Running to the Castle

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down exactly how to warm up and stretch during the Dopey Challenge so you can protect your body across 4 straight race days and still feel strong by marathon morning.  She explains the difference between dynamic movement, mobility work, and static stretching…and why doing the wrong type at the wrong time can actually make yo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down exactly how slow, back-of-the-pack runners should approach fueling and hydration during Dopey and other runDisney races, shifting the focus away from miles and onto time on course.  She explains why runners holding hands with the balloon ladies need a completely different fueling strategy than faster runners, outlines t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali walks you through exactly how to carb load and fuel for the Dopey Challenge…without fear, perfectionism, or second-guessing yourself.  She explains when to start carb loading based on your longest race, how to calculate your personal carb needs using body weight, and why bloating, heaviness, and eating way more sugar than usual are...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali walks you through Dopey Race Weekend Part Two…packing and race week prep…with a very specific lens for slow, back-of-the-pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners.  Instead of rehashing the obvious basics, she focuses on the often-forgotten recovery tools, fueling essentials, and blister-prevention strategies that actually make the d...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles one of the most stressful Dopey training questions she gets every year…what to do if you miss your peak week long run.  She explains why skipping the 20-miler late in training is not only okay but often the smartest choice for slow, back-of-the-pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners dealing with illness, pain, or life gett...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles a belief that keeps so many slow, back of the pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners stuck in fear…the idea that you have to run 26.2 miles in training to prove you can finish a marathon.  Dr. Ali breaks down why late-cycle full marathon training runs actually increase injury risk and decrease your chances of feeling good...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali answers a question nearly every slow, back of the pack, or injury-prone runDisney runner has asked at some point…can you skip a run if you’re still sore?  She breaks down why the answer really does depend, how to tell whether movement will help or hurt, and why soreness after strength training isn’t always a badge of honor.  Dr. Al...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles one of the most common questions she gets from slow, back of the pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners…can you break up a 16-mile long run when training for a marathon or Dopey?  She explains why the popular “never run more than 3 hours” advice often doesn’t apply to runners who will be on their feet for 6–7 hours on race...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali discusses how fast to walk during run/walk intervals. She gives examples from slow, back of the pack runners training for runDisney races and what running paces and walking paces could be to achieve a 15 minute per mile average training pace. Dr. Ali discusses the importance of using the same walking pace during a variety of trainin...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali discusses what one slow runner could do to help their knee pain when ice hasn’t been working. She reviews a social media post with multiple responses from commenters of what to do to relieve the knee discomfort including knee braces, strength exercises and physical therapy as examples. Dr. Ali notes the benefits of strength exercise...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali answers a listeners question if it’s possible to actually get faster with 5 weeks left before Dopey 2026 race. Dr. Ali dives into the nuance of yes, it is, and no it’s not, possible to get faster about 1 month before Dopey 2026. She discusses aspects such as what has training looked like in the past 5 months leading up to this race,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down 4 speed workouts that actually work for slow, back-of-the-pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners who pace 13 minutes per mile or slower.  She explains how 30-20-10s, Progression runs, Tempos, and Hills help you build speed without burning out... especially if you use run/walk intervals.  Dr. Ali walks through how often...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down how slow, back of the pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners can actually get faster... without running more miles or trying to train like elite athletes.  She explains why most marathon and half marathon advice circulating online is written for sub-3 hour runners and absolutely does not apply to someone pacing 14... 1...

Send us Fan Mail Learn more about Stronger. Faster. Finisher. ! Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race?  Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Park...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle , Dr. Ali dives into one of the most common runner dilemmas: what to do when you miss a run during training... especially when you're getting ready for something big like the Dopey Challenge.  She answers a listener question about leg pain and catching up safely after time off, revisiting the 10% rule, explaining when and how to skip a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles how back-of-the-pack marathoners can get meaningfully faster before January races so they have a bigger buffer from the balloon ladies and time for character stops.  She lays out a simple framework built on purposeful training instead of running the same pace every day.  Long easy runs should be about two minutes per mile s...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle , Dr. Ali welcomes special guest Betsy Foster, founder of Foster Strength and Built Bodies and host of the Your Strongest Body podcast. Together they dive into the world of strength training for women in their 30s and 40s, breaking down the myths about “bulking up,” soreness, and calorie-burning workouts.  Betsy shares her journey from danc...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali discusses how to continue training for Dopey after a Marathon with 10 weeks to go. Dr. Ali discusses how you need to let your body recover from the first marathon before continuing on to training for Dopey and this is a mistake runners often make that prevent them from reaching the starting line. She outlines what the next 3 weeks...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle , Dr. Ali discusses how to train after Wine and Dine Half Marathon or 2 Course Challenge and the Dopey Challenge, or other races that include the Marathon in January 2026. The biggest thing to avoid is overtraining.  She discusses how it’s better to be a little undertrained than overtrained. Take the next 2 weeks immediately after Wine and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle , Dr. Ali explains why you should not run a half marathon to train for a half marathon or a 5K to train for a 5K.  She shares how repeating race distance too often leads to burnout, injury, and loss of motivation instead of better performance.  Using examples from soccer training and Greek mythology, Dr. Ali illustrates how breaking trainin...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle , Dr. Ali breaks down one of the most common questions she gets from runners: what supplements should I take for joint pain?  She explains that while glucosamine, chondroitin, turmeric, and collagen are often marketed for joint support, supplements alone rarely solve running-related pain.  They can sometimes help overall joint health, but t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle , Dr. Ali tackles the question “Is your injury all in your head?” and answers with a firm no.  Using a listener’s calf-pain story as a springboard, she explains how real physiology (sensitized tissues, nerve-related pain, and conditions like CRPS) can persist even when basic imaging looks “normal,” and why stress fractures often require MRI...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle , you’ll learn why finishing strong has nothing to do with running more miles.  Dr. Ali breaks down the common mistake many back-of-the-pack and injury-prone runners make, adding extra runs or pushing past race distance in hopes of feeling stronger on race day, and explains why that approach often leads to fatigue, burnout, and injury inste...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle , Dr. Ali dives into the messy overlap of AI, training plans, and social media “perfect” bodies.  She shares how she uses ChatGPT to tidy her own wording, but shows why you shouldn’t trust AI to design your plan: Gemini contradicted its own 10% rule and under-rested runners, while ChatGPT spit out a marathon plan that started at 6 miles and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Running to the Castle , Dr. Ali tackles the question of whether cross-training actually helps your RunDisney training…and why she believes it absolutely does.  She explains how cross-training improves cardiovascular endurance, making running feel easier without piling extra stress on your joints.  Drawing on both client examples and her own childhood sports expe...