Ali On The Run Show

"She’s my person." Silvana Morgan is a nurse, a runner, and a mom to two daughters. A few years ago, she was running a race when she saw a fellow runner up ahead wearing "a really cute outfit." But when the course split — half marathoners to the left, other race distances to the right — Silvana, who is from Brazil and says she's now living her dream with her family in New Hampshire, didn't get a chance to meet that runner and tell her she liked her outfit. That runner, it turned out, was commercial truck driver, marathoner, and outdoor enthusiast Yuma Haidara. Later that day, Yuma posted about her race in New Hampshire's She Runs This Town Facebook group. Silvana saw the post, recognized the woman in the photo as the woman from the race, and a friendship was born. The two — now best friends — have been inseparable ever since. This is their friendship story. SPONSOR: Tracksmith. Click here and use code ALI22 to get free shipping. Plus, Tracksmith will donate 5% of your purchase proceeds to the Brave Like

“What will get us to the finish line is nothing compared to what got us to the start.” In 2013, professional ballroom dancer Adrianne Haslet was walking near the Boston Marathon finish line when the bombs went off. She lost her leg that day, standing on Boylston Street. Then, in 2019, Adrianne — who had become a runner herself after her lower leg amputation — was walking on Commonwealth Ave. when she was hit by a car. Even in the face of so much unexpected adversity, Adrianne hasn't lost her fighting spirit. She's a survivor, an advocate, an inspiration — and on Monday, April 18, she'll return to both Comm Ave. and Boylston Street, but this time it will be en route to her own marathon finish. Adrianne will be racing in the Boston Marathon's para division alongside friend and official guide Shalane Flanagan. In this conversation, Adrianne talks about training under Shalane's guidance, about how she's feeling with race day just a week and a half away, and about what she's doing now to prepare for the potenti

“There was a moment where I looked at myself in the mirror and said, ‘Whoa, this is what you’re meant to do. This is it.’” Kirsten Ferguson is living her dream. She once wrote "Become a Peloton instructor" on a Post-It note, and today she's doing exactly that. (And she still has the manifestation-filled Post-It.) The Peloton Tread instructor is a single mom of two, and the road to this dream life hasn't been an easy one. Kirsten grew up with aspirations of working in the fashion industry. But when she enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she quickly realized that she wanted to do something completely different. She ended up getting a job working in sponsorships with the NFL, where she worked for seven years before leaving and having children. Along the way, Kirsten suffered two miscarriages. That's when she found fitness. Kirsten leaned into cycling classes during her darkest, most isolating, and most challenging days. On their third try, Kirsten got — and stayed — pregnant. In this conversatio

"I’m tired. But I’m feeling pretty good. I’ve got a job to do and I need to do it and that’s kind of it. I’m on a mission. I just need to get it done." Jacky Hunt-Broersma is on a quest to run 100 marathons in 100 days. That's 26.2 miles every single day for 100 days straight, while raising money for Amputee Blade Runners. We recorded this episode together at 8 AM on Day 75. Jacky — a running coach and ultramarathoner whose next goal is the Moab 240 Endurance Run — had just gotten her two kids off to school, and was getting ready for marathon number 75. In this conversation, we get to know the Jacky today, who is more than 3/4 of the way through her record-setting challenge. And we get to know the 26-year-old Jacky from 2001, who woke up one day with a golf ball-sized mass on her leg. She was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer, and had her leg amputated just weeks after the diagnosis. It wasn't until 15 years later that Jacky started running, and she says her only regret is that she didn't start s

“I said, ‘You definitely have this win. Don’t be so scared anymore.'” Last weekend, two-time Olympian Dominique Scott Efurd won the first-ever elite division at the Atlanta Women's 5K. And while it may have been her first time breaking the tape this year, Dom's 2022 is off to a solid start. In January, she finished third at the Houston Half Marathon. Then, she finished second at The TEN. And this weekend, she'll race the Cooper River Bridge Run. In this conversation — Dom's first time back on the show since late 2020 — Dom talks about her recent races, about the challenging start to 2021, which included a tibial stress reaction and a case of Covid, and about her experience representing Team South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. Dom is sponsored by adidas, and she lives in Boulder, CO, where she trains with Team Boss. SPONSOR: The 2022 Bayshore Marathon. Go to BayshoreMarathon.org to sign up for this year’s marathon and 10K, taking place May 28th in Traverse City, MI. What you’ll get on this e

“I’ve just been struggling to survive. To figure out how to survive. I want people to see me and say, ‘OK, let’s not look at what we think people are.’ Because everybody has their own struggles. Life is tough!” Earlier this month, I found myself glued to my phone, rabidly refreshing the Humans of New York Instagram account, waiting for updates in the 13-part story about a woman in Augusta, GA. The woman was Venus Morris Griffin. Today, she's a hugely successful realtor and mom of seven. But the road to becoming one of Meybohm Real Estate's leading agents (Venus has closed more than $500 million in sales she she started with the agency) has been anything but easy. In fact, it still isn't easy, Venus says. In this conversation, Venus talks about her difficult childhood, about falling in love with a man at USC, and about having six children together. She talks about being home with the kids — the youngest was just one year old, and the oldest was 15 — while her husband was away on a work trip, and getting a

“I could tell he wasn’t mentoring me because he wanted it to be this public thing that made him look good. I wasn’t his charity case.” Dinée Dorame had a dream: to launch a podcast that would explore the intersection between running, land, community and culture. So she applied for the first-ever Tracksmith Fellowship program — and she won. Dinée was one of the first recipients of a Tracksmith Fellowship grant, which gave her the support she needed to bring the Grounded podcast into existence. She was also paired with a mentor: Mario Fraioli, host of The Morning Shakeout podcast and creator of The Morning Shakeout newsletter. Dinée and Mario started as total strangers, formed a fast mentor-mentee relationship, and now, one year later, are close friends with a "big brother, little sister" bond. In this conversation, they talk about their first phone call, the first time they met in real life, and how their differences have made their relationship stronger. SPONSOR: Tracksmith. Click here and use code ALI2

“It was pretty tough, I’m not gonna lie. I walked off the track pretty mad. I didn’t want to talk to any cameras, so I walked past the camera people because I knew they were just going to drill me with a bunch of questions that I didn’t want to talk about. And I hadn’t even had time to digest it myself. So I was about to say something I probably shouldn’t have on camera. So I said, ‘I’m making this boundary for myself,’ and I kept walking.” Elle Purrier St. Pierre is one of the fastest women in the country. The professional New Balance athlete just capped off her indoor season by earning a silver medal in the 3K at World Indoor Championships in Serbia. In 2020, she broke the American record in the indoor mile. Then, last summer, she won the 1500m event at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials (and set a Trials record for that event), solidifying her spot on Team USA and achieving a lifelong dream of becoming an Olympian. Elle — widely known as a small-town farm girl from Vermont — is living the pr

“I got off the plane, looked out at the mountains, and just felt this sense of relaxation. Like this is where I’m supposed to be, this is where life is good. And it made no sense!” Laura Skladzinski was a dancer and theater kid growing up. She, like many of us, hated having to run the mile in gym class. Then, at 24 years old, Laura became the youngest person at the time to complete a marathon in all 50 states, and she has gone on to run more than 100 marathons and a few ultramarathons. So, what changed? In this wide-ranging conversation, Laura talks about how she became a runner, and what her approach to running is like. She talks her decision to move from New York City to Colorado, and about becoming a town trustee in her new hometown of Superior, CO. She also talks about how difficult that role has been over the past few months, after fires tore through the town at the end of 2021. She shares what that day was like as both a homeowner in Superior and as an elected official, and about why she has decided

“It’s just those people when you instantly connect, and they’re one of your people. She was one of those people. And it’s so hard to find those people as adults, as we all know. She was that easy connection, easy talking to. Everything just felt like it was meant to be and meant to happen.” Cara Enright Welsh and Cameron Erhardt are two of the nicest people on the planet — so it's no surprise this episode is warm fuzzy central. Cara and Cam met when they were both part of Nike's Project Moonshot marathon training program, and they say they became best friends the very first day they met. They immediately bonded over their mutual love for Taylor Swift and NYC "Emo Nights" ("Stay sad!"), their respective roles as the oldest of four siblings, and a shared birthday (November 5, 1990). In this conversation, Cara (a former competitive jump roper) and Cam (a former NCAA Division-1 runner) recall the day they met, and talk about the challenge of making friends and finding running buddies as an adult. Plus, Cam's s

"I've made it here. I'm good with that. I'm going to start this race as me. However I finish, I'm still me." I love a live show! The day before the United Airlines NYC Half (thanks to New Balance, New York Road Runners, and the 1 Hotel Central Park South), I had the pleasure of hosting a live recording of the Ali on the Run Show with returning podcast guests Becs Gentry and Nev Schulman. (Shout-out to the live audience: You were a great crowd, and you were so much fun! Thank you for being there.) This banter-filled conversation covered everything from Becs and Nev's approaches to running and dealing with dark moments on the run, to peeing in the ocean and mastering the art of "The McDash." You'll laugh, you'll gasp (the collective sound in the room when Nev asserted that treadmill running "isn't real running," oh my...), and I hope you'll enjoy. (Oh, and by the way: The fastest marathon ever on a treadmill was run by former Ali on the Run Show guest CJ Albertson! He covered 26.2 miles on a treadmill in 2:0

"Even though I’ve been doing this for a while, and I’ve been working for myself for a long time, I still have a hard time making my own rules." Julia Berteletti is a runner, a mom, and a dear friend — and today, she's a podcast host! On this edition of Ask Ali, returning Ali on the Run Show guest Julia is here to do all the question asking, reading your questions from Instagram. We cover everything from favorite foods and "stranded on a desert island" scenarios, to podcasting, motherhood, running, and more. SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order! Check out: Julia Berteletti on Episode 458 of the Ali on the Run Show Julia Berteletti on Episode 157 of the Ali on the Run Show Kyle Merber & Chris Chavez on Episode 489 of the Ali on the Run Show Tracksmith Allston Long Shorts Lululemon Wunder Train Bra New Balance FuelCell RC Elite Fair Play Life Cards Follow Julia: Instagram @griffeletti Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join th

"That Saturday when I set the record and I was in the tent waiting for them to start the awards ceremony, dozens of people came up to talk to me, and they were from all over the United States! I couldn’t imagine why. I’m just doing what I like to do!" Betty Lindberg is a local legend in her hometown of Atlanta, GA. She started running at 63 years old, and now, at 97, she's breaking world records. Last month, Betty ran the USATF Master's 5K Championships in Atlanta, and set a new world record for the 95–99 age group. (She finished in 55:48, smashing the previous record by more than 30 minutes.) Breaking that record was no accident: Betty is fiercely competitive (mostly with herself), and she takes her training seriously. (She works out six days a week. On the seventh day, she rests and enjoys her weekly hair appointment.) In this conversation, Betty shares her running story, talks about where her competitive drive comes from, and talks about her mid-race mimosa stops at the Peachtree Road Race every year. S

"I don’t think I would’ve done it if Grace hadn’t. I remember saying two things: One, 'The data says you can do it.' And two, thinking about Grace." Jenny Grimshaw and Grace Keller have only been friends for a few years, but in that time, they've helped each other dream bigger and chase down exciting running goals. Their first endeavor together: to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. On this episode, Jenny and Grace talk about meeting when they were both living, working, and running in New York City, and share how they're now making a long-distance friendship work. (Jenny lives in San Francisco with her husband and their new baby, Tate, and she works for Glossier. Grace and her husband, a professional baseball player, live in Charlottesville, VA, where she works in the finance and investment banking industry.) Their friendship is a special one that's rooted in their unwavering support and admiration for one another. (Be prepared to shed a tear or two when Grace talks about what she wrote in her j

“These women are stone-cold killers on the track, so you’re just like, ‘I can’t believe you feel that way!’ But it’s really helpful for anyone who’s dealing with that to know, ‘Hey, these women had to overcome that.’ It was hurting their performance for a while and they had to figure out a way.” Molly Huddle and Sara Slattery are incredible runners, incredible women, wonderful role models, and now, they can officially say they are published authors. Today, professional runner Molly Huddle and former pro Sara Slattery are here to talk all about their new book, How She Did It. Consider this book the ultimate roadmap for female distance runners. It includes advice from experts, plus stories, interviews, and profiles from 50 legendary women in the sport (many of whom you know, love, and have heard right here on the Ali on the Run Show). In this conversation, Molly and Sara talk about the inspiration for the book, how it actually came to be, and how they tackled the difficult task of which stories to include in

"I found myself when I found running." Stephanie Roth Goldberg is a psychotherapist, licensed clinical social worker, and certified eating disorder specialist in New York City. And when she offers a listening ear and advice for her clients, she's able to do that as both a trained professional and as someone who personally has been through it. In this conversation, Stephanie shares her experiences with substance abuse and addiction and disordered eating as a teen and young adult. She talks about going to rehab for the first time at 14 years old, and about how she ultimately found recovery. And she talks about finding running — and finding herself in the process. In addition to sharing her story on this episode, Stephanie — who is an an Ironman and mom of two living in Montclair, NJ — offers advice about developing a healthy relationship with exercise, dealing with anxiety, and building a mental wellness toolbox (or Caboodle). SPONSOR: New Balance — Go to newbalance.com/beyondtherun to learn more about how

"I was a complete mess. I was so emotional about it, so excited, so just…relieved to have come in, having a lot of momentum, knowing this was a possibility, and then completing a mission." Olivia Baker is on fire. The professional runner for Atlanta Track Club Elite just competed at the USATF Indoor Track & Field Championships where she finished second in the 800m, officially making her first senior world championship team. She'll head to Serbia later this month to represent Team USA at Indoor World Championships. In this conversation, Olivia reflects on the road to Team USA, including dealing with disappointment after last summer's U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials, weighing the decision of whether or not to attend medical school, and ultimately joining Atlanta Track Club Elite instead. She gushes about her teammates, talks about the tough times and low moments, and shares her confidence journey. Plus, commentating, book clubs, chocolate milkshakes, and more. SPONSORS: Shokz — Use code OT

"We have all become the women we are today because of other women." —Emma Bates It was a great privilege to get to host this virtual live show on International Women's Day with three UCAN-sponsored professional athletes: Sara Hall, Emily Sisson, and Emma Bates. All three of these women were fresh off three different races — the Tokyo Marathon for Sara, a win at the Gate River Run 15K for Emily, and The TEN on the track for Emma — so in addition to recapping their recent race experiences, we also talked about the power of women in sports. Sara, Emily, and Emma talk about the women who have pushed and inspired them in their respective careers, they talk about who they love racing against, and they talk about confidence on and off the roads. SPONSOR: UCAN — Go to ucan.co/ali and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order. For more, check out: Sara Hall on Episode 459 of the Ali on the Run Show Sara Hall on Episode 321 of the Ali on the Run Show Sara Hall on Episode 300 of the Ali on the Run Show

"We’re track and field’s biggest hype people, and we want to share the joy of the sport with as many people as possible." You'll be hard-pressed to find anyone who loves track and field more than the dynamic duo ("the greatest bromance in track and field") of Chris Chavez and Kyle Merber. This week, we're turning our Friendship Fest attention to the guys. Chris is the founder of Citius Mag, host of the Citius Mag podcast, former Sports Illustrated journalist, director of the Magic Boost program, and one of the nicest, hardest-working people in the industry. Kyle is a former professional runner (a 3:52 miler! he won the Millrose Games mile as a high schooler!) who retired in 2020, and now works full-time for American Express while also managing The Lap Count newsletter and navigating life as a new dad. Chris and Kyle started as friends (you'll get that full story in this episode), and now work together as collaborators and track and field commentators. In this conversation, they share their enthusiasm for t

“It could be two o’clock in the afternoon and the sun’s beating down on us, and I’m just smiling. I’m gritting my teeth through the afternoon sun, and still believing I can push through it.” On February 18, renowned ultra runner Camille Herron made history — again. The queen of the ultra scene ran and won the USATF 100-Mile Road Championships in Henderson, NV, and not only won the race outright (the first male finisher was half an hour behind her), she broke her own 100-mile world record by 89 seconds, finishing in 12 hours 41 minutes and 11 seconds. That's a 7:36 per mile pace on an 85-lap course. On this episode, Camille (who turned 40 on Christmas) talks all about that race, including how she prepped for it, her goals going into the race, and how she has tweaked her training and lifestyle habits in order to "age like a fine wine," she says. Plus, how she got into running and ultras, and where her always-happy demeanor came from. SPONSORS: Shokz — Use code OTR15 for 15% off wireless headphones. St.