Ali On The Run Show

"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 fulfillment that we all get after a great workout or a PR." David Willey spent 14 years at the helm of Runner's World magazine. But after announcing his departure from the brand in 2017, David went off the grid. On this episode, David's back on the grid, opening up about what made life for the past two years "outlandishly fun, intentionally challenging, unexpectedly hard and depressing, and newly regenerating." David talks about his time at Runner's World — the highs, the lows, and the part of the job that had him ambushing

"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 pressure she felt to breastfeed. Sashea, who has eight sisters and two brothers, owns and runs a marketing and entertainment company with her husband, and they live in West Orange, NJ. 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: Getting to know Sashea (1:30) Did Sashea always know she wanted to be a mom? (8:30) On recovering from two c-sections, and the importance of

"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 is, appropriately, @localelite.) On this episode, Jen talks about what it means to be a local elite runner, and it's pretty impressive. Not only did Jen win Eugene this year, she ran a 10-minute marathon PR in the process, finishing in 2:41 and nabbing a well-deserved Olympic Trials qualifying time. The road to an OTQ wasn't an easy one for Jen, who has been trying to land one since 2010. On this episode, Jen, who runs for Oiselle and is a high school track and cross-country coach, talks about the highs and lows along

"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 States, Motherly sees more than 20 million monthly views, and is home to an active, engaged community. On this episode, Jill and Liz reflect on what new motherhood looked like for them, what it means to be motherly, and what they found in their second annual "State of Motherhood" survey. 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: Getting to know Jill and Liz (3:00)

"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 professional women's running — both the highlights and the challenges. We talk about whether the four of them are competitive when it comes to breaking major stories, like Lindsay's recent "Dream Maternity" piece in the Times. They open up about their relationships with the best-known professional runners, and sound off on the current state of the industry as they see it. They also share their perspective on how to cover the industry critically and thoughtfully while also wanting to support runners of all abilities and advance

"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 Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss — talks about why she started running in her fifties, what finally got her to kick the smoking habit, and what it's like being a hard-working single mom. Thank you to the New York Road Runners Virtual Pride Run 5K for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE to register (it’s free!) and complete your run between June 22–30. Everybody’s doing it! What you’ll get on this episode: What was 20-year-old April up to? (3:00) What April’s job in the fashion industry is like (4:50)

“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 life for herself, right? Not quite. Jess began her career in the fashion industry, and she has stories that rival the ones in The Devil Wears Prada. On this episode, she shares her journey from high fashion to ultramarathons, and it's one that's packed with endearing and hilarious stories along the way — including the best "nothing new on race day" story I've ever heard. Up next: Jess wants to break three hours at the Berlin Marathon. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK

"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, whatever that looks like. Kate, a mom of two girls (Ella, 14, and Alice, 10) in Atlanta, GA, had a revelation a few years ago while taking photos of her kids. The photos weren't stereotypically "pretty" and posed, and the girls weren't sitting, smiling, wearing matching bows and dresses. They were messy. They were loud. They silly. And Kate wanted to make sure they always embraced that spirit. On this episode, Kate talks about the failure and rejection she experienced on the way to viral success, and talks about the moments w

"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. (So cool!) On this episode, Leigh Anne talks about going from a 4-hour marathon to a 2:41 marathon, and nabbing an Olympic Trials qualifying time. She talks about running with faster people and what it's like when you realize you're fast, and she shares some oh-so-relatable feelings about showing up to her first group run. Leigh Anne, a former gymnast, has become a well-known face on the NYC running scene, and was named one of New York Road Runners' Runners of the Year last year. So what's it like moving up to the fron

“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 is a professional middle-distance-turned-long-distance runner, who holds a 2:26 marathon PR and has her eyes set on the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. On this episode, Sara and Ryan talk candidly about their marriage, what they fight about, and what it's like being coached by your spouse. Ryan is Sara's coach, and they were very honest about what it's like for each of them when Sara doesn't have a good race or workout. They also talk about adopting their four daughters from Ethiopia, and take a trip down memory lane shari

“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. That's one mother dying every two minutes. On this episode, we talk about the important work Saving Mothers is doing to further women's empowerment and patient advocacy during pregnancy and childbirth, and we discuss why, exactly, so many women are dying this way, particularly women of color. Dr. Shirazian, a mom of two, also talks about her newest venture, Mommy Matters, which directly supports Saving Mothers. Thank you to Sweaty Betty for sponsoring Motherhood Mondays on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to sweatybetty.com

"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 to leave one dream job for another, and shares her hopes, dreams, and big plans for Women's Running. She shares her running story, including the heartbreaking knee injury that sidelined her just as she was hitting her running groove. Plus, she shares her advice for getting through some "really tough days." Jen also talks about the opportunity of a lifetime: getting to race Ironman Kona with training partner and Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno. She talks about her friendship with Deena Kastor, how her approach to exercise

"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 motherhood.) In the span of three years, Colleen suffered five miscarriages (including both a chemical pregnancy and an ectopic pregnancy) and two failed IVF treatments. The sixth time she found out she was pregnant — the one that would stick — was the day after her dad died unexpectedly. Today, Colleen is mom to nine-month-old Liam, and she's been open, honest, and very candid about her road to pregnancy, what pregnancy after loss is like, and what it was like going into labor six weeks early, six hours away from hom

"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, MA — talks about her foray into running and how having an eating disorder in high school and college factored into her running journey. She also talks about how we can all advocate for more diversity and inclusion within the running community. A must-listen! 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: How Carolyn became a runner — and how an eating disorder factored in (7:10) Carolyn

"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 pelvic floor health. In this episode, Abby, who is a board-certified licensed physical therapist, breaks down everything you need to know about the pelvic floor in an easy to understand way. She talks about exercise modifications during and after pregnancy, and explains why peeing yourself after giving birth is "common, not normal." Abby, who is a mom of two (Henry, 5, and Caitlyn, almost 2), also talks about mothering with a chronic illness (ulcerative colitis), her experience with postpartum depression, what her marriag

"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 postpartum race since having baby number four!), what her training leading up to Boston looked like, and what's next on her race calendar. Then, we talk all things podcasting, including our most-downloaded episodes, biggest surprises, and rejections. Thank you to the New York Road Runners Virtual Dog Jog 5K for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE to register (it’s free!) and complete your run today. Everybody’s doing it!   What you’ll get on this episode: Lindsey reflects on the 2019 Boston Marathon

"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 made it as a successful full-time blogger and influencer — but that was never the goal or the plan, and when she first dove head-first into full-time blogging, Grace was embarrassed to own the title. But now, not only does she own it, she's also vocal about the hard work that goes into this lifestyle. (Turns out, it's not all glamorous photo shoots and exotic press trips.) On this episode, Grace talks about shifting her career from marketing at P&G to late nights at BaubleBar to a Gossip Girl-inspired DIY site that e

"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 breastfeeding, the hormones, the hair loss, the sleep deprivation — all things people had told me about, but that I don't think I ever could have fully prepared for. And so I struggled — hard. I've been at this new mom thing for six months now, and while I'm no expert, many of the guests on this series are. This series is all about new motherhood: the struggles, the intensity, the big wins, and little victories. It's a judgment-free, no-such-thing-as-TMI look at survival mode, thriving mode, and everything in between.  Firs

"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 the state of the fitness industry, and her mission to get more women of varying shapes, sizes, and colors represented. And she shares her running story: how she got started, what her road to becoming a ten-time marathoner has looked like, and what's up with everyone's obsession with time goals. Finally, Roz — a self-proclaimed sneakerhead — shares her favorite gear picks, from sports bras to shorts to her favorite shoes for every distance. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLI

"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 us in person, congratulations to everyone who ran Boston (including Lindsey and Tina!), and YAY for another live show in the books. Enjoy! Thank you to Generation UCAN for sponsoring this episode and our live show in Boston! Click here and use code ONTHERUN25 for 25 percent off your first UCAN order. Then, when you realize how much you love this stuff, go back and order more! Code ONTHERUN gets you 15 percent off for life!   Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Sub