Ali On The Run Show

"I hope that through my work, people saw my life." With a legendary 14-year career on the track and on the roads, professional 1500m runner and miler Jenny Simpson decided earlier this year that she was ready to retire. After spending 2024 diving into the world of marathoning, Jenny announced that she would run the TCS New York City Marathon as her final professional race.  Then, after crossing the finish line in 2:31:54 and settling onto the couch with a bowl of ice cream (Blue Bell mint chocolate chip), Jenny got an invitation — and an immediate jolt off that couch. Instead of heading into retirement, Jenny embarked on The Great World Race, running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.   Up next: Jenny and Jason (and their two dogs) are packing up the Winnebago and spending the next year on a 50-state Run USA tour. In this supersized, two-hour episode, Jenny talks about all of it, and shares her reflections on her legacy in the sports. FOLLOW JENNY & JASON'S RUN USA TOUR @JENNYANDJASON

"I’m living the dream, being who I am, truly and authentically. I can’t complain at all. It’s not even work." Tiara Williams is a self-proclaimed "little track nerd." The creator, journalist, broadcaster, and in-stadium announcer is the host of "Real Talk with Tee," and she's become a fan and athlete favorite for her genuine and insightful post-race interviews (that often involve dancing and laughing). Whether she's behind the mic, behind the camera, on the mic, or on camera, Tee brings a lightness to her reporting that puts athletes at ease. In this conversation, the former heptathlete talks about her passion for the sport and its athletes, and about how she has built "Real Talk" to what it is today, including stints at multiple World Championships, the 2024 Paris Olympics, international Diamond League meets, Athlos, and more. Plus, what it's like being one of the only Black women in the mixed zone, and where Tee hopes to go from here. FOLLOW TEE @_realtalkwithtee SPONSORS:  Volvo Cars: Click here to get

"I think it would shock a lot of people to see just how hard I go for The Lonely Goatherd from The Sound of Music. That yodeling, wow." Welcome to Ask Ali, where I answer all of your questions submitted on Instagram (I'm @aliontherun1). This time around, we're covering everything from life lately and health stuff to the pros and cons of working for myself, what I'm watching lately, the music that got me through 2024, and so much more. SPONSOR:  New Balance: Click here to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season. Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"You’re so much more than just somebody who has survived cancer. And also...you’re somebody who has survived cancer! Figuring out that new identity is an interesting thing to navigate." At 28 years old, Christine Thorn Fischer was a happy, healthy, elite-level steeplechasing, elementary school teacher. Then, she found a lump in her breast. Christine was diagnosed with stage four invasive ductal carcinoma — breast cancer — that spread to her spine and sacrum. Suddenly, instead of dreaming about her next race on the track, Christine was undergoing intense treatment including eight rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and hormone therapy. In this conversation, Christine — who is married to professional marathoner Reed Fischer — talks about her diagnosis and the days, weeks, and months that followed. She talks about her experience with scalp cooling to preserve her hair during treatment, about the worst day of her life, and about what it was like learning that she might die within a few years.  No

"I am healthily afraid of the marathon. It looks very painful!" Emma Grace Hurley made a lot of big life changes this year. She moved from Atlanta to Indianapolis. She changed sponsors. She changed teams. And this weekend, it all paid off, as Emma Grace made her 13.1-mile debut at the Indy Monumental Half Marathon, finishing in 1:08:26, setting a course record, and winning the race by nearly two minutes. After a long season filled with second- and third-place finishes, this was Emma Grace's first big career win. In this conversation, the Asics-sponsored professional distance runner and member of Heartland Track Club talks about her approach to this year, her big dreams for next year, and what she plans to do about all of her Marathon FOMO. SPONSORS:  goodr: Click here and use code ALI for $5 off your next order. Sidekick: Click here to get 15% off any recovery tool. In this episode: How Emma Grace is feeling after making her half-marathon debut (2:40) On Emma Grace’s decision to make her half debut (6:10)

"We go to bed too late, we wake up too early, we don’t eat enough, and we have an awesome time." It was a New York City Marathon to remember. It was one of the best weekends of my life, and certainly the greatest weekend of my career. I hosted two live shows (one with Gabby Thomas and New Balance at Carnegie Hall, and one at Volvo Studio Manhattan with Keira D'Amato), I was on the ESPN and ABC broadcasts on race day, and I was on top of the world the entire time. This is my exhaustive recap of every step. SPONSORS:  Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase. The Eugene Marathon: Register for the Eugene Marathon (April 27, 2025) and save $10 with code ONTHERUN. UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order. In this episode: Friday: the Carnegie Hall live show with Gabby Thomas, a delicious dinner at Nobu, and a sleepover with Keira D’Amato (3:40) Saturday: a morning run in Central Park, a Volvo li

"This is where the magic happens." It's an Ali and Keira live show! (The fourth Ali and Keira D'Amato live show, if you're keeping track!) Thank you so much to Volvo Cars USA for hosting us in their gorgeous Manhattan studio space for some fun, some silliness, some singing, and some sandwiches, and thank you to everyone who joined us for a fun morning the day before the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon.  SPONSOR: VOLVO CARS: New sponsor alert! Click here to get an exclusive offer on a Volvo purchase or lease. (I'm completely obsessed with the XC90!) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"I had to trick myself into believing that I could win a gold medal." Career highlight. Life highlight. Welcome to Ali on the Run Show LIVE with Gabby Thomas, presented by New Balance, held at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City, two days before the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon. (What a big sentence!)  Gabby Thomas is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and an Olympic silver and bronze medalist. She's a 200m specialist with a Harvard University degree in Neurobiology and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Texas. She is one of the starts of the Netflix documentary Sprint, and Sprint Season 2, out next week. Gabby was the grand marshal at this year's New York City Marathon, and, allegedly, she makes a great salad. Biggest THANK YOU to the New Balance team (Kristen, James, Sean, Summer, and so many more), the Mirror team, and the team at Carnegie Hall. This live podcast audio was recorded by Noriko Okabe. The pre-show musicians (enjoy the opening rendition of "Shake It Off!") wer

"I do everything that I do as if I literally, truly love it." Rad Lopez grew up in the Bronx. He was raised by a single mom who "didn't have much," but who made magic happen for her children every day. Rad used to work at a gym in the Bronx — cleaning toilets, towels, and locker rooms, not coaching or training — and would look out at the runners on New York City Marathon day. He said one day, that would be him. Spoiler: check! Today, Rad Lopez is a Peloton instructor and Nike-sponsored athlete who made his 26.2-mile debut last year at the Chicago Marathon. He was intrigued enough that he ran his second marathon, the New York City Marathon, one month later. This weekend, Rad will run the TCS New York City Marathon for the second time. In this episode, he talks about how training has gone, about his "victim vs. underdog" mentality, and about why you should do things scared. FOLLOW RAD @radichell SPONSORS: VOLVO CARS: New sponsor alert! Click here to get an exclusive offer on a Volvo purchase or lease. (I'm

"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. 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 race is my Super Bowl, my Christmas, my birthday, Valentine’s Day, 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 201

"I just kept picturing kindness and all these people that I knew would show up for me, and I wanted to show up for them. And for you. And for myself, frankly." I returned to Chicago for the second time, and it was awesome. In this episode, I'm recapping all of the action from Chicago Marathon weekend, including the Abbott Chicago 5K, the New Balance live show, and, of course, race day. Plus, all the social stuff, an architecture tour, and a meaningful moment on the lakefront. SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance’s latest releases for the season. (The SuperComp Trainer is my favorite daily shoe, and I ran the Abbott Chicago 5K in the SC Elite v4!) In this episode: All about my role at this year’s Chicago Marathon (1:30) Thursday: travel day! (8:50) Friday: a morning walk and run, a meaningful lakefront encounter, a press conference, an architecture tour, and a girls night (14:00) Saturday: the Abbott Chicago 5K and a live show with Emily Birthday Girl Sisson, Emma Coburn, and Joe Bosshard (3

"I hate to admit it, but I’m already kinda looking forward to the next one." Matthew Centrowitz is best known as the 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the men's 1500m. But that's not what we're talking about today! Today, Matt makes his Ali on the Run Show debut in the wake of making his marathon debut! Matt ran the Chicago Marathon as an official pacer, and this is his official race recap. Matt paced a group of American women including Keira D'Amato, Betsy Saina, and Emma Bates, ultimately finishing in 2:24:36. In this episode, Matt shares all, from the pre-race meetings and logistical learnings to what exactly happened at 37K. (Up next for Matt: Dad Mode! His wife is pregnant and they are expecting their first child next month.) FOLLOW MATT @mgcentro SPONSORS: VOLVO CARS: New sponsor alert! Click here to get an exclusive offer on a Volvo purchase or lease. (I'm completely obsessed with the XC90!) UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN training essentials pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code

"Both of us had that on our mind in the last lap of the Olympic 1500 Final: 'We’re not going to be going home empty handed today.'" Jessica Hull has had a heck of a year. The Australian middle-distance runner ran a massive personal best in the 1500 meters (3:50.83), won Silver at the Olympics in the 1500, broke the World Record in the 2000m, and, in total, earned 15 podium finishes during her racing season. In this conversation, Jess shares her highs and lows from the year, and talks about what it's like being part of the women's 1500m community right now. She talks about The Faith Effect, and about why lining up next to Faith Kipyegon is the best thing for the sport. Plus, what's coming up for Jess, and why she decided to sign with Grand Slam Track. FOLLOW JESS @jessicaahull SPONSOR: UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN training essentials pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order. In this episode: How Jess is spending her off-season (2:30) How Jess wa

You never quite know what might happen at a live event, and this one took all kinds of twists and turns. From a snake-sitting story to a mid-show birthday cupcake singalong to two very special surprise guests, Ali on the Run Show LIVE in Chicago with Emily Sisson was one to remember. (Listen to our last live show here.) Biggest thanks to New Balance and Fleet Feet Chicago for making it all happen. FOLLOW EMILY @em_sisson_ SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance’s latest releases for the season. (The SuperComp Trainer is my favorite daily shoe, and I ran the Abbott Chicago 5K in the SC Elite v4!) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"Now that I’m free of that relationship, who am I now? I needed to know this new version of myself. So I started doing things I’ve always been like, 'Huh, maybe I want to try this, maybe I want to do that.' I was like, 'Why don’t I just give running a go?' I'd always see people in Prospect Park doing the loop, and I was always like, 'I want to be one of those people who’s doing that!'" Phoebe Robinson knows fun. She's a stand-up comedian, writer, producer, actress, and host and star of Two Dope Queens (the podcast and the show). She's the author of the best-selling You Can't Touch My Hair and Everything's Trash. And she moderated Michelle Obama's Becoming book tour in five different cities. So what's fun for Phoebe right now? Running, of course! In this episode, Phoebe talks about how and why she became a runner just one year ago. Phoebe ran her first marathon, the Boston Marathon, earlier this year, and is currently training for the New York City Marathon. Plus: Phoebe's takes on turning 40, her friendship

"You really let it loose, and then kinda black out, and then all of a sudden you’re a bronze medalist." We've got The Goose! Yared Nuguse isn't just one of the fastest men in the world — he's also one of the most loved, and in this conversation you'll quickly see exactly why. Yared is a professional runner who is sponsored by On and specializes in the 1500m and the mile. (He has dreams of running a mile world record.) Here, we're talking about how winning Olympic Bronze this summer in the 1500m in Paris changed Yared's life, and about what he's been up to since. Plus, the World Indoor Silver Medalist (in the 3000m) and two-time Zurich Diamond League champion (in the 1500m) talks about his love for his pet tortoise, Tyro, and Taylor Swift. Living for the hope of it all, indeed! FOLLOW YARED @yaredthegoose SPONSORS: The Eugene Marathon: Register for the Eugene Marathon (April 27, 2025) and save $10 with code ONTHERUN. UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN training essentials pack (you’ll just pay the cost of s

"Sometimes a short build up can do a miracle. So I’m hoping for the miracle in Chicago!" In a stacked field of elite runners, Betsy Saina is absolutely one to watch at this weekend's Chicago Marathon. Betsy is a 2:19 marathoner — a time that makes her the third-fastest American woman marathoner (behind Emily Sisson and Keira D'Amato). She's a 2016 Olympian who competed in the 10,000m, and she's the 2024 USATF 25K Champion and women-only American record holder in that distance. She's a three-time NCAA champion who ran at Iowa State University, and she currently lives and trains primarily in Kenya. In this conversation, Betsy — who is a mom to three-year-old Kalya — talks about how she's feeling heading into the Chicago Marathon. She talks about the fall earlier this year that derailed her training and set her back several weeks, and about how she's come back from a DNF at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. Plus, whether or not she's planning to go for an American Record in Chicago, what it's like training alo

"I looked like a fainting goat at mile 20." Logan Aldridge just might be the real-life human version of a golden retriever. But as charming and funny and lovable as he may be, Logan isn't afraid to kick your butt and make you sweat. Logan is a Peloton instructor who is best known for his adaptive classes. When Logan was 13, he was wakeboarding with his family and the rope around his arm became entangled in the boat's propeller. It cut through all of Logan's arm muscles, down to the bone. His left arm — and he was a lefty at the time — had to be amputated. Remarkably, Logan never let this keep him down. He relearned how to do everything with his right arm and hand, and went on to become "The Strongest One-Armed Man on Earth." Most recently, Logan became a marathoner! He ran the 2023 Chicago Marathon, and is currently training for this year's New York City Marathon. FOLLOW LOGAN @loganaldridge SPONSOR:  Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon’s 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (Emma Ba

Welcome to Ask Ali, LIVE at the 2024 Akron Marathon! I spent this past weekend in Akron, OH, as one of the start and finish line announcers at the Akron Marathon, Half Marathon, and Team Relay, and got to do a live show at the race expo — with a twist. This time, I was the one being interviewed! Join Jasen Sokol and me (and some wonderful question-asking audience members) for this fun getting-to-know-you-better conversation covering running, cancer, motherhood, and so much more. Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"Remember the entire journey, because it’s very special." It’s almost time for the 46th running of the Chicago Marathon! The 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will take place on Sunday, October 13, 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 (Bates! D'Amato! Saina! Chepngetich! Hall! Rojas! Rooker! Frisbie!), 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: Sidekick: Click here to get 15% off any recovery tool. UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN training essentials pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order. In this episode: Chicago Marathon executive race director Carey Pinkowski talks about what to expect at this year’s race (5