Ali On The Run Show

"It was important for me to pursue this dream and make it happen. I have this belief of, you can’t be what you can’t see. So if other young girls are not seeing women as leaders and women as physicians and women in high positions and important jobs, they may not think they can be there. That made it extra important for me to continue to pursue this dream."   Every day, we are bombarded with news about the Covid-19 pandemic. But an important part of that conversation that is often missing is, "What happens after I get Covid?" Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez is here to answer that critical question. Dr. Verduzco-Gutierrez is the Professor and Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio, and she has developed a post-Covid recovery clinic to aid in the rehabilitative recovery of patients who have functional, mobility, and cognitive deficits after getting infected with the coronavirus. On this episode, Dr. Verduzco-Gutierrez — who is a tw

“I’m an ideas person — but I’m also a doer.”   Alison Désir was one of the very first guests on the Ali on the Run Show. She first appeared on Episode 3, and in the three years since she was on this podcast, Alison, who is a mental health coach and is the founder of Harlem Run, has accomplished so much, changed the world in so many ways, and has become an incredibly important voice in the running community. On this episode, Alison offers updates on all facets of her life, including becoming a mother to her son, Kouri, last year; what her pregnancy, childbirth experience, and postpartum experiences were like; and what it has been like being a tireless activist, advocate, and fighter for social justice and human rights. She talks about being sponsored by Hoka One One and Oiselle, and offers updates on the Womxn Run the Vote Relay, during which 10,000 participants raised $300,000 for Black Voters Matter, and her own Meaning Thru Movement virtual tour. Plus, Alison shares an exciting announcement about her next g

"I’ve had moments of exhaustion. I’ve had moments of frustration. I’ve had an overhaul across the board, personally and professionally. This year has been a rinse. If I was naming this chapter, it’s ‘Let it burn and reset.’ And instead of fighting all these things that are literally burning or closing down or going away or having an ‘I’m so over this attitude,’ I’ve tried to embrace every letdown, every frustration, everything that’s popped up."   Welcome back to Feel-Good Fridays on the Ali on the Run Show! This time around, we're getting a series of pep talks from the people who are living, breathing pep talks every day of their lives: professional fitness instructors. First up, Bethany Lyons, owner of Lyons Den Power Yoga in New York City and creator of the newly launched Lyons Den Digital platform, talks about how, in spite of what has in many ways been the worst year ever, is thriving. In February, one of Bethany's two studio locations burned down in a fire. In March, she had to close the other location

“I’m Chinese American. My parents emigrated here from Hong Kong for college. And stereotypical as it may be, it was like, you could be a doctor, you could be a lawyer, maybe you could go into business. That was my conception of what the possibilities were for your career, for most of my life growing up. Writing never entered into my mind.”   Christine Yu is an award-winning freelance journalist who covers sports, science, and women's health. She's a leading voice in the industry, and is a regular contributor for Runner's World, Women's Running, Outside Magazine, The Washington Post, Well+Good, Women's Health, and more. And soon, she'll officially be a published book author! Christine signed a book deal earlier this year, and is now hard at work on her book about the science behind women in sports, which will be out next year. On this episode, Christine talks about her writing process and about why she's passionate about diving into "taboo topics" instead of avoiding them. Christine lives in Brooklyn with her

“I am a believer in opportunity.”   It’s been a tough year for so many brands, individuals, and industries, and within the running industry, race companies have been hit particularly hard. On this episode, Michelle La Sala, president and founder of Blistering Pace Race Management, talks about her road to race directing, and explains how the pandemic has affected her business, which specializes in managing large-scale mass participation running events. Michelle’s clients include the New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Big Sur International Marathon, and Napa Valley Marathon. Previously, she was race director for the California International Marathon (CIM) and was the volunteer coordinator for the L.A. Marathon. Michelle, a 31-time marathoner with a 2:59 personal best time, talks about what she’s doing to stay afloat right now, and offers her take on how we can all support our favorite races right now.   Thank you to Tracksmith for sponsoring the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to tr

“Doing the right thing is always the right thing.” Episode 13 of the Ali on the Run Show had a massive impact — one that hasn’t slowed in the more than three years since that must-listen episode aired. Today, Episode 13’s Chris Mosier, the transgender Hall of Fame triathlete and duathlete whom The BBC and New York Magazine called “the man who changed the Olympics,” returns to the show to catch up on what he’s been up to since we recorded that conversation. Chris talks about the progress we’ve made regarding transgender rights, and addresses the steps we’ve taken in the wrong direction. He also talks about his foray into race-walking, and shares what it was like competing at the race-walking Olympic Trials earlier this year. Thank you to UCAN for sponsoring the What’s New With You series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to ucan.co/ontherun and use code ONTHERUN for 20% off your order! What we mention on this episode: Chris Mosier on the Rich Roll Podcast Follow Chris: Instagram Facebook Twitter Str

“I ran out of anger. I ran because cancer was trying to stop me.”   In honor of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, today’s guest is Sue Fortier: an Ali on the Run Show listener, a mom of two, and a breast cancer survivor. On this episode, Sue shares her cancer story, which began when she was 37 and was training for two fall marathons. She felt some pain in her breast, which turned out to be breast cancer. Her life was immediately and forever changed. Sue, who works as a visiting nurse, underwent 16 weeks of chemotherapy treatment, followed by 25 rounds of radiation — a time she refers to as the most traumatic of her life. She talks about how and why she kept running through her treatment, and explains how her relationship with running and with her body have changed since her diagnosis.   Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! Go to ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones!   Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the F

"I think everybody needs a good happily ever after." Welcome to Season 3 of the On the Job series! We're kicking things off this season with some love, lust, and intrigue: with USA Today best-selling romance novelist Kimberly Kincaid! In this conversation, Kimberly offers a peek at what it's like working in the billion-dollar romantic fiction industry. She talks about where she gets her inspiration (beware if you're in line in front of her at Starbucks!), about getting more than 100 rejections on the road to getting published, and about why scripting strong heroines is a must in her novels. And of course, she talks about what it's like writing steamy scenes and scintillating love stories for a living. Kimberly is currently working on her 32nd book. Thank you to Tracksmith for sponsoring the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to tracksmith.com/ontherun and use code ONTHERUN15 at checkout for 15% off your first Tracksmith purchase! Follow Kimberly: Instagram @kimberlykincaidauthor Twitter @ki

“Real change is going to take time.”   Carolyn Su — the creator of @diversewerun — returns to the Ali on the Run Show today for the What’s New With You series. Carolyn first appeared on Episode 140 of the show, to talk about her own running story and to share why she created Diverse We Run. Today, she’s back with updates on how the account is grown, and on how she’s used her own voice over the past year. Carolyn is doing important work to help further the conversation about race within the running community, and she has deservedly been featured in Runner’s World and on several other running podcasts.   Thank you to UCAN for sponsoring the What’s New With You series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to ucan.co/ontherun and use code ONTHERUN for 20% off your order!   Follow Carolyn: Instagram @irunfortheglory and @diversewerun   Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Blog Strava   Listen & Subscribe: Appl

“There’s an excitement to each of the races for sure, and it’s great to see your times and know you’ve run your fastest 800 or mile, and that’s huge. That always feels good… But I definitely don’t feel the same pride. It’s different.”   Cory McGee is a professional runner for New Balance. She specializes in the 1500m distance, and lives in Boulder, CO, where she trains with “Team Boss,” under the coaching of Joe Bosshard and alongside powerhouse women including Emma Coburn, Aisha Praught Leer, and Laura Thweatt. Despite 2020 playing out in a way no one intended or planned for, Cory is still having a fast year on the run. In a series of intra-squad competitions and small meets, she has run personal bests and broken records. But on this episode, she gets honest about whether those races carry the same weight and the same amount of pride as “regular” races. She also talks about her earliest days as a runner (including fun stories from her time living in Athens during the 2004 Olympics, when her dad was working s

“When I ran that 2:32 in January, it really made me realize that ‘dream big’ is not just dream big, it’s dream huge, because you have no idea of what you’re capable of.”   Speedy Beatie is back on the Ali on the Run Show this week! Beatie Deutsch is a 2:32 marathoner and mother of five who made her Ali on the Run Show debut on Episode 158. This time around, we’re catching up with Israel’s National Marathon Champion to find out how she shaved 10 minutes off her marathon time, and to learn more about her calls to the International Olympic Committee to change the date of the 2021 Olympic Marathon so it doesn’t fall on the Sabbath. She offers an update on her goal to represent Israel in the Olympics, and talks about what the pandemic has been like in Israel.   Thank you to UCAN for sponsoring the What’s New With You series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to ucan.co/ontherun and use code ONTHERUN for 20% off your order!   Follow Beatie: Instagram @marathonmother Twitter @marathonmother1 Facebook   Follow Ali: In

“I was in a world I could never have imagined — and I completely broke.”   Andrea Wagner had a meteoric rise to running success. She first leaned into running to cope with the stress of working at the Pentagon in the wake of the September 11 attacks in 2001. She ran her first marathon with a one-and-done mindset, finishing in 4:35 and insisting she would never do it again. (Famous last words!) More than a decade later, Andrea was a mom of two in a bad marriage, again turning to running to cope. She ran more marathons — but this time around, she was winning them. In 2014, she won the Rock N Roll New Orleans Marathon, and then went on to finish the Chicago Marathon in 2:41, earning herself an Olympic Trials qualifying time. She signed with Oiselle. She garnered the strength to leave her marriage after 10 years. And then, she lined up at the start of the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials. But after 14 miles, she stopped running. She was done. Done with that race, and done running competitively. On this episode, Andre

“I’ve never been so tired in my life. No amount of having babies or opening businesses or anything set me up for this. Those first three months, I’ve never experienced anything so difficult in my entire life. But I just kept going.”   Welcome to the What’s New With You series on the Ali on the Run Show! For the next six weeks, I’ll be catching up with past guests to see what they’ve been up to since the last time we talked. And we’re kicking things off with the indomitable Rachel Wyman! Rachel first appeared on Episode 166 of the show, where she talked about her life as a bread baker, single mom of three, owner of Montclair Bread Company, and race director for two of New Jersey’s most popular races. On this episode, Rachel offers an update about what life for a small business owner has been like during the pandemic, and reflects on the bike accident that shattered her pelvis, and how far she’s come in the two years since the accident. (Spoiler: She ran a marathon last fall and earned a Boston Qualifying time!

“I keep showing up so that people know that a Pakistani Muslim woman can be a marathoner. But just because I am there doesn’t mean the work is done.”   Aisha Qamar cares deeply about her community and the people around her. She earned her master’s in public health at Columbia University, and has used that degree to learn more about and to give back to people in need. She volunteers with South Brooklyn Mutual Aid, delivering food to her neighbors in New York City, and on this episode, Aisha explains how delivering supplies on the run has brought meaning back to her running during the pandemic. She talks about finding her people and making friends when she didn’t think she belonged in the running community, and she talks about being a Muslim woman, and explains what running looks like when she is fasting during Ramadan. Aisha is on the Global Womxn Run Collective steering committee, she runs a 3:02 marathon, and she is on a mission to make sure every runner knows that you do, in fact, belong.   Thank you to Af

"I think the biggest thing with grief is knowing that some days you’re gonna be drowning and unable to breathe, and I think I’ve had 12- to 24-hour cry-fests where you literally feel like you’re going to suffocate or die of dehydration. But it does end eventually. And then you take that deep breath and drink a glass of water and look outside and the world is still there. And you can keep going. Just having the hope to keep going is the most important."   Justin Grunewald is a doctor, ultra runner, and avid chaser of FKTs. He's happiest running up mountains in pursuit of running the fastest known time on any given trail. (So far in 2020, Justin has run more than 15 FKTs — two of which he did since we recorded this episode!) In addition to his many accomplishments, both professionally and on the run, Justin is perhaps best known as husband to the late Gabe Grunewald, who passed away last year after a long and arduous battle with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare cancer. On this episode, Justin shares what he's l

"Motivation is great when it’s there, but at the end of the day, it’s all about commitment."   Dr. Detling is back! I'm thrilled to wrap up the Ali & the Experts series with returning favorite Dr. Nicole Detling, mental performance coach and founder of Headstrong Consulting. Dr. Detling has a PhD in exercise and sports science with an emphasis in sports psychology, is the author of Don't Leave Your Mind Behind, and hosts the Becoming HeadStrong podcast. On this episode, Dr. Detling — who works with top athletes, Olympians, artists, and sports teams — answers listener questions about injuries, comebacks, emotions on the run, and how to prepare for race day.   Thank you to Athletic Greens for sponsoring this series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to athleticgreens.com/ontherun to get a year’s supply of Vitamin D with your first Athletic Greens purchase!   Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Blog Strava   Liste

"If I want things to change, I have to keep on fighting. But I can’t be the only one."   If you've ever run a race in New York City, you know Ben Chan. He's the "leopard print short-shorts and cowboy hat guy," and he's a staple on the NYC running scene. On this episode, in addition to talking about his on-the-run fashion choices, Ben shares the story of how he found running at age 30, by way of donating a kidney to a friend in need. And Ben talks about his firsthand experiences with racism, many of which he's experienced recently, and on the run. Ben talks about being the son of immigrants and grandson of refugees, and offers his perspective on what it means to create "safe spaces" and "escapes" by way of running.   Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! Go to ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones!   What you’ll get on this episode: All about those amazing running outfits (6:30) How Ben got started running — and how donating a kidney factored in (19:

“Let’s talk about our deepest and darkest fears around money.”   This week on Ali & the Experts, we’re talking money with Mandi! Mandi Woodruff is the senior content director at Lending Tree, and is co-host of the Brown Ambition podcast. She worked as an editor and reporter on the personal finance beat at Business Insider and Yahoo Finance, and hosted both The Money Minute and The Payoff weekly web series. Plus, she’s been featured as an expert guest on Good Morning America, ABC News Tonight, CBS This Morning, NY1, and more. On this episode, Mandi answers listener questions about investing, buying a home, saving, student loans, and emotions around money.   Thank you to Athletic Greens for sponsoring this series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to athleticgreens.com/ontherun to get a year’s supply of Vitamin D with your first Athletic Greens purchase!   Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Blog Strava   Listen & Subs

“You know when you’re not done yet. There were goals I wanted to accomplish, and I knew they were still in me. I just needed to keep going and see what I could do.”   In 2015, Rolanda Bell was living the dream. She had graduated from the University of Tennessee, where she was a member of the historic 2009 Women’s 4x1500m relay team alongside Chanelle Price, Phoebe Wright, and Sarah Bowman. Together, they broke the existing Penn Relays, National Collegiate, American, and world records — several of which still stand, 11 years later. She went on to run professionally representing Panama — a lifelong dream. But at the 2015 World Athletics Championship in Beijing, Rolanda was competing in the 3000m steeplechase when she went over the water barrier, and landed face-first on the way down. On this episode, Rolanda, who works in marketing for Hoka One One, talks about falling in love with running, going pro, and getting back up and finishing that race in Beijing. She talks about bouncing back, training with the NorCal

“Running isn’t canceled! You can still be improving during this time.”   Kaitlin Goodman is a 2:32 marathoner and four-time Olympic Trials qualifier who runs professionally for the Boston Athletic Association and adidas. Kaitlin — a frequent Ali on the Run Show guest and fan favorite — is incredibly versatile on the run. She has qualified for the Olympic Trials four times — in three different distances! (The 5K, 10K, and marathon.) And she’s a running coach with a master’s in public health. Kaitlin is the founder of Running Joyfully, where she coaches runners of all abilities. She’s also the founder of Safe on the Road, a nonprofit education and advocacy organization that promotes pedestrian and cyclist safety.   Thank you to Athletic Greens for sponsoring this series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to athleticgreens.com/ontherun to get a year’s supply of Vitamin D with your first Athletic Greens purchase!   Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontheru