Ali on the Run Show Ali Feller

"The time on the clock doesn’t matter. That doesn’t mean I don’t care. It just means it doesn’t define me."

Welcome to the second Ask Ali episode of 2023! These episodes come your way once a month, sometimes with a guest host, sometimes responding to listener voicemails, and sometimes just flying solo. Today, the Ali on the Run Show voicemail Q&A makes its grand return! Thanks to everyone who called it for this one.

CALL IN: 617-446-3966

SPONSORS:

Tracksmith: New customers, use code ALINEW for $15 off your first Tracksmith order over $75. Returning customers, use code ALIGIVE for free shipping, plus a portion of the proceeds from your order will be donated to Moms Demand Action. Sidekick: Use code ONTHERUN for 15% off your next order.
You asked:

1:40: What was it like going to the mall with your mom when you were younger? 9:05: Should I run a marathon the same month as my wedding? 16:10: Why don’t you have more high school and college runners on the Ali on the Run Show? 23:00: Can you talk about your experience working out at Orangetheory Fitness? 30:30: What do you do when you are overwhelmed as a mom? 43:40: Does talking to and being around elite runners and Olympians ever make me feel like I’m not a good runner? 49:15: What podcasts do you listen to?
Follow Ali:

Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava
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!

"Right on Hereford, left on Boylston. It is the place to be. It’s special every time."

We are just 24 days away from the 127th running of the world's oldest marathon. This year's Boston Marathon takes place, as always, on the third Monday of April — this year, that's April 17. In this mega-episode, I (along with a team of experts and insiders) am attempting to answer all of your questions about all things Boston. Jack Fleming and Lauren Proshan from the Boston Athletic Association are here to talk logistics (take some deep breaths — the journey to the start line is doable, and you won't be waiting around for too long once you get there!), past champions Des Linden and Meb Keflezighi join to talk course strategy and to break down what it takes to succeed (and run a PR!) in Boston, and sports dietitian Meghann Featherstun is here to give you some last-minute fueling advice. Get excited: Whether you're running, volunteering, cheering, or watching from home, it'll be a Boston to remember, headlined by the fastest professional fields ever assembled on both the men's and women's sides. (Kipchoge!)

SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance’s latest releases for the season. (The SuperComp Trainer is my favorite shoe!)

What you’ll get on this episode:

B.A.A. President & CEO Jack Fleming talks about the history and significance of the Boston Marathon (3:50) Want to run Boston someday? Here’s what you need to know about getting in, plus how to watch, the inside scoop on the Boston Celebration jackets, and more (37:55) 2014 Boston Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi offers a Boston-specific pep talk (56:15) Lauren Proshan, the B.A.A.’s chief of race operations and production, explains the process of getting to the start line in Hopkinton, and what to know once you’re there (1:27:05) Sports dietitian and three-time Boston Marathoner Meghann Featherstun offers advice on Boston-specific fueling before, during, and after the race (1:53:50) 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des Linden breaks down the Boston Marathon course (2:19:10) All about the Boston Marathon finish line (2:51:40) A quick overview about spectating at the Boston Marathon, and final thoughts on all things Boston 2023 (2:58:10)
Follow Ali:

Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava
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!

"It comes to a point where you are so tired and you’re just constantly irritable. And I was not prepared for that!"

The last time professional distance runner Erika Kemp was on the Ali on the Run Show, the six-time collegiate All-American and multiple-time USATF national champion was on a racing hot streak, earning multiple regional and national titles and earning wins from the 5K up to the 20K. Erika has had a hugely successful career since going pro in 2018 and signing with the B.A.A. High Performance team and adidas — but, she says, she hasn't yet had that breakout, defining performance. Might it be just around the corner? With a new team, new coach, and new sponsor, Erika is about to take on her longest challenge yet. She's now a Brooks Running-sponsored athlete, she's being coached by Kurt Benninger (Molly Huddle's husband!), and she's gearing up to make her 26.2-mile racing debut at the Boston Marathon next month. In this conversation, Erika talks about all of her recent life changes, shares how she's feeling as her mileage continues to increase, and talks about the LOL-worthy detours along the way. Plus, her take on the pressures and expectations that come with making a marathon debut, and what she's doing about those pesky 3 AM hunger pangs.

SPONSOR:

UCAN: Click here to get a FREE Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI23 for 20% off your next UCAN order.
What you’ll get on this episode:

Erika recaps her race at the NYC Half this past weekend (2:45) What Erika’s training is like right now (8:30) Erika talks about leaving the B.A.A. High Performance Team, and what went into the decision to sign with Brooks Running and train with Kurt Benninger (9:30) What training with Kurt has been like so far (20:00) How marathon training is going so far — including a slight mishap on a recent long run — and the best advice Erika has received about how to ace her Boston Marathon debut (23:05) The pressure and expectations that come with debuting in a new distance (32:00) What has surprised Erika the most about marathon training so far (36:40) What Erika is loving most about her marathon training journey (41:30) On being a beginner again (45:30) The post-Boston plan: Erika's moving to Providence! (50:40)
Follow Erika:

Instagram @imtinyrik
Follow Ali:

Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava
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!

"From this day forward, I will say that I'm a runner."

In 2004, I was a freshman at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. That's when I met Scott Wormser. We bonded immediately over our shared loves for musicals, New York City, and chocolate lava cakes. We did fun things together, like hosting the annual Mr. Quinnipiac competition, helping plan the senior week festivities for our graduating class, and being orientation leaders for the incoming freshmen classes. We were always laughing, always having fun — and definitely not ever running.

Fast-forward to today, and here we are, nearly 20 years later: two marathoners. We still love musicals, NYC, and lava cakes, but these days, Scott and I are more likely to be talking about our next races or our favorite Peloton instructors. Scott got into running just a few years after I did, and has gone on to complete many half marathons and the 2016 New York City Marathon. For him, running isn't about a pace or a place — it's his me time, his release, his favorite way to sweat. In this conversation, Scott talks about how he became a runner, and why he still sometimes struggles to call himself one. Next up: He'll be running the New York City Half this weekend on as an ambassador for Project Purple, an organization he holds close to his heart.

SPONSORS:

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race: Register TODAY for the world's largest and most iconic 10K road race, taking place in Atlanta, GA, on July 4. UCAN: Click here to get a FREE Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI23 for 20% off your next UCAN order.
What you'll get on this episode:

Why is today a good day? (3:00) Would College Scott be surprised to learn that Scott today is a runner? (5:45) What Scott was like growing up (10:25) On feeling like "all runners have this all figured out," and on owning the "runner" title (15:40) Why Scott wanted to run a marathon (30:15) Why Scott runs for Project Purple, a pancreatic cancer community (39:50) All about Scott's job(s) and home life (53:20)
Check out the playlist I made for Scott's NYC Half this weekend!

Follow Ali:

Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava
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!

"There are definitely stars who make $500,000, a million dollars a year. If someone is breaking world records, they are getting paid."

It's a series! Welcome to "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know!" I've worked in the running industry in some capacity for roughly a decade now, and as much as I've immersed myself, there's still so much I don't know or understand. So if I, a relative industry insider, am still confused about things like shoe contracts, drug testing, waterfall starts on the track, and the Diamond Leagues, surely I'm not alone. I put out the ask — What's something you don't understand or have always wanted to ask about the running industry? — and the responses came pouring in with great questions.

So today, former professional runner and founder of The Lap Count (and track and field's biggest fan and hype guy) Kyle Merber is here to answer all of your questions about the business of running. Sponsorships and appearance fees and "OK but who actually pays coaches?" and NDAs, oh my!

SPONSOR: Tracksmith. New customers, use code ALINEW for $15 off your first Tracksmith order over $75. Returning customers, use code ALIGIVE for free shipping, plus a portion of the proceeds from your order will be donated to Moms Demand Action.

Follow Kyle:

Instagram @kylemerber Twitter @TheRealMerb Subscribe to The Lap Count
Follow Ali:

Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava
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!

"What is my why? It’s just to give myself a shot. I’ve run six marathons. I feel like one of them went really well. And I felt the urge to try something fun and give myself a challenge and see what I’m capable of."

Hello from the halfway point in my Eugene Marathon training! I'm seven weeks into my training with seven weeks to go until I line up for my seventh marathon. A few weeks ago, my coach and my sports dietitian joined me on the show to talk about what it's been like working together in this pursuit. Today, it's just me, talking about why I'm doing this. Why now? Why the marathon, seven years after my last attempt? What am I hoping to get out of all of this? In addition to sharing a bit about my history with the 26.2-mile distance, I'm also talking about my key takeaways from the past seven weeks, and sharing what I hope to gain throughout this process. (Come run with me! There's a half marathon option, too! Use code ONTHERUNEUGENE to save on your registration.)

SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance’s latest releases for the season. (The SuperComp Trainer is my favorite shoe!)

What you’ll get on this episode:

What my life looks like right now, and how marathon training fits in (2:45) A recap of my marathon history (8:45) My key takeaways from the halfway point in my Eugene Marathon training (18:25)
Follow Ali:

Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 Support on Patreon Subscribe to the newsletter Blog Strava
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!