Ali on the Run Show

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366. The Everyday Runner, Jen Correa Apr 27, 2021

Show notes

"The water took everything, but we had ourselves and all of our communities and friends who made sure we had everything else."

Welcome to the newest series on the Ali on the Run Show: The Everyday Runner. For the next four weeks, we'll hear from runners who are just like you and me. Not professional athletes — these runners have jobs, families, and responsibilities beyond this sport we all love so much.

First up: Meet Jen Correa! Jen is a mom of two (plus two dogs!) from Staten Island, NY. She works in insurance, and we met through the running blog world in the early 2010s, when Jen was blogging at Mom's Gotta Run. On this episode, Jen shares her running story, which started when her friend convinced her to run a Corporate Challenge race. She wasn't an athlete growing up — "I have nightmares of gym class," she says — but after her first race as an adult (and a pack-a-day smoker), she was hooked. Eventually, Jen gave up smoking, but she stuck with running, including marathons. In 2012, Jen and her family lost everything when Hurricane Sandy touched down in Staten Island. Their house was lifted off its foundation, and floated nearly a mile away. They had to start over, and on this episode, Jen, 46, talks about how, exactly, they did that. She shares her poignant takeaways from losing it all, and talks about the controversy surrounding the New York City Marathon's cancellation at the time.

SPONSOR: Picky Bars — Visit pickybars.com/ontherun, where code ONTHERUN gets you 20% off. (Join the Picky Club and get an extra 20% off.

What you'll get on this episode:

Reflecting back on the early 2010s, and what it was like being a part of the running community in New York City during that time (5:45)
Jen talks about her childhood, and about how she found running (9:00)
On adopting and owning the "runner" title (15:45)
On being a New Yorker on September 11, 2001 (18:30)
What Jen's relationship with running was like during and after her pregnancies (20:00)
Jen talks about her family's experience in the wake of Hurricane Sandy (31:30)
"When you've lost everything — except each other — what do you do?" (46:00)
What running — and finally running the New York City Marathon — was like after Hurricane Sandy (52:00)
What it was like running the 2016 New York City Marathon representing Staten Island as part of the Foot Locker Five Borough Challenge (1:01:30)

What we mention on this episode:

Michele Gonzalez on Episode 87 of the Ali on the Run Show

Michele Gonzalez on Episode 19 of the Ali on the Run Show

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365. Catching Up with Tatyana McFadden Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

"We spend so much time in our lives comparing ourselves. So my mantra is, life isn't about what you don't have. It's what you do with the gifts you are given."

Tatyana McFadden is one of the most-decorated athletes of all time. She is a 17-time Paralympic medalist (she's been competing at the Games since she was 15!) and 23-time World Marathon Majors winner, and she's currently gearing up for this year's Paralympic Games in Tokyo, where she hopes to compete in every distance from the 100m up to the marathon. On this episode, Tatyana catches us up on all that's happened since the last time she was on the Ali on the Run Show. She talks about her film, Rising Phoenix, which she both helped produce and stars in. She talks about her friendship with Prince Harry, and about being on an episode of Project Runway. And she talks about her ambitious plans for Tokyo this summer, where she will compete in the Paralympics for the sixth consecutive time.

SPONSOR: AJC Peachtree Road Race — Register for this year's race today at ajc.com/peachtree.

What you'll get on this episode:

Tatyana talks about her upcoming race plans (4:45)
How is Prince Harry doing? (6:45)
All about Rising Phoenix (9:00)
Tatyana's advice for extending longevity in this career (25:30)
Reflecting on life a year ago (33:20)
All about being on Project Runway (41:00)
On Joe Biden including the word "disability" in his victory speech last year (47:20)
How Tatyana trains to be successful at such a range of distances (50:45)
Who does Tatyana look up to? (54:30)
What the qualifying process looks like for the Paralympics (56:00)

What we mention on this episode:

Tatyana McFadden on Episode 115 of the Ali on the Run Show

Rising Phoenix on Netflix

Ya Sama! by Tatyana McFadden

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364. Ask Ali! Apr 23, 2021

Show notes

"I wanted this to be a show for so long where everyone loved every episode. And don't get me wrong, I'd still love for that to be the case! But I've learned that that is kind of impossible. So I'll keep trying to trust my leaky gut and hoping many people find many things to love, but knowing I can't be everything to everyone."

Welcome to Ask Ali, a bi-weekly series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we've got listener questions about building running mileage, making friends as an adult, the future of journalism, regrets, and my love for having someone else pump my gas. Enjoy!

If you want to be part of a future "Ask Ali" episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever's on your mind! I can't wait to hear from you!

SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order!

What I mention on this episode:

36 Hours in Bar Harbor, Maine

Emilia Benton on Episode 340 of the Ali on the Run Show

Ali on the For the Long Run podcast

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363. Des Linden, Ultramarathoner & 50K Record Holder Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

"Things can go off the rails quick. So as much as you want to be confident and feel like it's gonna be easy, that's not how this works."

Des Linden, Olympian and 2018 Boston Marathon champion, is officially an ultramarathoner. And not just an ultramarathoner: a record-setting ultramarathoner. Last week, Des made her ultra debut, racing a 50K in Oregon, and breaking a world record in the process. She finished in 2:59:54, beating the previous world record (held by Aly Dixon) by more than seven minutes, averaging a 5:47 per mile pace, and becoming the first woman to ever run a 50K in less than three hours. On this episode, Des recaps the race and talks about what it was like running in unknown-to-her territory. She shares what it takes to annoy her on the run, tells all about "The Shoey" tradition, and talks about what's most intriguing to her right now.

SPONSOR: AfterShokz — Visit ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones.

Listen to Des on the Ali on the Run Show:

Episode 205: Love on the Run with Des & Ryan Linden

Episode 100

Episode 77: Live in San Diego

Episode 64

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362. Just Missed with Chanelle Price Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

"I think you can almost want something too bad. Because I just wanted it so bad. I wasn't relaxed. It wasn't fun anymore. It was just tunnel vision on winning — and I wasn't winning! I wanted it so bad and it wasn't happening. It was very draining."

What happens when you set big, dreamy, lofty goals — but when it counts the most, you fall short? That's what this series, "Just Missed," is about. These conversations are about dealing with disappointment. They are reminders that progress is never linear, and that it's not always the big wins or the losses that define us, but the moments in between.

So far on this series, we've heard from Julia Lucas and HOKA NAZ Elite athlete Kellyn Taylor. Today, Oregon Track Club's Chanelle Price is here.

Chanelle was a standout athlete in high school. She was named Gatorade's Athlete of the Year, and became addicted to winning.

But when she went away to college at the University of Tennessee, she was no longer "high school Chanelle." She wasn't winning. She wasn't the fastest on the team. And she struggled. She had a goal of becoming an NCAA 800m champion, but missed that goal, finishing second at both indoors and outdoors.

From there, Chanelle's running career saw high highs and challenging lows. She decided to compete at the professional level, but struggled to find a sponsor early on. In 2014, Chanelle had a breakthrough: She won gold in the 800m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, and became the only American woman to ever win a gold medal there. She signed with Nike. She won gold — three times — as a member of Team USA's 4x800m relay at World Athletics Championships. She ran a personal best in the 800m: 1:59.10.

Then, in 2017, it all came crashing down. The hits came in rapid succession: a foot fracture, a pulmonary embolism that led to blood clots in her lungs, and, ultimately, a bout with mononucleosis. All of that led to her losing her sponsor. It all could've been career-ending, but Chanelle wouldn't let that happen. She mounted a comeback — and last year, dealt with another foot fracture.

Today, Chanelle is up and running (up, literally, at altitude), gearing up for the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials. This is her story.

SPONSOR: Gatorade Endurance — Shop gatoradeendurance.com and use code ONTHERUN20 for 20% off your next Gatorade Endurance order.

What we mention on this episode:

Athletes in Action

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361. Cynthia Martinez, Filmmaker & Journalist Apr 15, 2021

Show notes

"It's hard for me to be back here in a lot of ways. Because it sometimes brings me back to being that little Cynthia, and feeling like my voice doesn't matter because of the color of my skin or my hair. Like people don't care about what I have to say. And that's why this film is so important to me. I want these kids to be heard. I want them to know that they do matter."

Cynthia Martinez is a 12-time marathoner and four-time Boston Marathon qualifier who has run races on four continents, completed 16 international races, and won races in Thailand and Dubai. She's a mom, a journalist (she earned her Master's degree from Columbia), and a filmmaker. And right now, Cynthia is producing a film inspired by her own life experiences and her pursuit of higher education. First Voice Generation follows six first-generation Latinx college students, and documents how they are overcoming the challenges of a global pandemic while pursuing their own collegiate careers. On this episode, Cynthia reflects (powerfully; have tissues nearby) on her own childhood as the granddaughter of Mexican migrant farm workers and hard-working parents who worked multiple jobs, and talks about the struggles her family faced. She talks about abuse and alcoholism in her home growing up, and talks about how she is rebuilding her relationships with her parents now, as a mother herself. She talks about the jobs that led her to becoming a filmmaker — including nannying for the 1% in New York City and working at Univision — and explains the role running has played along the way.

(Want to support First Voice Generation? Check out the film's Kickstarter here.)

SPONSOR: AfterShokz — Visit ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones.

What you'll get on this episode:

All about First Voice Generation (4:27)
Cynthia reflects on her own childhood (12:00)
How Cynthia found running (20:00)
Why Cynthia is a fan of only running three days a week during marathon training (23:00)
Cynthia talks about her running travels (31:45)
Cynthia's road to becoming a mother, and her postpartum experience (35:00)
Cynthia's career evolution, and how she became a filmmaker (51:30)
How to support First Voice Generation (59:35)

What we mention on this episode:

First Voice Generation on Instagram @firstvoicegeneration

First Voice Generation Kickstarter

Upward Bound

Chris Heuisler on Episode 265 of the Ali on the Run Show

Kate Pallardy on Instagram @katepallardy

Lynn McGrew on Episode 339 of the Ali on the Run Show

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360. Just Missed with Kellyn Taylor Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

"I think that in order to do special things, especially in running, you really have to put yourself out there. And a lot of times, it doesn't go how you want it to. But you can learn a lot from the times that don't go right. When things go right, you're like yeah, that was fun, that was easy… But the ones where you really have to work for it, you really have to put your head down and grind it out, go to a dark place, get it done — you grow so much more in those situations, and you take so much more away from those times."

Last week, we heard from former professional runner Julia Lucas. This week, HOKA NAZ Elite athlete Kellyn Taylor is here.

Throughout her professional career, Kellyn has seen some major breakthroughs and has celebrated plenty of exciting moments. There was her win at the 2018 Grandma's Marathon, where she ran a 2:24 just eight weeks after dropping out of the Boston Marathon. In 2019, she ran a personal best in the 5K, finished third at USATF Outdoor Championships, and placed seventh at the New York City Marathon.

But along the way, she's dealt with some tough stuff, too. There was that DNF in Boston. Injuries. And a handful of near-misses in pursuit of becoming an Olympian — most notably, in 2016, when she finished sixth at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, and then finished fourth in the 10K at the Track & Field Trials a few months later. Then, last year, she hoped to make the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team — again — but finished eighth. Now, Kellyn, who is also a mom, a foster parent, and a trained firefighter, is gearing up for this summer's Track & Field Trials, where she again hopes to make the 10K team.

SPONSOR: Gatorade Endurance — Shop gatoradeendurance.com and use code ONTHERUN20 for 20% off your next Gatorade Endurance order.

What we mention on this episode:

Steph Bruce on Episode 354 of the Ali on the Run Show

A Time and A Place

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359. On the Job with Caitlin Dalton, Middle School Special Education Teacher Apr 13, 2021

Show notes

"I wish more people looked at them as humans first and were not scared… They don't know what to say, they don't know how to act. They may be well meaning, but they don't see it's just OK to talk to them like you would talk to anyone else. They're like anyone else in that they seek connection, attention, and love from the people around them."

We're wrapping up Season 4 of the On the Job series today, and we're doing that by giving a big round of applause — let's make it a standing ovation — for all the teachers out there. Teachers have been thrown so many curveballs and challenges in addition to what is already not easy work, and today, Caitlin Dalton is here to talk all about what the past year has looked like, and to reflect on pre-pandemic life in the classroom. Caitlin is a middle school special education teacher, and she is the teacher we all want or want our children to have. She is so passionate, so enthusiastic, and cares so deeply about her work. Caitlin works with students with severe disabilities, and is happy to shed light on all the great things these students are capable of. She also talks about the emotional component of her work, and about why burnout is so common among teachers. When she's not teaching, Caitlin is an ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapist for clients with autism, is an assistant cross-country coach at the school, and is, of course, a runner herself.

SPONSOR: Tracksmith — Go to tracksmith.com/ontherun and use code ONTHERUN for $15 off your first Tracksmith order of $75 or more.

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358. Ask Ali! Apr 09, 2021

Show notes

"It was such an immediate shift for me. I realized, this is what I need to do to love running again."

Welcome back to Ask Ali, a monthly series where I answer all of your questions. This time around, we've got listener questions about running without a watch, advice for first-time marathoners, my favorite things to make right now, and building confidence. Plus, an Annie cameo! Enjoy!

If you want to be part of a future "Ask Ali" episode (yay!), call 917-947-9699 — introduce yourself, and ask whatever's on your mind! I can't wait to hear from you!

SPONSOR: goodr. Click here and use code ONTHERUN15 for 15% off your entire goodr order!

What I mention on this episode:

Run Fast. Eat Slow.

Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.

Rise & Run.

Coach Cane & Nicole Sin Quee on Episode 313 of the Ali on the Run Show

Hamptons Marathon recap

"11 Ways I Improved My Confidence"

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357. Shelby Houlihan & Karissa Schweizer, Bowerman Track Club Teammates Apr 08, 2021

Show notes

"We get on the line and yeah, we're competitive with each other, but as soon as we cross that line, we're each other's biggest fans."

Shelby Houlihan and Karissa Schweizer are two of the fastest women on the planet right now. They run for Nike's Bowerman Track Club, and seem to have found the perfect balance of being both great friends and teammates and fierce competitors. On this episode, Shelby and Karissa — a treat to get to talk to them together! — talk about their relationship, how they first met, and what each of their respective "first runs with the Bowerman team" were like. They talk about what it's like knowing your toughest competition is right by your side — or right on your heels — at practice and on race day. And, of course, they talk about gearing up for this year's Olympic Track & Field Trials, where Shelby will compete in the 1500 and Karissa in the 5K. They talk about their biggest dreams (bringing home gold), their greatest fears, and the time they secretly went skydiving. Come for the friendship. Stay for the spontaneous ukulele concert.

SPONSOR: AfterShokz — Visit ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones.

What you'll get on this episode:

How was your run today? (3:20)
The ways in which Shelby and Karissa are most similar, and which ways they're totally different (5:20)
How Karissa and Shelby met (14:00)
Recapping Karissa's win at last year's 3000m National Record BU Last Chance Invitational (25:30)
On bonding (26:55)
What Shelby and Karissa were like when they were younger (28:00)
What the Bowerman Track Club women do off the track (36:15)
A ukulele concert, courtesy of Shelby! (45:30)
What the vibe is like at a Bowerman Track Club practice (48:00)
Looking forward to the Olympic Track & Field Trials (54:30)

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