"It was horrible and wonderful at the same time."

Ali and Allie on the run! Professional track, trail, and road runner Allie Ostrander returns to the Ali on the Run Show today to talk about signing with Oiselle, and about her goals for her 2025 racing season. Allie will be making her half marathon debut at the Mesa Half Marathon in just a few weeks, and in this episode she talks about why she's intrigued by the distance, and what she hopes to accomplish in 13.1 miles. Plus, her reflections on her first injury-free year since 2019, what it's like being a full-time runner and content creator (subscribe to her YouTube channel and get this girl to 100K!), and her advice on how to be a better downhill runner on the trails.

SPONSORS: 

• The Eugene Marathon: Register for the Eugene Marathon (April 27, 2025) and save $10 with code ONTHERUN.
• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

In this episode:

• Why Allie doesn’t run on Sundays (2:25)
• What Allie can share about her 2025 racing calendar (7:45)
• Allie’s goals for her half marathon debut (16:45)
• All about Allie’s decision to sign with Oiselle (19:45)
• Allie’s goals for 2025 (24:00)
• Allie’s advice for how to be a better trail runner (25:45)
• What it took to have an injury-free year for the first time in five years (31:20)
• How Allie sees the business of running (38:40)
• How Allie learned to reframe failure (48:30)
• What Allie would say to her 16-year-old self, and her future self (50:45)

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!

"Take away the paces. Take away the expectations. And approach every single interval or every single mile like you’re listening to your body and understanding that this isn’t an exterior thing you’re doing for someone or to achieve something. It’s you inside, and that’s all that matters."

It's been a hard year and a half for Nell Rojas. The Nike-sponsored professional athlete had a speedy ascent in the world of marathoning. She won the 2019 Grandma's Marathon, and was the top American woman at the 2021 and 2022 Boston Marathons. In this conversation, Nell explains what's been going on with her mind and body recently. She talks about where her fitness is at these days, and about her spring marathon plans. (This just in: Nell will, in fact, be racing this year's Boston Marathon.) Plus: Nell's takeaways from the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trials, her foray into voice lessons, and her story about "the most nervous she's ever been." Nell — a running coach herself, with more than 50 athletes on her current roster — lives in Boulder, CO, where she is coached by her father, Ric Rojas.

SPONSOR: 

• St. Jude Rock 'n' Roll Nashville: Register for the marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, 1 mile, KiDSROCK, or Doggie Dash, all taking place April 26–27, 2025 in Music City, USA! Use code ONTHERUN at checkout for $10 off your Saturday race registration. 

In this episode:

• Nell’s take on New Year’s Resolutions (2:00)
• How Nell spends her days — and what her ideal date entails (4:00)
• What Nell’s loving right now (9:45)
• All about Nell’s workout today (15:45)
• An update on Nell’s health (17:30)
• How Nell is feeling on the run (33:10)
• What Nell is excited about right now (37:10)
• Nell’s takeaways from the 2024 Marathon Trials (41:45)
• Why Nell decided to take singing lessons (44:40)
• The one exercise Nell says all runners should be doing, and Nell's advice to all spring marathoners (48:50)

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!

"There will be more sunshine. You just keep going. It’s not always going to suck. I promise."

It's tradition: Happy New Year, and welcome to the annual State of the Ali on the Run Show episode! In this solo episode, I'm recapping 2024 — the personal highs and lows, the professional highs and lows, and the beauty and chaos in between all of it. Last year, the Ali on the Run Show surpassed 23 million downloads. There were 92 episodes of the show with 63 guests (40 first-timers, and 33 recurring and returning guests), plus 14 solo episodes. (The guest with the most podcast appearances in 2024: Nikki Hiltz, of course!)

THANK YOU for being here for the rollercoaster ride. Let's have some fun in 2025! (Admittedly, I forgot to record the section of this episode that is, traditionally, "My goals for the year." Should I take that as some kind of sign?)

SPONSOR: 

• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), including the new Mocha + Caffeine gel and the Chocolate gel. (My dream!) Then, use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

In this episode:

• The 2024 Ali on the Run Show by the numbers (2:20)
• My 2024 personal and professional highlight reel (22:20)
• Revisiting my 2024 goals (57:20)
• Looking forward on the Ali on the Run Show (1:02:00)
• The 2025 Ali on the Run Show mission statement (1:10:35)
• Answering listener questions about the show — and more (1:13:25)

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!

I love you. I appreciate you. In this short solo episode, I'm wishing you the happiest holidays and reflecting a bit. I'm delighted to report that I'm heading into 2025 with a renewed sense of self, and a lot of joy, happiness, and peace. I wish the same for you. And if you're not there right now, that's OK. The sun will come out tomorrow, next week, next month, next year — whenever you're ready for it. You've got this. (You're doing great!)

SPONSOR: 

• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), including the new Mocha + Caffeine gel and the Chocolate gel. (My dream!) Then, use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

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!

"I mean, it's Taylor Swift Girlhood 101."

Lee Glandorf is a lifelong athlete. The former Yale University rower turned marathoner has also had a lifelong passion for fashion. So it makes perfect sense that Lee's latest endeavor is the launch of The Sweat Lookbook, a weekly newsletter that covers the intersection of sports and style. In this conversation, Lee shares her 2024 hits and misses, from BFF-inspired twinning sets at road races to surprising collaborations between big brands. Plus, she talks about how running — and fashion — have factored into her life during her recent pregnancy and now, with a six-month-old boy (Casper!) at home. (Listen to Lee's first episode of the Ali on the Run Show here.)

FOLLOW LEE @leeglandorf

SPONSOR: 

• New Balance: Click here to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season.

In this episode:

• Lee offers a life update, on the run and beyond (4:00)
• Lee’s experience running during pregnancy and postpartum (7:20)
• Why Lee decided to launch The Sweat Lookbook newsletter (11:00)
• Lee’s favorite fashion-forward athletes to follow (17:00)
• If you could represent any brand, based solely off their pro kits, who would you choose? (22:00)
• What Lee sees as the emerging trends in running (25:15)
• Why are we still putting removable pads in sports bras?! (29:30)
• The evolution of major marathon weekend programming and activation culture (32:40)
• Why is everything so expensive? (41:00)
• Lee’s take on run crew culture, and the intersection of run crews and fashion (44:00)
• The biggest fashion hits and misses of 2024 (46:25)
• Lee’s current running outfit of choice (59:25)

Lee's Running Outfit:

New Balance RC Short 3”

Tracksmith Strata Short

Tracksmith Brighton Base Layer

Everyone Watches Women’s Sports Tee

Sports Romance hat

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!

"If we can move from a place of fear to a place of curiosity — from a place of resisitance to a place of learning — we’ll get a lot farther. We’ll enjoy the process a lot more if we can be in the space of learning and curiosity rather than fear and resistance."

Fan favorite Emily Saul returns to the Ali on the Run Show to hold all of our hands as we navigate end-of-year stress and navigate new-year anxieties. Emily is a licensed mental health counselor, sport psychology coach, and founder of E Saul Movement. She’s a former Division-1 collegiate rower, she’s a lifelong athlete, she’s a many-time marathoner, and she’s a TEDxBoston speaker.

FOLLOW EMILY @emilysaulboston

SPONSOR: 

• New Balance: Click here to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season.

In this episode:

• Why you should listen to Emily’s advice (6:20)
• Emily’s advice for how to handle end-of-the-year anxiety, and the comparison trap of it all (11:00)
• Why Emily says we all need to get off the “hedonic treadmill” (23:45)
• How to approach goal setting in the new year (32:45)
• “I’m afraid to push myself too hard” (43:10)
• “It’s cold and dark and I can’t get myself up and out the door” (1:07:50)

Emily on the Ali on the Run Show:

Beyond the Run with Emily Saul, Marathon Mentality Q&A Part I

Beyond the Run with Emily Saul, Marathon Mentality Q&A Part II

Beyond the Run with Emily Saul, Marathon Mentality Q&A Part III

LIVE at the Boston Marathon with Emily Saul & Anoush Arakelian

Beyond the Run with Dr. Ian Nurse & Emily Saul

Emily Saul, Co-Leader of November Project Boston

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!

"I couldn’t be just an observer or a reader. I had to be this person that could see everything and find the story."

Emily Palmer's work is intense. As an investigative crime reporter who has worked for the New York Times and People Magazine, and whose work has appeared in the Boston Globe, ProPublica, Cosmopolitan, and Elle, Emily has spent a great deal of time at crime scenes, in courtrooms, and even in Mexico with members of El Chapo's cartel. In this conversation, Emily talks about how and why she has pursued a life of crime — covering crime, that is. She explains her approach to how she does her job, talks about the importance of empathy, and gets into the role running plays during her most exhausting and overwhelming work days.

*Content warning: This episode includes stories and descriptions of violence, including violence against women and children.*

SPONSORS: 

• goodr: Click here and use code ALI for $5 off your next order.
• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), including the new Mocha + Caffeine gel and the Chocolate gel. (My dream!) Then, use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

In this episode:

• What running looks like for Emily right now, one month post-NYC Marathon (3:20)
• What Young Emily was like (11:10)
• How Emily became an investigative crime reporter (16:15)
• What it’s like being called to a crime scene (24:20)
• On feeling unsafe on the job (36:00)
• Investigative journalism vs. true crime (40:15)
• The stories Emily is proudest of (45:30)
• On being a “criminal apologist” (1:07:40)
• Emily's shout-out on Brooklyn Nine-Nine (1:13:15)
• How, when, and why Emily became a runner (1:15:40)
• Emily's hopes, dreams, and goals on the run and at work (1:21:00)

For more from Emily:

• Emily's first piece for the New York Times
• Emily's first New York Times byline
• Emily's Carlos Vega story for the New York Times
• Emily's profile of El Chapo's wife (and what she calls her favorite story)
• Emily's People magazine cover story

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!

"I felt really relieved and happy and proud, and just so thankful that I took a chance on myself and chose to keep believing in myself."

Sara Hall just ran her fourth — and fastest — marathon of 2024. At the Valencia Marathon, Sara ran 2:23:45, smashing her own American Masters Marathon Record by three minutes, and finishing tenth overall. From the Marathon Trials to Boston to Chicago to Valencia, today Sara returns to the Ali on the Run Show for a year-end reflective. Plus, what Sara's excited about in 2025.

SPONSORS: 

• Sidekick: Click here to get 15% off any recovery tool.
• Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon’s 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (Emma Bates and I are both Otters!) Use code ALI at checkout for $25 off your next Lagoon order.

In this episode:

• Where in the world is Sara Hall? (2:20)
• How Sara is feeling after running four marathons this year (5:00)
• What it took for Sara to run her fastest marathon of the year (17:00)
• How Sara regained her strength and confidence after the Boston Marathon (22:15)
• Sara reflects on the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon (30:30)
• Sara’s favorite memories from the 2024 Boston Marathon (32:40)
• How Sara remembers the 2024 Chicago Marathon (34:10)
• Why Sara wanted to run the 2024 Valencia Marathon (36:45)
• What’s next for Sara? (48:20)
• All about Coach Sara (51:45)

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!

"We all have fears in life. We all have things that hold us back from doing some really cool stuff. But I kept reminding myself, 'Meghann, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. You can hear those fears, but you’re going to push them aside and you’re going to figure this out.'"

Fan favorite sports dietitian Meghann Featherstun returns to the Ali on the Run Show today for her 2024 in review, including the highs (London!), the lows (none come to mind!), the group runs (O-H-I-O!), and the completion of her Abbott Six-Star journey. 

FOLLOW MEGHANN @featherstonenutrition

SPONSOR: 

• New Balance: Click here to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season.

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!

"I hope that through my work, people saw my life."

With a legendary 14-year career on the track and on the roads, professional 1500m runner and miler Jenny Simpson decided earlier this year that she was ready to retire. After spending 2024 diving into the world of marathoning, Jenny announced that she would run the TCS New York City Marathon as her final professional race. 

Then, after crossing the finish line in 2:31:54 and settling onto the couch with a bowl of ice cream (Blue Bell mint chocolate chip), Jenny got an invitation — and an immediate jolt off that couch. Instead of heading into retirement, Jenny embarked on The Great World Race, running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. 

 Up next: Jenny and Jason (and their two dogs) are packing up the Winnebago and spending the next year on a 50-state Run USA tour. In this supersized, two-hour episode, Jenny talks about all of it, and shares her reflections on her legacy in the sports.

FOLLOW JENNY & JASON'S RUN USA TOUR @JENNYANDJASONRUNUSA AND ON YOUTUBE.

SPONSORS: 

• Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase.
• Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon’s 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (Emma Bates and I are both Otters!) Use code ALI at checkout for $25 off your next Lagoon order.
• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

In this episode:

• How Jenny is feeling after a 10-marathon year (2:20)
• Jenny’s decision to race the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, and to make it her last professional race (8:30)
• What Jenny hopes her legacy will be (14:55)
• Jenny recaps her New York City Marathon (23:10)
• On getting the invitation to run The Great World Race, just days after finishing the New York City Marathon (53:30)
• “It’s as hard as you think it is” (1:02:10)
• Jenny recaps each day of The Great World Race (1:05:50)
• What’s next for Jenny Simpson? (1:46:45)

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!

"I’m living the dream, being who I am, truly and authentically. I can’t complain at all. It’s not even work."

Tiara Williams is a self-proclaimed "little track nerd." The creator, journalist, broadcaster, and in-stadium announcer is the host of "Real Talk with Tee," and she's become a fan and athlete favorite for her genuine and insightful post-race interviews (that often involve dancing and laughing). Whether she's behind the mic, behind the camera, on the mic, or on camera, Tee brings a lightness to her reporting that puts athletes at ease. In this conversation, the former heptathlete talks about her passion for the sport and its athletes, and about how she has built "Real Talk" to what it is today, including stints at multiple World Championships, the 2024 Paris Olympics, international Diamond League meets, Athlos, and more. Plus, what it's like being one of the only Black women in the mixed zone, and where Tee hopes to go from here.

FOLLOW TEE @_realtalkwithtee

SPONSORS: 

• Volvo Cars: Click here to get an exclusive offer on a Volvo purchase or lease. (I'm completely obsessed with the XC90!)
• Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon’s 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (Emma Bates and I are both Otters!) Use code ALI at checkout for $25 off your next Lagoon order.
• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

In this episode:

• What Tee was up to at The Running Event, and how she describes her job and role in the running industry (2:10)
• On staying authentic while building a career and brand (4:00)
• All about Tee’s childhood, what she was like growing up, and how she got into running and sports (4:45)
• How Tee got started in sports journalism (11:20)
• The evolution of Real Talk with Tee (18:50)
• What it was like interviewing Shericka Jackson at the Paris Olympics, and what it was like seeing that interview in Sprint Season 2 (27:10)
• How Tee has found her way in the mixed zone (29:30)
• On being intimidated by certain athletes (47:10)
• What’s next for Tee? (51:20)

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!