mind, kind of calm down for a second. and then, go for it. Because once the day comes up again, it's crazy how the sun like coming up can really give you a refreshing like, oh my gosh, we're in a new day.

I am. Okay. I didn't even think of that. Yeah, you're right. You're getting a sunset. Yeah. And a sunrise. Yeah. Because you're going through, through the night is a little bit tough. So even though you're tired, like the dark, you've been running all day, you might have been in the heat and now you're, you're not.

So you're, your body is going through a lot. you just, for me, I take my time over the night. that can be the part that really slows me down. But I also sometimes am, fearful of the night. So, there's animals out there and you can't see like you have a headlamp on. So it's literally like just what's in front of you.

So not only like in my right mind, I'd probably still be afraid and you're like 75 miles in. So you're just like. Again, everything is really heightened. Yeah. It's like a lizard in the leaves. Sounds like a bear coming through the woods. Right. Wow. So you're like, in fight or flight, really.

Which again, it's, you're conquering your failures. That's, I know for me, the hardest part. So I either make sure that, my crew is really present if they can be. so a crew is, if you're doing a point to point like that, like where I'm going from somewhere to somewhere else The car, like leapfrogs you.

So for me and my crew is usually people, it's my best friend and my parents, so they know me, like in and out. they really only pull up like a half a mile. Like I can still see the car Or they're out walking with me or somewhere like where I feel supported through the night. I'm, I've never been like left alone unless it's a trail that they can't get to overnight.

But again, as the racer, that going in I would prepare and have a pacer with me, someone to like go in the night with me. Hmm. That's like a friend or another runner or someone that wants to do that with you. Yeah. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. Yeah. So this is peer to peer, so you're on.

Where on 41. So, so we started at the Miami Pier. we ran about 27 miles through Miami to get to where Homestead? There's like a, it's like literally a truck stop where, I think it's Chrome Road. Yeah. Cacho. Yeah. Yeah. Chrome Road meets 41. So whatever I did this 27 miles, we got through like si like Miami, like it was, that was cool.

That was very like, I mean there's people everywhere, residential area. we got through to the truck stop, we get onto 41 and it's like the levy. So that was like amazing. It's like you're off the road. We weren't on 41. Oh. Then we ran, I think it was 30 miles on this levee. So parallel. So a of driving?

Yes. Oh, the levee. Yeah. And you see kinda looks like, the lion King. Yeah. It was unbelievable. I actually, when I drive there, I always like dream of running on that. And we got to, so it was very like grass gravel packed. but it was zero shade. So, and it was like at two o'clock in the afternoon. So that part was only hard because it was so sunny.

Otherwise beautiful. The crew again, was able to drive on the gravel down below me, but I could still see 'em. So that race, they got a lot of good time. I was able, I was with them like the whole time and it was cool because we got this experience together. so 30 miles and then you enter 41 again for maybe five miles on the road.

On the road. You're, your feeter on the road or you Yeah, you're on like the, like in the shoulder, which is a little bit, you got cars going by at 60, 70 miles an hour. Yeah, because my dad was having like a baby. Yeah. he was holding it together as best as he could, as the best, as any dad would.

But, you're still, I'm on the road, so Yeah. After time and in the dark, that's, that's gonna get hairy. So. After that five miles, then you go into Loop Road. Loop Road was another like 30 miles, and that is just like an endless tunnel of like jungle. Gators and Python. I mean, it was every, it was like I was in this dark tunnel.

'cause now it's 9:00 PM Mm. Because over time, I mean, 30 miles takes you eight hours. So, yeah. So, and I had already done 27 miles, so it's, I think I got into Loop Road maybe 8:30 PM I didn't get out of Loop Road until almost 5:00 AM Oh my God. It was just a long trek. 'cause I was walking some of it, and again, it was scary.

It was dark. You couldn't see anything. Yeah. and then we had this like, have you ever heard of a skunk ape? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So then we have like this idea that there's a skunk ape out here. Yeah. 'cause we could hear this giant thing. my best friend who was driving in the car, she has like a camp stove, so she was gonna drive up a little bit, set the camp, stove up, whatever.

So now she's out there by herself with this camp stove and she's like, I heard this huge skunk cape. I didn't know what to do., it sounded like it was bigger than my car. we all made it out alive, but, so then after Loop Road you get back on 41, you're on 41 all the way until the Naples beer.

Wow. And that was something. Because it was, There's nothing out there. Yeah. I mean, it's just 41. Yeah. And you're like, when is this gonna end? and again, you're on the side, you're on the shoulder. Yeah. Yeah. And that, that was actually not that anyone would pull over, but in that period of time, over 40 hours, there was a car.

'cause I, again, I had another person with me, but at some points I didn't. I was like, in the day I had like my, frog towel on and my bucket hat and, I also had looked like I had been going for 40 hours. I probably didn't look great. a, a truck kept like kind of going up and back and like a pickup truck.

And he pulled in to where my crew was stopped and I guess asked what the event was and was like, I, is this girl okay? I like, I've seen her,? then pulled over to ask if I needed water. He was a part of the Coast Guard, which I thought was so cool. I mean, he really was like, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.

Like, you're on the side of the road, walking and make sure you didn't need like a ride or something. Yeah. But I didn't also wanna freak you out. Yeah, yeah. but I thought it was really cool. And then he like stayed kind of with my crew. He bought everybody like a case of water. Oh. And it was really a nice gesture.

Yeah. but he was like, I'm, I'm used to protecting people. wow. It was cool. It was really, really a nice thing that he did. That's awesome. the humanity just to like care. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. and then, yeah, when I got to 9 51, I was like. We are home. Yeah. Yeah. So, then it was about 10 miles and, I made it, I think I made it, 11:45 PM Sunday night.

And I had started at 7:00 AM Saturday morning. The go these to the beer. It was a long one B bites, bug bites bite. Oh yeah, g honestly, I made it out kind of relatively unscathed for what, I was doing. But I do get, like heat rash or like athletic hives. I don't know what they are, but anything over 15 miles, which is, that was a lot over 15 miles.

My legs get hid. Yeah. So by the time I had been 40 hours in, I mean, my legs were pretty, red and it feels like sandpaper. Yeah. and, you're, you have like dust and stuff like in your socks and I've switched shoes and socks and things so many times. but yeah, it's just, it's basically like you surviving, but also like running at the same time.

Mm. So if you were to take your car on a road trip, and do the things that your car needed over time, it's a human, it's also needing that. It's kind of a similar Yeah. Type thing. It's a road trip for a human. Yeah. Well, what do you need to get, what do you need to sustain yourself through that? What are you eating, drinking?

What's happening that way? So it's become an experience and a science that I've learned over time. Obviously first couple, you make some mistakes and it's, again, I say this. because I did marathon too. It is nothing like marathoning. Like you cannot get through with gels. You just can't. Mm. this is like full food because again, you're a full day in.

So like what, what's a gel? Is it a gel is like a little packet that has like quick carbs, quick sugar, but it's like a squeeze packet. Okay. So it's like about this big. It has 200 calories in it, quick sugars. they're fine for 20 miles. Okay. but you're going to need food after that. Like that's 20 miles is very different than a hundred in the sense that like in a full day without any exercise, you would have been through three to four meals.

So now you're running a hundred miles in a full day or two. Hmm. So you would need that and some you would never make it on just like a packet of sugar. Yeah. So I usually take the first 30 miles to kind of get through my food like that. So like my quick energy stuff, like bars, gels if I have 'em, dates, things that are kind of quick.

Yeah. do you have to kind of force yourself to eat too, or are you later? I do. Yeah. in the beginning it's still kind of fine 'cause you're not really in any much pain or nausea or if you're, if you're well-trained, So by 2:00 PM I usually am ready for like a full meal. Like, my favorites are, I have like Tim, potato bacon soup, which sounds crazy, but it's quick, it's easy to eat.

There's carbs, there's fat, there's salt. I like quesadillas. I like cup of noodles. so And you're stopping to have those or you I'll stop and I'll sit. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So that's again, like another eight to 10 minutes That will be allotted into your finished time. 'cause this clock doesn't stop.

Right. So that's all part of your time. So I'll sit, I'll eat, que is I can kind of take on the road, if that's what I'm having, or like a Turkey rollup, Turkey and cheese. rollup, like just dunked in mayonnaise. But sometimes again, you want the chair, like you wanna sit, you wanna like have a moment.

Yeah. You wanna see your crew. it gives you a whole reset. So 2:00 PM 3:00 PM I'll do that. And then I'll just be now for like, again, the next 30 to 40 miles doing like, chips, cookies. I know it sounds like crappy, but that's like what you need. Yeah, sure. I mean, you're just burning straight through it.

Yeah. pickle juice, olives, donuts. I mean it's really pizza, whatever really Whatever you want. Yeah. But it's also like, has to be done in time. You can't just be like. Eating the whole time. Yeah. Because you would then like cramp. So I give myself maybe every five to 10 miles I'm having, like, again, something that's meal ish, but it's not like a full meal.

And then I'll eat again. Dinner is where it starts to probably be hard to eat. So like mile round, mile, like 70. 'cause you're just like not feeling great, so you've lost your appetite, really. you're probably not, like, your digestion hopefully is still working the same, but you're, if you're on the road, you've probably been taking in a lot

Of the car stuff. So, unfortunately it doesn't make you feel the greatest. so, and then the pain sets in too. So, I then am more onto like ginger. I like bullon, which sounds again, like it has nothing in it, but It does settle your stomach and it gives you a little bit of something.

And hopefully if you've eaten enough through the day, you have enough in the tank. but that's too what the crew is for. Like, they kind of are like, you need to eat. Yeah. Because you're not really making decisions at that point anymore for yourself. Yeah. I've had like chicken nuggets though, like they've stopped in and had like, like if there's fast food around, they'll go like pick up fries or something.

Yeah. Anything really that you can eat. You gotta eat it. So, yeah. And then what, what about liquids? What, what's, what's the liquids? I am water throughout. like I'll always have water on me in a race. plain water. So you can drink while you're running, you just have some Oh yeah. I have like either a reservoir.

Or I'll take like, one of those like foldable cups and I can fill it up wherever I am at like a aid station or If it's on, like in an area where there's stores, I'll go into like a seven 11 even and just like fill it up at the fountain. Coke and ginger ale work well, especially with nausea.

And the carbonation actually like, makes you burp, which is like good. Mm. You don't want air inside. And after breathing for that amount of time, like that You can get gas. And then it hurts. So the carbonation actually is helpful for that. Yeah. and then I do electrolytes, but I don't go crazy with them because sodium can also bloat me.

Like to the point where I'm like, oh my God, I can't run. Wow. so I only do like half a packet of like Liquid iv. there's a bunch of different brands out there. I like Liquid IV or Element, but Element's very strong. So I have to watch that. Because it's high in sod high sodium high in sodium.

Okay. Yeah. so like pickle juice does the same thing for me. Oh, okay. But it has brine in it, so it's a little bit, I think it's more functional for me. It like makes me feel like it's brought me back like, wow. Pickle juice. Yeah. Yeah. But it does really help. I saw that for the first time in, in bottles, like they sell Oh yeah.

Pickle juice. Yeah. Yeah. It's kind of, it's kind of crappy warm, but, if it can be on ice Yeah. But again, beggars can't be choosers here. Yeah. Right. So, wow. So you're, but so you got the basics, you got the stuff handled to make your body go, but then, then there's your mind. Yeah. Like what, what do you do with the mind when you get, 'cause you gotta be made up.

There's something unique and different about you. There is To be able to do that, I mean, you gotta push through some mental thing., one of my favorite books is A Man's Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl, which is, how he survived the conditions of a concentration camp. Like these incredible

Circumstances that were horrible, the cold, the work, the lack of food, just, just what the human body had to endure Through that he talks about. And, the ones who survived it did well, weren't the ones who were the most physically fit. Right. It was more of the mental, how they were able to have hope and see a future and think beyond their pain and their brains.

? So I don't, I think too. Speak to that. I actually like the harder parts better of races that are that long Or runs that are that long. adventures that are that long. Just because I think once I am in the thick of it, like in the deep dark parts, that's when you're like, alright, let's get it together.

Like, I need to fight through this. Mm. When I'm in the beginning of it, and it's not that it's not hard because it's always hard, but like, I feel like the first 30 miles, if I'm in any type of pain, I'm like, you shouldn't be in this pain. Like, this is too early on. Like this isn't good. Like, you start second guessing yourself.

So I like to get through that. If I'm feeling it at like 50 or 60, it's reasonable. Obviously you're 56 mi 50 or 60 miles in, so it's a little bit more real I guess. and then it becomes that the warrior in me is what's actually like that fighter is what I'm like building upon. So I'm like, whoa, like you're, you're getting through this.

And then that is making me feel stronger to keep going more. It's almost like I'm inspiring myself in a way. and then that's a cool thing to where I'm like, like I would never stand at a starting line and think, oh, well hope I get through this, or like, I don't know if I'm gonna get through this.

I have never thought that. I know at a starting line that I will make it to the end. Mm. If I have call marks in it, I'm gonna make it to the end. Mm. If it takes me longer than the races, we're going all the way. and I think setting yourself up for that, no matter, like what it takes, has really helped me.

But I also do think that a little bit of what I was telling you earlier about like I kind of live my everyday life in this like very sensitive, like deep feeling. Like I'm not fragile, but I think sometimes people think I am because I'm so sensitive. to me, this is me being the like, strongest me that I am.

Like I just ran a hundred miles across the state of Florida. Like, and yeah, it was painful and yeah, it's like very obvious pain. but to me, pushing through that is a part of me. Like that's, something I always have also been in, in again, collectively with being sensitive. Like I think you can be both.

I think you can be very soft and also very strong at the same time. so to me the combo is really cool. even for myself to see like about myself, it's taught me that I can be both. Hmm. And I think we as humans do need to do things that show us who we are, like how we show up. Mm. and like holding our, holding that space for ourselves to be a bunch of different things.

Like I can go through all sorts of emotions in the course of 30 hours and it's like, well, that was the greatest experience in my life because you're there in it. You have no choice but to work through it or give up. And how many times a day do you feel that way? Like how many times, like how many experiences do you get in your life where you're like, I'm either gonna work through this or give up.

So showing myself that I make it through every time just allows me to then do that. And things in my life that have nothing to do with running. that I will make it through. I will start somewhere, end somewhere and always make it home. where does that come from? That meant that thought that no matter what I'm finishing this, no matter what it's, where does that, where do you get that?

I think we go through things that allow us to, and again, they don't, I don't think that they always have to be like trauma or struggles or things like that. They may be, but I think. Sometimes if you allow yourself, like, the perspective of what you're going through to just be what it is, I think you can see it with a different perspective or, kind of just allow yourself to feel what you're feeling.

And again, I don't think that's always a bad thing to feel what you're feeling in the moment, like, whether it's pain or not. It does, like there's ebbs and flows to everything. So like, I've been at Miles 16 and it's been awful, and I've been at mile 90 and it's been great. Like where I've just went 80 more miles or so, whatever.

And in that amount of time, like I was up, I was down, I was up, I was down. But it does always get better. So I think you wouldn't maybe know that in the beginning, like, if I were to do my first a hundred miler, I'm not gonna know at like 75 if I'm feeling like really bad. Like, does it get better or do I just last for 25 more miles like this done races like that where it never got better.

But if it's gonna be bad, I'm gonna finish it. Like, I'm not gonna hang in here in this like, the depths of, all of this pain and to just to end it. Just to give up. Yeah. Like, I'm gonna f. Have my hands in it and I'm going to hold onto it. Hmm. So, I don't know. I guess that might just be me.

Yeah. Well, for, for the average or maybe somebody who's new to it or somebody who's in it. And they, I myself, for example, like that first sometimes that first, if I'm, we, one time in my life we did this challenge, which was 30 days of Murph, which Murph is, run a mile, do a hundred, a hundred pullups, 200 pushups, and 300 air squats, and then you run another mile.

So we did 30 days of that and, every, always that first half mile run, the first, it was just this torturous stuff in my head, just getting through that first half Half mile that, I hated that, that time period. But then it seemed to sort of get into a rhythm where my mind wasn't as fixated on that.

And I'm nowhere near in that shape that I was when I did that. And now I notice for myself when I'm just doing, starting a wat or starting a run, I just have such a difficult time with my own mental stuff and the first little bit, 'cause I'm slow anyway, but I'm still dealing with my brain that's going.

I try to talk myself out of it. Yeah. Like, why am I doing this? Yeah. Like, what am I doing?,? I could just cut it down in half. At least I'm running, I'm doing something. Yeah. I don't have to do the whole thing. If I did some of it, I'm okay., like this whole battle with my internal dialogue, it makes me crazy.

I think that's a human response though. I mean, I have days like that. I have, I mean, there'd be weeks like that sometimes, but I think, like taking yourself out of the moment of like, I'm running or, or like, whatever you're doing. Or like, I'm doing laundry even like, I don't wanna do this. Yeah. And kind of, like being all there instead of just in that little part of like, the topic of running or like, again, the topic of like doing the dishes or doing laundry.

Like what else is going on in that moment that like, maybe you can hold onto a little bit better. Or, maybe it's like gentler with you so that like, maybe it's being outside, so now you're attaching yourself more to the activity of being outside than the activity of like running and maybe not totally enjoying running.

So then now you're more in love with like, the outdoor activity and not running. And I think it's, I don't know, I think it's just a warmer welcome to like, take the activity out of it. And attach yourself to more of the moments of it or like what's around you. Or if you're running again with a group or something like that, then.

It's more about that at first. Mm. If you're not totally attached to the running thing yet. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 'cause it can be a tough sell. I can understand that. Yeah. Like anything really can be like, for me, like weights are not, doesn't do anything for me. I know I gotta do it, but once I'm in it, I do feel like more lost in the moment.

Like the endorphins or the rhythm of what you're doing does set in. Mm. So kind of getting over the hump of that like little blip of time in the beginning where you're just really warming up, like give yourself a chance to warm up to it. Every time. 'cause like that runner's high. I think that's a perspective too, like that if you're running three miles, the runner's high is gonna come at mile one and a half.

Mm. If you're running a hundred miles, the runner's eye doesn't come to like mile 50. Mm. Wow. So it's, it's more about rhythm of, of what you're doing and like having longevity with it. But I think sometimes it can be more than running in that sense. Yeah. Like take yourself out of the activity and put yourself more into the moment Yeah.

That you're in. Yeah. That's insightful for me to hear that. Only because I could go, okay, well when I get to halfway of whatever I'm doing, there's, there's juice for me there. Yeah. Because this is what I'm doing it for. Just that halfway point. Get there. I'll feel that I'm, yeah. I think too, like, again, like the adventure running is what I.

How I like even started training those long runs. Like they are hard, they're long and, they take a lot of time. But if I set out to go somewhere like there are like little coffee shops or little things or whatever on the way, and not rushing myself and just enjoying the time that I'm on my feet.

Like, yeah, okay, I'll stop in here. And I'm not worried about my watch. Like I never have been. I probably never will be. sometimes I don't even turn it on or off. but like if I know that, let's say I'm gonna run from Bonita to Fort Myers Beach, there's so many cool things along the way there. Yeah.

That I'm more interested in those and not worried about like, oh, well if I stop in there and I like, look at this little st like gives me a reset. Yeah. It doesn't matter if it took me 10 minutes. Okay. Like that's 10 minutes. Yeah. Like, I'm not, I'm not racing anyone. I'm not trying to be faster than anyone.

I am more about like what the experience is. Yeah. So to me that's why I love it is because it has become something so much more. Yes, I am running, but it's. It's something so much more than that. Yeah. And I can, it's a trip, like a little road trip. I can see that. I can hear that in myself. 'cause I'm, I'm usually thinking about what I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm not present when I'm, when I'm suffering, I'm kind of not present.

I'm kinda like, I want this to be over so I can be there. Yeah. I want be on the couch or somewhere, or even a donut or a pizza or whatever. I want to be away from this moment. Yeah. I'm keep, so I'm not present. I'm not being there. And something could just see. And I think that's a lot of, like a lot of people will say that like, oh, I can't wait for this to be over.

Or Oh, the best part of running is when it's done. And I'm like, ah, it breaks my heart. It really does. Because you've missed the whole thing. Like you miss the whole thing. Like even if it does kind of suck, like if you're hurting and whatever. Yeah. It's still a very real thing that you're in. Like Yeah.

It doesn't have to be like pushed away. It can be something that you start to understand so that if that does, if that does ever happen again, like in another time in your life, you know how to get through it. You just did. Yeah. Like you just did get through all of that pain. Mm. So now you're here getting through pain again.

Mm., it doesn't have to be something that people are afraid of. And I think sometimes being alone with yourself, I think people move away from that. Yeah. Oh yeah. Of course. I mean, we've got phones and yeah. We're constantly being stimulated in some way by something else. Yeah. Other than the moment.

Yeah. Yeah, that's very true. You mean you see people walking outside with their phone? Yeah. Like, oh boy, we gotta get away from that. Yeah. Yeah. Just 'cause it, again, there's so much going on around you that even just like 30 minutes just like put it away. Yeah. Like, it can be so refreshing. So you started a club

For runners. Yes. Yeah. But not just, it's really Yeah. I was gonna say really for everybody. Everybody, right? It could be for anyone. Yeah. I mean, actually it was, it was great because in the beginning when I started it, so I originally started it at the Lululemon store. I'm a Lululemon ambassador. I have been since 20.

I like your jacket. Thank you. I have been since 2020, so, maybe 20, 22 or three. I actually started a run club at the store, at the Lululemon store, but it was, which again, it was, it was very small, only in a sense that it like didn't get any traffic because the mall was closed and there was no like, marketing for it.

So it was kind of more of like a, hey, tell your friend, and that was fine. but in order for it to become something that did that like people were seeing in case they wanted to join it and for it to get outreach more, actually my best friend was the idea. Creator. she said, you should move it to somewhere that's like a social place where people are seeing it and they can maybe market it for you or put a flyer up.

So I moved it to Anchor Lab, the brewery on Bay Shore. Mm. which I love Bayshore, I love all the little local businesses. I think it's really up and coming. And I wanted to spend the time, the club giving like highlights to the local businesses. So as we're running, we're also like seeing all these things that maybe we didn't see before.

So like, there's art galleries, again, local businesses, coffee shops, all all types of things. little gyms, there's a yoga place there now. but I wanted to, highlight those places when I would do events and things like that to create exposure to like small, local, kind of more like mom and pop shop kind of, deal.

So I've been at Anchor Lab for two years now, and it has been so awesome. It's been, a real blessing in my own life, but I've also seen so many friendships and connections created through it. when I started it, all of the people that are in it now I did not know before. So even for myself, it was a really cool, thing that, again, being present in it, like it was like wow, that two years went fast, but also like, not at the same time because it was such a like, building block foundation kind of thing.

Like we like carefully. Like hugged everyone in it just feel, it does feel like a warm hug. And I do love that. everybody in it cares for each other. And, we look out for each other. We have runner's walkers. Actually one of the first club days that we had, someone came on a Beach Cruiser and they rode their bike with us.

So like I mean, it was really, it's for everybody. it's more about being together. and then we hang out at Anchor Lab. So, they were gracious enough for the first year to do free beer for everyone. but now, yeah, you get a discount on your tab if you choose to stay and have food or drinks.

So it's again, kind of like a collaborative. They've been a great home to us, and they're always open to any event ideas that we have. And, it's been really fun. So that's sort of like your meeting point, your startup End point. Yeah. Yeah. So what, what does the club do? What, what happens?

So we meet at six on Wednesdays, at Anchor Lab, unless we're doing like a field trip where we'll do like, sometimes like once a month or, for Christmas or things like that. We'll go to other, like outside of Anchor Lab, whether it's on Bay Shore or not. I have a couple different, like partnerships that I have, Lululemon and, new Balance of Naples, the local store that, we'll, we'll do the Run Club out of there.

But otherwise it's Wednesday, 6:00 PM at Anchor Lab. we meet. For about 15 minutes beforehand. We let everybody roll in. I usually do my announcements, and then we stretch and then we run. I have like three different, routes that we can choose from usually. and then we come back and everybody hangs out.

There's cornhole, there's trivia sometimes. but we sit together, we drink. How long are the routes, do you? three. It could be anywhere from two to five miles. Okay. Most people do three miles. we do have like an official walk club, bay shore run club, walk club now. So, a gang of girls. our, our walking too.

So again, it is, it is for everybody. they sometimes will do the two mile loop, so they'll go up to the circle and back. but again, some people are training for races, so they go a little bit longer. I always try to be aware of everyone and then wait until the last person is done, or if they're doing, like, again, something that's five or six miles, they're usually like, Hey, I'm gonna be out here or whatever.

So just so I know who, who and where everybody is. yeah. And then we're all collective and back and hang out. So I, if I understand correctly, all are welcome too. So dinners. Oh, yes. Oh yeah. And it's free. It's just a community thing that again, I felt like running did so much for me that I wanted to share that with everybody.

Mm. or anybody that wants to join or start or, whatever it's a comfortable place to be. What would you, say to people who are listening or people in the world who. Would like to be a runner, but just they just can't get started. Like what, what, what would you recommend for people? I would recommend them to be patient and gentle with themselves when they're starting anything new.

I think starting anything new can be scary because you think that there's all these either, rules and guidelines to like how it's meant to be done, but actually running is one of the things that, like, there are no rules. Like you don't even need to wear a watch or again, go for a certain amount of time.

And I think there are so, like many people that think there's like, from here to here, we need to run, or from this pace to this pace, we need to do this on the, on the first time that I'm ever doing it. and that's can be like, feel trapping and, intimidating. So I think if you were to just put your shoes on, go outside, start with a walk, do a little jog.

Doesn't have to be fast. Like just start, just start jogging. go for maybe as long as you can walk a little bit more. Try again. Do it again. And again, before, it, you're probably gonna be out there for 30 minutes. but I think starting just does come from like, putting your shoes on and going out the door.

'cause that can be hard for anyone. but speaking truthfully, people in the run community are generally very welcoming. everybody started somewhere. And it's, it's not usually a, a very com comparing sport. I think again, social media can give you the idea that it is in real life.

It's not like that. I mean, people really want to see people be successful. They wanna help 'em along, they wanna get 'em to the finish. most people in a race would probably stop their race if they saw someone hurting and help them finish. it's, I mean, again, it's not necessary, but people generally in the run community are like that.

Hmm. and it is really cool to see, and I think it does give you a, a very like, heartwarming feeling when you watch it. and again, there's nothing, there's also nothing wrong with being fast or slow or taking too long. It, that's just not a thing. Yeah. I mean, I take a long time. I take all day. So, it's, I think it's cool no matter what you do.

You've coached Brenda and I have. Yes. And to, to running a marathon or, She did. well, she's doing, she's training, this is her gig, but she is training for a full right now. I did train her for a half, for the Naples half, and, she did have goals in mind and we did set them and, she did crush them.

But it was, it's really, it's really nice to get to know people like through that because any type of, I think physical fitness can be. It's a vulnerable place to be, but also a very open place to, to share those vulnerabilities with someone, whether it's a coach or a friend or a group that you're running with.

And it can be freeing to, to be open. so yes, I did. we had a great time. We had a little group actually that was doing the Naples half and we stuck together and I did my best to be all over the race that I could be with everybody. but yeah, it was fun. It's fun to, it's fun to coach people.

How, how did you get to be, what was the big influence on you growing up? Like how did you get to be this way? So I grew up with coaches all around me. I was a gymnast, for 20, 20 years. I started at the age of three. I was competing at the age of six. and then that was your world. That was my whole world moment outside of school was that.

It was, yeah. Every moment outside of school. so, and I loved it. I loved every part of it. But, you were three time Allstate at some point. Was that the ncaa? I actually was, yes. I was a, I was a two time Maryland state champion. Yeah. And then I was a regional vault champion, in level eight. And then I was a national champion in college.

Wow. So, it was a, it was a great, a great road. Hmm. but, there were, there were parts of it that were. Yeah. Probably the reason that shaped me into being and seeing the way that I see now. But, but I didn't get there like overnight,? It was a, a lot of like little inner working parts.

But it's a very critical sport. It's a very perfectionist sport. All judged. Yeah. You got judges just judging you every moment. Oh, it just, every single moment, but really truly like you do, I mean, you have, you are, let's say in the gym five to six days a week for five, four to five hours a night.

And you're not being judged by your coach, but you're being critiqued by your coach constantly. I mean, it is, like that wasn't great. Do it again. That wasn't great, do it again. That, and again, it's down to like your hand being like this or like this.,? So it's tiny, little intricate things that need to be perfect to set you aside from being second or first.

And in that sport it is really, I mean, you can enjoy the heck outta the sport and still you wanna win. It's a very competitive sport. and again, I did love every moment of it, but, there were, there were parts that, I have me like second guessing everything that I am like as a person.

And like when I retired from my sport, not really knowing God, I was lost because I, that was the only thing I knew was that way of life and had always had someone coaching me, always had someone telling me., this is the next thing. And, everything was very scheduled and, we had, I had, events and things and meets and practice every single moment in my life.

Always working towards something. Yes. A lot of structure. Yes. And like the, I think I did put a lot of myself worth and identity into me being a gymnast. And like that was me. And it did, it like broke my heart for a while when, when I had finished for people to ask, like still doing gymnastics because it was, at that moment in my life, it was the people that were saying no had quit.

And I knew that I didn't quit. Like I had, I had retired from college gymnastics, but it felt like I had finished, like, I had, I was done and like over, and like, I don't know, it was a very odd thing to come to terms with. and then, yeah. It felt like I was nothing. It did. Yeah. I felt like I had nothing.

Yeah. 'cause I didn't know what else I was good at. Really. That was your identity? That was me. Yeah. Yeah. and then it is crazy because I, so I grew up in Maryland, did all of my co competitive, like, club gymnastics in Maryland. And then I moved to a school in Connecticut, competed for University of Bridgeport in Connecticut for two years.

Then transferred to a school in Maryland, did club gymnastics with them, like intramurally, still competitive, but not ncaa. And then, moved to Florida after that. So it was kind of like, I tried to make this like fresh start because I had finished this one part of my life that I was like kind of moving into this new thing.

But it was really hard when I moved here and like, everyone that I knew was new to me and they knew nothing about me being a gymnast. Mm. And it was like, oh my God, I thought this was gonna be really refreshing. But it was like that part of me was like, completely erased. It almost felt like Hmm. whereas in Maryland when I was still there, like all of those people knew me as a gymnast.

Yeah. and not that I didn't run in Maryland, but I, it was really the transitional period into like, me moving to Florida. I had maybe done two marathons, so I was just very newly into distance running. and I think maybe in the beginning I tried to like fill a void with, the identity thing.

But as I've evolved as a runner, like it. It is, yes. Like who I am, but it doesn't, it's not the only part of me. I've been able to see so many parts of me through running that it's more of like a reflection, I guess. and the sport actually like highlights other parts of me that I never knew that I was.

So it maybe showed me who I was, whereas I think gymnastics sometimes was like, you're only this. Mm. and again, I was also like, th age three to 20, like, that was a very early stage of my life, and now I have again, moved into adulthood. Yeah. Not scary to say, but, but yeah, no, truly it's, you're, you're different.

I was a kid. and I don't think I knew maybe now that I am a coach, I don't know if I knew how to always take coaching. I think I tried, but, I was, you would deal with mental blocks and things like that, that you didn't know how to get through as a kid. Like, what even is this like

You know, I all of a sudden can't do this anymore and it's like I can't do it. Mm. And you can do it. It's just like you need to rewire your vision or your, thoughts before you go. Like, are you even functionally thinking about the skill you're about to do? Probably not. Mm. And I have this conversation with kids now that I coach.

Like if you're thinking of nothing before you go, that's also not functional. Like, I don't want you to think of like, I'm scared I'm this, I can't go. I can, I get, but you need to be thinking about like the corrections that make the skill work, the execution of it, like where your arms need to be, like things that actually tell you how to properly execute the skill.

If your brain is clear, you're like also not in it, you're somewhere else. and you don't always, you don't know how to do that. I feel like as a kid until you have someone coaching you to do that. And my coaches were great, but I don't know if all of them taught me how to do that. Yeah. I think I maybe taught myself that.

Yeah. again, maybe through ultra running, I mean, there's no other option, like I was saying, besides getting through that you're either going to get through it or quit. Yeah. Was there a, a coach or a mentor in your early years that had a big impact on you? I had a few. Good and bad. Yeah. I think it's interesting to say, but I think some of the not great influences also influence you in a way later down the line that, you never expected.

And I think that's what I see now is that I've kind of conquered what I thought was like this terrible experience. I've kind of conquered that into like, wow, you really. This has like shaped my life. Yeah. and how I handle things now. Which again, maybe aren't the way everybody else would, but they're the way I do.

And that's like shown me myself. but I've also had coaches that Yeah. We're amazing and I still hear them like in a great way, like in my head. of like, you can do hard things or like, I actually had a coach who she was amazing. I remember a specific time where I was scared. I was on, I was on the beam.

I was trying to do a series, which is two skills together. and they were flight. So I was leaving the beam into a backhand spring and then I was gonna leave the beam into a flip connected. And it's scary. I mean, the beam is wood and it's four inches wide. And, I was probably 15 and, she said, I guess you don't want it bad enough.

And same thing, I was floored. I was like, first of all, in my head like, what makes you think that? And it, like, I was thinking that, but she was probably getting that from the fact that I didn't want it bad enough to work through my fear to do it. I was standing there afraid, wanting a spot, like not going balking this, that and the other.

And, in that moment she was right. I didn't want it bad enough. Mm. So that what she said though, made me prove to her that I did. I ended up going, But it made me realize that like, wanting things bad enough, you figure out how to like, get past fear. You figure out how to make it work. or at least like talk about it enough to like get over something.

And in that moment, yeah, it was a backhand springing, but it goes with other things too. Like I think it parallels with life. Mm. Wow. That's kind of fascinating. So yeah, a back handspring on, it was bouncing. It was, yeah. It was a back handspring back layout, which I was in a very flexible gymnast, so getting my shoulder, getting my hands together on the beam didn't allow for my arms to be straight because my shoulders aren't flexible.

It's a lot of technique, but, so I don't think I really was crazy about that series because I didn't feel like it suited me best, but it was judged best. Yeah. so that was a series that went in my routine. Yeah. but I was a little, I was a more powerful gymnast than I was flexible. I was really great at like, any type of tumbling or vault or things like that, but like dance and splits and wasn't really my greatest.

Yeah. But flexibility is a, is a prerequisite or helps those areas better. It's adds more to that. It does, but I feel like the way the body is, you have really flexible people that, and this is true, this isn't me, like giving an opinion that sometimes don't have the same strength. As really stiff people because they're so flexible.

So not that they're not strong, but they have the ability to be like hypermobile. Because they're so flexible. So sometimes they have like, again, their series or their tumbling passes can be, more graceful or daner than being like super high with a lot of power and a lot of like muscle to 'em.

Mm. which both are good, but having a combo of like a strong, flexible gymnast sometimes is just like that combo that's like perfect. Yeah. Okay. I was, I was just more, strong and powerful. Well, there's so much to, that I've noticed from the gymnast world being married to a, a gymnast or Michelle who was a gymnast.

And hearing what she went through, not only with the discipline and the hard work, but also the, it was challenging for her to see other bodies develop and grow and her body not being what she thought it should be, or being judged about just her physique in so many ways. It's a, a big part of gymnastics and, I think it comes down to sometimes the coaches that you have, because there's a lot of like old fashioned, like you have to be this like tiny little thing that's a gymnast and that's just.

It can be true, but it's also, it's very different now. so there are tall gymnasts. There are like really short, compact gymnasts. and again, like celebrating every type of body that can physically do the sport is really great. But yeah, I mean, you are always looking in a mirror. yes. You always have a coach that's usually and more, I don't know, they try to lead off that it's gonna be that it's because, you have to balance and you have to be this, and you have to be that.

But like, it doesn't make you feel great obviously, too, to be like judged on what you look like. Yes. so sometimes that just lives inside your brain. Yeah. and yeah, I mean, I, being in the fitness world or being in the coaching world, especially with the kids, like if they wanna bring it up, obviously it's always an open space, but I have a hard time talking about body image with, like, if it comes up in conversation, like I usually steer away from it because it was just always not a great conversation.

Like that topic meant something negative. So sometimes now I have to almost like, again, be very self-aware if the topic comes up. It might be coming from a different place from another person. Or the intention might not even be negative at all. Yeah. Be, I just have to like rewire my thinking a little bit because that was always what it meant to, to us, to the like, whether it had something to do with being like, on this end of the spectrum Yeah.

Or on this end of the spectrum usually it was not a great conversation. Mm. so yeah, it just always like leads me down a road of like, okay, where are we going with this? Yeah. Let's switch the subject. Yeah. but that's a me thing and that has to, again, I've, I've been aware of that and just have to know where you're coming from and know where the other person is coming from.

Yeah. but yeah, I, I think for women it's always something that's lives in their head and there's the pressure in the world from that, but then you put the gymnast aspect on top of it's almost more amplified about that. Yeah. Yeah. I think, 'cause I think women are up against a lot of, like, not only, I think, again, maybe this is just me wanting it to be this way.

Most women celebrate other women and what they look like and they're like, yeah, girl. Yeah. And like, you got a hype girl and that's, that's great. but I think women are always up against like what society thinks we should look like. Yes. Or be like, or do. and it does truly feel like, again, especially with social media being so big now and everybody's always looking at things and people, and the lighting is really great and they're, they've filtered it and this, that and the other.

But,. You, there's times where it's like being the smallest person that you could ever be is like trendy, which I don't know why that would ever be trendy, but, but just letting people be the bodies that they are, I think is just, or like, not even that being what we're looking at when we're looking at a person.

Yeah. Yeah. Like, I think that it should be so much more than that. I mean, I know I'm self critical of myself at myself. Yeah. But I wish I looked at myself, like I look at other people, because when I see other people, I'm like, wow, that person is absolutely beautiful. I mean, like, seriously, I think people just are, and can be really beautiful by their like, energy and what they're exuding.

Yes. so I think sometimes you need, like, you as a person need more of that. Like, how you would look, how you look at your best friend is how you should look at yourself. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's powerful. Yeah. Like if you were having that conversation with yourself about yourself Yeah. It'd be different than what you're saying about the person you admire in love.

Absolutely. Absolutely. And like saying those things truly too. Like you're not just like, tooting their horn, like you really believe them. Sure. Yeah. but then again, I think it's, it does, it takes a lot of, like inner work to see your own light. And to then like live in your own light. Yeah. and appreciate it.

And like, I think that like your light is just so far much more than like your looks. I think it's really truly like your energy and what's like radiating from you. Yeah. And then that in turn is what you look like to people. Mm. So true. Yeah. Yeah. But in that world of being judged in the gymnastics world, that's its own little, its own.

Oh yeah. And again, you're usually a kid. Yeah. So you're, you're hearing what they're saying and then that's what you're learning. Yeah., and you hear it so much that I think this is another thing too that, like I say this to the kids now, is that like you're the only person you hear 24 7. So make it a great thing to hear, like make your mind a great place to be.

But like, you are not like, you're not like that. Like when I was a kid, all I was hearing was my coaches Really? I mean like, it's crazy. Yeah. So that was really what's in my head. Sure. And I don't know if I was thinking things for myself, like I was thinking and, really taking everything that they said.

So personally. Yeah. well, yeah. A coach's job is to find your flaw. Find what's missing. Yeah. The space that's not there and try to get you there. So they're always looking. Yeah. Yep. And I do make sure now that my kids that I work with know that the corrections that I'm giving them have nothing to do with who they are as a person.

Mm. Has to do with the skill Yeah. That they're doing. So if they're trying to learn, let's say, an aerial, which is a no handed cartwheel, which is a very hard skill to learn, it's very technical, until you get it. But, it could take, it's a no handed cartwheel. Cartwheel. Okay. but it could take, I mean, the process of it could take anywhere from two months that's really quick to over a year to learn, to get, to have without your hands.

I'm, I'm envisioning that in my head. You're, you are exposing your head to nothing, right? Yeah. You're literally, yeah. So that's the generally scary part is that they're gonna land on their head, which truthfully and physically, you're not gonna land on your head because you're kicking over your head.

It's already past your head by the tam. You might face plant. But you're not gonna land on your head. Okay. you're already past it. But, I do make sure, because, Yeah, the coaching can be very technical and it is constant. Yeah. Like, and it's. Specific. I mean, I'm, I'm not just saying like, ah, I wasn't good or that wasn't, but it's, very much like you not using your arms.

You need to use your arms, you need to push off your leg, you need to, explode from your foot. and yeah, I mean, here it can sound naggy. It can sound like over and over and over again. And, yeah, I just want to reiterate to them that it's about the aerial, it's not about you, because I think that's, that's hard for a kid.

Yeah. It feels like it's at them sometimes. Or it could feel like that. Yeah. Or, or maybe remember it feeling like that. or like the co thinking, like, the coach didn't like me because like my skill wasn't great. and they wanna please and Yeah. And like, you wanna impress them and you wanna

I mean, you only wanna be the best so that like, you're noticed, but like, it's so much more than that. Like it has so much more to do with like, the effort and, like again, the presence of like the kid being there and just like their heart and who they are and how much they try and just like, they, their nature, their character.

Like that's what makes someone love you. and like, I think you can really attach so much of yourself to like what you're doing that you forget, like who you are. and I think with sports it's so great because it gives you like such a, like wide range of, social time and, you're learning new things and tricks and stuff like that, but also separating the two and being like, if I asked you like, Hey, Jamie, like, you know what, tell me about yourself.

And I said, I'm a runner, or I'm a gymnast. It was the first thing that came to my mind. Like, which it might've been as a kid. and maybe it's up there now, but I don't know if that would be the first thing I said now. And I think you ask kids that and they will say like, I'm a dancer, I'm a cheerleader.

I'm this, because that is such a big part of their life. Yeah. But I do wanna work on with them separating the two of being like, you can be a dancer, but you can also be an empath or you can also be, a great friend. and both of those are the, are all of you. Like, all of those make up. You, not just, you're a dancer.

Why do you dance?, like what makes you a great dancer? like the emotion and then like that leads into you being like, because you're a very caring person or, things like that. Was coaching because you're coaching now The kids, right? Was that a calling for you or something that you felt like you It wasn't right away.

I had a hard time again stepping away from gymnastics. So then when I did, Retire and I had to make a clean break in the beginning. I like didn't step foot back in the gym or look at a gym or, like a gymnastics gym for, multiple years, like five plus years. and I think it was because I don't think I was ready to be done with it myself.

So when I stepped back into coaching, like even in the beginning it was, it was kind of messy because I was a gymnast for so long, I wasn't coaching, I wasn't on this other side of it. Yeah. So it was almost like I couldn't even get my words right. Like, 'cause you're teaching someone now, you're not doing it.

And you can't just say, hold, hold on, let me show you. You have to be able to explain to them again, in a gentle way, what they're doing and what they need to do better or how it's great or how it's not so great or, I mean, and that's hard. So I think when I was finally ready, I became a great coach, but in the beginning I wasn't ready to, be on the other side.

I tried actually judging and that was actually worse. It was so much worse. I was like, oh no, I cannot sit at this judging table. And Jo I was like, everybody's getting a 10 from me. You fell, you're getting a 10. That was great, great effort. but yeah, the coaching thing has really opened my eyes and given me like that, that piece of my heart back.

And I'm doing it a little bit differently too. I'm, I'm coaching dance, I'm coaching acro dance, so tried gymnastics coaching for a while. the, there's not a lot of gyms down here. Again, I grew up in Maryland. There was a gym on every corner. Hmm. here there's only two competitive gyms. so I found like a bigger range, in the acro dance world.

So the gymnastics side of competitive dance, which is really cool 'cause I have a little bit of edge on technique. Mm. so these dancers are amazing. and they're learning skills, but they're usually teaching themselves if they don't have a teacher. so I can give them that little part that they're missing to actually execute the skill and land it, instead of just like trying over and over again.

And it can be, again, as much as a timing of where your arms are with like your leg kick. if the arms are early, you're never gonna make the skill. So if you change the timing of your arms and you don't have someone telling you that and watching you do it, and really knowing then you're gonna continue to do it for the next two years with, bad arm timing.

What is acro dance? Or is it So aerials back can springs anything. So if you're a competitive dancer and you go on stage and you do a dance, there can be front walkovers, back walkovers, backhand springs, aerials front aerials. Tux any, any type of gymnastic skill that is placed in a dance routine. Hmm.

It's just, whereas gymnastics coaching is different. There's no four events. Like, I'm not coaching beam or bars or vault. Hmm. Or the sport of gymnastics, but I'm coaching acrobatics. So all the technical things that make gymnastic floor skills work. Yeah. I'm teaching that to dancers. Okay. Well, well what is, the Olympics floor when they're just on the mat and they're

It's like a dance, but does it, is that similar floor floor exercise? It would be, yeah. Similar to that, they're just not doing like, power tumbling really. I mean, they're not gonna do like, double backs. Okay. they're doing, 'cause they're on a dance stage, so it's not nearly the same on a, on the surface.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's a hard wooden dance stage. Oh, okay. So they're much braver than I would be because some of that's, some of that's hard to do on a spring floor., so, and they're, and a lot of times they're doing it in a shoe or a high heel. Oh, right. Yeah. So, I mean, it's awesome. Yeah.

And it gives me a different perspective too. 'cause I'm like stepping into a different world and, they know stuff and they teach me stuff and it's, it's cool. Yeah. And you, what, what, how did we end up, how did Naples end up with you? How, where did that come from? so I actually moved here on a whim in 2013.

So again, I had moved away for school. I don't know if Connecticut was really the right spot for me. The school was fine and the, gymnastics and all that stuff was fine, but like the state, when I moved away, I don't think I was really, and maybe it was just 'cause I had moved away for the first time and it was just like complete shock.

Because, because these, you went to school in Maryland first and then, and then went to Connecticut or you went No, I went to school first, like freshman and sophomore year of college in Connecticut. Connecticut. Okay. Okay. And then I transferred to Salisbury in Maryland for my last two years. and then when I moved back after college to like my home, my childhood home, I think I wanted to try like moving away and actually liking it.

I had a hard time in Connecticut. so I had an opportunity to do a race here. Actually I did the Naples half. It's funny 'cause I like moved here. I thought the race was so beautiful. But in January, yeah. I came, I visited a friend, and did the race and then I was like, oh my god, I love it here.

That was that your first time here? Yeah. never even really knew much about Naples, but I loved Florida. I been here a couple times. That's just the race that goes all through port, right? Yeah. And it was beautiful. That's the one I did. Yeah. Yeah. It was absolutely beautiful. Yeah. So pretty. and my friend offered me to move down.

She was like, I live here with my si sister, you should move in. so I moved in March of that same year. and it was kind of a trial thing 'cause it was like, okay, I am moving in with like, I'm not, I am, I was paying them rent, but I wasn't like. I didn't have a lease or anything. So it was like, okay, let's just see if I could do it.

Let's see if I like it. Let's see if I can get a job, whatever. and I was probably still threatening to move home for like, the first two to three years, and then I really got, close with, friends and it just changed my whole thing. Like, like the friendships that you like want your whole life I have now.

And, that like changed my whole perspective and it became a home here, and I think I was holding on to obviously like my home, that will always be my home, but I was, it was a transition and I wasn't like allowing that, like I was still holding onto like this old stuff. And then when I finally like, let go and was able to be like, wow, this is like a new thing.

It was really freeing and awesome. And I started to attach myself more to like this being also a home. because all your relative family, your immediate family was back home Home. And still is. But it's, we make it work and they come here and I go there and Yeah.

My brother just, well, she's two and a half now, but my niece, this is there, so, and I love her. She made me an aunt. Yeah. which is really special. But it does, it gives, now you have both, I have both things. I have, my time in Maryland. My time here. Yeah. So you acclimated to the Florida lifestyle?

I did. I don't know if it's like totally forever me a Florida girl, but, I love the sun. I don't know if I love the heat. Like the summer heat is really hard, especially with the lifestyle that I live. but I love the sun and I love like being at a beach, like I'm, I've always been a beach girl.

Yeah. but, and warmth. Yeah. I need it to be warm. Yeah. Yeah. so yeah, I do, I mean, I really have acclimated the seasonal thing is kind of hard. Yeah. being here full time and like having the seasonal Yeah. I think that was really tough when I was like trying to run a fitness business and like people were going home and I was like, wow.

I have like no work here in the summer. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That was tough. Yeah. it's still tough. Been doing it 47 years. It's tough for us. Yeah. It's, yeah. Tough for everybody. Yeah. Yeah. so that, like, I feel like you never really get into the swing of that. Yeah. 'cause just when you get into like, the seasonal swing, everybody goes home.

Yeah. And then you're like, wow, this is really nice., it's, it's not busy, but it's not busy. and then they come back. Yeah. Yeah. So it's good for, it's good for things and then it's like also, but, yeah. So I think I've acclimated to it. What do you miss in Maryland? Yeah. Seasons. Yeah. and maybe a little bit of like, like my childhood, like that, like being around like what.

Like my childhood, childhood, not like my teen years, but like My, like my grandparents' houses are there. And like, stuff that is really nostalgic to like my childhood. Yeah. that I miss, my childhood best friend is still there. And she has good, she has her kids now and like, the houses are even different and like, stuff like that.

'cause I feel like Florida is so beautiful, but Naples has been restored a lot. And I, like I was saying before, I love like, old things and old buildings and, an old city. Yeah. and that's hard to see here. Like, not having that, like the Naples beach resort, like, they took that down.

Isn't it crazy here if some, something gets 10 years old, they tear it down. 20 years old, it's over. I know. And I like, I really love things that have like old soul to them. Yeah. so I miss that. I think because there's a lot of that. like, my parents grew up there and like, my dad's really into like, showing us where he grew up.

You know, every time we pass it, he'll tell us about it. But, like that stuff. Yeah. I miss, my mom actually just sent me a box of leaves that she handpicked from, we planted a tree in our backyard, in my grandfather's name, and it's been there now, like 20 years, but Every season it is like huge and yellow and orange and it's just beautiful.

Yeah. That's awesome. And I miss that. Yeah. It's happening right now. Yeah. Yeah. It's really beau and you kind of forget, like you can't forget, but like, we're here and it's beautiful here now 'cause like it's finally dropping in temperature. Yeah. But like everywhere else, it's like all these colors and all these trees and leaves and I do, I miss that.

Yeah. Yeah. It is something, even, even the smells of the tree, like the differences when you go up there and you Yes. Like the outside smell or like the coldness smells a certain way. It does. Yeah. And it's, it is refreshing to smell coldness sometimes. Not just like humidity and jungle, which I love, but like they Yeah.

You get, you get a little bit of both in other places and I miss that. Yeah. Yeah. I, we've gone back to Michigan where my wife is from and go back in the summer and we've gone back in the winter. In the winter I can't take very much 'cause it's different than the Philadelphia winter. It's, It's where, where they're at.

It's much colder and different winter than I was ever used to, but I dunno how people do it for the whole winter. But, But the summer's up there, like everything goes, like the trees are, there's nothing on the trees in winter. And then all of a sudden everything is overgrown. Yeah. Like, it's so much growth of everything.

Yeah. I forget that it, that happens. Yeah. Like it grows and then it all goes away,? I know. And it's like dead. Yeah. Everything's like dead and gray and dark. Yeah. And here it's the same. It's always the same. Know. I never think it changes like that. It's Yeah. We're really kind of caught in this like realm of Florida.

Yeah. And you're like, that looks great. And then you're like, whoa, all this is happening outside of here. Yeah. Right. I know. We had our, what was it, November 1st or three? First we got cool. We went outside in the morning. We're like, wow, this is our winter. Or winter. I know. It is nice though. Oh, it was wonderful.

I love it. Yeah. Yeah. Isn't it great? Yeah. No humidity. A nice, yeah. Just a, it's nice to reminisce about those 'cause I miss those. And I know you're from Maryland. So we used to do crabbing and in Maryland. 'cause my father kept our boat in Maryland from Philadelphia. And we would take, chicken necks or some parts of the chicken Yeah.

And tie it on a string. Oh yeah. Dipping in the water and then slowly pull up. Yeah. So he didn't know he was about to get trapped yet. I know, I know. We did that. Me and, my grandfather used to take us to, so when we would go to Ocean City, there was a park there and you could go out on the pier at the park, or dock.

Really. But, there's all sorts of people crabbing and stuff, but he say you gotta just, it's mostly just waiting. Yeah. And then you gotta do it really slow. Yeah. but that was cool. Yeah. Just remember seeing like, you get that first glimpse of that giant one that came up. I so exciting to see that.

Like I know the little crabs and they used to, some of my grandmother and my aunt used to make crabs in spaghetti. They would put crabs in like a, a red sauce and crabs in spaghetti and it was That's nice. That sounds nice. Yeah. It was amazing. I miss crabs too, I gotta tell you. Yeah. Miss a seafood.

Yeah. It being like, not that we don't get it here, but I mean it tastes different. That was a special kind. Yeah. That was different. Yeah. It was definitely The Chesapeake and boating on the Chesapeake was a, a special place, a nice experience. Yeah. I, when we would go back up for the salon we had there, my father and I would go up and, we, that's the first thing we did was get crab cakes and, just whatever crab we could get.

Yeah. That's the best part of it. I know. And it's funny when you go some somewhere other than Maryland and it says like, jumble lump crab cake, and you're like, Hmm. Yeah. Tell me about this jumbo lump crab cake Yeah. That you have here in like, I've never seen anything like it here. Yeah, right. But yeah, I know.

I mean, they don't know. It's different. I mean, they're huge there, but it is, it's jumbo lump crab cake. 'cause you're getting it from Marilyn Crab. Yeah. Hmm. It's good. Good stuff. Great stuff. Yeah. So that's what I miss anyway. I miss that about it. I like to get that when we go back. 'cause I haven't found anywhere here that is as authentic, the places, we'll call it that, but I don't know anywhere that you can get some good crab at Publix.

And like make crab cakes. My mom does make them when she comes down here. Really? Yeah. you can buy the crab meat. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And it's okay. Yeah., it's, it's a little different but it's, it still is thick and yeah., you can make crab cakes out of it, but also Mike's Beit Shack.

You ready to go there on Fridays? No. Okay. He does fresh catches. it's down, actually it's on Thomason all the way at the end of Thomason. Okay. they don't have crab really? Or I don't think, I haven't seen it, but, amazing fish. Unbelievable fish. Really? Oh, I didn't know about that. Yeah, he does. I forget what time.

10, maybe 10 to two. He's open. Okay. On Fridays. and it's just like a line outside and he does it by the pound, whatever he has like he'll put on Instagram and has coolers of like grouper and salmon, I mean whatever. I don't know out there. I've gotten grouper before. I've had red snapper before.

Snapper. and they'll clean it there. No kidding. Real fresh fish. Oh yeah. That's the real deal. And like the shrimp are like this big. No kidding. Yeah. Worth it. Mike's, Mike's Beit Shack. Okay. On Thomason all the way down the end there. Okay. It's, he, I forget, Dili's is actually the fish catcher.

Dillys. I don't, they used to be at Celebration Park. Okay. but Mike's Bait Shack is like where it's located. Okay. It's like off to the side with his truck. But it's the same. It's like the same thing. Yeah. They cleaned it in the back. but Mike's bait Shack has a big, like, anor around chair outside.

So you can't really miss it. There's nothing else there. It's right on the corner. if you go all the way down Thomason, like almost to where you're going to the boat place. It's before the boat place. Oh, okay. Yeah. Where you turn to go to the boat place? It's right on that corner. Yeah. Oh.

Gotta get there because I could live on fish. Oh, I love fish. Yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah. Same. The shrimps. Great shrimps. Okay. All right. That's, I never heard of that. I did not know. Yeah. So a hard time finding. We used to, my father had a boat. We lived on the water in Vanderbilt and he'd fish a lot and get tons of, we had grouper.

I didn't appreciate what grouper is now. Yeah. As a kid, like I'd kill for a fridge full of grouper now. Yeah. And then it was like, oh, we're having fish again. Yeah, I know. As a kid. Yeah. I didn't appreciate it, but, no, it's good to know. I agree. I, especially fish love, I could live on, just fish alone.

Anyway, I love it. It's so. Plus I'm eating right. When I'm eating it. I know. Fish is great. Yeah. Do you have a restaurant that you, a favorite down here? I do. I have a few probably. I don't go there much anymore, but I love Cafe Milano, always have, think it's great. fifth is Cafe Milano fifth. Yeah. And then I love Curry on Bayshore.

What's it called? I love curry. Really? Oh, I'm a curry fane. Oh my God. I love curry. There's not many I've gotten emotional eating his curry. Yeah. Yeah. That's on Bayshore. And it is like the freshest curry. Yeah. Yeah. See, we don't get a lot of, I've never seen a lot of the ethnic type, places, but a lot of the like, oh yeah.

It's great. Hmm. He does a lot of like events too. Like if you're, like invested in his thing, you'll see it. But, he does like buffets and stuff of different styles. Yeah. depending on like what holidays are, it's, it's, it's cool. He's, he's great though. Zach, you have to make a note for me about the mics and cur.

I'll definitely make a note. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I have to get, 'cause curry not many people that I know love Curry too. I curry's another one of my again, and I have, I've cried in there. That's good. So good. You can taste how much he loves it. Yeah. That's your Italian soul right there. Yeah, I know. I love for food.

I love that. It's like good. Just like I've cried. Yeah. Well. Growing up Italian. I mean my life, our lives were all around food. Everything was around food. Food and hugging. Yeah. Yeah. That was our and family. An express family. Yep. And it was all around this, the table of food and love and just the merry-go-round of both.

Yeah., it was like, it's nice. That's a nice way to grow up. Yeah. No, I, because everybody's always together and Very much so. Yeah. We, it's big loud. Yeah. But loud in a way that is like, ah, we love you. Yeah. Like, it just is like boisterous. But I always loved that. Always A lot of people and some people I didn't know didn't know.

Yeah. Oh yeah. They're in the neighbors. Right. Bring 'em in. They're outside. They're coming here, right. Yeah. They're kids too. Yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah. You don't have a place to go. Come on over. Yeah, we got room, we got plenty room. It's amazing. It is. That was, it was also like a nice example I think growing up to see that and like that just be natural in the way that we were brought up because that's how I've gone into my adulthood and I think, it's nice, I mean, if people don't grow up that way, they're always sometimes like, oh, this is like so much love.

Yeah. But it's true. I mean like, we can love, we all love each other and it'd be okay. Yeah. Yeah. I remember my, when we moved to Florida, which was a big deal 'cause we left the central Italian family, it was a big deal to kind of move away from there. It was a big deal to leave the city and move three miles outside of the suburbs.

That was a big deal. 'cause you're left, my parents left their parents, not far, it was only three miles, but it felt like, as a kid it was like a long way. And then when we moved here, it was really., a long time ago that was a really big deal to my parents' families because you're like leaving us.

Yeah. You're leaving us. Yeah. Like you're leaving the, not just the nest, but all the way and, coming here, they, when they opened the salon, the salon was, was kind of like an extension of the home. They were just like, we're having this celebration. Every day was a party and we're, come on in and join us in this, in our, in our home.

This is our other home. And we just, it's just the way Yeah. It's, it's nice. It feels good. It does. It feels really welcoming. And I did, I always loved, loved that feeling. Yeah. Yeah. And we, I just always remember having somebody at our dinners that I had no clue who they were, but my parents were always had open doors for whoever needed as a place.

I love that. To come hang out. Yeah. I love that. Yeah. just the Italian way, it just the way it was. It is, yeah. It is the Italian way. Yeah. Wouldn't trade it. Do your parents come here to visit? Yeah. My parents come, probably two to three times a year and I'll go home two to three times a year.

So we get like, we get some good time. Thanksgiving up there. I do Thanksgiving here, actually. so speaking of inviting everyone in, my best friend who is like my sister, she, has hosted Thanksgiving ever since I've lived here. So, it's a tradition for me to go to her Thanksgiving. Yeah. and she invites.

You know, all the friends that we've ever had. And then like, people from her work and things like that. And it's really nice. And then my parents come the week before Christmas, and then we all go up on Christmas Day to Maryland. So they're here for a little bit of time, and then I'm up there for a little bit of time.

And then Easter has been both. I've done both. and then I go up, not on holidays, like I'll go up like I've surprised my dad before on Father's Day, like things like that. but we go up for just like time too. 'cause sometimes holidays can be like really busy and, it's great. Yeah. But it's like, the point of being up here is the holidays, so you don't get a chance to just like relax or do something that maybe has nothing to do with like, getting, a lot of events together.

Yeah. Yeah. so I like, I like doing a little bit of both. but I've, since I've been in my house, I've created a tradition of doing Christmas Eve, so at my house here. So, my parents come for that. Oh, nice. And it's really nice. Yeah. And then we all go up to spend Maryland, Christmas been doing that.

Yeah. Christmas Eve was always bigger sometimes than Christmas Day and our house. I know. And I love that I, it's funny because speaking of people that were not in the family, but, my dad had work friends, they were a little bit older than my parents, but they were kind of like our third grandparents, I guess.

Yeah. They hosted Christmas Eve ever since I was like born. Like I didn't know a Christmas Eve without them. Yeah. And I think maybe that's why I am so attached to, they were just the, they're just lovely people. and that was just such a big part of my year. even as a kid, we would sign the book and we'd all like, sit together.

I just like loved it. And she did make meatballs and it was great. Ah, they were also Italian. Ah. but yeah, it was just like a nice little quaint special evening. so, and, they've, they've gotten older and they've since stopped doing it, but yeah. I thought I would take it on. They don't obviously come, but, it was special to me to do Christmas Eve.

'cause it, the night was always a nice night. Yeah. To remember. It reminds me, I, you have plans for Thanksgiving, but I always like to let people know, even anybody who sees a sack, I don't know if this will get out before Thanksgiving, but if it does, we always have room. Whoever doesn't have a place for Thanksgiving, honestly we really mean that.

We've, our home is open. We always have tons of food. Oh, I love that. That I love that everybody. Thank you very much. There's a lot of people here who families aren't here and sometimes they end up alone and, we have plenty of room for people. So, yeah. Thank you so much. That's I appreciate that. Yeah. I always love, I always do love that again too, because it's reminds me of how I grew up.

Yeah. Letting people in always. Yeah. A big Italian heart. A heart on your always. Yeah. That's what it is. I'm gonna shift gears a little bit. Okay. And we're going to. Some fun. Well, personal, fun stuff. Okay. Love it.

How you doing so far? I'm good. You all right? Doing good? Yeah. This going okay for you? Yeah. Okay, good. It's great.

Okay. Do you have a hidden talent, something people be surprised to learn about you? Mm geez. A hidden, it's maybe a more of a gift. I'm clairvoyant so I can like, see things and we were just jumping right into it. Yeah. I always have been, even like as a baby, so, like mediumship kind of. Yeah.

I dove into a little bit of that. it got a little bit, it gets really heightened, I guess, like the training of mediumship. So I just assume have my gift and not know how to use it. But, yeah, I don't know. It's, I can like, not necessarily psychicness, but I can, like, I always used to say to my mom, I can see things like in my eyelids, like I can hear stuff, and then I would know it.

So I don't know if it was like an energy thing Or just the fact that I am an empath, so it's like really the emotions that I can feel. But yeah, I can can see forms and things if they're there. Hmm. it's, it's weird. It's wild. Yeah. it was as a kid more than it is now. I guess because as a kid you're like, am I weird?

But it's just, I don't know, it's just a gift, I guess. Hmm. but like very, very vivid dreams. like sleep paralysis, stuff like that. But I do consider it a hidden little gift, 'cause I don't always talk about it because it is a little bit, can be like a woo-hoo for some, and a little bit over the top, which is fine.

But it is, it is a very real thing. Yeah. but I mean, and I mean, I believe in faith and all that stuff too. Yeah. It's just, it's, I am really connected to energy and frequency and I can see it. Yeah. So do you think there's some connection to that in your ability to be so present? Maybe. Maybe because I, there's no choice for me.

Like I am always present or I'm overstimulated Because of the presence that I have. Like, sometimes if I'm in a really loud place, like my sensory is so overload. Because I not only can hear what we're doing, but I can hear like, and not even like their conversation, like people's emotions.

Like I can feel them on me. And it's, it's. heavy. It can be really heavy sometimes. Mm. So actually, like over holiday season, like going into a grocery store, I have to sometimes either brace myself, guard myself, or not go in. Yeah. That hypersensitivity to everything. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I get it. Wow. So, wow.

That's pretty, that's, that's awesome. Thanks.

What music's playing when you're in the zone on a run in the car? I could do, so. I really like a good dance beat. I'm a big T-Pain fan, so we'll put that out there. Okay. But, I like a good dance beat to like, I guess like a remix of a good song. Yeah. So like a song that you love listening to and then like a good dance beat behind it.

Sure. Yeah. so I love remixed, like, this is gonna sound weird, but like, remixed country songs because they, they have a lot of meaning to them. Yeah. So, like I don't always like country music, just as country music, but a good country song to a remix Love it. Okay. Or like, Kygo is a dj, his, his music I love.

Okay. So, 'cause I'm building a playlist from guests on the podcast and I'd like to add a couple from you. Like, what would you love? Oh, I love that. Okay. I love, okay, so T-Pain, like I was saying is my favorite artist. two step remix. What is a great dance song? two Step Remix. Look it up on Spotify.

That's it. Okay. Yeah. I'll do the clean version. Okay. and then it's pretty clean song, but, all right. I put that on my list back that, yeah. and then I've really been into, that song, man, I Need, it's by Olivia. I don't remember her last name. but it's so good. It's like really popular right now, and I really like Love or Ordinary Love the Song Ordinary by, I think it's Alex Warren.

Okay. Love that song. It's a beautiful song. Just the words even. All right. Alright. They're on the list. Okay. Thank you. books or podcasts you love? I'm not a big reader. I'm a, I'm dyslexic, so sometimes I have a hard time reading. I like, I want to like reading. Yeah. But it's a challenge, like a real, like it frustrates me sometimes.

Yeah. but I have read a couple books that I love. I love Firefly Lane. and I love that book I was telling you about Ultra Marathon Man. Yeah. not only because I'm into running, but again, he writes to a bunch of different audiences and I like the way that he writes. I love writing. Just always not, I'm not like a big reader.

And oh, ultra Marathon Man is the name Ultra. It's called, confessions of an All Night Runner. Confessions of an All Night Runner. Okay. Okay. it's that I've read a couple times. But I do like Stephen King books. My mom reads them a lot and I have read a few. Yeah. so I like the, like I like being stimulated by like, horror.

Yeah. No, those are some of my favorites. Yeah. I've read some or like psychological thrillers. Yeah. Like to be thinking. 'cause I guess it keeps me engaged. Yeah. If I'm bored and reading, I Yeah. I won't do it. Yeah. and then podcasts I like kind of more like, I guess like comedy podcasts. I've listened to Heather McMahon.

She's a, she's a comedian that I like. She's a podcast. but yeah. Okay. Sometimes on runs I will listen to that because it's, it's, like, it's a less of a beat obviously, than music. And sometimes if I'm away from like, needing a beat Hearing, still hearing something in my head is, is good.

Do you usually have earbuds in when you run? Yes and no. maybe in the beginning, and then if the run is really long, I take 'em out after like two hours. Just because it's like, again, like so much I like to be silent too sometimes. Yeah. Okay. Or just have like a clear head. Yeah. What's your coffee order?

Ooh, this can be different depending on the morning that I'm having. I do. I love coffee, but I am. Usually like a hot, functional coffee in the morning that I need to like wake up. And I will do that at my house, just on my own with oat milk. and then if I'm gonna order an iced coffee out, I love toasted marshmallow, like, like the pump of toasted marshmallow flavoring.

Okay. Okay. and then just a latte with oat milk. Okay. So your Starbucks order would be, they don't have toasted marshmallow. I, yeah. I was, but I will get at Starbucks, I would get a shaken espresso with oat milk, shaken espresso. What is a shaken espresso? Ice, ice, shaken espresso. So ice. Yeah. So it's espresso and oat milk shaken with ice.

Okay. It's just a little bit bolder than ice coffee. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And I don't always like the taste of cold brew. It's a little bitter for me. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I, yeah, there was a big difference between cold brew and es because I get, I drink espresso straight. Yeah. But cold brew tastes different.

It does. It's just been different bite to it. It does, it does. Yeah. That I don't like it. I think. I don't either.

If you weren't, coaching and building a community through running and dance, what do you think you'd be doing today? I think I would do something with, antiquing or antique furniture or staging, that type of thing. I love. Antique anything? Mm. Anything again, that is old, but furniture. Yeah. Dressers, hutches.

I was doing a little bit of painting of these items in my garage. Oh wow. but it takes a lot of time and it was hot. And all this I have since kind of, stopped, but I still have some pieces that I need to do in my garage. But I love that kind of thing. Yeah. I love like searching for antiques. I could stay in an antique store for all day and not be bothered.

Yeah. By anything. Do you have any spots where you've found some golden treasures? I do. They're actually in two of the places that I love. They have gone away, but there was one downtown called the Rusty Spur that was amazing. They were almost like American pickers, like they, it was husband and wife and they, went all over picking these pieces that were just, their store was, it was a two level building.

They had an upstairs that had like bigger furniture pieces to it, like couches and then like pictures and stuff. And then they had like little knickknacks downstairs. But and then the mother load and Bonita, which I love and they just not there need randomly. Ah, I think they're redoing Bonita and I don't think it was up to code, but, I don't know all the ins and outs, but that store I could have gone in every single day.

Yeah. It was like going, literally going into your grandmother's house and just going through all her stuff. Yeah. And I think that's why I loved it. Yeah. That's cool. Yeah. All the hidden treasures. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now. You go to some of those places and because people redo their house every five years, you're getting contemporary furniture.

That's Yeah, I know. I love the old stuff. Yeah. Not much of that. It's sturdy. It's very sturdy. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah, I remember my, just the couch my grandmother had, like we couldn't sit on it. It was, yeah. It was a big investment in the time. Yeah. And of course it had plastic on it, but I love that.

God, I love her. Yeah. Yeah. But that was like, not something they bought at Rooms to Go. That was a big investment or whatever they Oh, at the time. Oh, was Oh, yeah. Important part of their life. what's something about you most people don't know but should? Hmm. I'm a pretty open book.

They, I feel like they, I feel like this is a hard one because maybe since being in the community, it's like opened me up to a lot of people that, like, again, I have to be myself fully. So I do feel like a lot of that gets, out there, like in the open, but probably like, I mean, I think people know this though.

Like, I am like a loyal to a fault, almost like friendships, family. Like that is everything to me. so if I like, have any type of like. Loyal connection to something like that is going to trump everything. Mm. and a lot of times, like again in like transitional periods of like growing up and like with friends and things, obviously you always end up with the right people, but, I have been loyal to a fault to where I've lost other friendships.

To be true to other friendships. Yeah. which I think is the right thing to do, but also I think sometimes it's misunderstood. but I would never, like not stand up for someone just for sake of like, saving face over here. Yeah. or I would like, I do not talk behind backs of friends. I don't like that to me is a major, no.

It's never gonna gain a friendship for me. I don't need to keep the friendship. Like if that's what we're doing, that's not, you're not the same type of friend that I am and that like, I, that'll end it right there for me. I think people know that, but I guess if you're not like in a deep friendship with me, maybe you wouldn't.

My real friends know that. Yeah. Yeah. That is like, just who I am. And it's also like on the other end, like, I wouldn't want you doing that to me. and that would like, that like would hurt me completely. so I just don't think it's like worth it. Like, I don't know why, like that's the topic of conversation is like people that unless again, it's like something that's factual or it's a concern.

I don't feel like gossiping is just never okay with me. Yeah. Yeah. That's so like malicious, gossiping, and then you're like friends with them out here. Yeah. That I just, I don't understand it. I don't know why people do it. Yeah. Yeah. It's serves no purpose. It doesn't like, it just doesn't, yeah. I think when people are in the victim mentality, they kind of gravitate to that 'cause they wanna gather more people on their side.

Yeah. Yes, exactly. Build up the hatred or whatever they have towards person or just like their little tribe. Yeah. But it's kind of built on, it's built on gossip, so it's probably gonna turn to dust. Yeah. Yeah. No, so true. It's poisonous. These are a couple of, I'm gonna have you pick three of these. Okay.

And then you're gonna out loud read the question and then one or insight and then tell us your thoughts. Two, this is gonna be great. Oh, ooh. Okay. So do I read both sides? Yeah. Okay. Well, I think just one side is the question. Okay. would you rather have the superpower of invisibility or flight 1000% flight?

I think I'm actually like always in flight mode. That's like what some of my friends like always say, but I have always wanted to fly. I love birds. Yeah. Like, love them. I feel like I have again, like a spiritual connection with them. Yeah. But I don't think I would wanna be invisible. I don't, I think I would like, again, comparing these, I definitely would wanna fly more than be invisible.

But I think that would be very special. You get, get places really fast. And I think it's also something that like only birds can do, which is really cool. And they're also like, don't look like they would be physically able to fly if you look at a bird Yeah. Like this huge body and like this tiny little head.

Yeah. And then wings. Yeah. but I think it's really cool. I think it is a superpower. Yeah. I'm with you on that one. Yeah. Who is the one person in your life who knows you best? Just one. I could say three. my mom and my grandmother are, obviously like connected. We, I mean, I'm, I'm very lucky, but my grandmother was like my person.

Mm. but my mom knows my heart, like inside and out. but my best friend too, so like, not being family, I mean, she is my chosen family, but, yeah, she's like a soul connection friend. where I feel like always very understood in her presence. Who is that? my best friend. Lindsay. Lindsay?

Okay. so I think it's really special to have a friend like that's not like blood. Yeah. But also as someone that just has taken the time to, understand you and get to know you and like me on her end too. Like, we definitely have a sister bond. I never grew up with a sister, so I don't know if that's true or not.

But it feels like a connection that was like always there. and yeah, back to my grandmother, just love her so much. Mm. She has passed away, but I always feel her presence. Mm. and she was like that one person that, I mean, like, I could call her every single day and we would have like something to talk about.

Mm. but, and she was so cute. Mm. She was just like a, such a like little gentle little lady. I just loved her so much. Yeah. but I feel like a lot of me is her. And again, like I, she was my grandmother, so she was obviously like there was such an age difference, but I feel like I have a very old soul.

Yeah. And sometimes I feel like I was almost like, I was just gonna say that old soul, that's where that old soul came from. Yeah. And I feel like sometimes I was almost like friends with her. Like not as her granddaughter. Yeah. Like, it's odd. Like I feel like we had a connection where we were friends, like before all that.

Yeah. and then my mom, I mean, my mom is an angel on earth and I, we'll listen, anytime I call her, doesn't matter what time it is, doesn't matter how many times I've called her, she will listen and listen and listen to me. and, never wants me to. Feel alone or be alone or, and I think that's just something special about moms is that they, like, they always have that connection to you.

Like no matter how old you are or where you've moved to., she's still very invested in, in, in my life and I think Yeah. Really does know me. She knows me inside and out. Yeah. Nothing like a mother's love. Nothing. Mm, nothing. What's your mother's name? Sally. Sally? Yeah. You did a good job, Sally.

Thank you. What, oh, how would she describe you? Oh, I'm interrupting that for, I think she would actually, it's funny 'cause I saw this word deep and I think she would describe me as deep and, empathic and, caring, genuine, but also very like wholesome and pure. I think there's like a lot as you age that like can harden you.

I think, I don't know if maybe I dealt with some of that as a kid in other ways, but like, I don't know. I think as an adult I still am very, like, pure and wholesome, like naive is the wrong word, but like some of it goes over my head because I just am wim more whimsical than that. and sometimes that gives me fear that like, as the world goes on and we are in these depths that we are now

Like, I don't wanna ever lose that just to like be where everybody else is. Yeah. and whether it seems ignorant or not, like I am more whimsical than that. Like it feels like that's just really heavy for me, some of those things. and not that I don't choose to like, know about them. I do, I know about things that are going on, but, they, just knowing them and hearing them sometimes is just like, it really affects me.

Yeah. physically, they're heavy and they, they feel heavy, like they weigh on me. Yeah. so I try to keep the softness a little bit and maybe like spread that around. Yeah. Just so that we can still have a little bit of that. Or just even in my small little circle. Yeah. I got that from you when I first met you.

Just this freedom. Oh, thank you. Whim, whimsical nature. That was just fun and ease. Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. Right away it was in your, it was in your space right away. It was just, it was warmth and, just an ease. Thank you so much. Yeah. It was good for, good for me. Appreciate that. Well, you too. We have a very, very calming energy.

Yeah. Yeah. It's nice. Yeah. I appreciate that. Yeah. About you. 'cause brought a lot into today that, just. It's not here with me now, it's kind of, I'm free of whatever the Oh, good stuff is. So I love that. Yeah. Me. Yeah. That's very nice. Me too. Nice to hear Me too. Yeah. I appreciate that. Yeah, of course.

I wasn't what I expected. Oh, good. A bonus outta my mind. Yeah. Appreciate it. That's awesome. What else you got? And I have, what's the most interesting fact?, geez, not much of a trivia gal. Most interesting fact that I know. Hmm. That's a tough one. Like any fact. But that's one I never even thought of.

What's a, I'm trying to think of for myself, what would I ever

Interest In fact, okay. I learned so much from, I have some very smart people. Not that I'm, I bet again, I'm a creative mind and I am not like a, a lot like, analytical. Yeah. I am in other ways, but like, my dad is really into numbers. He's an accountant, my brother is Oh wow. Is also in another, he's like secret service man.

So he's in that and they're all very like, and then again, my friends, I have a lot of like educator friends. So they're all very like, smart. So I feel like I do, I'm around a lot of intelligence a lot. Yeah. so the facts I feel like would be coming from them. Yeah. I don't know. I learned, I learned some things about like counterfeit money before, like for my brother.

I don't know. Interesting secret ser, he's Secret Service. He's in the Secret Service. Oh, wow. Okay. Yeah. Well, that's an interesting fact. Yeah. I know that My brother is in the Secret service to me. yeah, so, and that's cool. I mean, he's been in for a long time and, he's always been a protector of sorts, so that is the right job for him.

And it's cool. I saw him in a bunch of different lights as a protector. He did the, beach patrol in Ocean City for 10 plus years, and that was amazing. he like, I mean, not that it was amazing that he saved lives, but it was amazing. I mean, he, you see them in action saving lives, which is, I've never seen my brother in that atmosphere.

And, yeah, I mean, the first time I saw that it was very emotional, I'm sure. Yes. And like, didn't even know what was going on really. I mean, so they, there's, have you ever been to Ocean City, did you say? Not Maryland. Okay. Jersey. Yeah. There's like the big beach chairs and they're, I don't know, a couple streets away from each other, but they talk with the flags and, communicate about like what's literally happening.

And it's different than the Gulf. It's ocean. So very different under very, very different. Yeah. and I mean, someone can go down in milliseconds. Yeah. and there was one time there was a deaf and blind child. That had been caught in a rip current. Mm. And she was facing the wrong way. So like, they couldn't, like, nobody could like reach her, get to her because like, I guess the way that the water was, no one was like in anymore with her.

I don't know what the total it was years ago, but they ended up like pulling her out and, they did save her, but she like needed CPR and Wow. I mean, it was wild and crazy and, just like really moving, like everybody again working together, but like in a snap of a finger it happened. Yeah. Yeah. so I get a lot of facts from him.

Yeah. He knows a lot of stuff. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I, that's, I, I've, we don't experience that here, but I've seen it happen up there where the undertow just takes people out and quickly they could be gone. Oh, yeah. I know. And these guys who, who go on, on those patrols just selflessly go out in the same thing that the person that took them, the, the undertow that took them away, they're out in that Yeah.

To save this person. Yeah. Yep. I've seen that. Well, I appreciate what he does and I do too. What he did, what he does, and he's still all about that and what he's doing right now. Yeah. I have a special place in my heart for all that, all in that genre of people, the first responders. First responders, yeah.

Yeah. Agree. Yeah. They're just, they're, they're, I agree. That's really putting yourself on the line selflessly for all of us. Yeah. Yeah. Bali, when are you going to Bali? I wanna make sure we clear this up. So yes, I'm gonna Bali in May. May, it'll be May 20th through the 26th is the actual like mission trip.

Okay. and yeah, so kind of preparing for all that now, we had to, we have a link to the Bali Children's Foundation. and I have again, received already a lot of great support, which I'm extremely thankful and appreciative of. but it is open until May. and I would love to raise so we can help, people can help.

Oh, we'll get Link. Link. I love from you put that on. Absolutely. Absolutely. All right, great. and it's all going again to the Children's Foundation out there, which they're, building and redeveloping their elementary schools out there. Okay. which is amazing to see. And I mean, they're all like smiling and stuff too, like in the videos, all the kids, and it'll just be amazing to be out there with them.

So we get I think two good days with them. And then the fifth day is when we run across, the island in, support of the foundation. Now will we be able to follow the journey? Is there something I think you can, yeah, I think you can. It is directly across Bali, so from one end to the other. Which is crazy that it's 54 miles, but it is 54 miles of, of Bali.

And I think you can, I think there's a, like a, not like Strava, but a Strava link Okay. Type thing for the race, but it's international, so I'll figure all of that out. Okay. All right. Yeah. Well, make sure that we, include links for that so people who wanna support you can support process.

Oh, I love that. Thank so much. Yeah. and locally, the Runner's Club. Wednesdays 6:00 PM so it'll be tonight. tonight I wanted to remind everyone too about the lights because the time has changed. Time, like of day with the sun and everything has changed. Yeah. But the time of the club has not changed, so it's still at six.

But we just, we've done it for the last two years. We kept it the same. and everybody just wears lights and stays together and Yeah. And it's been fine. but yeah, 6:00 PM Anchor Lab Brewery. Just show up on Bayshore. Oh, yeah. Newbies, anyone? Experience doesn't matter. You take everybody there. Anyone?

I, we take 'em all. Oh, okay. Good. Awesome. and, dance where, or, or coaching or your, Where, where does that take place and how can people get involved in that? This is, Angelica Academy of Dance. Okay. So it's in Bonita Springs. kind of right behind actually Ceremony Brewing. Okay. So people know that area.

Right on Old 41. Okay. And it is a competitive dance studio. It's been there a while. I've just, I think two and a half years been there. it is the greatest though. I have loved my time there. but it's all ages, all levels. They have a rec program, they have a competitive program. and then all styles of dance, two, ballet, jazz, lyrical, contemporary hip hop.

They're, they have solos, duets, things like that. So depending on what side you wanna be on, like if you wanna be a competitive dancer I think it's all under one umbrella. Okay. Like, you do have to be involved in all those styles of dance. Okay. at least the classes. I don't know if you would have to compete all of them.

And then the rec, I believe is just like, recreational dance classes of all different genres. Okay. Alright. Great. So we got all those so that people can find you in Yeah. Whatever they're interested in. I love it. I liked what you put in the, in little preform. you put something about wherever the conver we'll go, wherever the conversation goes or something like, you, you wrote a response is, I think the question might have been, what do you want to talk about?

And you put something about, you'll go wherever the, you'll do whatever the conversation where, wherever we end up. I love that. I, however I to I remember try to bloom where I'm planted. Yeah. That was cool. It was cool. You read it says, I love that. I have, one final question. what do you love about your life?

Hmm. I am only pausing because I do love my life. I think I love the ebbs and flows of everything. I think for a while you like fight that a little bit. And that's what I was saying is that like, you always want everything to be perfect or, they're for there to be like no change or,. but I think I've really enjoyed the journey, like as maybe as cliche as that sounds, but truly I've really enjoyed seeing where things like where roots were made and then things are blooming, and you really do end up in the right place.

Hmm. Like I think seeing that and like really trusting that, you're gonna be where you belong is, has been eye-opening for me, like as I've aged. but again, there's, there's a lot of growing up that comes with that and I think that's been, like, aging has been definitely a journey as well.

But it's been really cool to understand more about people and myself and, all of the blessings that I do have and, and why they're in my life and what they mean to me and how to keep them and, like nourish them and water them and everything like that because, it doesn't. Not everything is handed to everyone.

And I think sometimes people are so like protective of things because that's like either the first time they've had them or they don't wanna lose them or things like that. And I think it's really special. Hmm. So I'm so honored. I really appreciate Brenda introducing me to you. Oh, I appreciate Brenda as well.

And I appreciate this. This whole time has been really nice. Yeah. Thank you. So that was very, very beautiful conversation that we had. Yeah. I feel the same and I had no idea. It's kind of refreshing and heartwarming because I was hearing somebody who does ultra marathons. It just to me, in my mind, I visualize this beyond human, human that maybe doesn't have a heart.

'cause you can't have a heart, like Right, right, right, right. Only because it takes such, such a way to be, but it's the opposite. And I just, such a beautiful soul. I appreciate. Well, thank you. So appreciate, I appreciate hearing that. Thank you. Yeah. No, it's really cool. I'm glad you're now a part of our family in a new way.

I am too. I am too. Yeah. Really. Thank you so much. Whatever we can do to support you in whatever you're up to, please know that we'll always be here. If there's any, anyway, if you need donations for haircuts and products or any, any of your creative wanna do stuff to, I would love to collaborate. That would be so fun.

Yeah. We're really, I would love that. Whatever we can do. Whatever we can do. Always here for you. Here for you. I love pleasure, guys. Thank you. Yeah. Fun one. Thanks Zach for getting us set up here too. Yeah. Beautiful thing. So in Oh, thanks. That was so.