Ali On The Run Show

At about mile 9, I was in the porta-potty, wishing and praying that somebody would pick it up. I was like, ‘If I stay here long enough, somebody will pick up the porta-potty. I just want to disappear in here.’ That’s how terrible I felt."" At 41 years old, Dawn Grunnagle is proof that you can, in fact, keep getting faster with age. Dawn is a Nike-sponsored professional 1500-meter runner turned master's marathoner. (Before going pro, she spent 10 years teaching third and fourth graders. Aw!) She has qualified for the Olympic Trials three times: first in 2012 in the 1500, and then in 2016 and 2020 in the marathon. Last year, she ran a 2:34 personal best time — but the road to OTQ glory hasn't been easy or pretty for Dawn. On this episode, she talks about her earliest marathon days, which involved a lot of porta-potties and puking. (Relatable!) She talks about how she chipped away at her time over the years, going from a 2:49 to a 2:34, and talks about her adventures in fueling. (Key takeaway: Just because it wo

"We decided, 'OK, I’m gonna run in the Trials and then we’ll hopefully get pregnant right away, and then I’ll maybe even be able to run a fall marathon the next year!' And…it didn’t happen like that." You probably know Amanda Nurse by her Instagram moniker: Amanda Runs Boston. And she sure does. Amanda is a 20-time marathoner and two-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon. She's a clinical social worker turned adidas-sponsored runner and coach who has taken her marathon time from 3:26 to a very impressive 2:40. On this episode, Amanda talks about her road to elite distance running, her decision to make a major career change, and her adventures in motherhood. She opens up about her "plans" to get pregnant and what that means for a professional runner, and shares what actually happened on her road to having Riley, her now two-year-old son. It's an honest, real-talk-filled conversation about the realities of new motherhood. (And fun fact: Amanda is coached by former Ali on the Run Show guest Kaitlin Goodm

"You deserve to be on that starting line. Believe in yourself and your training." Molly Bookmyer is a 2:44 marathoner who recently finished third in the U.S. 25K championships. But the road to an Olympic Trials qualifying time hasn't been easy. On this episode, Molly shares her inspiring story of resilience and positivity. In 2013, Molly's doctors found a brain tumor and needed to perform brain surgery to remove it. Then, she suffered a seizure while running on the treadmill, and had to have a second brain surgery. After recovering, getting healthy, and getting back on the run, Molly and her now-husband got married. But one week after returning from their honeymoon, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Molly is a force to be reckoned with, on the run and beyond. Thank you to Generation UCAN for sponsoring the You Can Run a Marathon series on the Ali on the Run Show! Click here and use code ONTHERUN for 20 percent off your order, plus free shipping. (First-time buyers, check out the UCAN Run Starter Pack h

“Pressure is a privilege.” —Nikki Hiltz Allie Ostrander and Nikki Hiltz are both having huge breakthrough years on the run. Allie, who recently signed with Brooks Running, and Nikki, who is in her second year as a pro athlete for adidas, joined me for a live show at New York Road Runners's second annual RunnerCon event the day before the New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile to talk racing, big dreams, goals, and activism. Neither Allie nor Nikki had ever run Fifth Avenue before, so it was fun talking to them on the eve of the big race. (Nikki ended up running strong and placing fourth!)   What we mention on this episode: Emma Coburn and Jenny Simpson on Episode 96 of the Ali on the Run Show Allie Ostrander on Episode 162 of the Ali on the Run Show Follow Nikki: Instagram @nikkihiltz Follow Allie: Instagram @allie_ostrander Twitter @allie_ostrander Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Pl

"At this level, everyone works really hard. You can’t just say, 'Oh, she just works the hardest.' All the elite athletes on that starting line, everyone has their own challenges in their build up and had to overcome those. Everyone has their own story." Emily Sisson just might be having the best year of her life. The professional runner for New Balance kicked off her year by running a 1:07 at the Houston Half Marathon — coming just five seconds short of the American record. In April, Emily made her marathon debut at the London Marathon, where she ran a 2:23, finishing in sixth place and becoming the seventh-fastest U.S. woman ever at the marathon distance. It was also the second-fastest marathon debut by an American woman. This summer, Emily competed in the 10,000 meters at USA Track & Field Nationals, and landed a spot on the U.S. world team. She'll head to Doha later this month to represent the United States. On this episode, Emily reflects on her breakout year and talks about what's next, including whe

“When I started running, people laughed at me. But it was a challenge I needed to do for myself.” Dr. Shelby Harris is a clinical psychologist and clinical associate professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the neurology and psychiatry departments. She specializes in anxiety, depression, and treating sleep disorders, and is the author of The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia. What does that have to do with running? On this episode, Dr. Harris shares how treating her insomnia-and-sleep-apnea-riddled patients led her to marathon running. She's now a 13-time marathoner who has taken her time from 5:19 to 3:45, and she's currently training for the 2019 Chicago Marathon, where she hopes to run a Boston Qualifying time. Dr. Harris shares her story of being seconds away from crossing the Boston Marathon finish line in 2013 when the second bomb went off, and talks about losing hearing in her left ear as a result of the blast. She also talks about using exposure therapy as a way to get back to running an

"You just have to show up. And I showed up." Not too long ago, Mo Alkhawaldeh was a casual smoker. Today, he's a 2:23 marathoner with his sights set on representing his home country of Jordan in the 2020 Olympic Games. But although Mo is one of the top-ranked runners in the Middle East and Africa, he's not a full-time runner: He works full-time at Princeton University, where he's also the head coach of the Princeton Running Club. He gets his training done before and after work — elite marathoners, they're just like us! In 2015, Runner's World named Mo one of the 50 most influential people in running. Mo, who is coached by Ryan Hall, is currently training for the Berlin Marathon, where he hopes to run a 2:18. Thank you to Generation UCAN for sponsoring the You Can Run a Marathon series on the Ali on the Run Show! Click here and use code ONTHERUN for 20 percent off your order, plus free shipping. (First-time buyers, check out the UCAN Run Starter Pack here, and get 50 percent off.)   What you’ll get on this epi

"I was in survival mode. What can I do to pay our rent? What can I do to put food on the table?" When Rachel Wyman was five months postpartum with her third child, she opened her first bakery: Montclair Bread Company. Then, when the bakery hit 4,000 Facebook likes, Rachel decided she should do something to celebrate the social media milestone. Despite not being a runner and never having run a race herself, she hosted a low-key 4K race that has since grown to become New Jersey's hardest-to-get-into annual 5K. And Rachel, of course, has become a runner and triathlete along the way. Today, Montclair Bread Company is the town's go-to destination for runners, and is home to the 2,000-member Fueled by Doughnuts run club. On this episode, Rachel, a mom of three, talks about what it was like working 80-hour weeks while getting her MBA and being the sole income provider for her family of five. (Her final project for her master's degree was a business plan for a bakery — which she then made into a reality. A+ for Rache

"I never picture myself at the start or during the race or what I’m doing during the race. I just picture myself finishing. That’s all I can see." Chirine Njeim is a four-time Olympian — but the four times she's represented her home country of Lebanon haven't all been on the run. Chirine is a former alpine ski racer turned marathon runner. She competed at the Winter Olympics three times, and in 2016 made her Summer Olympics debut in the marathon. Today, Chirine is a 12-time marathoner who has taken her time from 3:07 to 2:39. Chirine lives in Chicago, where she works full-time and trains with the Second City Track Club. On this episode, she shares how a fun run at the Shamrock Shuffle 8K changed her life, and what her training looks like right now as she gears up for the 2019 Chicago Marathon. Thank you to Generation UCAN for sponsoring the You Can Run a Marathon series on the Ali on the Run Show! Click here and use code ONTHERUN for 20 percent off your order, plus free shipping. (First-time buyers, check out

"I was letting life pass me by. I had just gone through all of this insanity, and I wasn’t really a participant in my own life. How could I let that happen?" I first met Carrie Kreiswirth in 2011, when a marketing campaign for a local running store brought us together. Several years later, I saw a photo of Carrie on Facebook. She was bald. What had I missed? In the time since we met, Carrie had tested positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation — the one that raises the probability of developing breast and ovarian cancer — and was diagnosed with stage one triple negative invasive ductal carcinoma. Breast cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and breast reconstruction surgery. She went through the process of having her eggs frozen. And then, the self-proclaimed "non-runner" ran the New York City Marathon. This is a powerful, emotional, and inspirational episode. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your Aeropex wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What

"I realized, no one on the sidelines is judging me as harshly as I’m judging myself." Welcome to the first episode in the seven-part "You Can Run a Marathon" series, all about getting you through training and to the start line of your first or next 26.2-mile race. Whether you're training for your first, your fastest, or your funnest, we're here to help you reach your goals. Who's "we?" On this series, I'll be talking with runners about their training and races, as well as experts who can answer all of your questions about training, fueling, and just how many 20-mile runs you should be doing before you start to taper. The series kicks off with Olympian Alexi Pappas. Alexi is a middle-distance runner turned marathoner. She made her 26.2-mile debut at the 2018 Chicago Marathon, and on this episode, she's honest about how humbling this distance is for runners of all levels. She talks about her own fueling strategies, what she'll do differently leading up to her next race, and what advice she's received from the l

"It’s still really unreal to me that I get paid to run. Running is something that I would do anyway. It’s not a job, it’s just a good time!" It's been a big summer for Allie Ostrander. The Alaska native graduated from Boise State University, signed her first professional running contract with Brooks Running, and made her pro debut at USA Track & Field Nationals, where she finished fourth in the 3000m steeplechase, landing her a spot on the U.S. team headed to world championships in Doha next month. On this episode, Allie talks about the process of going pro, how she became a steeplechaser, what her first pro race was like, and what's next. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: Allie recaps her fourth-place finish at USATF Nationals (3:00) What Allie’s training will look like between now and the world championships in Doha in September (7:30) Allie’s decision to go

"As an entrepreneur, just like an athlete, you have to be almost psychotically optimistic. You have to believe, ‘We can do this, we can make it back.’ You have to have that belief because there’s so much headwind." Husband-and-wife team Lauren Fleshman and Jesse Thomas are the co-founders of Picky Bars and hosts of the Work, Play, Love podcast. Lauren is a former professional middle-distance and marathon runner who spent 13 years competing and is now a coach for Little Wing Athletics, and Jesse is a professional triathlete. On this episode, they get "really real" about parenthood (they have two children, Jude and Zadie) and the realities of trying to grow a business and a family simultaneously. They talk about resentment, balance, entrepreneurship, work challenges, and "the dark days." And hey, Picky Bars are awesome! Click here and use code ONTHERUN for 30 percent off your order, plus an extra 30 percent off your first delivery of the Picky Club! Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali

“I didn’t really have the credentials to back up what I wanted to do. I just had a dream and a lot of passion and determination.” If you don't already know it, remember the name Kaitlin Goodman. Kaitlin is a professional runner for the Boston Athletic Association and a run coach with a master's degree in public health. She's fast — and multifaceted. Kaitlin, who lives in Providence, RI, and trains in Boston, is a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier: She's qualified in the 5,000 meters, the 10,000 meters, and the marathon. (She runs a 2:32 marathon.) And although it's been a lifelong dream to become a professional runner, it hasn't all been smooth sailing and speedy running along the way. Kaitlin suffered a brutal injury while training for last year's New York City Marathon, and she eagerly opens up about what that physical and mental recovery process looked like. She talks about making goals, and what happens when you don't hit them, and she shares how she rebounds and grows from disappointing experiences. Kai

"When you focus on yourself, you get the best results." Mirinda "Rinny" Carfrae is a professional triathlete and three-time Ironman World Champion. On this episode, Rinny talks about her road to swim-bike-run domination, and how she went from a scrappy basketball player to the fastest woman in Kona. Rinny — who is from Brisbane, Australia, but now lives and trains in Boulder, CO — is a podium staple at both the Ironman and the Half-Ironman distance. She's also a mom to two-year-old Isabelle, and she's very candid about what it's like deciding to have a baby as a professional athlete. She talks about how her sponsors reacted — and what their support looked like — when she announced her pregnancy, and shares how she managed to train for an Ironman while breastfeeding. She talks about pre-race nerves, whether she'd ever ditch the swim and the bike to race a road marathon, and the time she overcame a 14-minute deficit off the bike to land the win in Kona. And of course, Rinny shares her big goals for 2019. Thank

"I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and discovered this tremendous strength that I had. It made me realize that so many of us have amazing gifts within us, but we’re sometimes scared to take that leap — so we don’t even realize what we’re capable of." —Beatie Deutsch Beatie Deutsch is a 29-year-old Orthodox Jewish mom of five living in Israel, by way of New Jersey. And she's earned the nickname "Speedy Beatie" for a reason: Despite only picking up running a few years ago, Beatie runs a 2:42 marathon and a 1:17 half marathon. On this episode, she talks about what it's like being the National Marathon Champion of Israel, and breaks down her monumental Tiberias Marathon win, where she not only ran a 2:42, she ran a 27-minute personal best time in the process, negative splitting the race by six minutes. She talks about being an Orthodox Jewish woman and runner in 2019, explaining her race attire (she runs with her elbows, knees, and hair covered), her values, and what it's like looking different from other wo

"I’m wearing these massive pads that are like six inches deep and waddling around the house. I think I thought the first week would be rough. But it was a month out and I’m still rocking these massive pads. I was never told about that." Every week on these Motherhood Mondays episodes, I've asked my guests, "Who's in your village?" I feel so lucky to be able to say that the two women on today's show — Laura Green and Julia Berteletti — are in my village. Laura lives in Boston, and is mom to 10-month-old Jack. She's a part-time physical therapist and the "community boss" for November Project, and is "very creative" about how she gets her work hours in while Jack does a part-time nanny share. Julia lives in Denver, CO, is mom to 8-month-old Max, and works full-time in an office while Max is in daycare. On this episode, we talk like we do every day, sharing perhaps too much about everything from breastfeeding, identity loss, and body image, to giving birth, relationships, emotional labor, and that first postpartu

"It’s not sexy, but all the little teeny tiny things add up. Invest in recovery, nutrition, and sleep. That’s where you’re going to see the big gains — even though it’s not as much fun to put on Instagram. You’ll see it pay off." Sarah "Mac" Robinson is an elite runner, mom of two, and freelance brand storyteller. On this episode, she gets very candid about how her life — on the run and beyond — has changed since becoming a mom. She opens up about her experience with postpartum depression and anxiety, what life on medication has been like, and the stigmas surrounding postpartum mental health. She also talks about how she landed an Olympic Trials qualifying time in the marathon in 2016, what the road there was like, and what's next in her running life. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: Sarah’s experience with postpartum anxiety and Zoloft (3:15) Sarah’s running stor

"There's a fear of the foundation we're standing on having too many cracks in it." Dr. Molly Millwood is a clinical psychologist and licensed psychotherapist specializing in marital therapy and intimate relationships. She's also the author of the just-released book, To Have and To Hold: Motherhood, Marriage, & the Modern Dilemma. On this episode, Dr. Millwood — a mom of two — expands on many of the new-mom-related topics she covers in her brilliant book, including guilt, shame, missing life before baby, marriage after baby, gender roles for new parents, and social media. Dr. Millwood lives in Vermont with her husband and two sons. Thank you to Sweaty Betty for sponsoring Motherhood Mondays on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to sweatybetty.com and use code ONTHERUN for 20 percent off your purchase.   What you’ll get on this episode: What tends to hold new moms back from going to therapy (8:00) The shame and guilt surrounding new motherhood (13:00) On missing “life before baby” (21:00) Why no one is talking ab

"You are never going to be the woman you were before, and that’s great. Because this woman you are now is so much stronger, more powerful, capable of doing so much more. But you’ve gotta give her some time and space to heal and figure things out a bit." Hitha Palepu has many titles. She's an entrepreneur and the CEO of Rhosan Pharmaceuticals, the author of the book How to Pack: Travel Smart for Any Trip, an angel investor and advisor to women-led and women-focused start-ups, the creator of the blog Hitha on the Go, and the brains behind #5SmartReads on Instagram and in her popular weekly newsletter. She's also a mom to four-year-old Rho and seven-week-old Rhaki. On this episode, Hitha, who lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side, opens up about the realities of motherhood, her decision to have children (it wasn't a given!), and her experience with postpartum depression and antidepressants. Thank you to Sweaty Betty for sponsoring Motherhood Mondays on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to sweatybetty.com and use code O