Ali on the Run Show

"The best possible way to start my career was not getting what I wanted. Failure teaches you a lot, and it helped me figure out a path to success that worked for me." —Katie Burke Katie Burke is the Chief People Officer at HubSpot, a marketing software company in Boston that employs more than 2,300 people worldwide. And of those 2,300, Katie was the company's first female to land a spot in the c-s...

"I think that's what unites us as runners — we're all trying to overcome excuses and doubts to get out there." —Sarah Sellers "Who is Sarah Sellers ?" That's the question everyone was asking after the Tucson, AZ runner finished second at the 2018 Boston Marathon. Sarah isn't a professional runner. She doesn't have a sponsor. And she paid her own Boston Marathon entry fee. But on a brutally rainy a...

"We're gonna go through tough times. And we're gonna be fine." Brian and I are so excited to tell the world that we are having a baby! I am 12 weeks pregnant (at the time we recorded this), and am due October 23. On this episode, we answer all the questions we keep getting from friends, family, and total strangers (namely, "Was this planned?! Were you trying?!"), and share how we're both feeling,...

"I'm trying not to call it a comeback because I'm a completely different person now." —Tina Muir Tina Muir is an elite runner from England (she's a 2:36 marathoner!), a new mom, and the host of the Running For Real podcast. Tina went viral last year when she announced her surprising decision to stop running . Her reason: She hadn't had her period in nine years. Tina opened up about her struggle wi...

"I'm bringing the track speed to the marathon." —Molly Huddle On April 16, professional runner Molly Huddle will be among a strong field of indomitable American women racing the Boston Marathon. This will only be Molly's second marathon: She made her 26.2-mile debut at the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon. On this episode, Molly, who is from Rhode Island and chatted with me from Arizona, shares all...

"The stories you tell can change the world." —Bianna Golodryga Bianna Golodryga is a CBS News correspondent and a contributor at CNN. She's the former weekend anchor of Good Morning America , and worked at Yahoo News alongside Katie Couric. Bianna was born in the former Soviet Union and moved to the United States with her parents — and only $150 in their pockets — when she was 18 months old. On th...

"We fail all the time, and we learn from it and we get better. I think that's amazing. You fail your way to success. That's how it happens, and I'm super comfortable with that. I have no problem pointing out a bunch of failures in my career. But I don't define myself or my career as a failure." —Des Linden Desiree Linden is a professional distance runner who has represented the United States at th...

"We fail all the time, and we learn from it and we get better. I think that's amazing. You fail your way to success. That's how it happens, and I'm super comfortable with that. I have no problem pointing out a bunch of failures in my career. But I don't define myself or my career as a failure." —Des Linden Desiree Linden is a professional distance runner who has represented the United States at th...

"Be open-minded and bring snacks." Dr. Meggie is back! Meggie Smith made her Ali on the Run Show debut last year, when she was wrapping up her OB/GYN residency at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. After graduating, Meggie moved to California, where she's currently pursuing her fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Southern California. On Part...

"It's OK to struggle, but it's not OK to give up." —Gabe Grunewald Gabriele "Gabe" Grunewald is a professional middle-distance runner and four-time rare cancer survivor from Minneapolis, MN. Gabe was first diagnosed with Adenoid Cycstic 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...

"KonMari your life, KonMari your uterus." —Meggie Smith Dr. Meggie is back! Meggie Smith made her Ali on the Run Show debut last year , when she was wrapping up her OB/GYN residency at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. After graduating, Meggie moved to California, where she's currently pursuing her fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Souther...

"The narrative that I couldn't do things never entered my life." Emma Coburn is a professional middle-distance runner for New Balance. She's a world champion in the steeplechase, and competed at both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic games. On this episode, the Crested Butte, CO, native (and newlywed!) talks about being coached by her husband, Joe Bosshard, explains the unintentional way she got into the...

"When you show up with this army, this incredible mob of people around you who are willing to believe in you and tell you that you can do it… Who the hell are you to disagree?" Emily Saul is the co-leader of November Project's Boston tribe, where she leads free weekly workouts for up to 1,000 eager Bostonians who are looking to get fit, enjoy their city, and form powerful human connections. Emily...

"It was this weird moment of knowing I was on the precipice of my entire life being about to change. And that was terrifying. The moment I had been the most scared of my entire life was about to come, but somehow I would be OK." Theodora Blanchfield is the creator of the blog Preppy Runner — formerly Losing Weight in the City — and is a social media maven, digital content strategist, writer, and m...

"I went on this amazing trip, and I thought everything would change. But your problems don't just go away because you run away. They will follow you anywhere until you fix them." This episode got a little heavy. Last Friday night, over a bottle of Pinot Grigio, Brian and I sat down to catch up, since it's been just about a month since my life-changing "CAli on the Run" trip. What started out as a...

"You should talk more and smile. It's my favorite." Susan Pass — best known on the internet as "Susan Runs" and as the blogger behind "Nurse on the Run" — is a 15-time marathoner who holds a 3:18 personal best time. Susan is currently in school to become a nurse anesthetist — a career path she decided on after majoring in dietetics and going on to nursing school, then working in a burn unit in New...

"I wanted to prove to everyone that all the sacrifices I'd made and dumb decisions I made were worth it." Nick Symmonds was a professional track and field athlete for 12 years, specializing in the 800 meters. He made two Olympic teams — the first when he was just 22 years old — and represented Team USA in Beijing and London. Nick, who lives in Eugene, OR, and is the CEO of Run Gum, retired from pr...

"It's easy as an athlete to know what your body is saying, but it's very hard to listen to it." Gwen Jorgensen is a professional triathlete, multiple-time world champion, and Olympic gold medalist. She represented Team USA at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she brought home the gold in the triathlon, and that same year, she made her marathon debut at the TCS New York City Marathon. (She ran a 2:41, c...

It's been a big few years for professional runner and Olympian Kate Grace. In 2016, the Yale graduate won the Olympic Trials in the 800-meter event in Eugene, OR, and went on to represent Team USA in Rio, where she finished eighth. She chased that with a personal best in the 800 meters in Zurich, running a 1:59.47. A few months later, Kate's contract with Oiselle, her sponsor of four years and her...

I'm fresh off a life-changing trip to California, where I spent a week road tripping from San Francisco to Los Angeles — alone. I learned a lot about myself on this trip. My only goal was to surround myself with beautiful things. I went in with no expectations and an open mind, and by the time I flew back home, I felt lighter, happier, and more fulfilled than I have in years — or maybe ever. So on...

You know her, you love her, and she's here today: Molly Huddle! Molly is a professional distance runner and 25-time national title holder who lives and trains in Providence, RI. On this episode, Molly talks about her Olympic dreams that started when she was young, and what it's been like to actually achieve those dreams — twice. She talks about what it's actually like competing at the Olympics (sh...

This week, I am thrilled to welcome to the Ali on the Run Show my dear friend — and everyone's favorite running blogger — Janae Baron! Before we get to that, please join me in congratulating Janae and her family on the arrival of their newest member, Skye, born December 9! Janae, of course, is the beloved personality behind the popular Hungry Runner Girl blog. Janae is a super speedy runner who li...

Abby Bales is the founder of Reform Physical Therapy, which is all about keeping pregnant and postpartum women healthy, active, and injury-free during and after pregnancy. On this episode, Abby explains what exactly that means, why it's so important — and often overlooked — and what women need to understand about returning to exercise after pregnancy. (Because spoiler, it's a lot more in depth tha...

Sally Bergesen is the founder and CEO of Oiselle, a women's athletic apparel company now celebrating its 10th year in business. On this episode, Sally shares the "oh shit" and "oh no" moments that led her to create Oiselle, and talks about why it's so important to her that she and her company empower women. She talks about Oiselle's decision to start sponsoring professional athletes, including Kat...

Three years ago, my now-husband Brian Cristiano 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. Here's a dramatic retelling of how...