“That was the kicker: Matt said, ‘If the dog doesn’t like you, you have to go.’” One day, in Flagstaff, AZ, professional runner Matt Llano walked into a local coffee shop where Brannon Harbur was working. That first day they met, they talked for hours — long after Brannon’s shift had ended. They agreed to meet up for a first date of sorts, at a group run. Fitting, for a professional runner. But Brannon wasn’t a runner. Still, he showed up, because he was interested — in Matt, not in running. Bra...
Feb 12, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 333
"I knew this was going to be an epic friendship." Welcome to the fastest friendship on the track: Kori Carter and Ajeé Wilson join Love on the Run Week today! Kori is a world champion 400m hurdler, and Ajeé is a U.S. record holder in the 800m (both indoor and outdoor). On this episode, they talk about how they met and immediately bonded both on the track and off. SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to ucan.co/ontherun for 20% off your next UCAN order! What we mention on this episode: USATF Instagram Live Follow ...
Feb 11, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 332
"I just looked over at her and said, ‘We should be something.’" She's a 2:43 marathoner and Olympic Marathon Trials finisher, and he's "not a huge runner" who runs a 2:51 marathon: Meet Starla Garcia and Fredis Benitez from Houston, TX! Starla (a returning favorite on the Ali on the Run Show ) is a registered dietitian, and Fredis is a marketer and designer, and they bonded immediately over a shared love for music. On this episode, Starla and Fredis, who have been dating since 2016, talk about c...
Feb 10, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 331
"We took each other's dreams seriously, which is always a fun thing in a friendship." It's Day 2 of Love on the Run Week, and today we're celebrating long-distance friendship. On this episode, professional runners Alexi Pappas and Mary Cain talk about their bond, which started because of running (they met at a track meet!), but quickly grew because of something so much deeper. They highlight the importance of strong, supportive adult friendships; talk about why they try not to "squeeze too tight...
Feb 09, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 330
"It’s not that we don’t disagree or we don’t challenge each other, because that’s a really important part of it. We definitely challenge each other and we’re always growing, but I feel like we’re constantly growing in a similar direction, and that’s why it works so well." Welcome to Love on the Run Week! This year, we’re celebrating all different types of love leading up to Valentine’s Day — seven days, seven episodes, seven love stories, including couples, best friends, and siblings. First up: ...
Feb 08, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 329
“Maybe we place too much emphasis on the idea of what other people think a runner is.” After having her third baby, Erin Azar wasn't feeling like herself. So one day — having never run before — she decided to go outside and run a mile. From there, she committed to running a mile a day for 30 days straight, documenting her journey along the way. The result: Erin went viral on TikTok , with her first running video amassing more than one million views overnight. And when her mile-a-day month was up...
Feb 04, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 328
“Your energy is your most valuable resource. How do you make sure you’re spending it on things that actually make a difference?” As the Chief People Officer at Hubspot, it is Katie Burke's job to take care of people. So when your job is other people — whether at work or at home — how do you take care of you ? On this episode, Ali on the Run Show favorite Katie Burke shares 10 practical, tactical, super important ways to make sure your needs are met. And this isn't a fluffy self-care pep talk abo...
Feb 02, 2021•1 hr 16 min
“Find what makes it fun for you.” Welcome to this month's edition of Ramblings on the Run with Ali and Matt, where Rambling Runner host Matt Chittim and I catch up on running, industry news, and our current favorite things. On this episode, we answer listener questions ranging from how we met and became friends to our best advice for new runners. What we mention on this episode: Bravey by Alexi Pappas Alexi Pappas on Episode 296 of the Ali on the Run Show Ask Ali! "ZACH" by Billy Yang Dinée Dora...
Jan 29, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 326
“He said, ‘If you want to see your son grow up, you need to make these changes.’ Done. That’s all I needed to hear.” The Mirnavator is here! Mirna Valerio is a sponsored athlete, ultra runner, best-selling author (check out her book, A Beautiful Work in Progress ), trained opera singer (yes, she sings on this episode!), mother, educator, activist (she leads diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops for brands including Nike and Burton), and speaker. She has appeared on the Kelly Clarkson Show a...
Jan 28, 2021•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 325
"My goal is to indulge my own curiosity and hopefully pique yours as well." Welcome to the new monthly series on the Ali on the Run Show: Ask Ali! On these episodes, I'll be answering your questions, whether they're funny, silly, or serious. First up: running with Crohn's disease, tackling the comparison trap, sports bras, podcasting, my thoughts on the dance industry and whether I see dance in Annie's future, and, uh, a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. If you want to be part of a future "Ask Ali...
Jan 22, 2021•47 min•Season 1Ep. 324
“The idea that someone would try to take me down a notch really just adds fuel to my fire.” Last week, Outside magazine published a piece called “Tracksmith Made Running Culture Something You Can Buy.” On this episode, the ever-inspiring Kamilah Journét — who is both a 4:51 miler and Tracksmith’s marketing manager — is here to offer her response to that piece. Plus, Kamilah talks about running collegiately at UC San Diego, and reflects on times when she didn’t love running. She talks about redis...
Jan 21, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 323
“I went on this journey of constantly proving to people that I could do everything they could do. Because I knew I could!” When Lacey Henderson was just nine years old, she was diagnosed with soft-tissue cancer in her leg. After trying a series of experimental treatments — none of which ultimately worked — Lacey underwent above-the-knee amputation surgery, just before her tenth birthday. Today, Lacey is a Paralympic long jumper competing at the highest level, and she'll be the first to tell you ...
Jan 14, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 322
“I think what I’ll take away from this sport is the resiliency it built in me. No matter what else life throws at me, I’ll know how to keep moving forward and fighting through it.” The last time Sara Hall was on the Ali on the Run Show, she had just placed second — with the finishing kick seen around the world — at the elite-only London Marathon. This time, she’s fresh off running the elite-only Marathon Project — and this time, she took the win. In December, Sara won the Marathon Project with a...
Jan 12, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 321
“I want every runner when they listen to this show to be reminded that regardless of your pace, your distance, how often you run, when you run — you’re a runner. I want you to know that even if you don’t see yourself in every episode, in every conversation — I see you. I see you in this community. I value you. I couldn’t do this without you. I will do my very best to make sure these conversations remain inclusive in every way possible.” In 2020, I released 126 episodes of the Ali on the Run Show...
Jan 07, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 320
"I’ve given up on myself so many times. And now this time, I’m so determined to get over this hump. I don’t want to give up on myself again. That’s what gets me out the door these days." Emma Abrahamson is the definition of a content creator: The former University of Oregon cross-country runner has an insanely popular YouTube channel with 69,000 subscribers, a combined Instagram following of more than 80,000 on her @onecrazedfoodie account and her personal one, hosts the Convos Over Cold Brew po...
Dec 31, 2020•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 319
“I was just like, my three girls are at home cheering for us, yours are right here. There’s so much love for us right now. We’ve just gotta go. Let’s do it for them.” Last weekend, Calum Neff became known as "Green Shorts Guy" at The Marathon Project in Arizona. Calum was one of several pacers assigned to help Sara Hall run a 2:19 marathon in hopes of setting a new American record. And Calum more than earned the very important role: He's a lifelong runner with four Guinness World Records to his ...
Dec 24, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 318
“It was incredibly scary to leave my home country, my family, and fly overseas to a place I knew nothing about. I knew no one there. I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I just knew I was following my dream and following my heart.” Dominique "Dom" Scott was born and raised in South Africa, but by the time she hit high school, she knew she wanted to move to the United States to pursue a collegiate runner career in the NCAA. And that's precisely what she did. Despite having never v...
Dec 23, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 317
“We made the most out of a hard year. And what we did this year is going to pay off.” Earlier this year, four-time NCAA champion Dani Jones decided to forgo her remaining NCAA eligibility at the University of Colorado in the pursuit of going pro. She signed with an agent — Hawi Keflezighi — and joined Joe Bosshard and Emma Coburn ’s training group, “Team Boss.” And today, Dani has an exciting announcement to share: She’s officially a fully sponsored professional runner, having just signed with N...
Dec 21, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 316
"I am the happiest that I have ever been in my life. It’s coming together like I always wanted." It's been a really good year for Aliphine Tuliamuk. In February, the professional runner for Hoka One One's NAZ Elite team won the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, earning herself the top spot on the U.S. Olympic Marathon team. But before she heads to Tokyo in 2021, Aliphine has one very big job: have a baby! Last week, Aliphine announced to the world that she is pregnant and due with a baby girl in Jan...
Dec 17, 2020•35 min•Season 1Ep. 315
"On pretty much any run, you’re going to look silly or terrible at some point." We're closing out Feel-Good Fridays for 2020 with lots of laughs — at least that's the goal! This week, Emily Halnon returns to the show to answer a few silly questions, and then to help read and share listener-submitted stories about their (your!) funniest or most embarrassing running stories. (Two themes: getting lost and, well, pooping.) SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN for $10 off! What we mention...
Dec 11, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 314
“When you put it in your head that you belong, it’s incredible how you allow yourself to succeed.” Today, by very popular demand, Jonathan Cane and Nicole Sin Quee make their Ali on the Run Show debuts — together! Jonathan ("Coach Cane") is the founder of City Coach Multisport and author of Triathlon Anatomy , and Nicole ("NSQ") is a math teacher at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx and is a former duathlon national champion. They are parents to nine-year-old Simon, and they are two of my al...
Dec 10, 2020•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 313
“My legacy?! I’m just trying to get through today.” It's the perfect mashup: Feel-Good Fridays meets Ramblings on the Run with Ali & Matt! On this episode, Matt Chittim and I cover everything from 90s sleepover culture to our biggest dreams and regrets. Something for everyone — including a new "nosy questions" segment! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN for $10 off! What we mention on this episode: Millennium Running New England Half Marathon recap Manchester City Half Marathon...
Dec 04, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 312
"I said to Robin in my interview, ‘If I get this job, part of my mission will be to tell people to dream and to dream big, and to dream bigger, and to dream often.' Because if this could happen for me, a daughter of immigrant parents, girl who struggled with her weight, girl who struggled with her confidence…to be one of the faces of one of the largest companies in the world, the largest connected fitness platform in the world… If I can say that that was my story, then anything can happen for an...
Dec 03, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 311
"You can do it, buddy!" It’s an Ali on the Run Show Thanksgiving tradition! Six years ago, my now-husband, Brian, 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. He had big dreams and big goals. Here’s a dramatic retelling of ho...
Nov 25, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 310
"All the pain and all the isolation I have felt — it was all worth it for a moment like this." Last year, runner and steeplechaser Emma Gee made history when she became the first openly out LGBTQ+ athlete at Utah's Brigham Young University — the university owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. On this episode, Emma powerfully and honestly shares her story. She talks about growing up in a religious family — she's one of five children — in Colorado, and explains why she decided...
Nov 24, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 309
"I need to laugh. I need to smile. I need to feel silly." Welcome to Feel-Good Fridays, Season 3! This time around, honestly, I'm just feeling like keeping it light. Because we all know that 2020 has been a year . So for the next four weeks, my goal — my mission, should you choose to accept it — is to bring you something every Friday that will make you laugh, smile, or somehow feel lighter. I think we could all use a little levity right now. Today, we kick things off with a compilation episode: ...
Nov 20, 2020•42 min•Season 1Ep. 308
“It’s gonna take a lot of work. It’s gonna take a lot of discipline and a lot of patience and a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall and it not sticking at all.” Natalie Mitchell just might be the most joyful runner on the planet. The always-smiling running coach, mom of three, and 12-time marathoner is perhaps best known by her Instagram moniker: “Nat Runs Far.” On this episode, she talks about how she has shaved an hour off her marathon time (from a 4:06 debut to a 3:05), and shares her dream...
Nov 19, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 307
“Your teacher says you can’t have a job where you’re looking out the window all day — well that’s exactly what I do!” We’re closing out Season 3 of the On the Job series today with Jenny Benjamin — a woman with her eyes on the skies! Jenny is an air traffic controller at Denver Centennial Airport in Colorado, and on this episode, she talks about why she loves her job so much. She explains how she and her team safely and efficiently move air traffic, and talks about why it’s so important to be se...
Nov 17, 2020•47 min•Season 1Ep. 306
“You don’t let it define you. A bad day is a bad day. You just suck it up, learn what you’ve gotta learn, and move on.” Keira D’Amato is perhaps best known as “The Running Realtor.” She is a mom of two who works full-time as a real estate agent in Virginia — and she’s a 2:34 marathoner. Though racing as we knew it was canceled in 2020, Keira’s running this year has never been better or faster. In February, she ran a personal best at the Olympic Marathon Trials, and this summer, she ran a 5K time...
Nov 12, 2020•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 305
"What makes this my dream job is realizing that I can make a difference just by showing up, just by being a woman and a woman of color, and showing up in this space and holding this space and being proud of the work that I’m doing — knowing that we stand for something more than just running, and that we’re showing that as an athlete and as a running brand, you can stand for more than just the sport you do." Theresa Bradford just might have every runner's dream job: She's a sports marketing assoc...
Nov 09, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 304
