261. Jess Sims, Peloton Instructor
"Stop negotiating with yourself. Be like a little kid again and jump into the pool. Don't stick your foot in to check out the temperature. Don't think you have to have the right bathing suit on. Jump in the pool." It's safe to say Jess Sims is one of the most popular fitness instructors in the country. As a Peloton instructor, Jess is known for her no frills, no BS, no gimmick approach to working out. She's the real deal, and she's passionate about helping people feel their best every day. And though Jess says she never dreamed about being a fitness instructor, let alone a global superstar with a massive platform, being an educator has always come naturally to her. On this episode, Jess shares her road to Peloton fame, which started by teaching not in fitness studios, but in classrooms: Jess did Teach for America, and taught kids in Houston, Harlem, and Massachusetts. Jess also talks about the a-ha moment that led her from her role as a principal to one on the podium, and explains why, at first, she actually turned down the opportunity to teach at Peloton. Plus, she talks about growing up in Peabody, MA, in a biracial family, and offers her take on diversity in the fitness industry today. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for 15% off all wireless headphones. What you'll get on this episode: Did Young Jess plan for a future in the fitness industry? (4:15) How Jess became a teacher (7:45) How Jess broke into the fitness industry (16:15) On getting hired at Peloton, and what life looks like as a Peloton instructor (20:00) On both "personal branding" and diversity in the fitness industry (41:00) What it means to Jess to "take up space" (47:20) What we mention on this episode: Teach For America Rebecca Kennedy Follow Jess: Instagram @jsimsfit Website Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon 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 Juli 20201h 3min
260. On the Job with United States Air Force Colonel Shelly Mendieta
"It doesn't matter if I'm a man or a woman. It just matters how I do my job. That responsibility I'm given is based on how I've done in the past, and how well they think I'm going to do in the future." Welcome to the final episode in the On the Job series! Today, we are wrapping things up with United States Air Force Colonel Shelly Mendieta, who is the Vice Wing Commander of the 39th Airbase Wing in Incirlik, Turkey. As the #2 in command, Col. Mendieta is responsible for more than 3,500 military, civilian, and contractor personnel on base. She's also a Weapons System Operator in the F-15E fighter plane, having logged more than 2,400 flight hours! On this episode, Col. Mendieta talks about what it's really like flying those planes — which women weren't even allowed to fly when she first enlisted in the Air Force — and what it's like serving the country and being stationed overseas. She also talks about how being a runner makes her better in the air, and shares her take on being a woman in the military. Thank you to Tracksmith for sponsoring the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to tracksmith.com/ontherun and use code ONTHERUN15 at checkout for 15% off your first Tracksmith purchase! Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon 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 Juli 202050min
259. On the Record with the Hosts of Keeping Track
"I'm not afraid to have the uncomfortable conversations. Does it mean I feel comfortable? No! And I need my allies. I need my friends to say what I've been saying." —Alysia Montaño Welcome to the first episode in a new four-part series, where I'll be talking with fellow running podcast hosts about how they view the current state of the running industry and their roles within it. We're kicking things off with Alysia Montaño, Molly Huddle, and Roisin McGettigan-Dumas, the hosts of Keeping Track! As current and former professional athletes, these three incredibly accomplished women offer a unique lens on the sport. They are mothers, businesswomen, authors, and important voices in running and beyond. On this episode, we talk about how Keeping Track came to fruition, and discuss representation in the running community. Thank you to Gatorade Endurance for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! Go to gatoradeendurance.com and use code ONTHERUN20 for 20% off your order. What you'll get on this episode: How Keeping Track came to fruition (9:10) The hopes, dreams, plans, and goals of Keeping Track (13:10) Reflecting on Keeping Track's "Representation in Running" episode, and the reactions to that conversation (21:15) What does the future of the running industry look like? (41:40) What are Molly, Ro, and Alysia's dreams for the running industry? (51:50) What we mention on this episode: A Message & A Promise From Ali Molly Huddle on Episode 66 of the Ali on the Run Show Molly Huddle on Episode 51 of the Ali on the Run Show Feel-Good Fitness by Alysia Montaño "Racing for Representation" via Keeping Track &Mother Believe & Compete Training Journals. Follow Keeping Track: Instagram @keeptrackmedia iTunes Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon 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!
5 Juli 20201h 2min
258. Feel-Good Friday with Claudia Thompson, President of Claudia Connects
"You're the one. If you want to do something...you're the one that's going to do it." My greatest wish for my daughter is that she never lacks confidence. Some people are born with it, but for others, cultivating confidence takes work — it's like a muscle that has to be flexed repeatedly in order to get stronger. Claudia Thompson is the president of Claudia Connects, a personal and professional training, development, and networking events company, and on this episode, she shares all her best tips and tricks for building your own confidence. She shares her own confidence journey, reflecting on being a Black woman — her mom is from Jamaica and her dad is from Panama — in predominantly white spaces. She also talks about practicing vulnerability, and explains how confidence in life will help us all on the run. Feel-Good Fridays on the Ali on the Run Show are brought to you by UCAN. Click here and use code ONTHERUN25 for 25% off your first UCAN order. Returning UCAN fans can use code ONTHERUN for 15% off. What we mention on this episode: Rachel Wyman on Episode 166 of the Ali on the Run Show Landmark Forum Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper Claudia's Facebook post Follow Claudia: Instagram @claudiaconnects Twitter @claudiaconnects Facebook @claudiaconnection Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon 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!
2 Juli 202028min
257. Nutrition Q&A with Starla Garcia, Registered Dietitian
"Sustainable changes happen over months of time. And there's nothing to be ashamed of it it takes you a long time. When you come out of it and you do the work and you're gentle on yourself and you're looking for progress over perfection, you're going to be so much happier because you got to know yourself so much better." Starla Garcia is back on the Ali on the Run Show! Starla is a registered dietitian (and Olympic Marathon Trials runner!) and is the founder of The Healthy Shine, a sports nutrition consulting practice in Houston, TX. On this episode, Starla answers listener questions about nutrition, fueling on the run, sugar addictions, protein, disordered eating, and what she wants everyone to know and understand about fad diets and buzzwords like "keto," "intermittent fasting," and "macros." Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for 15% off all wireless headphones. What we mention on this episode: Starla Garcia on Episode 200 of the Ali on the Run Show Evelyn Tribole on 10% Happier with Dan Harris SmartyPants multivitamin Picky Bars Performance Oats Follow Starla: Instagram @starla_shines Twitter @starla_shines The Healthy Shine Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon 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 Juli 202059min
256. On the Job with Vikki Spruill, President & CEO of New England Aquarium
"I loved science. I had a biology teacher who was a bit of a mentor of mine in high school and I said, 'I really think this is what I want to pursue!' And he said, 'There's actually not a place for women in science.' But I never lost sight of my passion." When Vikki Spruill was growing up, she loved science and, in particular, ocean life. But she was told that "women didn't have a place in science." Today, Vikki is President & CEO of the New England Aquarium in Boston, MA, so it's safe to say she found her place in science. On this episode, Vikki talks about how she got the job and what her days are like, both before and during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. To date, the aquarium has been closed for 16 weeks, and Vikki talks about the plans they're putting into place for when the doors do reopen. Plus, she talks about what it's really like running a huge cultural institution that's home to 20,000 animals, 200 employees, and more than 1.5 million visitors every year. Thank you to Tracksmith for sponsoring the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to tracksmith.com/ontherun and use code ONTHERUN15 at checkout for 15% off your first Tracksmith purchase! Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon 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!
29 Juni 202050min
255. Ramblings on the Run with Ali & Matt
Welcome to this month's edition of Ramblings on the Run with Ali and Matt. This month, Matt and I catch up and share how things are going on the run, and then we talk about what we're each loving and are excited about right now. Then, we do a twist on the On the Job series, asking each other questions about our respective careers in podcasting. What we mention on this episode: Don't Keep Your Day Job by Cathy Heller "Influence in the Time of Social Injustice" via Be There in Five Aliphine Tuliamuk on Instagram Courtney Carter on Episode 251 of the Ali on the Run Show The Mina Kimes Show That's What She Said with Sarah Spain Follow Matt: Instagram @rambling_runner Rambling Runner podcast Road to the Olympic Trials podcast Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon 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!
25 Juni 20201h 4min
254. Samia Akbar, Fastest U.S.-Born Black Female Marathoner
"He made an assumption that I didn't speak English and that's why he didn't speak to me. I remember feeling so hurt. Things like that happened to me all the time, being the first and only to do a lot of these distance events on the road racing circuit. And I feel like it was so hurtful. We are the epitome of the American Dream." A few weeks ago, Peyton Thomas was on the Ali on the Run Show. We talked about Peyton being the fourth-fastest U.S.-born Black female marathoner, which prompted the question: Who's the fastest? That person is Samia Akbar. In 2006, Samia ran a 2:34 at the New York City Marathon, finishing 12th and earning the aforementioned title, which still stands. On this episode, Samia shares her running story, including how her dad instilled in her a love for running, how she went to American University on a full running scholarship, and how she spent seven years as a professional runner sponsored by Reebok. Today, Samia lives in Virginia and is a Global Marketing Manager for New Balance. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for 15% off all wireless headphones. What you'll get on this episode: Samia explains why she lives in Virginia but works in Boston (3:40) How Samia became a runner (9:00) On being competitive (21:35) What it means to "take up space," and how Samia learned to do that (22:45) How Samia decided to become a professional runner (33:50) Why Samia decided to run a marathon (45:20) On being the fastest U.S.-born Black female marathoner (52:30) What we mention on this episode: Peyton Thomas on Episode 244 of the Ali on the Run Show "A Conversation with Samia Akbar" via Fast Women "The Undeniable Power of Sport" International Women's Day panel via Hurdle podcast TedCorbitt.com Follow Samia: Instagram @Samia.Akbar Twitter @Samia_Akbar Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Like the Facebook page Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon 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!
25 Juni 20201h 26min
