"Running is hard. Races are hard. So let's expect that."

Welcome to Beyond the Run — a new series on the Ali on the Run Show focusing on the mental side of running. Twice a month, we'll hear from professional athletes, everyday runners, and experts in their fields about the impact running can have on our emotional well-being.

We're kicking things off today with two experts.

Dr. Ian Nurse is a chiropractor, 25-time marathoner (with a 2:25 personal best), dad of two, and owner of Wellness in Motion Boston, where he treats the everyday and amateur runner, movie stars, musicians, and professional athletes including Molly Seidel, Elle Purrier St. Pierre, and Heather MacLean. (And he treats me!) Ian is all about taking a holistic approach to his treatment, which is why in addition to his staff of chiropractors, physical therapists, and massage therapists, he also brought Emily Saul onto the team.

You may remember Emily Saul — the collegiate rower turned marathoner and co-leader of November Project Boston — from Episode 59 of the Ali on the Run Show. She's a licensed mental health counselor with a Master's degree in sports psychology, and she's the founder of E Saul Movement.

In this unexpectedly personal conversation (two of us cried!), Ian talks about how runners can take care of their bodies this year, and Emily speaks to the mental side of it all. They talk about working with Molly Seidel the day before the 2021 New York City Marathon, and Ian talks about his struggles with aging on the run and how Emily has helped him work through that. Plus, dealing with injuries, how to know when to "push through the pain," and what seeing a sports psychologist is actually like.

SPONSOR: New Balance — Go to newbalance.com/beyondtherun to learn more about how New Balance is supporting the conversations around mental wellness in running. (And check out my current favorite jacket, joggers, and long-sleeve shirts.)

What you'll get on this episode:

• How are you doing? (8:30)
• How Ian got connected with and started treating professional runners, and his approach to treating runners in pain (15:30)
• Ian and Emily's work with Molly Seidel before the 2021 New York City Marathon (27:50)
• What a first-time session with Emily is like (43:15)
• Ian's role in a patient's treatment (50:00)
• On getting older as a runner, and why Ian started seeing Emily — as a patient (54:00)
• The most-common complaints Ian and Emily hear from their patients and clients (1:04:30)
• Something Ian and Emily want runners to add to or remove from their lives to live and run happier (1:16:00)

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