233. On the Job with Amanda LaVergne, Broadway Performer

"And then somebody comes by, stops, looks me in the eye and goes, 'Wow! You can do it, buddy!' And it was in that moment I realized that I wasn't running. I also realized I wasn't jogging. I was barely walking. I looked down, and the tops of my shoes are scraping the ground — one slow movement after the next slow movement. And people genuinely thought I had a serious medical condition, and that I was being a hero and a trooper by getting out there." Three years ago, my now-husband, Brian Cristiano, and I lined up at the start of two very different Turkey Trots. Though both races were five miles, the outcomes were vastly dissimilar. I ran the Prospect Park Track Club Turkey Trot in Brooklyn, NY, in a respectable 38:41 — a 7:44 minute-per-mile pace. Meanwhile, in Rhode Island, Brian was racing the Newport Pie Run. Here’s a dramatic retelling of how his race went. This is forever my favorite story. Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy LOL-ing! Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone bundle!   What we mention on this episode:  Newport Pie Run Prospect Park Track Club Turkey Trot Meet Brian Our engagement story Mystery Science Theater 3000 Ugg slippers Orangetheory Fitness Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Follow Brian: Instagram @boldceo Facebook Twitter @boldceo Growing BOLD BOLD Worldwide Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

21 Marras 201836min

"It was like he was the deep breath, and I was the emergency barf bag." I had a baby! On this episode, I'm joined by a very special guest: Annie Leigh Cristiano. Annie was born on October 16, 2018, at 8:09 AM, clocking in at 5 lbs. 10 oz. On this solo episode, I'm talking about how the first month with Annie has gone, and how my expectations have compared to the reality. I talk about the challenges we've faced so far (breastfeeding, ugh), what Brian is like as a dad, how being selfish comes into play as a new parent, and how I'm adjusting to this new life of ours. Plus, answering listener questions and an update on all things Crohn's disease. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone bundle!   What I mention on this episode: Annie's Birth Story Pregnancy + Baby Q&A Ergo 360 carrier Lori & David Feller on Episode 71 of the Ali on the Run Show Ashley Fizzarotti on Episode 102 of the Ali on the Run Show Ali on the Run Show LIVE! in San Diego Ali on the Run Show LIVE! at New York Road Runners RunnerCon Lauren Fleshman on Episode 103 of the Ali on the Run Show Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

15 Marras 201851min

"I had already gotten so far, and I just wasn’t willing to look back. That involved pushing my comfort zone and doing something I maybe wasn’t the best at." —Emily Abbate Emily Abbate is a freelance writer, editor, and content creator, a certified personal trainer, a marathoner, and the host of the Hurdle podcast. On this episode, Emily talks about her own #hurdlemoment, and what it took for her to lose 70 pounds — no quick fixes or fad diets included. She talks about her impressive journalism career, and shares how she rebounded after being laid off — twice. Plus, she opens up about confidence and failure, and dishes out life lessons galore. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $55 off your wireless headphone bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: Was this the life young Emily Abbate saw for herself? (2:15) Emily shares her own hurdle moment, and opens up about how she lost 70 pounds and learned to love running (4:00) How Emily became a super successful journalist and magazine editor (13:00) Whether Emily sees herself as a risk taker (18:00) Emily’s journey through the publishing industry, including being laid off — twice — and how she’s developed her confidence (19:00) How Emily ended up freelancing, and the hustle it requires (31:30) What a day in the life of Emily Abbate looks like (37:50) Emily’s best advice for aspiring journalists (48:15) What we mention on this episode: Café Mom Rodale University of Connecticut The Hartford Courant Liz Plosser on Episode 72 of the Ali on the Run Show Emily’s meditation book: Journey to the Heart Athletic Greens Lyons Den Power Yoga TCS New York City Marathon Lululemon Run All Day Backpack Kuju Coffee Packs WeWork Ali on the Run Show LIVE in San Diego R&Co. Dry Shampoo Follow Emily: Instagram @emilyabbate Twitter @emilyabbate Hurdle Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

8 Marras 20181h 7min

"When I think something is hard or challenging, I think of how I’m going to grow from it." —Stephanie Bruce Happy TCS New York City Marathon Week! The professional field is stacked this year, and among the top competitors is Stephanie Bruce, who trains and races with NAZ Elite and is sponsored by Hoka One One. Steph made her New York City Marathon debut in 2017 and finished in 10th — an impressive-on-paper result, but on this episode, Steph explains why she was disappointed with her finish. She opens up about her health struggles over the years, talks about how she's feeling going into this year's race, and gets super honest about "body stuff." Steph trains in Flagstaff, AZ, where she lives with her husband, Ben Bruce, and their sons Hudson and Riley. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $55 off your wireless headphone bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: Steph rehashes her Peachtree Road Race win (2:30) Why Steph decided to return to the New York City Marathon this year, what her 2017 race was like, and how she gets through tough races (6:15) How Steph’s NYCM training is going, plus her best NYCM advice (12:30) Steph shares her 2018 New York City Marathon goals (17:40) Steph breaks down what was behind some of her recent Instagram posts (25:15) Steph’s take on failure (33:15) Why Steph left Oiselle to go all-in with Hoka One One (35:15) What it’s like training with Ben Rosario (37:50) Steph talks about “body stuff” and how becoming a mom has changed her as an athlete (40:00) What we mention on this episode: NAZ Elite Hoka One One Peachtree Road Race TCS New York City Marathon The Great North Run New York Road Runners London Marathon Oiselle Hoka One One Tracer 2  Follow Steph: Instagram @stephrothstein Twitter @steph_rothstein Facebook Blog Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

1 Marras 201855min

"I hope I’m always willing to be wrong, willing to learn, and able to get better." —Lauren Fleshman Lauren Fleshman is many things: She's a retired professional runner, a coach, the co-founder of Picky Bars, the co-creator of the Believe training journals, the creator of the Wilder retreat, one of the faces of Oiselle, a vocal USA Track & Field board member, a co-host of the Work, Play, Love podcast, wife to professional triathlete, and mom to Jude and Zadie. Phew! On this episode, Lauren talks about all of it, including her journey to becoming an entrepreneur, her honest thoughts on body image, and the real effect having kids had on her marriage. This is a fun, no-holds-barred conversation with one of the leading voices in the running industry. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $55 off your wireless headphone bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: What takes up the majority of Lauren’s time right now (2:00) How Lauren became a professional runner (3:35) Lauren reflects on her favorite race distance and her decision to stop competing professionally (10:00) How having children affected Lauren’s career, and what running was like for her during and after pregnancy, plus how becoming a mom changed her as an athlete (13:00) Whether Lauren has always been confident speaking up and using her voice, and how she developed that confidence (23:00) Lauren talks about what she sees as the biggest problems facing professional runners right now, and what makes her want to speak up the loudest (28:45) What Lauren would tell a 16-year-old runner who wants to go pro (33:30) How Lauren became an entrepreneur, and the evolution of Picky Bars (36:00) How Lauren got involved with Oiselle, what her role is with the company now, and where she sees the company going (43:20) How Lauren met her now-husband, Jesse Thomas, and what their relationship is really like — plus the struggles they’ve faced together since having kids (52:30) What Lauren’s relationship with her body is like right now, and what she wants more people to feel about their own bodies (1:03.15) What we mention on this episode: Picky Bars Oiselle Believe Training Journals Wilder Retreat Work, Play, Love podcast "10 Reasons the 5K is Freaking Awesome" via Runner’s World Sally Bergesen "Welcome to the New School" via Oiselle "Dear Younger Me" by Lauren Fleshman Follow Lauren: Instagram @fleshmanflyer Twitter @laurenfleshman Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

24 Loka 20181h 14min

“Make it important. Make a goal, and make time for it. It’s not about 'no excuses,' but make it a priority.” —Ashley Fizzarotti Ashley Fizzarotti — best known on the internet as "Running Bun" — joins the Ali on the Run Show fresh off a huge PR and BQ at the Chicago Marathon. (That's personal record and Boston Qualifying time — AKA pretty big deals and accomplishments. She also raised more than $5,600 for Every Mother Counts.) Ashley is proof that hard work works: She's a 5-time marathoner who has shaved nearly an hour off her marathon time, going from a 4:24 marathon debut to her 3:29 in Chicago. On this episode, Ashley — who works in finance (we get into that), is a mom of two (Jennie and Christopher), and lives in New Jersey — talks about her training, setbacks, injuries, and how she made a dream six years in the making a reality. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $55 off your wireless headphone bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: How Ashley’s feeling post-Chicago, plus what her training looked like (3:00) How Ashley fit marathon training into her very busy life (9:00) What motivates Ashley (12:00) Ashley talks about her mental training, and how she’s evolved from the mistakes she made in the past (14:25) Ashley breaks down the Chicago Marathon (22:15) What’s next for Ashley (27:15) How Ashley’s running has changed since having kids, and what running was like during both her pregnancies (29:00) Ashley talks about her work ethic (35:00) Ashley talks about what her diet looks like and her decision to become a vegetarian (40:20) Confidence talk! Ashley shares her take on confidence, how she’s instilling it in her kids, and what she’s done recently to boost her own confidence (43:30) What we mention on this episode: Chicago Marathon TCS New York City Marathon Ashley’s coach, Mary Johnson Stephanie Bruce How Bad Do You Want It? by Matt Fitzgerald Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor Boston Marathon Spring Lake 5 What it’s like to volunteer at the New York City Marathon Parker Stinson Follow Ashley: Instagram @runningbun Twitter @runningbun Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

17 Loka 20181h

"You can have success and you can have money and you can have the best job in the world, but you’re only going to sleep well at night if you’re happy with who you are." —Jeannie Klisiewicz You probably know Jeannie Klisiewicz as the bubbly, always super excited receptionist and often-on-camera star of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. (She even has her own show now: Life's First-Evers with Jeannie!) Jeannie just may be the happiest person on the planet, and she's on the Ali on the Run Show today sharing the amazing (and gutsy!) story of how she got her job working with Ellen, and how her role has evolved over the past 10 years. Jeannie, who grew up outside Chicago, talks about confidence and the power of staying true to yourself and, of course, about how she got into running and what it's done for her physically and mentally. Warning: This episode will make you smile so hard your cheeks hurt. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $55 off your wireless headphone bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: How Jeannie got her job on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (3:00) Why Jeannie says that, in spite of going out and asking Ellen DeGeneres for a job live on air, she’s actually not confident (14:15) How Jeannie — a small-town girl from outside Chicago — has adapted to life in Los Angeles, and a lifestyle that has her up-close-and-personal with celebrities every day (19:30) What Jeannie’s job was like when she started working with Ellen, and how it’s evolved over the past decade (22:00) Whether being put on camera changed Jeannie’s relationship with her body and appearance (27:00) What Jeannie’s new show, Life’s First Evers, entails (37:00) What Jeannie’s relationship with Ellen is like off-camera (40:15) Jeannie’s advice for people who want to get into the TV industry (49:30) How Jeannie got into running, and how she fits it into her busy schedule (52:00) What’s next for Jeannie? (58:00) What we mention on this episode: The Ellen DeGeneres Show Ellen surprising Jeannie Life’s First-Evers with Jeannie “Dennis Quaid is here!” Adele at Jamba Juice Ellen’s New York to L.A.  Follow Jeannie: Instagram @iamjeanniek Twitter @iamjeanniek Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

10 Loka 20181h 7min

“I would love to do something with finesse one of these days, but I guess I’m all grit.” —Des Linden Welcome to the 100th episode of the Ali on the Run Show! And for this very special episode, I’m thrilled to welcome back 2018 Boston Marathon winner Desiree Linden. This is the third time Des has been on the Ali on the Run Show, and it’s always a treat getting a chance to get inside her hardworking, hilarious, competitive head. On this episode, Des recaps her monumental 2018 Boston Marathon victory (including how long her post-race shower was!), and talks about her recent (gritty!) Rock 'N' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon win. Des is currently gearing up to run the 2018 TCS New York City Marathon, so she also talks about how training is going — and finally answers the question everyone’s been asking: “Who’s coaching you right now?” Des left the Hansons-Brooks Project earlier this year, and today she talks about how she’s shaking things up post-Boston, and how she recovered from her 2017 running slump. Des loves coffee, and if you do, too, you should drink her coffee! Use code ONTHERUN for 10% off your Linden+True coffee order. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $55 off your wireless headphone bundle!     What you’ll get on this episode: How it feels to be the 2018 Boston Marathon champion (2:45) What the vibe was like standing on the Boston Marathon start line in the cold, pouring rain, and what was going through Des’s mind before starting the race (4:40) Des breaks down the moment when Shalane made that now-famous bathroom stop during the race (7:00) Des offers up advice for how to make a mental shift mid-race (11:30) What it felt like crossing the finish line and winning the Boston Marathon, and what Des remembers most from those few minutes after finishing (15:15) How soon after Boston Des started thinking about her next race and goal, and why she decided on the New York City Marathon (20:45) Who’s coaching Des Linden? (24:30) What it was like winning the Rock N Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon last month (29:00) Des shares her goals for the 2018 New York City Marathon, and whether she feels more pressure going into this race after winning Boston (32:00) Des’s best advice for staying good, strong, healthy, and injury-free on the run (35:30) Des answers listener questions, including who she considers her main American competitors right now, whether she’s down to take selfies with fans, and whether there’s a mini Des and Ryan in the future (36:30)   What we mention on this episode: Des Linden on Episode 64 of the Ali on the Run Show Des Linden on Episode 77 of the Ali on the Run Show Ryan Linden on Episode 83 of the Ali on the Run Show Boston Marathon TCS New York City Marathon Linden+True Coffee Brooks Running Molly Huddle New York Road Runners Rock 'N' Roll Philadelphia Amy Cragg on Episode 97 of the Ali on the Run Show   Follow Des: Instagram @des_linden Facebook Twitter @des_linden Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Facebook Twitter @aliontherun1 Blog Strava Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify SoundCloud Overcast Stitcher Google Play SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

3 Loka 201850min