Ali on the Run Show

Latest Episodes:

126. Ali & the Experts Week with Shannon McLay, Founder of The Financial Gym Mar 10, 2019

Show notes

"Physical fitness and financial fitness are both simple. To get physically fit, we need to eat less and work out more, and to get financially fit, we need to spend less and make more. It sounds really simple, but if it were that simple, we'd have a bunch of skinny millionaires running around! There are a lot of emotions around both." —Shannon McLay

If you want to run a marathon, you hire a running coach or personal trainer. If you want to get your finances whipped into shape, you hire Shannon McLay, founder and CEO of The Financial Gym and host of the Martinis and Your Money podcast. Shannon is a former Merrill Lynch financial advisor who created The Financial Gym to help people "kick their assets into shape and their bad money habits to the curb." Her goal is to help men and women, primarily of the millennial generation, to get financially healthy. Shannon and her team at The Financial Gym have coached more than 1,400 clients and helped them turn their bank accounts, credit scores, and investments around — and on this episode, she talks about how to get started, plus how to avoid the financial comparison trap.

Thank you to Strava for sponsoring Ali & the Experts Week! CLICK HERE and use code ONTHERUN to get one month FREE with your purchase of a Strava Summit subscription.

What you'll get on this episode:

General money Q&A, including advice on credit cards, bank accounts, the financial comparison trap, and more (5:00)
Budgeting 101 (22:15)
Advice for paying off student loans (28:05)
All about investing and saving (37:45)
Baby and family questions (53:00)

What we mention on this episode:

NerdWallet

The Points Guy

Acorns

Investing 101 Webinar via The Financial Gym

Betterment

Policygenius

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125. Ali & the Experts Week with Dr. Logan Levkoff, Sex & Relationships Educator Mar 09, 2019

Show notes

"It's important to have the tough conversations." —Dr. Logan Levkoff

Dr. Logan Levkoff is an expert on sexuality and relationships, and she's all about promoting honest conversations surrounding both. In addition to being a sexuality educator, Dr. Levkoff is also a television regular, appearing regularly on Good Morning America, the Today show, CNN, and the first three seasons of Married at First Sight. She has worked with major brands like Dove, Pfizer, Starbucks, and Trojan, and has authored and contributed to several books on sexuality.

Thank you to Strava for sponsoring Ali & the Experts Week! CLICK HERE and use code ONTHERUN to get one month FREE with your purchase of a Strava Summit subscription.

What you'll get on this episode:

All things love and relationships (3:30)
Advice on sex (30:00)

What we mention on this episode:

The 5 Love Languages

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124. Ali & the Experts Week with Brynn Fessette O'Neill, Physical Therapist Mar 08, 2019

Show notes

"Please don't Google this stuff." —Brynn Fessette O'Neill

Brynn Fessette O'Neill, DPT, is a physical therapist at Finish Line Physical Therapy in New York City. On this episode, she offers advice on prehab, injuries, and recovery.

Thank you to Strava for sponsoring Ali & the Experts Week! CLICK HERE and use code ONTHERUN to get one month FREE with your purchase of a Strava Summit subscription.

What you'll get on this episode:

All about prehab and rehab (3:00)
Brynn explains why specific injuries happen and how to deal with them, including IT-Band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, runner's knee, and more (14:30)
Everything you need to know about recovery (35:30)

What we mention on this episode:

Brynn on Episode 21 of the Ali on the Run Show

Vibrating foam roller

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Instagram @bfessette

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123. Ali & the Experts Week with Kelly Hogan, Registered Dietitian Mar 07, 2019

Show notes

"Focus on your food choices, your hunger, your fullness cues, and your body's cravings, and eat a variety of delicious foods you like." —Kelly Hogan

Kelly Hogan is a registered dietitian and many-time marathoner. On this episode, she talks about what it means to be an anti-dietitian, how to question the nutrition information you find on social media, and what all runners should understand about healthy, proper fueling for optimal performance. Plus, she shares her expertise and insights on current popular health and wellness trends, from the keto diet to intermittent fasting.

Thank you to Strava for sponsoring Ali & the Experts Week! CLICK HERE and use code ONTHERUN to get one month FREE with your purchase of a Strava Summit subscription.

What you'll get on this episode:

What it means to be an anti-diet dietitian (2:10)
Running-specific nutrition questions (5:45)
Kelly shares her expertise on popular health and wellness trends (29:00)

What we mention on this episode:

Kelly Hogan on Episode 39 of the Ali on the Run Show

Generation UCan

Picky Bars

Follow Kelly:

Instagram @kellyhoganrd
Follow Peanut on Instagram @peanut_the_dorkie
Twitter @KellyHoganRD
Email: kellyhoganrd@gmail.com

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122. Ali & the Experts Week with Mary Johnson, Running Coach Mar 06, 2019

Show notes

"Do your own training. Get in your own routine. Don't compare yourself to what everyone else is doing and posting everywhere. Have confidence in what you're doing." —Mary Johnson

Mary Johnson is a USATF Level-1 certified coach and the founder of Lift, Run, Perform. On this episode, she answers listener questions about coaching, strength training, and that crucial build-up to race day.

Thank you to Strava for sponsoring Ali & the Experts Week! CLICK HERE and use code ONTHERUN to get one month FREE with your purchase of a Strava Summit subscription.

What you'll get on this episode:

General coaching questions and personal questions (4:00)
Cross training and strength training Q&A (14:10)
Running-specific advice (22:20)
Race-related questions (41:10)

What we mention on this episode:

Ranfone Training Systems

Nike Vomero

Nike Pegasus

Allie Kieffer

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121. Anna Kaiser, Founder of AKT Feb 28, 2019

Show notes

"I've always been about working hard and going after things that you are excited about and passionate about and working your ass off. That's the only way to make it happen. No one else is going to make it happen for you." —Anna Kaiser

You may know Anna Kaiser as the creator, founder, and CEO of the dance cardio brand AKT. Maybe you've taken — and barely survived — her class, either in person or with AKT On Demand. Or maybe you recognize her from her professional dance days, performing on the Fame tour and dancing in the best movie ever, Enchanted. Or, let's be honest, maybe you know her as Kelly Ripa's workout BFF, or as the woman credited for keeping Shakira in shape.

On this episode, Anna talks about going from a wannabe opera singer in Zurich to an entrepreneur on the brink of opening 300 studios nationwide. She shares the mistakes, missteps, and challenges she's faced along the way, talks about why she wanted to improve upon the boutique fitness industry, and opens up about how becoming a mom two years ago changed her at home, in the studio, and beyond.

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:

What were Young Anna's dreams for the future? (3:00)
Anna reflects on her college experience and explains why it wasn't everything she'd hoped it would be (8:15)
Why Anna decided to move on from the dance world (12:00)
How AKT was born, and how Anna stood out in the boutique fitness industry (15:00)
How Anna became fitness BFFs with Kelly Ripa (21:00)
How Anna has cultivated an empowering community (22:50)
Why Anna decided to franchise (25:45)
How Anna become business savvy, and the bad business decisions she's made along the way (31:25)
Anna's take on the state of the fitness industry, now and in the future (34:30)
Anna opens up about motherhood, including returning to work post-birth, having help, and "balance" (39:45)
Does Anna have any insecurities? Plus, what she says she's proudest of (46:30)

What we mention on this episode:

EDGE Performing Arts Center

AKT On Demand

Xponential Fitness

The Milling Room

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120. Bree Branker, NYC Trainer & Fitness Model Feb 21, 2019

Show notes

"I said I want to be the best. But at what?" —Bree Branker

Baby Bree Branker dreamed about growing up and becoming a professional dancer. By 19, after attending a performing arts high school, she'd made that happen, as a Rockette and on Broadway in West Side Story, Spamalot, Memphis, and Big Fish. But by her early twenties, everything changed. Bree finally accepted the nagging hip dysplasia that had been plaguing her body for years — even getting her fired from her dream job at Cirque du Soleil — and found fitness instead. On this episode, Bree, now one of New York City's top trainers and a Wilhelmina model, opens up about the mental side of injury, the state of the fitness industry, and what it's like navigating the New York City boutique fitness scene. She talks about her Instagram pet peeves, luck, determination, a cross-country move, and why she was "a terrible Rockette." Plus, she shares why she got turned down for a SoulCycle audition, what terrified her as a Flywheel instructor, and why she's currently training for a half 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:

Bree's road to becoming a professional dancer (2:45)
Why Bree got fired from her dream job at Cirque du Soleil, and the injury that ended her dance career (14:15)
How Bree finally hit her dance career-ending breaking point (26:50)
How Bree broke into the fitness industry (28:00)
Bree's take on the current state of the fitness industry, on Instagram and in real life (38:15)
Why Bree felt like a fraud in the fitness world, and the a-ha moment that made her realize she'd made it (42:00)
How Bree got into modeling — and met her now-fiance along the way (47:30)
How and why Bree learned to "chill out" about fitness (51:30)
Why Bree is training for a half marathon (59:30)

What we mention on this episode:

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Broadway Dance Center

Walnut Street Theatre

Akin Akman

Kira Stokes

Patrick Frost

"Influence vs. Expertise: The Dangerous Rise of the Fitness Influencer" via The Sweat Life

CJ Koegel

"An Injury Left Me in a Dark Place — Until Working Out Got Me Out of It" via Women's Health

SHAPE Women's Half Marathon

FitOn app (use code BREE50 for 50% off)

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Instagram @breebranks

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119. Love on the Run LIVE at New York Road Runners Feb 14, 2019

Show notes

"Running made me better for our relationship outside of running. It gave me something to give to myself." —Matt Powers

I love running and I love love, so what better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with a live show talking love on the run?! I had a blast hosting this live show with two of NYC's greatest running couples: Matt Powers and Candice Huffine (he's an entrepreneur and she's a supermodel — NBD), and Alex Salazar and Krissa Cetner ("that couple" that got married at mile 6 of the Brooklyn Half Marathon in 2017!). The crowd was amazing (THANK YOU to everyone who came!), and we had the best time talking about the role running plays in our relationships, whether or not we're competitive on the run, and of course, what it's like getting married in the middle of a race. We also covered very serious issues, like the gross things we do as runners, sweaty underwear, snot rockets, and more. Prepare to LOL and "awwwwww."

Thank you to the New York Road Runners Virtual Valentine's Duo 5K for sponsoring this episode of the Ali on the Run Show! CLICK HERE to register and complete your run today. (Des Linden did it. You should do it, too!)

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118. A Message From Ali Feb 06, 2019

Show notes

"Motherhood, for me, over the past three and a half months, has involved a lot of waves. I've ridden them and at times I've been drowning. Other times I'm treading water and managing to stay afloat, no matter how exhausted I've been. And other times, I've been getting along like I actually know how to swim! Right now, though, in this very moment, I'm on the drowning side of things."

It's been a tricky week. So this is a quick check-in to say hi, and to [kind of] explain why I just didn't get it together to get a "real" episode out this week. Forgive me? Thanks! There's a lot of good stuff to come on the Ali on the Run Show — I just need to take a few deep breaths first!

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117. Julie Brazitis, Google Brand & Creative Lead Jan 31, 2019

Show notes

"Stay true to yourself. It gets really good on the other side, when you're a good person and you follow your gut on who you want to be around and what you want to do with your life." —Julie Brazitis

Julie Brazitis just might be the loveliest, kindest, most positive person you'll ever meet. She's a brand and creative lead at Google, a yoga instructor, a top-honors-earning graduate of Syracuse University, and a recovering perfectionist. On this episode, Julie talks about what it's like when you realize you're living the dream — but that it's someone else's dream. She talks about what it was like growing up as a competitive gymnast, and what happened when a severe spinal cord injury derailed her high-flying aspirations. She opens up about battling alopecia in high school and ulcerative colitis in college — and the mean girls she encountered along the way. Plus, she shares her running story: how she found running, why she loved running, and how she ultimately developed an unhealthy relationship with running.

Julie has had a lovely life — something she's happy to acknowledge — but that doesn't mean it's been easy. This is a thought-provoking episode that'll get you thinking about why we make certain choices, what to do about internal conflicts, and how to embrace or combat the ever-present hustle culture in today's Instagram-inspired society.

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:

Julie recounts her early days as a competitive gymnast, and the back-breaking injury that ended it all (2:45)
Dealing with alopecia — and mean girls — during high school (6:30)
Julie opens up about her high aspirations, the "inner conflict" she struggled with in her twenties, and choosing between her dream job and the safe route (13:30)
How Julie started running — and how her relationship with running quickly turned problematic (29:30)
Julie's battle with ulcerative colitis, and what it was like getting diagnosed in college (32:40)
On being our own worst critic (44:45)
What it's actually like working at Google (47:30)

What we mention on this episode:

Syracuse University

NBC Universal Page Program

Yosef Herzog on Episode 111 of the Ali on the Run Show

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