795. Jinger Gottschall, New Balance Director of Sports Research

"It never really crossed my mind to feel limited. It never really crossed my mind to be like, 'What can’t I do now?' I always focused on, 'What can I do under different circumstances?' It never crossed my mind to focus on couldn’t." If the name Michele Blackburn sounds familiar, that may be because you've heard it mentioned here on the Ali on the Run Show before — just about one year ago, in fact. Last year, Peloton instructor Jess Sims completed the Boston Marathon, running with an invitational entry from, you guessed it: Michele Blackburn. In 2013, Michele was at the Boston Marathon finish line cheering for her best friend and roommate. She was standing in front of Marathon Sports on Boylston Street when the two bombs detonated, and almost lost both legs as a result. Ultimately, her surgical team was able to save her legs and feet, but she has dealt with extensive surgeries (including skin grafting) and complications (including, more recently, lymphedema) since then. For years, Michele avoided the Boston Marathon and the finish line. Last year, she returned to Boylston Street for the first time since 2013, to cheer Jess into the finish. This year, 10 years after that tragic day in Boston, Michele will return again: this time, as a marathoner. In this conversation, Michele talks about her decision to run this year's race, and to do it while raising money for the Milford Regional Healthcare System — the hospital that rehabbed her after dealing with lymphedema as a result of the bombings. Michele lives in Uxbridge, MA, with her husband and their two kids, ages 4 and 6. SPONSORS: Bandit Running: Use code ONTHERUN15 to get 15% off your entire Bandit order. UCAN: Click here to get a FREE Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI23 for 20% off your next UCAN order. What you’ll get on this episode: How Michele is feeling as she begins her Boston Marathon taper (2:45) Michele talks about being at the Boston Marathon finish line in 2013 (6:10) On dealing with survivor’s guilt (24:40) How the 2013 bombings affected Michele’s relationship with the marathon and the city of Boston (28:30) All about Jim (30:15) How Michele got connected with Jess Sims, and what the 2022 Boston Marathon experience was like (39:25) Why Michele resists the “runner” title, and how she went from non-runner to soon-to-be marathoner (51:40) The why: Why Michele is running the 2023 Boston Marathon (1:00:55) How Michele fits running and marathon training into her life (1:09:30) On finding closure since 2013 (1:14:35) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava 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!

30 Maalis 20231h 19min

"The time on the clock doesn’t matter. That doesn’t mean I don’t care. It just means it doesn’t define me." Welcome to the second Ask Ali episode of 2023! These episodes come your way once a month, sometimes with a guest host, sometimes responding to listener voicemails, and sometimes just flying solo. Today, the Ali on the Run Show voicemail Q&A makes its grand return! Thanks to everyone who called it for this one. CALL IN: 617-446-3966 SPONSORS: Tracksmith: New customers, use code ALINEW for $15 off your first Tracksmith order over $75. Returning customers, use code ALIGIVE for free shipping, plus a portion of the proceeds from your order will be donated to Moms Demand Action. Sidekick: Use code ONTHERUN for 15% off your next order. You asked: 1:40: What was it like going to the mall with your mom when you were younger? 9:05: Should I run a marathon the same month as my wedding? 16:10: Why don’t you have more high school and college runners on the Ali on the Run Show? 23:00: Can you talk about your experience working out at Orangetheory Fitness? 30:30: What do you do when you are overwhelmed as a mom? 43:40: Does talking to and being around elite runners and Olympians ever make me feel like I’m not a good runner? 49:15: What podcasts do you listen to? Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava 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!

28 Maalis 202355min

"Right on Hereford, left on Boylston. It is the place to be. It’s special every time." We are just 24 days away from the 127th running of the world's oldest marathon. This year's Boston Marathon takes place, as always, on the third Monday of April — this year, that's April 17. In this mega-episode, I (along with a team of experts and insiders) am attempting to answer all of your questions about all things Boston. Jack Fleming and Lauren Proshan from the Boston Athletic Association are here to talk logistics (take some deep breaths — the journey to the start line is doable, and you won't be waiting around for too long once you get there!), past champions Des Linden and Meb Keflezighi join to talk course strategy and to break down what it takes to succeed (and run a PR!) in Boston, and sports dietitian Meghann Featherstun is here to give you some last-minute fueling advice. Get excited: Whether you're running, volunteering, cheering, or watching from home, it'll be a Boston to remember, headlined by the fastest professional fields ever assembled on both the men's and women's sides. (Kipchoge!) SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance’s latest releases for the season. (The SuperComp Trainer is my favorite shoe!) What you’ll get on this episode: B.A.A. President & CEO Jack Fleming talks about the history and significance of the Boston Marathon (3:50) Want to run Boston someday? Here’s what you need to know about getting in, plus how to watch, the inside scoop on the Boston Celebration jackets, and more (37:55) 2014 Boston Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi offers a Boston-specific pep talk (56:15) Lauren Proshan, the B.A.A.’s chief of race operations and production, explains the process of getting to the start line in Hopkinton, and what to know once you’re there (1:27:05) Sports dietitian and three-time Boston Marathoner Meghann Featherstun offers advice on Boston-specific fueling before, during, and after the race (1:53:50) 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden breaks down the Boston Marathon course (2:19:10) All about the Boston Marathon finish line (2:51:40) A quick overview about spectating at the Boston Marathon, and final thoughts on all things Boston 2023 (2:58:10) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava 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 Maalis 20233h 6min

"It comes to a point where you are so tired and you’re just constantly irritable. And I was not prepared for that!" The last time professional distance runner Erika Kemp was on the Ali on the Run Show, the six-time collegiate All-American and multiple-time USATF national champion was on a racing hot streak, earning multiple regional and national titles and earning wins from the 5K up to the 20K. Erika has had a hugely successful career since going pro in 2018 and signing with the B.A.A. High Performance team and adidas — but, she says, she hasn't yet had that breakout, defining performance. Might it be just around the corner? With a new team, new coach, and new sponsor, Erika is about to take on her longest challenge yet. She's now a Brooks Running-sponsored athlete, she's being coached by Kurt Benninger (Molly Huddle's husband!), and she's gearing up to make her 26.2-mile racing debut at the Boston Marathon next month. In this conversation, Erika talks about all of her recent life changes, shares how she's feeling as her mileage continues to increase, and talks about the LOL-worthy detours along the way. Plus, her take on the pressures and expectations that come with making a marathon debut, and what she's doing about those pesky 3 AM hunger pangs. SPONSOR: UCAN: Click here to get a FREE Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI23 for 20% off your next UCAN order. What you’ll get on this episode: Erika recaps her race at the NYC Half this past weekend (2:45) What Erika’s training is like right now (8:30) Erika talks about leaving the B.A.A. High Performance Team, and what went into the decision to sign with Brooks Running and train with Kurt Benninger (9:30) What training with Kurt has been like so far (20:00) How marathon training is going so far — including a slight mishap on a recent long run — and the best advice Erika has received about how to ace her Boston Marathon debut (23:05) The pressure and expectations that come with debuting in a new distance (32:00) What has surprised Erika the most about marathon training so far (36:40) What Erika is loving most about her marathon training journey (41:30) On being a beginner again (45:30) The post-Boston plan: Erika's moving to Providence! (50:40) Follow Erika: Instagram @imtinyrik Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava 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!

23 Maalis 20231h 2min

"From this day forward, I will say that I'm a runner." In 2004, I was a freshman at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. That's when I met Scott Wormser. We bonded immediately over our shared loves for musicals, New York City, and chocolate lava cakes. We did fun things together, like hosting the annual Mr. Quinnipiac competition, helping plan the senior week festivities for our graduating class, and being orientation leaders for the incoming freshmen classes. We were always laughing, always having fun — and definitely not ever running. Fast-forward to today, and here we are, nearly 20 years later: two marathoners. We still love musicals, NYC, and lava cakes, but these days, Scott and I are more likely to be talking about our next races or our favorite Peloton instructors. Scott got into running just a few years after I did, and has gone on to complete many half marathons and the 2016 New York City Marathon. For him, running isn't about a pace or a place — it's his me time, his release, his favorite way to sweat. In this conversation, Scott talks about how he became a runner, and why he still sometimes struggles to call himself one. Next up: He'll be running the New York City Half this weekend on as an ambassador for Project Purple, an organization he holds close to his heart. SPONSORS: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race: Register TODAY for the world's largest and most iconic 10K road race, taking place in Atlanta, GA, on July 4. UCAN: Click here to get a FREE Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI23 for 20% off your next UCAN order. What you'll get on this episode: Why is today a good day? (3:00) Would College Scott be surprised to learn that Scott today is a runner? (5:45) What Scott was like growing up (10:25) On feeling like "all runners have this all figured out," and on owning the "runner" title (15:40) Why Scott wanted to run a marathon (30:15) Why Scott runs for Project Purple, a pancreatic cancer community (39:50) All about Scott's job(s) and home life (53:20) Check out the playlist I made for Scott's NYC Half this weekend! Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava 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!

16 Maalis 20231h 20min

"There are definitely stars who make $500,000, a million dollars a year. If someone is breaking world records, they are getting paid." It's a series! Welcome to "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know!" I've worked in the running industry in some capacity for roughly a decade now, and as much as I've immersed myself, there's still so much I don't know or understand. So if I, a relative industry insider, am still confused about things like shoe contracts, drug testing, waterfall starts on the track, and the Diamond Leagues, surely I'm not alone. I put out the ask — What's something you don't understand or have always wanted to ask about the running industry? — and the responses came pouring in with great questions. So today, former professional runner and founder of The Lap Count (and track and field's biggest fan and hype guy) Kyle Merber is here to answer all of your questions about the business of running. Sponsorships and appearance fees and "OK but who actually pays coaches?" and NDAs, oh my! SPONSOR: Tracksmith. New customers, use code ALINEW for $15 off your first Tracksmith order over $75. Returning customers, use code ALIGIVE for free shipping, plus a portion of the proceeds from your order will be donated to Moms Demand Action. Follow Kyle: Instagram @kylemerber Twitter @TheRealMerb Subscribe to The Lap Count Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava 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!

14 Maalis 202359min

"What is my why? It’s just to give myself a shot. I’ve run six marathons. I feel like one of them went really well. And I felt the urge to try something fun and give myself a challenge and see what I’m capable of." Hello from the halfway point in my Eugene Marathon training! I'm seven weeks into my training with seven weeks to go until I line up for my seventh marathon. A few weeks ago, my coach and my sports dietitian joined me on the show to talk about what it's been like working together in this pursuit. Today, it's just me, talking about why I'm doing this. Why now? Why the marathon, seven years after my last attempt? What am I hoping to get out of all of this? In addition to sharing a bit about my history with the 26.2-mile distance, I'm also talking about my key takeaways from the past seven weeks, and sharing what I hope to gain throughout this process. (Come run with me! There's a half marathon option, too! Use code ONTHERUNEUGENE to save on your registration.) SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance’s latest releases for the season. (The SuperComp Trainer is my favorite shoe!) What you’ll get on this episode: What my life looks like right now, and how marathon training fits in (2:45) A recap of my marathon history (8:45) My key takeaways from the halfway point in my Eugene Marathon training (18:25) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava 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 Maalis 202359min

"I’m telling myself I’m going to crush it. I think that’s something I used to shy away from — the Midwesterner in me, saying, 'I’m just going to do my best.' But no. Let’s crush it!" Last year, running and strength coach Jess Movold came on the Ali on the Run Show for an honest and vulnerable conversation about her experience running through pregnancy. She was 21 weeks along with her first baby. No one could have predicted or planned for what happened next: Jess gave birth to her son, appropriately named Battle, just five weeks later, at 26 weeks and 2 days into her pregnancy. Battle spent 167 days in the NICU. Jess and her husband, Kyle, spent 167 days visiting their son, holding him, navigating life as new parents — and then having to go home each night without their baby. (More on that journey in this episode.) Fast-forward to today, and Jess, Kyle, and Battle are thriving! Battle is about to celebrate his first birthday. He's happy, healthy, and always growing! Kyle ran his first marathon in New York City in November, and now it's Jess's turn to return to the roads. Jess, a 3:13 marathoner, is training for this year's Boston Marathon — her first postpartum 26.2-mile adventure. Here, she reflects on her first year of motherhood, the challenges and realities of being a NICU parent, and how far she has come in the past 365 days. Plus, what it was like returning to running after giving birth, the realities of postpartum running, and how she's feeling heading into the NYC Half next weekend. SPONSORS: UCAN: Click here to get a FREE Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI23 for 20% off your next UCAN order. The Ultimate 2023 TCS New York City Marathon-Week Sweepstakes: Click here and enter now through March 22 for the chance for you and three friends to win a VIP prize pack for this year's New York City Marathon! So fun! What you’ll get on this episode: What’s making Jess happy today, and all about her morning run (4:10) All about Jess’s morning routine (9:30) How Jess is feeling heading into the NYC Half next weekend (19:20) On returning to running after having a baby last year (26:20) Jess’s message to fellow NICU parents (35:00) Why Jess decided to run the 2023 Boston Marathon (37:45) How Jess’s marathon training is going (48:30) What Jess is like on race morning (58:00) Jess reflects on her first year of motherhood (1:04:35) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava 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!

9 Maalis 20231h 13min