Ali On The Run Show

“I said, ‘No way am I running Western States! That’s 100 miles!’” — Rob Krar, Western States Endurance Run winner 2014 Rob Krar is one of the kings of ultra running. He was a middle-distance runner through college, but then threw his running shoes in the trash, insisting he was done with running forever. Famous last words: Though Rob did take a break from running (during which time he worked grueling 12-hour graveyard shifts as a pharmacist), he eventually returned to the sport in a big way — as an ultramarathoner. He has won the most prestigious and competitive ultras, including Western States, Leadville, Run Rabbit Run, and a handful of North Face Endurance Challenge races, to name just a few. Rob is also a vocal advocate for mental health, and on this episode he opens up about his struggles with depression. Rob lives in Flagstaff, AZ, with his wife and fellow ultra runner, Christina. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $30 off your wireless headpho

"I was so petrified of failure for so long that I never ventured outside of things I knew I was good at." —Amelia Boone Amelia Boone is a badass. By day, she’s a lawyer at Apple, and by very early morning, she’s a four-time world champion obstacle racer and self-proclaimed “budding ultra runner.” Amelia lives in San Jose, CA, and is a glutton for punishment — hence her race distance of choice being “long.” On this episode, Amelia — who you may recognize as last month’s Runner’s World cover star — talks about why she’s intrigued by failure, why she loves grueling races, and how she gained her mental strength. She reflects on her go at the 2018 Barkley Marathons, and opens up about the pressure to win. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $30 off your wireless headphone purchase!   What you’ll get on this episode: Why the brutality of obstacle races and ultramarathons appeals to Amelia, and why she’s intrigued by fear (2:15) How Amelia got into obstacle

“I’ve been doing this for three years now and I’m still not used to it. I still get nervous. I worry, am I saying the right thing? Do they like me? Am I funny enough?” —Kayla Itsines With nearly 10 million followers on Instagram, and 22 million on Facebook, Kayla Itsines is arguably the world’s most famous fitness personality and trainer right now. She’s the co-creator of the Bikini Body Guides (BBG) workouts (those 28-minute, deceptively tough workouts everyone’s posting about on Instagram) and the brains behind the Sweat app, and she is a bona-fide global sensation. But Kayla, who is from Adelaide, Australia, doesn’t think of herself as famous — and that was definitely never the plan. She just wanted to be a personal trainer and to help women, and along the way she built a multi-million dollar business, a massive reputation, a super supportive community, and a team of 100 employees. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $30 off your wireless headphone

“You can make a career shift at any time. Because why not pursue something that you think would make you happy?” —Wesley Little Wesley Little is a licensed professional counselor specializing in couples therapy, and she’s here to answer all of my — and your — burning questions. On this episode, Wesley talks about her indirect route to becoming a therapist (including a detour through law school), and the schooling and education required to pursue a similar career. She debunks common misconceptions about therapy, explains why most couples seek therapy together, and shares what she thinks holds most people back from seeing a therapist. Now more than ever, this conversation is so important, and I hope you enjoy it. (Plus, Wesley and her husband are both two-time marathoners. As for whether they have a “perfect marriage” and never fight? I asked. And she answered.) Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $30 off your wireless headphone purchase!   What you’ll

“In order to find out what you can do, you have to show up. Give yourself a chance and see what happens.” —Desiree Linden When I launched the Ali on the Run Show in February 2017, I knew right away I wanted to eventually host live events. I love sharing conversations on this show every week, but human, in-real-life connection is so powerful. I wanted to have those conversations with a live audience. It was a dream in 2017, and on June 2 at the Westin San Diego Gaslamp Quarter — alongside Meb Keflezighi, Andrea Barber, Chris Heuisler, and Des Linden — it became a reality. Here's the full episode. (And here's a recap from San Diego.)   What you’ll get on this episode: Why Meb Keflezighi is, according to Chris Heuisler, like Mr. Miyagi (5:20) How everyone on the panel knows each other (6:00) What brought everyone to running — and what keeps them running (8:40) Andrea isn’t a fan of red carpets, but she was happy to do this live show — here’s why (11:00) The sacrifices Meb, Andrea, and Chris all had to make thro

On this bonus episode, Brian Cristiano, founder and CEO of BOLD Worldwide (and my husband!), tests out a new round of Sprint to the Finish questions. Click here to listen to Brian on Episode 75 of the Ali on the Run Show.

“I can’t be that guy that’s lying to myself. I said I was going to go do something, now I have to go do it.” —Brian Cristiano Brian Cristiano is the founder and CEO of BOLD Worldwide, a media marketing company in New York City. Last year, Brian shared with the world his goal to build BOLD to a $100 million agency, and he’s been working nonstop to make it happen. Brian may be super successful now — and on the road to becoming a $100 millionaire! — but that wasn’t always the case. On this episode, Brian shares how he found himself $250,000 in debt, depressed, and sleeping on his own couch while he rented his one-bedroom apartment to a stranger. He talks about the moves that led to rock bottom, and how he built himself back up from it — and went on to live a debt-free life, without any loans, handouts, or investments. (And yes, Brian is also my husband. But you knew that already.) Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $30 off your wireless headphone purcha

“Yeah, there are times that I have no idea what I’m doing. But that’s part of the fun of it.” —Sarah Fitzpatrick Clancy Sarah Clancy is the founder and creator of Sarah Marie Design Studio. The runner-specific apparel and accessories company was born two years ago, and almost instantly gained a devoted following including the likes of Kara Goucher, Molly Huddle, and Andrea Barber. Sarah is a work-from-home mom of two and full-time business owner, and on this episode, she shares her successes, failures, struggles, and victories. As for whether entrepreneurship was always the plan? Sarah says she always knew she’d be a business owner, but wasn’t sure what that would look like. It wasn’t until she honed in on her true passions — running the show and running — that she found her niche. Here’s how she made it happen. Love Sarah’s stuff? Go shopping, and use code ONTHERUN at checkout for 15% off your purchase! Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $30 off you

“If you want to give yourself a fair shot, you have to be willing to take a leap and take a risk.” —Erin Strout Erin Strout was at the Boston Marathon finish line when Meb Keflezighi won the race in 2014. She was there when Shalane Flanagan won the New York City Marathon in 2017, and she was one of the first people to chat with Desiree Linden after her historic 2018 Boston Marathon victory. As a freelance writer and contributor to Runner’s World and Outside Magazine, Erin has made a career out of covering elite athletes at major marathons, small-town races, and the Rio Olympic Games. On this episode, she talks about how she got her start in journalism (she used to be on the front lines at crime scenes!), what it’s really like being a member of the media at high-profile sporting events, and whether she reads the comments on her stories. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $30 off your wireless headphone purchase!   What you’ll get on this episode: An

“This notion of balance is this unrealistic thing we’re all striving toward. If you allow yourself to know that and believe that, it takes some of the pressure off.” —Liz Plosser When you picture an editor in chief of a major women’s magazine, your mind probably goes right to Miranda Priestly of The Devil Wears Prada fame. Now picture the opposite — someone brilliant, kind, caring, and passionate in the most upbeat, positive way — and you have Women’s Health editor in chief Liz Plosser. Liz was named EIC of Women’s Health at the beginning of 2018, and her rise to the role wasn’t fueled by fate. Liz, who grew up in Kansas City, MO, worked her marathoning booty off to get to where she is today. After starting out as an investment banking analyst, Liz followed her dreams (literally) and moved into publishing. She started out at Self, and rose through the ranks at Time Out Chicago, Cosmopolitan, Well+Good, Canyon Ranch, SoulCycle, and more. On this episode, Liz discusses the challenges and perks of her job, talks

Lots of people say I’m just like my mom. Others swear I’m a clone of my dad. On this episode, you’ll get to decide! I am thrilled to welcome Lori and David Feller — my parents! — to the Ali on the Run Show. On this episode, we chat about how they met and fell in love (and their stories don’t exactly match up, so I’m siding with my mom on this one), how they survived long-distance dating in college when social media and texting didn’t exist (there was hitchhiking involved), and what it was like having and raising Ryan (my 19-months-older brother) and me. They share their favorite young Ali memories, as well as a few not-so-favorite ones (that speeding ticket wasn't my fault!). We had a blast recording this episode, and I hope you enjoy joining us on our trip down Feller family memory lane.     What you’ll get on this episode: My mom’s story of how my parents met and when they fell in love (2:40) My dad’s story of how they met and fell in love (4:10) What it was like long-distance dating in the 1970s, and how

“The best possible way to start my career was not getting what I wanted. Failure teaches you a lot, and it helped me figure out a path to success that worked for me.” —Katie Burke Katie Burke is the Chief People Officer at HubSpot, a marketing software company in Boston that employs more than 2,300 people worldwide. And of those 2,300, Katie was the company’s first female to land a spot in the c-suite. (Today, 45 percent of the company’s vice presidents are women.) In this super inspiring conversation, Katie shares why she’s so passionate about empowering women in the workplace, and candidly opens up about her own massive career failures — including how bombing the LSATs turned out to be the best thing that could’ve happened to her. She offers up interviewing advice, explains why prospective employees should add “we” to their vocabularies, and shares the one word she’s trying to add to her own life. Katie is the oldest of six kids, and she has a fascinating family story. Her dad, Brian Burke, is extremely wel

“I think that’s what unites us as runners — we’re all trying to overcome excuses and doubts to get out there.” —Sarah Sellers “Who is Sarah Sellers?” That’s the question everyone was asking after the Tucson, AZ runner finished second at the 2018 Boston Marathon. Sarah isn’t a professional runner. She doesn’t have a sponsor. And she paid her own Boston Marathon entry fee. But on a brutally rainy and windy day in Boston, the 26-year-old nurse anesthetist ran a 2:44.04 — good enough to land her in the spot behind winner Desi Linden. Sarah had no idea she finished second (and, in doing so, nabbed a cool $75,000 prize), and when we recorded this episode just 48 hours after the race, she was still processing the results. Enjoy as she breaks down every detail from before, during, and after the race — including the surreal moment when she passed Shalane Flanagan! (And fun fact: Boston was only Sarah’s second marathon ever!)   What you’ll get on this episode: Sarah shares how she’s feeling 48 hours after placing seco

“We’re gonna go through tough times. And we’re gonna be fine.” Brian and I are so excited to tell the world that we are having a baby! I am 12 weeks pregnant (at the time we recorded this), and am due October 23. On this episode, we answer all the questions we keep getting from friends, family, and total strangers (namely, “Was this planned?! Were you trying?!”), and share how we’re both feeling, why we’re frustrated with the medical system (as usual!), and whether we think Ellie knows she’s about to be a big sister (she totally does). Thanks for following along on this crazy ride — we can’t wait to share it all with you. What you’ll get on this episode: “Were you trying?! Was this planned?!” (1:30) How I found out, and how I felt when I got that positive pregnancy test (3:30) How I told Brian the big news (10:00) How I’ve been feeling (17:45) Our experience with doctors so far — the good and the bad (19:20) How we told our families the news (34:00) How Brian’s feeling right now (38:35) My response to people

“I’m trying not to call it a comeback because I’m a completely different person now.” —Tina Muir Tina Muir is an elite runner from England (she’s a 2:36 marathoner!), a new mom, and the host of the Running For Real podcast. Tina went viral last year when she announced her surprising decision to stop running. Her reason: She hadn’t had her period in nine years. Tina opened up about her struggle with amenorrhea and her desire to start a family, and on this episode she explains why she decided to share her story, what it was like going viral and having People magazine write about her period, and what she was afraid people would think about her. Tina also discusses body dysmorphia, how she handled intentionally gaining weight, her eventual pregnancy, and how giving birth compares to running a marathon. And check out Running For Real in a few weeks, when I’ll be Tina’s guest! This episode is brought to you by Strava, the leading social network for athletes. Click here to join today, and then enter for your chance

“I’m bringing the track speed to the marathon.” —Molly Huddle On April 16, professional runner Molly Huddle will be among a strong field of indomitable American women racing the Boston Marathon. This will only be Molly’s second marathon: She made her 26.2-mile debut at the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon. On this episode, Molly, who is from Rhode Island and chatted with me from Arizona, shares all things Boston: how her training has been going, what she’s excited about, what she’s nervous about, and what she learned from her first marathon that she’ll take with her into her second. Plus, she answers the question I’ve always wanted to ask: How in the world do pro runners grab their water bottles off those tables mid-race without slowing down, missing a bottle, grabbing someone else’s bottle, or dropping a bottle?   What you’ll get in this episode: How Molly’s feeling a month out from Boston, and how this training cycle has been different from her NYC Marathon training (1:50) How fast Molly runs her track work

“The stories you tell can change the world.” —Bianna Golodryga Bianna Golodryga is a CBS News correspondent and a contributor at CNN. She’s the former weekend anchor of Good Morning America, and worked at Yahoo News alongside Katie Couric. Bianna was born in the former Soviet Union and moved to the United States with her parents — and only $150 in their pockets — when she was 18 months old. On this episode, Bianna talks about growing up Russian in Texas (her classmates called her a “Commie Spy,” and she was the only Jewish kid in her entire school), and talks about the decisions that motivated her to move to New York City to pursue a career in finance and, eventually, on television. Bianna has interviewed the world’s top personalities, politicians, and celebrities, from Katy Perry and Reese Witherspoon to Bill Clinton and Borat. (Right before she sat down to record this episode with me, Bianna was interviewing Oprah alongside Gayle King.) Bianna was also the first journalist to interview and talk to the fathe

“We fail all the time, and we learn from it and we get better. I think that’s amazing. You fail your way to success. That’s how it happens, and I’m super comfortable with that. I have no problem pointing out a bunch of failures in my career. But I don’t define myself or my career as a failure.” —Des Linden Desiree Linden is a professional distance runner who has represented the United States at the London and Rio Olympics. She runs for the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project in Michigan, and is a strong, consistent 2:22 marathoner. In one month, Des will race the Boston Marathon, and on this episode she talks about how her training has been going, and why she’s in it to win it. She also talks about why she thinks women are often hesitant to admit their big, scary, awesome goals, and opens up her recent running burnout — and how she busted out of it. Plus, Des talks about failure — and why she’s not afraid of it — and shares her big post-Boston goal. (Hint: She wants to make big moves in 2020.) This episode is bro

“Be open-minded and bring snacks.” Dr. Meggie is back! Meggie Smith made her Ali on the Run Show debut last year, when she was wrapping up her OB/GYN residency at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. After graduating, Meggie moved to California, where she’s currently pursuing her fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Southern California. On Part II of this two-part episode, Meggie answers listener questions about fertility, infertility, and giving birth, plus all kinds of personal stuff, like what med school is really like, what it takes to gross her out, how to date when you’re constantly on call, and whether delivering babies every day makes her want one more or less. And listen to the very end, because the last question of this episode might be my favorite. What you’ll get in this episode: How long do healthy couples try for a baby? (1:30) What can I do now to become pregnant in a couple years? (4:00) Is it ever too early to start taking pre-natal vitami

“It’s OK to struggle, but it’s not OK to give up.” —Gabe Grunewald Gabriele “Gabe” Grunewald is a professional middle-distance runner and four-time rare cancer survivor from Minneapolis, MN. Gabe was first diagnosed with Adenoid Cycstic Carcinoma when she was in college and undoubtedly in the best shape of her life. Instead of finishing her college running career on a high note — or, better yet, a podium — Gabe was faced with a difficult and scary diagnosis. She’s undergone several surgeries, including having more than half of her liver removed after the third time the cancer came back. But Gabe keeps fighting, smiling, and running. On this episode, she talks about the difference between fighting and giving up, and explains what it means to be “brave like Gabe.” She also talks about her current project: training Fixer Upper star Chip Gaines for his first marathon! This episode is brought to you by Strava, the leading social network for athletes. Click here to join today, then enter for your chance to win a 20