03. Alison Desir, Founder of Harlem Run

"It's seeing the bridge from a distance and saying, 'There are going to be 55,000 people that are going to traverse over that bridge from 150 countries from all over the world, and from every neighborhood in New York City.' And they've put in months of hard work. We have thousands of people that have raised millions of dollars for charity. There are people that are running for various causes that are inspiring their families, their friends, their neighborhoods, their communities. And most of all, they're inspiring the world. They're inspiring complete strangers as they run by them. And I think about that when I look at that bridge." —Ted Metellus, TCS New York City Marathon Race Director Every year on the first Sunday of November, more than 55,000 runners will take over the five boroughs for one reason: the TCS New York City Marathon. This episode is your unofficial guide to the iconic 26.2-mile race. Two jam-packed hours of New York City Marathon-related information. And this episode isn't just for the marathoners: We have tips for spectators, a breakdown of how to get into the race in the future, and general advice for having your best marathon day. As for my New York City Marathon love affair: This race is my Super Bowl, my Christmas, my birthday, Valentine's Day, my favorite day of the year. It was the first marathon I ever watched, back in 2008, when I went out to cheer for a coworker who was running the race. (Thanks for the inspiration, Therese!) I've run it three times — in 2013, 2014, and 2016 — and volunteered once, in 2015, at a fluid station in Brooklyn. In 2017, I cheered on "First and Fifth," and in 2018, at three weeks postpartum, going to the New York City Marathon was my first outing since having a baby. I sat in the grandstands as Shalane Flanagan finished third, and pumped in a "fancy" (you know, the nice kind!) finish line porta potty. Then, in 2019, I got the best seat in the house for the first time: New York City Marathon finish line announcer. After announcing at the finish and at the Finish Line After Dark in 2019, 2021, and 2022, in 2023 I made my NYC TV debut. I joined the broadcast talent team as a reporter on the international feed, and was featured on the WABC7 local broadcast. Last year, I was on the ESPN and WABC7 broadcasts at the finish line, interviewing notables including Chelsea Clinton, Casey Neistat, Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, Sara Vaughn, Matt James, and Ilona Maher. This year: They're putting me on ESPN and ABC again! In addition to hosting a live show with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone during New York City Marathon weekend, on race day I'll be part of the ESPN2 and WABC7 broadcasts as a start and finish line reporter from 8 AM until 5 PM. Let's have some fun! SPONSOR: New Balance: Click here to check out this year's official New York City Marathon collection! In this episode: New York City Marathon race director Ted Metellus talks about why he's excited for this year's TCS New York City Marathon (5:25) The 2025 TCS New York City Marathon by the numbers (25:40) Pre-race: how to get in, how to handle feeling overwhelmed by logistics, and how to watch this year's race (29:05) What you need to know about getting to the start line in Staten Island, and what to do once you're there (38:40) Dorian Kail, New York Road Runners Director of Professional Athletes, talks about assembling this year's professional athlete fields and shares the top storylines to watch (53:40) All about the New York City Marathon course (1:23:00) Welcome to the New York City Marathon finish line — and what happens once you cross it (1:33:30) What to know about spectating at the New York City Marathon (1:38:20) Listener Q&A (1:48:00) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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 Okt 1h 56min

"People can say whatever they want. But at the end of the day, I know what my bigger picture is. I know what my why is here. And so I'm just going to really try and stick to that knowing I feel very confident in what I'm trying to do, even if people might not understand it right now. It's all just a process, baby." Next weekend, Molly Seidel will run the TCS New York City Marathon — her first marathon in two years. But the Molly who will be lining up in Staten Island this year is very different from the fresh-off-earning-an-Olympic-bronze-medal Molly who ran it in 2021. (Her 2:24:42 is still the fastest time run by an American woman in NYC.) In this conversation, Molly talks about the highs from the past few years, including that fourth-place finish in New York City in 2021 and an eighth-place finish and personal best (2:23:07) at the Chicago Marathon in 2023. She also talks about the lows, including what was going on behind the scenes during those races, injuries, mental health struggles, and sponsorship changes. She offers updates on her new coach, her new home base, her new relationship, and her new relationship with running, and talks all about her training, mindset, and goals for race day in New York City. SPONSOR: goodr: Click here and use code ALI for $5 off your next order. In this episode: What's making Molly happy today (2:05) How Molly is feeling heading into this year's New York City Marathon (5:15) How Molly today compares to the 2021 Molly who ran an American course record in NYC (11:05) Why Molly is calling Austin home right now (13:40) Why Molly changed coaches this year (20:35) What Molly's NYCM training has been like (23:30) What would make this year's New York City Marathon a success? (27:35) Molly's advice to fellow New York City Marathon runners (29:50) Molly's take on L.A. 2028 and whether she'll try to make another Olympic team, and what sponsorship looks like these days (35:00) Congrats, grad! Molly talks about earning her MBA (38:45) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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 Okt 49min

"I'm trying to figure out how to live with stage IV cancer. How do I live and enjoy my life and enjoy these moments while also knowing I had to fly home the next day to go to chemo?" From the press conference and the New Balance live show to the 5K, the marathon finish line, and all the moments in between, this is my recap from the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. SPONSORS: Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase. Oofos: The best in recovery footwear! Check out Oofos's 2025 Project Pink collection, where 10% of every purchase is donated to cancer research. In this episode: Friday: the press conference, the big feelings, and the New Balance live show (1:30) Saturday: the Abbott Chicago 5K, the ABC interview, the game show, and the time with friends (21:50) Sunday: the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon! (36:45) Monday: the final run and the trip home (1:01:40) Final thoughts (1:06:40) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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 Okt 1h 12min

"Running is running is running, and I love it all." Courtney Dauwalter returns to the Ali on the Run Show — this time as a 2:49 marathoner! Courtney is an ultra runner who is best known for her GOAT-status success on the trails. In 2023, she became the first person to win Western States, the Hardrock 100, and UTMB int he same year. Earlier this year, she won Hardrock in a women's course record: 26 hours 11 minutes and 49 seconds. Most recently, Courtney's been hitting the roads! She just completed the Twin Cities Marathon — her first marathon in more than a decade — in 2:49. But it's not about the time on the clock for Courtney. In this conversation, she talks about why she wanted to run a road marathon, why Twin Cities, and why now. Plus, an exciting announcement about what's next. SPONSOR: Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon's 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (I'm an Otter!) Use code ALI at checkout for 15% off your next Lagoon order. In this episode: "It's candy corn season!" (2:00) Courtney's snapshot moment from the 2025 Twin Cities Marathon (4:50) What's making Courtney happy today, and what she's into right now (5:45) How Courtney is feeling post-marathon, and how road marathons fit into her career right now (8:20) What Courtney's marathon training looked like, and how it differed from ultra training (16:00) Courtney's time goal and expectations for Twin Cities (21:30) Courtney's fueling and hydration plan for Twin Cities (26:35) Courtney's take on the marathon community (29:30) Courtney recaps her race at the Twin Cities Marathon (36:00) Courtney's takeaways from the marathon (43:20) What's next on the run for Courtney (47:00) How it feels to be a 2:49 marathoner (53:30) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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 Okt 1h 7min

"There's nothing I'm going to shy away from." What a gift it was to be in Chicago this weekend for all of the Chicago Marathon festivities. And what better way to kick it all off than with a live show with 450 of you, presented by our good friends at New Balance? If the goal was to laugh, relax, and have fun before runners toed the line on Sunday (or Saturday, in the Abbott Chicago 5K!), then we certainly succeeded, thanks to our special guest, former professional runner and Off the Rails cohost, Eric Jenkins. On a personal note: This show was one for the books for me. Thank you for welcoming me in such a beautiful way and for wrapping me up in so much love during such a tough time. This room, this conversation, this event gave me everything I didn't even know I needed. Thank you for being there. Thank you for being you. And thank you to New Balance and Fleet Feet Chicago for making it happen. FOLLOW ERIC @_ericjenkins SPONSOR: New Balance: Click here to get your hands on the just-released Rebel v5! Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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!

13 Okt 1h 7min

"I do want to be the greatest to ever do it in our sport. And I mean that wholeheartedly. I genuinely feel like it's something that I can do, and something I've been called to do. In due time it is going to happen. But it is going to start with me taking it one day, one practice, one meet at a time." Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has had the year of her dreams. At this year's World Championships in Tokyo, Melissa became the first American in history to win triple gold, winning the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. She became the first American woman since Allyson Felix in 2009 to win the 200m at World Championships, and became the first American woman in history to win the 100/200 double at World Championships. Melissa went undefeated in the 100m this entire season, winning Diamond Leagues, Grand Slam Track meets, and, of course, World Champs. Last year, Melissa made her Olympic debut in Paris, where she won bronze in the 100m and gold in the 4x100m relay. In this conversation, Melissa talks about what life is like for the fastest woman in the world. FOLLOW MELISSA @__melissaj19 SPONSORS: New Balance: Click here to get your hands on the just-released Rebel v5! Shokz: Use code ALI for $10 off your next headphone purchase. In this episode: Melissa's honeymoon plans, and how she's feeling after a banner season on the track (2:30) What it was like being on The Jennifer Hudson Show (5:25) What's making Melissa happy today (10:20) What's going through Melissa's head when she's in the blocks (13:00) Melissa's mantra: One Day, One Practice, One Meet at a Time (14:50) All about Melissa's "hero's welcome" after flying home from Tokyo (21:15) Melissa's take on track fashion (23:45) On running as a team sport (29:00) Melissa recaps her 100m experience at World Championships (36:00) How Melissa feels about being a reigning World Champion (41:30) All about the 200m Final, including the false start that kicked it off (43:40) Melissa's relationship with Allyson Felix (51:15) Melissa reflects on her "introductory year," and reflects on her early Olympic dreams (56:50) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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 Okt 1h 11min

"I will forever tell this story until the day that I die!" Meghan Howard is an 11-time marathoner and educator who lives outside Toronto. She started running in 2019 and had a speedy — literally — rise to running success. Last year, she broke three hours in the marathon for the first time at the Chicago Marathon. Most recently, Meghan ran the Berlin Marathon — alongside Harry Styles! In this conversation, Meghan talks about how she and Harry met at the start, and how they ended up running the first 17K of the race together. FOLLOW MEGHAN @meghanahoward SPONSOR: Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon's 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (I'm an Otter!) Use code ALI at checkout for 15% off your next Lagoon order. In this episode: How Meghan is feeling post-Berlin (2:00) What's making Meghan happy today, and all about her work as an educator (4:40) What Meghan was like as a kid, and how she found running (12:50) How Meghan found her confidence through running (24:00) How Meghan deals with "failures" on the run (27:15) Meghan reflects on her training for the 2025 Berlin Marathon (35:20) On running through grief, and how Meghan leaned into her training after the loss of her father (38:20) How Meghan reflects on her race at the Berlin Marathon (43:00) On running the Berlin Marathon WITH HARRY STYLES! (53:45) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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!

3 Okt 1h 16min

"This is just the time to be brave and see what happens." Georgia Hunter Bell just won a silver medal for Team Great Britain in the 800m at World Championships in Tokyo. Last year, she won bronze in the 1500m at the Olympics in Paris. Before that? Georgia was working fulltime in cybersecurity sales, convinced that her running days were behind her. In this conversation, Georgia talks about her time off from racing, her return to the sport, and her road to becoming an Olympic and World Championship medalist. Georgia will wrap up her season next week, competing in the 800m at Athlos in New York City. FOLLOW GEORGIA @georgiabelltheduathlete SPONSORS: goodr: Click here and use code ALI for $5 off your next order. Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase. In this episode: How Georgia is feeling post-World Championships, pre-Athlos (2:30) What's making Georgia happy today, and all about her run today (4:45) Georgia reflects on her race at World Championships, where she won a silver medal, and explains why she ran the 800m instead of the 1500m (10:20) On being a "guaranteed medalist" (18:20) Georgia's key takeaways from World Championships (26:40) All about Georgia's relationship with teammate, training partner, and friend Keely Hodgkinson — and what it's like competing against each other (31:55) Why Georgia took a break from running after college — and why she eventually returned to the sport (38:30) What it took to get a spot on Team GB for the 2024 Olympics in Paris (45:00) How it feels not to be an underdog anymore (55:00) Georgia's advice to runners in a hard season (58:00) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter 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 Okt 1h 9min