This episode is about what happens when life doesn’t give you a choice.
Ally joins me again to talk through how we both deal with hard things—both the ones we choose (like ultra marathons), and the ones we never would (like sickness, infertility, and grief). We share personal stories from our lives—my illness, her father’s cancer, the struggle to start a family—and explore the role that discipline, mindset, faith, and support systems have played in helping us keep going.
We talk about the voice in your head during long runs, the trap of isolation during depression, the importance of service when you're stuck in your own thoughts, and what it really means to suffer with purpose. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s a conversation about what it looks like to keep showing up—when things are hard, when life feels unfair, and when you don’t know how or when it ends.
If you’re facing something heavy, I hope this helps.
And if you’re not right now, you will eventually. That’s just how life works.
Prepare for it now.
3 Key Takeaways:
There are two types of hard things: the ones you choose, and the ones you don’t. Chosen suffering (like running an ultra) builds the strength needed for unchosen suffering (like illness or loss).
Self-talk matters. The way you speak to yourself during difficult moments shapes what you believe you’re capable of. Train the voice in your head to be a coach, not a critic.
Faith, service, and connection are not optional. During unchosen suffering, these become lifelines. Depression feeds on isolation. Reach out. Put yourself in good environments. Help someone else.
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I hope today’s episode sparked something within you to pursue your dreams and unlock your true potential. If you found value in it, consider sharing it with someone who might need that same push.
Getting After It is for those who.want to silence their self-doubt. Refuse to be owned by comfort. Understand their limits are man-made and breakable. We live in a time of constant comparison. Social media drowns us in highlight reels and overnight success stories. But what most people don’t see is the grit behind it all. The reps. The quiet mornings. The sacrifices. The failures.
You are just getting started. Keep Getting After It.
