Ali On The Run Show

"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 married teammate Joe Klecker!) entered 2022 having never broken two minutes in the 800m, and then went on to break 2:00 not once, not twice, but three times in the span of just six days. (

"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, and talks about her favorite and hardest races to date. Photo by Kevin Morris SPONSOR: Tracksmith. Click here and use code ALI22 to

"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! For more, check out: My TEDxBoston talk New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer New Balance FuelCell Rebel v3 New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v3 Everything You Need to Know About the New York City Marathon Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Blog Strava SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the ru

"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: Click here and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order. Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase. St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville: Use code ONTHERUN10 for $10 off your registration for this year’s races, taking place April 22–23. For more, check out: Ali on the Run Sh

"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 it's really like dropping out of your marathon debut, and how to deal with mid-race stress and anxiety. In true Emily form, she's in good spirits, she learned a lot, and she got to celebrate her friend Sharon Lokedi's win! SPONSOR: Tracksmith

"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. Follow Emma: Instagram @emmacoburn Twitter @emmajcoburn Facebook Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Blog Strava SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. A

"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 Oh, we had some fun last Friday night in New York City. Goodr hosted a live recording of the Ali on the Run Show at Prohibition (my first live show at a bar! too fun!) with special guests Erin Azar (you know her as "Mrs. Space Cadet"), professional track star turned marathoner Alysia Montaño, and funny woman Laura Green. Lots of laughter, lots of talk about creating change in the industry, and lots of hot pink sunglasses! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here for free shipping on your next goodr order! Follow Erin: Instagram @immrsspacecadet TikTok @mrs.space.cadet YouTube Follow Alysia: Instagram @alysiamontano Fo

"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: Custom Performance. Check out the best physical therapy in NYC! (My PT is Greg Laraia — go see him!) For more, check out: Keira D'Amato on Episode 579 of the Ali on the Run Show Keira D’Amato on Episode 546 of the Ali on the Run Show Keira & Anthony D’Amato on Episode 475 of the Ali on the Run Show Keira D’Amato on Episode 414 o

"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: What shows do your parents like to watch? (3:45) Do you and Brian set intentional boundaries about talking about work? (5:45) Have you ever sent the email and regretted it later? (6:30) How are you most similar to your parents, and how are you different from each of them? (8:55) What is something you want Annie to learn that you weren’t taught? (13:55) What runner inspires you the most? (15:00) Would you rather deal with butt-cheek chafe or side-arm chafe? (17:00) If you could only run one race for the rest of time, what would it be? (17:55) Does Annie l

"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 NYCM. SPONSOR: UCAN: Click here and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order. What you’ll get on this episode: How

"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. SPONSOR: Tracksmith. Click here and use code ALI22 to get free shipping. Plus, Tracksmith will donate 5% of your purchase proceeds to The Trevor Project. For more, check out: Keira D'Amato on Episode 546 of the Ali on the Run Show Keira & Anthony D’Amato on Episode

"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 station. In 2017, I cheered on "First and Fifth," and in 2018, at three weeks postpartum, going to the New York City Marathon was my first outing since having a baby. I sat in the grandstands as Shala

"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-filled, and all about her obsession with graham crackers, bagels, and toast (oh my!). SPONSOR: UCAN: Click here and use code

"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 and use code ALI22 to get free shipping. Plus, Tracksmith will donate 5% of your purchase proceeds to The Trevor Project. Follow Tommie: @tommie_runz The Run, Eat, Sleep Show Tommie on YouTube Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support

"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 fire, and after being displaced for three months, they were able to move back in and rebuild their lives. She's no longer injured,

"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 for race day, and more. SPONSOR: Tracksmith. Click here and use code ALI22 to get free shipping. Plus, Tracksmith will donate 5% of your purchase proceeds to The Trevor Project. Follow Matt: Instagram @mattwilpers Website Team Wilpers Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patr

"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. Click here for free shipping on your next goodr order! You asked: How excited were you to get Wordle on the first try? (3:05) What is Annie going to be for Halloween? (3:50) Will we see you at the New England Half? (4:25) What’s your favorite 90s trend that has come back? (6:15) What’s your favorite song to let loose and dance to? (7:50) Any chance there will be more tickets to the live show with Keira D’A

"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!) to talk all about her writing process and her hopes and dreams for the running industry. This book is a must-read for runners and non-runners alike. SPONSORS: UCAN: Click here and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order. Vuori: Click here for

"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 1:41 half marathon and 42:01 10K. Safe to say, Emily's relationship with running has evolved! In this conversation, recorded in front of a live audience at the Tracksmith Trackhouse in Boston, Emily — who is the author of Expecting Better, Cribsheet, and The Family Firm — talks about that evolution, and about whether more racing is in her future. Plus, what it was like being honored as one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2022, including how she found out about the honor, what it was like being o

"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 professional athlete and first-time marathoner, explains how he's fitting training into his life, and talks about his nighttime cereal habit. (Listen to Kyle's previous episode of the Ali on the Run Show with friend and colleague Chris Chavez here.) SPONSOR: Tracksmith. Click here and use code ALI22 to get free shipping. Plus, Tracksmith will donate 5% of your