Ali On The Run Show

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was 7 years old. It was a scary, confusing time in my life, and while I’d love to say I’ve figured it all out since then, the truth is that this disease constantly keeps me on my toes. I’m someone who loves to live life according to plan, but living with a chronic, incurable illness makes that pretty tough — and has forced me to adjust to a life of uncertainty. I’m going through a Crohn’s flare right now (boo!), so on this episode I’m sharing exactly what that feels like, why I think it happens, and why I keep running — bathroom stops and all. (There’s a lot of bathroom talk in this one. Get excited!) Stuff I Mention on this Episode: Episode 2 of the Ali on the Run Show: Being Married to Someone With Crohn’s Disease: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2017/03/01/episode-2-brian-cristiano-married-someone-crohns-disease/ Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2016/12/01/crohns-colitis-awareness-week/ A Plea From a Girl With Crohn’s: Please Le

Meredith Kennedy is the Marketing Operations Manager at BuzzFeed, and is the brand’s former Editorial Chief of Staff. Before that, she made the rounds in the television industry: She was a Booking Producer at the Today Show, was Katie Couric’s assistant, and has worked for all the major TV networks, including NBC, ABC, and CBS. She’s a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and offers up some great advice in this episode for people who want to get into media, publishing, and the ever-changing digital space. She’s also a speedy runner! Meredith is a 3:18 marathoner who runs for the Central Park Track Club in New York City. On this episode, Meredith shares what it was like working with Katie Couric, and how she survived those super early mornings—while marathon training!—during her time at Today. She discusses the news stories that most impacted her career in television, and explains what it’s like to be the person who has to call family members after tragic situations and ask them i

I love running! That’s no secret. I love doing it, I love talking about it, I love racing, and I love training. I love the easy runs, the hard workouts, and the long runs. But sometimes it just feels good to vent, so that’s what I’m up to today. From shorts without pockets to angry runners in Central Park at 6 AM to GPS watches not finding satellites within eight seconds, here are a few of my running-related gripes. (Also: porta-potty lines at races, bathroom etiquette, and injury-related praise.) Stuff I Mention on this Episode: Runner’s World porta-potty story: http://www.runnersworld.com/racing/answers-to-your-biggest-porta-potty-questions My 2016 New York City Marathon recap: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2016/11/07/new-york-city-marathon-2016-recap/ @restdaybrags on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restdaybrags/ Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1: https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1 Twitter @aliontherun1: https://twitter.com/aliontherun1 Blog: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/ Strava: https://www.

Meggie Smith is a chief resident in OB-GYN at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, and is working to be a reproductive endocrinologist and reproductive specialist. (“I want to help women have babies,” she says.) We met when Meggie was in medical school, and now she delivers babies and performs risky surgeries as part of her job. On this episode, Meggie — a former tennis player and run-hater-turned-marathoner — talks about what it was like working at NYU when Hurricane Sandy hit, shares why she chose NYU (hint: it involves the Olsen twins), and talks about how she managed to run a Boston Qualifying marathon time while working 80-hour weeks. She opens up about “going into survival mode” at work, the first time she delivered a baby, and the very tragic — but very real — parts of her job. This summer, Meggie is headed west! Cheer her on as she finishes up her residency and heads to the University of Southern California to start a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Stuff We Menti

I never expected to be a runner — and I certainly never expected running to be something I actually enjoy. On this episode, I take a run back in time (too cheesy?) to share how I found, hated, dabbled in, hated again, tried for real, and eventually learned to love running. It all started with a fifth grade Ali trying to escape the timed mile in gym class, followed by an Ali who was motivated to run to fit into the biggest size jeans they sold at Abercrombie, and then to the Ali who moved to New York City and wanted to get strong for herself. I may have hated running as a kid, but as an adult, it didn't take long for me to get hooked. I've been motivated by different things over the years — trying to fit into my work clothes, wanting to get shiny medals like the ones my roommate had hanging on her walls, raising money for the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, or running out my post-breakup angst and aggression — but the one thing that's remained is that I'm forever grateful for every run I get to enjoy. Runnin

Bethany Lyons is the owner, founder, and CEO of Lyons Den Power Yoga in New York City. Before opening the Baptiste yoga-style studio, she was the first-ever hired instructor at SoulCycle, and was a regional manager in charge of the group fitness programs at Crunch Fitness — which is where we met! (We share the story of our first interaction in the episode — it involves Bethany being the spin class sub and me being pissed.) Bethany has been a fitness instructor for more than a decade, and before that she was a professional dancer, singer, and actress. Today, Bethany is all about showing up, doing the work, and “being a yes.” On this episode, she shares the story of how she accidentally learned to love yoga (happens to all of us that way, doesn’t it?), how and why she decided to open her own studio — in the most expensive neighborhood in the most expensive city in the world — and whether or not she was worried no one would show up the day the studio opened. Bethany is a game-changer — enjoy! Stuff We Mention on

It's no secret that I love being in my thirties. In honor of turning 32 this weekend, I'm using this episode to take a look back on the last two years and reflect on the most important lessons I've learned since entering my thirties. (Spoiler: It's a lot of "you do you" and "ignore the haters" and "live with integrity.")

Lauren Conkey is 3:18 marathoner, vegetarian, and mom to two girls, Amelia (3) and Mabel (8 months). She's the blogger behind the now-retired Health on the Run, and lives in Rhode Island, where she works in public health — and on this episode we find out what that actually means and what her job entails. Lauren and I have been friends for years — an internet friendship success story! — so I wanted to use this episode to catch up on her life, her running, and how life has changed since having two kids (spoiler: it’s changed a lot). Lauren shares how she got started running — a story that involves her runner dad convincing her to run a mile on a track so she could stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve — and went on to shave 20 minutes off her marathon time, and gets personal talking about running before, during, and after her pregnancies. She also opens up about her recent miscarriage and how she returned to running afterward. You don’t have to have kids to appreciate Lauren’s wise words and reflections on l

On this episode, I talk about my history with body-related issues — starting when I was a young dancer to my college years and my post-collegiate experience with exercise addiction — and what I did to get past them. I spent years obsessing over how I looked and constantly checking in with my appearance — and what I disliked about it. Now I'm at a place where I may not always be totally "body positive," but I'm at least body neutral, and that feels incredibly freeing. Join me!

Brynn Fessette O’Neill is a physical therapist at Finish Line Physical Therapy in New York City — in fact, she’s my physical therapist! On this episode, Brynn talks about how she became a physical therapist and shares her advice for anyone considering a similar career path. She talks about the three things runners should be doing every single day to stay healthy and injury-free, dishes on the difference between her male and female patients — spoiler, she says women are way tougher — and discusses the most common injuries and issues she sees in athletes. This is a must-listen for runners! Stuff We Mention on the Show: Finish Line Physical Therapy: http://finishlinept.com/ Coach Cane: https://www.instagram.com/coachcane/ San Diego Half Marathon: http://sdhalfmarathon.com/ Team in Training: http://www.teamintraining.org/ New York City Marathon: http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/ Philadelphia Marathon: http://philadelphiamarathon.com/ United Airlines NYC Half: http://www.nyrr.org/races-and-events/2017/united-airlines

I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching lately, so on this episode, I’m sharing something my yoga teacher read to me once called “Stop Waiting.” It’s about how we need to stop waiting for life to happen to us, and instead need to be the ones in control, taking action, and igniting a fire in our own lives. I totally lived this way in my teens and twenties when I was in pursuit of my dream job as editor in chief of Dance Spirit magazine. I got that job — yay! — but in the years since I moved on have found myself living more cautiously and less intuitively. That all stops now. Time to channel 16-year-old Ali by making bold declarations, pursuing big dreams, forgetting about what other people think, and taking back control of my happiness. Follow Ali: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1 Twitter: https://twitter.com/aliontherun1 Blog: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/ Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/13333410 Thank you for listening to and supporting the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying t

Michele Gonzalez, best known as NYC Running Mama, is a Staten Island-based mother, runner, marathoner, Ironman, and Instagram superstar. On this episode, Michele and I talk about how she’s feeling as she gets ready to run the Boston Marathon, what her training has been like, and what she did differently this time around. Michele also talks about her time at West Point and in Iraq (she served three times overseas and trained for a marathon on her base!), how she found running and ran through her pregnancies, what her daily diet is like, and what her life is like as a full-time working mom to two cute boys, AJ and Ryan. Plus, she talks about how she actually makes those daily 4 AM workouts happen, how she handles social media pressure, and what her big goals are for the future — on the run and beyond. Stuff We Mention on the Show: Boston Marathon: http://www.baa.org/ Michele’s New York City Marathon recap: http://www.nycrunningmama.com/2016/11/14/2016-nyc-marathon-race-recap/ Michele’s coach, Mary Johnson: http

Words can be powerful! On this episode, I talk about the mantras, quotes, and phrases that get me through tough runs and hard times. From Broadway lyrics to single words, these are my go-to thoughts for when things get difficult. Things I Mention on This Episode: Hamilton cast album: https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Original-Broadway-Recording-Explicit/dp/B0135P6PZA Rachel Platten, Fight Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo1VInw-SKc Brian Cristiano on Episode 17 of the Ali on the Run Show: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/17-relationship-q-a-with-brian-cristiano/id1204523870?i=1000384070320&mt=2 Bethany Lyons: https://www.instagram.com/bethanyalyons/ Project Start: https://www.instagram.com/psyougotthis/ Candice Huffine on Episode 11 of the Ali on the Run Show: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/11-candice-huffine-model-runner-founder-project-start/id1204523870?i=1000382698209&mt=2 Project Start on FOX: http://www.fox5ny.com/good-day/215494645-video Keltie Knight: https://www.instagram.com/kelt

We’re mixing things up on this episode to dish out some serious realness, openness, and honesty. Brian Cristiano is the founder and CEO of BOLD Worldwide, a sports advertising agency in New York City. He’s also my husband, so on this episode, Brian and I take turns asking each other “anything we want.” This hour was totally unscripted and it gets a little deeper than I had anticipated. The topics ended up ranging from where we see ourselves in 10 or 20 years to the things that make us happiest in life, our hopes for our future children, and the people who have had the most profound impacts on our lives. Plus, Brian talks about his father’s unexpected death and how it affected his outlook on life, and shares some really valuable career and life advice. Stuff We Mention on the Show: Brian on Episode 2 of the Ali on the Run Show: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2017/03/01/episode-2-brian-cristiano-married-someone-crohns-disease/ Meet Brian: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2011/09/28/meet-my-handsome-friend/ Our en

We were all new runners once! On this episode, Lucy Wallace and I look back on all the things we didn’t know or understand when we first started running, from shoes and sports watches to race etiquette. Here are a few highlights: At 4:30, Lucy says: “I Googled ‘shoes that are good for not running.’ The only thing I cared about was colors. I wanted them to be bright.” At 7:15, Ali says: “The only place on my body that hasn’t chafed is the little wrinkles in my forehead… The most emotional part of running is the post-run shower.” At 11:10, Ali says: “I woke up one morning in ninth grade and after all those years of wishing on the first star I see at night for boobs, I got them. Literally overnight.” At 15:10, Lucy says: “Shout-out to my dad for paying for my cell phone.” At 16:00, Ali says: “This seems like a good pre-race dinner because it only cost $1.99!” At 17:55, Lucy says: “I’m doing a service to this race course by listening to Justin Bieber’s entire Purpose album right now.” Things We Mention on the Sho

Page Williams is a California-based triathlete and Ironman, is the blogger behind Twenty-Six and Then Some, and is a senior marketing manager at LinkedIn. Before heading to LinkedIn, where she oversees digital and social media and paid media strategy for the company’s brand campaigns, Page worked at Nike, where she was part of the Access to Sport group, working on the Designed to Move initiative. Page is also a mom-to-be: She has a baby boy on the way who is expected to make his debut this summer. On this episode, Page and I talk about how she’s feeling heading into her third trimester, how her pregnancy has been going, and why she thinks her baby is going to be “a little Tyrannosaurus rex.” She also gets professional and shares the one question you should ask potential employers, her best advice for women who want to work in the tech industry or in Silicon Valley, and why you should always send business-related emails on your phone. Plus, we get into our takes on feminism and the piece of advice her dad shar

On this episode, I count down the top 10 races I’ve ever run, and I share a little bit about why I love each one so much. Check them out: Runner’s World Half & Festival The race: http://rw.runnersworld.com/rwhalf/ My 2014 recap: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2014/10/21/10-reasons-the-runners-world-half-marathon-festival-was-wonderful-plus-a-giveaway/ NYRR New York Mini 10K The race: http://www.nyrr.org/races-and-events/2017/nyrr-new-york-mini-10k My 2016 recap: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2016/06/13/nyrr-new-york-mini-10k-recap/ My 2011 recap: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2011/06/12/mini-10k-recap/ The North Wales Turkey Trot My 2016 recap: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2016/11/28/guest-ill-another-lindsey-hein/ Ragnar Relay Adirondacks The race: https://www.runragnar.com/event-detail/relay/adirondacks My 2014 recap: http://www.aliontherunblog.com/2014/10/07/ragnar-relay-adirondacks-recap/ Manchester City Marathon The race: http://www.millenniumrunning.com/marathon My 2012 recap: http://www.alionth

Chris Mosier is a Hall of Fame triathlete and duathlete, and was called “The Man Who Changed the Olympics” by The BBC and New York Magazine. He’s a barrier-breaking Nike-sponsored athlete, who you may have seen in Nike’s commercials during the 2016 Rio Olympics. He’s a three-time Ironman, and was named Best Personal Trainer in the Northeast by Competitor Magazine in 2014. Chris was the first transgender athlete to be featured in the ESPN Magazine Body Issue, and was named Person of the Year by Outsports. In 2015, he became the first openly transgender man to make a men’s U.S. National Team when he qualified for the sprint duathlon team. He was also a catalyst for change in the International Olympic Committee Policy on transgender athletes. He’s also the vice president of program development and community relations for You Can Play and is an online coach for Daily Burn. Even though I’ve known Chris for years and consider him a very close friend, I asked a lot of the questions I’ve always had about what it mean

On this episode, my friend Lucy Wallace and I share some of our most vivid memories from each of our first half marathons. A few highlights… At 5:03, Ali says: “I definitely remember choking, gagging, and slightly dry-heaving on the side of the course because the water stop was not conducive to my running pace.” At 5:54, Lucy says: “It’s kinda like when I used to eat five Gushers at a time in third grade.” At 8:00, Lucy says: “I know that smart runners will tell you it’s important to train in all conditions—stick with your training plan no matter what. I did not do that.” At 11:25, Lucy says: “It is impossible to be lying on the ground at mile 10 of your first half marathon and then jump back into the race and expect to just be flying as you were all the way to the finish. It was painful. It was a struggle. I’m surprised actually and kind of offended the medics didn’t come over to look at me while I was in the grass on the side of the road. Don’t do yoga in the middle of a half marathon.” At 12:30, Ali says:

Even if you don’t know her name, you definitely know her face! Candice Huffine is a well-known model, represented by IMG Models, with a seemingly never-ending resumé. She has appeared in the pages of Vogue, W, and Glamour (and on the cover of Vogue Italia), has walked the runways at New York Fashion Week in shows for Christian Siriano, Sophie Theallet, and Prabal Gurung, starred in DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean” music video, is in Target’s latest TV commercial, and was featured in Lane Bryant’s highly publicized “I’m No Angel” and “Plus is Equal” campaigns. She was also the first plus-size model to appear in the Pirelli Calendar. Candice is also a runner! She ran her first half marathon, the New York City Half Marathon, in 2016, and will be running it again this year to celebrate her one-year racing anniversary. Last year, Candice launched the Project Start initiative on Instagram, encouraging new runners to band together and empower each other. In November 2016, she appeared on the cover of Women’s Running magaz