Cop, Soldier, Athlete: Malissa on the Border, the Badge, and Becoming a Runner | Ep 5

In this episode of Beyond The Beret, Spencer sits down with longtime Alpha Country athlete and friend Melissa, who flew in from Chicago for the Memorial Day Murph. What started as a DM about a pair of shorts five years ago turned into one of the closest friendships in the brand's orbit — and this conversation goes everywhere.Melissa shares her full story: growing up on the South side of Chicago as the daughter of immigrants, water polo and swimming on scholarship through high school and college, a sorority chapter she wasn't expecting, and the road that eventually led her to enlist in the Army Reserves and join the Chicago Police Department as a fast-tracked recruit.Then she goes into the 14-month mobilization to the southern border in late 2024 — what she actually saw down there, why Border Patrol is more stretched than people realize, the reality of cartel scouts, rape trees, kids crossing alone with a phone number scribbled on them, and what it felt like to walk into a deployment as a reservist surrounded by combat-experienced soldiers.The back half of the episode shifts to her current chapter: leaving bodybuilding behind to learn how to be a runner. Spencer breaks down why he programs zone 2, bike work, and incline walks the way he does, and Melissa talks through the mental battle of her first long-distance race, her upcoming Chicago half and full marathon, and the Ironman on the horizon.Honest, unfiltered, and covers more ground than most people get to in a year of conversations.Find Melissa on Instagram and follow the journey.Mentioned:thealphacountry.comThe Alpha Country app — training programs, including zone 2 and hybrid endurance workMemorial Day Murph 2026 at Hard Work Strength & Performance GymIf this one hit, share it, rate the show, and drop questions in the comments for future episodes.