Welcome back to The Bry & Samua Show — and welcome to 2026. If the last few years have felt like five years crammed into two… you’re not alone.

In this episode, Bry and Samua sit down for a real, unfiltered conversation about starting a new year when life doesn’t “reset” on January 1st — and when plans can be rewritten overnight.

We talk about the “before COVID / after COVID” feeling, how time has felt distorted since 2020, and why years like 2018 and 2019 feel like a different lifetime. As always, the conversation moves from deep reflection to laughter and nostalgia — the kind that makes you feel like you’re sitting with friends.

Yes… we talk NSYNC vs Backstreet Boys, first concerts, lawn seats, parking lot chaos, and the moment your favorite songs suddenly land on the oldies station. We also talk about the power of live music — not just arena shows, but small venues — and why shared experiences matter for mental health.

But this episode isn’t just nostalgic. It’s about how to move forward when life is heavy.

Bry is currently walking through a leukemia diagnosis that arrived suddenly in early November — and it changed everything. If you’ve ever had life flip upside down without warning, you’ll understand the core theme of this episode:

You can’t always control what happens — but you can choose how you respond.

Bry shares what it’s like to enter a new year without a clear timeline, while waiting for a bone marrow transplant, navigating treatment, and balancing rest with the desire to stay strong.

This part of the conversation is for anyone facing a health crisis, major uncertainty, sudden life disruption, or emotional exhaustion and pressure to “stay positive.”

We keep it real: you can still have hope without pretending it’s easy, and you can still plan without turning your plan into a prison.

We talk about New Year’s resolutions and why the all-or-nothing mindset usually fails. Instead of treating January 1st like a reset button, we suggest using the new year as a checkpoint: what worked, what didn’t, and what you want more or less of.

One key truth: When you fall off — don’t quit. You don’t need to wait until next year or next Monday. You restart from where you are, with the energy you have. Samua shares how this shows up in endurance training — celebrating progress even when the plan isn’t perfect. Consistency isn’t perfection. Consistency is resilience.

We explore family dynamics and boundaries, especially when people don’t show up the way we hope. Boundaries don’t always mean cutting people off; sometimes they’re quiet, practical, and intentional.

We also reflect on the “Let Them” idea — including the harder part: letting people love and support you. Healing isn’t just about cutting people off. It’s about learning how to be okay inside yourself, regardless of what others choose.

2026 doesn’t have to be perfect. It can be a year of intention, growth, healing, and grace.

Choose one thing to grow in — a habit, a boundary, a class, a conversation, or a step.
Small steps add up.

Drop a comment:
• Are you making New Year’s resolutions this year?
• What’s one thing you want to grow in during 2026?
• Has life ever rewritten your timeline?

If this episode made you feel less alone: Like, subscribe, and share with someone who needs encouragement.

We’re excited to be in 2026 with you — choosing to keep moving forward together. 💛

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Welcome back to The Bry & Samua Show — we’re Bri and Samua, and if you’re new here, this is your seat at the table for real-life conversations: the messy stuff, the funny stuff, the heartbreaking stuff, the “how is this even happening?” stuff… and the moments that remind you you’re stronger than you think. We’ve been sharing episodes around the Dopey Challenge and the Disney race world because it’s been consuming our time, our energy, our calendars, our group texts, and honestly our sanity (in the most fun and chaotic way). But today’s episode is different. This one is deeper. It’s more personal. It’s the kind of conversation that reminds you why this podcast exists in the first place. Because life doesn’t pause just because you finally launched the thing you’ve been talking about forever. We had been planning and talking about starting this podcast for a long time — literally since August 2024 — and like most people, we kept pushing it off for “good reasons.” Work, kids, schedules, travel, the million plates we’re juggling… all the normal stuff that makes you say, “We’ll do it next month.” Then we finally etched it in stone. We were like, no more delaying. We’re launching. We’re recording. We’re posting. We’re showing up. And then… the day we launched, BS hit — and yes, that’s ironic because our initials are literally B.S. and we have truly dealt with a lot of BS in life. But in this episode, the BS isn’t just “life chaos” or “things not going as planned.” It’s not a scheduling issue or a stressful week or even a disappointing moment. It’s the kind of thing that knocks the breath out of you. In this episode, Bri shares how what seemed like a stubborn sore throat turned into something no one expects to hear: leukemia. What followed was a whirlwind: hospital stays, the Cleveland Clinic, intense treatment, living inside a routine that feels like Groundhog Day, being surrounded by numbers and labs and medications, and still trying to hold onto yourself — your humor, your hope, your identity — while your body is fighting a battle you didn’t see coming. If you’re here because you or someone you love is going through a health crisis, cancer treatment, leukemia treatment, or a diagnosis that feels impossible — we want you to know right now: you’re not alone. And if you’re here because you feel like life has been heavy, disappointing, exhausting, or unfair… if you feel like you’re struggling to keep your head above water… you’re also not alone. This is what we’re about: telling the truth about life, without sugarcoating it — and also without losing the ability to laugh, connect, and keep moving forward. What this episode is really about Yes, we talk about leukemia. We talk about the shock of hearing it out loud. We talk about the hospital reality and how quickly the Cleveland Clinic moved once they identified what was happening. We talk about what it’s like when your body suddenly becomes a numbers game — platelets, labs, white blood cells, and waiting on “good enough” numbers to go home. But we also talk about bigger things: The difference between real resilience and toxic positivity Why you’re allowed to cry, rage, fall apart, and still be strong Why “life is good” doesn’t mean “life is perfect” How friendships and family can carry you through the worst moments How sometimes the thing you thought you were training for… prepared you for something else entirely Why you have to advocate for your health when you know something isn’t right Why hard moments don’t mean you’re failing — they mean you’re human This episode includes humor, honesty, raw feelings, and the kind of truth you usually only share with your closest people… except we’re sharing it here because we know someone out there needs it.

New episodes drop every 2 weeks - hit follow and let's cut the BS together!

How do you know if you’re injured — or just sore?

And what should runners actually be doing to recover during marathon training?

In this episode, we break down injury vs soreness, smart recovery strategies, supplements that truly matter (and which ones don’t), and how to survive back-to-back race weekends like the Disney Dopey Challenge.

From protein intake, creatine, electrolytes, carb loading, and race-week packing, to recovery tools like foam rolling, sauna, ice baths, magnesium, and cross training, this episode cuts through the noise and brings practical, experience-backed advice.

Whether you’re training for your first marathon or tackling Dopey, this episode helps you stay healthy, strong, and mentally grounded — without overcomplicating running.

🎽 Topics Covered:

Injury vs soreness: how to tell the difference

Recovery strategies during marathon training

Supplements runners actually need

Carb loading mistakes to avoid

What to pack for race weekend

Recovery between back-to-back races

Post-race mental & physical recovery

🎧 If you’re training smart and want to stay healthy — this episode is for you.

Share this with a runner who’s always ‘just sore.’

If this helped your training, hit subscribe.

Drop a comment if you’re training for Dopey.

CHAPTERS:

1. Injury vs Soreness: Why It Matters

2. When to Scale Back Training

3. Protein, Creatine & Recovery Nutrition

4. Supplements Runners Actually Need

5. Electrolytes, Sodium & Hydration Myths

6. What to Pack for Race Weekend (Dopey Edition)

7. Body Glide, Blisters & Recovery Tools

8. Compression Socks: Do They Help?

9. NSAIDs, Fish Oil & Natural Anti-Inflammation

10. Heat vs Ice: What Actually Works

11. Carb Loading: What Most Runners Get Wrong

12. Recovery Between Back-to-Back Races

13. Post-Marathon Recovery & Mental Reset

14. Final Advice: Enjoy the Experience

marathon recovery

injury vs soreness running

dopey challenge tips

running supplements

creatine for runners

marathon nutrition

carb loading marathon

running recovery tips

cross training for runners

foam rolling recovery

#MarathonTraining

#DopeyChallenge

#RunningRecovery

#InjuryPrevention

#RunnerLife

#RunDisney

#MarathonTips

#HealthyRunning

Come for the laughs, stay for the truth bombs! New episodes drop every 2 weeks - hit follow and let's cut the BS together!

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.