703. Nikki Hiltz, World Silver Medalist

"When you focus on yourself, you get the best results." Mirinda "Rinny" Carfrae is a professional triathlete and three-time Ironman World Champion. On this episode, Rinny talks about her road to swim-bike-run domination, and how she went from a scrappy basketball player to the fastest woman in Kona. Rinny — who is from Brisbane, Australia, but now lives and trains in Boulder, CO — is a podium staple at both the Ironman and the Half-Ironman distance. She's also a mom to two-year-old Isabelle, and she's very candid about what it's like deciding to have a baby as a professional athlete. She talks about how her sponsors reacted — and what their support looked like — when she announced her pregnancy, and shares how she managed to train for an Ironman while breastfeeding. She talks about pre-race nerves, whether she'd ever ditch the swim and the bike to race a road marathon, and the time she overcame a 14-minute deficit off the bike to land the win in Kona. And of course, Rinny shares her big goals for 2019. 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: Rinny recaps her very successful month of 70.3 racing (2:40) Rinny's road to success, from basketball to Kona domination (8:20) What it was like competing in Kona for the first time (15:45) Why Rinny says having a baby helped her become a better cyclist (23:20) All about Rinny's at-home "Pain Cave" — including how it helped her breastfeed while training (24:15) On making up time on the run during an Ironman or Half Ironman — including the time Rinny overcame a 14-minute deficit to snag the win in Kona (28:00) What being a triathlete really consists of (36:00) Would Rinny ever ditch the swim and the bike in favor of a road marathon? (40:00) How Rinny ended up in Boulder (42:00) How Rinny met her husband, Tim (45:00) Rinny opens up about her decision to have a baby — plus how her sponsors reacted to the news (52:30) On returning to training and competition after having Isabelle (58:00) What we mention on this episode: Siri Lindley Technogym Gwen Jorgensen on Episode 90 of the Ali on the Run Show Follow Rinny: Instagram @mirindacarfrae Twitter @mirindacarfrae Facebook The Tim & Rinny Show 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 Juli 20191h 9min

"I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and discovered this tremendous strength that I had. It made me realize that so many of us have amazing gifts within us, but we're sometimes scared to take that leap — so we don't even realize what we're capable of." —Beatie Deutsch Beatie Deutsch is a 29-year-old Orthodox Jewish mom of five living in Israel, by way of New Jersey. And she's earned the nickname "Speedy Beatie" for a reason: Despite only picking up running a few years ago, Beatie runs a 2:42 marathon and a 1:17 half marathon. On this episode, she talks about what it's like being the National Marathon Champion of Israel, and breaks down her monumental Tiberias Marathon win, where she not only ran a 2:42, she ran a 27-minute personal best time in the process, negative splitting the race by six minutes. She talks about being an Orthodox Jewish woman and runner in 2019, explaining her race attire (she runs with her elbows, knees, and hair covered), her values, and what it's like looking different from other women on the starting line. Beatie is sponsored by Nike, and her current goal is to qualify to represent Israel in the 2020 Olympic Games in the 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: How Beatie became "Speedy Beatie" (3:25) On winning the Tiberias Marathon and running a 27-minute marathon PR in the process (4:15) How Beatie became a runner (12:00) How Beatie went from a 3:25 marathon to a 2:42 (22:00) What it's like to be an Orthodox Jewish runner in 2019 (29:00) What it means to be sponsored by Nike (38:00) Busting common misconceptions about the Orthodox Jewish community (40:20) Beatie's message to runners who think they don't look like everyone else (46:00) What we mention on this episode: Tiberias Marathon Jerusalem Marathon Nike Vaporfly 4% Hamburg Half Marathon Free Solo Follow Beatie: Instagram @marathonmother Twitter @marathonmother1 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!

17 Juli 201953min

"I'm wearing these massive pads that are like six inches deep and waddling around the house. I think I thought the first week would be rough. But it was a month out and I'm still rocking these massive pads. I was never told about that." Every week on these Motherhood Mondays episodes, I've asked my guests, "Who's in your village?" I feel so lucky to be able to say that the two women on today's show — Laura Green and Julia Berteletti — are in my village. Laura lives in Boston, and is mom to 10-month-old Jack. She's a part-time physical therapist and the "community boss" for November Project, and is "very creative" about how she gets her work hours in while Jack does a part-time nanny share. Julia lives in Denver, CO, is mom to 8-month-old Max, and works full-time in an office while Max is in daycare. On this episode, we talk like we do every day, sharing perhaps too much about everything from breastfeeding, identity loss, and body image, to giving birth, relationships, emotional labor, and that first postpartum poop. We also talk about schedule-related anxiety, postpartum running, and guilt. Thank you to Sweaty Betty for sponsoring Motherhood Mondays on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to sweatybetty.com and use code ONTHERUN for 20 percent off your purchase. What you'll get on this episode: Getting to know Laura (3:00) Getting to know Julia (8:20) Breastfeeding and boob stuff (13:20) How prepared did we feel for the postpartum period? (21:47) Relationship stuff (35:00) On postpartum running and body image (55:00) What we mention on this episode: November Project Laura's childbirth story via Wisconsin Notes Kristin Mallon on Episode 136 of the Ali on the Run Show Lauren Fleshman on Episode 103 of the Ali on the Run Show Work, Play, Love with Lauren Fleshman and Jesse Thomas Boston Marathon Brogan Graham Follow Laura: Instagram @lauramcgreen Follow Julia: Instagram @griffeletti 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 Juli 20191h 13min

"It's not sexy, but all the little teeny tiny things add up. Invest in recovery, nutrition, and sleep. That's where you're going to see the big gains — even though it's not as much fun to put on Instagram. You'll see it pay off." Sarah "Mac" Robinson is an elite runner, mom of two, and freelance brand storyteller. On this episode, she gets very candid about how her life — on the run and beyond — has changed since becoming a mom. She opens up about her experience with postpartum depression and anxiety, what life on medication has been like, and the stigmas surrounding postpartum mental health. She also talks about how she landed an Olympic Trials qualifying time in the marathon in 2016, what the road there was like, and what's next in her running life. 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: Sarah's experience with postpartum anxiety and Zoloft (3:15) Sarah's running story — the high highs and low lows (20:10) On trying — and trying again and again — to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the marathon (24:30) On body image as an elite runner, both before and after having kids, and "skinny privilege" (34:10) What Sarah's running looks like these days (37:00) Sarah's career, how she found Oiselle, and what she's up to professionally (42:20) Sarah's messages to moms and to runners working on big goals (51:40) What we mention on this episode: Oiselle Sarah's Instagram post about weaning off Zoloft Stephanie Bruce on Episode 104 of the Ali on the Run Show Lauren Fleshman on Episode 103 of the Ali on the Run Show Oiselle Mac Roga short Follow Sarah: Instagram @thatsarahmac Twitter @thatsarahmac 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 Juli 20191h

"There's a fear of the foundation we're standing on having too many cracks in it." Dr. Molly Millwood is a clinical psychologist and licensed psychotherapist specializing in marital therapy and intimate relationships. She's also the author of the just-released book, To Have and To Hold: Motherhood, Marriage, & the Modern Dilemma. On this episode, Dr. Millwood — a mom of two — expands on many of the new-mom-related topics she covers in her brilliant book, including guilt, shame, missing life before baby, marriage after baby, gender roles for new parents, and social media. Dr. Millwood lives in Vermont with her husband and two sons. Thank you to Sweaty Betty for sponsoring Motherhood Mondays on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to sweatybetty.com and use code ONTHERUN for 20 percent off your purchase. What you'll get on this episode: What tends to hold new moms back from going to therapy (8:00) The shame and guilt surrounding new motherhood (13:00) On missing "life before baby" (21:00) Why no one is talking about what their romantic relationships are like after having a baby (25:00) How couples can improve their communication when talking about tough stuff (34:30) On expectations (40:20) How social media affects new moms (44:50) Some of the most common reasons women come to Molly for therapy (48:00) What does a first-time therapy session actually look like? (54:00) Follow Molly: Instagram @molly.millwood.phd 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!

7 Juli 20191h 2min

"You are never going to be the woman you were before, and that's great. Because this woman you are now is so much stronger, more powerful, capable of doing so much more. But you've gotta give her some time and space to heal and figure things out a bit." Hitha Palepu has many titles. She's an entrepreneur and the CEO of Rhosan Pharmaceuticals, the author of the book How to Pack: Travel Smart for Any Trip, an angel investor and advisor to women-led and women-focused start-ups, the creator of the blog Hitha on the Go, and the brains behind #5SmartReads on Instagram and in her popular weekly newsletter. She's also a mom to four-year-old Rho and seven-week-old Rhaki. On this episode, Hitha, who lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side, opens up about the realities of motherhood, her decision to have children (it wasn't a given!), and her experience with postpartum depression and antidepressants. Thank you to Sweaty Betty for sponsoring Motherhood Mondays on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to sweatybetty.com and use code ONTHERUN for 20 percent off your purchase. What you'll get on this episode: Getting to know Hitha — on the decision to have kids, having help, breastfeeding, and parenting unapologetically and gratefully (1:50) On the transition from one kid to two, and how Hitha is doing right now (23:00) On resentment (27:50) Hitha's experience with postpartum depression, and the breaking point that got her to therapy (33:00) How Hitha "recalibrated her mental state" (42:30) Talking "balance" and identity loss in motherhood (45:40) Hitha's take on mom guilt (52:40) Hitha's message for new moms (56:00) What we mention on this episode: The Motherhood Center Follow Hitha: Instagram @hithapalepu Twitter @hithapalepu Facebook Website Newsletter 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!

30 Juni 201958min

"If you are struggling, it does not mean that you are failing. It does not mean that you're doing something wrong. It just means that you are coming up against some hurdles, whether they're physical or mental or emotional, and it's important to listen to those and try and understand what's underneath them. But by no means do they imply that you're not going to achieve your goal. You just need to see them as part of the process. Struggle is just as important as the elation and the sense of fulfillment that we all get after a great workout or a PR." David Willey spent 14 years at the helm of Runner's World magazine. But after announcing his departure from the brand in 2017, David went off the grid. On this episode, David's back on the grid, opening up about what made life for the past two years "outlandishly fun, intentionally challenging, unexpectedly hard and depressing, and newly regenerating." David talks about his time at Runner's World — the highs, the lows, and the part of the job that had him ambushing runners on live television during the New York City Marathon — and talks about his take on the brand now. He talks about his old dog and his new dog (we both shed a few tears there), his battle with Lyme Disease, and how he fulfilled his decade-long dream of qualifying for the Boston 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: How David got the job at Runner's World, and why it was a dream job (3:45) David looks back at his favorite Runner's World covers, stories, and adventures (10:00) Why David left Runner's World after 14 years (18:40) All about David's "Moonshot Marathon" (24:30) Why David says Runner's World readers get so heated online (32:20) What it's like interviewing runners live on the course during the New York City Marathon broadcast (35:20) Does David still read Runner's World? (43:15) David looks back on his time with his dog, Trucha, and his book proposal in the works (45:30) On an unexpected battle with Lyme Disease (56:30) David's message to runners who are struggling right now (1:05:10) What we mention on this episode: Runner's World covers through the years Mary Wittenberg on Episode 98 of the Ali on the Run Show Joe Holder Julia Lucas "A Very Good Dog" — David's editor's letter about his dog, Trucha Camp Canine The Runner's World Show podcast The Human Race podcast The Hive Life podcast Neely Spence Gracey on Episode 42 of the Ali on the Run Show Bayshore Marathon Follow David: Twitter @davidmwilley Send dog photos to davidmwilley67@gmail.com 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!

26 Juni 20191h 17min

"Everything I thought would happen did not happen." Sashea Lawson is perhaps best known by her social media moniker: "Sassy Fit Girl." Sashea is a mom to 2.5-year-old Skye and three-month-old Marley, and on this episode she talks about what life is like right now as a toddler mom and newborn mom. She talks about why she's been so vocal about making a slow return to fitness after baby number two, and opens up about recovering from two c-sections, her first baby's emotional NICU stay, and the pressure she felt to breastfeed. Sashea, who has eight sisters and two brothers, owns and runs a marketing and entertainment company with her husband, and they live in West Orange, NJ. Thank you to Sweaty Betty for sponsoring Motherhood Mondays on the Ali on the Run Show! Go to sweatybetty.com and use code ONTHERUN for 20 percent off your purchase. What you'll get on this episode: Getting to know Sashea (1:30) Did Sashea always know she wanted to be a mom? (8:30) On recovering from two c-sections, and the importance of postpartum recovery (10:15) How prepared did Sashea feel for the postpartum period? (20:30) How Sashea's feeling at three months postpartum (25:40) What Sashea's marriage is like since having kids (30:00) A look at the highest highs and lowest lows of new motherhood, including a scary NICU stay (35:50) Sashea's message to moms in all stages (47:50) What we mention on this episode: Orangetheory Fitness Velcro swaddles Alysia Montaño on Instagram @alysiamontano Follow Sashea: Instagram @sassyfitgirl Twitter @sassyfitgirl Blog 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!

23 Juni 201950min