"For the first time in my entire life, I was in awe of myself. I was in awe of what I’d accomplished. The marathon was a love letter to myself. For the first time, seeing myself the way other people see me. For the first time, truly recognizing my courage and my power." The first time Tunde Oyeneyin was on the Ali on the Run Show, she insisted she wasn't a runner. Now, three years and many miles later, the Peloton instructor, best-selling author, and Access Hollywood guest correspondent admits she has fully embraced the runner life. And as of last month, she's officially

"I am so grateful for the professional experiences that I’ve had, and so grateful for the incredible men in my life. But I feel like I’ve been the supporting character in my own life. I’m always 'Mark Zuckerberg's Sister' or 'Brent's Wife' or 'So-and-So’s Mom.' Every achievement — even though I’m proud of it — is qualified by someone else. The moment I got to break the tape at the half marathon was the first moment in my entire life where I felt like the main character." Randi Zuckerberg is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, host of "Randi Zuckerberg Means Business" on SiriusXM Radio, a TV and theater producer, and a mom of three living in New York City. And yes, her last name is Zuckerberg. Randi is Mark Zuckerberg's sister, and was one of the first employees at Facebook. (She's credited with creating Facebook Live!) Bu

"I am not going up on that stage crying, but I don’t want to dismiss this moment! I want to take this all in and I want to feel this. It was an incredibly powerful thing." It was a New York City Marathon to remember. I had the privilege of getting to be a part of the international, ESPN, and ABC7 broadcasts on race day. I hosted a live show with Ellie Kemper. I ran the Dash to the Finish Line 5K. I was the race announcer at the TCS Run with Champions youth race. It was all the best. This is my exhaustive recap of every step. SPONSORS: UCAN: Click here to get a

"So many people asked me if I was going to keep running. And it’s like, to me it’s just a ridiculous question. You have a kid, what, you have to give up your whole career? I just needed a little bit of time!" She's back! After giving birth to her first child, a son, Ivan, in March, Elle Purrier St. Pierre made her return to racing in September at the Fifth Avenue Mile. In this conversation, she talks about what postpartum running has looked like, about what's next for her, and about what life on the dairy farm looks like these days. SPONSOR: New Balance. <a href="https://www

You know her (from The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). You love her (because she's funny and genuine). She's a marathoner. Ellie Kemper returns to the Ali on the Run Show — LIVE! We had the most fun recording this episode in front of a 600-person audience at Lavan in New York City. From marathon memories and running reflections to bathroom stories and spelling bee traumas, this one covered it all. We had the best time, and we hope you love it, too. Thank you to everyone who attended the show and made it so fun and special (those shirts!), and to New Balance for making it so magical (seriously, those shirts!). Let's do it again sometime, yeah?

"I'm already dreaming about the next one." Sara Vaughn had a good, great, wonderful day at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. She ran a 2:23:24 — that's a three-minute personal best, and it landed her a 10th-place finish in the women's field. In this conversation, Sara breaks down everything from before, during, and after the race. SPONSORS: UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN energy bar sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALIUCAN for 20% off your next UCAN order. Tracksmith</

"At a marathon finish line — especially this marathon finish line — you see the best of humanity." Every year on the first Sunday of November, more than 50,000 runners, 10,000 volunteers, and two million spectators will descend on the five boroughs for one reason: the TCS New York City Marathon. This episode is your unofficial guide to the iconic 26.2-mile race. Two and a half jam-packed hours of New York City Marathon-related information, just in time for the taper. And this episode isn’t just for the marathoners: We have tips for spectators, a breakdown of how to get into the race in the future, and general advice for marathon-day fueling and hydrating. As for my New York City Marathon love affair: This

"I love the chaos. That’s where I find the calm." After a year and a half filled with injuries, setbacks, and struggles, Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel made her grand return to the marathon — and crushed it. Molly ran the Chicago Marathon in a personal best time of 2:23:07, finishing eighth overall and as the second American woman of the day. In this episode, she talks about the comeback, about race day, about having something to prove, and about a major weight being lifted. (For more, check out Molly's Chicago Marathon recap on YouTube.) <p

"Pressure comes when things are going well." The American Record Holder and the Irishman return! Today on the Ali on the Run Show, Emily Sisson and Shane Quinn are here to talk about their respective experiences at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, where Emily ran a 2:22:09, finished seventh, and was the top American woman of the day — and Shane ate omelettes. While this didn't end up being the race Emily trained, hoped, and planned for — that darn side stitch! — both Emily and Shane agree that this was ultimately a good day. They share their top moments and memories from the weekend (spoiler: Rivers), talk about what's next (vacation, and then the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials!), and offer their thoughts on American distance w

"This is just fun to me. We put so much pressure on the outcome of these races. We want to prove ourselves, prove we can run a certain time, and I understand all those feelings. But I just think if you truly love running and love to train, the goal race is a celebration of that." Everyone's favorite graham cracker-loving sports dietitian returns to the Ali on the Run Show today — this time, as a 2:49 marathoner! In this conversation, Meghann Featherstun, owner of Featherstone Nutrition, talks about running a personal best at the Berlin Marathon, just days after her 40th birthday. She talks about the big feelings she was feeling around that 40th birthday, about her approach to training and racing (she's coached by former Ali on the Run Show gue

"So much can happen in those last few miles." It was a good day in Chicago for Des Linden: Not only did she run 2:27:35 to break the American Masters Marathon Record (previously held by Deena Kastor) by 12 seconds, she also had her puppy, Rivers, there for all the action. In this conversation — Des's 10th appearance on the Ali on the Run Show! — the 2018 Boston Marathon champion and two-time Olympian recaps her weekend at the 2023 Chicago Marathon, including the highs (Rivers), the lows (marathon math), the stories from the elite athlete technical meeting, and, of course, some thoughts on the forthcoming Emily in Paris Season 4. SPONSORS: <a href="http://tracksmith.com/" target="_blank" rel= "norefer

"This weekend brought me back to life in a way that I didn't even realize I needed so badly." By some kind of miracle, I made it to the 2023 Chicago Marathon! Not to run it, though: I was in town (for the first time!) as one of the finish line announcers on race day. The whole weekend was a dream, from the first post-surgery run to the Abbott Chicago 5K (I ran it!) to the friendships and emotional moments to, of course, race day. SPONSORS: UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCA

It's almost time for the 45th running of the Chicago Marathon! The 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place on Sunday, October 8, and this episode is packed with all the information you need before you head to the start line. (And yes, you really should plan to get there two hours early. We'll explain why!) The elite fields are stacked (Sisson! Hassan! Linden! Bates! Seidel! Scaroni! Schär!), and they'll be followed by tens of thousands of runners en route to 26.2-mile glory. Get ready. Get psyched. And get that Goose Island at the finish! Planning to tune in from home? Here's how to watch. SPONSORS: <!-- wp:lis

"That was my overwhelming emotion: embarrassment." Charlie Watson is a UK-based registered dietitian, marathoner, blogger, and mom. In this conversation, she talks about being diagnosed with MRKH (Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome), a rare disorder that affects the female reproductive syndrome, and about how it affected her both as a teenager and, more recently, as an aspiring mom. She talks about her journey to motherhood via surrogate, including the IVF and egg-freezing process, finding and choosing a surrogate, and why pursuing motherhood via surrogacy is both an overwhelming decision and a privilege. Charlie is currently training for the Valencia Marathon. SPONSOR: <!-- /wp:paragraph

"I went in with zero expectations — let’s see what happens! — and totally surprised myself." Lindsay Flanagan just represented Team USA at the World Athletics Championship marathon in Budapest. She finished ninth, was the top American of the day, and is feeling psyched about how it all played out. In this conversation, the Asics-sponsored athlete and two-time member of Team USA recaps her experience at World Championships, including a lost luggage situation, what the crowds in Budapest were like, and how the whole race went down. (Fun fact: Lindsay's roommate was fellow Team USA marathoner Susanna Sullivan!) SPONSORS: <!-- /wp:paragraph

"It’s gotta be a little bit more than running." Courtney Wayment has been called one of the new "Steeple Queens" in the U.S. But is that a good thing? Does that add pressure? Expectation? Excitement? In this conversation, Courtney returns to the Ali on the Run Show to talk about making her second World Athletics Championships team in the 3000m steeplechase, and what it was like competing in Budapest this summer. She talks about making it to the final, and about what it feels like to have "a broken heart on the track." Courtney lives in Utah, where she's coached by former Brigham Young University coach Diljeet Taylor. This weekend, Courtney, who is sponsored by On, will head to Eugene, OR, to race

"I bought a new house. And I also got a couple of goats." It's marathon training season, baby! And today, we get to hear from training partners, teammates, and professional runners Emma Bates (making her seventh appearance on the Ali on the Run Show!) and Dominique Scott (returning for the third time!) as they gear up for their fall marathons. They talk about how they're feeling, what their runs together are like, and how coach Joe Bosshard is approaching their training. Plus, Emma's decisio

"A bald head can mean so many different things." Lindsay Walter is a 52-time marathoner, 4-time 100-mile finisher, and many-time 50K runner. Most recently, the 32-year-old running coach and freelance writer completed Six Days in the Dome: a multi-day, run-as-much-as-you-can event on an indoor track. (She ran 324 miles in the six-day span!) In this conversation, Lindsay recaps the race, and talks about what's next on the run. She also talks about living with alopecia universalis — a condition that caused her to permanently lose all of her body hair at just two years old. Plus, why she wore a wig for years — and what finally convinced her to ditch it for good. SPONSORS: UCAN: <a href="http://ucan.co/ali" target

"Celebrate the little victories. Believe that every brick you put down is building a wall." Sometimes on the Run Your Way series, we hear from professional athletes who are going all-in on their running pursuits, smashing 100-mile weeks and competing at the highest level. Other times, the focus is on runners who are working full-time — even working multiple jobs — and managing additional responsibilities while fitting in running whenever they can. Today: It's both. In this episode, we're hearing from professional runner and full-time sixth-grade math teacher Susanna Sullivan, who will be representing Team USA in the marathon at the World Athletics Championships next week. Susanna talks about how she fits it all in, what her students think of her running pursuits, and how she's feeling as she heads to Budapest. Plus, all a

"Not all rectangles are squares. That’s how I dissect who’s self-conscious and not in the short-shorts vs. tights debates." Welcome back to “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know!” I’ve worked in the running industry in some capacity for roughly a decade now, and as much as I’ve immersed myself, there’s still so much I don’t know or understand. So if I, a relative industry insider, am still confused about things like shoe contracts, waterfall starts on the track, and world rankings (seriously, what's up with world rankings?), surely I’m not alone. And since the 2023 World Athletics Championships competition kicks off this weekend in Budapest, it felt urgent to get the inside scoop. So today, former professional runner and founder of The Lap

"We were like, what if Emily and Keira tied? What if they cross the line together and they tied? And we said, well what if we had a cage match? Like it was a tie, and then it came down to a cage match?" Their wives are the fastest distance runners in the country. Today, we turn the spotlight to the sidelines to hear from the husbands. Shane Quinn is married to American record holder in the marathon and former American record holder in the half marathon, Emily Sisson. Tony D'Amato is married to American record holder in the half-marathon and former American record holder in the marathon, Keira D'Amato. And while their w

"I want to make sure I can be doing this for many years to come and not overdo it. So I’m trying to be smart. It’s less fun being smart." First, she won the Western States Endurance Run 100-mile race, and set a course record in the process. And then, just three weeks later, Courtney Dauwalter ran, won, and set a course record at the Hardrock 100. In this conversation, Courtney returns to the Ali on the Run Show to talk about her back-to-back wins, and about why — she swears — it's not about the clock, the wins, or the records. SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance’s latest releases for the season. (The <a href="https://rstyle.me/+9mLaS_osyld-b8v59xLu2g" target="_blank" rel="n

"I went into it with no expectations and a lot of gratitude." Fresh off her seventh 100-miler finish — and second finish at the Hardrock 100 — Emily Halnon returns to the Ali on the Run Show for the sixth time. In this conversation, Emily talks about getting a call 19 hours before the race start saying she'd gotten off the waitlist. Should she want it, a bib for the esteemed 102.5-mile race in Colorado was hers. She wanted it. So, she wrangled her crew (and an extra pair of socks), and went on to finish this year's race nearly two hours faster than in 2022. She finished in 36 hours and 47 minutes — the ninth woman and 33rd finisher overall. Today, we get to hear all about it, including why this race means so much to Emily, what it's like

"It’s just this gut feeling that we’re not done, and I’m not done. But I’m also a realist." By popular demand, four years later: Laura Green and Julia Berteletti return to the Motherhood Mondays series on the Ali on the Run Show! Like any group text, this episode takes the long, winding, scenic route. We talk parenting: Julia has a 4.5-year-old son, Max, and Laura has 4.5-year-old Jack and 2-year-old Julian. We talk about the role running is playing in each of their lives right now. We talk about Julia's hope for a second child, and the losses she's endured along the way. We talk about what life looks like for Laura as a mom of two. We talk about the easy, the hard, and everything in between. <

"I am just so thrilled for what’s to come. I don’t know what that is. But I have faith that it’s working out as it should." We're long overdue for a catch-up session with professional runner and Olympian Kate Grace! The last time Kate was on the Ali on the Run Show was two years ago, after she had just competed at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials, where she had hoped to make her second Olympic team in the 800m. Kate fell just short, finishing fourth in the final. But remember what happened next? Kate went on to have the best Revenge Summer ever! She went to Europe where she ran four races in four different countries in a 10-day span, and her time overseas earned her two wins and three personal bests. She had just moved to Boul

"You can get humbled in this sport quickly. You’re playing the long game the whole time. I’ve learned that I’m down with that. I’m into that. That part of it is what keeps me going. I thrive in the unknowns — getting out there and figuring it out." Erica Stanley-Dottin started running young, and was a sprinter in college. But turns out, her fastest days are now, as a 49-year-old full-time working mom of two living in Brooklyn, NY. In this episode, Erica talks about her road to becoming a 2:52 marathoner. She talks about how she's gotten so fast, and about the significance of becoming a part of The List: a small group of American-born Black women who have run sub-3:00 marathons. (Erica joined when she <a href= "https://www.tracksmith.com/journal/article/erica-stanley-dot

"I feel really, really free." Kara's back! In the year since her last appearance on the Ali on the Run Show, Kara Goucher has become a New York Times best-selling author and co-host of the fan-favorite podcast, Nobody Asked Us with Des and Kara. This week, Kara heads to Eugene, OR, where she'll be on the NBC broadcast calling the men's and women's distance events at the USATF Outdoor National Championships. (Here's how to watch.) In this episode, we're talking about some of the standout storylines to watch at this year's races. Plus, what life has been like since Kara's book, <a href="https://amzn.to/3CS

"I spent my whole childhood obsessing over really wanting boobs. And now, at 38, these two things that I’ve had a pretty tumultuous relationship with... Once we finally learned to get along, we find ourselves back on shaky ground, and dare I say, breaking up for good?" It's been about a month since we last caught up. Now, I'm back, walking [messily] through my emotions as I get ready for my double mastectomy surgery on Monday, July 3. I have some updates since that last chat, including the surprising results of my genetic testing (BRCA2 positive, which brought up a whole bunch of feelings), my hopes and plans for the Ali on the Run Show while I'm recovering, and what I'm afraid of right now (everything?). </p

"I thought I was leaving my grief behind. I truly thought I had finished grieving. When Rivs got sick, that narrative was cracked wide open. And I learned that you never finish grieving, and that’s OK. Healing is a continuous journey, and the grief kind of comes along with us and becomes a part of us. And that’s a beautiful thing." It's hard to find suitable words to do justice for Steph Catudal's words. Her New York Times best-selling memoir, Everything All at Once, is heart-wrenching, gripping, evocative, and emotional. It's the story of Steph's childhood — of losing her dad to lung cancer when she was just 14, and the turmoil, rebellion, and upheaval that filled the following years. It's simultaneously the story of her adulthood — of nearly losing her husband, <a href= "https://w

"You really have to want it. It takes the discipline of the training, the discipline of honing in on your nutrition and hydration, and understanding what that means. And the day to day practice of really, really wanting to make this thing happen. It’s all the little pieces that you have to tie together perfectly. And then you have to have a great day! Everything has to come together on the day. It’s a lot." Meaghan Murray-Neuberger is a 2:47 marathoner. But before you think, "Whoa, 2:47 marathoner — I can't relate to that," consider the possibility that you can, in fact, relate. Meaghan wasn't born a 2:47 marathoner. She spent more than five years and ran more than 10 marathons in her attempts to break three hours. Once she did that, things started to click. She dialed in her nutrition (shout-out to <a href= "https://aliontherunblog.com/2023/02/24/615-kaitlin-goodman-meghann-feat

"We knew the answer was yes. But it was so sudden. We didn’t have those nine months to get prepared. It was instant." Aleia Hobbs is a three-time global medalist and an Olympic silver medalist, and she's the North American indoor record holder for the 60 meters. One year ago, Aleia earned another title: mom. In this conversation, the adidas-sponsored professional sprinter talks about the call that changed her life last year, and about what the first year of motherhood has been like for her and her partner. She talks about the adoption process, about continuing to train on very little sleep, and about her big dreams for the future. Follow Aleia on Instagram @aleiabitofthis. SPONSOR: <!-- /wp:paragraph

"I’m really confident in myself and I believe I can do it. But it’s not gonna be easy. That’s why I love this sport. I love racing." What a treat to get to catch up with fan-favorite Nikki Hiltz in the middle of their first-ever European racing circuit and ongoing hot streak. We talked the day before Nikki made their Diamond League debut at a meet in Oslo. (In case you missed it, Nikki finished fourth in the mile, running 4:18, a personal best!) In this conversation, Nikki talks about what's fueling their racing these days — including how they stay mentally strong when feeling physically terrible during a race. Nikki is a lululemon-sponsored professional athlete who identifies as transgender nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. Nikki also talks about what Pride Month means to them, what it's like coaching girlfriend <a href= "https://aliontherunblog.com/2020/11/24/ali-on-the-ru

"All of those, I ended the race smiling and happy and saying, 'I want to do that again.' For me, running is about that." Mariana Fernández was born in Mexico and grew up in San Diego, where she dreamed of one day being onstage with her name in lights. Today, she's doing just that — in a slightly different way than she ever imagined. Mariana is a Peloton Tread, Yoga, and Meditation instructor who teaches classes in both English and Spanish. In this conversation, she talks about the role movement has always played in her life. (Growing up with a marathon-running mom — who is still running marathons in her 70s — will get you moving!) Mariana ran the New York Mini 10K last weekend, and soon she'll begin training for her next marathon: the 2023 New York City Marathon <!-- /

"The marathon is so humbling. Anything can happen, and it usually does — even for the best in the world." We're going back to Boston today, with returning Ali on the Run Show guest Mary Kate Shea. The fastest runners in the world call her "MK," and she's the director of professional athletes and technical support/events at the Boston Athletic Association. Every year, MK is responsible for bringing more than 300 professional athletes to Boston for races including the Boston Marathon, the B.A.A. 5K, the B.A.A. 10K, and more. And the big question everyone was asking this year: How did she get Eliud Kipchoge to finally come and run the Boston Marathon? In this conversation, MK answers that, and shares her favorite stories and memories from B

It's been a bit since we've really caught up. Here's what's been going on in my world lately. SPONSORS: Vacation Races: Use code ONTHERUN200 for $200 off any Global Adventures trip, or code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off any half marathon or ultra marathon registration. goodr: Use code ONTHERUN for free shipping on your entire order Follow Ali: <ul id="block-071e954e-d740-4d79-bd21-b827

"If you really in your bones know you can meet some goal? Don’t quit until you do it." Ashley Desanno grew up playing soccer, took a break from sports during college (partying > fitness), and then, with encouragement from her now-husband, decided to go for a run one day. One run turned into two, which turned into registering for her first race. Now, she's a 2:58 marathoner who is best known online as @lotsamiles. (Surely you've seen her wildly popular, LOL-worthy, likely-to-go-viral videos, like the one where her son gave his class an oh-so-honest recap of her

"That’s the only reason I still do this today, and I’m able to reach new heights in my performance — it’s because of the people that I’m around." We heard from Emma Bates here on the Ali on the Run Show right after she ran that 2:22:10 personal best and finished fifth at this year's Boston Marathon. Now, just a few weeks later, she's back and she's live! This episode was recorded in front of a live, 170-person, Disney Channel Original Movie-loving audience at the City Opera House in Traverse City, MI, during the Bayshore Marathon weekend. We caught up, got some life (and dating) updates, and played a few rousing rounds of new-to-the-show games, including Bates Rates, Bates Debates & Hot Takes, and Bates Hates! (Key takeaway from it all: Run hard. Have fun. I l

“It’s OK to struggle, but it’s not OK to give up.” —Gabe Grunewald Gabriele “Gabe” Grunewald was a professional middle-distance runner from Minneapolis, MN. She was first diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma when she was in college and undoubtedly in the best shape of her life. Instead of finishing her college running career on a high note — or, better yet, a podium — Gabe was faced with a difficult and scary diagnosis. She underwent several surgeries, including having more than half of her liver removed after the third time the cancer came back. Gabe passed away on June 11, 2019. Today, we are revisiting her conversation on the Ali on the Run Show, recorded in February 2018. In this conversation, Ga

"I am not interested in hurting today. I am not interested in suffering. I am not interested in working that hard. I just wanted to run and smile and see friends and wave to people. As soon as it started feeling hard, I said I needed to slow down. and I have no shame in that. We enjoyed the run, and that was all I wanted." Welcome to Ask Ali! These episodes come to the podcast once a month, sometimes with a guest host, sometimes responding to listener voicemails, and sometimes just flying solo. That’s what today is: a solo-sode (is that a thing? can it be?) answering questions about running the Brooklyn Half this past weekend, taking a Cody Rigsby class at Peloton Studios New York, how to avoid running burnout, and so much more. (Plus: a cute special guest at the end!) SPONSORS: <!-- /wp:paragraph

"You know in your head who you are. You just have to be brave enough to listen." When Julia Brownell was little, she had a dream and a plan: to be a writer. She played sports, she loved to run, and she loved writing scripts and stories in her free time. And turns out, dreams come true. Today, Julia is a 3:16 marathoner, a mom of two, and a writer, producer, and playwright in Hollywood. She has been a writer and producer on shows including This Is Us, Parenthood, Smash, and more. (See? Living the dream!) In this conversation, Julia explains how a TV show is made, breaks down her favorite parts of that process, talks about what it was like getting her big break, and talks about what life has been like during the ongoing writer's strike. Plus, she talks about how she's gotten faster as a master and as a mom, taking more than 45 minutes off her mar

"You just have to survive." Welcome to the return of the Motherhood Mondays series! Once a month, I'll be joined by a fellow mom — including professional runners, everyday runners, experts, and more — to speak candidly about motherhood and all that it entails. Today, I'm joined by Veronica Graziano, a 2:41 marathoner (she ran the Olympic Marathon Trials in 2020, and recapped that experience here and here) and twin mom. Her daughters, Kennedy and Quinn, turn two next week. In this conversation, Veronica talks about wh

"There was a lot of anticipation for this race, and I hope it lived up to everyone’s standards!" Josette Norris is on a hot streak on the track! The On-sponsored Jersey girl (who now lives in Boulder, CO) just won the 5000m race at On Track Fest (and ran a personal best of 14:43), and won the 1500m race at Penn Relays the weekend prior. In this conversation, Josette talks about what life is like as an On Athletics Club athlete, where she is coached by Dathan Ritzenhein. (Listen to Josette's previous appearance on the Ali on the Run Show — with now-husband and fellow pro Robby Andrews — here.) SPONSORS: <!-- wp

"I don’t regret anything. I did my best, all the way until the end. I did what I could on the day." You heard the live show with Shalane Flanagan. You got the full race recap with Keira D'Amato. Now, I'm wrapping up all things Eugene Marathon 2023 by answering listener questions about my training, my race experience, and what's next. SPONSOR: Tracksmith: New customers, use code ALI

"It took a lot of work, realizing that the running community is made up of so many different people, so many different paces, so many different body types. And just accepting that — accepting that you don’t have to run a certain pace or look a certain way to be considered a runner... I finally accepted that truth." Molly Hernandez grew up in Texas with big dreams of being a Disney Channel star. Running? A big "no thank you." Fast-forward to today, and Molly is a 10-time marathoner, two-time ultramarathoner, freelance copywriter, and content creator living in Austin, TX. She's best known on the internet as "Your Running BFF," and she's on a mission to make runners — especially new runners — feel less alone and less overwhelmed. In this conversation, Molly talks about going from non-runner to marathoner in the span of six months, and how her relationship with runni

"I am so accustomed to thinking about what could go wrong, and how do I prepare for that? Which I don’t think is bad… But very rarely do I let myself be open to the possibility of something great or something magical, or a perfect day. And I tried — start to finish. I kept that in my mind: Be open to the possibility of a perfect day." Last weekend, I ran the Eugene Marathon. It was my seventh marathon. My first marathon in seven years. And my first marathon since becoming a mom. I finished in 3:41:10 — a 10-minute personal best. And in this conversation — guest hosted by Keira D'Amato — I'm recounting all of it. The highs (Annie on the sidelines!), the lows (roughly miles 18–26), and everything in between. <str

"I would describe this past year as 'drinking from a fire hose.'" It was the day before the Eugene Marathon, and the goal was to get everyone in the audience feeling less "baaaaah!" and more "aaaaaah." Enter: Olympic silver medalist, 2017 New York City Marathon champion, assistant coach for the Bowerman Track Club and University of Oregon cross country team, and best-selling cookbook author Shalane Flanagan. We talked marathons, we talked motherhood, and we got a quote-worthy pep talk to close it all out. Thank you to the Eugene Marathon for having us, and thank you to the hundreds of people who filled the room with the very best energy. (Registration is now open for the 2024 Eugene Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K! Use code ONTHERUNEUGENE to save on registration.) <!-- /wp:paragraph --

"We learned from other mentors. We both believe wholeheartedly that it’s a responsibility to then mentor other people and be transparent." Fact: Only 1% of creative agencies are owned by women. Photographer Aisha McAdams (@ai.shoots) and graphic designer Katherine Burgess (@katherine_kart) are here to up that number. They are the founders of Rhoam Creative Studio, a creative design and production studio for sports and lifestyle brands. They have worked with brands including Puma, Tracksmith, Bandit Running, On Running, Maurten, Strava, Brooks, Hoka, Ciele, and more. They are passionate, they are

"It felt like, I’m figuring out what these things look like for me. Not, what’s everyone doing or what should I be doing or what’s expected of me?" There's nowhere I'd rather be on the third Monday in April than at the Boston Marathon finish line! This year, I was honored to be asked back to perform a variety of roles in Boston. I was one of the start and finish line announcers at the B.A.A. 5K and invitational miles, I hosted a live show with Keira D'Amato at Glossier's new store on Newbury Street, I was one of the race announcers at the finish on Marathon Monday, and I was the finish line reporter for the world feed broadcast. (Big Papi!!!) It was a fun, rewarding weekend that included run-ins with Eliud Kipchoge (and <a href="https://www

"Do the damn thing." Emma Bates! All eyes were on professional runner Emma Bates throughout Monday's Boston Marathon. In a shock to some, Emma found herself leading the race for many of the middle miles, including up the infamous Newton hills. But Emma? And her coach, Joe Bosshard? Not shocked. Emma ended up finishing fifth, as the top American woman, and with a personal best time of 2:22:10. In this conversation, Emma talks about her fitness and her confidence heading into the 2023 Boston Marathon, including the pre-race conversation she had with Joe where he told her she was in American Record shape. She talks about her all-too-relatable pre-race breakdown and how she dealt with it, and about what it was like leading the deepest professional women's field in Boston Marathon history. Plus, how she celebrated, how she's feeling now, and what's next.

Let the Boston Marathon recaps begin! First up: We went live! I hosted a live show at the Boston Marathon Expo on Friday, April 14, in front of a massive, awesome, standing-ovation-ready crowd. The topic: marathons and motherhood. The guests: three women who know it well. Welcome returning favorites — all three of whom went on to race Boston three days later — Sara Hall, Sara Vaughn, and Aliphine Tuliamuk. SPONSORS: UCAN: Click here to get a FREE Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI23 for 20% off your next UCAN order. Vacation Race

"I feel like a train, or a minivan — I can go anywhere, I can go forever! I can’t go as fast as I used to, but I can do it!" Alexi Pappas kicked off 2023 by running — on a whim — a 100K trail race. Last month, she ran the L.A. Marathon with Diplo. Now, she's getting ready to run the Boston Marathon as a guide to Lisa Thompson, the visually impaired runner Alexi ran with in Boston last year. (Lisa won her para division last year, and is back for the win this year!) Today, we're catching up on all of it (including, yes, the Diplo "running on LSD" thing). Alexi talks about finding meaning, passion, and purpose in the sport in a way that looks different than it did during her most competitive years, and talks about her hesitancy to show up as her fullest self at the races for fear of judgment. Plus, what Alexi's training is like these days, how her fellow pros have responded

"This is not an easy question for many reasons!" Welcome back to “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know!” I’ve worked in the running industry in some capacity for roughly a decade now, and as much as I’ve immersed myself, there’s still so much I don’t know or understand. So if I, a relative industry insider, am still confused about things like shoe contracts, drug testing, waterfall starts on the track, and the Diamond Leagues, surely I’m not alone. I put out the ask — What’s something you don’t understand or have always wanted to ask about the running industry? — and the responses came pouring in with great questions. So today, former professional runner and founder of The Lap Count (and track and field’s biggest fan and hype

"You go out there, and you have to trust that you’re going to do what you’ve trained to do. Your body is ready to race. But if your mind isn’t? It does not matter." Chloe Abbott is an On Running-sponsored professional runner who specializes in the 400m and trains with renowned coach Bobby Kersee and the Formula Kersee team in L.A. (which includes Sydney McLaughlin, Athing Mu, and Jenna Prandini). Most recently, Chloe took her talents off the track and competed on The Voice! In this conversation, Chloe talks about the benefits of being a singer and a runner, and how her passions work in tandem. She gives all the behind-the-scenes scoop about what it's like being on a reality singing competition — including whether or not she got to keep the clothes, and why it

"None of my friends explained this to me!" Becs Gentry is a 2:32 marathoner, a Peloton tread and strength instructor, and, as of October 22, 2022, a mom! Becs returns to the Ali on the Run Show today to talk about her road to motherhood. She talks about getting pregnant after experiencing a miscarriage (she was pregnant during last year's live show — but no one knew yet!), and about what running was like throughout her pregnancy. She shares her birth story (all the details!), reflects on the first few months of motherhood, and talks about how she approached her return to running and movement. Plus, what it was li

"So much power had been taken away from me. My safety, everything, and all the medical stuff. It was so empowering to see what my body could do after all that, through all that. And I really think everyone can hear that and say, 'I can do it' too.' If I can do it? I know anybody else can. You can do so much more than you think you’re able to do and have the power to do. You just have to listen to that tiny whisper inside. That whisper — it’s a truth-teller, for sure. We should listen to it more often." Kim Mantle has been through it. The mom of three girls lives in Birmingham, AL, and she's gearing up for the Boston Marathon in just a few weeks. But the road to Boston hasn't been an easy one for Kim. In this conversation, she talks about the health challenges, struggles, surgeries, setbacks, and scary diagnoses she's faced over the past decade. Last year, with her health

"It never really crossed my mind to feel limited. It never really crossed my mind to be like, 'What can’t I do now?' I always focused on, 'What can I do under different circumstances?' It never crossed my mind to focus on couldn’t." If the name Michele Blackburn sounds familiar, that may be because you've heard it mentioned here on the Ali on the Run Show before — just about one year ago, in fact. Last year, Peloton instructor Jess Sims completed the Boston Marathon, running with an invitational entry from, you guessed it: Michele Blackburn. In 2013, Michele was at the Boston Marathon finish line cheering for her best friend and roommate. She was standing in front of Marathon Sports on Boylston Street when the two b

"The time on the clock doesn’t matter. That doesn’t mean I don’t care. It just means it doesn’t define me." Welcome to the second Ask Ali episode of 2023! These episodes come your way once a month, sometimes with a guest host, sometimes responding to listener voicemails, and sometimes just flying solo. Today, the Ali on the Run Show voicemail Q&A makes its grand return! Thanks to everyone who called it for this one. CALL IN: 617-446-3966 SPONSORS: Tracksmith: New customers, use code ALINEW for $15 off your first Tracksmith order over $75.

"Right on Hereford, left on Boylston. It is the place to be. It’s special every time." We are just 24 days away from the 127th running of the world's oldest marathon. This year's Boston Marathon takes place, as always, on the third Monday of April — this year, that's April 17. In this mega-episode, I (along with a team of experts and insiders) am attempting to answer all of your questions about all things Boston. Jack Fleming and Lauren Proshan from the Boston Athletic Association are here to talk logistics (take some deep breaths — the journey to the start line is doable, and you won't be waiting around for too long once you get there!), past champions Des Linden and Meb Keflezighi join to talk course strategy and to break down what it takes to succeed (and run a PR!) in Boston, and sports dietitian Meghann Featherstun is here to give you some last-minute fueling advice. Get exc

"It comes to a point where you are so tired and you’re just constantly irritable. And I was not prepared for that!" The last time professional distance runner Erika Kemp was on the Ali on the Run Show, the six-time collegiate All-American and multiple-time USATF national champion was on a racing hot streak, earning multiple regional and national titles and earning wins from the 5K up to the 20K. Erika has had a hugely successful career since going pro in 2018 and signing with the B.A.A. High Performance team and adidas — but, she says, she hasn't yet had that breakout, defining performance. Might it be just around the corner? With a new team, new coach, and new sponsor, Erika is about to take on her longest challenge yet. She's now a Brooks

"From this day forward, I will say that I'm a runner." In 2004, I was a freshman at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. That's when I met Scott Wormser. We bonded immediately over our shared loves for musicals, New York City, and chocolate lava cakes. We did fun things together, like hosting the annual Mr. Quinnipiac competition, helping plan the senior week festivities for our graduating class, and being orientation leaders for the incoming freshmen classes. We were always laughing, always having fun — and definitely not ever running. Fast-forward to today, and here we are, nearly 20 years later: two marathoners. We still love musicals, NYC, and lava cakes, but these days, Scott and I are more likely to be talking about our next races or our favorite Peloton instructors. <a href= "https://www.instagram.com/smwo

"There are definitely stars who make $500,000, a million dollars a year. If someone is breaking world records, they are getting paid." It's a series! Welcome to "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know!" I've worked in the running industry in some capacity for roughly a decade now, and as much as I've immersed myself, there's still so much I don't know or understand. So if I, a relative industry insider, am still confused about things like shoe contracts, drug testing, waterfall starts on the track, and the Diamond Leagues, surely I'm not alone. I put out the ask — What's something you don't understand or have always wanted to ask about the running industry? — and the responses came pouring in with great questions. So today, former professional runner and founder of <a href= "https://thelapcount.substack.com/

"What is my why? It’s just to give myself a shot. I’ve run six marathons. I feel like one of them went really well. And I felt the urge to try something fun and give myself a challenge and see what I’m capable of." Hello from the halfway point in my Eugene Marathon training! I'm seven weeks into my training with seven weeks to go until I line up for my seventh marathon. A few weeks ago, my coach and my sports dietitian joined me on the show to talk about what it's been like working together in this pursuit. Today, it's just me, talking about why I'm doing this. Why now? Why the marathon, seven years after my last attempt? What am I hoping to get out of all of this? In addition to sharing a bit about my history with the 26.2-mil

"I’m telling myself I’m going to crush it. I think that’s something I used to shy away from — the Midwesterner in me, saying, 'I’m just going to do my best.' But no. Let’s crush it!" Last year, running and strength coach Jess Movold came on the Ali on the Run Show for an honest and vulnerable conversation about her experience running through pregnancy. She was 21 weeks along with her first baby. No one could have predicted or planned for what happened next: Jess gave birth to her son, appropriately named Battle, just five weeks later, at 26 weeks and 2 days into her pregnancy. Battle spent 167 days in the NICU. Jess and her husband, Kyle, spent 167 days visiting their son, holding him, navigating life as new parents — and then having to go

"I’m really good at making sure others understand that not only are they athletes — look at the definition and tell me that doesn’t describe you! — but also telling people they are runners. I just decided, 'Listen, that’s what I am.' If you run, if you jog, I don’t care what it is, you’re a runner. And you’re an athlete! Own that. Once you own it, you will really see a lot of weight lifted off of you. Then you realize, you’re not out here for anybody else. You’re out here for you." Kristian Mines represents all of the best qualities you'll find within the running community. She radiates joy, positivity, and energy. She started running in her forties, she completed her first marathon in Chicago last year, and she's a proud back-of-the-pack athlete. Where Kristian feels she really shines, though, is as a "voluncheerleader." She's on a quest to volunteer at all six World Marathon Ma

"I’m better when I know that people are counting on me." Ever watched a professional track race and wondered why there were certain runners out front controlling the pace and then dropping out (intentionally) around the halfway mark? Pacers — or rabbits — have a very important job on race day, even if it means finishing the event with a "DNF" (Did Not Finish) next to their results. In this conversation, professional New Balance athlete, Olympian, and 1500m specialist Cory McGee returns to the Ali on the Run Show for a Rabbiting 101 lesson. After dealing with both illness and injury at the end of last year, Cory — who lives in Boulder, CO, where she trains with Team Boss — decided to spend her indoor season focusing on helping others achieve

"I’m not here to do gotcha journalism. I’m not trying to get the scoop, I’m not trying to break news. I’m just trying to offer a platform to showcase the stories of these athletes, professional or otherwise, to share their stories, and for them to have fun. I want this to be fun for them. And I hope you enjoy it along the way!" Welcome to the first Ask Ali episode of 2023! These episodes will hit the podcast once a month, sometimes with a guest host, sometimes responding to listener voicemails, and sometimes just flying solo. That's what today is: a solo-sode (is that a thing? can it be?) answering questions about running, podcasting, and more. CALL IN: 617-446-3966 SPONSOR: <

"I really believe that if you do a good job with the process, the outcome is gonna take care of itself. The time is gonna take care of itself." I'm running the Eugene Marathon on April 30. I've run six marathons, but my most recent one was nearly seven years ago. So, it's been a while! And while, sure, muscle memory is a thing, I wanted to enlist some help with the process this time around. Enter Coach Kaitlin Goodman, founder of Running Joyfully, and sports dietitian Meghann Featherstun. Together,

"I always have to remind myself that a race is gonna be really hard!" Surely when Alicia Keys sang "this girl is on fire," she was referring (preemptively) to On Athletics Club's Alicia Monson. In 2021, Alicia became an Olympian in the 10K. In 2022, she represented Team USA at World Championships, again in the 10K. And just two months into 2023, the unstoppable streak continues: Alicia just broke the indoor 3000m American Record at the Millrose Games in New York City. Alicia lives and trains in Boulder, CO, where she is coached by Dathan Ritzenhein. In this conversation, she talks about training with OAC, about the team culture, and about why seemingly every member of the team is killing it right now. She also talks about how she has learned to stay focused, stay relaxed, an

"They said, 'Deirdre, think of where you were when you signed up for this, and where you are now. And just enjoy this moment.' And so I turned off the music, and I just enjoyed the serenity of running at night, thinking of my dad next to me, thinking of the person I was when I signed up for this, and who I am now. And I crossed that finish line and absolutely fell apart in the best way possible. It’s something I’ll never, ever forget." You probably remember Deirdre Keane: the pediatric ICU nurse from New York City who was featured on Humans of New York, talking about how losing her dad (an avid runner) to cancer inspired her to become a marathon runner. Today, Deirdre returns to the Ali on the Run Show to talk about her latest, most inten

"I was mortified! Like, I’ve literally told everyone he’s my boyfriend, and he hasn’t told his friends about me! They don’t know who I am!" Happy Valentine's Day! We're celebrating as we always do on the Ali on the Run Show: with a whole lot of love! This year, it's Emily Infeld and Max Randolph's time to shine. Emily is a Nike-sponsored professional athlete and member of Team Boss, coached by Joe Bosshard. Max is a longtime Nike-employee and self-described "Professional Wife Supporter," making his podcast debut! In this conversation, we hear about Emily and Max's first meeting (fittingly, they met at a cross-country meet), and the long road to t

"I’m not the type of athlete who likes to go to the track, come home, and watch Netflix or play video games until the next run, and then rinse and repeat. I will go crazy trying to do that. A lot of people enjoy that and think they have to do that in order to get the success that they are working toward — that they have to give up every other part of their life that isn’t running related. And I’ve always pushed back on that. I don’t think it’s this either/or situation. I think there’s an 'and.' You just have to figure out the right 'and' blend." Colleen Quigley is affectionately known as "Steeple Squigs" — a play on her last name, combined with what has always been her greatest passion: competing in the steeplechase. The Florida State University alum rose to fame within the professional track and field ranks by becoming a Nike-sponsored Olympian who trained with the Bowerman Trac

"I have this memory of someone saying to me, 'Oh you’re a runner.' And I was like, 'Oh, I’m not a runner!' 'But you run a lot!' 'Oh! Yeah! I guess I am a runner. I guess that has happened! That’s a part of who I am!'" She's a two-time marathoner. A mom of three. A humanitarian and global health advocate. An author. A New Yorker. And she's a former First Daughter of the United States of America. Chelsea Clinton is here! Today on the Ali on the Run Show, Chelsea shares the story of how — and why — she started running. She talks about what she thought of her dad's running habit during their time in the White House, when he would famously go for runs accompanied by the Secret Service. She talks about becoming a runner while attending Stanford University, and about her relationship with

"It was like the bell went off at that moment. And while I wasn’t the fastest or the most physical, I started. I put my foot down, and I started." Adina Crawford is a civilian supervisor for the Montgomery County Police Department. (A very intense, emotional job.) She's a yoga instructor. And she's a two-time marathoner who lives and breathes running. But that wasn't always the case! Growing up, Adina was more of a "sit on the sidelines in gym class" kind of girl. It wasn't until she was in her forties that she had a wakeup call, in the form of a tough-love conversation with her husband. She started running and, well, you know how the story goes. Now, at 58 years old, Adina has found her voice, her passion, and her purpose. This is her story. SPONSOR: <ul

"Never forget where you started. Nobody is born running a mile. We all have to work for it. So never forget those first few steps. Keep up the faith. And then one day, you’ll go out and you’ll feel like you’re flying." In her mid-thirties, Susie Chan was a cigarette-smoking single mom working as an exhibitions coordinator for art galleries and museums. The word "running" was definitely not a part of her vocabulary. But then, when her brother convinced her to run a half marathon with him, everything changed. Susie ran her first half marathon at 35, and she was hooked. Now, at 47, Susie is one of the best-known runners (and ultra runners!) in the UK. She has run some of the most grueling races in the world, including the 230K Jungle Ultra through the Amazon Rainforest, and the six-day Marathon Des Sables in the Sahara Desert. She's an Abbott World Marathon Majors six-star finisher,

"I never think that in a race. I never think, 'I’ve got this.' For better or for worse, I don’t ever feel like something’s done until it’s done." She's done it again! Earlier this month, Emily Sisson broke her own American record in the half marathon, running 1:06:52 at the Houston Half Marathon. She became the first U.S. woman to run under 67 minutes in the half marathon on a record-eligible course, and Emily now owns four out of six of the fastest half marathon times run by an American woman. (She is also the American record holder in the marathon!) In this conversation, Emily talks about the mental side of staying so strong during training and on race day. She shares how she avoids the comparison trap, and how she stays focused on what she can do vs. what her competition is capable of. Plus, what it was like racing alongside longtime training partner <a href= "https:/

"I get rowdy with vodka." Des Linden is busy! She just launched a new podcast with Kara Goucher. Her memoir, Choosing to Run, comes out April 4. And she's gearing up for this year's Boston Marathon. But she's never too busy to indulge in a little plaisir coupable. (That's "guilty pleasure," in French.) In this conversation, Des offers updates on all of the above: what we can expect from the podcast, why she prefers being called Des over Desi, how she's feeling about her book release, and how Boston training is going. And then, in the second half of the episode, something a little different, a little silly, a little fun: gushing about the N

"I got to the top and I was like, 'Wow.' Like so proud of myself. I have no idea how much I weigh relative to then. I do not care to see the difference in a photo between what I look like then and what I look like now. All I know is that I’m so happy with myself, I’m so proud of myself, and I feel so strong." Camila Ramón started running in elementary school. Not because she loved it. Not because it made her feel good. Not because she was on the track or cross-country teams. Camila started running at a young age because she thought she needed to lose weight. In this conversation, Camila talks about the pressure she felt and the comments she received about her body while growing up in Argentina, and later in Miami. She talks about how, as an adult and professional dancer, she rediscovered running, and this time it stuck. She found a community of like-minded runners, she started tr

"What I would want to tell that person, but I think would have destroyed that person is, 'You’re going to get everything you ever wanted, and it’s going to destroy you.'" In 2020, Molly Seidel finished second at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, earning herself a spot on Team USA for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She had no idea what was to come. When the Olympics finally happened, in August 2021, Molly had the race of her life. She finished third, taking a bronze medal back to the U.S. — the first American woman to medal in the Olympic marathon since Deena Kastor in 2004. Then, it was a whirlwind of media, requests, appearances, and fanfare. Molly finished fourth at the 2021 New York City Marathon, breaking Kara Goucher's American course record in the process. All the while, though, behind the smiles at events and during interviews, Molly was struggling with an eating disorder and wi

"My why is bigger than myself. My why is for all the people I’m racing for and raising funds for. My why is for all the angels on my angel list. And my why is for everyone that’s been told they can’t do something. Because who says you can’t?" Last month, professional runner Keira D'Amato hosted a week's worth of giveaways on Instagram. The fifth and final prize: an appearance on the Ali on the Run Show! The giveaway received 550 entries, and after reading every single one of them (twice!), Keira and I selected 24-time marathoner and 20-time Ironman triathlete Kristin McQueen as the winner. Meet Kristin. She's a 43-year-old from Illinoi

"If you’re writing my obituary, whoever’s in charge, please include this! Because I feel very proud of it!" You probably know her as the adorably sweet and oftentimes aloof Erin Hannon, from The Office. Or maybe you know her as the scrappy, can't-keep-me-down titular character on The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. She played Becca on Bridesmaids, she co-hosts the Great American Baking Show, she's a New York City-based mom of two — and now, Ellie Kemper is a marathoner. In this conversation, Ellie talks about how she fell in love with running. She talks about her first race, and then her second, and about her spur-of-the-moment bit of motivation that got her to sign up for the 2022 TCS New York C

"It shouldn’t be this tough. It doesn’t need to be this tough. You shouldn’t need that much toughness to succeed. Of course you need to have drive and need to work hard and all those things. That’s not the kind of toughness I’m talking about. I’m talking about dealing with the unnecessary obstacles that a lot of female athletes are faced with." Welcome to the new "Run Your Way" series on the Ali on the Run Show. If I've learned anything (and I have, I swear!) from 600 episodes of this show, it's that yes, there are best practices and there is plenty of good running-related advice to go around. Ultimately, though, the best way to run is your way, however that looks. This series will explore what it means to run your way. First up: former professional athlete and all-around force to be reckoned with, Lauren Fleshma

"I remember telling my friend that my goal in life is to be able to make everyone happy, and to be everything that everyone needs. And he was like, 'That sounds exhausting and impossible.' And I was like, 'Watch me! I can do it! I will bring joy to the masses!' And now, a year later, I’m like, 'What was I thinking? That DOES sound exhausting!'" Happy New Year! I kick off the start of every year here on the Ali on the Run Show with my annual review, of sorts. I call it the State of the Ali on the Run Show. It gives me a chance to reflect on the previous year, and set goals and intentions for the one ahead. By the numbers: In 2022, I released 135 episodes of the Ali on the Run Show, plus an additional eight episodes on Pat

A few weeks ago, I talked about my life with Crohn's disease. In that episode, I answered a listener question about the worst, most embarrassing, most inconvenient bathroom experience I've ever had. And I'm not going to tell that story again now — I'll spare you — but the short version is that I was very sick, I was living in New Jersey, and I traveled into Manhattan that day via ferry for a very exciting reason. It was late May 2017, and I was about to record Episode 33 of the Ali on the Run S

"I’m very much a 'fall down eight times, get up nine' kinda girlie. I fall down a lot! I have a lot of mishaps. Races don’t always go the best for me. I’m still working on a few things. It was just nice to have this moment where everything came together." Last year, professional athlete Heather MacLean became a breakout star. The Team New Balance Boston athlete made her first Olympic team — every professional runner's dream. But with the ultimate high of getting to represent Team USA also came emotional lows. In this candid conversation, Heather talks about the pressure and expectations she felt heading into last year's U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, and about the not-so-glamorous side of running for a living. She also talks about the post-Tokyo comedown and how she dealt with it. Then, we talk all things 2022: Heather's highlight reel, her first U.S. National title, and her

"I went all-in. So if I failed, I could say I tried everything." Anoush Arakelian is a full-time director of product marketing, a running coach, and a coach at MYSTRYDE in her hometown of Boston, MA. And as of a few weeks ago, she's a 3:07 marathoner. ("I think I’m still processing that that’s my new time," she says.) Anoush ran a four-minute personal best at the California International Marathon earlier this month. Her first marathon, in 2014, was a 3:55. Now, 13 marathons later, she's learned a bit about running 26.2 miles. In this conversation, Anoush talks about what it has taken to slowly chip away at her marathon time, reflecting on the personal bests and personal worsts along the way. (Reminder: The road to that oh-so-rewarding finish line isn't always linear!) SPONSORS: <!-- /wp:paragraph -

"The biggest takeaway is that I’m having fun. That is a huge thing! I forgot what it was like to just have fun with it and be playful and enjoy the ride." Maegan Krifchin, a professional runner for Atlanta Track Club Elite, had a big goal for this fall: run a personal best at the TCS New York City Marathon. She put all of her running eggs in that basket, training hard with that NYCM plan in mind. But come race day, things didn't go as planned at all. Maegan ran a 2:40:52, which was well off her goal time. She wasn't just unsatisfied — she wanted more, and she wanted it immediately. And so, Maegan decided to run the Philadelphia Marathon, just two weeks later. This time, things went much better. She ran 2:31:41, finishing in second place. Still, though, Maegan wanted more. And so, two weeks after that, she decided to head west in pursuit of a personal best. This time, Mae

"It was just that moment in time where somebody saw something and wanted to help me and give back. And I try to do that with other people, too, because if I hadn’t been in that situation, I don’t know what I’d be doing now." Imagine getting to travel the world, attending major marathon race weekends and helping share the stories of the athletes, the races, and the people who make these events so special. That's the reality for Lorna Campbell, as the Head of Communications for Abbott World Marathon Majors, the race series comprised of the New York City Marathon, Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, London Marathon, Tokyo Marathon, and Berlin Marathon. In this conversation, Lorna — who is originally from Scotland, lives in Rhode Island, and has a very cute story of how she met her husband at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics — talks about how she got this job, what her role entails, an

"Those were the darkest and hardest days of my life, and the biggest thing that I would do differently is I would ask for help. Instead, I hid, I locked that apartment door, and I wouldn’t let anyone see me." Last week, in honor of Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week, I talked about living with these diseases for the past 30 years. (Listen to that episode here.) Now, I'm wrapping things up by talking about running with Crohn's disease, navigating the emotional and mental sides of this disease (trigger warning here: lots of talk of depression and being in a really low, dark place), and how to support the people in your life living with a chronic illness. Plus, my hotel lobby hack (that rarely works, but I always try!), my fear of trail cams and small-town Facebook groups, a

"Seeing the best part of humanity, everyone out there cheering... Thousands of people just there to help you finish this race. To me, that was so inspiring. We’re inundated today with negative news stories and stuff that goes wrong and the bad side of humanity. This, to me, was pure good." Claire Holt is an Australian-American actress who has starred in shows including The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and Pretty Little Liars. And last month, this busy mom of two added something new to her list of accomplishments: marathoner! In this episode, Claire talks about how she got into running, why she wanted to run the 2022 New York City Marathon, and why she decided to do it now, with two young children (ages 2 and 3, just 17 months apart!), one of which was going through a sleep regression during the bulk of Claire's training. She talks about working with

"It’s like someone has a hand mixer — what you would use to make brownies — on low at all times. And then without warning, they turn it up to high. That’s what it feels like in my stomach." This year marks 30 years of living with Crohn's disease. I was diagnosed with this inflammatory bowel disease (sexy stuff!) when I was 7, and in my twenties, that diagnosis was upgraded to Crohn's-colitis. (Overachiever alert!) Today, in honor of Crohn's & Colitis Awareness Week (December 1–7), I'm talking all about my history with IBD and about living with a chronic illness. (Reminder: I'm not a doctor! This is all about my personal, lived experience with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.) SPONSORS: </

"How awesome would it be to spend all day talking to people? That’s all I want in life." Get in your time machine, friends: We're going back to January 2018. Today on the Ali on the Run Show, I'm re-releasing "Episode 57." I didn't realize it at the time, but this was a pivotal conversation for me. I recorded it at 10 PM with my husband, Brian. I was in a tough place then. I wasn't fulfilled. I was floundering. The Ali on the Run Show was my hobby while I was freelance writing full-time. I was struggling to move on from my past dreams, and couldn't quite articulate what I wanted to do next. This conversation — which was hard to have, and really scary to put out into the world — helped. I cried. Multiple times. I was scared. Scared of failure, whate

"It’s just the reality of being a parent, and I think it would be easy to just see that as a hindrance or a disadvantage. But I think I’ve done a pretty good job of flipping that mindset and saying, 'Hey, look at what I’ve been able to accomplish when things haven’t always gone my way!' I don’t expect them to go perfectly on race day. So it’s almost a little secret weapon that I have in my mental toolbox." In October, track star turned professional triathlete Chelsea Sodaro was 18 months postpartum. She was about to race her second Ironman triathlon: a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run. That Ironman was the Ironman World Championships in Kona. And she won the whole thing, finishing in 8 hours 33 minutes and 46 seconds, and becoming only the second mom in history to win in Kona. In this conversation, Chelsea talks all about her race day — but perhaps more importantly

"I don’t think anyone goes as hard as a dance floor full of professional or elite runners. Everyone was going bananas." Last year at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, Sage Hurta was in an exciting spot. Off the track, the seven-time All-American had just graduated from the University of Colorado and signed her first professional contract with On Athletics Club. And on the track: She was in the semi-finals of the 800m race, charging into the final 100 meters of the race with plans and dreams to advance to the final and maybe, hopefully make her first world championship team. But then she went down. Sage fell hard, breaking her wrist in the process. It was a heartbreaking day. The good news: 2022 has been the ultimate redemption year. In her first full year as an On-sponsored professional athlete, Sage (who just marrie

"Picture yourself as the eye of the hurricane, the eye of the storm. You have all this going on around you, but it doesn’t affect you." It was a big year for Emily Sisson! The professional runner for New Balance broke not one but two records! In May, Emily became the American record holder in the half marathon, running 1:07:11 at the USATF Half Marathon Championships in Indianapolis. Then, in October, she finished the Chicago Marathon in 2:18:29, effectively becoming the American record holder in the 26.2-mile distance. Now, Emily has her eyes on 2023. She'll race the Houston Half Marathon in January, she's committed to a spring marathon (can't say which one yet!), and she's hoping to run a fall marathon to complete the year. Today, in the span of 26 questions, Emily talks about how life has (or hasn't) changed this year, shares what she's excited about and intrigued by,

"We’re all down on the ground. We are partying with everyone. We’re hanging out with the runners. We’re making cheer tunnels, we’re having kicklines. We are dancing. It is a party, and absolutely everyone is invited." It was a great (albeit warm) week in New York City, celebrating all things 2022 TCS New York City Marathon. From finish line announcing to live shows and so much more, today I'm answering all of your New York City Marathon-related questions. SPONSOR:  goodr. Click here for free shipping on your next goodr order!

"I feel like I am peaking. This feels like it’s as good as it gets!" New York City is back, baby! (I must have said that 300 times over the course of the week!) For the first time since 2019, the TCS New York City Marathon returned in full force: 50,000 runners, five boroughs, hundreds of thousands of spectators, and an oh-so-humid day that no one will soon forget. In this episode, I recap my entire week in New York City in great detail. The live shows (all three of them!), announcing the Run with Champions youth race, running the Dash to the Finish 5K (no PR this year, but I really did try!), and of course, being one of the finish line announcers on marathon day. My favorite week of the year! SPONSORS: UCAN: </strong

"I was a complete wreck. I had a lot of anxiety about a lot of unnecessary things. Not even the race itself — all the outside factors, and I didn’t handle them well. I race all the time! This should have been just another race. But in my mind, I was over-worried about not making it to the start line." Emily Durgin spent this summer getting into the best shape of her life: marathon shape! She was gearing up to make her 26.2-mile debut at the TCS New York City Marathon — but race day didn't go as planned. Emily, who lives and trains in Flagstaff, AZ, and is sponsored by adidas, ended up dropping out "somewhere in Harlem." So today, we cover the fun questions in this series (first car, current car, celebrity lookalike), and Emily answers the tough questions, like what i

"You can call me Bog Girl if you want." The best way to kick off TCS New York City Marathon week? A live show at the 1 Hotel Central Park South with special guest Emma Coburn, presented by New Balance. Emma has been on the show six (six!) times now, so our goal with this one was simple: "What haven't we talked about yet?" And mission accomplished, as we talked about Bosshard Bogs, got some Team Boss updates, and discussed the pressure that comes with being Emma Coburn. Plus: tattoo talk, Presidential Physical Fitness trauma, and so much more. SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to learn all about the conversations New Balance is having to promote mental wellness.

"My life got a little weird that weekend!" —Erin Azar "It's not about athletes running and having lactation accommodations. It's about making micro changes for macro changes. We want societal shift." —Alysia Montaño "Everyone's like, 'Do you have a goal?' And I'm like, 'To have a good time!' No, that's never my goal. I don't care about having a good time. I like to race!" —Laura Green <!--

"When we're good with good enough and ditch the perfectionism, we can really find a whole new level in ourselves. Good enough is good enough." It's Keira D'Amato's first live podcast! The day before the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon, Keira sat down to talk about her pre-race mindset, to share how she was feeling the day before the race, and to explain her takes on perfectionism, karma, "doing the best you can with what you have," and her "white room theory." Plus, more about "Meat Thing," and a rousing game of "Skeiragories!" As Keira's mom would say: "Your ass is grass...and I'm the lawnmower!" (Keira went on to run 2:31:31 the next day, finishing 15th.) SPONSOR: <a href="https://www.nycus

"When I grew up, I wanted to be a purple flying horse. Never give up on your dreams." Welcome to Ask Ali, the series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I’m cruising through 24 listener questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I’m @aliontherun1), about boundaries, mom guilt, sending the email, chafing, race swag, life dreams, and so much more. SPONSOR:  goodr. Click here for free shipping on your next goodr order! You asked: <!-- /wp:

"This year, it finally feels like, 'I’m gonna rip it.' The badass version of me is like, 'You’re going to have to work really hard to beat me!' That finally came back this year." This weekend, Steph Bruce will race her last marathon as a professional athlete. When Steph was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition last year, she decided to make some tough decisions. She decided 2022 would be her final year as a professional athlete. The HOKA NAZ Elite athlete plans to retire at the end of this year. But first: She's racing the TCS New York City Marathon this weekend, and she's taking us all along for the ride, calling this year her "Grit Finale." In this conversation, Steph talks about how she's feeling heading into her 17th marathon, both physically and emotionally. She talks about how training has gone, about her advice for athletes who are new to the sport, and life after N

"I have a shirt that says 'Meat Thing' on it. This is such a weird story." She's back! Not only is Keira D'Amato back on the Ali on the Run Show today, here to tackle 26 questions, she's also back on the 26.2-mile run. In January, Keira broke the American record in the marathon. In July, she got to represent Team USA at World Championships, where she finished eighth. In September, she ran the Berlin Marathon. And now, she's ready to toe yet another marathon start line: Keira is racing the TCS New York City Marathon this weekend! Here, she talks about her goals for the race, how training has been going, where she's at emotionally, whether she wants the American Record back, and, well, parking tickets, "Meat Thing," and so much more. <!-- /wp:paragraph

"It’s wild. It is New York’s Super Bowl. Every single borough comes out to play, and it’s amazing." OK, soon-to-be New York City Marathoners: Here it is! Your unofficial guide to the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon. Today, with the help of a few very special guests, I'm here to answer all of your NYCM-related questions. This is a mega-episode — 2.5 hours long! — so enjoy your taper, listen in, and take lots of deep breaths knowing you've got this. As for me: The New York City Marathon is my Super Bowl, my Christmas, my birthday, my favorite day of the year. It was the first marathon I ever watched, back in 2008, when I went out to cheer for a coworker who was running the race. (Thanks for the inspiration, Therese!) I've run it three times — in 2013, 2014, and 2016 — and volunteered once, in 2015, at a fluid stati

"I feel like nutrition is the new super shoe! If we’re fully carb loaded, if we’re fueling our race really strong, our performance can be astronomical, and better than we ever thought." Meghann Featherstun is on a mission: to get runners to eat more. More specifically: to get runners to eat more carbs! In this conversation, the sports dietitian and 2:50 marathoner talks about her passion for performance fueling. She talks about running a big personal best at the Chicago Marathon just a few weeks ago, and about what it has taken to shave more than an hour off her marathon time over the past decade. Meghann explains how she became a sports dietitian, talks about the most common concerns she hears about from her clients, and looks back on how she first became a marathoner (and why her "one and done" declaration, well...famous last words). Plus: how Meghann keeps running fun and joy-

"I don’t get paid to run. So I might as well have some fun!" Thomas Bailey is best known in the running world as Tommie Runz, and he's been taking the industry by storm. Tommie is a marathon-running dad of two who lives in Detroit and works a full-time job in vehicle shipping by day, and is a podcast host, YouTuber, and content creator by all other hours. Tommie is currently on his "Redemption Tour" — running three fall marathons after a disappointing race at the Boston Marathon this spring. He has already completed the Erie and Chicago Marathons, and now he's gearing up for his goal race in New York City. All about his marathon-filled fall and more, today on the Ali on the Run Show. SPONSOR: Tracksmith. Click here</

"I’ve never been someone that felt like I did my best work trying to prove somebody wrong. I do my best work trying to prove somebody right." It hasn't been an easy year for three-time world championship medalist, three-time Olympian, and Olympic bronze medalist Jenny Simpson. In the 48 hours before the calendar turned from 2021 to 2022, Jenny watched as her world began to crumble. On December 30, wildfires engulfed her historic home — a former schoolhouse, beloved by Jenny and her husband, Jason, and by their community. They (with their dog, Truman) evacuated, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. On December 31, her 12-year contract with New Balance ended, and wasn't renewed — something Jenny calls "a great heartbreak." Plus, the 1500-meter legend was injured. In true Jenny form, though, she's seeing the bright side now. Jenny and Jason's home somehow survived the fi

"That’s my mentality: Get to the starting line, and roll with what you’ve got, and do your best. If you do that, you’ve gotta be happy." Everyone loves Matt Wilpers. The beloved and adored (and newly engaged!) Peloton instructor is a 2:54 marathoner, a 1:17 half marathoner, and a 10:38 Ironman triathlete. And now, in between teaching Peloton classes, running a coaching business, and wedding planning, Matt is training for the New York City Marathon! (Get to know Matt better by listening to him on Episode 398 of the Ali on the Run Show.) In today's edition of 26 Questions, Matt answers questions about how training is going, how he proposed to his now-fiancé, his goals

"I get overwhelmed, I get stressed, I put a lot of pressure on myself. I have high expectations for myself. But my 'why' is wanting to do my best. My why is wanting to be a good example for Annie. If I’m going to spend any time working and away from my daughter, I want it to be for a good reason." Welcome to Ask Ali, the series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I’m flying through 26 listener questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I’m @aliontherun1), about podcast, running, motherhood, Halloween, purple M&Ms, laundry detergent (?), and so much more. SPONSOR:  goodr. <a href= "http://goodr.com/ontherun"

"There’s a big period of my life that led me to find long-distance running where I was a shell of myself. I was depressed and suicidal and anxious and unable to leave my house. And I think a lot about, what if my story had ended there? What if there wasn’t this other part of my life where I get to be the person who I am today?" Alison Mariella Désir is a runner, a marathoner, a change-maker, an activist, an advocate, a wife (to Amir!), a mother (to Kouri!), a founder (of Harlem Run and Run 4 All Women), a creator, and now, she adds "author" to her bio. Alison's highly-anticipated book, Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built for Us, hits bookshelves next week. Today, Alison returns to the Ali on the Run Show (for the fourth time

"Once we realized it was real… I mean, it’s not like that happens every week. It was really freaking cool!" Emily Oster was first on the Ali on the Run Show last February. At the time, the economist, Brown University professor, and best-selling author talked about how running is the one place in her life where she lets go of all the data and just runs. Fast-forward a few months, and Emily has a running coach (Kaitlin Goodman!), a training plan, a pair of super shoes, and finisher's medals from a 1

"Someone described me as ‘Olympic-caliber,’ which I think is the nicest, funniest way to say ‘Didn’t make it.’" Kyle Merber is a former professional runner (a 3:52 miler! he won the Millrose Games mile as a high schooler!) who retired in 2020, and now works full-time for American Express while also managing The Lap Count newsletter and navigating life as a new dad. Now, Kyle is going the distance: the 26.2-mile distance, that is. Kyle is training to make his official marathon debut at the TCS New York City Marathon next month (though he's covered the distance in training a few times now). Today, Kyle talks about the expectations on him as a former pro

"I start from zero, too, after having a baby, just like everyone else. So, here goes!" Molly Huddle is one of the greatest American distance runners of our time. In her career, she's held numerous American records and is a two-time Olympian. She's the co-host of the Keeping Track podcast and co-author of the book How She Did It. And in April, Molly added a new title to her bio: mom. Molly gave birth to her daughter, Josephine ("Jojo") earlier this year, so today, Molly returns to the Ali on the Run Show to talk about running throughout her pregnancy and her careful, cautious, calculated return to running and racing. Plus, what's next for Molly on the run — and beyond. SPONSOR: New Balance — <a href= "https://www.newbalance.com

"We all get nervous. We all have this energy, whether it feels good or bad. We all get in the race and physically feel good and bad at different points. It’s just important to remember that that’s all normal, no matter what that is. So I just told her, ‘This is how it feels. This is how it’s gonna feel.’ And that was it. Game on." First, he paced Sara Hall at the Marathon Project. Then, he paced Keira D'Amato for her American Record at the Houston Marathon. Now, dad of three and stroller-running world record holder Calum Neff returns to the Ali on the Run Show to talk about his third major pacing opportunity: running wit

"I went through a breakup and went straight for the guitar shop, hoping that would fix everything. Well. I played it once for about 10 minutes." In both 2021 and 2022, Boulder-based professional runner Nell Rojas was the highest-placing American woman at the Boston Marathon. Now, she's ready to tackle the Big Apple: Nell is gearing up to make her TCS New York City Marathon debut next month. Today, she answers questions about how her training is going, why she wants to run NYC, how her boyfriend really feels about her "head-only altitude tent," American Girl dolls (she's an Addy; I'm an aspiring Samantha), how people react when they see her car, and so much more. SPONSOR: Tracksmith. Click here and use code ALI22

"It was an astonishing thing. It was one of those defining moments in your life. Everything else was changed from that moment." It was an honor to be invited to the 20th running of the Akron Marathon, Half Marathon, & Team Relay in Ohio this past weekend, and to get to host a live show at the pre-race expo with running legends Meb Keflezighi (Olympic silver medalist and winner of both the New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon), Kathrine Switzer (the first woman to officially run and finish the Boston Marathon), and <a href="http://

"Oh god, it was so bad! Oh god. I’m going to bring this up in therapy this week!" She's everyone's favorite funny runner — and today, Laura Green returns to the Ali on the Run Show for the third time to answer a series of 26 questions. (Check out Laura's previous episodes: when she filled in as an Ask Ali guest host, and when she was part of the Motherhood Mondays series.) Whether she's playing the role of an ambitious mom-to-be who plans to start stroller running right out of the hospital, she's rol

"No one can define what success is for you but YOU. Even though the sport of running tries to tell us that the only things that matter are distance and time, that is simply not true. You decide what matters to you." Welcome to Part III (the last part!) of the Marathon Mentality series with Ali on the Run Show favorite Emily Saul! Emily is a licensed mental health counselor, sport psychology coach, and founder of E Saul Movement. She’s a former Division-1 collegiate rower, she’s a lifelong athlete, she’s a many-time marathoner, and she’s a <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/wat

"To go out on top — there are so few athletes that can say that, and that really wasn’t my plan! I just wanted to know when it would be over so that I could put everything that I had into each throw." Kara Winger had long planned for 2022 to be her final javelin season. And what a final season it was! The four-time Olympian capped off her 18-year international career by winning her first global medal (silver, at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, OR), and becoming the first U.S. woman to medal in the javelin at a world championships event. She set a new American record. She took the win at the Wanda Diamond League final. And, after 12 years, she finally broke her own personal record. In this conversation, Kara reflects on her career and on what it means to go out on top. She talks about the support she has felt in the track and field community, and about when she made t

"I have to enjoy this race. I really just need this one to be uplifting." Deena Kastor has run (and won!) many marathons during her career. She's the 2004 Olympic Bronze Medalist in the marathon, she has won both the Chicago and London Marathons and the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, and until this past January, she was the American Record Holder in the marathon (Keira D'Amato holds that title now). And this weekend, Deena will race the Berlin Marathon! Here, she explains why this race is so special (she'll earn her Abbott World Marathon Majors six-star finisher's medal!) and what her goals are for the day. Plus: why she ran her first marathon, where she keeps her Olympic medal, her real feelings about race broadcasting, and why her greatest running weakness

"I’ve worked really hard and I’ve put a lot out there, and it’s been really good to the point that it terrifies me." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I’m flying through 29 listener questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I’m @aliontherun1), about my current goals and dreams, the New York City Marathon (lots of questions about the New York City Marathon!), the song that always makes me cry (and I cry just talking about it!), the lessons I've learned from my best and worst races, and so much more. SPONSORS:  goodr. <a href= "http://goodr.com/ontherun" target="_

"I struggle every day. I am just committed to not letting those little moments take me out of the game." As the founder and CEO of Thrive Causemetics, Karissa Bodnar has been included on Forbes's 30 Under 30 list, was named as one of Marie Claire's Most Powerful Women, and she was on Inc.'s Badass Female Founders list. But what matters most to Karissa, she swears, isn't the accolades: It's the people. In this conversation, we get to know the woman behind one of the most game-changing brands in the beauty industry — a woman who, naturally, happens to be a runner. (We recorded this conversation just a few days before Karissa ran the Rock N Roll Seattle Half Marathon!) Karissa talks about how running makes her a better leader and business owner. She talks about the days when she would sit at her ki

"I’m very excited to see where I’m at and to test myself. And I’m really having fun so far with this!" OK, right off the bat: You're getting more than 26 questions. Welcome to this new series on the Ali on the Run Show, where I sit down with some of my favorite people to ask a series of running- and non-running-related questions. Think Vogue's "73 Questions," but for runners — all of whom are currently gearing up for fall marathons. And what better way to kick things off than with Olympian and 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden? Des will run the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon, and she's here today to tell us what we don't yet know about everyone's favorite runner. (Including: a peek into <a href="https://amzn.to/3RCzrzp"

"Don’t just celebrate the final finish line. One of the ways to get through a training plan successfully is to make sure you’re stopping along the way and celebrating." Chris Bennett is on a mission: He wants runners to have more fun! (There's a reason he's been called "the real-life Ted Lasso.") The Nike Running Global Head Coach — known by hundreds of thousands of runners as simply "Coach" — takes a no-BS approach to running. He might dish out some tough love, but he always has a plan and a reason. He'll never tell you that you suck (and he really doesn't want you to say that to yourself, either), but he might tell you to "calm down," and he'll definitely tell you to "slow down." In this conversation, Coach Bennett talks about the importance of finding purpo

“I’m in this whole new world of what they call marathon training. I don’t know. I’m still in denial!” Emily Durgin is having one heck of a year on the run. The adidas-sponsored professional runner lives and trains in Flagstaff, AZ (though, she says, "Maine will always be home home"), and 2022 has been good to her. She kicked off the year at the Houston Half Marathon, where she ran a personal best (67:54), and became the sixth-fastest American woman ever in the half marathon. And then, the personal bests just kept coming: Emily ran PBs in the 10,000 meters, the 5K, the 10K, and the 15K. But in some ways, she's just getting started. Emily is moving up in distance! She's gearing up for her 26.2-mile debut at the TCS New York City Marathon in November! In this conversation, Emily talks about why she wanted to make her marathon debut this year, why she wanted to do it in New

"I saw a lot of people, especially on social media, saying, ‘She’s not gonna make it.’ And in my mind, I wanted to prove them wrong. And I think, honestly, that might have been my biggest downfall — trying to do more too soon, to prove to people that I could do this." It would be putting it lightly to say that the past two years have been a whirlwind for professional runner Aliphine Tuliamuk. At the beginning of 2020, she won the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon, earning herself a spot on Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics. Then, when the Olympics were postponed due to the pandemic, she and her partner, Tim, saw that as an opportunity: Instead of going to Japan and competing at the Olympics that summer, Aliphine was newly pregnant. She gave birt

"That’s such a good question, and one that I absolutely refuse to answer!" Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I’m flying through 39 listener questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I’m @aliontherun1), about my upcoming race announcing plans, how I'm feeling about moving (again!), what's most fulfilling to me right now, my take on introspection and talking about my feelings, and so much more. SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! You asked:

"I was in New York, and I went out and I had this experience of watching people run this marathon, and I broke down. I was like, 'Holy shit, this is the most powerful thing I’ve ever seen.'" To legions of adoring fans, Zac Clark is known as the winner of Season 16 of The Bachelorette, who got engaged to Tayshia Adams. But today, we are getting to know Zac, beyond the Bachelorette. We meet the young Zac who grew up in New Jersey, and the Zac who discovered he had a brain tumor at 23 years old, and had to undergo emergency brain surgery. We meet the Zac who recovered from surgery — and became addicted to prescription painkillers. The Zac who had a rough few years after that. Who got a DUI, whose wife left him, and who spiraled. And the Zac who hit rock bottom one day, when he was saved by a bank teller. Be

"The whole idea of getting comfortable being uncomfortable is actually about building a psychological endurance. In the same way we build a physical endurance for running more miles, we can build a kind of psychological endurance or tolerance for this stuff that is uncomfortable, but in the context of running, it’s actually normal." Welcome to Part II of this summer's Marathon Mentality series with Ali on the Run Show favorite Emily Saul! Emily is a licensed mental health counselor, sport psychology coach, and founder of E Saul Movement. She’s a former Division-1 collegiate r

"It shows, in the past two years, how much we’ve both improved because we’ve had each other to push each other the whole way." Meet Roisin Willis and Juliette Whittaker: the fastest high schoolers in American history. Not only have Roisin and Juliette spent their respective senior years breaking records and taking home world championships medals, but they've formed a very special long-distance friendship along the way — though it won't be long-distance for much longer. Both Roisin (from Stevens Point, WI) and Juliette (from Laurel, MD) are headed to Stanford University this fall. In this conversation, we get to know the 800m runners whose running resumes are already extensive. They both competed at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials last summer, as high school juniors. In April, Roisin was part of the distance medley relay world record-breaking team alongside Olympians El

"It’s really special when your friend becomes family." Some friendships build, grow, and develop over time. Others are instant. For Peloton instructors Jess Sims and Kirsten Ferguson, the best friendship was immediate. In the final episode of Friendship Fest Season 2, Jess and Kirsten talk about how they met (through Peloton, naturally), why they hit it off right away, and what it's like when a friend becomes family. Plus, "the Starbucks story" that Jess is still mad about, what it's like being Peloton-famous, and why it was so important for Kirsten to be there when <a href= "https://aliontherunblog.com/2022/05/05/al

"There was a part of me that was like, 'What if I hate it? What if I hate this job, what if I hate this role? Because I might! I’m not a media operations person! What if I hate it?' And so before the trip even started, I had kind of told myself, 'Hey, if you don’t love this, that is not a measure of success, and that does not make you a failure. You fail at this if you don’t try, if you don’t show up for your team, if you do a bad job, if you make a lot of mistakes. That would be a failure. But not loving it just means, OK, you tried something new, and if you don’t love it, you don’t have to do it again. But go and learn and take it all in, and what an experience to get to have!'" Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I’m flying through 31 listener questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I’m <a href="https://

"When you think about what you hope to leave on the sport or model for my daughters through the sport, I hope that’s what people see: resiliency, and how to pick yourself up, and not let discouragement get you down." First we heard from Keira D'Amato. Then Emma Bates. And now, we complete the World Athletics Championships Team USA women's marathon trifecta on the Ali on the Run Show with fifth-place finisher Sara Hall. Not only did Sara — a 39-year-old mom of four — run a season's best time of 2:22:10 that day in Eugene, she also says it was the most fun she's ever had running a marathon. In this conversation, Sara recaps her entire World Championships exp

"These people are out on the track, by themselves, just with their own body and their own mind. It’s really cool to watch. It’s cool to watch humans push themselves like that. And I want everyone else to be as excited about it as I am." Michelle Wolf is a stand-up comic, an ultra runner, and a massive fan of track and field. So it makes perfect sense that she was at World Athletics Championships in Eugene, OR, last month! In this conversation, Michelle talks about how she ended up in Eugene, working with the Hayward Magic team on an Instagram series called "Loosen Up with Michelle Wolf." (Fun fact: She got the job, in part, after her appearance on the Ali o

"That’s what I want — that’s the only thing that drives me as much as it does. I just want to inspire the next generation. And I feel like we did that. You would’ve sworn we won the entire race. You would’ve sworn we swept the podium! But, you know, fifth, seventh, eighth, and for people to be that proud and excited for us? It doesn’t get any better than that." The World Athletics Championships conversations continue! Last week, we heard from Team USA's Keira D'Amato, and today, fellow Team USA marathoner Emma Bates is up! Emma says the World Athletics Championships marathon was the most fun she has ever had running a race, and in this episode, she talks about why it tops her list. Emma finished seventh (in the world!) in that race, running 2:23:18 and taking more th

"I feel that every time I step on the line — like I have nothing to lose. And I get that question a lot: 'Do you feel a lot of pressure now that you’re the American record holder?' No. I feel no pressure. No one thought I was going to get the American record, and no one thinks I’m probably going to go any further. I just feel a lot of support. So yeah, I kind of just felt like I’m playing with house money." Keira D'Amato is the fastest — and funniest — marathoner in the country. And three weeks ago, the American record holder in the marathon got a phone call that changed everything. She had just run — and won — the B.A.A. 10K, and was planning her fall marathon schedule. But plans changed, quickly, and she learned that a spot had opened up on Team USA for the upcoming World Athletics Championships marathon in Eugene, OR. The spot was hers if she wanted it, which she knew immediat

"Listen, there are eight heats. Seven of them were all men. We are one-eighth of the media. We need to get that number up. But hell yeah to being the one-eighth." Jay Holder and I are back today, talking all things World Athletics Championships! We spent more than two weeks in Eugene, OR, working on the media experience team — him as the mixed zone supervisor, me as the press conference moderator — and in the third installment of our World Champs recaps, we're picking up where we left off last time. We talk about running the Media 800 at Hayward Field, share our favorite (and least favorite) moments from the 10-day competition period, and share the most challenging and unforgettable experiences along the way. (Check out our first recap here, and listen to

"I love being in the trenches with a good team." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I’m joined by guest host Jay Holder to answer all of your World Athletics Championships-related questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I’m @aliontherun1). For more about this experience so far in Eugene, OR, check out yesterday's episode. SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! <!-- /wp:paragr

"You said, 'I could never do that.' And that actually made me think that you could do it. Because it made me think about what you do every day, and it just felt like you’d be a natural at that role. So that’s where we’re at." Hi from the Pacific Northwest! I'm coming to you today from Eugene, OR, where I'm working on site as the press conference moderator for the 2022 World Athletics Championships. (How cool is that?!) In this episode, I'm joined by Jay Holder, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Atlanta Track Club, to talk about our respective roles at World Championships and our experiences so far. We talk about how I got this job, what it actually entails, and what the highlights have been so far. We're working hard, getting just enough sleep to get by, and having a lot of fun along the way. (Check out Jay's previous appearances on the Ali on the Run Sho

I had the pleasure and privilege of being the start and finish line race announcer at the inaugural WineShine Half Marathon in Napa Valley this past weekend — and bonus! The day before the race, I got to host a live show at the Silverado Resort and Spa with superstar guests Alysia Montaño and Stephanie Howe. We talked a lot about the highs that come with racing (like Stephanie's Western States win, and the time Alysia ran the 800m in the U.S. National Championships at eight months pregnant), and we talk about the tough stuff. The ruts. The losses. The disappointments. Alysia and Stephanie are proof that this sport can make your dreams come true and break your heart

"Check in on why you’re doing this. It doesn’t have to feel like the biggest 'why' statement of the whole world, like, 'What’s the purpose of life?' But it really does help you to say, 'What’s meaningful about this for me, right now?'" Ali on the Run Show favorite Emily Saul is back! Emily is a licensed mental health counselor, sport psychology coach, and founder of E Saul Movement. She's a former Division-1 collegiate rower, she's a lifelong athlete, she's a many-time marathoner, and she's a TEDxBoston speaker. This conversation kicks off the first of a three-part s

"All of a sudden, I was over here, alone, living in a small apartment the size of a dorm room, not having a lot of friends, I didn’t have anything to do. I didn’t have any future that I was looking forward to. I didn’t know what to do with myself except to put on my running shoes and go out and start running." Yuki Chorney is a 39-time marathoner with a 3:15 personal best. She has run 21 ultramarathons, including 100 milers. And she does it all — whether it's a 5K or an all-day event — decked out in glitter, sparkles, and rhinestones. Yuki Chorney is a self-proclaimed "running unicorn," and if you've ever seen her on the run, you know it's hard not to smile when she passes you (which she probably will, with a joyful, genuine smile). At 50 years old, Yuki is finding joy in running more than ever before. In this conversation, she talks about growing up in Japan, moving to the Unite

"I’m a track athlete and I’m doing full-time something else, and people feel like they can’t do both. But I feel like me and Jasmine, and a few others, are definitely showing that’s possible. I feel like we’re definitely paving our own way in the sport." Jasmine Todd is a professional long jumper and sprinter. Katelyn Hutchison is a 400m runner and three-time All-American who just finished running for Ithaca College, and is now headed to the University of Kentucky to finish out her NCAA eligibility. These two dynamic (and fast!) women just met for the first time three weeks ago — and they are already the best of friends. In this conversation, Jasmine and Katelyn talk about meeting at USATF Outdoor Championships and forming an immediate bond. They talk about their experience in the mixed zone with <a href= "https:

"I still don’t know if it was good, but I did my best. And it was the first time where I realized I’m kind of willing to fail at something. I’m not usually. But with this, I was like, 'OK, I’m going to do my best. And it might be a total flop. It might suck. And that’ll be OK! I’ve never done it before!'" Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I’m flying through 42 (!!!) randomly selected listener questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I’m @aliontherun1), about everything from my summer plans (I leave for World Championships tomorrow!), my approach to running right now, balancing work and motherhood, and a surprisingly emotional dive into my favorite Ted Lasso episode. <!--

"Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you have to be slower." Some people have obvious superpowers. Others — like professional triathlete Dede Griesbauer — keep their superpowers closer to the chest. Dede recently gave a TEDxBoston talk about her own superpowers: persistence and determination. And in this conversation, she explains how receiving a "Persistence & Determination" award as an 8-year-old at summer camp helped her become the successful athlete she is today. Dede is 51 years old, and has been competing as a professional triathlete for the past 20 years. She started competing at a time when many pros are starting to think about transitioning out of the sport. That's never deterred her, though. Dede doesn't care that her competitors are often half he

"When it’s race time, we’re competitive. I’m never just going to let Annie win! But it’s also really fun that when the race is over, we get to celebrate together regardless of how it went." Annie Frisbie and Dakotah Lindwurm have a lot in common. They train together as members of Minnesota Distance Elite. They're both sponsored by Puma. And they're both chill, low key, and low profile in their everyday lives — but when it's marathon go time, they unleash their superpowers. This week on Friendship Fest, Annie (a 2:26 marathoner who made her 26.2-mile debut at the New York City Marathon last year) and Dakotah (who just won Grandma's Marathon in a personal best of 2:25) talk about how they met, how they bond during weekend long runs (by refusing to slow down for the boys), and how they find joy in racing. Plus, what's next for each of them. <!-- wp:para

"I’m like, 'Oh this isn’t good! I’m locked inside of my own porta-john, 15 minutes before the start of the most prestigious marathon in the world, that I’ve been working on with everyone else for a year!' And I’m in a porta-john, and no one can hear me. And if I shake it too much, it’s gonna fall over, and that’s not good! Helicopters are circling above us, so you can’t hear very well, so no one’s hearing that I’m locked in the porta-john. So I had a choice…" Dave McGillivray is best known as the longtime race director for the Boston Marathon. (And every year, after fulfilling his race director duties, Dave returns to the start line in Hopkinton, MA, where he runs the marathon himself.) Dave is the president and founder of his own company, DMSE

"I’m excited to just put myself in it and be a part of it and give myself a chance. I think incredible things happen when you believe in yourself and stay in the here and now and give yourself the chance." On June 11, 2022, Brigham Young University graduate Courtney Wayment Smith made NCAA history. Competing at NCAA Championships, she ran the 3000m steeplechase in 9:16 — not only taking a commanding win, but breaking the collegiate national record (previously held by now-Olympian Courtney Frerichs) in the process. That time also put her at #5 on the all-time U.S. women's steeplechase list, behind Frerichs, Emma Cobur

"This is the first time in so long that I’ve been lining up with teammates, and it makes it so much more special. There’s nothing better than having a teammate who, even if you’re not in the same heat, you’re warming up together. There’s less pressure because you’re doing it together." Allie Wilson and Yolanda Ngarambe are two of the fiercest middle-distance competitors in running right now. But off the track? The Atlanta Track Club Elite teammates are fun, silly, and as giggly as it gets. In this conversation, Allie and Yolanda share the story of how they first met (Allie was running late, Yolanda saved the day) and how their instant bond was formed. We recorded this conversation on Friday morning, June 24, when Allie and Yolanda were both in Eugene, OR, for USATF Outdoor National Championships. Allie had just competed in the 800m prelims the night before and was resting up befo

"Don’t berate, educate!" Devon Pass is a runner, a mom to daughter Evie, and a dear friend — and today, she’s a podcast host! On this edition of Ask Ali, returning Ali on the Run Show guest Devon is here to do all the question asking, reading your questions from Instagram (and coming up with a few of her own). It's extra honest, extra fun, and even a little salty! ("I'm only salty behind a paywall." —Ali Feller) SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! Devon asks:

"When I’m happy and feel safe and I’m energized by the people and things around me, that’s when I’m going to run the best." Nikki Hiltz returns to the Ali on the Run Show for the fifth time — with some big news! Nikki is a professional middle-distance runner who is here to talk all about their new sponsor (it's lululemon!), their new coach (Mike Smith!), their new training partners (Rachel Schneider Smith!), their recent move to Flagstaff, and the first-ever in-person Pride 5K (it's happening IRL in Flagstaff in October!). Nikki and I recorded this conversation just a few days after they ran at the Trials of Miles Track Night NYC. That night, Nikki ran a personal best in the 800m, and returned to the track 50 minutes later to finish second in the 1500m. This week

"You convinced me to come out for a run. And thank god I did. Everything has snowballed from that run." What a treat today to get to welcome two of my favorite friends to Friendship Fest on the Ali on the Run Show! Jess Movold and Conor Nickel are New York City-based run coaches who met one fateful day several years ago at Mile High Run Club, where they were each auditioning to be instructors. Now, they are not only the best of friends, they also continue to work together: Conor is the Chief Operating Officer at The Fortitude Strength Club, which is co-owned by Jess's husband, Kyle, and is where Jess is also a coach. In this conversation, we get to know new-to-the-show Conor — a former runner at the University of Pennsylvania who has worked in the running industry for his entire adult life. (

"I loved running. I had the best race of my life and I was so excited. That feeling! You know that feeling? And they took it away from me that day. Anyone should be able to excel at what they love without these roadblocks of discrimination." In 2019, 17-year-old Noor Abukaram ran the best, fastest cross-country race of her life at a local meet in Ohio. But when she checked the results afterward, her name wasn't there. She learned that she had been disqualified before the race even started. For wearing a hijab. Noor — who was raised in a Muslim family and started wearing a traditional head and neck covering as a teenager — shared her story from that day, of being disqualified for rules unbeknownst to her, and it quickly went viral. And so she turned her heartache into advocacy. She founded <a href="https://letnoorrun.com/"

"I have to trust that I have something I want to say, and just double down on that." Kate Fagan is one of today's most important voices in women's sports. She is the best-selling author of three books — and is best-known in the running community as the author of What Made Maddy Run, about University of Pennsylvania runner Madison Holleran. Kate spent seven years as a columnist and feature writer for ESPN, she was a regular panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, and she was host of Outside the Lines. Today, she writes for Sports Illustrated, and is co-host of the Off the Looking Glass podcast. In this conversation, we talk about Kate's road to writing greatness, including why she never really wanted to be on TV,

"Some of my closest friendships are with women I compete against. So when I see them do the things that they’re doing, it truly makes me believe even more in myself in terms of what’s possible for me." Welcome to Friendship Fest, Season 2! This seven-week series is all about celebrating friendship on the run. We'll hear from some of our favorite running buddies — from the pros to the everyday runners — about how they met, the role running plays in their friendship, and what big goals and dreams they share for the future. We're kicking off Season 2 of this series with Boulder-based besties and professional marathoners Laura Thweatt and Emma Bates. They share the story of their first meeting in 2019 ("I decided then and there that Emma Bates was my girl crush," recalls Laura), they talk about how their friendship progressed

"I’ve tried to get better at knowing that I can’t be everything to everyone. But I do want this to be a place where anyone who feels like they are a part of the running community can find something that they enjoy or that inspires them or motivates them or makes them feel good or teaches them something." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, I'm flying through 37 randomly selected listener questions, sent in via Instagram Stories (I'm @aliontherun1), about everything from house hunting, podcast guest selection, and getting recognized on the run, to staying focused and what a day in the life is like. SPONSOR: goodr. <a href= "http://goodr.co

"It’s been hard to swallow that there is no miracle. It’s going to take time." It's been nearly one year since Kara Goucher came on the Ali on the Run Show to talk about what it was like being a part of the NBC Sports broadcast team during the Tokyo Olympics. Today, Kara returns with all kinds of updates. In this fun, wide-ranging conversation, Kara talks about how she has gotten more comfortable in her role as an NBC Sports Distance Analyst, and shares her broadcast plans for the summer. She talks about how she's honed her skills, and shares whether she still gets nervous to go live on air. Kara talks candidly about her recent Runner's Dystonia diagnosis, and what that means for her health, her running, and her family. Plus: parenting dur

"I really felt strongly that sharing online would not only help hold me accountable to sticking with my goals and my values, but also would help other people to see that it’s really normal to struggle, and it’s OK to seek treatment, it’s OK to seek help. And that even people who have had success don’t necessarily have everything figured out." The past year hasn't been easy for professional runner Allie Ostrander. After a career that started out with a series of highs — like signing with Brooks, making her first world championships team, and getting to represent Team USA in Doha in 2019 — life lately has been challenging. In this candid conversation, Allie talks about the tough times and how she has gotten through them. She talks about living and dealing with an eating disorder, and about pursuing a treatment program last year before returning to competition at the U.S. Olympic Tr

"There’s a lot of bumps on the way up. And a lot of people see that final moment, the excitement, the emotion that took place. And it was such a genuine and real moment. But it’s all because of the things leading up to that moment." Tara Davis is an Olympic long jumper. Hunter Woodhall is a Paralympic medalist. With their powers combined, they are the ultimate track and field power couple. And this week, Tara and Hunter announced their new lululemon partnership: The engaged duo are now sponsored by lululemon as Global Ambassadors for the brand. In this conversation, we hear all about how the lululemon deal came to be, and about why this was the perfect fit for Tara and Hunter. The social media savvy couple also talks about what it's like sharing so much of their lives online: Collectively, they have more than 3 million followers on TikTok, 667,000 Instagram followers, and 421,000

"What do I love most? I want to fricken win. And I want to hurt. And I want to see how fast I can go." What a treat to get to host a live show with the legendary Des Linden this weekend at the Chateau Chantal winery as part of the Bayshore Marathon festivities in Traverse City, MI. Des has been on the show a lot — six times, to be exact — so the goal with this show was to try and learn something new about everyone's favorite runner. And? Mission accomplished. We played an opening game of Would You Rather. We got to know Little Kid Des, Teen Des, College Des (and Beer Mile Des), AOL Instant Messenger Des, and the Des who lives with a chip on her shoulder. We talked about how Des got into broadcasting, and what her TV plans look like for 2022, and talked about her racing plans, including the upcoming B.A.A. 10K and what she's eyeing for the fall. She shared her Boston Marathon 2022

"It felt important to me. And so I sent the email. I took my own advice, and I sent the email." On Monday, I had the honor of giving a TED talk. In this episode, I'm talking all about my experience speaking at TEDxBoston's "Epic Strides" event, celebrating women in sport and the 50-year anniversary of the passing of Title IX. I share how I got this opportunity, my hesitations, and how it went. Plus, I share the talk itself. SPONSOR: New Balance — Go to newbalance.com/beyondtherun to learn more about how New Balance is supporting the conversations around mental wellness in running. (And check out my current favorite <a href="https://rstyle.me/+3qp1KeTUfuUCFpzB2g2JOA" target="_blank" rel= "noreferre

"From the start, it was like, I’m gonna deal with this, but I’m not going to let this take over. I’m not going to let it take my life away. I’m not going to let it take my happiness away. So I do it, and I deal with it, and some days are really tough, but I still want to live my life." In January, 13-time marathoner Saila Consalvi was told she'd be lucky if she could watch this year's Boston Marathon, let alone run it. And yet, four months later, she defied expectation: She completed the 2022 Boston Marathon. In this conversation, Saila talks about what it took to complete her third Boston Marathon, and about her road to the start line, which hasn't been easy. In 2017, Saila was 35 years old and had just completed her ninth marathon and her first Ironman. She was in the best shape of her life. But soon, things just felt...off. Then, she was diagnosed with Stage IV non-small cell

"Let’s just go out with a bang." Steph Bruce finished 12th at this year's Boston Marathon. The professional runner for HOKA NAZ Elite ran a 2:28, and while it wasn't her fastest time at the 26.2-mile distance, Steph says Boston 2022 ranks up there as one of her best and favorite marathons. And this year's race was unique for Steph: It's her last year competing as a professional athlete. Last year, Steph was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition, and that discovery forced her to start making some tough choices. She decided that 2022 would be her last year running professionally — and that she would go out with a celebration. Steph is calling this year her "Grit Finale," and she's taking fans along for the ride. (Check out her Boston recap on YouTube here

"It takes a lot to get to a start line. I never take that for granted." Shalane Flanagan has run the Boston Marathon six times: four times as a professional athlete; once as a retired pro, the day after racing the Chicago Marathon; and now, as a guide. Shalane is a four-time Olympian, an Olympic silver medalist, and the 2017 New York City Marathon champion. She is a coach, a New York Times best-selling cookbook author, and a mom to two-year-old Jack. After racing the Boston Marathon in the fall as part of Project Eclipse, Shalane returned to Boston this year — and it was different than any other time she had run the race. Because this time, Shalane's race wasn't about the pursuit of a podium or a personal best. She ran the race as <a href

"We know you can push through. We know you’re capable of that. A sign of your mental toughness isn’t pushing through — it’s can I hold back?" On March 5, I went out for a 13.1-mile run. A few miles into the run, my lower left leg started to hurt. I cut the run short and limped home. By that night, I could barely walk. I was dealing with my first real running injury. Two months later, I'm back on the run — but I never received an official diagnosis, I'm a bit trepidatious about running again, and I'm overwhelmed trying to remember how I even fit running into my life pre-injury. I thought I would be itching to get back on the run, but I'm...not? Enter Carrie Jackson. Carrie is a certified mental performance consultant with a Master's degree in sports psychology. She

"She said, ‘This is how it was supposed to be. This is how it was supposed to feel.’ And at that moment, I realized the magnitude of what we gave to each other." Fan favorite Jess Sims is back — and this time, she returns to the Ali on the Run Show as a marathoner! On April 18, the beloved Peloton instructor surprised the world by showing up at the start (and finish!) line of the Boston Marathon. And she had a good reason for keeping her marathon debut on the down-low. In this very special conversation, Jess talks about receiving a fateful message from Boston Marathon bombing survivor Michele Blackburn last December — a message that ultimately guided Jess every step of the way toward that finish line on Boylston Street. Jess talks about her t

"It was the fear of the unknown — but that was what I loved also. I don’t want to do something I know I could finish or know I could do. I want to do this thing that’s going to be really hard… and there was no stopping me." At 14 years old, Lottie Bildirici — a lifelong New Yorker — went from being a happy-go-lucky high schooler to a cancer patient. A lump on her neck turned out to be Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and Lottie immediately began chemotherapy treatments. She was the sick kid. But as she recovered physically (and was given a cancer-free diagnosis!), Lottie realized she had lost her identity. Who was she without cancer? And it was running that helped her redefine herself. Lottie completed a half-marathon at Disney World, and a passion for the sport was immediately ignited. She started learning more about health and nutrition — but soon lost her way. In this conversation, Lottie

“I can close my eyes still and remember every sign and every person’s face and every dog. I can remember all of it. It was a true unicorn of a day.” Adrianne Haslet went through hell to get to the start line of the 2022 Boston Marathon. But she got there. And then, she started in Hopkinton and ran 26.2 miles — with guide Shalane Flanagan by her side every step of the way — to cross the finish line on Boylston Street. Adrianne and Shalane finished the race in 5:18:14, coming in fourth place in the para athletics division. Today, Adrianne returns to the Ali on the Run Show to share every detail of what she calls the best day of her life. ("It sounded like a Rocky movie the whole way," she says.) Plus, Adrianne's favorite moments

"This is the time in my life where I’m trying to do whatever I can to be the fastest I can and get the furthest in running that I can. So anything that is not working toward that goal just doesn’t make any sense." For the second year in row, professional marathoner Nell Rojas had a big day in Boston. She finished 10th overall at the 126th Boston Marathon, running a personal best (2:25:57), and finishing as the top U.S. woman in the field. In this conversation, Nell talks Boston beyond the numbers. She talks about the pre-race press conference and about breaking some big news before the race: After signing with adidas earlier this year, Nell recently ended that partnership in favor of racing in shoes that she felt better suited her body. She talks about that difficult decision, and about how it weighed on her during her Boston build-up. Plus, she talks about her pre-race routine,

"When our smartphones are at 10 percent, we panic. We freak out… When our bodies are running on 10 percent, when our headspace is running on 10 percent, why don’t we have that same sense of urgency to look for an outlet, to recharge? We keep going. We allow ourselves to fully deplete before we ask to borrow a charger." Peloton instructor — and newly published author — Tunde Oyeneyin returns to the Ali on the Run Show today. In this conversation, Tunde reflects on how her life has changed since she was last on the show in December 2020. Her Peloton classes are now taken by hundreds of thousands of people. She has amassed more than 520,000 followers on Instagram. She's the face of Revlon, and the host of the <a href= "https://podcasts.

“This weekend I was like, ‘I just want to be me, and see where I can go with that. I don’t want to conform. I don’t want to turn off who I am to fit into the existing landscape.’” After 1,099 days, the Boston Marathon was back on Patriots Day! And I was there! On this episode, I'm talking (for a very long time) all about my weekend in Boston, where I hosted a live show with Tracksmith (listen to it here), was the post-race on-camera interviewer for the world feed broadcast (!!!), and made my Boston Marathon finish line announcing debut. It was a nonstop weekend filled with great people, exciting events, and a big leap out of my comfort zone and onto live (global!) television. So before we get into the interviews with people who ran the race

Boston is BACK! It was such a privilege to get to host a live recording of the Ali on the Run Show at the Tracksmith Trackhouse during the 2022 Boston Marathon weekend, with the ever-delightful recent podcast guests Anoush Arakelian and Emily Saul. This conversation was filled with great advice, hilarious stories, and — because why not? — dating talk. Thank you to Tracksmith for hosting us; thank you to Emily and Anoush for the wit, wisdom, and laughter; and thank you to everyone who joined and was part of the fun! SPONSOR: Tracksmith. <a href= "https://www.tracksmith.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noop

“The people who read my blog and supported me — whether we met in real life or from afar — they saved my life on my worst days.” Laura Green is a runner, a mom to two boys, and a dear friend — and today, she’s a podcast host! On this edition of Ask Ali, returning Ali on the Run Show guest Laura is here to do all the question asking, reading your questions from Instagram (and coming up with a few of her own). We do a chronological Ali deep dive, from the college days, to the pre-podcast blogging days, to life today with a 3.5-year-old. SPONSOR: goodr. Click here<

"Doctors said when I was born that I would be the last one to sit up, the last one to crawl, the last one to stand and walk. Well, I was the first to do all those things." Jenna Fesemyer was born with a birth defect called proximal femoral focal deficiency, where one leg is shorter than the other. At one year old, she had her foot amputated. And she immediately defied her doctors' expectations. As a teenager, she discovered wheelchair racing, and now, she's a Paralympian who represented Team USA in Tokyo last summer. (The Paralympic marathon was just the beginning of Jenna's fall marathon season: She then raced the London, Chicago, Boston, and New York City Marathons.) This weekend, Jenna heads to Boston where she will race in the professional women's wheelchair division in both the B.A.A. 5K on Saturday and the Boston Marathon on Monday. Jenna is sponsored by Oiselle, a

"She’s my person." Silvana Morgan is a nurse, a runner, and a mom to two daughters. A few years ago, she was running a race when she saw a fellow runner up ahead wearing "a really cute outfit." But when the course split — half marathoners to the left, other race distances to the right — Silvana, who is from Brazil and says she's now living her dream with her family in New Hampshire, didn't get a chance to meet that runner and tell her she liked her outfit. That runner, it turned out, was commercial truck driver, marathoner, and outdoor enthusiast Yuma Haidara. Later that day, Yuma posted about her race in New Hampshire's She Runs This Town Facebook

“What will get us to the finish line is nothing compared to what got us to the start.” In 2013, professional ballroom dancer Adrianne Haslet was walking near the Boston Marathon finish line when the bombs went off. She lost her leg that day, standing on Boylston Street. Then, in 2019, Adrianne — who had become a runner herself after her lower leg amputation — was walking on Commonwealth Ave. when she was hit by a car. Even in the face of so much unexpected adversity, Adrianne hasn't lost her fighting spirit. She's a survivor, an advocate, an inspiration — and on Monday, April 18, she'll return to both Comm Ave. and Boylston Street, but this time it will be en route to her own marathon finish. Adrianne will be racing in the Boston Marathon's para division alongside friend and official guide Shalane Flanagan. In this conversation, Adrianne talks about training under Shalane's guida

“There was a moment where I looked at myself in the mirror and said, ‘Whoa, this is what you’re meant to do. This is it.’” Kirsten Ferguson is living her dream. She once wrote "Become a Peloton instructor" on a Post-It note, and today she's doing exactly that. (And she still has the manifestation-filled Post-It.) The Peloton Tread instructor is a single mom of two, and the road to this dream life hasn't been an easy one. Kirsten grew up with aspirations of working in the fashion industry. But when she enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she quickly realized that she wanted to do something completely different. She ended up getting a job working in sponsorships with the NFL, where she worked for seven years before leaving and having children. Along the way, Kirsten suffered two miscarriages. That's when she found fitness. Kirsten leaned into cycling classes during her

"I’m tired. But I’m feeling pretty good. I’ve got a job to do and I need to do it and that’s kind of it. I’m on a mission. I just need to get it done." Jacky Hunt-Broersma is on a quest to run 100 marathons in 100 days. That's 26.2 miles every single day for 100 days straight, while raising money for Amputee Blade Runners. We recorded this episode together at 8 AM on Day 75. Jacky — a running coach and ultramarathoner whose next goal is the Moab 240 Endurance Run — had just gotten her two kids off to school, and was getting ready for marathon number 75. In this conversation, we get to know the Jacky today, who is more than 3/4 of the way through her record-setting challenge. And we get to know the 26-year-old Jacky from 2001, who woke up one day with a golf ball-sized ma

“I said, ‘You definitely have this win. Don’t be so scared anymore.'” Last weekend, two-time Olympian Dominique Scott Efurd won the first-ever elite division at the Atlanta Women's 5K. And while it may have been her first time breaking the tape this year, Dom's 2022 is off to a solid start. In January, she finished third at the Houston Half Marathon. Then, she finished second at The TEN. And this weekend, she'll race the Cooper River Bridge Run. In this conversation — Dom's first time back on the show since late 2020 — Dom talks about her recent races, about the challenging start to 2021, which included a tibial stress reaction and a case of Covid, and about her experience representing Team South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. Dom is sponso

“I’ve just been struggling to survive. To figure out how to survive. I want people to see me and say, ‘OK, let’s not look at what we think people are.’ Because everybody has their own struggles. Life is tough!” Earlier this month, I found myself glued to my phone, rabidly refreshing the Humans of New York Instagram account, waiting for updates in the 13-part story about a woman in Augusta, GA. The woman was Venus Morris Griffin. Today, she's a hugely successful realtor and mom of seven. But the road to becoming one of Meybohm Real Estate's leading agents (Venus has closed more

“I could tell he wasn’t mentoring me because he wanted it to be this public thing that made him look good. I wasn’t his charity case.” Dinée Dorame had a dream: to launch a podcast that would explore the intersection between running, land, community and culture. So she applied for the first-ever Tracksmith Fellowship program — and she won. Dinée was one of the first recipients of a Tracksmith Fellowship grant, which gave her the support she needed to bring the Grounded podcast into existence. She was also paired with a mentor: Mario Fraioli, host of The Morning Shakeout podc

“It was pretty tough, I’m not gonna lie. I walked off the track pretty mad. I didn’t want to talk to any cameras, so I walked past the camera people because I knew they were just going to drill me with a bunch of questions that I didn’t want to talk about. And I hadn’t even had time to digest it myself. So I was about to say something I probably shouldn’t have on camera. So I said, ‘I’m making this boundary for myself,’ and I kept walking.” Elle Purrier St. Pierre is one of the fastest women in the country. The professional New Balance athlete just capped off her indoor season by earning a silver medal in the 3K at World Indoor Championships in Serbia. In 2020, she broke the American record in the indoor mile. Then, last summer, she won the 1500m event at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials (and set a Trials record for that event), solidifying her spot on Team USA and achi

“I got off the plane, looked out at the mountains, and just felt this sense of relaxation. Like this is where I’m supposed to be, this is where life is good. And it made no sense!” Laura Skladzinski was a dancer and theater kid growing up. She, like many of us, hated having to run the mile in gym class. Then, at 24 years old, Laura became the youngest person at the time to complete a marathon in all 50 states, and she has gone on to run more than 100 marathons and a few ultramarathons. So, what changed? In this wide-ranging conversation, Laura talks about how she became a runner, and what her approach to running is like. She talks her decision to move from New York City to Colorado, and about becoming a town trustee in her new hometown of Superior, CO. She also talks about how difficult that role has been over the past few months, after fires tore through the town at the end of 2

“It’s just those people when you instantly connect, and they’re one of your people. She was one of those people. And it’s so hard to find those people as adults, as we all know. She was that easy connection, easy talking to. Everything just felt like it was meant to be and meant to happen.” Cara Enright Welsh and Cameron Erhardt are two of the nicest people on the planet — so it's no surprise this episode is warm fuzzy central. Cara and Cam met when they were both part of Nike's Project Moonshot marathon training program, and they say they became best friends the very first day they met. They immediately bonded over their mutual love for Taylor Swift and NYC "Emo Nights" ("Stay sad!"), their respective roles as the oldest of four siblings, and a sh

"I've made it here. I'm good with that. I'm going to start this race as me. However I finish, I'm still me." I love a live show! The day before the United Airlines NYC Half (thanks to New Balance, New York Road Runners, and the 1 Hotel Central Park South), I had the pleasure of hosting a live recording of the Ali on the Run Show with returning podcast guests Becs Gentry and Nev Schulman. (Shout-out to the live audience: You were a great crowd, and you were so much fun! Thank you for being there.) This banter-filled conversation covered everything from Becs and Nev's approaches to running and dealing with dark

"Even though I’ve been doing this for a while, and I’ve been working for myself for a long time, I still have a hard time making my own rules." Julia Berteletti is a runner, a mom, and a dear friend — and today, she's a podcast host! On this edition of Ask Ali, returning Ali on the Run Show guest Julia is here to do all the question asking, reading your questions from Instagram. We cover everything from favorite foods and "stranded on a desert island" scenarios, to podcasting, motherhood, running, and more. SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! Check out: <!-- /wp:paragraph

"That Saturday when I set the record and I was in the tent waiting for them to start the awards ceremony, dozens of people came up to talk to me, and they were from all over the United States! I couldn’t imagine why. I’m just doing what I like to do!" Betty Lindberg is a local legend in her hometown of Atlanta, GA. She started running at 63 years old, and now, at 97, she's breaking world records. Last month, Betty ran the USATF Master's 5K Championships in Atlanta, and set a new world record for the 95–99 age group. (She finished in 55:48, smashing the previous record by more than 30 minutes.) Breaking that record was no accident: Betty is fiercely competitive (mostly with herself), and she takes her training seriously. (She works out six days a week. On the seventh day, she rests and enjoys her weekly hair appointment.) In this conversation, Betty shares her running story, talks

"I don’t think I would’ve done it if Grace hadn’t. I remember saying two things: One, 'The data says you can do it.' And two, thinking about Grace." Jenny Grimshaw and Grace Keller have only been friends for a few years, but in that time, they've helped each other dream bigger and chase down exciting running goals. Their first endeavor together: to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. On this episode, Jenny and Grace talk about meeting when they were both living, working, and running in New York City, and share how they're now making a long-distance friendship work. (Jenny lives in San Francisco with her husband and their new baby, Tate, and she works for Glossier. Grace and her husband, a professional baseball player, live in Charlottesville, VA, where she works in the finance and investment banking industry.) Their friendship is a special one that's rooted in their unw

“These women are stone-cold killers on the track, so you’re just like, ‘I can’t believe you feel that way!’ But it’s really helpful for anyone who’s dealing with that to know, ‘Hey, these women had to overcome that.’ It was hurting their performance for a while and they had to figure out a way.” Molly Huddle and Sara Slattery are incredible runners, incredible women, wonderful role models, and now, they can officially say they are published authors. Today, professional runner Molly Huddle and former pro Sara Slattery are here to talk all about their new book, How She Did It. Consider this book the ultimate roadmap for female distance runners. It includes advice from experts, plus stories, interviews, and profiles from 50 legendary women in the sport (many of whom you know, love, and ha

"I found myself when I found running." Stephanie Roth Goldberg is a psychotherapist, licensed clinical social worker, and certified eating disorder specialist in New York City. And when she offers a listening ear and advice for her clients, she's able to do that as both a trained professional and as someone who personally has been through it. In this conversation, Stephanie shares her experiences with substance abuse and addiction and disordered eating as a teen and young adult. She talks about going to rehab for the first time at 14 years old, and about how she ultimately found recovery. And she talks about finding running — and finding herself in the process. In addition to sharing her story on this episode, Stephanie — who is an an Ironman and mom of two living in Montclair, NJ — offers advice about developing a healthy relationship with exercise, dealing with anxiety

"I was a complete mess. I was so emotional about it, so excited, so just…relieved to have come in, having a lot of momentum, knowing this was a possibility, and then completing a mission." Olivia Baker is on fire. The professional runner for Atlanta Track Club Elite just competed at the USATF Indoor Track & Field Championships where she finished second in the 800m, officially making her first senior world championship team. She'll head to Serbia later this month to represent Team USA at Indoor World Championships. In this conversation, Olivia reflects on the road to Team USA, including dealing with disappointment after last summer's U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials, weighing the decision of whether or not to attend medical school, and ultimately joining Atlanta Track Club Elite instead. She gushes about her teammates, talks about the tough times and low moments, and shares

"We have all become the women we are today because of other women." —Emma Bates It was a great privilege to get to host this virtual live show on International Women's Day with three UCAN-sponsored professional athletes: Sara Hall, Emily Sisson, and Emma Bates. All three of these women were fresh off three different races — the Tokyo Marathon for Sara, a win at the Gate River Run 15K for Emily, and The TEN on the track for Emma — so in addition to recapping their recent race experiences, we also talked about the power of women in sports. Sara, Emily, and Emma talk about the women who have pushed and inspired them in their respective careers, they talk about who they love racing against, and they talk about confidence on and off the roads. SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to <a href="http://ucan.co/ali" target=

"We’re track and field’s biggest hype people, and we want to share the joy of the sport with as many people as possible." You'll be hard-pressed to find anyone who loves track and field more than the dynamic duo ("the greatest bromance in track and field") of Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber. This week, we're turning our Friendship Fest attention to the guys. Chris is the founder of Citius Mag, host of the Citius Mag podcast, former Sports Illustrated journalist, director of the Magic Boost program, and one of the nicest, hardest-working people in the industry. Kyle is a former professional runner (a 3:52 miler! he won the Millrose Games mile as a high schooler!) who re

“It could be two o’clock in the afternoon and the sun’s beating down on us, and I’m just smiling. I’m gritting my teeth through the afternoon sun, and still believing I can push through it.” On February 18, renowned ultra runner Camille Herron made history — again. The queen of the ultra scene ran and won the USATF 100-Mile Road Championships in Henderson, NV, and not only won the race outright (the first male finisher was half an hour behind her), she broke her own 100-mile world record by 89 seconds, finishing in 12 hours 41 minutes and 11 seconds. That's a 7:36 per mile pace on an 85-lap course. On this episode, Camille (who turned 40 on Christmas) talks all about that race, including how she prepped for it, her goals going into the race, and how she has tweaked her training and lifestyle habits in order to "age like a fine wine," she says. Plus, how she got into running and u

“When I met Aisha, I was like, ‘Oh, we’re gonna be friends forever.’” Emily Infeld and Aisha Praught Leer are professional runners and Olympians, and despite never sharing a coach, team, or hometown, they have the type of friendship that transcends all of that. On this episode, Aisha and Emily talk about how they met, share their first impressions of each other, and talk about how they bonded long-distance in the early days of their professional careers. We get some big life updates: Emily officially announces who she's being coached by since leaving the Bowerman Track Club, and Aisha talks about how her return to running has been going since having surgery to repair her torn meniscus after last year's Tokyo Olympics. Plus, LOL-worthy stories about Emily behind the wheel, Aisha in the pool, and so much more. SPON

"I didn’t prepare for it. I wasn’t ready for it. It was very, very hard, and dark, and scary." Welcome to the second episode in the new Beyond the Run series on the Ali on the Run Show. Twice a month, we're checking in with industry experts, professional runners, and everyday runners to talk about the intersection of running and mental wellness. (The first episode in this series with Dr. Ian Nurse and Emily Saul was a must-listen.) Today, running and strength coach Jess Movold returns to the show to talk about her pregnancy (she's currently 21 weeks along with her first baby, a boy!) and how she's coped with the physical and emotional changes in her life. It's an honest, vulnerable conversation about expectations vs. reality, dealing with dark days, a

“My default is trusting and looking for the good. I want to believe that people are telling me the truth when I talk to them. I assume they are. I just generally find that I always give people the benefit of the doubt and assume they’re honest and well intentioned. Obviously that’s not true. But that sort of naïveté, if you will — which definitely led to me getting catfished — has strangely served me well. I’m so glad I got duped by that woman.” Nev Schulman is best known as the star of the 2010 award-winning documentary Catfish, and now as the host of the MTV show of the same name. (My mom knows — and adores — him as the runner-up from Season 29 of Dancing with the Stars.) But when he's not seeking scammers, he's likely on the run. Nev is a 2:58 marathoner who is currently training to run the New York City Half Marathon, where he hopes to run a personal best (s

"I would declare war on all of your enemies." Welcome to Friendship Fest! Starting today and for the next seven weeks, we'll be hearing from runner friends about how they met, the role running plays in their friendship, and what big dreams and goals they share for the future. (Consider it Love on the Run, friendship-style!) We're kicking things off today with Boulder-based besties and professional marathon runners Nell Rojas and Hiruni Wijayaratne. Nell and Hiruni are both coached by Ric Rojas (Nell's dad), and we recorded this conversation while they were at training camp in Phoenix. They share the stories of how they met, why Hiruni joined Nell and Ric's training group, what it was like running the first 20 miles of CIM together in December, and how they handle it when one of them has a great race or workout and the other doesn't. <!-- wp:paragraph

“I can only show up and do my best every time. And sometimes my best will be the best. And other times it won’t. And that’s fine. I think.” Welcome to the first Ask Ali episode of 2022! This time, instead of answering listener voicemails, I've enlisted Molly Burke to facilitate, and we're answering questions I received before and after the 2022 State of the Ali on the Run Show episode. It's a lot of behind-the-scenes-of-the-podcast stuff, a lot of questions about my goals for the show, and a good amount of self-reflection. Also a surprising number of bear references. <stron

"I’ve been working a lot on just being able to own who I am in this sport. Things have changed so drastically over the last two years, so it’s coming to terms with that, of going from someone who was going to quit the sport to now someone who is one of the better-known names in the sport. That’s been a weird transition for me, honestly." Last week, Olympic bronze medalist Molly Seidel shared a dating-related post on Instagram. And to say it was the talk of the running world (and far beyond) would be an understatement. The post prompted all kinds of reactions (it currently has more than 2,100 comments — nearly double the response Molly received when she posted about running the New

"Moral of the story is if a girl is gonna stick around you when you’re sleeping until 12:30 in the afternoon, she probably likes you. Marry her." Happy Valentine's Day! Welcome to the seventh and final episode in this year's Love on the Run Week series. Today, Jersey is in the house! Professional runners Josette Norris and Robby Andrews join the show to talk about the first time they met, the actual first time they met, and what they're each like on the sidelines when the other is racing (spoiler: loud!). Josette signed with Reebok in 2020, and is fresh off a breakout year where everyone was talking about "Josette Norris from New Jersey." And 2022 is already off to a solid start for her, with personal bests in the 1500m and the 3000m. Robby is in his tenth year competing as a professional athlete. He is sponsored by adidas, and is a 2016 Olympian: He competed in the 1500m in Rio. In this conversation, Jose

"I feel like I’m the best version of myself when he’s around." It's a big weekend for professional runners Sinclaire Johnson and Craig Nowak! Sinclaire and her Union Athletics Club teammates just broke the DMR (distance medley relay) world record in Spokane, WA (Sinclaire ran the 800m leg), and Craig was tasked with pacing 1500m and the 3K. But when they're not racing, pacing, or record-breaking, Sinclaire and Craig live and train together in Portland, OR. On this episode, they share the story of how they met (at Oklahoma State University, where Sinclaire was a freshman and Craig was a fifth year senior), what it was like dating long-distance after Craig graduated, and moving in together. Sinclaire, an NCAA 1500m champion who signed with Nike after graduating, talks about her decision to leave the Bowerman Track Club last year and to join Union Athletics Club, where she is coached by Pete Julian. She talks a

“It was that classic thing of, ‘Want to go study together?’ with no actual interest in studying whatsoever.” In the summer of 2011, the northeast was preparing to get hit by Hurricane Irene. At Providence College in Rhode Island, a group of students gathered in a dorm room to ride out the storm together. Two of those students, both at Providence to run competitively, were Emily Sisson and Shane Quinn. On this episode, professional runner Emily and mental health counselor Shane talk about why they were immediately attracted to each other (no "speed goggles" necessary), and how their relationship started (shout-out to the Providence Place mall!). They reflect on major moments in Emily's running career, like winning the 10K at the U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials last summer, and talk about what it was like when Emily competed at the Olympics but Shane couldn't be there with h

“I thought he just wanted to be my friend!” Love on the Run Week, day four! Today we're joined by Minnesota Distance Elite's Annie Frisbie and Dhru Patel. Annie is in the midst of a breakout year on the run. She made her marathon debut at the TCS New York City Marathon in November, where she ran a 2:26, finishing seventh overall and as the third American woman. That time was the fourth-fastest marathon debut by an American woman. Then, Annie signed her first professional sponsorship deal with Puma. Last month, she raced for the first time in her new kit and shoes at the Houston Half Marathon, running a 1:10, finishing 10th, and immediately saying she was "hungry for more." When she's not running professionally, Annie is a graphic designer. On this episode, we hear all about that day

"I was like, you know what, any woman who can hop over a fence in a dress — I need to know more about her!" It's day three of Love on the Run Week, and Natalie and Jerold Mitchell are here! Natalie and Jerold have been married for more than two decades, and have three children together. They live in Los Angeles, where Jerold works in human resources, Natalie is a run coach (she's also a 12-time marathoner with a 3:05 personal best), and they co-host the Suite Run podcast. On this episode, they talk about the first time they met (Natalie was not interested), about bonding at a friend's wedding, and about dating long-distance for two years before Jerold moved to L.A. to be with Natalie. Jerold shares the story of surprising Natalie by running a marathon with the hopes of proposing at t

“Emma was my calm within the storm.” It's the second day of Love on the Run Week, and today we're joined by Nikki Hiltz and Emma Gee. Nikki is a professional runner specializing in the 1500 meters, and Emma was a standout collegiate runner at Brigham Young University and Temple University. Together, they're a total dream team, and they're incredible advocates for the LGBTQ+ community. (Run the Pride 5K!) Last year, Nikki came out as transgender nonbinary, telling the world, "The best way I can explain my gender is as fluid." Nikki's pronouns are they/them; Emma's pronouns are she/her. Nikki and Emma are wise and introspective, and they love self-discovery. On this episode, they talk about how they met (for the first time in a town called Hurricane!), why they fell in love, and what their rel

“Our love story is a pretty long, funny one.” Welcome to Love on the Run Week 2022! On tap: seven days, seven episodes, seven couples sharing their love stories. Prepare for lots of laughs, awwwwws, and warm fuzzies leading up to Valentine's Day. These guests — all at different stages in their relationships — will share how they met, the best parts of their relationships, the challenges, and the role running plays throughout it all. First up: Keira and Anthony D'Amato! Keira is the newly-crowned American record holder in the marathon, and she'll be the first to tell you that she couldn't and wouldn't have run that 2:19:12 at the Houston Marathon without "Team D'Amato." And yeah, she's the fastest marathoner in the country right now, but Keira and Anthony are all about fun. Everything they do is in pursuit of a go

"Running is hard. Races are hard. So let’s expect that." Welcome to Beyond the Run — a new series on the Ali on the Run Show focusing on the mental side of running. Twice a month, we'll hear from professional athletes, everyday runners, and experts in their fields about the impact running can have on our emotional well-being. We're kicking things off today with two experts. Dr. Ian Nurse is a chiropractor, 25-time marathoner (with a 2:25 personal best), dad of two, and owner of Wellness in Motion Boston, where he treats the everyday and amateur runner, movie stars, musicians, and professional athletes including Molly Seidel, Elle Purrier St. Pierre, and Heathe

"Running has served many purposes over my whole life. But in this particular set of moments now — where so much of what I’m doing is not exactly about metrics, but about data and trying to achieve or accomplish something — I realized that trying to meet some particular bar or some standard with running was not the relationship I wanted to have with that activity. I want running to be something I do for me... It’s supposed to be fun." If you're a parent, you're probably familiar with Emily Oster. She's an economist and professor of economics at Brown University, but among the child-rearing set, she's best known as the author of Expecting Better, Cribsheet, and <a href= "https://amzn.to/3re0Hts" targ

“I think this time was a long time coming. I just had to believe in myself more than anything.” The last time freelance journalist Emilia Benton was on the Ali on the Run Show, she talked about her longtime dream to qualify for the Boston Marathon. And she just kicked off 2022 by doing exactly that: running a nearly 16-minute personal best and earning a Boston qualifying time at the Houston Marathon. (Emilia's official finish time: 3:30:14!) On this episode, Emilia talks all about how she made that 12-year dream come true in Houston. She talks about the game-changing decision to hire professional runner Nell Rojas as her coach, and about what working with Nell was like throughout her marathon build-up. (Read more about their experience worki

“Celebrating victories big or small — that’s definitely how I choose to live life now.” The "great time to be a 30-something mom on the run" celebrations continue today on the Ali on the Run Show. Sara Vaughn is a full-time realtor and mom of four who just made — and won — her marathon debut at CIM and, within hours of crossing the finish line, was on the phone about to sign her first professional running contract with Puma. Sara has been competitive on the track for a long time, having great success particularly in the 1500m and the steeplechase. But last year, she got the itch to go long, and decided to give the marathon a try. Now, at 35, she's a fully-sponsored professional runner for the first time. On this episode, Sara talks about what life is like now with her new Puma deal, and explains how that deal came together. She talks about motherhood, identity, and wheth

"We hit that first split bang on the money, and I told her, 'We’re good. It’s happening. It’s on.'" It was a record-breaking, history-making weekend at the Houston Marathon! Keira D'Amato won the race and ran a new American record in the marathon, finishing in 2:19:12 and breaking Deena Kastor's former record by 24 seconds. And Keira had some company along the way: two pacers, one of whom was Texas-based ultra-runner and four-time Guinness World Record Holder Calum Neff. (You may also remember Calum as the "green shorts guy" who paced Sara Hall at the Marathon Project in 2020.) And while Calum is an incredibly accomplishe

“I will be a nervous wreck until that gun goes off, but I will never race like I’m nervous… As soon as I’m racing, it all goes out the window, and I’m always going to race my heart out, no matter what.” At last summer's U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials, Allie Wilson officially solidified her spot as "one to watch" in the 800m. The professional runner for Atlanta Track Club Elite made it to the final round of the 800, ultimately finishing sixth. And despite not making the Olympic team, she walked away from Hayward Field proudly — and with a new personal best (1:59.02). On this episode, Allie reflects on her first Olympic Trials experience. She talks about her pre-race meltdown before the first round of competition, and talks about how she deals with race-day nerves. Allie talks about why she likes "racing under the radar," and about how she's learned not to count herself out

“It was just so magical. Like holy smokes, I did it.” Last weekend, Brittany Charboneau made Disney history by becoming the first person to ever win all four races in the Dopey Challenge. The North Face-sponsored professional runner ran four races in four days — a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon — and broke the tape at each one. And she did so in carefully curated costumes that she hand-made herself, including Elsa from Frozen 2, Bing Bong and Joy from Inside Out, and Cruella de Vil from Cruella. On this episode, Brittany talks about why she wanted to complete the Dopey Challenge after a disappointing experience at last year's Boston Marathon. She talks about getting Covid just a few weeks before the races, and about her inspiration for each race and each costume. Plus, the Colorado-based comedian talks about attending "Broadway Camp" in New York C

“That is how I always race — I’ve always got a smile on my face.” Dakotah Lindwurm runs happy. If you saw her leading the 2021 Boston Marathon — where she ultimately finished as the third American woman — you saw that smile on full display, from start to finish. And that smile just got a lot bigger, as Dakotah kicks off the new year with her first professional contract. Last week, Dakotah announced that she has officially signed with Puma, and that she will continue training with Minnesota Distance Elite. On this episode, the 2:29 marathoner (and former hockey goalie!) talks about her stellar past year on the run, which included two half-marathon personal bests and a win at Grandma's Marathon, where she also ran a personal best. She talks about being pegged as an underdog, and why she loves it, and about her goals for this weekend's Houston Half Marathon. <!-- /wp:paragrap

“I feel like I’m in love again with the process of waking up early, putting my shoes on, bundling up, and going for a run. It doesn’t feel quite easy or fun all the time yet, but I’m definitely in love with the process again.” For most professional athletes, a day in the life includes running, eating, recovering, napping, resting, running again, eating again, and sleeping. But for Hiruni Wijayaratne — the 11-time Sri Lankan record holder in distances from the 5,000 meters to the marathon, and the fastest female marathoner in South Asia — running has to happen before or after her other jobs. Hiruni lives in Colorado, where she works full-time in the tech industry, coaches with Runcoach, and trains at an elite level under the coaching of Ric Roja

“I don’t know what the year will bring, but I know I’m going to keep showing up for myself and for all of you.” In 2021, I released 165 episodes of the Ali on the Run Show with 134 different guests. I welcomed 10 new sponsors to the show, and maintained a strong partnership with eight longtime sponsors. In addition to the "hallmark" Thursday conversations, there was a steady stream of fun series options to choose from, including Love on the Run, On the Job, Ask Ali, What's New With You, Just Missed, Ramblings on the Run, and The Everyday Runner. After a long, pandemic-induced break, I was thrilled to return to in-person live shows in both Boston and New York City, and I hosted two virtual live shows earlier in the year. In October, the show surpassed 10 million downloads. November saw the show's single highest week of downloads, and became the show's highest-ever month of downloa

“If I’m stuck on a joke, I’ll go for a run and think about it during my run. And almost all the time, I can figure it out on the run.” Michelle Wolf is a comedian who is best known for her stand-up specials (Michelle Wolf: Joke Show on Netflix, and Michelle Wolf: Nice Lady on HBO), and her roles as a writer and on-air contributor at both The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and Late Night with Seth Meyers. And though she's been successful on the comedy scene for a long time, it was her set as the headliner at the 2018 White House Correspondents' Dinner that really made headlines. Where was she when she got the call about being invited to the dinner? On a run. And what did she do in the aftermath, when life was, as she recalls, "tumultuous?" Go for a run. Michelle is a college high jumper turned avid distance runner, ultramarathoner, and self-proclai

A disclaimer, before we get into it: This conversation talks at great length about one man's experience with disordered eating and anorexia. We discuss his eating habits and behaviors, his weight fluctuations, and what worked for him during recovery. As always, I want you to take care of yourselves and your hearts, and if for any reason these topics are hard for you to hear about right now, please consider listening cautiously or skipping this episode. “They looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘You’re dying.’ And I didn’t believe them.” Jesse Harmon is a 12-time marathoner with a 2:58 personal best in the distance. He's a dad of four, living with his wife and kids in South Carolina, where he's the founder of Run Hard — an after-school program for kids, where the goal is to create self-confidence thro

“Holiday songs are my passion.” —Aisha Praught Leer One year ago, we closed out 2020 on the Ali on the Run Show with a holiday party of sorts. It was virtual, with a 500-person Zoom audience, a Schitt's Creek-inspired soundtrack, and an all-star guest lineup: Shalane Flanagan, Des Linden, and Aisha Praught Leer. We sat in front of our Christmas trees (Shalane wore holiday pajamas!), and indulged in 90 minutes of warm, fuzzy feelings. It felt like what we all needed at the time. And now, more than 365 days later, it seems like we might need those good feelings again. So, I'm releasing the episode to the public for the very first time. Whether you were there with us when the show first happened, or you're tuning in for the first time now, I hope this conversation brings you some holiday cheer. Shalane, Des, and Aisha talk about their holiday traditions, their earl

“That seems to have diminished quite a bit since having a baby. The outcomes really don’t matter. It’s just so much more about who I’m becoming as I’m trying to reach these goals. It’s so cliché, right — the journey. But it really is true. The journey and who you’re becoming are just so much more important.” Last year, Makenna Myler went viral when she ran a mile in five minutes and 25 seconds — at nine months pregnant. On this episode, Makenna talks about that day, and about the bet she had with her husband that motivated the run. She also talks about the aftermath of going viral, and the criticism she received just days before going into labor. Today, Makenna is mom to one-year-old Kenny Lou, and she's had a strong comeback on the run. She qualified for the Olympic Track & Field Trials in the 10K, competed at the Trials and finished 14th (her goal was to finish in the top 15!),

“I hit a severe low. I went through a bout of depression, actually. I felt lost, in some ways. I had this dream and this goal, and I was so focused, and then I achieved it…and then it was like I didn’t have anything.” Earlier this year, Sika Henry made history, becoming the first African American woman to become a professional triathlete. She's an Ironman, an ultramarathoner (she just completed the JFK 50 Mile last month), and a Hoka-sponsored athlete. But the road to trailblazing status hasn't been without its challenges. In 2019, Sika was competing at an Ironman 70.3 event in Texas when she crashed her bike and had to be rushed to the hospital. On this episode, she recalls that day, and talks about the road to getting back on the bike, and back to herself. She talks about earning her triathlon pro card this year, and about dealing with a bout of depression afterward. Plus, all

“We all want love and belonging at the end of the day. And so when you feel like your love and belonging is threatened if you fail…at a young age I started to really become afraid of that.” We kicked off 2021 on the Ali on the Run Show with professional runner Sara Hall, and today, Sara is back to recap the highs and lows of her year, both on the run (wins and podiums!) and off (getting Covid early in the year and dealing with a long recovery). Sara talks about her win at the NYRR Mini 10K, her fifth-place finish at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials 10K, and her third-place finish at the Chicago Marathon in October. She also talks about supporting her daughters in their endeavors, whether on the sidelines at their races or in mother-daugh

“Women really only get tougher. I’ve figured that out myself, and I’ve figured that out watching others. I don’t really put a limit at this point of what being a mom and being a runner means anymore.” Welcome to the fifth and final episode in Season 2 of the Everyday Runner series. And today, we're getting a two-for-one deal, with Denver-based running best friends Robyn Mayer and Julia Berteletti! This warm-fuzzy-filled episode is all about the power of female friendships, both on the run and beyond. Julia and Robyn met through Twitter (remember those days?!) a decade ago, and eventually met in real life when they both moved to Colorado and started working out with November Project. On this episode, they share their real-life meet-c

"I know that for me to run well, I need to be happy, I need to not be stressed, I need to be relaxed, and I need to know that the time on the clock does not define me as a human." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around — the last Ask Ali of the year! — we’ve got listener questions about early morning running, my favorite winter running gear, what to do when training feels discouraging, how I decide who to feature on the podcast, and more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: g

“It was so cool, and so weird, and it’s still hard to describe.” For many sports journalists — especially the ones who cover running — New York City Marathon week is arguably the busiest of the year. That was certainly true for New York Times sports editor Talya Minsberg, who not only covered the race and many of the stories leading up to it, but also ran the marathon herself (and earned a Boston Marathon qualifying time in the process!). On this episode, Talya reflects on that week, sharing the stories she was most excited to tell (notably, the one about Tommy Rivers Puzey's comeback), and stories from her own race. She talks about what her day

“We all just decided, we need to keep moving. We can’t just stay here and wallow in this. Obviously we’ll still be grieving, but we all made the decision that we had to just do the best we could.” Today's episode in the Everyday Runner series is extra special: Molly Burke is here, and she is the newest member of the Ali on the Run Show team! (Merch! Events! A retreat! A live show tour! All in the works, thanks to Molly!) Molly's story — both on the run and off — is a powerful one. On this episode, Molly talks about her family, about her dad (Brian Burke, president of hockey operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins) being big time in the NHL, and about the close bond she shares with her siblings. She talks about the impact her dad's very public career had o

“I ran that fresh off a breakup, fueled by vodka and cute bartenders. I was not in a good headspace, and I rage ran — and I loved it. But now, I run better when I'm very happy.” We're back! After an eight-month hiatus, Ramblings on the Run returns! On these episodes, Matt Chittim — host of the Rambling Runner podcast and the Road to the Trials podcast — and I catch up on how our running is going, share what we’re loving right now, and talk about what we’re excited about. And then, in our fourth segment, we play a game of "High, Low, High," sharing our high and low points from 2021 both personally and in the running industry. <!-- wp:paragra

"Get holiday cheer whenever and wherever and however you want. I support that. I support all of the cheer and sparkles and glitter." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about my relationship with my mom, how I got into running, holiday celebrations, merchandise, and more. (Plus, a very special guest!) Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and us

Photo by Stone Malick. “I just started to leap — like a prancing dancer across one of the intersections. And the crowd just lit up and went crazy… And I realized, this is fun!” There were more than 30,000 runners at this year's New York City Marathon. But it feels safe to say that no one had more fun on that course than professional runner and Olympian Alexi Pappas. On this episode, Alexi recounts her joyful journey from Staten Island to Central Park. She talks about her plans and goals for the day, and shares the story of how she made a friend — Vito — at mile three, with whom she went on to run the entire rest of the race. She talks about leaning into fun, about channeling her true inner self on the run, and

“I just had to keep moving forward… I never let myself stop and wallow in it, because I was afraid that if I did, I’d never stop. I just had to keep going. So I did.” Lara Kondor is — and always has been — tough. She's a 46-year-old ultra-running mom of three who lives in New Hampshire, and on this episode, she talks about how she found running, and about the powerful role running has played in her life. Lara is a 13-time marathoner and nine-time ultramarathoner, with dreams of hitting the 100-mile mark in a single event. (Her longest so far is 92 miles at The Hamsterwheel 24-hour race.) Both on the run and off, Lara is a full-time caregiver for her oldest child, Noah, who is 25 and was diagnosed with autism at three years old. Noah is mostly nonverbal, but running has given him a new way to communicate. In this conversation, Lara talks about Noah's diagnosis, about new motherhoo

“If I can make someone else get comfortable and they can get the help they need, that seems like mission accomplished to me.” Grayson Murphy just may be the most versatile professional runner in the country right now. This year alone, Grayson has taken home wins on the trails, the track, and the roads. She won Saucony's Fast Future 10K in Germany, won her heat in the 3000m steeplechase at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials (and ultimately finished sixth in the finals), won the USATF Mountain Running Championships, won the Deseret News 10K, and earned herself a personal best in the mile. On this episode, we cover all of the highlights from Grayson's fast, fun year, and talk about the tough stuff along the way. Grayson talks about dealing with race anxiety, shares her thoughts on the emotional side of running, and offers advice for thriving in a long-distance relationship. (Yay

"There was never a low point for me. Is that weird?!" Two weeks before this year's New York City Marathon, Elyse Kopecky was on the Ali on the Run Show with best friend Shalane Flanagan, talking all about their NYC Marathon plans and dreams, and about the release of their third cookbook, Rise & Run. Now, Elyse is back — and she's officially a marathoner! On this episode, Elyse shares every detail of her debut marathon experience. She talks about the highs and lows of training, about the struggle of being a mom pulled in many directions at all times, and about traveling to New York City alone. She reflects on the excitement of Rise & Run bec

"I just loved what I saw. I felt seen. I felt heard. There were so many people that looked like me, or they had similar journeys. They were in a transitional point in their lives, and fitness was part of that. So I just kept coming back." This week on the Everyday Runner series, meet Adalgisa (best known as "Lisa") Rivera. Not only did Lisa and I record this episode just a few days after she completed the New York City Marathon, we also did so on Veteran's Day — an especially meaningful day for Lisa, who served in the U.S. Army National Guard for eight years. On this episode, Lisa shares her emotional NYC Marathon recap, and talks about how she first found running several years ago. (It involved being dragged to a Harlem Run workout "kicking and screaming." Fast forward a few years, and Lisa

"This was something I would never pass up. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to document these moments." Cortney White has a unique lens on the running world — literally. Cortney is a professional photographer who just spent the past two months on the road with Shalane Flanagan, documenting every step of her Project Eclipse journey. On this episode, Cortney talks about how she got involved with this project, and shares her own highlights, challenges, and most memorable moments from the six-marathons-in-six-cities experience. She also talks about getting started in the industry, about the camaraderie among running photographers, and about why she wants to get cameras in the hands of more women. Plus, behind-the-scenes stories from her adventures,

"My whole life, I didn’t think I was funny or anything. So when people say that, or when they say I inspire them, my brain is immediately like, 'No, no you don't, don’t listen, they’re lying!' The New York City Marathon completely changed that for me. Meeting people in person for the first time…it really made it real for me." She's baaaaack — and this time, she's a New York City Marathoner! Erin Azar — best known online as Mrs. Space Cadet — became a viral sensation when she started running after having her third child, documenting the process for her TikTok and YouTube fans. Erin was on the Ali on the Run Show in February talking about her rise to internet superstardom. Now, she returns to the show as an official New York City Marathoner. On this epi

“Running doesn’t break us. It teaches us to bend.” By very popular demand: Welcome to Season 2 of The Everyday Runner series! For the next five weeks, we'll hear from runners who are just like you and me. They are women who love running and who care about it deeply — but they don't do this professionally, and they have jobs, families, responsibilities, and busy lives off the run. They are the everyday runner. To kick off Season 2, meet Chloe Rosen! Chloe is the real-life runner behind the popular "Your Best Running Friend" Instagram account. And no wonder it's funny: Chloe is an actor and comedian whose work has been featured on Comedy Central, Funny or Die, and College Humor! (Check out her hit web series <a href= "h

“I really want to represent the country, and I want to make that the focus of my entire year.” Last month, Emma Bates was among the thousands of runners who ran the Chicago Marathon on a very hot, very humid day. But the weather didn't bring her down: Emma finished second that day, earning herself a spot on the podium and a new personal best time in the marathon (2:24:20). On this episode, the professional runner for Asics reflects on that day in Chicago, and shares the lessons she learned when the running got tough. She talks about her emotional 2020, including missing a spot on Team USA at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, and then traveling to Europe afterward and getting a bad case of Covid-19 (which she hates talking about). Then, she talks about returning to the roads for the Marathon Project, and about her decision to join Team Boss and to be coached by Joe Bosshard. Plus,

“I love what I do. I didn’t know any of these jobs existed a few years ago. I didn’t know I could be a podcaster, I didn’t know I could be a race announcer. Now that I’m not only doing them, but I feel really fulfilled…and I know that can be fleeting. So I’m really basking in it.” After more than 700 days, the TCS New York City Marathon was back this weekend! And I had the best week ever — without even running the marathon! On this episode, I'm talking all about my week in New York City, where I did my best to master the balance between work and pleasure. (I'm giving myself a solid A+ on that assignment.) I talk (in excessive detail) about all of the work and all of the play, from live shows and finish line race announcing to earning a new 5K PR, galavanting around the city, and seeing as many friends as possible. And, unsurprisingly, I shed a few tears along the way.</p

"I wasn't going to let a few bad laps on a circle in Asia redefine how I feel about myself. And I've been that way with the good things, too. The last Olympics, I was on a circle in South America and it went differently, it went great. And it's fun, and it's way more fun to do well, but also, this is a game. I'm choosing to commit my life to this game, and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose." It's New York City Marathon week! And I had the pleasure of getting to host a live show with New Balance at the 1 Hotel Central Park South with an all-star panel of guests: professional athletes Emma Coburn and Dani Jones, Pe

"I don’t 'have it all.' I have toilet paper in my pocket for Crohn’s disease emergencies." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about "having it all," wedding planning, early morning races, podcast sponsorship, and more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! <!-- /wp:paragraph --

"I can do this. I am more capable than I give myself credit for. I can bet on myself. I can show up on race day, on that start line, and be confident in what I’ve done and know there’s no reason why I can’t go out there and have the race of my life." The last time Laura Thweatt was on the Ali on the Run Show, she had just finished fifth at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta. (Listen to that episode here.) She was running professionally for Saucony (still true) and training with coach Joe Bosshard and the Team Boss crew in Boulder, CO (no longer true!). On this episode, Laura offers an update on life after Team Boss. She talks about her decision to step away from her training group, and shares the news about her new coach and trai

"You’re honestly doing a really good job. I know all you see is all the ways you think you’re failing. But I promise, you’re doing OK, and no one has it all figured out, despite what you see on Instagram! Stop scrolling. Read a book." In 2019, I interviewed Dr. Abby Bales — a pelvic floor physical therapist and the owner and founder of Reform Physical Therapy — as part of the Ali on the Run Show's Motherhood Mondays series. Ever since, Abby has asked when I would be willing to flip the script; when I would be willing to hand over the microphone so I could answer her questions. And today is that day. Welcome to the Dr. Abby on the Run Show! On

"It’s been fun to stand on the start line with really good friends and just feel like we’re a team, in this together." Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky are best friends — best friends who run, bake, and co-author best-selling cookbooks together! On this episode, Shalane and Elyse are here to talk about their latest cookbook (available now!), Rise & Run. They talk about the unexpected success and popularity of their Superhero Muffins, and admit that they never thought anyone would publish their first cookbook (Run Fast, Eat Slow), let alone turn it into a three-book series. They share their friendship story (and stories about tequila), talk about how motherhood has changed their relationship, and talk

“You have to honor the race by going and trying to do the best you possibly can.” In December 2019, three men — Menso de Jong, Chris Stehula, and Ken Rakestraw — led 72 women to Olympic Trials qualifying times at the California International Marathon. Soon after, they came on the Ali on the Run Show to share their stories. Before CIM, neither Menso, Chris, nor Ken had ever run 2:45 marathons before. But that day, they pulled it off. And, in th

“It was a win-win either way. If they go with me, they’re running my race, and that’s great. And if they don’t go with me, I have a huge lead at Boston, and that’s pretty awesome, too!” If you watched the 2021 Boston Marathon, you got to know CJ Albertson — or at least his face — pretty well. That's because CJ, who runs professionally for Brooks Running, took the lead in the men's elite race right from the start, and held it for 21 miles. He ran solo that entire time, gapping the rest of the field by two minutes at one point. After 21 miles, the pack caught up to CJ — who was also celebrating his birthday that day — but he was able to hang in and ultimately finished 10th. Those 21 miles at the front may have put CJ on the Boston map, but he's hardly new to the running scene. The California native is a 2:11 marathoner and cross-country and track coach at Clovis Community

“I think being sensitive can be a strength in many ways. It’s OK to be sensitive. It’s OK to be emotional. It’s OK to have feelings. It’s OK to care.” Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about Center Stage (best movie ever), my ideal desserts, recent impulse purchases, finding a running coach, dealing with difficult people, and more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. <a href= "http://goodr.com/ontherun" target="_blank" rel= "

“I hope that brands see the value in me and my future in running and what I have to offer to the running community.” On October 11, Nell Rojas ran her fourth marathon. In her Boston Marathon debut, Nell finished sixth overall, ran a personal best time of 2:27, and was the first American woman across the finish line. We heard from Nell before the race, and now she's back to recap every detail of race day. On this episode, Nell shares how she was feeling heading into the race, what race morning was like, and what it was like doing breathing exercises in a church nursery. She reflects on why her goal was to be first American that day, what that goal means to her now, and whether or not it matters. Plus, she shares fun stories from her post-race interviews and talks about what's next. SPONSOR: AfterShokz<

“I just turned around and it was like, oh man, I’m an Olympic photographer. With that one click.” Jason Suarez — also known as @notafraid2fail — is one of the best, most sought-after photographers in running today. He has shot nearly every track and field event, every major marathon, and every athlete you know, love, and follow in this sport. And we recorded this conversation just a few days after Jason returned from a true dream-come-true experience: being an official photographer at the Olympic Games. He shot the track and field events inside Olympic Stadium, and dabbled in shooting new events, including gymnastics and swimming. But the Queens-born-and-raised former collegiate sprinter turned marathoner never planned for or expected this life. On this episode, Jason talks about h

“In my gut, I knew my life was about to change.” Shayla Martin has a lot to celebrate right now. First, her 43rd birthday. Then, a spontaneous experience dancing onstage at a concert with Diplo. And, perhaps most importantly, her three-year anniversary of being cancer-free. On this episode, meet two-time marathoner Shayla Martin, a woman who is always joyful, smiling, and seeking a good time. But in 2017, at just 39 years old, Shayla's world was rocked when she found a lump in her breast that turned out to be breast cancer. Here, Shayla shares her cancer story, which included a mastectomy, chemo, radiation, and three breast reconstruction surgeries. She talks about how cancer changed her relationship with her body, and why, in her forties, she decided to pursue therapy for the very first time. She talks about living her best life at Burning Man, about a low point in her life last

"My goal is to be the top American. That's my goal. And I think I can do it... To be the top American would probably be the best day of my life." Racing is back! Major marathons are back! And, after 19 long and lonely months, live shows are back! It was such a privilege to get to host a live recording of the Ali on the Run Show at the Tracksmith Trackhouse during Boston Marathon weekend, with very special guest Nell Rojas. During the show (recorded on Saturday, October 9), Nell said that finishing as the top American during the Boston Marathon would make Marathon Monday the best day of her life — and she went on to do just that. In her fourth marathon and her Boston Marathon debut, Nell — who is currently, somehow, unsponsored — finished six

"That goal wasn’t for anyone else. It wasn’t to prove anything to anyone else. It was just something new that I was going to accomplish on my own." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about my time as a single 20-something in New York City, redefining the word "smart," dealing with expectations and disappointment when a race isn't a personal best, muffins and more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. <a href= "http://goodr.com/ontherun"

“I ended up on a dude ranch in Arizona. I just wanted to go far away from New York and from home and just do something completely different. I felt like I’d kind of lost a sense of myself in that pursuit of running really fast and high achievement, so I wanted to recalibrate and go somewhere where no one knew me and running didn’t matter.” Henna Rustami is a rising star in the running world. Though she describes herself as "the worst runner" on her high school and college teams, she has gone on to thrive on the run, becoming an Ivy League champion (running for Columbia University) and thriving on the New York City competitive running scene. Most recently, Henna won the NYRR Women's Road Mile division at the Fifth Avenue Mile, breaking the tape in four minutes and 45 seconds. And she's thriving off the run, too: Henna graduated from law school earlier this year! On this episode, H

“That was the moment where I remember being like, ‘Oh, I’m not done yet.’ Like I know there’s more. It finally hit me, ‘If you just continue on, you have no idea where your ceiling is.’ So at that point, I just wanted to see how far I could go.” This summer, Erika Kemp — like so many professional runners — had one really, really, really big goal race. Since going pro in 2018 and signing with the Boston Athletic Association and adidas, Erika knew she would want to compete at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in hopes of making her Team USA debut. When it came time to race the 5K at Hayward Field, Erika made it through the first round and advanced to the finals. But ultimately, she finished last that day, and didn't make the 2020 Olympic team. But! Erika has gone on to have an incredible season since then. On this episode, Erika talks about her physical and emotional recovery f

“I had remembered this promise I had made to myself, which was a ‘year of yes.’ That if there was an opportunity to meet someone, to make a dollar, or whatever it was, if there was an opportunity in front of me, no matter how scary it felt or how much resistance I felt, I was at least going to give myself the chance to explore it. So I said yes.” Every day, Jess King is in the homes of millions of people around the world. As one of Peloton's first instructors (she joined the team in 2014), she teaches cycling, Tread, Pilates, and dance cardio classes, and is known and loved for her bubbly, glittery, high-energy personality. Jess is a born performer. She grew up dancing competitively in Myrtle Beach, SC, and competed on Season 4 of So You Think You Can Dance. On this episode, she reflects on that experience — on making it to the Top 10 before having to withdraw from the c

“Everybody who has ever run a marathon in the history of ever has run a first marathon. And I guarantee you that some of the concerns and doubts and fears that you or I had in our first marathon have crept into the minds of someone like Shalane Flanagan or Meb Keflezighi in the weeks and days and hours before they ran their first marathon.” Every year at races like the New York City Marathon and the Fifth Avenue Mile, dozens of professional runners assemble for their shot at glory. And in New York City, Sam Grotewold is the guy who brings them all together. As the director of professional athletes for New York Road Runners, it’s Sam’s job to recruit the professional fields at major events like the TCS New York City Marathon, the New York City Half, the Mini 10K, and the New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile. And on this episode, the self-proclaimed “running and track ne

"So many of us, we put so much pressure and expectation on our running goals because we work so hard, we make so many sacrifices and choices, and we just want race day to be everything that we dreamed of and everything we worked toward. And sometimes life happens, and it’s just… We have to adjust our goals accordingly." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about what to expect at the New York City Marathon start line, hitting a wall during marathon training, race announcing vs. running, The Baby-Sitters Club, and more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your

“We all have something in common. You know what it is? We woke up this morning. Not everyone else did. There’s the best reason to go for a run.” Dave McGillivray is many things — philanthropist, motivational speaker, 166-time marathoner with a 2:29 PR, Ironman triathlete with a 10:36 PR, father, World Marathon Challenge finisher — but he is best known for his role as race director of the Boston Marathon. On this episode, Dave talks about what runners can expect at this year's race. As the "boots on the ground guy," Dave oversees everything that happens on race day, from the start line to the finish and every mile in between. But Dave's day doesn't end when the final finisher crosses the line: Every year after the official race concludes, Dave returns to the start line in Hopkinton and runs his Boston Marathon. Another famous Dave tradition: Every year on his birthday, Da

“I was doing everything I could, every section that I was coming upon. So in my head it was like, if I’m doing as best I can and I get caught and passed, then that’s just how it played out, and I’m gonna cheer that person on who’s passing me because that’s cool, and that’s how we get better together.” Last month, Courtney Dauwalter defended — and reclaimed — her title at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc 106.5-mile race, and smashed records along the way. She broke the all-time women's course record by seven minutes, finishing in 22 hours 30 minutes and 54 seconds. She beat her 2019 winning time by two hours and two minutes, finished sixth overall (the highest finish ever by a woman), and won the women's division by more than an hour and a half. On this episode, Courtney talks about this year's UTMB experience, describing the sights (and hallucinations), sounds, highs (more than 32,8

“I took down all facades. I just could not hold up this fake exterior of everything was OK when I felt like I could barely get out of bed every day. I would just get up, go to work, and the only thing else that was consistent was running. I would run every day, despite how bad I felt. And it was such a sense of refuge at points. I would feel like I would be OK. And that’s when I would start planning for the future. I was like, ‘Deirdre, this is transient. This is going to get better. You are going to get better. Dad’s looking out for you. Don’t give up. Just keep going. Get through today. Tomorrow will hopefully be a better day. And if it’s not, that’s OK, too. We will get there.’ Running reinforced that resiliency that I truly thought I’d lost.” Deirdre Keane normally flies pretty under the radar. But last month, the 33-time marathoner (whose personal best time is 3:14) became a

“You hear the thing, ‘Are you glass half full or glass half empty?’ I’m so damn glad I have a glass!” Jesse Itzler is all about "building your life resume." He's a wildly successful entrepreneur, rapper, owner of the Atlanta Hawks, 60-time marathoner, ultramarathoner, best-selling author, creator of events including the 29029 Everesting challenge and Hell on the Hill, dad of four, and husband to Spanx founder Sara Blakely (talk about a power couple). I've been a fan of Jesse's since I read his book Living with a SEAL (and, later, <a href="https://amzn.to/3zIt4Sd" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noopener"

"Once I got on the start line, that was the most at peace I'd felt in a long time." "Drink a beer for me," Molly Seidel told her family over FaceTime from Sapporo, just moments after becoming an Olympic Bronze Medalist in the marathon. Even better: drinking a beer with Molly, which is exactly what a few hundred of us did on Tuesday, August 31, during this virtual live show with the newly minted Olympic medalist. During this fun celebratory conversation, Molly talks about throwing out the first pitch at the Red Sox game a few weeks ago (let's just call it a strike, OK?), that viral airplane Tweet ("It was 100 percent mansplaining," she says), where she plans to keep her bronze medal ("somewhere weird"), and the fellow Olympic marathoner

“To me, it’s not heroic to have a miserable experience. It’s not heroic to further injure myself. It’s not heroic to set myself back, for what? A medal, an Instagram post, a couple hundred likes? Not worth it. I’d rather be the people’s champion by saying, ‘Hey, I made the tough call.’” Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about Schitt's Creek friendships, adjusting to hilly running routes, DNFs, and so much more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPO

Photo by Jason Suarez, @notafraid2fail “It’s not who I am. It’s something that happened to me.” Abbey Cooper was the talk of this year's U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials. She may not have ultimately made Team USA, but Abbey, who is sponsored by New Balance, threw down not one but two of the most inspiring, gutsy performances at Hayward Field. First, in the 5K prelims, when she broke away from the field and ran the majority of the race solo in pursuit of the Olympic Standard (and she hit it, with a few seconds to spare!). Then, in the 5K final, when she was with the lead pack until the final moments, when she ultimately finished fourth, just one and a half seconds off the podium. Abbey is perhaps best known for her

“I’ve always been my own biggest believer.” In 2004, Cory McGee's dad was working security for the FBI at the Olympic Games in Athens — which meant Cory got to tag along! It was then that she vowed to one day return to the Olympics — as a competitor. And just a few weeks ago, Cory's dream came true when she got to represent Team USA in Tokyo. (She became an Olympic finalist, no less!) On this episode, Cory, who is sponsored by New Balance, talks about traveling to Japan to compete in the 1500m. She talks about that brutal fall in the semifinals, and about the physical and emotional toll that took on her. She shares how coach Joe Bosshard has helped her over the years, and has worked with her to turn her weaknesses into strengths. Plus, Cory talks about ending her season early on account of some bone bruising from that fall, and talks about hosting a Covid-19 vaccine even

“He said, ‘I want you to feel like you can take over this race. And take over early.’ And I was like, ‘Wait, what?!’” This girl is on fire! Courtney Frerichs is a two-time Olympian for Team USA who just returned from Tokyo as a silver medalist! Courtney, who trains with Nike's Bowerman Track Club, competed in the 3000m steeplechase at the Tokyo Olympics, and made the final an exciting one when she made her move and took the lead with four laps to go. (A move she attributes both to coach Jerry Schumacher's plan and to her own quiet confidence and instinct taking over mid-race.) Courtney went into the Games as the American record holder in the 3000m steeplechase and as a world silver medalist, and just a week after returning from Tokyo, she competed at the Prefontaine Classic where she became the first American woman to go sub-9:00 in the steeplechase. On this episode, Courtney tal

“I couldn’t hear. I couldn’t think. He was very matter of fact. He said, ‘You have a complete medial meniscus root tear. That means your meniscus tore off the bone. You need surgery — not today, but in the next couple days. Tokyo isn’t an option.’” Professional Puma-sponsored runner Aisha Praught Leer was living every athlete's dream this summer. She'd secured her spot on Jamaica's Olympic team, and was training in St. Moritz with her Team Boss teammates Emma Coburn and Cory McGee. She was feeling fit. Fast. Ready to race the 1500 in Tokyo. But then, just a few days before boarding the plane to Japan, Aisha was warming

“I feel like nothing and everything changed.” Keira D'Amato is many things: a full-time realtor, a mom of two, a Nike-sponsored professional runner, and — her newest title — a world record holder. Last year, Keira had arguably the best running year of her life. She ran a personal best at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (2:34), ran a 5K on the track in 15:04 (beating her lifetime best by a full minute), won the Michigan Pro Half Marathon (and ran a 64-second personal best), ran a 2:22 at the Marathon Project (a 12-minute PR), and broke the 10-mile women's only American record at a race she created called the Up Dawg 10-Miler. Turns out, that race wasn't just an American record — it was also good enough for a just-ratified world record! At the peak of it all, Keira signed with a sponsor (Nike) for the first time at age 36. Unfortunately, since then, Keira has dealt with injury stu

“It just feels like too much.” Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about preparing for parenthood, podcast planning, first marathons, and so much more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! You asked: <!

“I had never done this before. I mean, I’ve done press conferences before, but at this level, this was a whole other ballgame… I mean, there were several moments where I was like, ‘This is the Olympics, so I better do this right, and I better not screw this up, and I better look like I know what I’m talking about even if I don’t. Because this is the Olympics!’” Jay Holder knows his way around a press conference. As the director of marketing and communications for the Atlanta Track Club (remember this episode?) and as a former journalist himself (he has worked for ABC and with New York Road Runners at the New York City Marathon), Jay is the guy you want running your communications operations if you're putting on a race. And Jay just got to wo

“When you compete at that level, there’s this high that comes with that. And I’ve missed that. And nothing has replaced it, really… And I got little bit of that feeling calling some of those races. I started to feel that little high again that I used to get when I raced.” Last month, Kara Goucher joined the Ali on the Run Show to talk about her experience being part of the NBC broadcast team at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, OR. Today, Kara's back — and this time, she's here to talk about what it was like commentating at the Tokyo Olympic Games! Kara just returned from Tokyo, where she served as an NBC Olympics Distance Analyst, calling the men's and women's races from the 1500m up to the marathon. She talks about how this experie

“The best part of going to the Olympics, for me, is being able to attend events when I’m not working, and then watching athletes win and medal an event, and then knowing they’re going to come on the show and I’m going to get to work with them up close and meet them. That’s the coolest thing about my job, and what makes it unique at the Olympics.” Yosef Herzog is the stage manager for NBC's Today show, which means part of his job is getting to go to the Olympics! On this episode, Yosef talks about what it was like being at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. (These were Yosef's fifth Olympic Games with NBC!) He talks about being on set with the country's best athletes, including Simone Biles and Allyson Felix, and talks about what it was like being inside the Olympic Stadium and getting to attend track and field events. He also talks about the challenges and perks of working a morni

“Build those relationships. Have those adventures. Create those memories. That’s what’s worth living for, right there.” Ashley Paulson never stops moving. She's a professional triathlete, ultramarathoner, 91-time marathoner, U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier and runner, iFit coach, and mom of four with hot pink hair. On this episode, Ashley talks about her recent win at the Deseret News Marathon, and about the sweet story that inspired her to run the race in honor of her father, wearing the T-shirt he got after running the race in the 80s. She reflects on the toughest times in her career, both at the races (in Kona, specifically) and off (when she was served a six-month suspension from triathlon after testing positive for a banned substance in a contaminated supplement). She shares the highs (traveling the country in an RV for two years with her husband and all four

“You always have to stay in the fight.” It is an honor and a privilege to get to share this very special conversation with the legendary Wyomia Tyus today! Wyomia Tyus, now 75, is a two-time Olympian and four-time medalist (three gold, one silver). She competed in the 1964 Games in Tokyo at 19 years old (just like Athing Mu!), and again at the 1968 Games in Mexico City, where she became the first person to ever win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 100 meters. On this episode, Wyomia tells her life story, reflecting on growing up as the youngest of four kids in the Jim Crow South, and dealing with racism and segregation at a young age. She shares the story of her house burning down when she was 14 and, one year later, the death of her father. She talks about meeting coach Ed Temple, who took her under his wing and coached her to all four Olympic medals while also filling th

“Why can’t I do it all? Why can’t I be a mom, a really good mom, be the mom that I want to be, and also be an athlete, a really good athlete, the athlete I want to be?” The last time professional runner and coach Neely Spence Gracey was on the Ali on the Run Show, she had just run her first postpartum marathon after having her son, Athens. She ran a 2:44 at the Houston Marathon and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in the process. A year and a half later, a lot has happened in Neely's life — including another baby! On this episode, Neely offers updates about what it was like running the Marathon Trials last year and what life for her family was like during the pandemic. She talks about getting pregnant, in spite of having an IUD at the time, while she was training for The Marathon Project, and talks honestly about what that surprise was like. Neely talks about her pr

“If you’re thinking, ‘Ali, basketball isn’t really supposed to be a contact sport…’ It was the way I played it!” Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about dealing with self doubt, running friendships, the mental side of marathon training, and so much more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire good

“I said, ‘The best thing for me right now is to just choose life, and to step away.’” Tomorrow, Robyn Stevens will make her Olympic debut, representing Team USA in the 20K race walk. In June, Robyn won her event at the Olympic Track & Field Trials, officially becoming the fastest female walker in the country. And on this episode, she talks about the long road to becoming an Olympian, which included a 17-year break and retirement from the sport to recover from a severe eating disorder. But now, "Walkin' Robyn" is healthy, cruising at a 7:40/mile pace, and becoming an Olympian at age 38. Plus, Robyn offers a bit of "Race Walk 101" (race walking: it's not just fast walking, it's definitely not slow running, and it comes with lots of rules and regulations!), and shares her excitement about getting to head to Tokyo to compete with her boyfriend, fellow race walk champion and Team USA

“There just aren’t enough boys named after awesome women out there, so I just wanted to contribute to that!” The last time Ladia Albertson-Junkans was on the Ali on the Run Show, she was in Atlanta, about to run the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Ladia had qualified for the Trials, and then went on to run the Western States 100-miler, and then ran the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Timberline Trail around Mount Hood. Then, soon after running the Olympic Marathon Trials, her next great endurance adventure began: motherhood. Today, Ladia is mom to seven-month-old Gabriel Birch. On this episode, Ladia talks about what new motherhood has been like, and shares the special story of how Baby Gabe got his name. (Without giving away too much: He's named after Ladia's late best friend, professional runner Gabe Grunewald.) Plus: big goals, rainbows, and Taylor Swift. <!

“I’m just training and racing and I’m living my best life… I’m living my American Dream.” At 15, Diane Nukuri became an Olympian. At 16, she fled her home country of Burundi, seeking asylum in Canada. By 20, she was a student at the University of Iowa, fluent in English (her third language) and thriving on the run. Soon after, she competed at the 2012 Olympics, then again at the 2016 Games. Today, Diane is a dual citizen of the United States and Burundi, she's a professional runner sponsored by Asics, and she holds the Burundian records in the 1500, the 5,000, the 10,000, the half-marathon, and the marathon. She has represented Burundi in the Olympics three times at three different distances: the 5K in Sydney in 2000, the marathon in London in 2012, and the 10K in Rio in 2016. On this episode, Diane talks about growing up in Burundi as one of eight siblings, and about he

“I was just so excited. I knew at that moment that it was going to change my life.”   Last year, Dinée Dorame, a citizen of the Navajo Nation, made her podcast debut as a guest on the Ali on the Run Show. Today: She's a podcast host of her own! At the beginning of 2021, Dinée launched her show, the Grounded podcast, which explores the intersection of running, community, land, and culture. On this episode, Dinée reflects on how the show has changed her life, and how she has found her voice and interview style along the way. She talks about being a recipient of the first-ever Tracksmith Fellowship program, and about being seen in the running community for all that she

“High hopes, low expectations.”   Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about what I'm watching right now, finding your identity when you can't run, leaving New York City, working in the running industry, and so much more. Plus: another surprise appearance by Brian Cristiano! Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you!   SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHE

“I’m a bit bummed with how it went, but that’s why I want to get back into more racing. I know I’m fitter than that showcased, and I want to just have fun with racing, because the Olympics are obviously the pinnacle of our sport, but I think there’s so much more aside from that. So I want to have fun with all that, and do what I love, and not feel like because I didn’t make this team it was a failure of a year or I’m a failure of an athlete.”   Emily Infeld arrived at the start line for this year's U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials 10K last month with an impressive running resumé. She's a professional runner with the Bowerman Track Club, specializing in the 5K and 10K. She's a 2016 Olympian and a 2015 World Championships bronze medalist. But along the way, Emily has also been plagued with injuries — one major injury, she says, for every year of her professional career. In

“Nothing is guaranteed. And because of that, it enabled me to be so present and so thankful and aware of how special the whole thing was.”   Welcome to Season 3 of the What's New With You series, where we catch up with past guests on the Ali on the Run Show. And we're kicking off this season with professional middle-distance runner Kate Grace! The last time Kate was on the show, in December 2017, she had just left her sponsor, Oiselle, to sign with Nike and join the Bowerman Track Club. Now, three and a half years later, Kate has left BTC and is now a member of Team Boss, training under coach Joe Bosshard. (And she's moving! Kate is in the process of relocating from Portland, OR, to Boulder, CO, to train full-time with the team.) On this episode, Kate talks about her decision to change teams, and talks about how training is different with Coach Joe. Plus, she reca

“I want you to understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. I want you to believe in the mission, and I want you to have fun. I want you to enjoy the process, and I want you to know that what you’re doing is a worthwhile endeavor.”   Like many of us, Matt Wilpers grew up wanting to be a marine biologist. ("I was really into whales," he recalls.) Ultimately, he pursued a career in finance, working as an analyst and auditor with KPMG and, later, Goldman Sachs. When he realized the NYC finance lifestyle wasn't for him, Matt decided to go to medical school, and, as a lifelong athlete and former collegiate runner, started teaching fitness classes on the side. Then, just as he was getting ready to pursue his medical career full-time, he got the call from Peloton. Plot twist! Today, Matt is one of Peloton's most popular cycling and treadmill instructors, and has his own

“Engineering is really about problem solving. Can you come up with a creative solution, and how do you work through it? My problems, on a day-to-day basis, are working with things like beans and corns and food processing equipment. But really, problem solving can be applied to anything. So I’m here to say that engineering is more than just planes and trains!”   Welcome to the seventh and final episode in Season 5 of the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! We're closing out this season with a soup-er conversation celebrating women in STEM! Today, meet Jill Cardamone, a senior process engineer at Campbell's Soup Company. As a member of the Soup and Broth team in research and development, Jill acts as the middle man that takes what a food scientist creates in the kitchen and translates it to a massive scale. (She'll explain this process in excellent detail

“The word should can put us into tricky places. Because who’s to say what we should or should not do? A lot of things in life are a lot more nuanced than should or should not, yes or no, black or white.”   Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about racing, nutrition, New York City must-dos, running plateaus, Orangetheory memories, and so much more. Plus: a surprise appearance by Brian Cristiano! Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you!  

"We’re actually going to Tokyo! This is real!"   Karissa Schweizer and Elise Cranny were already teammates as part of the Bowerman Track Club. And now they'll share another team: Team USA. At last month's U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, Karissa and Elise secured their spots on Team USA by racing both the 5K (where Elise won and Karissa took second) and the 10K (where Karissa made a second team, finishing in second place). On this episode, Karissa and Elise reflect on their training leading up to the Trials, and break down both rounds of the 5K and the 10K final. They talk about how their teammate Shelby H

"I just remember thinking during the race, 'I’m running my race and I’m doing everything I can to give myself a shot at making this team.' And at the end of the day, if it’s enough, it’s enough."   The last time Emily Sisson was on the Ali on the Run Show, it was to break down her disappointing race at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Today, Emily returns to the show — and this time, we're celebrating! Last month, Emily raced — and won! — the 10,000m at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, earning herself a spot on Team USA for this summer's Olympic Games. On a hot day at Hayward Field in Eugene, OR, Emily took the lead five laps into the 25-lap race, and she held it the entire time, finishing in 31:03 and breaking a 17-year-old Tria

“Doubting yourself doesn’t get you anywhere. I decided that I was going to make this happen, and I did.”   More than a decade ago, Erica Sara Reese was having a hard time. She had been working in the fashion industry, as a buyer for companies like Coach and Barneys New York, while pursuing a nutrition degree on the side. But she was also going through a divorce, and she wasn't happy — so she started creating, making jewelry at her dining room table. When her friends started having babies, she noticed they were often getting jewelry to commemorate the life change. And road races, Erica Sara says, were her babies at the time. So why not commemorate that with jewelry? She started designing necklaces and charms with her races and finish times on them, and soon, frie

“This was the most fun I’ve had in so long.”   If you watched any of this year's Olympic Track & Field Trials coverage, you would have heard a familiar voice calling the distance races: Kara Goucher! Kara served as commentator and member of the NBC broadcast team at Hayward Field, and today, she's here to tell all. On this episode, Kara talks about how she got the job (she will also be part of the NBC broadcast team during the Olympic Games in Tokyo later this month), how she prepared for the races, and what it was like calling all the action. She reflects on the highlights and heartbreaks from the Trials, talks about making mistakes live on air and how she handled them, and about getting the call that her husband, Adam, had gotten into a car accident right before she was about to go live. As always, Kara is open and honest, and promised nothing was off-limits during this

“It felt like there was an earthquake in the running world, and we’re seeing these fault lines change everything. And some things are good, and some things are weird.”   As the current American record holder in the 10,000 meters, Molly Huddle was one to watch heading into this year's Olympic Track & Field Trials. But just a few days before the Trials kicked off in Eugene, OR, Molly (who is also the American record holder in the 10 mile, the 20K, and the half-marathon) announced that she wouldn't be racing the 10K after all. She pulled out of the race, citing an injury that she's been dealing with since last year's Olympic Marathon Trials. On this episode, Molly — who represented Team USA at the last two Olympics, in 2012 in the 5000m and in 2016 in the 10,000m — talks about what it was like scratching from the biggest race of the year, and how she's handling the loss of an

“Classical music may not be what you have playing in your car, but when you come and see all these musicians onstage, you can really connect to it. That’s the hardest challenge — making it accessible and telling people about it.”   Beverly Everett has always been musical. As a kid, she found a passion for playing the organ — and her love for live music never waned. Today, Beverly is living her dream as a conductor and music director for two symphony orchestras (the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra in North Dakota, and the <a href="https://www.bemidjisympho

“I started crying. It was so intense. I was shaking with fear. And I just look up at Kyle, and I say, ‘I want you to know that being your brother has been one of the greatest joys of my life. And I promise you, no matter what happens today, I’ll give you every ounce of energy that I have. And all I ask is that you do the same.’ And he looks back at me and says, ‘You got it.’ And then the cannon fires.” —Brent Pease   In 2010, Brent Pease completed his first Ironman triathlon. That night, his younger brother, Kyle — who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child — asked if someone in a wheelchair could do an Ironman. Brent said yes, and the rest, as they say, is history. Growing up, the Pease family was insistent that Kyle be able to do whatever his brothers were doing. They would play games, make up the rules, and adjust them as they went along, making sure the game was

“I had never seen a woman trucker. I was going to be an anomaly to myself.” Yuma Haidara had a plan. After high school, she enlisted in the Navy. After serving for seven years, she went on to nursing school, in pursuit of becoming a pediatric nurse. But something caught her eye on her daily commute: a trucking school. One day, Yuma decided to pull in and see what it was all about. And the rest, as they say, is history. Yuma enrolled in the three-week course to get her commercial driver's license (CDL), and today, she is a truck driver for Walmart. Yuma, who is based out of New Hampshire, spends 14 hours a day on the road, bringing general merchandise (anything that's not groceries — so TVs, clothes, sneakers, tools, tires, even Christmas trees) to and from warehouses and stores. On this e

"I had the stuff I needed. I had the things. But I didn’t have the confidence." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about postpartum running, what a day in the life looks like, what it's like entering the other side of the pandemic, llamas and alpacas, running in New York City, and so much more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. <a href= "http://goodr.com/ontherun" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noopene

“I feel so lucky that running has made me feel empowered and given me a lot of confidence. Finding that throughout high school was something that was really life-changing for me. I really want the younger generation to have that opportunity and to see the power of sport and the power they can find in themselves and in their team, and in connecting with others who have similar goals and passions. I really want to inspire that younger generation and see all the great things that they can do.”   Welcome to U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials Week! The Trials officially kick off tomorrow, June 18, at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, OR, and today's guest, Elise Cranny, is definitely one to watch. Elise runs professionally for Nike and the Bowerman Track Club, and she will be c

"The whole day revolved around dance. And that, to me, was the dream."   "When I'm onstage," Emily Kikta says, "no one can stop me." Emily is living every aspiring ballerina's dream: She's a corps de ballet member at New York City Ballet, where she has been a member of the company for 10 years. On this episode, Emily talks about her road to a Center Stage-like life. She grew up competing with her local dance studio, and went on to attend the School of American Ballet, which is the feeder school for NYCB. She talks about getting a job in the company, about her first performance onstage, and about how she keeps the magic alive onstage every night. She also talks about the pandemic's impact on the arts industry, and about how she and her fiancé (fellow NYCB member Peter Wa

“Sometimes you just need an advocate to kick you in the pants.” Sarah Lesko just might be one of the most-loved women in the running industry. As the leader of corporate development for Oiselle, Sarah — or "Lesko," as most call her — is beloved by her colleagues, by Oiselle's elite athletes, and by the hundreds of members of the Volée team. So what is about Lesko that makes people so drawn to her? After hearing about Oiselle from countless women on this show — Lauren Fleshman, <a href= "https://aliontherunblog.com/2017/11/29/ali-run-show-episode-48-sally-bergesen-ceo-found

“I always felt a special thrill with anchoring, but I had zero idea if I was any good at it! But there was potential there.” Joelle Tomlinson wakes up at 3:02 AM — precisely — every day in pursuit of her dream job as a CTV Calgary morning news host. On this episode, Joelle talks about what it's like anchoring the news, and what her road to the news desk was like. (It involved a stopover as a weather girl!) She busts some common misperceptions about being a face on TV, talks about the pressure to look or dress a certain way, and shares the types of stories she loves covering, the ones that still give her butterflies, and the ones that have had the greatest impact on her. She talks about how she's learned to put her emotions aside when covering difficult stories, and about why, sometimes, i

“It’s not easy, but I’m at a point now of knowing I can handle it. It’s not always fun — but I can handle it. And I know you can, too.” Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about why I (mostly) stopped drinking, how to practice getting comfortable saying no, wishing for a new body, what life could be like without running and podcasting, and so much more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. <a href= "http://goodr.com/ontherun" target="_bl

“This is a definite compliment from Des. She was like, ‘I like you enough where I can hang out with you for three hours!’” In April, Des Linden made history by making her ultramarathon debut and, in the process, breaking the world record in the 50K (2:59:54) and becoming the first woman to run a 50K in under three hours. And while Des may hold the new record, she didn't go it alone: She was joined by Charlie Lawrence. Charlie ran at the University of Minnesota, and made his marathon debut at the California International Marathon in 2018, where he ran a 2:16 and earned himself an Olympic Trials qualifying time. On this episode, Charlie talks about what it was like pacing Des that day in Oregon, including what their pre-race conv

“As much as this is your job and this is serious, there’s a lot of fun and joy in the process.” Welcome to Season 5 of the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! On this series, we hear from women who have cool, unique, interesting careers — and who also happen to be runners. We’re kicking off this season with Rikki Gimelstob, a casting director who works on films, television shows, commercials, and theater productions. (Most recently, Rikki worked on the upcoming Dear Evan Hansen film, and the new AMC show Kevin Can F**k Himself, starring Annie Murphy of Schitt’s Creek fame!) On this episode, Rikki explains what, exactly, a casting director does. She explains how she got into t

“You give yourself your own life raft, and it feels so great to come up for air and think, jeez, that was a close call! But I’m here. And it’s given me strength to go further and deeper than that next time.” Becs Gentry is a Peloton Tread and Strength instructor, and in March, she added another very impressive title to her fitness resume: 2:32 marathoner and Olympic Marathon Trials competitor for Team Great Britain. On this episode, Becs — who is from the UK but has lived in New York City since she took the Peloton job in 2019 — talks about what it was like being invited to compete for Team GB, and about what it took to finish fourth that day and to run a nearly five-minute personal best time. She talks about her training and how she prepared for race day, including how she balances her own training with teaching and how she survived a 22-mile run on a treadmill one day. She talk

"You don’t know everything. I share a lot, and that still is only a fraction of my life, of my thoughts, of my opinions, of my day." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about the mental component of Crohn's disease, my Enneagram type (3w2!), my thoughts on raising a daughter in the era of Instagram filters, getting back into running after a long break, Outback Steakhouse, "parasocial relationships," and more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699

“I’m the quarterback of my life. All these different people play supporting roles, and I need all of them for sure. You can’t be a team with only a quarterback. But I get to be the one in charge, making the plays. And that feels super empowering and very exciting.” Colleen Quigley is arguably one of the most influential track and field athletes today. She's a professional athlete who primarily competes in the Steeplechase, and she's a Team USA Olympian, a Florida State University alum, an NCAA champion, a model, and a mental health advocate. Colleen spent the first five years of her professional career sponsored by Nike and competing with the Bowerman Track Club in Portland, OR. But at the end of 2020, Colleen announced she was making a change: She was no longer sponsored by Nike, and was leaving the Bowerman Track Club. Now, after many months of anticipation and much speculation

“I really threw myself into everything that made me uncomfortable.” Happy Bonus Episode Day! Cara Enright is someone I've wanted to have on the show for a long time, and I couldn't decide whether to include her in the Everyday Runner series (a runner with a full-time job and lots of hobbies!) or to share her episode on a Thursday — and so, the solution is a bonus episode, in the middle, today! Cara Enright is a New York City-based runner (and former competitive jump roper!) who works in pharmaceutical recruiting. Last month, Cara and a group of runners (including The Bachelorette's Zac Clark) completed the Goggins Challenge: They ran four miles every four hours for 48 hours straight. On this episode, Cara talks about how she got involved, how she prepared, and what the experience was like. (By the end of the chal

“I’m very proud that I have managed to, in less than a year, do four half marathons. It’s not something I ever could have dreamed of doing. And I’m just proud I have really stuck it out. Because it’s hard. It’s not easy to try to work yourself back from a poor health standard, or to bring yourself out of that mental hole that people can fall into. I’m very proud that I have stood up and said, ‘I need help, and I need to make a change.’ That’s a huge step for anybody to take. The fact that I’ve taken that step and I keep moving forward… That means a lot to me.” Welcome to the final episode of the newest series on the Ali on the Run Show: The Everyday Runner. For the past four weeks, we’ve been hearing from runners who are just like you and me. Not professional athletes — these runners have jobs, families, and responsibilities beyond this sport we all love so much. <!-- /wp:

“I noticed that there were young Black girls without role models in their communities. Because of lack of representation in our society, sometimes we don’t see people that look like us doing things that we want to do, so we think that we can’t do it. And that definitely applied to me.” As U.S. Track & Field athletes across the country gear up for the Olympic Trials (June 18–27), triple jumper and long jumper Keturah Orji is feeling good. And rightfully so: Keturah, who was named the NCAA's Collegiate Woman of the Decade, just took back the American Record in the triple jump (14.92m)! On this episode, the 2016 Olympian and five-time U.S. champion talks about what it takes to be at the top of the jumping game. (If you're new to the triple jump and long jump, fear not: Keturah offers a "Jumping 101" halfway into the episode, breaking down what, exactly, these events entail, and what

“I feel like I’m in a good position to have a real crack at making the team.” With the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials coming up, now's a great time to get to know as many of the competitors as possible! Today (bonus episode day!), Bowerman Track Club's Sinclaire Johnson is here. Sinclaire is BTC's resident rookie: She joined the team last year, and made her official debut as a Bowerman member in February, where she ran and won the 800m at the Prickly Pear Invitational. (Not bad for the new kid!) On this episode, Sinclaire confirms that she will be competing in the 1500m at the Trials (her personal best is a 4:03.72, officially making her one to watch). She talks about running at Oklahoma State University, where she was the 2019 NCAA 1500m champion, and explains her decision to forgo her fifth-year eligibility in favor of going pro. She talks about signing with Nike, and about

"At times in my life when I’ve struggled or when I’ve maybe been less than my best self, my mom always asks, 'When was the last time you went for a run?'" Welcome to the newest series on the Ali on the Run Show: The Everyday Runner. On this series, we’re hearing from runners who are just like you and me. Not professional athletes — these runners have jobs, families, and responsibilities beyond this sport we all love so much. Today, meet Dr. Margi Johnson. Margi is a family medicine physician and mom of three with big goals and dreams on the run. (Hint: She wants to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials someday, which would mean running a sub-2:45 marathon!) On this episode, Margi shares her story of being an "airlift baby," born in Vietnam and brought to the United States, where she was adopted and raised. She talks abo

Happy Mother's Day! Earlier this week, I had the honor and privilege of hosting a virtual live show with four inspiring, iconic women: Lauren Fleshman, Alysia Montaño, Stephanie Bruce, and Dawn Harper-Nelson. It was an open, honest, totally unfiltered conversation about the realities of motherhood — the good, the bad, the messy, the 4 AM feedings, and the pressure we put on ourselves to, sigh, "do it all." We talked about asking for help, and why that can be more complicated than it seems, and talked about what mothers need — like really need — to thrive in society today. (And we raised more than $5,000 for &Mother — Alysia's organization that is dedicated to breaking down barriers that limit a woman's choice to pursue and thrive in both career and motherhood — in the process!) <!--

"Having an invisible illness yourself is a constant reminder that you never know what other people are dealing with." Welcome to Ask Ali, a bi-weekly series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about what I'm looking forward to (and what I'm anxious about) as life begins to return to "normal," whether podcast guests ever annoy me, my personal running progression over the years, what life without Crohn's disease could have been like, and new motherhood. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR:</strong

“So, there is hope. I am still an optimist about this, and I’m doing as much as I can to keep myself healthy. If this is my destiny or whatever and there’s nothing I can do to stop it, that’s fine. But I’m gonna live my life to the fullest in the meantime, because nothing is guaranteed. So I’ll keep challenging myself to do things while my mind and my body are able.” I have been following Devon Pass since before she was Devon Pass. Devon was one of the OG bloggers in the early 2010s, and I loved following her travel adventures on Tumblr. (She was Devon Mills at the time.) Today, Devon is married to her husband, Aaron, and they live in Washington with their five-year-old daughter, Evie. Devon is

"I don’t chase podiums and PRs. I have a tendency to chase clocks and cutoffs. And that’s fine with me." Welcome to the newest series on the Ali on the Run Show: The Everyday Runner. On this series, we’re hearing from runners who are just like you and me. Not professional athletes — these runners have jobs, families, and responsibilities beyond this sport we all love so much. Last week, we kicked things off with Jen Correa, the mom of two whose family lost everything in Hurricane Sandy. Today, meet Meg Navatto! Meg is a cell genetic technologist from Long Island who

“I’m pretty close to living the dream right now.” What do you do when you can't decide whether you want to go pro as a runner, or pursue your dream of being a registered dietitian? For Maddie Alm, the answer was "do both." Maddie lives in Boulder, CO, where she trains with Team Boss (coached by Joe Bosshard) and is the owner and founder of Fueling Forward, a sports nutrition consulting business. She's a former All-American from UC Boulder, and was a two-time USA Championships qualifier. Today, she's chasing a 5K qualifier so she can compete at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials this summer. (She recently ran personal bests in both the 3K and the 5K, so things are looking good.) And when she's not chasing down her ru

“The water took everything, but we had ourselves and all of our communities and friends who made sure we had everything else.” Welcome to the newest series on the Ali on the Run Show: The Everyday Runner. For the next four weeks, we’ll hear from runners who are just like you and me. Not professional athletes — these runners have jobs, families, and responsibilities beyond this sport we all love so much. First up: Meet Jen Correa! Jen is a mom of two (plus two dogs!) from Staten Island, NY. She works in insurance, and we met through the running blog world in the early 2010s, when Jen was blogging at Mom’s Gotta Run. On this episode, Jen shares her running story, which started when her friend convinced her to run a Corporate Challenge race. She wasn’t an athlete growing up — “I have nightmares of gym class,” she sa

"We spend so much time in our lives comparing ourselves. So my mantra is, life isn’t about what you don’t have. It’s what you do with the gifts you are given." Tatyana McFadden is one of the most-decorated athletes of all time. She is a 17-time Paralympic medalist (she's been competing at the Games since she was 15!) and 23-time World Marathon Majors winner, and she's currently gearing up for this year's Paralympic Games in Tokyo, where she hopes to compete in every distance from the 100m up to the marathon. On this episode, Tatyana catches us up on all that's happened since the last time she was on the Ali on the Run Show. She talks abou

"I wanted this to be a show for so long where everyone loved every episode. And don’t get me wrong, I’d still love for that to be the case! But I’ve learned that that is kind of impossible. So I’ll keep trying to trust my leaky gut and hoping many people find many things to love, but knowing I can’t be everything to everyone." Welcome to Ask Ali, a bi-weekly series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about building running mileage, making friends as an adult, the future of journalism, regrets, and my love for having someone else pump my gas. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! <!-- wp:

“Things can go off the rails quick. So as much as you want to be confident and feel like it’s gonna be easy, that’s not how this works.” Des Linden, Olympian and 2018 Boston Marathon champion, is officially an ultramarathoner. And not just an ultramarathoner: a record-setting ultramarathoner. Last week, Des made her ultra debut, racing a 50K in Oregon, and breaking a world record in the process. She finished in 2:59:54, beating the previous world record (held by Aly Dixon) by more than seven minutes, averaging a 5:47 per mile pace, and becoming the first woman to ever run a 50K in less than three hours. On this episode, Des recaps the race and talks about what it was like running in unknown-to-her territory. She shares what it takes to annoy her on the run, tells all about “The Shoey” tradition, and talks about what’s most intriguing to her right now. <!-- /wp:paragraph --

“I think you can almost want something too bad. Because I just wanted it so bad. I wasn’t relaxed. It wasn’t fun anymore. It was just tunnel vision on winning — and I wasn’t winning! I wanted it so bad and it wasn’t happening. It was very draining.” What happens when you set big, dreamy, lofty goals — but when it counts the most, you fall short? That’s what this series, “Just Missed,” is about. These conversations are about dealing with disappointment. They are reminders that progress is never linear, and that it’s not always the big wins or the losses that define us, but the moments in between. So far on this series, we’ve heard from <a class= "rank-math-link" href= "https://aliontherunblog.com/2021/04/07/ali-on-the-run-show-356-julia-lucas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label= "Julia

“It’s hard for me to be back here in a lot of ways. Because it sometimes brings me back to being that little Cynthia, and feeling like my voice doesn’t matter because of the color of my skin or my hair. Like people don’t care about what I have to say. And that’s why this film is so important to me. I want these kids to be heard. I want them to know that they do matter.” Cynthia Martinez is a 12-time marathoner and four-time Boston Marathon qualifier who has run races on four continents, completed 16 international races, and won races in Thailand and Dubai. She's a mom, a journalist (she earned her Master's degree from Columbia), and a filmmaker. And right now, Cynthia is producing a film inspired by her own life experiences and her pursuit of higher education. First Voice Generation follows six first-generation Latinx college students, and documents how they are overcomi

“I think that in order to do special things, especially in running, you really have to put yourself out there. And a lot of times, it doesn’t go how you want it to. But you can learn a lot from the times that don’t go right. When things go right, you’re like yeah, that was fun, that was easy… But the ones where you really have to work for it, you really have to put your head down and grind it out, go to a dark place, get it done — you grow so much more in those situations, and you take so much more away from those times.” What happens when you set big, dreamy, lofty goals — but when it counts the most, you fall short? That’s what this series, “Just Missed,” is about. These conversations are about dealing with disappointment. They are reminders that progress is never linear, and that it’s not always the big wins or the losses that define us, but the moments in between.</p

“I wish more people looked at them as humans first and were not scared… They don’t know what to say, they don’t know how to act. They may be well meaning, but they don’t see it’s just OK to talk to them like you would talk to anyone else. They’re like anyone else in that they seek connection, attention, and love from the people around them.” We’re wrapping up Season 4 of the On the Job series today, and we’re doing that by giving a big round of applause — let’s make it a standing ovation — for all the teachers out there. Teachers have been thrown so many curveballs and challenges in addition to what is already not easy work, and today, Caitlin Dalton is here to talk all about what the past year has looked like, and to reflect on pre-pandemic life in the classroom. Caitlin is a middle school special education teacher, and she is the teacher we all want or want our childre

"It was such an immediate shift for me. I realized, this is what I need to do to love running again." Welcome back to Ask Ali, a monthly series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about running without a watch, advice for first-time marathoners, my favorite things to make right now, and building confidence. Plus, an Annie cameo! Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order!

“We get on the line and yeah, we’re competitive with each other, but as soon as we cross that line, we’re each other’s biggest fans.” Shelby Houlihan and Karissa Schweizer are two of the fastest women on the planet right now. They run for Nike's Bowerman Track Club, and seem to have found the perfect balance of being both great friends and teammates and fierce competitors. On this episode, Shelby and Karissa — a treat to get to talk to them together! — talk about their relationship, how they first met, and what each of their respective "first runs with the Bowerman team" were like. They talk about what it's like knowing your toughest competition is right by your side — or right on your heels — at practice and on race day. And, of course, they talk about gearing up for this year's Olympic Track & Field Trials, where Shelby will compete in the 1500 and Karissa in the 5K. They talk

“There are so many times you start on a journey and somewhere along the way you realize, this isn’t where I wanted to go. The beginning of this was right, and then somewhere I took a turn or didn’t take a turn, and I ended up somewhere entirely different. And it caused a meltdown. Do I love running? What in running do I love? Can I get back to what I love?” What happens when you set big, dreamy, lofty goals — but when it counts the most, you fall short? That’s what this series, “Just Missed,” is about. For the next three weeks, these conversations are about dealing with disappointment. They are reminders that progress is never linear, and that it’s not always the big wins or the losses that define us, but the moments in between. First up: a conversation with former professional runner Julia Lucas. Today, Julia is

“If you want to do this job, you have to be willing to assume that you could be wrong about just about everything. You need to be willing to look everything up.” Carla Benton gets paid to read all day. Sound like the dream? As a freelance book copy editor and proofreader, Carla agrees: She's living her dream. (She worked on 70 books last year alone!) On this episode, Carla (whose twin sister, Emilia, was on the show a few weeks ago) offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to get a book published. She started her career in publishing in New York City, where she worked for major publishing houses including Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin, bef

“I have this insatiable need to find out how good I can be. I just want to see how fast I can run and what I can accomplish. If I can make an Olympic team, if I can win the New York City Marathon. And just daring to try is what fills me with so much purpose in my daily life. Anytime I have an obstacle, I’m like yeah, but nothing else fires me up more than clawing my way back to fitness.” Steph Bruce returns to the Ali on the Run Show today! Steph is a professional runner for HOKA NAZ Elite in Flagstaff, AZ, and today, we're catching up to hear how Steph's running has been going in the past year. Steph talks about the disappointment of finishing sixth at last year's U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, and about how she grieved that outcome. She talks about resiliency, and about "writing her own running obituary" after tough races. And she talks about recovering and returning to

“I think about it a lot, like what do I want to add to this sport? What do I want to add to my life, and what do I want my legacy to be? And I feel like it would be a hollow journey if I didn’t try to use my platform to spread a good message to make change.” Gabriela DeBues-Stafford is having one heck of a year so far. In her debut season training and competing with the Bowerman Track Club, the Canadian professional middle-distance runner and 2016 Olympian has run — and won — two races already, including the 3000m at the Prickly Pear Invitational (where she also ran a personal best), and the 1500 at the Texas Qualifier in Austin (where she generously donated her winnings to Austin Mutual Aid). And Gabriela is doing all of this having joined the team during the pandemic, and while dealing with a Graves disease flare. On this episode, Gabriela shares her experience with a

"It’s terrifying. But I think that’s a good thing." This week on the job, we're headed to the courtroom! Catherine McNamara is a public defender in Massachusetts — a job she says is often mischaracterized and misunderstood. So she's here to clear things up. Catherine talks about what makes her work hard, stressful, important, and rewarding, and talks about what it's like in the courtroom. She also talks about developing the confidence needed to be a litigator and trial attorney. SPONSOR: Tracksmith — Go to tracksmith.com/ontherun and use code ONTHERUN for $15 off your first Tracksmith order of $75 or more. Follow Ali: <!-- /wp:pa

“It’s the most popular club that no one wants to join.” Welcome to the monthly edition of Ramblings on the Run with Ali and Matt! This month, Matt Chittim — host of the Rambling Runner podcast and the Road to the Trials podcast — and I catch up on how our running is going, share what we're loving right now, and talk about what we're excited about. And then, we have a little March Madness fun — with a twist. It's the "Ramblings on the Run Fictional 5K," and we've got brackets! <!-- wp:paragr

“Being able to come to work as my whole self. Being able to be out. Being able to appear on camera in drag. Hopefully for those of you that are out there listening, if you work at a company or a place where you cannot be yourself — and I know you need to make the money — it is not worth it. It is not worth it to stifle that magic. You will slowly die inside. Go work for a place where you can be Mara every single damn day. Let your freak flag fly and be who you wanna be. We are too advanced in this society to be squandering any time on not being able to be ourselves.” Growing up in Rhode Island, Matty Maggiacomo had a tumultuous — and at times traumatizing — relationship with sports and coaches. But today, he's a fitness instructor on the world's largest streaming platform. On this episode, Matty talks about how he rediscovered fitness later in life, and how he got the job teachin

“It’s definitely not like Suits. It’s way more like The Office.” For Victoria Asikis, grocery shopping is the best. As a lawyer working in regulatory compliance for food and beverage products, strolling the aisles is basically doing market research. And on this episode, we learn what, exactly, a food lawyer does. (It's pretty fascinating stuff!) Victoria lives in Ottawa, Ontario, where she is a part of the advertising and product regulatory group at Gowling WLG, a large multinational law firm. She spends her days making sure that every word, statement, or claim on a food, beverage, or natural beauty product (like your favorite cereal box, bag of granola, or chemical-free face wash) is true and accurate.

"Having a baby is not the end of your running goals and dreams." Welcome back to Ask Ali, a monthly series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we've got listener questions about running after having a baby, podcasting behind-the-scenes, getting into freelance writing, stroller recommendations, and my real thoughts on Taylor Swift's folklore vs. evermore. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN for $10 off! <!-- /wp:pa

“There comes a certain time that you just need a break. You’re human. You don’t have to feel great all the time. It’s OK to be in touch with your feelings and say, ‘I don’t feel great, and I’m going to take five days off.’ It’s fine!” Blanca Grinkovitch is a 20-time marathoner, Ironman, lululemon ambassador, director at New Jersey treadmill studio Juma Fit, and mom of twin boys. She runs a 3:07 marathoner and a 1:29 half-marathon, and today, in her fifties, she's running stronger and healthier than ever. On this episode, Blanca talks about how she has stayed happy and healthy on the run for decades at a time. She has boundless energy and excellent advice, and you're going to love her! <!-- wp

“People should feel like they have a real say in the decisions that impact their everyday lives.” Beth Huang says community organizing is on her mind 24/7. As the Director of the Massachusetts Voter Table voting rights organization, it's her life's mission to get everyone everywhere (starting in Massachusetts!) registered to vote and showing up to vote. Beth and the MA Voter Table don't care how you vote — it's a nonpartisan organization — they just want you to have answers so you know how to register, how to get to the polls (no easy task in 2020!), and how to stay active in your own community. On this episode, Beth explains how they actually do this. She talks about the importance of caring about your local community,

“In order for me to light the world on fire — I am going to do amazing things in Tokyo — I’m going to train smart, I’m going to stay out of trouble, and I’m going to stay injury free. Because I believe in my heart that even four months of training, I am going to be super fit and I’m going to have an amazing race in Tokyo. I just hope that my body is in tune with my mind. Because I know in my mind that even though I just had a child, that’s not going to be a barrier. I’m not going to make excuses. My child is going to be the motivation for me, and I know I have what it takes to succeed in Tokyo.” Aliphine is back! Back on the run (!!!), and back on the Ali on the Run Show. The last time Aliphine Tuliamuk — the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials champion — was on the show, she was eight months pregnant, readying to give birth to a baby girl. And now, that baby girl is here: Zoe was born on January 13, 2021, and on this episode (her first postpartum podcast inter

“The only person who can make you feel good about yourself is yourself. You really have to feel confident in who you are and what you bring to the table, and know that you’re enough. That’s your foundation.” Ask any Peloton devotee about instructor Olivia Amato, and you'll probably hear the same phrase over and over: "She's a real-life Energizer Bunny." Olivia is one of the few Peloton instructors who can "do it all" — she teaches on both the bike and the treadmill, and teaches strength classes. (Her core classes will leave your entire body quivering.) But Peloton wasn't always the plan for Olivia. Though she was super sporty growing up, a guidance counselor suggested she pursue a career in finance. So when Olivia graduated high school, that's exactly what she did: went to college and then went on to Wall Street, where she worked in sales and trading. Though she thrived in the fa

"I used to be a morning person. I’m not a morning person anymore!" Liz Lemon was always destined to do two things: run and help people. Liz (and yes, she gets a lot of 30 Rock references thanks to her name) comes from a family that runs and practices medicine, so it's no surprise that Liz would do the same. She's a night shift nurse in the emergency room at a hospital in California (though she's currently on leave on account of a broken hand), while also pursuing her master's degree in nursing education. When she's not in the ER, Liz is on the run: She's a 3:44 marathoner, 1:29 half-marathoner, and 17:54 5K runner. On this episode, Liz talks about what it's really like working the front lines in a hospital (and she insists that despite what we see on Grey's Anatomy, "people aren't really hooking up in the break rooms"), explains what her days and nights really l

“Once I started to believe in myself and believe I was faster — which is the power of the mind — I started showing it.” Ce'Aira Brown wants you to know that she's still running. She's still training (alongside Ajeé Wilson), and she's still staying true to her "talk less, grind more" mentality. (And when she's not on the run training for the 800m or 1500m, she's on the runway, modeling.) On this episode, Ce'Aira — who is a former NCAA All-American and 2016 Olympic Trials qualifier who formerly trained with Frank Gagliano and now runs professionally for Hoka One One — talks about her running journey and her career. So why don't people think she's running? Because you're prett

“The worst thing you can do is count yourself out.” Last year, Molly Seidel ran her first marathon — at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, where she finished second and earned herself a spot on the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team. And she'll be the first to tell you that she wouldn't have gotten to that start line without her #1 fan: her sister, Izzy. Now, one year later, Molly is a professional runner for Puma, training for the 2021 Olympics, and Izzy is her self-appointed hype girl. On this episode, the Seidel sisters — who are roommates in Boston — talk about what their family was like growing up, and about how their lives have changed since the Trials. Plus, they talk about the importance of "the pursuit of fun" in everything they do, and share their experiences with the comparison trap, imposter syndrome, and building confidence. (Pro tip: Having a hype girl helps!) <!-- /w

“I kind of spiraled into this years-long cycle of trying to constantly seek improvement in my times and not give myself a break when I really needed it.” If you’ve read an article about running in the past few years (which, who hasn’t?), you’ve probably read something by Emilia Benton. Emilia is a freelance journalist (we talk a lot about her transition to going freelance after working in the magazine industry, and about why she’s so much happier on her own) and is a regular contributor at Runner’s World, Self, Women’s Health, Shape, Popsugar, Prevention, Verywell, Fast Company, and more. On this episode, Emilia talks about making her freelance dreams come true and about the stories she’s proudest of, and shares the one publication that’s still on her writing wish list. Plus, Emilia — who lives in Houston, TX, with her husband, Omar, and their dog, Astro — shares her running stor

“A lot of science is about asking questions. It’s OK to not understand something. And it’s OK that it’s hard. That understanding comes in just being curious. We don’t have all the answers, but we know how to go about looking for them.” Welcome to Season 4 of the On the Job series! This season, you’ll hear from seven women with cool, unique, interesting careers. We’ll learn about the jobs we see on TV — lawyers and nurses and astronauts, oh my! — and we’ll honor some frontline heroes, including an emergency room nurse and a middle school special education teacher. But first, we’re going to space, with real-life rocket scientist Lynn McGrew! Lynn is a NASA aerospace engineer based at the Johnson Space Center in Housto

“Whatever you want to do, whether it’s to write a book or to run a marathon, you have to be brave enough and bold enough to start to say that out loud. It’s the only way you can begin to own it and then to understand how to make it happen. You have to put it out there.” When Meaghan B Murphy was first on the Ali on the Run Show in January 2019, she casually mentioned maybe kind of sort of wanting to write a book someday. Fast forward two years, and someday is today: Meaghan’s debut book, Your

"There's a lot of uncertainty, and getting better at that has taken a lot of practice." Welcome to the second episode in the new monthly "Ask Ali" series — where you call in with your questions, and I answer them. This time around, we're covering everything from motherhood and going on family fun runs to how I maintain a positive attitude with a chronic illness (or do I?). I talk about the art of interviewing, finding a therapist, what it would be like if I hosted an "Ali on the Run" race, and, naturally, I offer up some hot takes on Broadway Shows, Center Stage, and The Greatest Showman. If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! <!-- wp

"People don’t know what you go through or the feelings you have if you don’t express and you don’t talk about them. People can have all of these assumptions about you, but unless you verbalize what’s really going on in your mind, they will never know." When it comes to running, India Cook is passionate about sharing her story — but it's not about her, she'll tell you. It's about making sure other runners in the community feel seen, heard, and welcome on the run. India is a two-time marathoner and 15-time half-marathoner from Atlanta, GA, and she's a content creator and storyteller (and former semi-professional cheerleader, which, yes, we talk about on this episode!). India is the co-host of The Run Duo podcast and hosts the Miles From India YouTube channel. She's also an RRCA-certified run coach. On this episode, India talks about racing in the Covid-19 era, shares her t

“I got to be a little brother and a big fan.” Happy Valentine's Day, and welcome to the final day of Love on the Run Week on the Ali on the Run Show! Today, we're wrapping things up with the best-loved brothers in running: Meb and Hawi Keflezighi. On this episode, Meb and Hawi talk about their childhoods, share stories of emigrating to the U.S. from Eritrea, and talk about their brother-turned-professional relationship (Hawi is Meb's agent). At the end of this week, I hope this series has made you laugh, smile, and feel the love! SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to ucan.co/ontherun for 20% off your next UCAN order! What we mention on this episode: <

"Best buds for life." On the surface, sisters Sarah and Marisa Cummings seem like they could be twins. Both were competitive ice skaters and valedictorians of their respective graduating high school classes. They each went on to attend Princeton University, where they each ran on the cross-country team. Then, though three years apart, they each moved to New York City to pursue jobs in the finance industry and to run for the New York Athletic Club. But to know Sarah and Marisa is to know that they aren't identical, they swear. On this episode, Sarah and Marisa talk about their sisterly bond, and about how they've supported each other over the years. SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to ucan.co/ontherun for 20% off your next UCAN ord

“That was the kicker: Matt said, ‘If the dog doesn’t like you, you have to go.’” One day, in Flagstaff, AZ, professional runner Matt Llano walked into a local coffee shop where Brannon Harbur was working. That first day they met, they talked for hours — long after Brannon’s shift had ended. They agreed to meet up for a first date of sorts, at a group run. Fitting, for a professional runner. But Brannon wasn’t a runner. Still, he showed up, because he was interested — in Matt, not in running. Brannon went on to run 10 miles (alongside Stephanie Bruce), getting to know Matt in the process. They’ve been together every day since then. Today, Matt is a professional runner for Under Armour and Dark Sky Distance, and Brannon is the Chief Experience Officer of Mental Performance at <a class= "rank-math-link" href="https://hypo2sport.com/our-team/" target= "_blank" rel="noreferrer noopene

"I knew this was going to be an epic friendship." Welcome to the fastest friendship on the track: Kori Carter and Ajeé Wilson join Love on the Run Week today! Kori is a world champion 400m hurdler, and Ajeé is a U.S. record holder in the 800m (both indoor and outdoor). On this episode, they talk about how they met and immediately bonded both on the track and off. SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to ucan.co/ontherun for 20% off your next UCAN order! What we mention on this episode: <a class="rank-math-link" href= "https://www.instagram.com/tv/CJHwr5Tnxcj/" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noopener"

"I just looked over at her and said, ‘We should be something.’" She's a 2:43 marathoner and Olympic Marathon Trials finisher, and he's "not a huge runner" who runs a 2:51 marathon: Meet Starla Garcia and Fredis Benitez from Houston, TX! Starla (a returning favorite on the Ali on the Run Show) is a registered dietitian, and Fredis is a marketer and designer, and they bonded immediately over a shared love for music. On this episode, Starla and Fredis, who have been dating since 2016, talk about creating boundaries in a relationship, about not playing games, and about how Starla knew she liked him when he said he likes vegetables! SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to ucan.co/ontherun for 20% off your next UCAN order!

"We took each other's dreams seriously, which is always a fun thing in a friendship." It's Day 2 of Love on the Run Week, and today we're celebrating long-distance friendship. On this episode, professional runners Alexi Pappas and Mary Cain talk about their bond, which started because of running (they met at a track meet!), but quickly grew because of something so much deeper. They highlight the importance of strong, supportive adult friendships; talk about why they try not to "squeeze too tight;" and explain how they support each other from across the country. SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to ucan.co/ontherun for 20% off your next UCAN order! What we mention on

"It’s not that we don’t disagree or we don’t challenge each other, because that’s a really important part of it. We definitely challenge each other and we’re always growing, but I feel like we’re constantly growing in a similar direction, and that’s why it works so well." Welcome to Love on the Run Week! This year, we’re celebrating all different types of love leading up to Valentine’s Day — seven days, seven episodes, seven love stories, including couples, best friends, and siblings. First up: a sweet dose of romance with one of running's fastest couples. On this episode, Jenny and Jason Simpson talk about how they met and fell in love amidst backyard BBQs, Olympic debuts, and "Jason's smooth moves." SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to <a href="http://ucan.co/ontherun" target="_blank" rel= "noreferrer noopene

“Maybe we place too much emphasis on the idea of what other people think a runner is.” After having her third baby, Erin Azar wasn't feeling like herself. So one day — having never run before — she decided to go outside and run a mile. From there, she committed to running a mile a day for 30 days straight, documenting her journey along the way. The result: Erin went viral on TikTok, with her first running video amassing more than one million views overnight. And when her mile-a-day month was up, she leveled up, and decided to train for and run her first marathon. Then, when said marathon was canceled due to the pandemic, she ran it anyway: virtually, and mostly alone. Erin is super honest about the realities of

“Your energy is your most valuable resource. How do you make sure you’re spending it on things that actually make a difference?” As the Chief People Officer at Hubspot, it is Katie Burke's job to take care of people. So when your job is other people — whether at work or at home — how do you take care of you? On this episode, Ali on the Run Show favorite Katie Burke shares 10 practical, tactical, super important ways to make sure your needs are met. And this isn't a fluffy self-care pep talk about reading before bed or taking baths on the weekend. This is about learning to play offense in your own life. (Look at me, using sports references!) Plus, Katie talks about why you should make a "worry list," offers her own take on the over-used phrase "self-care," and explains why this advice is especially important now. (For more, read Katie's just-published po

“Find what makes it fun for you.” Welcome to this month's edition of Ramblings on the Run with Ali and Matt, where Rambling Runner host Matt Chittim and I catch up on running, industry news, and our current favorite things. On this episode, we answer listener questions ranging from how we met and became friends to our best advice for new runners. What we mention on this episode: Bravey by Alexi Pappas <a class="rank-math-link" href= "https://aliontherunblog.com/2020/10/25/ali-on-the-run-show-296-alexi-pappas/" target="_blank" rel="norefer

“He said, ‘If you want to see your son grow up, you need to make these changes.’ Done. That’s all I needed to hear.” The Mirnavator is here! Mirna Valerio is a sponsored athlete, ultra runner, best-selling author (check out her book, A Beautiful Work in Progress), trained opera singer (yes, she sings on this episode!), mother, educator, activist (she leads diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops for brands including Nike and Burton), and speaker. She has appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show and the Rich Roll podcast (twice!), she trained Will Smith for a half marathon, and she was named 2018 Adventurer of the Year by National Geographic. She's also arguably one of the most influential women in running tod

"My goal is to indulge my own curiosity and hopefully pique yours as well." Welcome to the new monthly series on the Ali on the Run Show: Ask Ali! On these episodes, I'll be answering your questions, whether they're funny, silly, or serious. First up: running with Crohn's disease, tackling the comparison trap, sports bras, podcasting, my thoughts on the dance industry and whether I see dance in Annie's future, and, uh, a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. If you want to be part of a future "Ask Ali" episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever's on your mind! I can't wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here</a

“The idea that someone would try to take me down a notch really just adds fuel to my fire.” Last week, Outside magazine published a piece called “Tracksmith Made Running Culture Something You Can Buy.” On this episode, the ever-inspiring Kamilah Journét — who is both a 4:51 miler and Tracksmith’s marketing manager — is here to offer her response to that piece. Plus, Kamilah talks about running collegiately at UC San Diego, and reflects on times when she didn’t love running. She talks about rediscovering her love for running (pro tip: her love returned when she made it about something bigger than herself!), and about the role running plays in her life right now. Before coming to Tracksmith, Kamilah worked at Hoka One One and Patagonia, so she also offers her take on how running and outdoor brands are approaching diversity, equity, and inclusion in 2021, and wheth

“I went on this journey of constantly proving to people that I could do everything they could do. Because I knew I could!” When Lacey Henderson was just nine years old, she was diagnosed with soft-tissue cancer in her leg. After trying a series of experimental treatments — none of which ultimately worked — Lacey underwent above-the-knee amputation surgery, just before her tenth birthday. Today, Lacey is a Paralympic long jumper competing at the highest level, and she'll be the first to tell you that she is so much more than her disability. (She also, on this episode, talks about that word, "disability," and reflects on why it's not quite her favorite word.) Lacey is happy, joyful, and tough, and this conversation covers everything from ableism, discovering disabled sport, and having tough conversations on the street to cheerleading and American Girl dolls. <!-- /wp:paragra

“I think what I’ll take away from this sport is the resiliency it built in me. No matter what else life throws at me, I’ll know how to keep moving forward and fighting through it.” The last time Sara Hall was on the Ali on the Run Show, she had just placed second — with the finishing kick seen around the world — at the elite-only London Marathon. This time, she’s fresh off running the elite-only Marathon Project — and this time, she took the win. In December, Sara won the Marathon Project with an 89-second personal best time of 2:20:32. She fell short of her goal that day, which was to run an American Record, besting Deena Kastor’s 2:19:36. On this episode, Sara talks about what it felt like to miss that goal, but to still have an incredible day on the run. She offers an honest take on running your best time ever but not feeling satisfied. (Relatable!) Plus, she explains what it

“I want every runner when they listen to this show to be reminded that regardless of your pace, your distance, how often you run, when you run — you’re a runner. I want you to know that even if you don’t see yourself in every episode, in every conversation — I see you. I see you in this community. I value you. I couldn’t do this without you. I will do my very best to make sure these conversations remain inclusive in every way possible.” In 2020, I released 126 episodes of the Ali on the Run Show with 133 different guests. I welcomed five new sponsors (goodr, Tracksmith, Athletic Greens, Gatorade Endurance, and Atlanta Track Club), and maintained a strong partnership with longtime sponsors (AfterShokz, UCAN, and New Balance). In addition to the Thursday conversations, there was a steady stream of fun series options to choose from: Love on the Run, On the Job, Feel-Good Fridays, Al

"I’ve given up on myself so many times. And now this time, I’m so determined to get over this hump. I don’t want to give up on myself again. That’s what gets me out the door these days." Emma Abrahamson is the definition of a content creator: The former University of Oregon cross-country runner has an insanely popular YouTube channel with 69,000 subscribers, a combined Instagram following of more than 80,000 on her @onecrazedfoodie account and her personal one, hosts the <a class="rank-math-link" href= "https://podcasts.apple.com

“I was just like, my three girls are at home cheering for us, yours are right here. There’s so much love for us right now. We’ve just gotta go. Let’s do it for them.” Last weekend, Calum Neff became known as "Green Shorts Guy" at The Marathon Project in Arizona. Calum was one of several pacers assigned to help Sara Hall run a 2:19 marathon in hopes of setting a new American record. And Calum more than earned the very important role: He's a lifelong runner with four Guinness World Records to his name, three of which are stroller running records that he's earned with each of his three daughters in tow. (A 2:31 marathon with his oldest daughter, a 1:11 half with his middle, and a 31:43 10K with his youngest.) On this e

“It was incredibly scary to leave my home country, my family, and fly overseas to a place I knew nothing about. I knew no one there. I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I just knew I was following my dream and following my heart.” Dominique "Dom" Scott was born and raised in South Africa, but by the time she hit high school, she knew she wanted to move to the United States to pursue a collegiate runner career in the NCAA. And that's precisely what she did. Despite having never visited, Dom packed her bags and moved to the States, where she attended the University of Arkansas. The rest, they say, is history. Dom went on to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in the 10,000 meters, and earned herself a sponsorship with adidas. Today, she lives in Colorado where she is a member of Joe Bosshard and Emma Coburn's "Team Boss." On this episode, Dom talks about moving to th

“We made the most out of a hard year. And what we did this year is going to pay off.” Earlier this year, four-time NCAA champion Dani Jones decided to forgo her remaining NCAA eligibility at the University of Colorado in the pursuit of going pro. She signed with an agent — Hawi Keflezighi — and joined Joe Bosshard and Emma Coburn’s training group, “Team Boss.” And today, Dani has an exciting announcement to share: She’s officially a fully sponsored professional runner, hav

"I am the happiest that I have ever been in my life. It’s coming together like I always wanted." It's been a really good year for Aliphine Tuliamuk. In February, the professional runner for Hoka One One's NAZ Elite team won the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, earning herself the top spot on the U.S. Olympic Marathon team. But before she heads to Tokyo in 2021, Aliphine has one very big job: have a baby! Last week, Aliphine announced to the world that she is pregnant and due with a baby girl in January. On this episode, Aliphine talks about what the past eight months have been like, what it was like revealing her big secret, and why she didn't want to wait to have a baby. She talks about the values she hopes to instill in her daughter, Zoe, and explains how raising a child in the U.S. differs from how she was raised in Kenya. <

"On pretty much any run, you’re going to look silly or terrible at some point." We're closing out Feel-Good Fridays for 2020 with lots of laughs — at least that's the goal! This week, Emily Halnon returns to the show to answer a few silly questions, and then to help read and share listener-submitted stories about their (your!) funniest or most embarrassing running stories. (Two themes: getting lost and, well, pooping.) SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN for $10 off! What we mention on this episode: <a class="rank-math-link" href= "https://aliontherunblog.com/2020/11/20/ali-on-

“When you put it in your head that you belong, it’s incredible how you allow yourself to succeed.” Today, by very popular demand, Jonathan Cane and Nicole Sin Quee make their Ali on the Run Show debuts — together! Jonathan ("Coach Cane") is the founder of City Coach Multisport and author of Triathlon Anatomy, and Nicole ("NSQ") is a math teacher at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx and is a former duathlon national champion. They are parents to nine-year-old Simon, and they are two of my all-time favorite people. Coach Cane was my very first r

“My legacy?! I’m just trying to get through today.” It's the perfect mashup: Feel-Good Fridays meets Ramblings on the Run with Ali & Matt! On this episode, Matt Chittim and I cover everything from 90s sleepover culture to our biggest dreams and regrets. Something for everyone — including a new "nosy questions" segment! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN for $10 off! What we mention on this episode: Millennium Runni

"I said to Robin in my interview, ‘If I get this job, part of my mission will be to tell people to dream and to dream big, and to dream bigger, and to dream often.' Because if this could happen for me, a daughter of immigrant parents, girl who struggled with her weight, girl who struggled with her confidence…to be one of the faces of one of the largest companies in the world, the largest connected fitness platform in the world… If I can say that that was my story, then anything can happen for any person at any time." If you're a Peloton fan, you know Tunde Oyeneyin. She's the ultra-inspiring makeup artist turned cycling superstar whose journey to podium fame has been filled with highs, lows, twists, turns, and a whole lot of passion, persistence, and manifestation. On this episode, Tunde shares that adventure, talking about everything from the weight-loss journey that led her to

"You can do it, buddy!" It’s an Ali on the Run Show Thanksgiving tradition! Six years ago, my now-husband, Brian, and I lined up at the start of two very different Turkey Trots. Though both races were five miles, the outcomes were vastly dissimilar. I ran the Prospect Park Track Club Turkey Trot in Brooklyn, NY, in a respectable 38:41 — a 7:44 minute-per-mile pace. Meanwhile, in Rhode Island, Brian was racing the Newport Pie Run. He had big dreams and big goals. Here’s a dramatic retelling of how his race went. Happy Thanksgiving! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN for $10 off! Follow Al

"All the pain and all the isolation I have felt — it was all worth it for a moment like this." Last year, runner and steeplechaser Emma Gee made history when she became the first openly out LGBTQ+ athlete at Utah's Brigham Young University — the university owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. On this episode, Emma powerfully and honestly shares her story. She talks about growing up in a religious family — she's one of five children — in Colorado, and explains why she decided to attend BYU. She explains the school's honor code and how it affected her as a bisexual student on campus. And she shares her coming out story, including what it was like to be the first D1 athlete in BYU's 143-year history to be publicly out, and what it was like coming out to her friends, her teammates, her coach, and her family.

"I need to laugh. I need to smile. I need to feel silly." Welcome to Feel-Good Fridays, Season 3! This time around, honestly, I'm just feeling like keeping it light. Because we all know that 2020 has been a year. So for the next four weeks, my goal — my mission, should you choose to accept it — is to bring you something every Friday that will make you laugh, smile, or somehow feel lighter. I think we could all use a little levity right now. Today, we kick things off with a compilation episode: revisiting four of the Ali on the Run Show's happiest, funniest, laugh-out-loud-iest moments and conversations. Whether you're hearing these stories for the first time or revisiting them after a few years, I hope they bring you a giggle. SPONSOR: goodr. <a href= "http://goodr.com/ontherun" target="_blank" r

“It’s gonna take a lot of work. It’s gonna take a lot of discipline and a lot of patience and a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall and it not sticking at all.” Natalie Mitchell just might be the most joyful runner on the planet. The always-smiling running coach, mom of three, and 12-time marathoner is perhaps best known by her Instagram moniker: “Nat Runs Far.” On this episode, she talks about how she has shaved an hour off her marathon time (from a 4:06 debut to a 3:05), and shares her dreams to qualify for the Olympic Marathon Trials. She talks about setting goals, managing expectations, and taking necessary time off. And Natalie talks about her experiences as a Black woman runner, shares her secrets to a ha

“Your teacher says you can’t have a job where you’re looking out the window all day — well that’s exactly what I do!” We’re closing out Season 3 of the On the Job series today with Jenny Benjamin — a woman with her eyes on the skies! Jenny is an air traffic controller at Denver Centennial Airport in Colorado, and on this episode, she talks about why she loves her job so much. She explains how she and her team safely and efficiently move air traffic, and talks about why it’s so important to be seamless behind the scenes. (Their goal, she says, is to stay out of the news!) She talks about the sacrifices she has to make as a mother who works long and oftentimes demanding hours, and explains how Ironman training fits into her schedule. Thank you to Tracksmith for sponsoring the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show

“You don’t let it define you. A bad day is a bad day. You just suck it up, learn what you’ve gotta learn, and move on.” Keira D’Amato is perhaps best known as “The Running Realtor.” She is a mom of two who works full-time as a real estate agent in Virginia — and she’s a 2:34

"What makes this my dream job is realizing that I can make a difference just by showing up, just by being a woman and a woman of color, and showing up in this space and holding this space and being proud of the work that I’m doing — knowing that we stand for something more than just running, and that we’re showing that as an athlete and as a running brand, you can stand for more than just the sport you do." Theresa Bradford just might have every runner's dream job: She's a sports marketing associate manager for Hoka One One, where she works with Hoka's 150 sponsored elite athletes. (Aliphine Tuliamuk! Steph Bruce! Kellyn Taylor!) On this episode, Theresa talks about getting her start working in Hoka's customer service department, and working her way up to her current position. (Pro tip: Ask for what you want!) She gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it's really like working

"Failing is your jumping off point. It’s not the end of the story — it’s the beginning. It’s one chapter in your story, and you have the whole rest of the book to change the outcome." Bree Koegel is an absolute delight. She's a former professional dancer turned fitness instru

“I hope to make this feel like a sport that anyone can do, no matter who you are.” Courtney Dauwalter is one of the greatest ultra runners of all-time. She has won Western States, the Javelina Jundred, Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), and the Moab 240-Mile Endurance Run, where she wasn’t just the first woman to finish, she was the overall winner, beating the second-place finisher by 10 hours. Most recently, Courtney was the U.S. winner of the last-man-standing-style Big’s Backyard Ultra. She ran 68 laps of a four-mile course for a grand total of 283.33 miles in 56 hours, 52 minutes, and 29 seconds. On this episode, Courtney recounts her race at Big’s, talks about her now-famous hallucinations along the way, and reflects on why we can always go further together. Plus, she talks about her attempt at running the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the 500-mile Colorado Trail this summer, o

"I’m never gonna be rich. But I do this because I love it." Ever wondered what it's like working inside an art museum? On this episode, 2:42 marathoner and Olympic Marathon Trials runner Danae Dracht takes us all inside the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, where she works as an archivist and cataloger. It's Danae's job to catalog artists' monographs and exhibition catalogs that have been published in multiple languages. (And no, she's not multilingual — but she explains how she makes sense of it all!) Danae explains what her job in information science entails, how she's making it work from home during the pandemic, and how she got the job at the Getty. Thank you to Tracksmith for sponsoring the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to <a href= "http://tracksmith.com/ontherun" target="_blank" rel= "noref

"I was just telling myself, you’ve never been more ready." It was the kick seen 'round the world — and on this episode, we get to hear all about it! Today, Sara Hall is here, talking about her amazing finish at this year's unique London Marathon. Sara came in second place during the elite-only race, finishing in a personal best time of 2:22.01. Sara first appeared on Episode 144 of the Ali on the Run Show with her husband (and coach!), Ryan, and this time around, she's offering updates on her training, her next race (The Marathon Project in December!), her family, and what it was really like being in "the bubble" in London. <!-- /wp:paragraph

"Someone’s either a drain or a fountain. Start focusing on your fountains." Need a confidence boost? Not sure where to start? Perfect: You're in the right place! That's what Jenny Gaither does for a living. She's a confidence coach, founder of The Movemeant Foundation, creator of the Dare to Bare event, and a longtime SoulCycle instructor. On this episode, Jenny talks about learning to feel vulnerable when she's teaching, she advises on how to deal with toxic relationships (drains vs. fountains!), and she explains how to get started on your own journey to self-confidence. SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN for $10 off! Fo

"You just have to keep going. Eventually things are going to be better." You probably know exactly who Amanda Basham is, even if you don't realize you know who she is: She's the fiery-red-haired professional ultra runner and endurance coach who has raced all over the world at some of running's most prestigious and most grueling events, including Western States, the TransRockies Run, and World's Toughest Mudder. In 2015 — her first year as a pro — she won the 50-mile USATF Trail Championships race. Not a bad start to a pro career. (Amanda is currently sponsored by Rabbit and Altra.) Right now, Amanda is training for a different kind of endurance sport: She's 27 weeks pregnant! On this episode, Amanda talks about how pregnancy is going, and shares whether or not she always knew she wanted to be a mom. She talks about meeting now-boyfriend <a class="rank-math-link" href= "https://al

“You know within your first six months whether it’s a lifestyle that you want to commit to.” When 3:14 marathoner Elyse Garza isn't logging miles on the ground, she's getting them in the air. As a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, Elyse says she's "living her dream" right now. On this episode, she talks about how she became a flight attendant, explains her ever-changing travel schedule, shares whether she's ever had to use the inflatable slide, and dishes about her biggest passenger pet peeves. (Hint: Stop poking the flight attendants!) Elyse lives in Sacramento, CA, is based out of San Francisco International Airport, and, fun fact, is afraid of heights! Thank you to Tracksmith for sponsoring the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to <a href= "http://tracksmith.com/ontherun" target="_blank" rel= "no

“What grand treehouse can we make out of this wonderful pile of leaves and sticks that we’re given?” Alexi Pappas — who first appeared on Episode 163 of the Ali on the Run Show — is so much more than "just" a runner. She's a professional middle-distance runner turned marathoner: Alexi made her 26.2-mile debut at the 2018 Chicago Marathon, and ran her second marathon earlier this year in Houston, finishing in 2:34, which earned her a nine-minute PR and 10th place for the day, and was just one minute off the Greek national record. She's an award-winning writer and filmmaker: Alexi co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in Tracktown, and most recen

“If you have a voice and you can use it to help somebody else, then by golly, use it.”   For three full years, trainer Charlee Atkins — now the founder of the wildly popular workout app and digital platform Le Sweat TV — had to seriously psych herself up to teach indoor cycling classes every day. When you're a fitness instructor, you have to show up as your best self every time for your students. But what about when you're just not feeling it? On this edition of Feel-Good Fridays, Charlee talks about how she used to psych herself up, and what she's done to make sure she never needs to fake it until she makes it again. She offers advice for finding motivation when it's lacking, opens up about her own insecurities, and talks

“I used to think being vulnerable or authentic was weakness. Like, ‘Oh, don’t show that, don’t share your weaknesses.’ And then it’s like, wait a second, it’s the opposite. It takes great strength and bravery to live an authentic life.”   Nikki Hiltz returns to the Ali on the Run Show! This time around, Nikki — a professional 1500m runner for adidas — talks about her decision to prioritize her mental health this year instead of focusing on the track, and talks about what it means to her to be authentic. She reflects on her hugely successful Golden Coast Track Club Virtual Pride 5K, and talks about the impact of watching members of the LGBTQ+ community using that race to come out to their loved ones. Plus, Nikki explains her decision to leave Golden Coast Track Club, offers an update on her new coach, and tells us all about her girlfriend, fellow runner Emma Gee.   What you’ll get on this episode: Nikki shares

"It was important for me to pursue this dream and make it happen. I have this belief of, you can’t be what you can’t see. So if other young girls are not seeing women as leaders and women as physicians and women in high positions and important jobs, they may not think they can be there. That made it extra important for me to continue to pursue this dream."   Every day, we are bombarded with news about the Covid-19 pandemic. But an important part of that conversation that is often missing is, "What happens after I get Covid?" Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez is here to answer that critical question. Dr. Verduzco-Gutierrez is the Professor and Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, and she has developed a post-Covid recovery clinic to aid in the rehabilitative recovery of patients who have functio

“I’m an ideas person — but I’m also a doer.”   Alison Désir was one of the very first guests on the Ali on the Run Show. She first appeared on Episode 3, and in the three years since she was on this podcast, Alison, who is a mental health coach and is the founder of Harlem Run, has accomplished so much, changed the world in so many ways, and has become an incredibly important voice in the running community. On this episode, Alison offers updates on all facets of her life, including becoming a mother to her son, Kouri, last year; what her pregnancy, childbir

"I’ve had moments of exhaustion. I’ve had moments of frustration. I’ve had an overhaul across the board, personally and professionally. This year has been a rinse. If I was naming this chapter, it’s ‘Let it burn and reset.’ And instead of fighting all these things that are literally burning or closing down or going away or having an ‘I’m so over this attitude,’ I’ve tried to embrace every letdown, every frustration, everything that’s popped up."   Welcome back to Feel-Good Fridays on the Ali on the Run Show! This time around, we're getting a series of pep talks from the people who are living, breathing pep talks every day of their lives: professional fitness instructors. First up, Betha

“I’m Chinese American. My parents emigrated here from Hong Kong for college. And stereotypical as it may be, it was like, you could be a doctor, you could be a lawyer, maybe you could go into business. That was my conception of what the possibilities were for your career, for most of my life growing up. Writing never entered into my mind.”   Christine Yu is an award-winning freelance journalist who covers sports, science, and women's health. She's a leading voice in the industry, and is a regular contributor for Runner's World, Women's Running, Outside Magazine, The Washington Post, Well+Good, Women's Health, and more. And soon, she'll officially be a published book author! Christine signed a book deal earlier this year, and is now hard at work on her book about the science behind women in sports, which will be out next year. On this episode, Christine talks abo

“I am a believer in opportunity.”   It’s been a tough year for so many brands, individuals, and industries, and within the running industry, race companies have been hit particularly hard. On this episode, Michelle La Sala, president and founder of Blistering Pace Race Management, talks about her road to race directing, and explains how the pandemic has affected her business, which specializes in managing large-scale mass participation running events. Michelle’s clients include the New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Big Sur International Marathon, and Napa Valley Marathon. Previously, she was race director for the California International Marathon (CIM) and was the volunteer coordinator for the L.A. Marathon. Michelle, a 31-time marathoner with a 2:59 personal best time, talks about what she’s doing to stay afloat right now, and offers her take on how we can all sup

“Doing the right thing is always the right thing.” Episode 13 of the Ali on the Run Show had a massive impact — one that hasn’t slowed in the more than three years since that must-listen episode aired. Today, Episode 13’s Chris Mosier, the transgender Hall of Fame triathlete and duathlete whom The BBC and New York Magazine called “the man who changed the Olympics,” returns to the show to catch up on what he’s been up to since we recorded that conversation. Chris talks about the progress we’ve made regarding t

“I ran out of anger. I ran because cancer was trying to stop me.”   In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, today’s guest is Sue Fortier: an Ali on the Run Show listener, a mom of two, and a breast cancer survivor. On this episode, Sue shares her cancer story, which began when she was 37 and was training for two fall marathons. She felt some pain in her breast, which turned out to be breast cancer. Her life was immediately and forever changed. Sue, who works as a visiting nurse, underwent 16 weeks of chemotherapy treatment, followed by 25 rounds of radiation — a time she refers to as the most traumatic of her life. She talks about how and why she kept running through her treatment, and explains how her relationship with running and with her body have changed since her diagnosis.   Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! Go to <a href= "https://aliontherunblog.com/2020/09/03/ali-

"I think everybody needs a good happily ever after." Welcome to Season 3 of the On the Job series! We're kicking things off this season with some love, lust, and intrigue: with USA Today best-selling romance novelist Kimberly Kincaid! In this conversation, Kimberly offers a peek at what it's like working in the billion-dollar romantic fiction industry. She talks about where she gets her inspiration (beware if you're in line in front of her at Starbucks!), about getting more than 100 rejections on the road to getting published, and about why scripting strong heroines is a must in her novels. And of course, she talks about what it's like writing steamy scenes and scintillating love stories for a living. Kimberly is currently working on her 32nd book. <em dat

“Real change is going to take time.”   Carolyn Su — the creator of @diversewerun — returns to the Ali on the Run Show today for the What’s New With You series. Carolyn first appeared on Episode 140 of the show, to talk about her own running story and to share why she created Diverse We Run. Today, she’s back with updates on how the account is grown, and on how she’s used her own voice over the past year. Carolyn is doing important work to help further the conversation about race within the running community, and she has deservedly been featured in Runner’s World and on several other running podcasts.   Th

“There’s an excitement to each of the races for sure, and it’s great to see your times and know you’ve run your fastest 800 or mile, and that’s huge. That always feels good… But I definitely don’t feel the same pride. It’s different.”   Cory McGee is a professional runner for New Balance. She specializes in the 1500m distance, and lives in Boulder, CO, where she trains with “Team Boss,” under the coaching of Joe Bosshard and alongside powerhouse women including Emma Coburn, Aisha Praught Leer, and

“When I ran that 2:32 in January, it really made me realize that ‘dream big’ is not just dream big, it’s dream huge, because you have no idea of what you’re capable of.”   Speedy Beatie is back on the Ali on the Run Show this week! Beatie Deutsch is a 2:32 marathoner and mother of five who made her Ali on the Run Show debut on Episode 158. This time around, we’re catching up with Israel’s National Marathon Champion to find out how she shaved 10 minutes off her marathon time, and to learn more about her calls to the International Olympic Committee to change the date of the 2021 Olympic Marathon so it doesn’t fall on the Sabbath. She offers an update on her goal to represent Israel in the Olympics, and talks about what the pandemic has been like in Israel.   Thank you to UCAN for sponsoring the What’s New With You

“I was in a world I could never have imagined — and I completely broke.”   Andrea Wagner had a meteoric rise to running success. She first leaned into running to cope with the stress of working at the Pentagon in the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001. She ran her first marathon with a one-and-done mindset, finishing in 4:35 and insisting she would never do it again. (Famous last words!) More than a decade later, Andrea was a mom of two in a bad marriage, again turning to running to cope. She ran more marathons — but this time around, she was winning them. In 2014, she won the Rock N Roll New Orleans Marathon, and then went on to finish the Chicago Marathon in 2:41, earning herself an Olympic Trials qualifying time. She signed with Oiselle. She garnered the strength to leave her marriage after 10 years. And then, she lined up at the start of the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials. But after 14 miles, she stopped running. She was done.

“I’ve never been so tired in my life. No amount of having babies or opening businesses or anything set me up for this. Those first three months, I’ve never experienced anything so difficult in my entire life. But I just kept going.”   Welcome to the What’s New With You series on the Ali on the Run Show! For the next six weeks, I’ll be catching up with past guests to see what they’ve been up to since the last time we talked. And we’re kicking things off with the indomitable Rachel Wyman! Rachel first appeared on Episode 166 of the show, where she talked about her life as a bread baker, single mom of three, owner of <a class= "rank-math-link" href="https://www.montclairbread.com/" target= "_blank" r

“I keep showing up so that people know that a Pakistani Muslim woman can be a marathoner. But just because I am there doesn’t mean the work is done.”   <p id="block-3b9be836-d2da-4547-8ac6-d8ee164738b3" class= "block-editor-block-list__block wp-block rich-

"I think the biggest thing with grief is knowing that some days you’re gonna be drowning and unable to breathe, and I think I’ve had 12- to 24-hour cry-fests where you literally feel like you’re going to suffocate or die of dehydration. But it does end eventually. And then you take that deep breath and drink a glass of water and look outside and the world is still there. And you can keep going. Just having the hope to keep going is the most important."   Justin Grunewald is a doctor, ultra runner, and avid chaser of FKTs. He's happiest running up mountains in pursuit of running the fastest known time on any given trail. (So far in 2020, Justin has run more than 15 FKTs — two of which he did since we recorded this episode!) In addition to his many accomplishments, both professionally and on the run, Justin is perhaps best known as husband to the late Gabe Grunewald, who passed away last year after a long and arduous

"Motivation is great when it’s there, but at the end of the day, it’s all about commitment."   Dr. Detling is back! I'm thrilled to wrap up the Ali & the Experts series with returning favorite Dr. Nicole Detling, mental performance coach and founder of Headstrong Consulting. Dr. Detling has a PhD in exercise and sports science with an emphasis in sports psychology, is the author of <a class="rank-math-link" href="https://amzn.to/2ETX2rj" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-labe

"If I want things to change, I have to keep on fighting. But I can’t be the only one."   If you've ever run a race in New York City, you know Ben Chan. He's the "leopard print short-shorts and cowboy hat guy," and he's a staple on the NYC running scene. On this episode, in addition to talking about his on-the-run fashion choices, Ben shares the story of how he found running at age 30, by way of donating a kidney to a friend in need. And Ben talks about his firsthand experiences with racism, many of which he's experienced recently, and on the run. Ben talks about being the son of immigrants and grandson of refugees, and offers his perspective on what it means to create "safe spaces" and "escapes" by way of running.   Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! Go to ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones! <

“Let’s talk about our deepest and darkest fears around money.”   This week on Ali & the Experts, we’re talking money with Mandi! Mandi Woodruff is the senior content director at Lending Tree, and is co-host of the Brown Ambition podcast. She worked as an editor and reporter on the personal finance beat at Business Insider and Yahoo Finance, and hosted both The Money Minute and The Payoff weekly web series. Plus, she’s been featured as an expert guest on Good Morning America, ABC News Tonight, CBS This Morning, NY1, and more. On this episode, Mandi answers listener questions about investing, buying a home, saving, student loans, and emotions around money.   Thank you to Athletic Greens for sponsoring this series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to <a href= "Thank%20you%20to%20Athletic%20Greens%20for%20sponsoring%20this%20series%20on%20the%20Ali%20on%20the%20

“You know when you’re not done yet. There were goals I wanted to accomplish, and I knew they were still in me. I just needed to keep going and see what I could do.”   In 2015, Rolanda Bell was living the dream. She had graduated from the University of Tennessee, where she was a member of the historic 2009 Women’s 4x1500m relay team alongside Chanelle Price, Phoebe Wright, and Sarah Bowman. Together, they broke the existing Penn Relays, National Collegiate, American, and world records — several of which still stand, 11 years later. She went on to run professionally representing Panama — a lifelong dream. But at the 2015 World Athletics Championship in Beijing, Rolanda was competing in the 3000m steeplechase when she went over the water barrier, and landed face-first on the way down. On this episode, Rolanda, who works in marketing for Hoka One One, talks about falling in love with running, going pro, and getting back up and finishing th

“Running isn’t canceled! You can still be improving during this time.”   Kaitlin Goodman is a 2:32 marathoner and four-time Olympic Trials qualifier who runs professionally for the Boston Athletic Association and adidas. Kaitlin — a frequent Ali on the Run Show guest and fan favorite — is incredibly versatile on the run. She has qualified for the Olympic Trials four times — in three different distances! (The 5K, 10K, and marathon.) And she’s a running coach with a master’s in public health. Kaitlin is the founder of Running Joyfully, where she coaches runners of all abilities. She’s also the founder of Safe on the Road, a nonprofit education and advocacy organization that promotes pedestrian and cyclist safety.   Thank you to Athletic Greens for sponsoring this series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to <a href= "Thank%20you%20to%20Athletic%20Greens%20for%20sp

"We as humans have the capacity to surprise ourselves with how much stronger we are than we think we are. You don’t get to make those discoveries unless you do something that challenges you to probe that question: Can I do this? Am I capable of this?"   The last time Emily Halnon was here, she talked about her big, brave, bold goal: to run the fastest known time (FKT) on the Oregon Pacific Crest Trail. And spoiler: She did it! And now, Emily is back to talk about how she ran 453 miles in 7 days, 19 hours, and 23 minutes. Along the way, Emily also raised more than $30,000 for the Brave Like Gabe Foundation, in honor of her mother, Andrea — "AndyJHa" — who passed away in January after being diagnosed with a rare uterine cancer. And a warning: This conversation may inspire you to go out and set your own big, brave, bold goals!

“Have those conversations with yourself. Figure out, ‘What is it that I want? What is my goal, essentially?’ Kind of like running. What is your goal?”   Dr. Meggie is back! This week on the Ali & the Experts series, Dr. Meggie Smith, Assistant Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Southern California specializing in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, is here to answer listener questions about pregnancy, fertility, periods, birth control, and women’s health during the Covid-19 era.   Thank you to Athletic Greens for sponsoring this series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to athleticgreens.com/ontherun to get a year’s supply of Vitamin D with your first Athletic Greens purchase!   Follow Ali: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1" target

“I got to this point where I had to tell myself that I deserve to be there and I deserve to be on the starting line, and say, ‘You are good enough, you’ve put in the work, you’ve put in the training.’ My motto was ‘Just give it a go.’”   Rebecca Mehra is a professional middle-distance runner for Oiselle’s Little Wing team, where she’s coached by Lauren Fleshman. Earlier this year, Rebecca became a household name when she Tweeted about helping an elderly couple grocery shop at the onset of the pandemic — and that story went viral. Rebecca is an incredibly talented runner, but her life off the track is as compelling as her fast 1500m times. When she’s not running, Rebecca is involved in public policy: She’s the special assistant to the mayor in Bend, OR, and is the campaign manager for two local candidates. On this episode, Rebecca talks about going pro, getting political, going viral, and growing up in a biracial family (she’s the daugh

"Our feelings are truly valid. Remember that the concerns that are leading to your struggles with anxiety and depression are valid and worthy of being talked about, gaining support, and being acknowledged."   Raise your hand if you're feeling anxious! (Mine are both raised.) Then you've come to the right place. On this episode — the second in the six-part Ali & the Experts series — NYC-based therapist Jess Thomas is here to answer listener questions about anxiety, depression, perfectionism, quarantine dating, and how to handle life during a pandemic. Jess, who is part of the Viva Wellness team, also talks about being new to therapy, and debunks all kinds of common mental health myths.   Thank you to Athletic Greens for sponsoring this series on the Ali on the Run Show! <a href= "http://athleticgreens.com/ontherun" target="_blank" rel= "noopener norefer

"Looking for technical solutions to people problems doesn’t work."   Welcome to the Ali & the Experts series! For the next six weeks, I'll be talking with six different experts who will be answering all of your questions. We're kicking things off today with a major career pep talk, courtesy of Laura Parrott. Laura, who lives in Detroit, MI, is currently the Head of People at Floyd. Before that, she spent eight years leading recruiting work at McKinsey, seven years working in people management and leadership development at Google, and, most recently, she was the lead for manager development programming at Hubspot. Laura is also a fitness instructor and is the founder of her own coaching company. On this episode, she answers questions about people challenges at work, including dealing with a difficult boss, networking during a pandemic, being laid off, and getting back into the workforce after taking time off to have children. A must-listen!

"There’s always someone gunning for that spot. And if you’re off your game at all, they’re going to take it."   Jenny Simpson is the country's most-decorated female miler and 1500-meter runner. Case in point: She's a three-time Olympian, she won gold in the 1500 at the 2011 World Championships, she was the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic medal in the 1500 when she won bronze in Rio in 2016, and she's a two-time world silver medalist. She has won the Fifth Avenue Mile eight times, and her personal bests include a 3:57.22 1500 and a 4:16.1 road mile. On this episode, Jenny talks about how she and her husband Jason have been spending quarantine. She shares her thoughts on retirement (someday!), having a baby (someday!), and "waiting to be slow" (which may never happen!). But mostly, we talk about Truman, the dog Jenny and Jason adopted once the lockdowns started.   Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the

"There’s this possibility to live with this duality of life. You can both grieve and have a really, truly happy day. You can be really stressed and scared, and also be extraordinarily brave."   In January, the world truly lost one of the greatest lights and coolest women on the planet: Andrea Halnon, or as she's known around here, "AndyJHa." Emily Halnon was the very first guest on the Ali on the Run Show, and is one of my dear friends, and when her mom passed away after a 13-month battle with a rare uterine cancer, it was devastating. On this episode, Emily returns to the show to graciously and openly talk about her badass mom's amazing legacy, and what the grief process is like. She also talks about how she'll be bravely and boldly honoring that legacy starting this Saturday: By running 453 miles across the state of Oregon, from the California border to Washington, in an attempt to run the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Pacific Crest Trail. In doing

"I won’t use my voice unless I can back up whatever argument I’m trying to make. But I’ve gotten increasingly more comfortable putting myself in those situations and taking a stance on something and then being able to back it up, whether it’s systemic racism, whether it’s diversity in the sport, whether it’s how we should be handling the pandemic right now as runners. We all have thoughts on those things. A lot of us are afraid to share those thoughts. Not all of us have platforms where we can share those thoughts and have it have an impact, and I am very cognizant of the fact that I do, and I want to make sure I’m using my platform for good in those ways and spurring up healthy conversation and debate."   Today, we wrap up the On the Record series with Mario Fraioli, host of The Morning Shakeout podcast and creator of <a href= "https://themorningsh

"That’s what I have now: I have hope."   A lot has changed for Chris Heuisler since the last time he was on the Ali on the Run Show. He turned 40! He's no longer the Global RunWestin Concierge. And he got sober. On this episode, Chris — for the first time publicly — talks about his past with alcoholism, and his journey to sobriety. (SO PROUD OF YOU, CHRIS.)   Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for 15% off all wireless headphones.   What we mention on this episode: Chris Heuisler, National Run Concierge for Westin Hotels <a href= "http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2017/11/04/ali-ru

"What matters most to me is talking about athletes, especially female athletes, in the way that I would want someone to ask me questions. I want someone to respect me as a whole person and dig a little bit deeper and learn about who I am and what I have to give beyond the typical rote questions we hear over and over again."   Dana Giordano is a professional middle-distance runner for the B.A.A. and adidas. She's a 4:34 miler and 15:47 5K runner who ran track and cross-country at Dartmouth College and hopes to compete at the 2021 Olympic Track & Field Trials. In April, Dana added another line to her impressive resume: host of the More Than Running podcast. Dana enters the running podcast space with an inside look at the sport. On this episode, she talks about relatability on the track, inspiration on t

"I was nervous. But it was the kind of nervousness that really drove me to work as hard as possible, be as persistent as possible, and as thorough as possible."   Hawi Keflezighi is one of the greatest agents in running and track and field. As the founder and CEO of HAWI Management, Hawi and his team represent 30 athletes including Alexi Pappas, Nikki Hiltz, Aliphine Tuliamuk, and, of course, Hawi's brother, Meb Keflezighi. On this episode, Hawi talks about how — and why — he started his agency when he was still in law school, and explains what, exactly, agents do. He talks about being one of 11 siblings, and shares his family's story of emigrating from Eritrea to the Un

"Once you have enough of these uncomfortable conversations, you do start to pick up on new ways of going about it and asking different questions. It’s never going to end. Being uncomfortable is just part of it, and you welcome it, and do it over and over and over again to get better."   Welcome to the second episode in the four-part "On the Record" series, talking with fellow running podcasters about their work, their takes on the state of the running industry, and their roles within it. We kicked things off last week with Alysia Montaño, Molly Huddle, and Roisin McGettigan-Dumas — the hosts off Keeping Track — and this week, Chris Chavez is here! In addition to being a full-time writer for Sports Illustrated, Chris is also the host of the <a href="http://citiusmag.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopen

"Stop negotiating with yourself. Be like a little kid again and jump into the pool. Don’t stick your foot in to check out the temperature. Don’t think you have to have the right bathing suit on. Jump in the pool."   It's safe to say Jess Sims is one of the most popular fitness instructors in the country. As a Peloton instructor, Jess is known for her no frills, no BS, no gimmick approach to working out. She's the real deal, and she's passionate about helping people feel their best every day. And though Jess says she never dreamed about being a fitness instructor, let alone a global superstar with a massive platform, being an educator has always come naturally to her. On this episode, Jess shares her road to Peloton fame, which started by teaching not in fitness studios, but in classrooms: Jess did Teach for America, and taught kids in Houston, Harlem, and Massachusetts. Jess also talks about the a-ha moment that led her from her role as a principal to

"It doesn’t matter if I’m a man or a woman. It just matters how I do my job. That responsibility I’m given is based on how I’ve done in the past, and how well they think I’m going to do in the future."   Welcome to the final episode in the On the Job series! Today, we are wrapping things up with United States Air Force Colonel Shelly Mendieta, who is the Vice Wing Commander of the 39th Airbase Wing in Incirlik, Turkey. As the #2 in command, Col. Mendieta is responsible for more than 3,500 military, civilian, and contractor personnel on base. She's also a Weapons System Operator in the F-15E fighter plane, having logged more than 2,400 flight hours! On this episode, Col. Mendieta talks about what it's really like flying those planes — which women weren't even allowed to fly when she first enlisted in the Air Force — and what it's like serving the country and being stationed overseas. She also talks about how being a runner makes her better in the air, a

"I’m not afraid to have the uncomfortable conversations. Does it mean I feel comfortable? No! And I need my allies. I need my friends to say what I’ve been saying." —Alysia Montaño   Welcome to the first episode in a new four-part series, where I'll be talking with fellow running podcast hosts about how they view the current state of the running industry and their roles within it. We're kicking things off with Alysia Montaño, Molly Huddle, and Roisin McGettigan-Dumas, the hosts of Keeping Track! As current and former professio

"You're the one. If you want to do something...you're the one that's going to do it."   My greatest wish for my daughter is that she never lacks confidence. Some people are born with it, but for others, cultivating confidence takes work — it's like a muscle that has to be flexed repeatedly in order to get stronger. Claudia Thompson is the president of Claudia Connects, a personal and professional training, development, and networking events company, and on this episode, she shares all her best tips and tricks for building your own confidence. She shares her own confidence journey, reflecting on being a Black woman — her mom is from Jamaica and her dad is from Panama — in predominantly white spaces. She also talks about practicing vulnerability, and explains how confidence in life will help us all on the run.   Feel-Good Fridays on the Ali on the Run Show are brought to you by UCAN. <a href="https://ucan.co/ontherun/" target= "_blank"

"Sustainable changes happen over months of time. And there’s nothing to be ashamed of it it takes you a long time. When you come out of it and you do the work and you’re gentle on yourself and you’re looking for progress over perfection, you’re going to be so much happier because you got to know yourself so much better."   Starla Garcia is back on the Ali on the Run Show! Starla is a registered dietitian (and Olympic Marathon Trials runner!) and is the founder of The Healthy Shine, a sports nutrition consulting practice in Houston, TX. On this episode, Starla answers listener questions about nutrition, fueling on the run, sugar addictions, protein, disordered eating, and what she wants everyone to know and understand about fad

“I loved science. I had a biology teacher who was a bit of a mentor of mine in high school and I said, ‘I really think this is what I want to pursue!’ And he said, ‘There’s actually not a place for women in science.’ But I never lost sight of my passion.”   When Vikki Spruill was growing up, she loved science and, in particular, ocean life. But she was told that "women didn't have a place in science." Today, Vikki is President & CEO of the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA, so it's safe to say she found her place in science. On this episode, Vikki talks about how she got the job and what her days are like, both before and during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. To date, the aquarium has been closed for 16 weeks, and Vikki talks about the plans they're putting into place for when the doors do reopen. Plus, she talks about what it's really like running a huge cultural instituti

Welcome to this month's edition of Ramblings on the Run with Ali and Matt. This month, Matt and I catch up and share how things are going on the run, and then we talk about what we're each loving and are excited about right now. Then, we do a twist on the On the Job series, asking each other questions about our respective careers in podcasting.   What we mention on this episode: Don't Keep Your Day Job by Cathy Heller "Influence in the Time of Social Injustice" via Be There in Five Aliphine Tuliamuk on Instagram <a href= "https://www.aliontherunblog.com/2020/06/17/ali-on-the

"He made an assumption that I didn’t speak English and that’s why he didn’t speak to me. I remember feeling so hurt. Things like that happened to me all the time, being the first and only to do a lot of these distance events on the road racing circuit. And I feel like it was so hurtful. We are the epitome of the American Dream."   A few weeks ago, Peyton Thomas was on the Ali on the Run Show. We talked about Peyton being the fourth-fastest U.S.-born Black female marathoner, which prompted the question: Who's the fastest? That person is Samia Akbar. In 2006, Samia ran a 2:34 at the New York City Marathon, finishing 12th and earning the aforementioned title, which still stands. On this episode, Samia shares her running story, including how her dad instilled in her a love for running, how she went to

"We are obviously a business and we need to sell running shoes to make money, but I feel a very big obligation to be that hub of the community and be that leader and driver to connect people and to help out others."   Steph Blozy is the owner of Fleet Feet Sports in West Hartford, one of the leading run specialty stores in the country. Steph is so much more than a running store owner, though: She's truly a community builder and leader, and on this episode, she talks about how she's built such a strong, supportive community in Connecticut. (Her "special sprinkle of magic," she calls it.) Steph's road to running store ownership wasn't a straight one: She got her start as a meteorologist! <a href= "https://www.aliontherunb

"What opportunities does this open up that didn't exist before? How can I adapt my leadership style and how I show up to adapt to that opportunity? Rather than cringing and thinking about the worst case, think about the upside and opportunity that comes with this change."   If I could hire any human on this planet to be in charge of my life and make all my decisions for me, that person would, without a single doubt, be Katie Burke. Katie is the Chief People Officer at HubSpot, and is a returning favorite guest on the Ali on the Run Show. (Check out her first two episodes here and here.) On this episode, Katie offers advice for anyone who is thinking about life going "back to

"People have to start looking at what’s going on globally, but also locally. What does your running club look like? Who do the people you run with look like? What are the books you read? Who are they by? These individual decisions and choices that we make all come together and change the landscape."   You probably know Courtney Carter by her Instagram moniker: EatPrayRunDC. Both on- and offline, Courtney's work has a major impact on the world. The 10-time marathoner is a former practicing lawyer who now leads diversity initiatives at a large law firm in Washington, DC, and she was recently named Oiselle's Advisor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. On this episode, Courtney talks about what that means, what her vision is for both Oiselle and the running community at large, and shares her own running story and goals.   Thank you to AfterSh

"Music literally changes peoples’ lives. It really has the ability to uplift people, especially during today’s times. That’s a really powerful thing, and that, to me, is success. Beyond the sales and the accolades and the awards — being able to create positive change through music."   As Senior Vice President of Marketing at Atlantic Records, Grace Kim James works pretty much 24/7. On this episode, she talks about breaking into the music business, and what it's really like working for the number one label in the U.S. She talks about working closely with artists including Lizzo and Missy Elliott, and recalls that fateful day in the dining hall at NYU where it all started. There's glitz, glamour, and long, late nights on set or "at the club" — and somehow in between all that, Grace has trained for and run eight marathons.   Thank you to Tracksmith for sponsoring the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to <a href= "http://tr

"Now more than ever is the time to learn how to be a leader for ourselves, and to learn how to handle a pivot — and thrive."   Welcome to the second episode in a four-part series called Feel-Good Fridays. (Be sure to check out the first episode, too, with therapists Jor-El Caraballo and Rachel Gersten.) These short episodes are intended to leave you feeling lighter, better, more optimistic — whether temporarily or for the rest of your life. These conversations with experts are meant to be uplifting without being fluffy or delusional. Today, running coach and 3:13 marathoner Jess Movold is here to talk about how to find meaning, purpose, and motivation on the run right now. She talk

I was honored when UCAN asked me to host a conversation with five running industry leaders and experts called "The Next Step Forward: The Future of Running." This conversation is about how we get back on our feet and on the run in a post-pandemic world, and you'll hear some really eye-opening insights about what's happening now in the running community, and where we go from here. Enjoy hearing from Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray, renowned running coach Greg McMillan, super-agent Hawi Keflezighi, professional runner Sarah Sellers, and Steph Blozy, owner of Fleet Feet West Hartford.   This conversation is brought to you by UCAN. <a href= "https://ucan.co/ontherun/" t

"There is nothing we will not do for this team."   Mary Kate Shea — or "MK," as she's known to the fastest marathoners in the world — is the senior director of endurance marketing for John Hancock, the title sponsor of the Boston Marathon. Every year, it's Mary Kate's job to woo, recruit, and get the best distance runners to come run the historic Boston Marathon. On this episode — which we recorded at the beginning of May, before the 2020 race had been officially canceled — Mary Kate talks about how, exactly, she puts together the 50-person pro field every year. She talks about the first thing she said to Desiree Linden after Des won the 2018 race, explains what she says is the most stressful part of her job and her entire year, and shares lots of stories about everyone's favorite elites. But don't think Mary Kate is just watching this race from the media center: She says the fastest way from Hopkinton back to Boston is by foot, which is why, after she