"If you are struggling, it does not mean that you are failing. It does not mean that you’re doing something wrong. It just means that you are coming up against some hurdles, whether they’re physical or mental or emotional, and it’s important to listen to those and try and understand what’s underneath them. But by no means do they imply that you’re not going to achieve your goal. You just need to see them as part of the process. Struggle is just as important as the elation and the sense of fulfil...
Jun 26, 2019•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 153
"Everything I thought would happen did not happen." Sashea Lawson is perhaps best known by her social media moniker: "Sassy Fit Girl." Sashea is a mom to 2.5-year-old Skye and three-month-old Marley, and on this episode she talks about what life is like right now as a toddler mom and newborn mom. She talks about why she's been so vocal about making a slow return to fitness after baby number two, and opens up about recovering from two c-sections, her first baby's emotional NICU stay, and the pres...
Jun 23, 2019•50 min•Season 1Ep. 152
"Be happy with your life! Run races that are exciting to you. Set goals that are exciting to you. Maybe it’s a goal that everyone in the world has. Maybe it’s something that no one has. It doesn’t matter. Just be true to yourself. If you’re setting these goals that aren’t for you, it’s not going to fulfill you in the end." You may know Jen Bigham as the 2019 winner of the Eugene Marathon. You may also know her the way much of the internet does: as "Local Elite." (Her Instagram and Twitter handle...
Jun 19, 2019•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 151
"I wish I knew that it was normal to feel this way." —Jill Koziol When Jill Koziol and Liz Tenety were new moms, they felt alone, terrified, and overwhelmed by this new adventure. Five — soon to be six — kids later (two for Jill, three with a fourth on the way for Liz), and Liz and Jill are the co-founders of Motherly, a website, community, and brand for moms in all stages of parenthood. With Jill as CEO, Liz as Chief Digital Officer, and a work-from-home team of 40 spread across the United Stat...
Jun 17, 2019•59 min•Season 1Ep. 150
"There’s a lot of work that goes into this, and we take it really seriously." —Sarah Lorge Butler Welcome to the first-ever Ali on the Run Show roundtable! I was thrilled and honored to get to have this conversation with four of the women leading the charge reporting on the women's running industry: Erin Strout ( Women's Running ), Sarah Lorge Butler ( Runner's World ), Lindsay Crouse ( The New York Times ), and Alison Wade ( Fast Women ). On this episode, we talk about what it's like covering p...
Jun 12, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 149
"I thought oh, London Marathon, that sounds cute! So I signed up. And then I was like Paris Marathon? Oh my god, that sounds so cute, too. So I signed up for that, too." In her twenties, April Cargill was a two-pack-a-day smoker working long days and staying up late nights in the fashion industry in New York City. Today, at 55, the Harlem native is a six-time marathoner on a quest to complete all six World Marathon Majors. On this episode, April — who is the director of production for designer S...
Jun 06, 2019•58 min•Season 1Ep. 148
“He said, ‘I get it. The mountain’s too steep.’ And I said, ‘No. It’s just the wrong mountain.’” Jess Movold is perhaps best known as the super positive, super uplifting, super kind and empowering run and strength coach at Mile High Run Club and The Fortitude Strength Club in NYC. She's the current face of Runner's World (check her out on the cover!), and is the official "Runner's World Coach." So surely the 3:13 marathoner and 1:29 half marathoner from Missouri always envisioned this über-fit l...
Jun 05, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 147
"It's not a girl message, and it's not a boy message. It's a human message. It's about celebrating who you are, whatever you are." Kate T. Parker is the photographer and author behind the best-selling books Strong is the New Pretty and The Heart of a Boy . Her message for children is profoundly simple: You, just as you are, are worthy. You don't need to change who you are. Kids should feel strong and empowered being whoever they are. They should be accepted for staying true to themselves, whatev...
Jun 02, 2019•59 min•Season 1Ep. 146
"It took a while — a lot of runs, a lot of soul searching — to have this confidence now to just show up and say, 'I've earned this. I deserve to be here. I've put in the work to be in this spot.'" Leigh Anne Sharek is the co-founder of the Brooklyn Track Club , which started as an idea a few years ago and has since grown to nearly 250 members. She's the co-host of the Runners of NYC podcast, she's a sub-five-minute miler, and she's a forensic scientist for New York City's chief medical examiner....
May 29, 2019•57 min•Season 1Ep. 145
“ We’re distance runners. We know how to dig in with hard stuff and persevere.” Sara and Ryan Hall are one of the best-known couples in the running industry. Ryan is a retired professional runner: He holds the American record in both the half marathon (59:43) and marathon (2:04:58), and represented the United States at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic games. Today, he's a coach, he's spending a ton of time bulking up in the gym, and he just published his latest book, Run the Mile You're In . Sara ...
May 22, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 144
“ Women are dying of causes that should not kill them in 2019.” Dr. Taraneh Shirazian is a board-certified OB/GYN and surgeon practicing at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, where she's also the Director of Global Women's Health at NYU's College of Global Public Health. In 2009, Dr. Shirazian created the Saving Mothers nonprofit organization, whose goal is to lower the global rate of maternal deaths. Currently, 350,000 women worldwide die due to pregnancy and childbirth complications....
May 19, 2019•56 min•Season 1Ep. 143
"You really can do anything. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy and that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be without sacrifice. It also doesn’t mean you’re going to be a rockstar at it. But you can do anything if you’re willing to put yourself out there and really risk failing in a huge way." Last month, Jen Ator was hired as the new editor in chief of Women's Running . Before joining WR , Jen was the longtime fitness director at Women's Health . On this episode, Jen talks about her decision ...
May 15, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 142
"I tried to float somewhere between hopeful and hopeless." Colleen Lubin's story is one of a tremendous amount of loss — and, ultimately, one of resiliency and strength. All her life, Colleen dreamed of becoming a mom. But, like the 6.1 million women in the United States who struggle with infertility, the road to having a baby wasn't easy for Colleen, who created the blog "Not Quite Knocked Up" to document her journey. (It's a must-read for those trying to conceive and those in the throes of new...
May 13, 2019•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 141
"Take assessment of who you feel more comfortable making eye contact with." Carolyn Su is the creator of the @diversewerun Instagram account, where she shares inspiring stories from runners from all backgrounds. Carolyn, who is a Taiwanese-American daughter of immigrant parents and was born and raised in Texas, is a strong voice advocating for more diversity and representation within the running community. On this episode, Carolyn — who is a mom of two living with her husband and kids in Boston,...
May 08, 2019•59 min•Season 1Ep. 140
"There are a lot of people who put a lot of pressure on themselves — maybe you, maybe me — to do it all. So if you do have problems postpartum, we can treat that at seven months, we can treat that at three years, we can treat it when you're ready. I want to treat my moms when they're ready — not when they're feeling overwhelmed." Dr. Abigail Bales is the founder of Reform Physical Therapy in New York City, where she specializes in pregnancy and postpartum rehabilitation, primarily focused on pel...
May 05, 2019•52 min•Season 1Ep. 139
"I was smiling the whole time — even when it hurt really bad. I was so happy and thankful to be out there." Lindsey Hein, host of I'll Have Another with Lindsey Hein , is a returning guest on the Ali on the Run Show . Last month, Lindsey and I — along with fellow podcast hosts Carrie Tollefson and Tina Muir — did a live show during Boston Marathon weekend. But we wanted to keep the fun going! So Lindsey and I reconvened this week to talk about how Lindsey's Boston Marathon went (her first postpa...
May 03, 2019•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 138
"I was like, really?! I just launched a podcast, I have a live show coming up, I grew my blog, I’m killing myself to kill it in my career — and you’re going to congratulate me on this ? On being out at a bar with a cute guy? Do not congratulate me for having a boyfriend!" Grace Atwood is the creator of the wildly popular blog The Stripe and the co-host of the Bad on Paper podcast . With more than 110,000 followers on Instagram , it's safe to say Grace, who is also a multiple-time marathoner, has...
May 01, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 137
"We talk so much about the physical changes — but I wish we talked more about the emotional pieces in pregnancy." Welcome to the first episode in a 10-part Motherhood Mondays series on the Ali on the Run Show . The minute I found out I was pregnant in February 2018, my brain was consumed with all things pregnancy, childbirth, and Buy Buy Baby coupons. But once I gave birth, my world was rocked. I'd prepared for pregnancy, but had no idea what I was in for when it came to new motherhood. The brea...
Apr 28, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 136
"I’m in a position where I can help make decisions that put images out there of diverse people. That’s very special, and it’s an important job." Rozalynn "Roz" Frazier is the senior health editor at Health magazine, where she's worked for the past decade. On this episode, Roz talks about breaking into the publishing industry (and that time she interviewed a mostly unknown-at-the-time Alicia Keys while working at Essence ), and everything that comes with being a fitness editor. She talks about th...
Apr 24, 2019•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 135
"This community brought me back to life." I was thrilled to share the Generation UCAN stage during Boston Marathon weekend alongside fellow running podcast hosts Lindsey Hein of I'll Have Another , Tina Muir of Running For Real , and Carrie Tollefson of C Tolle Run . We sold out more than 600 tickets to this show in just a few days — a true testament to this amazing and supportive community. We had so much fun together and loved meeting everyone in the audience. Thank you to everyone who joined ...
Apr 22, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 134
"If there could be a dining critic, a theater critic…why couldn’t there be a wellness critic?" —Melisse Gelula Melisse Gelula is the co-founder of the health and fitness mega-brand Well+Good . On this episode, she talks about starting — and growing — something you believe in, and how Well+Good went from an idea to fill a hole in the publishing industry to a brand reaching more than 12 million readers every month. She talks about Well+Good's focus, and why it's more than green juice and SoulCycle...
Apr 17, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 133
"I had never been driven by my own desire to get help. It was always other people pushing me to do it. Once I decided on my own and hit that rock bottom, everything got better very quickly." —Kate Landau Kate Landau is a 42-year-old single mom and physician's assistant living in Florida with her daughter, Grace. She's also a 2:33 marathoner. But the road to becoming an elite-level runner in her forties hasn't been easy for Kate, who is set to run the Boston Marathon this Monday (and is gunning f...
Apr 10, 2019•58 min•Season 1Ep. 132
"I wanted to hug my former self. I wanted to tell her, 'It's OK! It's going to be OK. It won't be easy, but you will survive this.'" A few months ago, I recorded a solo episode talking about navigating "The Fourth Trimester." I was having a tough time — that was obvious. But then I learned: There's a "Fifth Trimester!" And that's the stage I'm in now, as I navigate life with a baby beyond the first 12 weeks and settle into a routine, a work life, and, well, some fun. On this episode, I'm talking...
Apr 03, 2019•55 min•Season 1Ep. 131
" Numbers don’t mean anything when it comes to success." —Sadie Lincoln Sadie Lincoln is the co-founder and CEO of Barre3, the mega-popular boutique fitness brand that has more than 130 studios in the United States. On this episode, Sadie talks about being a "former hippie kid," the unconventional way she was raised, and how that shaped her as a student and, eventually, an entrepreneur. She shares the story of how she discovered fitness in college, and how she went on to realize she was working ...
Mar 27, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 130
"Start stuff. If you believe in something, just start it." —Mary Wittenberg It was an honor to host this live show at New York Road Runners the day before the United Airlines NYC Half. I was joined by four exemplary leaders in the running community: Mary Wittenberg , former NYRR and Virgin Sport president and CEO; Christine Burke, VP of Strategic Partnerships and Runner Products at NYRR; Leigh Anne Sharek, co-founder of Brooklyn Track Club; and Carly Gill, a 2:47 marathoner and one of the women ...
Mar 19, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 129
"Be honest, be real, be vulnerable. That's how you find your mental toughness." —Dr. Nicole Detling This episode will change your life on the run. It's a bold statement, I know, but Dr. Nicole Detling, the founder of Headstrong Consulting in Utah, is here to help us all improve our mental game. Dr. Detling is a mental performance coach for teams and athletes including the US Ski and Snowboard Association, Ballet West, tons of Olympians, and members of the PGA, MLB, NBA, NHL, and more. On this ep...
Mar 12, 2019•58 min•Season 1Ep. 128
"Hear my voice in your head when you start trying to dig out the cysts on your face." —Dr. Rachel Nazarian Dr. Rachel Nazarian is a dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology in New York City, and is an assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai. On this episode, she dishes some real talk about skin, including everything she wants women to know about acne, cysts, and beauty influencers. Thank you to Strava for sponsoring Ali & the Experts Week! CLICK HERE and use code ONTHERUN to get one month ...
Mar 11, 2019•57 min•Season 1Ep. 127
"Physical fitness and financial fitness are both simple. To get physically fit, we need to eat less and work out more, and to get financially fit, we need to spend less and make more. It sounds really simple, but if it were that simple, we’d have a bunch of skinny millionaires running around! There are a lot of emotions around both." —Shannon McLay If you want to run a marathon, you hire a running coach or personal trainer. If you want to get your finances whipped into shape, you hire Shannon Mc...
Mar 10, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 126
"It’s important to have the tough conversations." —Dr. Logan Levkoff Dr. Logan Levkoff is an expert on sexuality and relationships, and she's all about promoting honest conversations surrounding both. In addition to being a sexuality educator, Dr. Levkoff is also a television regular, appearing regularly on Good Morning America , the Today show, CNN, and the first three seasons of Married at First Sight . She has worked with major brands like Dove, Pfizer, Starbucks, and Trojan, and has authored...
Mar 09, 2019•52 min•Season 1Ep. 125
"Please don’t Google this stuff." —Brynn Fessette O'Neill Brynn Fessette O'Neill, DPT, is a physical therapist at Finish Line Physical Therapy in New York City. On this episode, she offers advice on prehab, injuries, and recovery. Thank you to Strava for sponsoring Ali & the Experts Week! CLICK HERE and use code ONTHERUN to get one month FREE with your purchase of a Strava Summit subscription. What you’ll get on this episode: All about prehab and rehab (3:00) Brynn explains why specific inju...
Mar 08, 2019•48 min•Season 1Ep. 124
