Ali on the Run Show2 Des 2021

452. Alexi Pappas, New York City Marathoner

"I just started to leap — like a prancing dancer across one of the intersections. And the crowd just lit up and went crazy… And I realized, this is fun!"

There were more than 30,000 runners at this year's New York City Marathon. But it feels safe to say that no one had more fun on that course than professional runner and Olympian Alexi Pappas. On this episode, Alexi recounts her joyful journey from Staten Island to Central Park. She talks about her plans and goals for the day, and shares the story of how she made a friend — Vito — at mile three, with whom she went on to run the entire rest of the race. She talks about leaning into fun, about channeling her true inner self on the run, and about the life-changing advice she got from Jenny Simpson after the race. Plus, how she's coped with the post-marathon comedown, and why she wants people to stop asking professional runners what's next.

SPONSOR: AfterShokz — Visit ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones.

What you'll get on this episode:

The New York City Marathon comedown (4:00)
Alexi's favorite moment from the marathon (12:35)
On marrying competitive drive and joy (26:30)
All about running with Vito (32:30)
The finish line feeling (35:00)
Alexi's advice for how to make your next race more fun (42:30)

Check out:

Alexi Pappas on Episode 330 of the Ali on the Run Show

Alexi Pappas on Episode 296 of the Ali on the Run Show

Alexi Pappas on Episode 163 of the Ali on the Run Show

Follow Alexi:

Follow Ali:

Listen & Subscribe:

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!

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(900)

897. Jay Holder, USATF Chief Content & Communications Officer

"I'm starstruck every time I'm at a track meet and I get to be side by side with some of these incredible athletes. That has not worn off and I don't think it ever will. And I hope it never does." It...

30 Jul 1h 43min

896. Ask Ali!

"I am pro people and I am pro human rights." It's surgery week! I had a prophylactic laparoscopic bilateral salpingo oophorectomy on Monday (I had my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed), and I'm tryi...

23 Jul 1h 43min

895. Molly Seidel's 2026 Western States Recap (With Special Guest Molly Reidy)

"Being able to go into a race where you are a rookie, it opened me up to take chances I wouldn't necessarily take. In the marathon, I felt like I got so scared of failing that I was really hesitant to...

16 Jul 1h 41min

894. Alyssa McElheny, Hyrox World Champion & OTQ Marathoner

"A lot of these things that seem like world-enders at the time can lead to bigger, better, happier things." Alyssa McElheny had a dream: to qualify for the Olympic Trials Marathon. When the qualifying...

9 Jul 1h 23min

893. Rachel Entrekin, 2026 Cocodona 250 Champion

"If the winner thinks that everyone's important, then goddamnit I must be right." Rachel Entrekin arrived at the start line of the Cocodona 250 ultramarathon in May having already won the women's race...

2 Jul 1h 22min

892. Emma Coburn & Parker Valby, Training Partners

"We're basically the same person, just 12 years apart." Emma Coburn and Parker Valby are professional runners, Olympians, New Balance athletes — and now, they're training partners. In this conversatio...

25 Jun 1h 11min

891. Laura Thweatt, On Athletics Club Assistant Road Team Coach

"When she said those words to me on that run, I was like, 'It's the same thing, Laura. You're gonna do the same thing that you've done. You were OK after every decision, after every scary thing you di...

23 Jun 1h 27min

890. Lee Glandorf, Creator of The Sweat Lookbook

"I don't think that the run girlies are respected within the sport the way they should be!" As a longtime marketer and creator of The Sweat Lookbook, Lee Glandorf truly has her pulse on industry trend...

18 Jun 1h 10min