Ali on the Run Show

"I’ve always been about working hard and going after things that you are excited about and passionate about and working your ass off. That’s the only way to make it happen. No one else is going to make it happen for you." —Anna Kaiser You may know Anna Kaiser as the creator, founder, and CEO of the dance cardio brand AKT. Maybe you've taken — and barely survived — her class, either in person or with AKT On Demand. Or maybe you recognize her from her professional dance days, performing on the Fame tour and dancing in the best movie ever, Enchanted. Or, let's be honest, maybe you know her as Kelly Ripa's workout BFF, or as the woman credited for keeping Shakira in shape.  On this episode, Anna talks about going from a wannabe opera singer in Zurich to an entrepreneur on the brink of opening 300 studios nationwide. She shares the mistakes, missteps, and challenges she's faced along the way, talks about why she wanted to improve upon the boutique fitness industry, and opens up about how becoming a mom two years ago changed her at home, in the studio, and beyond. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: What were Young Anna’s dreams for the future? (3:00) Anna reflects on her college experience and explains why it wasn’t everything she’d hoped it would be (8:15) Why Anna decided to move on from the dance world (12:00) How AKT was born, and how Anna stood out in the boutique fitness industry (15:00) How Anna became fitness BFFs with Kelly Ripa (21:00) How Anna has cultivated an empowering community (22:50) Why Anna decided to franchise (25:45) How Anna become business savvy, and the bad business decisions she’s made along the way (31:25) Anna’s take on the state of the fitness industry, now and in the future (34:30) Anna opens up about motherhood, including returning to work post-birth, having help, and “balance” (39:45) Does Anna have any insecurities? Plus, what she says she’s proudest of (46:30) What we mention on this episode: EDGE Performing Arts Center AKT On Demand Xponential Fitness The Milling Room Follow Anna: Instagram @theannakaiser Twitter @theannakaiser Facebook 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!

28 Feb 201958min

"I said I want to be the best. But at what?" —Bree Branker Baby Bree Branker dreamed about growing up and becoming a professional dancer. By 19, after attending a performing arts high school, she'd made that happen, as a Rockette and on Broadway in West Side Story, Spamalot, Memphis, and Big Fish. But by her early twenties, everything changed. Bree finally accepted the nagging hip dysplasia that had been plaguing her body for years — even getting her fired from her dream job at Cirque du Soleil — and found fitness instead. On this episode, Bree, now one of New York City's top trainers and a Wilhelmina model, opens up about the mental side of injury, the state of the fitness industry, and what it's like navigating the New York City boutique fitness scene. She talks about her Instagram pet peeves, luck, determination, a cross-country move, and why she was "a terrible Rockette." Plus, she shares why she got turned down for a SoulCycle audition, what terrified her as a Flywheel instructor, and why she's currently training for a half marathon. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: Bree’s road to becoming a professional dancer (2:45) Why Bree got fired from her dream job at Cirque du Soleil, and the injury that ended her dance career (14:15) How Bree finally hit her dance career-ending breaking point (26:50) How Bree broke into the fitness industry (28:00) Bree’s take on the current state of the fitness industry, on Instagram and in real life (38:15) Why Bree felt like a fraud in the fitness world, and the a-ha moment that made her realize she’d made it (42:00) How Bree got into modeling — and met her now-fiance along the way (47:30) How and why Bree learned to “chill out” about fitness (51:30) Why Bree is training for a half marathon (59:30) What we mention on this episode: University of North Carolina School of the Arts Broadway Dance Center Walnut Street Theatre Akin Akman Kira Stokes Patrick Frost "Influence vs. Expertise: The Dangerous Rise of the Fitness Influencer" via The Sweat Life CJ Koegel "An Injury Left Me in a Dark Place — Until Working Out Got Me Out of It" via Women’s Health SHAPE Women’s Half Marathon FitOn app (use code BREE50 for 50% off) Follow Bree: Instagram @breebranks 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!

21 Feb 20191h 9min

"Running made me better for our relationship outside of running. It gave me something to give to myself." —Matt Powers I love running and I love love, so what better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with a live show talking love on the run?! I had a blast hosting this live show with two of NYC's greatest running couples: Matt Powers and Candice Huffine (he's an entrepreneur and she's a supermodel — NBD), and Alex Salazar and Krissa Cetner ("that couple" that got married at mile 6 of the Brooklyn Half Marathon in 2017!). The crowd was amazing (THANK YOU to everyone who came!), and we had the best time talking about the role running plays in our relationships, whether or not we're competitive on the run, and of course, what it's like getting married in the middle of a race. We also covered very serious issues, like the gross things we do as runners, sweaty underwear, snot rockets, and more. Prepare to LOL and "awwwwww." Thank you to the New York Road Runners Virtual Valentine's Duo 5K for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE to register and complete your run today. (Des Linden did it. You should do it, too!)   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!

14 Feb 201956min

"Motherhood, for me, over the past three and a half months, has involved a lot of waves. I’ve ridden them and at times I’ve been drowning. Other times I'm treading water and managing to stay afloat, no matter how exhausted I’ve been. And other times, I’ve been getting along like I actually know how to swim! Right now, though, in this very moment, I’m on the drowning side of things." It's been a tricky week. So this is a quick check-in to say hi, and to [kind of] explain why I just didn't get it together to get a "real" episode out this week. Forgive me? Thanks! There's a lot of good stuff to come on the Ali on the Run Show — I just need to take a few deep breaths first!   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!

6 Feb 201912min

"Stay true to yourself. It gets really good on the other side, when you’re a good person and you follow your gut on who you want to be around and what you want to do with your life." —Julie Brazitis Julie Brazitis just might be the loveliest, kindest, most positive person you'll ever meet. She's a brand and creative lead at Google, a yoga instructor, a top-honors-earning graduate of Syracuse University, and a recovering perfectionist. On this episode, Julie talks about what it's like when you realize you're living the dream — but that it's someone else's dream. She talks about what it was like growing up as a competitive gymnast, and what happened when a severe spinal cord injury derailed her high-flying aspirations. She opens up about battling alopecia in high school and ulcerative colitis in college — and the mean girls she encountered along the way. Plus, she shares her running story: how she found running, why she loved running, and how she ultimately developed an unhealthy relationship with running. Julie has had a lovely life — something she's happy to acknowledge — but that doesn't mean it's been easy. This is a thought-provoking episode that'll get you thinking about why we make certain choices, what to do about internal conflicts, and how to embrace or combat the ever-present hustle culture in today's Instagram-inspired society. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: Julie recounts her early days as a competitive gymnast, and the back-breaking injury that ended it all (2:45) Dealing with alopecia — and mean girls — during high school (6:30) Julie opens up about her high aspirations, the “inner conflict” she struggled with in her twenties, and choosing between her dream job and the safe route (13:30) How Julie started running — and how her relationship with running quickly turned problematic (29:30) Julie’s battle with ulcerative colitis, and what it was like getting diagnosed in college (32:40) On being our own worst critic (44:45) What it’s actually like working at Google (47:30) What we mention on this episode: Syracuse University NBC Universal Page Program Yosef Herzog on Episode 111 of the Ali on the Run Show Follow Julie: Instagram @julieb.yogini 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!

31 Jan 201959min

“Know your value, and don’t allow other people to limit it, question it, or minimize it.” —Jen Lada Jen Lada is a reporter and host for ESPN. She's also a mom of two, is married to a fellow sports journalist, and is a multiple-time marathoner and triathlete. On this episode, Jen, who primarily covers college football, talks about how she got into sports journalism, how she got into running, and how she's thrived in a male-dominated industry. She shares her #metoo story, opens up about her two miscarriages, and talks about the challenges of being a working and often-traveling parent. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone endurance bundle! What you’ll get on this episode: Did Young Jen dream of being on ESPN? (2:50) How Jen broke into sports journalism, and the unfortunate #metoo moment that started it all (10:10) How Jen met her husband, who is also a sports journalist, and her best advice for surviving a long-distance relationship (24:00) The road to ESPN, the pressure to look a certain way on camera, and returning to work and marathoning after having a baby (31:00) Jen opens up about her two miscarriages, and what it was like being on camera every day during tough times (37:20) What post-game interviews are actually like, plus the biggest rewards and challenges of the job (42:45) Jen shares her running story — and her no-such-thing-as-TMI poop story! (51:40) What we mention on this episode: The Assertive Way Marquette University Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis Chicago Marathon TCS New York City Marathon New York Road Runners Team For Kids Follow Jen: Instagram @jenlada4 Twitter @jenlada Facebook 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 Jan 20191h 13min

“I never thought of myself as someone who was different.” —Tatyana McFadden Tatyana McFadden is one of the most decorated athletes on the planet. She's a 17-time Paralympic medalist, and she has won 24 World Marathon Majors. In 2013 alone, she won the Boston, Chicago, London, and New York City marathons. In 2015, she shattered the New York City Marathon record by 7 minutes and 20 seconds. But Tatyana wasn't born into success — she was born in Russia with Spina Bifida, a disease that left her paralyzed from the waist down. She spent the first six years of her life in an orphanage, crawling on her hands because she didn't have access to a wheelchair. At six years old, everything changed: Tatyana was adopted by Deborah McFadden, who at the time was the Commissioner of Disabilities for the Bush administration and happened to be at the orphanage on a business trip. Tatyana moved to the United States, was introduced to sports as a way to get strong, and by 15 was competing at the Paralympics. In addition to her outstanding athletic accomplishments, Tatyana is an outspoken advocate for people living with disabilities, and later this spring she'll complete her master's degree in pursuit of a career as a child life specialist. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for $50 off your wireless headphone endurance bundle!   What you’ll get on this episode: Tatyana talks about her childhood and what it was like growing up with Spina Bifida in an orphanage in Russia and how she made her way to becoming a world-class athlete (2:55) Tatyana’s take on the word “disability” (10:50) What exactly is Spina Bifida? (13:35) What brought Tatyana’s mom to the orphanage in Russia (17:00) What it was like having a disability in high school, and how Tatyana went on to create an important law for high schools around the country — and then meet the Obamas and Ellen DeGeneres (19:00) How Tatyana became confident and outspoken (27:40) Why Tatyana decided to go all-in on the marathon, and what it’s like racing in a chair (30:30) What Tatyana’s training looks like before a goal race (38:30) What it means to be brave (41:00) What can people do to make life easier for people with disabilities? (44:30) Tatyana on insecurities, grad school, what she’s proudest of, and what’s next (47:40) What we mention on this episode: Kennedy Krieger Institute NormaTec Recovery Tatyana on The Ellen DeGeneres Show TCS New York City Marathon New York Road Runners Team For Kids Follow Tatyana: Instagram @tatyanamcfaddenusa Twitter @tatyanamcfadden Facebook Website 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!

16 Jan 201957min

"I felt broken. Physically. Emotionally. I had a complete breakdown. I felt like a broken human. I was so tired. Lifeless. And I finally Googled the one thing I hadn't really wanted to Google." In just a few days, Annie — my spankin' new daughter — will be three months old. That means I will have reached the end of what is commonly referred to as "the fourth trimester." That period postpartum when the baby still thinks its in the womb, and the mom is — I'm not sure what the mom is. But I know that for me, this fourth trimester has been tough. Trying. Exhausting. Emotional. Wonderful, amazing, monumental — but definitely hard. So on this solo episode, I talk about all of it: the pumping, the boob stuff, the expectations, the realities, and the truths. I talk about why I've been living in fear, and open up about what went down over the holidays, and how it ended with me Googling and really looking into postpartum depression. Plus, I talk about having help — thank god for help! — and answer listener questions. 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: "I Had a Baby!" Episode 106 of the Ali on the Run Show Laura Anderson on Episode 92 of the Ali on the Run Show Chrissy Teigen Opens Up for the First Time About Her Postpartum Depression, via Glamour Michele Gonzalez on Episode 19 of the Ali on the Run Show Motherhood New Jersey Half Marathon The 5 Love Languages Annie's Birth Story Pregnancy + Baby Q&A 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 Jan 20191h 6min