I had the distinct honor to sit down and visit with ultra runner and founder of MS Run the US, Ashley Schneider. Ashley founded MS Run the US in 2009, a 501(c)3 charitable organization to raise awareness and raise funds to further multiple sclerosis (MS) research and help those living with disability due to their MS symptoms. Ashley was inspired by her mother, Jill Kumlien, who lived with MS for 36 years before passing in 2017 due to complications from the disease. 

Ashley talks about her journey running 3,288 miles across the United States with only a motor home and one crew member, her Australian boyfriend. She ran nearly a marathon a day, six days a week, for six months, while fundraising for multiple sclerosis. She was the 16th female ever to run across the United States. She ran through 11 pair of shoes, burned over 270,000 calories and sustained only two blisters during the entire journey. 

Aside from talking about her journey across the United States and raising awareness for Multiple Sclerosis (MS), we also chat about her background as a runner, her love for distance running, local food, international travel, her previous dream job of teaching rock climbing and surfing for a cruise ship and her life as a wife and mom in Wisconsin.

This was a fun conversation even on the cusp of such a deep and challenging topic. I hope you will be able to sit back and be inspired much like Ashley was when she allowed a dream become a reality.