Ali on the Run Show

"How can I not have success when I have this many people coming and supporting me?"

On the Friday before the Boston Marathon, I hosted a panel at the race expo featuring three of Shokz-sponsored athletes: Hellen Obiri, Conner Mantz, and Dakotah Popehn. Hellen entered the race at the two-time defending champion, and she went on to finish second in 2:17:41, a significant personal best in a fast, gritty race. Conner, one of the best professional marathoners the United States has ever seen, ran hard and with heart, finishing fourth in 2:05:08, just seconds off the podium. And Dakotah, the smiley, speedy Paris Olympian, finished 16th in 2:26:09. In this conversation, these three runners talked about what success in Boston would look like for each of them and, of course, talked about what they like to listen to on the run, and shared their favorite sights and sounds of the Boston Marathon. 

SPONSOR: 

• Shokz: Use code ALI for $10 off your next purchase. Code valid in the U.S. and Canada. (Check out the limited edition Boston Marathon OpenRun Pro2!)

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!

"You ran with some kahunas!"

Every year, I host a panel at the Boston Marathon Expo featuring some of the top American women in the professional field. This year, that meant getting to chat with Jess McClain and Emma Bates on the Friday before the 2025 Boston Marathon. Jess went on to become the top American woman in Boston, finishing seventh overall in 2:22:43 (a more than three-second personal best!). Emma was the third American woman to finish, crossing the line in 13th place in a time of 2:25:10.

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!

"I'm a Boston girlie through and through."

Welcome to The Track at New Balance during Boston Marathon weekend! This was a 725-person party featuring New Balance Boston athlete and Olympian Heather MacLean, and it was one for the books. Heather had us all laughing with stories about shopping carts, witch family members, tinned fish Tok, and so much more. Thank you to everyone who joined us — here's to the next one!

FOLLOW HEATHER @heather_maclean31

SPONSOR: 

• New Balance: Until April 25, get 20% off Ali's favorite things using code ALIRUN20 at checkout!

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!

“She said, ‘This is how it was supposed to be. This is how it was supposed to feel.’ And at that moment, I realized the magnitude of what we gave to each other.”

Rerun alert! In honor of the 129th Boston Marathon in just a few days, we're throwing it back to 2022, when fan favorite and beloved Peloton instructor Jess Sims surprised the world by showing up at the start (and finish!) line of the Boston Marathon. And she had a good reason for keeping her marathon debut on the down-low. In this very special conversation, Jess talks about receiving a fateful message from Boston Marathon bombing survivor Michele Blackburn — a message that ultimately guided Jess every step of the way toward that finish line on Boylston Street. Jess talks about her training, about how she felt on the start line, and about why she still feels marathon imposter syndrome, even after earning that blue and yellow medal. (You’ll want tissues on hand 17 minutes into this one. You’ve been warned.)

SPONSORS: 

• Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase.
• THE AJC PEACHTREE ROAD RACE: The lottery for this year's most famous Fourth of July 10K is now open. Enter today for your chance to run Atlanta's iconic race.

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’s a stigma about retiring from pro running, that it’s this huge thing and it’s so hard. And there are parts of it that are challenging. But I’m seriously so great. I’m loving life."

Aisha Praught Leer is no stranger to the Ali on the Run Show. She returns today for her fifth appearance — but it's her first in this new phase of life. Last year, Aisha officially retired from professional running. The longtime Puma athlete, two-time Olympian, Commonwealth Games champion, and six-time Jamaican record holder is now embracing a career in corporate America, while also continuing to be an advocate for professional athletes, and working in front of the camera and on the mic with Citius Mag. In this episode, we're catching up on all of it, including how Aisha feels about that 9–5 life, what her relationship with running is like now that she's no longer competing professionally, and what it's actually like retiring from your dream job in your thirties — and figuring out what comes next.

FOLLOW AISHA @aishapraughtleer

SPONSOR: 

• Oofos: The best in recovery footwear! Check out Oofos's new limited edition Boston Marathon collection — before it sells out!

In this episode:

• How Aisha is doing right now, and how she’s feeling about “racing” this weekend at the New Balance Marathon Relay in Boston (4:15)
• Aisha’s takeaways from the first Grand Slam Track event (16:15)
• Why Aisha decided to retire from professional running in 2024 (24:00)
• What it was like working with a career coach (35:40)
• All about Aisha’s job in tech sales at Adobe (48:30)
• How Aisha’s relationship with running has changed since retiring (59:40)
• How Aisha’s personal relationships have changed since retiring (1:04:10)
• What’s next for Aisha? (1:12:00)

Follow:

• Instagram @aliontherun1
• Join the Facebook group
• Support on Patreon
• Subscribe to the newsletter

SUPPORT: If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!