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Episode 14. Amy Bush
59 Plays8 days ago
In Episode 14 of the WILD Onez Podcast, we sit down with an incredible athlete, teammate, and one of the kindest humans you'll ever meet. Amy shares her journey from endurance sports to discovering the world of swimrun, and how she became passionate about helping others find their place in this unique community. Amy has long been involved in endurance racing, from Ironman and ultradistance events to competing in ÖTILLÖ Swimrun alongside teammate Trista Mennen as "Team Adorkable."
We dive into her athletic background, what continues to motivate her to stay active, the importance of surrounding yourself with great people, and why giving back to the sport has become one of her greatest passions.
Whether you're a seasoned swimrunner, endurance athlete, or simply someone looking for inspiration to keep showing up and chasing adventure, Amy's story is one you won't want to miss.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Context
00:00:01
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Wild Ones podcast. I'm your host Sarah. And I'm your host Bev. And believe it or not, we're on episode 14.
00:00:12
Speaker
That's crazy. We're almost over legal age. Four more episodes and can maybe vote. We'll get there. And hopefully we'll make some major advances in our audio by then as well. That's the goal. Fingers crossed. That's the goal. Yeah. Baby steps, guys. Thanks for hanging in here. We're almost there.
00:00:36
Speaker
oh
Sarah's Health Struggles and Colorado Air Quality
00:00:37
Speaker
my gosh. Well, Sarah, what have you been up to this week? Because I know you've been battling some health stuff. And breathing outside has been a little difficult in Colorado, too.
00:00:47
Speaker
Yeah, it's been been um been been a month. June was kind of interesting, just kind of, yeah, dealing with chest pain stuff. And I think getting to the bottom of it, still waiting for a couple of results back from the doctor. But I think ah the majority of what was happening is ah like, it's called costcochondritis. And it's basically inflammation on your body.
00:01:15
Speaker
rib cage and literally all of that area, which would explain why there's stabbing chest pains and chest tightness and all the good things where you kind of feel like you're dying, but you're actually not.
00:01:28
Speaker
Fun! That's been quite the roller coaster, but I think we're on the up and up. i Definitely starting to ramp up training again now that I've got some good news back from the doc, but still kind of trying to like manage the pain that's associated with that and making sure that it's not getting more angry.
00:01:47
Speaker
um Yeah, so that's kind of what's going on over here Luckily, it seems like the a q i is improving. i don't know if that's because we're getting more moisture over the last couple days, hopefully, or if that is just because the wind direction has shifted. But Matt has high loaned some 100 in a few days here, and I'm very excited to pace him along. For some miles of that. We're just, yeah, fingers crossed that the AQI stays nice and low. There's no new fires and we just get a ton of rain because we need it out here in Colorado. It is so dry. i think like one of the biggest wildfires right now is like 90,000 acres and like maybe 2% containment.
00:02:30
Speaker
Yeah, so it's insane. Like the whole state of Colorado just feels like it's on fire. So I do a rain dance every single time we get just a little little bit of sprinklage. You're like, keep it coming, keep it coming. Keep it coming, don't stop. We'll send all the rain from Louisiana up there.
00:02:47
Speaker
Yes, please. Like, I feel like the the southeast in the east has just been getting lots of moisture. So please send it back this way. We'll take it. If we all if we all blow in one general direction, i think maybe we can get the the clouds to go that way.
00:03:04
Speaker
Yeah, that's how it works. Yeah, for sure. Definitely how that happens. Math, science. Yeah. But yeah, that's kind of a little bit of like an update on like life and training over here. i think we're like officially eight weeks away from worlds, depending on how you count, I guess. sigh Yeah, we're around there.
00:03:25
Speaker
we're We're getting into the thick of it. And yeah, just looking forward to getting a good build in before we get to go explore the archipelago again together this year. So.
00:03:37
Speaker
I'm so excited. Me too. You've kind of had a, like an interesting last couple of weeks as well. I have, yeah. i was like on the up and up. I was doing great. I was feeling amazing. I was like, yes, awesome. Great. I got, I was so excited for my Sunday
Bev's Workout Incident
00:03:56
Speaker
workout. I had a great run in the morning. I made myself an egg burrito with some spinach. It was wonderful.
00:04:02
Speaker
I went to church. I got my swim. I started my swim. It was supposed to be a 6K and some change. I got about 2,200 meters in our yards and I, my stomach just buckled. I felt nauseous and I was like, oh man, the heat, something. So I got out.
00:04:18
Speaker
I, um, sitting there talking with a friend and I just, you know, when you feel like you're going to vomit, you can't stop it. I was not going to make it to a toilet. I, casually walked over to a trash can on the pool deck, apologized to everybody who was around said trash can.
00:04:33
Speaker
It wasn't a lot of people, but I was just like, I'm so sorry for what's about to happen. I lifted the lid and proceeded to empty my guts, put the lid back on, grabbed my stuff, said goodbye to my friend and walked out and went home and then proceeded to spend my entire afternoon next to the toilet.
00:04:49
Speaker
That was really classy. I don't like kudos for the classiness there. i I will say I know at a boot and rally Sarah has witnessed it. Like I I've gotten good at puking.
00:05:04
Speaker
I should say if that's a, if that's a brag, like, I don't know if that's a brag or something to brag about, but like, I'm really good at puking and then just moving on. Cause yeah, just it just, it worked out. Um,
00:05:16
Speaker
But yeah know yeah, some athletes just like really are like that. They just every race too. They're just like throwing up and rallying. And I, I, yeah, have,
00:05:27
Speaker
Hope I don't ever experience that, but it is a usual thing for some folks. so hey I hate to say it. I'm one of them sometimes. um Under fueling or altitude, that's usually the not like an egg burrito because I think that was like the only thing in my system. So I'm either blaming the eggs or the spinach. I don't think it was tortilla.
00:05:45
Speaker
Could have been. I don't know. but Don't blame the tortilla. Yeah, no. wasn't tortilla's fault. I was i was out the cat was out for the count this week. And today, like, I i went on a six-mile run. I ran, like, some before, some after, run club. And i like, actually felt pretty okay today. Still feeling little tired, but, like, um my calorie intake is still not where it needs to be. So, well, we have some big workouts this weekend, so we're going to try and get some food in and, like, pick that back up still. But I have, like...
00:06:16
Speaker
three or four Gatorades still in my fridge that I'm going to work through to to get hydration back up this week and going into am I signed up for Casco as a solo I'm ready to go um and then i will actually be racing in a team and um and a strange plot twist I'm gonna be racing with Anna Vero and she was like hey my partner can't do anymore you want to do it and i was like honestly actually and do like having a buddy and swimrun is all about I was I was about to make my solo debut it didn't happen so maybe next time so excited for you to race with her she is such a gem I know yeah you race worlds with her and like just hearing your guys's story I'm so so pumped Don't worry if she breaks a paddle, she's still got it. She's still got it. It's a beast of a swimmer. So i am I'm quite excited to, I mean, I'll still have to talk about it, but I think I'm going to be behind her. so I'm i quite excited for that
00:07:18
Speaker
So that'll be that'll be a fun time. So if you're doing Casco, i will be there. um i will i will bring Wild One stickers. I just put in a new shipment actually, new order. I'm quite excited for that.
00:07:31
Speaker
We'll be fine. But yeah, so we're counting down to that. I think we're like 29, 28 days now. Like a month out of some fun times. um And I think we're at the 10-year anniversary. i think we were talking about that last or two, couple episodes ago for it. So it should be a party regardless. yeah You're going to all the swim room parties this year.
00:07:53
Speaker
I really, i'm just in it for the you know I'm just in it for the parties, really. I'm just here for a good i'm here for the vibes and the good time.
Meet Amy Bush: Inclusivity in Swimrun
00:08:00
Speaker
yes yeah' speaking of vibes and good times let us let us get into who we have because this uh this human i freaking love how can you um i think she's the reason and one of the reasons that like one half of the reasons that we're still in the sport 100 sarah would do you like to introduce who we have this week
00:08:29
Speaker
Yeah, well, I'm so excited to introduce you guys, Amy Bush, ah half of Team Adorkable. And probably, yeah, one of the reasons why we're still in the sport, just from kindness and like inclusivity for newbies in the sport, like without Amy and also Trista, like the sport would feel...
00:08:54
Speaker
um very different to us. i just, I feel like we just got a really warm hug into swim run after our first race, got to meet you, got to hear about your experiences. And it was so much fun following along on your guys's world's journey. And i think personally for me, it was so inspiring to watch you guys just go and crush that race and have so much fun doing it. ah Like you're the queen of knowing how to have fun and swim run. That's that's the vibes.
00:09:23
Speaker
i love it. Awesome. Well, yeah, welcome. i This is, I think the first podcast I've done ah solo. So I usually have my, ah my adorkable friend, but she is ah busy all the time. and It's rude. All the time. ah who who allowed her to do that? I don't know. I don't like it though. I did not approve it for sure.
00:09:51
Speaker
Thank you for having me, you guys. I've been a loyal listener and I'm excited to to be to be here. We can attest. She just commented on our sound stuff and we're we're making it the we're making it work. We're making it better, guys. I promise. because We heard you the first time, Marcus.
00:10:09
Speaker
Could you say something to them? Like, I don't think they believe me. No, mean we do. It's a work in progress. If if anybody has tips and tricks, send them our way, please.
00:10:24
Speaker
I think Viv just needs like a like audio balance, like in life. She just needs some some sort of balance.
00:10:33
Speaker
The loud one. dying over here am the loud one yes i will i will wear that badge with pride i really need to get a sticker or like a little badge that literally just the loud one wait for worlds this year we should get shirts that is like like thing one thing two but the loud one and like sarah or like return to the loud one or the loud one yep i like it and then
00:11:01
Speaker
love it new wardrobe like tristan and i have those shirts yeah yeah
00:11:10
Speaker
but we'll just do a continuation yep it's a whole theme i love that well i mean you you've been one of the first females that i at least that we've known have that have done swim run um very close the beginning or have kind of like made us like such a an impact in getting more women into swim run. i I would think like, I, again, like Sarah said, like you are a big reason why we've stayed in the sport, just your love of it and just doing it for fun too.
00:11:42
Speaker
how that used to be at the top of the podium because, uh, there were like two female teams. That's wild. when When we did worlds, we were the, uh, top American team, female American team, because we were the only female American team. So we were the national champs that year. Hell yeah. Wait, that was 2022.
00:12:08
Speaker
o Could be. Could be. i was afraid you were going to ask me dates. Sorry. We can look it up later. I don't do that, you know, remember calendar things. It's not it's not my thing.
00:12:21
Speaker
It all just kind of mushes together. It really does. ah yeah I'd like to blame the pandemic, but it was before that as well. so Everything's fine. ah
Amy's Fitness Journey
00:12:33
Speaker
So what got you into swim run?
00:12:35
Speaker
Have you done sports your entire life? No, no, I was definitely an adult onset athlete. Uh, I did kickball when I was little, um, but I was terrible. So I had a catastrophic eye injury when I was 10. Um, am legally only sighted in one eye and that happened. So it was like going into fifth grade. i actually started fifth grade late, um, because of this. And, ah It was because we played a party game, Ghost in the Graveyard, if anyone's familiar. like Great game.
00:13:06
Speaker
And yeah, I ducked down behind a tree. It was in the dark. And I hope nobody can hear the honking that is going on next to me. is The dogs. Battle between my dogs. um Tree branch went into my eye. yeah it was it wasn't great. It wasn't my favorite time. And then starting fifth grade with like a patch over the entirety of half of my face. Yeah. But because of that, when I played kickball, I wanted to be like everyone else, but I had to wear one of those like plastic goggle things which you know I'm already a kid who's like I'm a reader I'm not like the most popular kid and now I have to wear these goggles and some basketball player wore them can't remember now but he looked cool doing it I did not look cool Um, so I did kickball. I hated it. I had no depth perception cause I only have one eye and I'm like ball sports are not for me. So that was my, the only thing I did as a kid, um, coming up through high school, I did gymnastics cause I have a really flexible back. but there's only so much that a really flexible back will get you in gymnastics. And that's mostly a back bend and a back walkover. And that's not, you can't build a career on that.
00:14:21
Speaker
um i mean, you can definitely try. There's there are some good skills with those too. But um so I didn't do any other sports in high school, graduated and went off to college, met Matt. We were both incredibly sedentary, like computer people. um And then we were like, okay, like we need to do something. So we started rollerblading. So we were super into rollerblading for a long time. um And then we ended up getting mountain bikes.
00:14:52
Speaker
And my sister and I started riding mountain bikes with like a road riding group. And that's incredible. We ended up, someone was like, why don't you do a triathlon? And we're like, because it involves swimming and running.
00:15:07
Speaker
we do neither and we both swim as kids like i did swim team when i was a little little kid um and so i knew how to swim but i hadn't done any like actual you know pool swimming or anything for 15 years or something and uh and they were like well you know how to swim so you can get that back and running you don't have to run you can just walk and anyone can walk as long as they're capable of walking um don't want to be judging there um and so we did and we did uh the dancekin triathlon which the women's only triathlon and it was very very inspiring and it was so much fun and matt watched us do it and he got super jealous he's like why don't i get to do it so we started doing triathlon and this is one of those one thing led to another we did a sprint triathlon yeah
00:15:56
Speaker
Fast forward a couple of years and we're doing our first Ironman, um, as these things do they yeah They tend to snowball very fast. And I discovered that I was much better at, uh, endurance than I was at speed. So I would rather do, a, you know, a and an Ironman over a sprint triathlon any day. Um, so we did that for a lot of years. I think I did eight.
00:16:22
Speaker
Um, Ironman races. And then we started doing like ultra endurance stuff. Uh, did a hundred miler did Ultraman, which is a whole, a whole ride. Um, and then we did Tahoe triple three marathons in three days around the circumference of Lake Tahoe. what s wild I know that existed. Yeah, it was an interesting, like doing the first day and then getting back to the hotel and being like, I have never done a marathon and then run a single step the day after doing a marathon. And now we're going to do a second marathon and then another marathon.
00:17:00
Speaker
That was incredible. Yeah, it was actually, it didn't end up being that bad. Like it was surprising. Um, so while we were doing Ironman,
00:17:11
Speaker
um we started doing a, um, a run group. We have had a long-term run group here in Austin, um, called rogue running and, uh, they, um, had a triathlon group and we ended up, um, so that's I met Trista was we both did this group together and, um So we knew each other, but we ran with different groups, but we had the same coach. So then she moved away and she was getting coached for her first Ironman.
00:17:44
Speaker
And i was getting coached for my not first Ironman. We started kind of chatting and we all trained together. Trista and I did two different Ironmans together, not fully together, not like we didn't stay together, but we did the same Ironman with the same group. And then while we were training for,
00:18:04
Speaker
The second one, i guess, I saw an article somewhere about swim run. And right then Trista was training with her master's group and Marcus was in her master's group and he was telling them about swim run. And so we kind of, one of us was like, hey, have you heard about the swim run thing? we were like, oh my God, yes. And no one else in our life was interested in such a phenomenon. Like that just had no, everybody's like, I don't understand it. I'm not interested in it. It sounds weird and dumb.
00:18:33
Speaker
And we're like, no, it sounds amazing. We agreed. And we decided to do one. um And of course, we decided to do one because we saw the pictures from NC.
00:18:45
Speaker
And so those waterfall pictures will get anyone. And so we decided to NC. I think that I think one of us, it must have been me. I was training for something and it didn't end up working out for us to do it that first year that we found out about it. And so we were like, okay,
First Swimrun Experience at Lake James
00:19:04
Speaker
we'll do it next year. And then before we even got there, we found out about Lake James and went up for Lake James and Lake James long course was our first swim run. And it was super cold that year. water, like people were getting hypothermia. Oh, fun. Yeah. And it was hard and it was weird. And we had the most amazing time and we were absolutely hooked.
00:19:31
Speaker
I love that. So yes, that was, that was how we, how we got here. That's a wild ride. That's so cool though, that like, you're like, this looks fun.
00:19:44
Speaker
Type two. Great. Let's do it We were, um so to show you how green Trista was, we were, we went to Lake James and we were looking around I was, we were kind of looking at the course and the first so you go to the bridge to the first swim and you run down to the water yeah um and we were kind of scoping that part out because you could drive up to it and i was like oh it goes right here because there's a blaze right here leading down to the to the and trista's like what's a blaze she's like i literally she had never done a trail run before she did her first swim run
00:20:23
Speaker
Wow. So like the course markings and stuff just like kind of blew her mind. Yeah. I mean, she's like, oh, this is how is how we know where to go. Yeah. Somebody's marking it with something else.
00:20:37
Speaker
So yeah, she was she and she's not she doesn't love running and she doesn't like road running at all. But once she found trail running, she was like, oh, I understand now. This is fun. This is fun and you can walk.
00:20:49
Speaker
do We love that. And you get a lot of snacks with trail running. Exactly. Running, hiking and snacks. That's the best. Yeah, and the the running training that we had done was very like,
00:21:05
Speaker
serious training so there was no walking you know yeah it's it's running and and you get you get made fun of if you're walking so this is a whole new world Like it's becomes way more adventurous. Yes.
00:21:20
Speaker
And that aspect that you're just going through the woods, following, out following blazes instead of following footsteps. or but Sometimes not sometimes realizing you have no idea where you are. just guessing. You're like, exactly. Right. i think i see itla somewhere All part of the adventure. Right. Exactly. we were all found. We, we, it got better. It's fine.
00:21:42
Speaker
Did you guys race under the adorkables name? I think we were Adorkables from the beginning, yes. Oh, I had no idea. Yeah, um and it was ah our group, kind of our like little group chat. I think at some point we like had called ourselves the Adorka Bitches. um And we decided that was maybe a little, that was our whole group. So we we splintered off into the Adorkables.
00:22:07
Speaker
There you go. You're like, we got a PG-13. And i'm glad that I'm glad that we like our name. Like, you know, it it it sucks if you brand yourself and then you're like, I regret.
00:22:21
Speaker
So we're happy that we're still the Adorkables if we ever race together again. Looking at you, Trista. Trista. We gotta wonder. and dropping subtle hints yeah i'm gonna hit her up for for don't tell i'm gonna hit her up for lake james because she can't do the um otola races because she has all of them so i have to hit her up for uh um although ho she did she did ask me if i wanted to do um gothenberg oh i'm like um it's two weeks away and
00:22:56
Speaker
um like here ah your go i'm like i i really want to be the person who can be like yes absolutely and she's doing it like surgical strike where she's going in on friday and leaving on sunday and i'm like i don't know i literally don't know how they're doing that i don't either
00:23:15
Speaker
no don't do that That's crazy. But I'm like, I wish I were that person that could commit to that. But I'm just not. I have i have babies. And by babies, I clearly mean dogs. Little puppies. Don't. Yeah. Your dogs are so cute. If you come to Austin, you will see the dogs. Yep.
00:23:33
Speaker
Yep. They're probably my favorite park. Austin is such a spectator friendly race. So seeing Matt with Ada and Gracie. Although Matt and I are racing together this year.
00:23:46
Speaker
What? Yeah, because you guys, how was doing orcas together? yeah was orcas is so fun. And again, we have experience. This was not this is our first swim run. It was Matt's first swim run and our first swim run together. But we did the Tahoe Triple.
00:24:01
Speaker
100 together and like if your marriage is going to fall apart it's probably going to be during the tahoe triple um i mean it's a great race but that's a lot to ask you know your marriage yes race together I mean, it's great because they know exactly, you know, how to encourage you, but it's also bad because they know everything about you and they can weaponize that if necessary. like you take like get more Exactly. Which has never been a problem with Matt and I, we are great together. So it it worked out fine, but yeah. So he's, he loved orcas and I was going to do it with someone and they had to back out. We are, doing that at a later date.
00:24:44
Speaker
But Matt's like, do you want to do it with me? And I'm like, you said you wanted to do a solo. Like, I don't want to take that from you. know You want to try it out? And he's like, no, I want to. you want to do want to be Paddle Pals? And I'm like, i absolutely want to be Paddle Pals. And it's her team name.
00:25:04
Speaker
go you we're so cute oh i love you guys decided to go back and race orcas together that was that was that was interesting you guys know more than anyone else how yeah how traumatic our last experience there was i get yeah cliff cliff notes version is matt got in a a pretty um Bad cycling accident on the island and had to be airlifted to Bellingham.
00:25:33
Speaker
Got his body fixed up and it was it was definitely it was definitely a tough day for a lot a lot of people, especially you guys, going through that.
00:25:43
Speaker
So it was it's definitely... What was your guys' team name? Like, Matt's Revenge Tour? Matt's Revenge Tour, yep. Yeah, yeah that was that was probably the best name because it it truly was, like, you guys' as revenge tour on the island. They're, like, yeah middle finger to, like, every area. Like, we're, like, all right, here we go.
00:26:00
Speaker
And, you know, it's neither one of us disliked or had bad memories about it. It was just, you know, we didn't know how we were going to feel when we drove past that one spot. Yeah. yeah No, so definitely don't blame me guys. No, it was all those awesome to see you guys there. I liked the weather better the year that it was super, super foggy. i loved it out there when it sunny, but it was so moody when it was foggy. Yeah.
00:26:21
Speaker
Yeah. that And that island when it's moody and foggy is is kind of fun. It's kind of cool. You're like, oh, Pacific Northwest. Here we go. Exactly. This is peak Pacific Northwest.
00:26:32
Speaker
Now that you've done the course, you've done the course both ways now. Yes. Like backwards. what What do you like better? That's a good question. The way that we did it this year? the way that we had it previously?
00:26:44
Speaker
Well, I don't like running by Cascade and not being able to get in it. I didn't like that. That was tough, yeah. Yeah. um But I did like coming back down Constitution. That was fun. Just so like flowy and and like light. I liked that.
00:27:01
Speaker
Versus the very aggressive downhill. like Yes. Yes. You're like, this just hurts. So yeah, i think I think I'm going to say I like it this way better. Plus, you don't have to worry about going into the pit of despair accidentally.
00:27:15
Speaker
That's, yeah, that's what we're talking about we're like, oh, yeah, I'm pretty sure we passed the pit. And we didn't actually, like, question where we were going. We don't seem to be in a pit, so I think we're good. i think we're still on the course. Still see flags.
00:27:28
Speaker
But we didn't see any. I'm zero for two on seeing salamanders or whatever it is that's in the- You guys didn't see them? No, because I always forget, and I never- They're everywhere.
00:27:38
Speaker
Like the little orange newts, right? Was it newts? I don't remember. I think so. Yeah. Yeah, they're adorable. I mean, they looked orange. So many people said that they didn't see them. And I was like, how did you not see them?
00:27:49
Speaker
I like, man, they were everywhere. I was i was i literally had a conversation in my head and I was like, you guys should stay there. I do not want to eat or pick up any of you guys. I wanted to eat and pick them up. so Although, yeah, I'm vegetarian now, so I guess I can't eat newts anymore. it was like that's a That's a choice.
00:28:07
Speaker
little protein snack out there. Exactly. Yeah, break the vegetarianism for for a new What'd you guys get at the Twin Lakes aid station?
00:28:17
Speaker
but What Twin Lakes aid station? no ah side notes I love that. Oh my gosh. Have you, so you've raced with Trista and you've raced with Matt who else you raced with?
00:28:33
Speaker
So I was completely monogamous with Trista for the first, until two years ago, I guess. Okay. um So we, i I was monogamous. She was not, um but it was okay. got permission. um And there were races I couldn't do. So she wasn't like abandoning me. I just was abandoning her by not being able to do them. um And then i did my first non Trista swim run with a local friend named Christy. She was a Lady Longhorn swimmer here at UT. And so I'm like, okay, well, we don't have to discuss who's going to lead the swims. We just have to discuss whether she's going to have to dial it back for me to even stay on her feet. um
00:29:20
Speaker
So I asked her if she wanted to. We've done some swims together, but she has been on a hiatus from running and she said she would love to try it. So we did the sprint. That was also my first non-world series sprint. Because, you know, if you're going to do a race, why would you not do the longest race possible? You got to fall in.
00:29:38
Speaker
And we had a great time. And she's like, that was really great. I'm not sure I'll ever do another one um But that was because she hadn't been running. So the running was hard for her. um But we had an amazing time. And then i did one with, I did Austin last year with Sarah Booth.
00:29:58
Speaker
Yeah. And we had an amazing time. It's one of those, like, we knew each other well enough to know that we really liked each other, but, you know, you don't really get to know someone until you spend many hours in the wilderness tied to them.
00:30:11
Speaker
Yeah. Trying to survive. You're like, all right, did you eat? Did you eat i don't know. We're going to just get through this. That was pretty weird stuff comes out. Yeah. Well, it's pretty funny the other day when Pam was into her little survey on how much you talk to your partner during a swim run.
00:30:31
Speaker
And i'm this is not my story to tell, but I guess when she was racing with Emily at Orcas this year and they started racing and Pam was like, oh, you're a talker.
00:30:46
Speaker
ah Pam, apparently not a talker. so yeah pam was pretty quiet during Worlds. Whenever Lex and I would see them, we're like, hey! They're like, hi guys! And I'm like... yeah That's so funny. So Sarah and I, like, we just went through each other's life stories the entire, it was so much fun. Cause you know, you know, someone like we know each other, the three of us know each other, but if we had a swim run, like we would be going back to, you know, early childhood and what are, you know, we would go into like the birth story. Exactly.
00:31:17
Speaker
i don't, I don't remember mine, but that's okay. It's okay. We got Kate's. And I think i think getting Kate's covers everybody. we're We're all good. i loved I loved your Kate interview, by the way. That was great. We love Kate.
00:31:35
Speaker
Yeah, I thought that poll was super fun, though, that she did put out. Because I saw that today, actually. was like, I didn't really get the context of it. But I'm like, this is a good poll. We should actually ask more of these in this chat. Because now I'm curious. And the amount of people that just put, yeah, like, I never shut up. It's like, boast. Yeah. And then the other part, like the other top vote is like, you know, a good portion of their life by the end. There's only one vote for zero to 25%.
00:32:08
Speaker
the race I just can't imagine. Like I'm out there to look at fun nature and to chat. That is why I'm out there. well We will be chatting about the nature. Like even if we're both like in the pain cave, we'll look, we'll look at me like at that tree.
00:32:24
Speaker
That's a nice tree. there's probably a bird that lives in that tree like yeah yeah i mean that's how you do it sometimes the unhinged things that you say to your partner while you're out in the middle of nowhere and it's kind of like a blackout too like you sometimes either really remember the conversation you're like that was so good and other times you're just like what you guys talk about i have no idea no idea but i know we were talking I also don't retain courses at all. Like I even late James I've done, i don't even know how many times, at least four and we're out there and I'm like, has this always been on the course?
00:33:04
Speaker
I'm excited to to learn the the world's course for for the first time. the third time in a row. I mean, that's that's too long. You can't remember all of that or any of that.
00:33:15
Speaker
Right. You just remember sections and you're like, oh, this looks familiar. You're like, I thought this was in a different spot. I thought this was further along. Or they're like, I feel like we should be further along than we are.
00:33:27
Speaker
i remember this thing. yeah I definitely remember the swing. The very important swing. Yes. What made you guys decide to stop and swing? Like, what was your attitude going into that race where you're like, swing?
00:33:40
Speaker
We were already past the cutoffs, except we there were more cutoffs that we didn't know about because we are serious racers that look at all the things very seriously. um Yes. And we were at an aid station, and Trista looks up, and she's like, oh, my God, there's swings. And she's like, do you want to swing? And I'm like, of course I want to swing. And so we did.
00:33:58
Speaker
that's and we just were lucky that someone had their phone out at that point it' it's iconic like i don't think we've seen like other race videos like where the swing has been involved that's really awkward you wouldn't figure it would work when you're tethered together it works really well still i figured then and you only need like if someone wants to push you they only need to push one of you because the other one gets dragged along bungee
00:34:27
Speaker
They're like, less effort. We're good to go. figured there's nothing, nothing better to show like how Trista and I race and our attitude and what we, what we prioritize. I love that. for For those listeners out there that are new to Swim Run or haven't seen the documentary yet, there's a really cool documentary on whatever year that was that you guys went Worlds. We will find it and we'll post it when this drops.
00:34:55
Speaker
It's called Between Pleasure and Pain. and yeah It's on YouTube. I've watched it probably like six times because... Every single time I watch it, it inspires me. Chills. Literal chills. Yeah.
00:35:05
Speaker
And it's also just really fun watching my friends go through a really epic adventure and their attitude and everything that they they have towards swimrun, which is amazing. That was so surreal, too, like to have someone say, we want to follow you around and record you. And it's like, are us? Are you sure? you positive? It's me?
00:35:26
Speaker
Okay. But we didn't we didn't actually feel any pressure. Like it was, it was kind of shocking how little pressure we felt. So that's awesome. Yeah. What has been your favorite race?
00:35:38
Speaker
Um, I guess, okay. I should say, how do you, what's one of your favorite swim run
Favorite Swimrun Locations
00:35:43
Speaker
race? At least do you have one of those or do you have like any, You can have multiple. I'm just going to ask for an explanation for each one. Here's my favorite swim run in Norway. It's Rockman.
00:35:57
Speaker
Here's my favorite swim run in Sweden. It's Worlds. That's a good one. I got my favorite swim run in Canada. It's Whistler. There you go. Got my favorite swim run in, I can't do North Carolina because there's two of them, damn it. And I was like, you're going to start going state by state. I know it. If you're going to state by state, there's a couple. really love orcas. We love the Pacific Northwest so much. And that course is just amazing. But I also really loved Whistler. I loved how you got to go through town and how many lakes you got to swim in. And that was just amazing. but then there's the waterfalls at NC. know. RIP. Man, maybe we can, maybe in a couple of years, we can be like, all right, anniversary race. Yeah, we need, maybe he's just doing a scarcity thing. He's like, I want a lot of people to sign I'm going to wait a couple years and then bring it back.
00:36:53
Speaker
We're going to have more participants just based on the amount of times we've talked about it on this podcast. We love it. Everybody's going to be like, what is this race? What are they talking about?
00:37:08
Speaker
Well, back in my day. i That was our second race. It was. And it was like a month or two months after.
00:37:19
Speaker
And we're like, all right, here we go. I guess we're figuring this out. And that one's just so different. Like you get to the first swim and you're like, I don't even remember how to swim. Like, I feel like I've been running for two hours now. And yeah now I have to get in the water.
00:37:35
Speaker
And then you go and run for two more hours and then you come back and you're like, oh i forgot again how to swim. How do we do this? It's probably, yeah, it's really legendary how how they've done it. I think the only year that they like had to change it was because of Helen, whatever.
00:38:00
Speaker
Hurricane. Hurricane Helen. Is that it? i don't know what the name was. But hurricane the hurricane came and it went and it took everything. Like it broke a dam and all that stuff too. So they're like, don't know if we're going have it. And luckily they were able to have like one more iteration of it. Yeah. There was another year where they had to move it.
00:38:20
Speaker
Later. Later. Later. The reason I remember that is because we thought we knew the water temps and we got in the water for the first time and thought, I don't remember. I think we thought it was like upper fifties maybe. If it was 48, I would be surprised. Oh my god. It was t so cold. Because it's you know it does the like first little tiny short swim. yeah And we got in and we were like, holy shit, that is not whatever they said it was going to be. And we're about to have to get back in there for a much longer swim. The longer one
00:38:54
Speaker
one. So i was that for a while, that was probably the coldest water I'd ever swam in. But that was before Trista ah made us do it for Magog.
00:39:04
Speaker
not Yeah, how did you guys get into that? That's winter swimming. That's been on Trista's bucket list for a very long time. she's like and She started probably but two years before we actually did it. She was like, there's this swim race and I really want to do it. you have any interest? And I'm like, what is it exactly? And she's like, you swim in really cold water, but there's a hat contest. And I'm like, so I am so in. You had me at hat contest. Um, so yeah. And then she was, I don't know she wasn't ready or she just wasn't ready to like push yet. And then the next year she was like, so, but for real.
00:39:42
Speaker
And I'm like, no, okay. You said there was a hot race. um man So yeah, there's, I, I feel like there's a very specific subset of people who are like very excited and motivated by that. And that's not actually me. I just have FOMO.
00:40:00
Speaker
Um, I was yeah yeah the next thing I wanted to ask was like what keeps you motivated to do all of these races swim run and other things.
00:40:12
Speaker
I don't I don't really even know. um i like I just like being active. And. and I don't really, i don't, I didn't really like triathlon, the vibes of triathlon, but I liked that having a goal kept me active and kept me out there in nature and all of that. um I really wish that I'd found swim run earlier. I wish that, you know, swim run had been there when I first started doing stuff and that my whole career was swim run. Because I feel like, and this is a, I won't, I won't dwell on this, but I've been feeling kind of old lately.
00:40:52
Speaker
What? um no yeah um My body is definitely, I guess this is a whole menopause thing. So you have this to look forward. We're so, we're both very, very excited.
00:41:05
Speaker
We cannot wait. I've just been, I've been getting slower and I have the same motivation I had before, but I'm having trouble hitting cutoffs now. And so it's like, you know, am I, am I done with long course?
00:41:17
Speaker
I don't know. I don't want to be, I still want to be out there, but you know, if they're going to cut me off every time, it's not, it's not worth my being out there um and making the volunteers be out there. So yeah, it's a weird time in my life where I'm trying to figure out what role like swim run has in my life and what role endurance running has. And, but I feel like a lot of people who are out there doing one hundred milers are like 70 fucking years old. So, you know, i want to be, I want to be that person. i just can't do ones with aggressive cutoffs.
00:41:51
Speaker
So yeah, what was question? I lost the question entirely. Oh, what motivates me?
00:42:00
Speaker
ah To be that 70 year old out there still doing. Yeah, it's, a I don't know. i I really just enjoy pushing myself. I feel like I was not that person. And I was never, nobody ever thought I would be an athlete. It's not like anyone ever told me, you know, you're never going to be an athlete, you won't make anything of yourself. But I felt that way about myself.
00:42:20
Speaker
And so just proving to myself that I can do hard shit. That's incredible. That's important too. Like not only having like external support, but also like your internal, like, no, I can do this. Watch me.
00:42:37
Speaker
Yep. That's huge. I'm only doing it to prove to myself, but. I mean, you're definitely inspiring others like Sarah and i to keep going and keep doing it because of how much fun we see you have on the course and it's really inspiring just seeing other females get more into the sport.
00:42:59
Speaker
How has it made you feel saying not only you guys inspiring a completely like new generation of swim runners, women's swim runners, but also like seeing the like the field grow here in the States?
00:43:13
Speaker
I mean, it's just been so amazing. Like I, you know, we hated when we were, well, we liked being on the podium, but we hated we were on the podium simply because there weren't more people there. yeah So to watch it go from, you know, we were the only, there were three women's teams total to Orcas this year where there were what as many more women's teams than more than men or more than mixed.
00:43:38
Speaker
I can't remember now. don't know. Yeah. Maybe more than mixed. i spell that I don't know, but it's great that we don't know because it was up there. Exactly. talk to Yeah, exactly. And to have so many race directors who are so invested in getting more women out there and things like wild and you guys are really making a difference and getting women out there and just having a support system. You know, i it's hard. You don't see it in yourself. Like I don't see myself as having been an inspiration because, you know, we're our own worst critics and, We don't see the the good in ourselves all the time, but I love hearing that. And I love like, you know, it's it's not like I said, i want I want Sarah and Viv to, you know, join the sport. I'm like, I just want to hang around Sarah and Viv as much as possible. And I'm doing this. And so I'm glad they're doing it too.
00:44:29
Speaker
I just love what a big family we have. Like, it's just, it's so much fun. It's our Yeah, shakeouts in our party houses and it's just been so great to get to know people who are so like minded and have the same interests.
00:44:47
Speaker
Yay. It feels like a big family reunion every time we are able to get together. But I think you and Trista in like the Adorkables and everything that you guys did to help the Traverse crew, because I know Trista was like reaching out and talking to to Sarah and some other folks as well, getting into swim run.
00:45:08
Speaker
you know, let us borrow some of her gear yeah because we were all noobs, had no idea what we were doing or what gear to like have for the race. And so, yeah, you guys definitely played a really big role. And I think us being inspired to keep like pursuing the sport and just like being friends with you guys and then hanging out and getting to know you guys more. And it's for me, at least it's definitely been,
00:45:34
Speaker
I want to keep coming to these races and doing these races because I love the people that are showing up for them. It's just such a different vibe than like triathlon or even even like trail running. I feel like it's not, there's a lot of people who know each other, but you know they're not sharing a house. They're not doing all their meals together. like It really feels like a family swimrun. How many people did we have in that Austin house? I don't know, but there were like seven of them when I were Sarah. Yeah.
00:46:03
Speaker
I believe I dubbed our house too many Sarahs.
00:46:08
Speaker
We started nicknaming different Sarahs. There's one Sarah and then like everything. yeah I was like Sarah was – forgot. You were Sprout. There was another one. I was like Twig or something.
00:46:21
Speaker
It just spiraled to there. And now we've got like Addy, the next generation, hanging out with us. We're corrupting the youth. Absolutely. That's not good for, it's not great for Trista probably. No, but it's fine. We'll fix it on the back end. It's great. Yeah.
00:46:43
Speaker
i know we' We're going to have to like keep up with Addy because her and Trista were our first ever guests on this podcast. and just seeing i think she was talking about doing doing Austin again and just wanting and just wanting to do it because of just how much fun she has, yeah like not only during the race, but like with everybody else too. yeah It's so great that people have started bringing their kids and doing it with their kids. I love that.
00:47:11
Speaker
Yeah. It's incredible to see them like, oh, the babies. Even you guys are like little adults already, but you guys are like, who this But also they're kicking my ass. So, you know, resent that a little bit.
00:47:25
Speaker
Can you imagine if you had been doing that when growing up? How incredible would that have been? <unk> and it's so fun. Like Nico's doing it with Team Honorable and his kids. Like, in France and then Europe might be pro at this point. oh no his his kids are like little amphibian swimmer pro swim runners Like they're incredible. And, but that example that he set there, like we, I can see it like in, in like the kids races he set up, like there's, there's more. And like, even just seeing it grow here as well, like little by little, I feel like we need to, I feel like swim run is such a, a weird thing for the U S like you go over to Europe and you know like Rockman can you imagine having a race like that here the insurance like through the roof like the Americans are so risk averse um and so seeing like races over there and and the attitude is like we try to protect our kids and of course we want to protect our kids but also like don't give them some freedom let them let them try things let them take risks you know calculated risks
00:48:33
Speaker
supervised risks but don't you know let them let them do adventure and uh let them climb trees swim in lakes yeah like let them let them be the next generation and let them have less fear i feel like we're too fear-based right now need to loosen it up a little bit and swim run is loose yeah it's fun it is fun it's great time you're out in nature You're one with the world. That's how it's supposed to be. And like you come into the shore and you're like, I don't know how to get from the water here to the shore up there. Like you're climbing up a rope and you're sliding down in the mud and you're climbing over a tree. And it's just absurd. Like you get, you're just like, what am I even doing? i don't know, but it's amazing. This is so fun. I'm like covered head to toe in a different substance. that's sort it's it's I know it's organic, but that's all I know.
00:49:31
Speaker
I love it. like Yeah. I think the future of swim run in the United States is going to be pretty amazing. And I'm excited to be here to like watch all of that.
00:49:43
Speaker
Yeah. And see the next generation. Yeah. I mean, like I want to be that person that's still swim running when they're 70, when they're 80. We have friend here in,
00:49:55
Speaker
BV and they are, they just turned, very she just turned 70. Yeah, yeah I think. done Or 69. 69? I can't, 69 or 70, but same, right? Like, and she just climbed a 14er with Matt on his birthday as well. And like, I want to be that age still climbing 14ers. That is what is so inspiring to me. And Yeah, it's all the motivation you need sometimes. Just keep up keep the body moving.
00:50:31
Speaker
But don't get old. It's just fine. It's just a mentality. It's um Just start subtracting numbers each year. yeah that's exactly what happens.
00:50:45
Speaker
it's really fine. I saw this. I'm gonna bring it up. Um, the, my, my cousin just turned 29. Happy birthday. I'm not gonna mention which cousin. We'll keep ah anonymity for the Burroughs family. Um, but her husband was like, happy first 29th birthday. And I was like, I've never heard that. And a lot of my coworkers like, no women don't turn 30. And I go,
00:51:12
Speaker
no No, that's a old way of thinking. I feel like, like, well that's, we age gracefully and beautifully. Like, it's incredible. It's such a, like, uh, and like I couldn't think of like a sassy, but intelligent comment to that. And so i was like, I'm gonna hold my tongue. It's probably better. but like having that fear, I think like,
00:51:37
Speaker
of getting old be like, oh my gosh, I'm in my thirties now or I'm in my forties. Like, no, it's incredible. Like, look at what all of you but you've accomplished. Like, I think I've had a a different outlook of like, cause I'm near the end of my twenties. Um, and, but like just saying how far I've come from even just 20 to like 25 to now 28, almost 29. Like, um, those increments in life are, are celebrated. Like, yeah, they might've been maybe not so good, but like, I think also in sport too, like from when you started swim run to like now, like that's incredible. There's been so many different changes and life changes, but like the consistency of like, Hey, I'm still going show up.
00:52:20
Speaker
yeah And like, it doesn't not have an ability. Yeah. Having something you can depend on. Yeah, i I think that the average age on a start line and finish line is actually getting older is because there's more people that are racing and just absolutely crushing it in their 60s and 70s. Yeah, it's an interesting phenomenon because it feels, if it's harder to get, it's hard to get older because you feel like you feel so slow.
00:52:53
Speaker
and you're and i'm like no it's not that i'm slow it's that i'm comparing myself to you guys like you know the p and and then i'm like why am i not comparing myself to the people my age and that's because a lot of them aren't doing this anymore so they they aren't moving their bodies intentionally anymore they're just like you know what i grew grew up with in sport you know are like okay i'm done like this was a phase of my life and i'm done now and it's like okay i need to start you know Instead of saying, I'm not as fast as someone who's almost 30, I need to say I'm way faster than all the people who stopped doing this completely. Yeah. The people who are still sitting on their couches being like, oh, why are you still doing that? Why would you, why would you be, you're crazy. And you're like, no, I'm healthy. I'm smart. I'm moving my body and I love it.
00:53:40
Speaker
Yeah. so Yeah, I think that's really important. And I think important for people to know as well, like you can't compare older versions of yourself to where you currently are, like fitness wise, because of an injury or because of aging or whatever, like, you just got appreciate where you're at and like, keep moving
Aging in Endurance Sports
00:54:01
Speaker
your body. Still moving. Still moving. That's how that's long term health there and longevity and happiness and Yeah, I think I want to do another 100 miler at some point.
00:54:12
Speaker
Hell yeah. Which one? Wait, sarah Sarah and I will be there. high Lonesome. I don't know that. Sarah, every, no, it's crazy. That is like, that's altitude on crack.
00:54:24
Speaker
Also, isn't that a tiny loop? No, it's a massive loop. And you're going to be moving to Colorado. No loops. No loops. One loop. One big. what is the one you did that was loops?
00:54:38
Speaker
that That was what I did with Beaks. That was like a two-mile looper. That's terrible. That's dumb. It was kind nice, though, because you could stop and sleep at the cabin during the middle of it, so it wasn't too bad. I guess that there's a, like, so the 100-miler I did, I think, was five loops, and that is just terrible.
00:54:56
Speaker
yeah that's a rock way too long a rocky raccoon that's rocky raccoon yeah oh did you do rocky kid that was literally what it was that's hilarious my friend my a lot of my guy friends who who one who did it last year was like you have to do it and was like i don't really want to loop course it's it's such a long loop like it's you know you're like oh god i have to go do that you're like again more times with this it' not even been done Yeah, at least with the short loop, it's like you can like push yourself physically and be like really curious about that and see how far you can go. Because some of it was like 100 mile goal, but then there was also like 36, 72 hours, whatever. And so it was a really cool and controlled way to see how far you could push your body like physically. And you know that you have aid every two miles. And if shit really hits the fan. And you can get through two miles of anything, you know. Yeah. Yeah. I did probably 20 of those miles in UFOs because I'm like, I can do another UFO lap. It's fine.
00:55:58
Speaker
I can do another UFO lap. I no idea you did that. That's incredible. Like, did they have backs or were they just slip on? They were just like the slides. Wow. You didn't have any adventures? Wow.
00:56:15
Speaker
i kept going i i get a bit better and I was just put my UFOs. At one point I was jogging in the UFOs. Don't recommend. I'm basically barefoot laps. i don't know. We're just going to keep doing footwear. She's not working anymore. Just keep moving. Just keep moving.
00:56:32
Speaker
But yeah, high lonesome is elevation, right? Yeah. i We've done collegiate peaks a few times and i don't thrive at drive in and do some elevation and then drive out.
00:56:45
Speaker
and then well you and Matt are moving to Fort Collins, right? After that, once I've acclimated. Yeah. yeah Like five years from now.
00:56:56
Speaker
Okay. I'm in. Maybe we can do it together. I'm going to pull this podcast in five years and I'm going to be like, you knucklehead said yes. I told you the list of shit I've done that's dumb. What makes you think I'm not going to say yes?
00:57:12
Speaker
Honestly, yeah actually, fun fact, I'm just recalling something here. i do recall. i think it was that that I forget where I was in the world.
00:57:28
Speaker
I definitely was not home at a home base, but it was you, Sarah, Trista and i all on a four way FaceTime. And we all just agreed to a race.
00:57:41
Speaker
I think it was NC, but I think we were just like, oh, I don't know if we could do it. I don't know if we can make this work. And then we're like, we're doing it. And we all signed up for whatever race it was at that time.
00:57:53
Speaker
I remember that. I remember the four-way call that we were on because I think we were talking with Trista and then we were like, we need to get Amy in on this. It was something. And I was like, and Amy has an Android. so i remember, it's fully fine. We remember for you. And we went to FaceTime. We were on FaceTime and they were like, well, Amy has an Android. So we have to go to Facebook Messenger. Sorry.
00:58:17
Speaker
And do this. But like, it was something. And I was like, we got this. We can do it. And was what? And we did? Did we follow through on whatever? We followed through on whatever because we're all four of us are the same.
00:58:31
Speaker
I'm going to quote Liza's episode, like, adventure ready. we ah We were all like, that sounds fine. Sure. Whatever.
00:58:41
Speaker
ah Speaking of which, Trista and I are absolutely at some point doing a Trail Ragnar, and I assume you guys are in. Yay. A hundred percent. i mean up yeah there There's going to new one. there a hat race?
00:58:54
Speaker
yeah I mean, every race is a hat race if you wear a hat. That's true. That's my wisdom for this podcast. It's a hat race. Every every race that you wear hat is a hat. There you go. Mic drop. facing Amy bush ah yeah that would be amazing they're moving the regna race that is in aspen snowmass to somewhere else in colorado apparently for the future so i can't believe they're having hard rock yeah glad they can my gosh it's insane
00:59:30
Speaker
Yeah, there that's still happening. I haven't checked. We're recording on Hard Rock 100 day right now. So no when did they start? This morning. This morning? I thought that they started this morning. Yeah, it's definitely already started.
00:59:44
Speaker
Yeah. This is what happens when I don't spend any time on Instagram or Facebook or when I have those You're living your best life, you mean? i am. I have no idea what's going on in the world.
00:59:56
Speaker
Oh, you should know though, that Viv is doing an Instagram takeover this weekend. Just FYI. Oh yeah. By the way. Yeah. When this, when this Instagram when this Instagram drops, when this episode drops, there should still be some stories up on the Otillo race USA. Check it out. Check it out.
01:00:15
Speaker
Slide that drop the end real quick. Doing a great job so far Viv. Good job. Thanks. I could, try to log in this morning. And I i tried to log in last night and I'm like texting Hannah and I'm like, Hey, I don't, I can't get in. i don't know. It's asking me for a recovery password. She's like what? And I was like, I just misspelled race USA. She's like, nobody else has had problems with this man. She's like, you are an idiot. Lovingly.
01:00:45
Speaker
No, she was very, she was very kind about just kidding. I misspelled it. My brain cells weren't reacting together yet Too early. Too late. I don't know. ah Yeah, it's it's been fun. i do I do love me and Instagram. I'm like on Facebook to make sure like my family is still live and posting and not being crazy.
01:01:05
Speaker
But I do love me and Instagram posts. Hence why I run the social media and it's just fun. You do a ah wonderful job. Thank you, Sarah. Thank you. I'm always surprised. Sarah's like, we posted something? That's great.
01:01:21
Speaker
Well, the funny thing is, is like the Instagram posts for the podcast actually show up on my Facebook page because the way the accounts are tied. and It's great. My entire Facebook that I never used anyways is now completely wild ones content. I'm here for it. Everyone's a should be.
01:01:38
Speaker
Absolutely. Yeah. Thanks.
01:01:44
Speaker
No, I love it. Um, Amy question. Yes, ma'am. Do you have any favorite? Okay. Besides the swings, do you have any favorite moments from racing or even training that have funny? Ha ha or funny? Huh? And then you laugh about it now.
01:02:03
Speaker
Every finish line. Oh, you guys finish lines are iconic. i'm sorry Yeah. We have an entire like Instagram folder. You know, you can save stuff to like, we have a shared folder and anytime one of us finds anything, especially something that there's no way we can achieve. Uh, we send it to each other.
01:02:22
Speaker
and we're like totally doable. We can absolutely do this. We can definitely do that. We have tried things that we've had no business trying. um we can I'm getting flashbacks from the NC house last year. was going to say, didn't remember if you guys were there for some of the stuff that we tried. It involves a lot of landing on our heads.
01:02:43
Speaker
yeah and upside down it's always fun to try like we have really we've tried some stuff where we're like beak marcus we need both of you spotting to see if we can achieve this not even add a finish line like this is without you know factoring in the fact that we will be exhausted and wearing a ton of gear um i loved the the world's finish line um the finish line move we did was at the actual finish line was not as impressive as it should have been because we were so crippled at that point. Like we weren't capable of really doing it, but it was such a, it's such a weird, fun move that we did. um
01:03:22
Speaker
And it's just like, I feel like there's all these accounts that we don't follow, but Instagram knows at this point what we want to see. And it's constantly showing us like acrobat twins and stuff like that. And there's, and we just, we try it all. We're like, I don't know, like Trista can do a handstand and I can do a backbend almost. And so we're like, why not just try it? And the answer is because we're old and brittle and frail. We're probably going to break. But what better way to go out, I say. Absolutely. like know i cover you off This is it. This is how I want to be remembered right here. This finish line. I don't even know how that started. so I remember at Casco, one of us, I guess it was Trista got on my back, I think, or vice versa. I can't even remember at this point. And then at we did Swim Run Tennessee when that still existed. yeah
01:04:14
Speaker
And I'm holding her in my arms like a baby at that finish line. And at Austin the first year where we were all still wearing masks, um I think that i she's riding me like a horse. um And then after that, it just became like, okay, what what can we do? So we never intended for it to become a thing.
01:04:39
Speaker
um But yeah, then we we'd start being like, okay, can we do this? And can we do this at a finish line? Can we safely achieve this? Maybe, maybe.
01:04:52
Speaker
Did you guys do the one at Lake James with us where we all put our feet on each other's push-up one? Yeah, that one was definitely – I actually was looking at – because I was going through like clearing out memory and stuff like that, but I like it pulled up and I was watching just the videos of us practicing, and we're all just dying laughing. like I don't think anybody could have like was doing a push-up because we're just like – I can't laugh and do this at the same time. I can't breathe. Push up. I can't do it.
01:05:24
Speaker
So that's probably a lot of my best memories is finish lines. Yeah. Those are the best ones. Yeah. I think we ask every guest this, but do you have any advice for anybody who's thinking about doing swim run for the first time or hopping into endurance sports for the first time?
Advice for Newcomers
01:05:44
Speaker
as a woman or just as a newbie in general. So I did think about it because I do. i am a regular listener to your show and I'm like, hold out I don't want that sprung on me where I'm not like I haven't already thought about it And of course, the first thing I thought was what everyone says is, you know, just do it.
01:06:02
Speaker
yeah But I would, that this is not mine, by the way, this is a explaining what I'm not going to say. um And i think that I would adjust that to be try everything.
01:06:17
Speaker
So even if you don't think that it's for you, you don't know until, hey, maybe you're Chrissy Wellington. Maybe you, you know, you discover when you're later in life that you're the most badass triathlete. Um, you just didn't know it cause you never did a triathlon. So how can you know, it unless you try. So even if you think you're not going to like something, try it, but that's still not what I was going to say. So my advice is be proud of yourself.
01:06:41
Speaker
Um, that's part of, and I almost said this earlier, but I'm like, I gotta to save it. Cause I know, I know the question. Um, I, wake up in the morning and I'm like, it is four o'clock in the fucking morning. And all I want to do is go back to bed. And I'm like, but I want to get up and I want to do this run.
01:07:02
Speaker
and I get done with the run. And I'm like, I am incredibly proud of myself. And every time I do a workout, even if it's a bad workout, I say, i am so proud of myself for doing that. I'm proud of what I'm doing for my body, what I'm doing for my mind. and,
01:07:18
Speaker
and I don't need someone else to be proud of me. You know, I am doing it for myself here. But also, in addition to that, tell people you're proud of them.
01:07:30
Speaker
I feel like it really makes a difference. If you see someone, you know, Strava kudos are great. i love it. But, you know, if you see someone doing something, you know, it's hard for them. Tell them how proud of them you are. Like it, it really,
01:07:44
Speaker
to be seen and to have someone recognize that what you're doing is hard and that maybe you don't want to be doing it every day, but you're taking care of yourself and you're doing the hard thing. so tell people that you're proud of them.
01:07:57
Speaker
I love that. That's really great advice. And so wholesome. We love you so much. We're so proud of you, Amy. I love that you're just a little bundle of joy, two of you. I love that you entered the sport and I love that we found each other. And love that you guys are just so happy.
01:08:19
Speaker
Thanks. Be happy. Sometimes it's hard. have to be just like you, like look on the, what? to you Thanks. Proud of you.
01:08:31
Speaker
Yeah, I was like, I feel that. Some days are hard. And that is such a good reminder to just be proud of yourself. Yep. None of us are making money off this ridiculous bullshit. We're not doing this. like No, we don't get paid for this at all. for Any of the sport or the podcast, we're just doing it for the love of the game. yep And, you know, we choose to get up every day and and do this, even though it's hard and good on us.
01:09:00
Speaker
Yeah. Hell yeah. I love that. Oh, Amy. Sorry, I didn't mean to be so wholesome. Darn it. The worst emotions. but box Not advisable. No, definitely not advisable. We deal with emotions and we process emotions in a healthy way.
01:09:24
Speaker
do we? and It really depends on the day. But we strive to. we strive to. Right. We run so that we don't think. That's correct. Except for when you run, you start thinking and then.
01:09:39
Speaker
Oh, you think? Sometimes. Oh, that's dangerous. It is. but Don't do that. And not advisable.
01:09:51
Speaker
Look at nature. Don't think. Go hug a tree. Exactly. or climb one. There you go. There you go. I know my audience.
01:10:06
Speaker
Amazing. Well, it was so lovely to have you on the podcast. Thank you for having me. I'm loving your podcast. I love that. I feel like it's like half, you know, women who I don't know anything about who I get to follow and they made it to Hawaii and they wouldn't have known anything about that if I hadn't, you know, followed you guys and listened to that podcast. And then It's half people who I'm like, oh, that's already my best friend. yay ah yeah
01:10:36
Speaker
How could we have forgotten? We have to plug Kelsey real quick since you mentioned that. The youngest American woman and the fastest person to row to Hawaii. 43 days and change or 44 days for rounding up, but that's still insane.
01:10:51
Speaker
So that's it's very cool to have people who listen or have listened from the beginning like you, Amy, to like follow these incredible athletes. Yes, keep bringing these people to my awareness and to the awareness of everyone else. That's just amazing.
01:11:06
Speaker
ah I love what you guys have done for the sport. You're doing such a great thing. Keep podcasting. Figure your audio shit out. ah Yes, work in progress. We will. Christmas might come early to the Wild Ones podcast. I think it may, like maybe next week.
01:11:30
Speaker
Now that, I mean, you're at what, we're at 14 here. I feel like you deserve, you deserve some audio equipment. Something but something for 15. It really hit us home. We'll nail it for sweet 16. Yeah, we can definitely do that. We can guarantee that one. 15 might be a little rough, but 16. 16 should be chef's kiss pristine.
01:11:54
Speaker
And if it's not, Amy's going to have so something to say about it. I'm coming back on at 17 to yell at you. The news, you've got to plan for 17. Sick. We'll take it. Sold.
01:12:06
Speaker
Sold. so the So I will see viv at Casco. Yes. Sarah, no Casco. um I will not be at Casco. I'll be in Minnesota at my besties bachelorette party. I guess that's acceptable. Even even if she wanted to do Casco, I'd be like, no, you're going to her bachelorette. You know what would make an amazing bachelorette party, though? Slim run. Casco. But not for Katie.
01:12:35
Speaker
Portland, Maine, though, would be amazing. She's like, where's my margarita? Yeah, Portland, Maine has all that. And then you just duck out for a second and do a quick swim run. fine. We get to go party at a lake in Minnesota. So anyway, like Sarah will be doing swim run anyway. I You still do your training.
01:12:54
Speaker
Yeah. Margarita in hand. Margarita and all. I hope you guys, I can't wait to follow you at Worlds. Oh, this is so fun. where I'm super FOMO on that one. But hey, I'm not ready to go back yet.
01:13:11
Speaker
I still think we need to change our team name now to like the shit show or something. ki We can resubmit. I don't think they'll have any issue with that. i like how in January we were both like, yeah, we're it's yeah just going to full send. Full rebrand. This is awesome. And now we're like, best training lead up ever. Concussion. Sickness. Costochondritis.
01:13:39
Speaker
We're doing it anyways. We usually fall apart and then we duct tape together and miracles happen. I don't know. Something occurs. It something must be something in the water. You can't be shitshow though. You need to incorporate wild ones somehow. So you're either wild shit or shit ones.
01:13:57
Speaker
Wild monkey shit.
01:14:02
Speaker
Okay, Viv, you need to come up with like five, however many you can have in a an Instagram poll oh there for your takeover. you need to have people vote on how to rename your team. Or Raiden. Oh, man. That's definitely coming. You need to crowdsource this name for sure.
Swimrun Team Names
01:14:25
Speaker
we did the first one. We did, actually, yeah. Amazing. was. to do team name loading for worlds already happening this year
01:14:37
Speaker
this year. Sorry, Dom and Stefan, we're changing. I think that, oh, I can't remember now. I'll have to look it up before I change our team name. But but for Austin, i believe that we were going to be something like, why does every ah swim run team name sound like a porno?
01:14:57
Speaker
Yeah. and honestly so true it's true that's one the hardest things is when you race with different partners you have to come up with like new team names all the time i know it's really easy when you just have a monogamous partner but does it doesn't happen all the time I know I usually start just I'm like okay we're we've always had monkey in the in the title of the name. Yeah, it's nice to have through line.
01:15:24
Speaker
Yeah, but other than that, it's usually, it's, I mean, we could be wild monkeys. Did you and Anna come up with one? I think you were like the mountain, monkey mountain queens or something like that for Worlds. Yeah, no, Anna and I have not. I think I was just going and just slip right under her name, depending on what it was.
01:15:44
Speaker
Slip right under your Anna. That's your team name. Sounds like a no-no. Brianna. Slip right in Brianna. ah
01:15:55
Speaker
See, now every team game you hear, you're going to be like, oh, yeah. That's definitely, how do we make this sound less like a porn. I'll make sure we title this one ah explicit.
01:16:10
Speaker
I should have probably asked before we started recording whether I was allowed to curse. Oh, no, no. we We've had, we've, we're past that bridge. Okay. I think it was like episode two. We're like, yep.
01:16:23
Speaker
Every, I think we kept it PG for, for Addy and Trist's episode. And we're like, and there's going to be swears now. It's fine. It's also just cheaper to not beep it ah It's less editing for Sarah. nice You're welcome, Sarah. Thank you.
01:16:46
Speaker
I know. i was like, going to have to edit out the end of this? No. this is This is the most crucial part of the episode. It's this far. We're just we're raw dog. and a got
01:17:01
Speaker
Which is another good team name. But I feel like if that was the team name, like you couldn't have buoy or paddles or one or
Upcoming Events and Race Stories
01:17:10
Speaker
the other. Oh, it's true. just yeah Or no wetsuit.
01:17:13
Speaker
It's true. There's got be something raw about it. the
01:17:21
Speaker
Amazing. Well, I love you guys. We love you. See you at Austin? Yes. Anyone at Colorado? there.
01:17:33
Speaker
i'll be there We'll be there. We're not racing. yeah oh i don't think I'm going to be racing either. our Our Fort Collins recon, I believe, is going to be that weekend.
01:17:45
Speaker
Oh, amazing. I didn't know that. Yeah. Yeah. it did I didn't intend for that to happen, but then we were like, what works best? And we're like, this time block. and we're like, Oh, hey, Colorado is right there. There you go.
01:17:57
Speaker
Yeah. So we'll have dogs to cheer on the course. Yay. That'd be amazing. I know. I was thinking about doing it, but it's a week before Chicago Marathon. That sounds good warm-up to me.
01:18:08
Speaker
i I know. i Yeah, I'm really trying to hit some good times in the marathons and canno not try and, like, sprain my knee on a trail because I've done that before. and as much fun as that is. The trails at Colorado were super easy. They are. But I still but i but i still fell last year.
01:18:29
Speaker
And my dad was like, are you okay? And I was like, it was flat. And I just ate shit. Rocks, everything. It's a miracle I did not go... to a rock i feel like though sometimes when you fall you're like i wish my dad was here and your dad was there he's like are you okay and like no i don't know when was the last time you were eating and i was like i don't know
01:18:55
Speaker
So ah yeah, if you can raise your parent, it's' it's a good time. But it's also like, oh my gosh, I have to make sure I don't die or he doesn't die. Otherwise, like that's two family members. Yeah, that's awkward. That's an awkward call.
01:19:09
Speaker
Hey, so about that. Wasn't me. Definitely was him. Oops, that
Closing Remarks
01:19:17
Speaker
got dark. Sorry. It's fine. Anyway.
01:19:21
Speaker
Thanks for coming. Is that where we ended?
01:19:28
Speaker
Right. Anyway, let's try this again. Love you guys. Love you, Amy. Thank you for having me. Thank you for being on the podcast. Yay. Can't we wait to hear who's on next.
01:19:40
Speaker
So much fun. It's secret. Damn it. It's between two people. It depends on who we get first. So we actually really can't tell you because we have no idea. Not just trying to be cagey. We really don't know. No, it's just a surprise to us as well. I don't know.
01:19:59
Speaker
All right. We're nailing this Midwest goodbye, you guys. yeah yeah um Another 20 minutes and we'll have ended this. Thank you all listening to this episode. We love you all.
01:20:09
Speaker
Until next time. hi