This week we chat with Ali Feller, podcaster extraordinaire as host of the "Ali On The Run" podcast show. 

Ali doesn't just talk with elite marathon and track stars. She also, somehow, hunts down running guests like Chelsea Clinton and Ellie Kemper of "The Office" TV show.

Did Harry Styles just run the Berlin Marathon in under 3 hours? Yes, and Ali has already published a pod with the Canadian woman who paced him for the first 10 miles. (And she hints that she could actually get through to Styles himself soon.)

What's your favorite food? Your favorite movie? The most fun you've had in the last week? These and other spontaneous questions make up a big part of each Ali-Feller interview. 

No one's exactly sure of where the conversation is headed, which is a damn good reason to keep listening.

But life is not ha-ha all the time, particularly not Feller's. Her own battles with Crohn's Disease and breast cancer have presented plenty of challenges, but somehow she keeps putting one foot in front of the other. 

In fact, she's making numerous appearances this fall at the Chicago and NYC Marathons, while continuing to churn out several new podcasts per week. 

We asked where she gets her endurance. Answer: She considers herself "delusionally optimistic" about life, motherhood, running, and her podcast career.

We and all her friends and listeners are rooting hard for her.

You can learn more about Ali Feller on her website or Instagram page. And you can make a donation to help cover her medical expenses at this GoFundMe page.

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"Running: State of the Sport" is brought to you by MarathonHandbook.com and RunLongRunHealthy.com. Marathon Handbook is the world’s leading marathon website, with a special focus on trustworthy running information and free, runner-tested training plans for all ability levels.

"Run Long, Run Healthy" is a weekly newsletter focused on the newest, most scientific, and most useful training advice for runners. It was launched by Amby in 2021, and is now edited by Brady Holmer, exercise physiologist and 2:24 marathon runner.