Ali on the Run Show

"I viewed myself as a runner my whole life. That was my main identity. And so when I started considering the possibility that that might be taken away from me, I just felt this grief I didn't even know how to handle yet, of who are you if you're not a runner?"   Even if you don't know Dr. Jacqueline Alnes by the name, you definitely know her work. She's the woman behind the "tiny art" paintings yo...

"It's almost like I was running away from what had happened."   Anita Perez just might be one of the most inspiring, hardworking, dedicated women you'll ever meet. She's a 2:39 marathoner (who also runs a 1:17 half marathon), a single mom to two kids, and a middle school special education teacher. She's kind and caring, and she works her butt off in every facet of her life (including waking up at...

"I wasn't there as a runner. I wasn't there as a sister, a mother...I was there as a fan of the sport, and as a supporter of so many of these women. And in a very different way I found my own 'I belong,' and it was realizing I am bringing something to the running community."   It's a solo episode! On this episode, I reflect on my experience traveling to Atlanta to watch the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marat...

In honor of International Women's Day, I sat down with an all-star panel of smart, inspiring women — Abby Bales , Rozalynn Frazier , Kelly Hogan , and Henna Rustami — to talk about everything from periods, nutrition, and diversity in running to the whys behind why we started running and why we keep running.   Thank you to New Balance for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show. Go to ne...

"I am here to try and find the best version of myself." — Sarah Cummings   "I am here because running makes me feel the most alive." — Kaitlin Goodman   "I'm here because I found running later in life, and it felt like it fed my soul." — Amanda Nurse   "My why is Gabe Grunewald." — Ladia Albertson-Junkans   "I'm here because running feels like home. And because despite years of subpar performances...

"This showed me I can make more dreams — because apparently they come true!" —Veronica Jackson   Last week , we heard from U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon qualifiers, friends, and former training partners Veronica Jackson and Alex Bernardi. This week, they're back to recap their respective races in Atlanta. (Spoiler: Veronica finished 63rd and Alex ran a personal best!)   Thank you to AfterShokz for...

This is the first of several post-U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials episodes coming your way this week. It was such an honor to co-host a live show after the race alongside Carrie Tollefson and Meb Keflezighi — in front of a 400-person audience! After an inspiring opening speech by UCAN President and CEO Shoba Murali and a few remarks from Meb, we recapped the race with Carrie (who was the official rac...

Welcome to the second edition of a new monthly series on the Ali on the Run Show : Ramblings on the Run with Ali & Matt. Every month, Matt Chittim — host of the  Rambling Runner  podcast and the  Road to the Olympic Trials show — and I will come together to talk about running industry news, our own running, and things we're loving right now, and to answer listener questions about running and podca...

"The only reason this was my goal is because it was her goal. I only have this dream because she was crazy enough to dream it first." —Veronica Jackson   Veronica Jackson and Alex Bernardi are among the 500+ women who will be running the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon this weekend in Atlanta, GA. They're longtime training partners, and on this episode, they talk about the power of running friendship...

"It's a pretty misunderstood lifestyle. Unless you're in it, you don't really have a clue what it's like to do it or why you would do it, because it's so much work. But the people who have a passion for it would never change that."   Earlier this month, Elle Purrier won the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in New York City. In the process, she set a new American record in the indoor mile (4:16...

"I'm an open book. I have no shame about anything I have gone through or felt."   Andrea Barber — perhaps best known as Kimmy Gibbler on  Full House and the Netflix revival  Fuller House — is back on the Ali on the Run Show! And this time, she's a published author! Andrea's first book, Full Circle: From Hollywood to Real Life and Back Again , came out late last year, and it's a hit. (I'm not just...

"Change always takes time, and the battles that Adam and I have chosen to fight have just taken time. We've learned to be patient and to think less about ourselves and more about the future."   Happy Valentine's Day! We're celebrating here on the Ali on the Run Show with the fifth and final episode of Love on the Run Week — and we're wrapping things up with the Gouchers! Kara and Adam Goucher have...

"It showed Pat my worst side, and what I'm like when I'm not my happy self."   Gwen Jorgensen won gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in the triathlon, and then decided she wanted to trade in the bike and the swim for a while to see how she could fare as a professional distance runner. Today, Gwen trains with the Bowerman Track Club, and is gearing up to compete at the 2020 Olympic Track & Field Trials...

"He doesn't do these grand gestures — he just shows up for me every single day."   Love on the Run Week continues! From the Leers to the Lindens — to the Bruces! Today, professional marathon runners Steph and Ben Bruce are here to talk about what makes them Team Bruce. They talk about what it's like when Ben is pacing Steph on the run, like at the 2019 Chicago Marathon, and open up about the impac...

"It's competitive…in a healthy way!"   It's Love on the Run Week on the Ali on the Run Show ! First we heard from Aisha Praught and Will Leer , and today it's the Linden's turn. On this episode, we hear from 2018 Boston Marathon champion Desiree Linden and her Ironman and entrepreneur husband, Ryan.   Thank you to Generation UCAN for sponsoring this episode of Ali on the Run Show!  Click here  and...

"When talking about running, it's where we have to be the most delicate with each other."   We're celebrating love all week long on the Ali on the Run Show: Welcome to Love on the Run Week! Today, we're kicking things off with professional middle-distance runners Aisha Praught and Will Leer, who live and train in Boulder, CO.   Thank you to Generation UCAN for sponsoring this episode of Ali on the...

"There was an incredible amount of pressure that I acknowledged and then just kind of wanted to tuck away in the back of my mind and not pay attention to, because if I let that take over, I would've been scrutinizing it, and it would've gotten in my head, and I wouldn't have been able to do what I did."   Rick Powell was the official 2:45 pacer at the 2020 Houston Marathon, who led a group of seve...

Welcome to a new monthly series on the  Ali on the Run Show : Ramblings on the Run with Ali & Matt. Every month, Matt Chittim — host of the  Rambling Runner podcast and the  Road to the Olympic Trials show — and I will come together to talk about running industry news, our own running, and things we're loving right now, and to answer listener questions about running and podcasting. It's something...

"I wasn't ready to run a marathon to my standards, and I did it anyway, and I was able to meet that goal, I was able to check off a goal, and I haven't been able to do that in a long time."   Neely Spence Gracey just ran her first postpartum race since having her son, Athens, in 2018. She ran the Houston Marathon — and qualified for the Olympic Trials by running a 2:44. Not a bad return to the rac...

"I dropped so many F-bombs the last 10K! I just kept saying, 'It's gonna happen, it's gonna happen!' I was just so hyped up."   This past weekend, Starla Garcia ran the Chevron Houston Marathon in 2 hours and 43 minutes — officially qualifying to run the 2020 Olympic Trials. On this episode — the 200th episode of the Ali on the Run Show ! — Starla talks about her road to the OTQ, including missing...

"I can't sit around waiting for things to happen."   New year, excited me! On this short-ish solo episode, I'm sharing my 2020 vision — an Ali on the Run Show State of the Union of sorts. I talk about my personal and professional goals for this year, and reflect on my lululemon goal setting process. (Speaking of new: Come join the Ali on the Run Facebook group ! We're having fun in there!)   Thank...

"The goal isn't to stop feeling anxious or to judge yourself for it. That's like saying, 'Oh, it shouldn't be raining.' But it is. So now what?"   Rachel Gersten is a New York City-based licensed therapist, and is the co-founder of Viva Wellness . On this episode — perfect for the new year! — she dishes out advice about dealing with burnout, anxiety, and what to do when you realize you have no ide...

"Most people would describe me as kind and warm. But I have this other part of my personality: I am insatiably competitive." Aisha Praught Leer is a professional middle-distance runner for Under Armour, a national record holder in the 5000 meters, a 2016 Olympian (she competed in the 3000-meter steeplechase), and a gold medal winner at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. On this episode, Aisha talks abou...

"We put ourselves on the line to help other people accomplish their dreams, and that was pretty freaking awesome." At the California International Marathon (CIM) earlier this month, 72 women ran faster than 2 hours 45 minutes, officially qualifying to run the Olympic Trials in the marathon. Leading several dozen of those women were Menso de Jong , Chris Stehula , and Ken Rakestraw — the official s...

"I'm just winging it." Mary Johnson (perhaps best known as @itsamarython on Instagram ) is the owner of Lift, Run, Perform . She's a running coach and a strength coach who also works at Ranfone Training Systems . And she just had a baby! Mary's first child, Eli, is five months old, and on this episode, Mary very honestly talks about what the past five months have looked like for her. She talks abo...