Ali On The Run Show

“Doubting yourself doesn’t get you anywhere. I decided that I was going to make this happen, and I did.”   More than a decade ago, Erica Sara Reese was having a hard time. She had been working in the fashion industry, as a buyer for companies like Coach and Barneys New York, while pursuing a nutrition degree on the side. But she was also going through a divorce, and she wasn't happy — so she started creating, making jewelry at her dining room table. When her friends started having babies, she noticed they were often getting jewelry to commemorate the life change. And road races, Erica Sara says, were her babies at the time. So why not commemorate that with jewelry? She started designing necklaces and charms with her races and finish times on them, and soon, friends started asking her to design celebratory necklaces for their own races. Erica Sara Designs was born. Today, what started as a side hobby is now a wildly successful small business, and Erica Sara's designs can be seen at finish lines across the c

“This was the most fun I’ve had in so long.”   If you watched any of this year's Olympic Track & Field Trials coverage, you would have heard a familiar voice calling the distance races: Kara Goucher! Kara served as commentator and member of the NBC broadcast team at Hayward Field, and today, she's here to tell all. On this episode, Kara talks about how she got the job (she will also be part of the NBC broadcast team during the Olympic Games in Tokyo later this month), how she prepared for the races, and what it was like calling all the action. She reflects on the highlights and heartbreaks from the Trials, talks about making mistakes live on air and how she handled them, and about getting the call that her husband, Adam, had gotten into a car accident right before she was about to go live. As always, Kara is open and honest, and promised nothing was off-limits during this conversation — so yes, she talks about having to wear Nike-branded apparel on air, and whether that swoosh-covering braid was intent

“It felt like there was an earthquake in the running world, and we’re seeing these fault lines change everything. And some things are good, and some things are weird.”   As the current American record holder in the 10,000 meters, Molly Huddle was one to watch heading into this year's Olympic Track & Field Trials. But just a few days before the Trials kicked off in Eugene, OR, Molly (who is also the American record holder in the 10 mile, the 20K, and the half-marathon) announced that she wouldn't be racing the 10K after all. She pulled out of the race, citing an injury that she's been dealing with since last year's Olympic Marathon Trials. On this episode, Molly — who represented Team USA at the last two Olympics, in 2012 in the 5000m and in 2016 in the 10,000m — talks about what it was like scratching from the biggest race of the year, and how she's handling the loss of an Olympic cycle and a chance to be on this year's team. She talks about watching her training partner and friend Emily Sisson win the

“Classical music may not be what you have playing in your car, but when you come and see all these musicians onstage, you can really connect to it. That’s the hardest challenge — making it accessible and telling people about it.”   Beverly Everett has always been musical. As a kid, she found a passion for playing the organ — and her love for live music never waned. Today, Beverly is living her dream as a conductor and music director for two symphony orchestras (the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra in North Dakota, and the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra in Minnesota). She's also a music teacher, an organist, a rescue dog lover, a cancer survivor, and a marathoner. On this episode, Beverly talks about what a music director does ("It's not just standing up there and waving our arms around"), shares her thoughts on the lack of women in the industry, and talks about the confidence it takes to stand in front of both an orchestra and a live audience.   SPONSOR: Tracksmith — Use code ONTHEJOB for free shipping, pl

“I started crying. It was so intense. I was shaking with fear. And I just look up at Kyle, and I say, ‘I want you to know that being your brother has been one of the greatest joys of my life. And I promise you, no matter what happens today, I’ll give you every ounce of energy that I have. And all I ask is that you do the same.’ And he looks back at me and says, ‘You got it.’ And then the cannon fires.” —Brent Pease   In 2010, Brent Pease completed his first Ironman triathlon. That night, his younger brother, Kyle — who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a child — asked if someone in a wheelchair could do an Ironman. Brent said yes, and the rest, as they say, is history. Growing up, the Pease family was insistent that Kyle be able to do whatever his brothers were doing. They would play games, make up the rules, and adjust them as they went along, making sure the game was fair for everyone. Inclusion, the brothers say, was always a part of their lives. (One of their mottos is "where there's a wheel, there'

“I had never seen a woman trucker. I was going to be an anomaly to myself.” Yuma Haidara had a plan. After high school, she enlisted in the Navy. After serving for seven years, she went on to nursing school, in pursuit of becoming a pediatric nurse. But something caught her eye on her daily commute: a trucking school. One day, Yuma decided to pull in and see what it was all about. And the rest, as they say, is history. Yuma enrolled in the three-week course to get her commercial driver's license (CDL), and today, she is a truck driver for Walmart. Yuma, who is based out of New Hampshire, spends 14 hours a day on the road, bringing general merchandise (anything that's not groceries — so TVs, clothes, sneakers, tools, tires, even Christmas trees) to and from warehouses and stores. On this episode, she talks about why this is the perfect job and why she loves being alone in the truck with her music and audiobooks. She talks about being the only woman in her class getting her CDL, offers tips for sharing the

"I had the stuff I needed. I had the things. But I didn’t have the confidence." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about postpartum running, what a day in the life looks like, what it's like entering the other side of the pandemic, llamas and alpacas, running in New York City, and so much more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! You asked: Do you have any advice for postpartum running? And what is a typical weekday like for you? (2:50) What are you most excited for about your new home in New Hampshire? (17:45) Do you prepare your responses to the Ask Ali episodes? (22:35) What is it like on the other side of Covid? (33:00) How are the

“I feel so lucky that running has made me feel empowered and given me a lot of confidence. Finding that throughout high school was something that was really life-changing for me. I really want the younger generation to have that opportunity and to see the power of sport and the power they can find in themselves and in their team, and in connecting with others who have similar goals and passions. I really want to inspire that younger generation and see all the great things that they can do.”   Welcome to U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials Week! The Trials officially kick off tomorrow, June 18, at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, OR, and today's guest, Elise Cranny, is definitely one to watch. Elise runs professionally for Nike and the Bowerman Track Club, and she will be competing in both the 5K (June 18) and 10K (June 26). Elise comes into the Trials with the fastest qualifying time in the 10K, and the third-fastest time in the 5K (behind her BTC teammates Shelby Houlihan and Karissa Schweizer), a

"The whole day revolved around dance. And that, to me, was the dream."   "When I'm onstage," Emily Kikta says, "no one can stop me." Emily is living every aspiring ballerina's dream: She's a corps de ballet member at New York City Ballet, where she has been a member of the company for 10 years. On this episode, Emily talks about her road to a Center Stage-like life. She grew up competing with her local dance studio, and went on to attend the School of American Ballet, which is the feeder school for NYCB. She talks about getting a job in the company, about her first performance onstage, and about how she keeps the magic alive onstage every night. She also talks about the pandemic's impact on the arts industry, and about how she and her fiancé (fellow NYCB member Peter Walker) turned to choreographing, directing, and producing during their forced time offstage. Plus, Emily talks about body image in the dance community, what a day in the life is like, and how she got into running during the pandemic.   SPON

“Sometimes you just need an advocate to kick you in the pants.” Sarah Lesko just might be one of the most-loved women in the running industry. As the leader of corporate development for Oiselle, Sarah — or "Lesko," as most call her — is beloved by her colleagues, by Oiselle's elite athletes, and by the hundreds of members of the Volée team. So what is about Lesko that makes people so drawn to her? After hearing about Oiselle from countless women on this show — Lauren Fleshman, Sally Bergesen, Alison Mariella Désir, Rebecca Mehra, Kara Goucher, Courtney Carter — it's time to hear from Lesko herself! On this episode, Sarah talks about growing up on a commune, going to (and running for) Yale, and becoming a doctor. She talks about the health issue that forced her to take an 18-year break from running, and explains what drew her back in and got her on the run again. She talks about having kids (she's a mom to three boys) while in her medical residency, and about life as a mom and family medicine doctor. And sh

“I always felt a special thrill with anchoring, but I had zero idea if I was any good at it! But there was potential there.” Joelle Tomlinson wakes up at 3:02 AM — precisely — every day in pursuit of her dream job as a CTV Calgary morning news host. On this episode, Joelle talks about what it's like anchoring the news, and what her road to the news desk was like. (It involved a stopover as a weather girl!) She busts some common misperceptions about being a face on TV, talks about the pressure to look or dress a certain way, and shares the types of stories she loves covering, the ones that still give her butterflies, and the ones that have had the greatest impact on her. She talks about how she's learned to put her emotions aside when covering difficult stories, and about why, sometimes, it's OK to cry on live TV. Plus, she talks about her morning routine, dealing with criticism from viewers, and all the unseen parts of the job. When Joelle isn't live on televisions across Canada, she's most likely getting

“It’s not easy, but I’m at a point now of knowing I can handle it. It’s not always fun — but I can handle it. And I know you can, too.” Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about why I (mostly) stopped drinking, how to practice getting comfortable saying no, wishing for a new body, what life could be like without running and podcasting, and so much more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! You asked: Why aren’t you drinking anymore? (2:30) How do you get more comfortable saying no? (7:20) What is my strength training routine? (14:05) Do you have any advice for mentally getting back into running when you’ve been sidelined for a while? (17:35)

“This is a definite compliment from Des. She was like, ‘I like you enough where I can hang out with you for three hours!’” In April, Des Linden made history by making her ultramarathon debut and, in the process, breaking the world record in the 50K (2:59:54) and becoming the first woman to run a 50K in under three hours. And while Des may hold the new record, she didn't go it alone: She was joined by Charlie Lawrence. Charlie ran at the University of Minnesota, and made his marathon debut at the California International Marathon in 2018, where he ran a 2:16 and earned himself an Olympic Trials qualifying time. On this episode, Charlie talks about what it was like pacing Des that day in Oregon, including what their pre-race conversation was like, what he remembers most from the race, and what he thought about his first "Shoey." And go give Charlie some love: He'll be racing the 50K road championships next weekend! SPONSOR: AfterShokz — Visit ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones. What

“As much as this is your job and this is serious, there’s a lot of fun and joy in the process.” Welcome to Season 5 of the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! On this series, we hear from women who have cool, unique, interesting careers — and who also happen to be runners. We’re kicking off this season with Rikki Gimelstob, a casting director who works on films, television shows, commercials, and theater productions. (Most recently, Rikki worked on the upcoming Dear Evan Hansen film, and the new AMC show Kevin Can F**k Himself, starring Annie Murphy of Schitt’s Creek fame!) On this episode, Rikki explains what, exactly, a casting director does. She explains how she got into the industry (it involves the opera!), and addresses whether or not what she does is actually like what we’ve all seen on Entourage. Plus, she talks about some of the craziest dressing room requests she’s seen, and shares her thoughts on diversity in the industry. (When you’re done listening, go watch this — the greatest vid

“You give yourself your own life raft, and it feels so great to come up for air and think, jeez, that was a close call! But I’m here. And it’s given me strength to go further and deeper than that next time.” Becs Gentry is a Peloton Tread and Strength instructor, and in March, she added another very impressive title to her fitness resume: 2:32 marathoner and Olympic Marathon Trials competitor for Team Great Britain. On this episode, Becs — who is from the UK but has lived in New York City since she took the Peloton job in 2019 — talks about what it was like being invited to compete for Team GB, and about what it took to finish fourth that day and to run a nearly five-minute personal best time. She talks about her training and how she prepared for race day, including how she balances her own training with teaching and how she survived a 22-mile run on a treadmill one day. She talks about the dark days and the tough runs, and how she got through them, and shares her own struggles with confidence both on and

"You don’t know everything. I share a lot, and that still is only a fraction of my life, of my thoughts, of my opinions, of my day." Welcome to Ask Ali, a twice-a-month series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we’ve got listener questions about the mental component of Crohn's disease, my Enneagram type (3w2!), my thoughts on raising a daughter in the era of Instagram filters, getting back into running after a long break, Outback Steakhouse, "parasocial relationships," and more. Thanks to everyone who called in for this one. Enjoy! If you want to be part of a future “Ask Ali” episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever’s on your mind! I can’t wait to hear from you! SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! You asked: How to carry things on the run (2:29) The mental component of Crohn’s disease + how often I use my Peloton Tread (9:27) What is my Enneagram type? (19:59) My thoughts on raising a daughter

“I’m the quarterback of my life. All these different people play supporting roles, and I need all of them for sure. You can’t be a team with only a quarterback. But I get to be the one in charge, making the plays. And that feels super empowering and very exciting.” Colleen Quigley is arguably one of the most influential track and field athletes today. She's a professional athlete who primarily competes in the Steeplechase, and she's a Team USA Olympian, a Florida State University alum, an NCAA champion, a model, and a mental health advocate. Colleen spent the first five years of her professional career sponsored by Nike and competing with the Bowerman Track Club in Portland, OR. But at the end of 2020, Colleen announced she was making a change: She was no longer sponsored by Nike, and was leaving the Bowerman Track Club. Now, after many months of anticipation and much speculation, Colleen announced yesterday that she has signed with lululemon, and is officially a lululemon-sponsored athlete. On this episod

“I really threw myself into everything that made me uncomfortable.” Happy Bonus Episode Day! Cara Enright is someone I've wanted to have on the show for a long time, and I couldn't decide whether to include her in the Everyday Runner series (a runner with a full-time job and lots of hobbies!) or to share her episode on a Thursday — and so, the solution is a bonus episode, in the middle, today! Cara Enright is a New York City-based runner (and former competitive jump roper!) who works in pharmaceutical recruiting. Last month, Cara and a group of runners (including The Bachelorette's Zac Clark) completed the Goggins Challenge: They ran four miles every four hours for 48 hours straight. On this episode, Cara talks about how she got involved, how she prepared, and what the experience was like. (By the end of the challenge, the group had also raised more than $80,000 for the Release Recovery Foundation.) When she's not working or running through Times Square at 1 AM with her friends, Cara is the women's capta

“I’m very proud that I have managed to, in less than a year, do four half marathons. It’s not something I ever could have dreamed of doing. And I’m just proud I have really stuck it out. Because it’s hard. It’s not easy to try to work yourself back from a poor health standard, or to bring yourself out of that mental hole that people can fall into. I’m very proud that I have stood up and said, ‘I need help, and I need to make a change.’ That’s a huge step for anybody to take. The fact that I’ve taken that step and I keep moving forward… That means a lot to me.” Welcome to the final episode of the newest series on the Ali on the Run Show: The Everyday Runner. For the past four weeks, we’ve been hearing from runners who are just like you and me. Not professional athletes — these runners have jobs, families, and responsibilities beyond this sport we all love so much. Today, we wrap things up with Melissa Cummings, a runner — or “walker with purpose,” as she likes to say — from Manchester, NH. On this episode

“I noticed that there were young Black girls without role models in their communities. Because of lack of representation in our society, sometimes we don’t see people that look like us doing things that we want to do, so we think that we can’t do it. And that definitely applied to me.” As U.S. Track & Field athletes across the country gear up for the Olympic Trials (June 18–27), triple jumper and long jumper Keturah Orji is feeling good. And rightfully so: Keturah, who was named the NCAA's Collegiate Woman of the Decade, just took back the American Record in the triple jump (14.92m)! On this episode, the 2016 Olympian and five-time U.S. champion talks about what it takes to be at the top of the jumping game. (If you're new to the triple jump and long jump, fear not: Keturah offers a "Jumping 101" halfway into the episode, breaking down what, exactly, these events entail, and what it takes to master them.) She talks about how she found jumping, what her goals are for this year's Trials, and what it was