747. The Everyday Runner, Kate Greene

"I was so afraid of being vulnerable, and afraid of having to look at other people and say what was going on. But when I did…it was the most incredible experience of my entire life."

In December 2019, life was good for Kate Greene. She had a good job in Boston, she had just completed her first half marathon, and her New York-based family was planning a trip to visit for the holidays. Her younger brother, Ryan, who had struggled with drug addiction since they were young, was finally doing well. Kate and Ryan celebrated his birthday together over FaceTime. Everything was falling into place. Then, Ryan died of a heroin overdose.

In this conversation, Kate talks about processing such a tremendous loss, and about leaning into running during that time. She explains how Ryan's death became the catalyst in getting her to run her first marathon, and about how getting involved with The Herren Project is what saved her when she needed it most. (Kate first heard about The Herren Project on the Ali on the Run Show. She went on to run the 2022 Boston Marathon for The Herren Project, and raised $14,000 for the organization in the process.) Plus: Kate talks about psychic mediums, rebirthdays, "Sad Week," and more.

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In this episode:

• Kate's history as a runner, and what her childhood was like (3:20)
• What Kate's work is like as a marketing director for a law firm in Boston (17:00)
• When, how, and why Kate got back into running in adulthood (18:25)
• All about Kate's little brother, Ryan (23:00)
• How Kate learned about addiction, and how to support someone dealing with addiction issues or mental health struggles (27:25)
• What it was for Kate to process her brother's death during the holiday season, heading into the pandemic (29:20)
• Why Kate decided to join a grief group — and run a marathon (36:30)
• Kate's decision to see a psychic medium in the wake of Ryan's death (43:25)
• What Kate's Boston Marathon training was like, and how her thoughts about grief evolved throughout the process (48:15)
• What it means to celebrate a "rebirthday" (58:15)
• Kate's experience running the 2022 Boston Marathon (1:01:30)
• Why Kate runs now (1:10:50)

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