805. My 2025 Boston Marathon Weekend Recap

"It's not so much what you're doing — it's why are you doing it?" Welcome to the first episode in a four-part series called Feel-Good Fridays. These short episodes are intended to leave you feeling lighter, better, more optimistic — whether temporarily or for the rest of your life. These conversations with experts are meant to be uplifting without being fluffy or delusional. We're kicking things off with Rachel Gersten and Jor-El Caraballo, licensed therapists and co-founders of Viva Wellness, a private therapy practice in New York City. In just 20 minutes, Rachel and Jor-El will help us all breathe a little easier. They bust some common self-care myths, and offer tangible advice on how we can all take better care of ourselves right now. (And, if nothing else, "eat some pie.") A great, and I think very relevant quote to take away from this episode: "This isn't the Feelings Olympics. Your feelings are valid. They're real. They mean something to you. Perspective is important, but don't let that stop you from also experiencing whatever you're feeling." 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. Follow Rachel: Instagram @rachelgersten Viva Wellness The Viva Wellness Podcast Follow Jor-El: Instagram @jorelcaraballo Twitter @jorelcaraballo Viva Wellness The Viva Wellness 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!

5 Juni 202029min

"I had all these supporters that were from the Black running community that were there to cheer me on because I was their representation in the race. That's really big and pretty heavy, I think. And not heavy in a bad way. But it weighs on my mind a lot, especially now." At just 24 years old — and with only two marathons under her belt so far — Peyton Thomas is already making a name for herself on the long-distance running scene. After running track and cross-country in high school and college, Peyton graduated from Baylor University and decided to run a marathon (with a 40-mile ultramarathon thrown in the mix). She made her 26.2-mile debut at the 2019 California International Marathon (CIM) and ran a 2:42.57, qualifying for the Olympic Trials on her first try. She went on to run the Trials in February in Atlanta, where she ran a three-second personal best time on a day that included big hills, wild wind, and a handful of calf cramp-induced walk breaks. (Imagine: 2:42.54 on a tough day!) Peyton was the only American-born Black female athlete who ran at the Trials, in a sea of more than 450 women. On this episode, she talks about what that was like, and talks about how her running journey has evolved from the days when she would black out while racing in high school and college. Peyton is a PhD candidate and teaching assistant at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, studying biology and marine biology. Quick note! Around 40 minutes into the conversation, you may notice some beeping. We couldn't help the fact that a truck parked outside Peyton's home for a while — and we hope you aren't too bothered by it! Thanks for understanding! Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for 15% off wireless headphones. What you'll get on this episode: How Peyton got her start on the run (4:45) Peyton talks about blacking out while racing in high school and college (15:45) Why Peyton decided to train for a marathon and try to run an Olympic Trials qualifying time (20:20) Peyton reflects on running the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (35:40) On diversity and inclusion at the Trials (47:30) Follow Peyton: Instagram @ptcruisin22 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!

4 Juni 20201h 2min

"We just wish that science was faster sometimes!" Amy Diallo always knew she wanted to be a scientist. Growing up in France, her plan was always to move to the United States and study infectious diseases. And perhaps never has Amy's career as a postdoctoral researcher at University of California, San Francisco, been more relevant than today, as she's spending long hours in the lab doing Covid-19 research. Every day, Amy and her team are hard at work studying proteins to eventually develop medication that will treat the novel coronavirus. On this episode, she talks about why she wanted to work in infectious diseases, what it's like being an essential worker right now, and what it's really like being a scientist in the cutthroat biochemistry lab world. She talks about the pressure to work fast, what she wants everyone to know about where we're at right now with this pandemic, and how running fits into her busy life. Follow Amy: Instagram @dreaming_amy 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 Juni 202046min

"If that's my legacy, that's a good one." Shalane Flanagan has many titles: former professional runner, four-time Olympian, Olympic silver medalist, Bowerman Track Club coach, 2017 New York City Marathon champion, American record holder, two-time New York Times best-selling author, race broadcaster — and, her newest title, mom. Last month, Shalane and her husband, Steven Edwards, became parents to their son, Jack Dean Edwards, and on this episode, Shalane talks candidly about new motherhood. She talks about what it was like being at the top of her professional game and constantly fielding questions about when she planned to have children, and explains why she and Steven chose to adopt, and what that process looked like for them. She talks about her decision to retire from professional running in 2019, about why coaching was her next dream, and her third cookbook with co-author Elyse Kopecky, and about the pressure women often feel to "do it all." Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for 15% off wireless headphones. What you'll get on this episode: What's making Shalane happy right now? (3:15) What new motherhood looks like so far (5:10) Shalane and Steven's road to adoption (14:00) On fielding questions about having children (20:00) On the decision to retire from professional running in 2019 (27:00) All about Coach Shalane (36:15) How Shalane got into race broadcasting (44:20) All about Rise & Run, Shalane and Elyse Kopecky's third cookbook, coming in 2021 (49:20) Reflecting on "The Shalane Effect" and Shalane's legacy (54:30) Shalane answers listener questions (59:30) What we mention on this episode: Choice Adoptions Shalane Flanagan on The Growth Equation podcast "How the Shalane Effect Works," by Lindsay Crouse for The New York Times Run Fast. Eat Slow. Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. Untamed by Glennon Doyle Follow Shalane: Instagram @shalaneflanagan Twitter @shalaneflanagan Facebook 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!

27 Maj 20201h 10min

"I'm 100 percent emotionally involved with the families I serve." Welcome to Season 2 of the On the Job series on the Ali on the Run Show! This season, we're kicking things off with JoMarie Flores, a funeral director in Houston, TX. But don't worry: This episode isn't all death, doom, and gloom. JoMarie is so passionate about her work, and you'll quickly see why families love and appreciate her so much. On this episode, JoMarie talks about the education required to become an embalmer and funeral director, and addresses the common misperceptions about her line of work. She opens up about the emotional component of the work, shares why it's important to find laughter during hard times, and offers advice for people who are uncomfortable with death and addressing our own mortality. When she's not on the job as a "last responder," JoMarie is a marathoner, triathlete, and mom to a five-year-old boy. 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 JoMarie: Instagram @jfloresfd 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!

26 Maj 202059min

"The best thing that can happen to you is to have all your plans get blown up because then you learn how you react to that." Last week, Tracksmith announced it was adding two members to its team: professional athletes Mary Cain and Nick Willis. But Nick and Mary aren't just figureheads for the brand or sponsored athletes. They're full-time, salaried employees. On this episode, Lee Glandorf, head of communications at Tracksmith, shares the behind-the-scenes making of those deals, and talks about what hiring Nick and Mary means for both them and for the brand. She also explains why now — in the midst of a global pandemic — was the right time to make these moves. Lee is a former Yale University rower turned runner, who also shares her running story and talks about how, as someone who thrives on lists and plans, she's adjusting to life right now and finding ways to connect with the community. What you'll get on this episode: How Lee is handling this time as a self-proclaimed "control freak" (6:00) How Tracksmith pivoted strategies and plans at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic (12:00) All about Tracksmith's decision to hire professional runners Mary Cain and Nick Willis earlier this month (16:30) How Lee fell in love with running (33:00) How Lee got her job at Tracksmith (42:50) What we mention on this episode: On the Job with Taylor Ritzel, Content Acquisition at Netflix Run Free Grand Prix "Mary Cain Announces New Role at Tracksmith," via Women's Running "To Run My Best Marathon at Age 44, I Had to Outrun My Past," via Wired Follow Lee: Instagram @leeglandorf 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!

21 Maj 20201h 3min

"I was at the cross-section of a couple different identities that people didn't quite understand." Dinée Dorame is a citizen of the Navajo Nation, Water's Edge clan. She's a lifelong runner who grew up in Albuquerque, NM, moved to the east coast to attend and later work in admissions at Yale University, and has since returned to Albuquerque, where she is the Associate Director of College Horizons. On this episode, Dinée talks passionately about the role of running in Native culture, and the role her culture plays in her life on and off the run. She talks about setbacks she's experienced related to Accessory Navicular Syndrome, and how she has dealt with chronic pain, and offers advice for how and why runners can and should better connect with the land around them. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for 15% off wireless headphones. What you'll get on this episode: Was Dinée's plan always to return home to New Mexico after attending Yale? (4:30) What it was like growing up as a Native girl in Albuquerque, NM (12:00) Why Dinée says running "is like medicine" for many indigenous people (24:30) What Dinée says are some of the most common misperceptions of Native people today (41:15) What we mention on this episode: Support Dinée and Girls Inc. of New York City Dinée in Runner's World College Horizons Carolyn Su on Episode 140 of the Ali on the Run Show Native Appropriations blog @Native_Women_Running on Instagram Jordan @nativein_la on Instagram Running: A Love Story, by Jen A. Miller Oofos sandals Follow Dinée: Instagram @dinee_pink22 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!

20 Maj 20201h 12min

"I didn't want people to think fun, happy Sasha really has depression and anxiety." Sasha Wolff is the founder of Still I Run, a non-profit organization and online community for runners, whose mission is to raise awareness around mental health. On this episode — in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month — Sasha, a mom of two who lives in Michigan, talks openly about her own experiences with depression and anxiety. She opens up about her decision to admit herself to an inpatient facility for treatment, talks about what that was like, and explains what's in her "mental health care kit." She also shares the story of how she found running, and why she's so passionate about running for her own mental health. Thank you to AfterShokz for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE for 15% off wireless headphones. What you'll get on this episode: What Mental Health Awareness Month means to Sasha (4:30) Sasha shares her mental health story (7:40) On the decision to check into a mental health hospital (14:30) What's in Sasha's "Mental Health Care Kit?" (21:00) How running has played a role in Sasha's mental health journey (30:20) What we mention on this episode: Andrea Barber on Episode 209 of the Ali on the Run Show Andrea Barber on Episode 45 of the Ali on the Run Show Full Circle: From Hollywood to Real Life and Back Again, by Andrea Barber Koala Clip Follow Sasha: Instagram @sashawolff Instagram @stilliruncommunity Facebook 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!

14 Maj 202049min