Episode 171: Carolyn Coffin - Inspired Soles

Carolyn Coffin and I met through the SandyBoy Productions podcast network — she hosts the Inspired Soles podcast and just celebrated her 300th episode. During this episode, sponsored by Kila and Huug, we talk about: [01:32] Learning to embrace milestones without ever feeling like she "knows what she's doing" [06:00] Life in Winnipeg, Manitoba [13:00] Growing up "dabbling" in running and hating a childhood 5K her parents made her run every spring [15:00] The wild story of how her mom found out she was having twins from an X-ray days before Carolyn and her twin brother arrived [24:00] Her brutal, untrained 4:17 debut at the 2000 Marine Corps Marathon — and why it sent her underground on marathons for 15 years [28:00] Getting coached by her brother in her 30s and dropping from a 48-minute 10K to sub-40 almost overnight [30:00] Her path from physiotherapy to health coaching to becoming a run coach, and why that background still shapes how she coaches today [37:00] Meeting her Inspired Soles co-host Kim Sankey and building the podcast from a list of just 50 potential guests [49:00] Coming back in 2015 to run a 3:21 PR at the Vermont City Marathon [51:00] Turning 42 and launching "42 at 42" — the ongoing quest to run her fastest-ever marathon at her current age [52:00] Raising money for a 2020 Chicago Marathon that got cancelled at the last second [54:00] Getting pulled off the course at the halfway point of the 2022 Manitoba Marathon because of extreme heat [59:00] A near-perfectly paced 3:23 at CIM that reignited her belief a sub-3:21 was still possible [60:00] Hiring a two-time Canadian Olympic marathoner as her coach [63:00] The 2024 Chicago Marathon bathroom emergency that cost her a PR by about three minutes [65:00] Winning the Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas 10K outright — and wearing the finish tape out on the town that night [70:00] Discovering The Marathon Project — the pandemic-born race in Arizona — and DNF'ing it despite a great training block [81:00] Coaching 15 women toward a sub-1:40 half marathon and a client chasing a sub-44 10K this September [82:00] Her rhythm and fight mantras, including the one she saves for the finish: "it's go time" Previous Guests Mentioned Whitney Heins - Episode 163 Lindsey Hein - Episode 100 Sponsor Details Kila - Use ALLYB for $50 off your first order Huug - Use ALLYB for 15% off your order (combinable with buy 3, get 1 free) Other Links Follow me on Instagram @allytbrett_runs Subscribe to Finish Lines & Milestones weekly newsletter This is a SandyBoy Productions podcast.