"Running single-handedly saved me during this last year."

Carl Radke is best known as a longtime cast member on Bravo's Summer House. Through nine seasons of the reality show, he's been open and honest about his mental health struggles and his history with drug and alcohol addiction. Carl got sober in 2021, and this year, he opened Soft Bar, a non-alcoholic bar and café in Brooklyn, NY, where he lives. His memoir, Cake Eater, comes out next month. And this month, Carl added another title to his resumé: marathoner! In this conversation, Carl talks about how he found running and the role running plays in his sobriety journey, and he shares every detail from his first 26.2-mile race at the 2025 New York City Marathon.

FOLLOW CARL @carlradke

SPONSOR:

• Oofos: The best in recovery footwear! Check out Oofos's 2025 Project Pink collection, where 10% of every purchase is donated to cancer research.

In this episode:

• How it feels to be a New York City Marathoner (1:50)
• On the fear of not finishing (11:30)
• Carl's history with the New York City Marathon (13:05)
• Carl's journey to becoming a runner (15:30)
• All about Carl's training (21:45)
• How Carl fit training into his busy life (26:55)
• Is a Soft Bar run club in the works? (32:35)
• How Carl spent the days leading up to the marathon (41:00)
• The stress of race morning (44:35)
• Carl's sights and sounds from the start line (52:45)
• Carl's high points from race day (1:00:45)
• What Carl wishes people understood about him (1:13:15)
• Carl's advice to first-time marathoners (1:16:45)

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"I just feel like when I see injustice, at this point in my life, I have to call it out."

Katie Couric has been my idol since I was in high school, and it's truly an honor to welcome her to the Ali on the Run Show! We recorded this episode in person together on the Monday after the 2025 New York City Marathon, at Katie's home on the Upper East Side. Katie is a journalist who is best known for her 15-year career on the Today Show. Today, she is the founder of Katie Couric Media, where she publishes a daily newsletter (Wake Up Call), and hosts the podcast Next Question with Katie Couric. She is the author of Going There, she's a mom of two, and she's an avid pickleball player who, despite my best efforts, will not be signing up for a marathon anytime soon!

SPONSORS:

• Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon's 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you, and take advantage of Lagoon's massive Black Friday sale, in effect now!

In this episode:

• Katie's day spectating the 2025 New York City Marathon (3:20)
• Katie's history with running, and how she stays active now (6:00)
• What it's like being Katie Couric in New York City (12:00)
• On Halloween, NYC trick-or-treating, and Taylor Swift (14:00)
• Everyone has a Katie Couric story (22:15)
• Katie reflects on her breast cancer diagnosis, and what her care looks like now (33:00)
• On "feeling very strongly about certain things" (55:00)
• Katie's take on The Morning Show (1:04:00)
• Katie looks back on some of the highest and lowest points of her career (1:08:15)

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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!

"Oh I'm hooked."

Last weekend, Amanda Vestri made her much anticipated 26.2-mile debut at the TCS New York City Marathon. She ran 2:25:40, good enough for ninth place in the women's pro race and a strong showing for the marathon debutante. In this conversation, Amanda breaks it all down, including how training went, why she wanted to move to the marathon this year, what she wants to do next, and what it was like running through the five boroughs. Plus, Amanda shares her training, living, and coaching plans now that her longtime training group, ZAP Endurance, is disbanding.

FOLLOW AMANDA @a_vestri

SPONSOR:

• Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase.

In this episode:

• How Amanda is feeling post-NYC Marathon — and what's next (2:10)
• All about Amanda's new coach, and what's motivating to her in the marathon (10:00)
• Why the marathon, why now, and why New York? (12:45)
• Amanda's snapshot moment from the New York City Marathon (18:15)
• Amanda reflects on her first marathon training block and her goals for her marathon debut (19:15)
• How Amanda spent race weekend (24:10)
• How it felt standing on the New York City Marathon start line (31:15)
• Amanda's race plan (35:40)
• Amanda breaks down her race at the 2025 New York City Marathon (39:45)

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"They play 'New York, New York,' and everyone goes crazy."

It was another New York City Marathon to remember. It was one of the most rewarding weekends of my life and of my career. I hosted a live show with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at Jazz at Lincoln Center, I was on the ESPN and ABC broadcasts on race day, I interviewed Katie Couric for the Ali on the Run Show, and I was on top of the world the entire time. This is my exhaustive recap of every step.

SPONSOR:

• Shokz: Use code ALI for $10 off your next headphone purchase.

In this episode:

• Friday: Annie's Halloween parade, the drive to NYC, a run in Central Park, a fancy sushi dinner, and a New Balance party (3:20)
• Saturday: a run in the park, cheering for the Dash to the Finish 5K, the Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone live show, and broadcast rehearsals (12:50)
• Sunday: the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon! (38:45)
• Monday: a sleepless night, a run in the park with friends, and an interview with Katie Couric (1:00:00)
• Listener Q&A (1:18:10)

Follow Ali:

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"People always give me a hard time, they're like, 'You never show emotion after your race.' And I'm like, 'You run this and then you try to show emotion!'"

It's hard to describe the feeling of walking out into the stunning Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, warmly greeted by 500 people in Team Ali sweatshirts, courtesy of New Balance, and getting to interview Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. This live show was magical, marvelous, magnificent, and so very memorable. Thank you to everyone who joined us, thank you to Sydney, and thank you to New Balance for the unwavering support.

Sydney is one of the greatest track and field athletes of all-time. She's a six-time world record holder. She holds the world record in the 400m hurdles, and the American record in the flat 400m. She's a four-time Olympic gold medalist, a five-time World Championships gold medalist, a one-time silver medalist (oh we talk about her relationship with the silver), and a five-time U.S. champion. She can also juggle, and it was an absolute joy to get to know her during this event. Enjoy!

FOLLOW SYDNEY @sydneymclaughlin16

SPONSOR:

• New Balance: Click here to get your hands on the new New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5!

Follow Ali:

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"Fast, slow, good weather, bad weather — you are out there doing something that so many people are never going to do, and that's so cool."

Caroline Moss has a dream: to run the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon. As a New Yorker, it's her favorite day of the year. The catch: Caroline has never been a runner — until now. In this series, we're following author, creator, theater producer, Saved by the Bell super-fan, proud millennial, and professional shopper Caroline Moss as she embarks on a quest to start running and run the race of her dreams.

• Caroline Moss Wants to Run a Marathon, Episode 1
• Caroline Moss Wants to Run a Marathon, Episode 2

In Episode 3, Caroline updates us on hitting a major roadblock in her marathon dreams: a broken foot that took her off the run for the entire summer. She talks about dealing with an injury — a non-running-related one — just as she was hitting her running groove, and about how she spent her summer. She shares her unbridled enthusiasm for the New York City Marathon, and, unsurprisingly, takes us on detours including Lurlene McDaniel books, Baby-Sitters Club personality theories, and what it was like being at the Dawson's Creek reunion in New York City last month.

FOLLOW CAROLINE @geethanksjustboughtitpod

CAROLINE'S FACEBOOK GROUP

Caroline's Favorite Things:

• The BaubleBar Keychain Kit
• The JCrew Cashmere Wrap
• The ZIIP Halo Contouring Machine
• The Tomato Tart
• The Brunch Skit

SPONSORS:

• Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon's 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (I'm an Otter!) Use code ALI at checkout for 15% off your next Lagoon order.
• The Eugene Marathon: Register now for the Eugene Marathon or Half Marathon, taking place April 26, 2026. Use code ONTHERUN for $10 off. (These races will sell out, so register ASAP!)

Follow Ali:

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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!

"It's seeing the bridge from a distance and saying, 'There are going to be 55,000 people that are going to traverse over that bridge from 150 countries from all over the world, and from every neighborhood in New York City.' And they've put in months of hard work. We have thousands of people that have raised millions of dollars for charity. There are people that are running for various causes that are inspiring their families, their friends, their neighborhoods, their communities. And most of all, they're inspiring the world. They're inspiring complete strangers as they run by them. And I think about that when I look at that bridge." —Ted Metellus, TCS New York City Marathon Race Director

Every year on the first Sunday of November, more than 55,000 runners will take over the five boroughs for one reason: the TCS New York City Marathon.

This episode is your unofficial guide to the iconic 26.2-mile race. Two jam-packed hours of New York City Marathon-related information.

And this episode isn't just for the marathoners: We have tips for spectators, a breakdown of how to get into the race in the future, and general advice for having your best marathon day.

As for my New York City Marathon love affair: This race is my Super Bowl, my Christmas, my birthday, Valentine's Day, my favorite day of the year. It was the first marathon I ever watched, back in 2008, when I went out to cheer for a coworker who was running the race. (Thanks for the inspiration, Therese!) I've run it three times — in 2013, 2014, and 2016 — and volunteered once, in 2015, at a fluid station in Brooklyn. In 2017, I cheered on "First and Fifth," and in 2018, at three weeks postpartum, going to the New York City Marathon was my first outing since having a baby. I sat in the grandstands as Shalane Flanagan finished third, and pumped in a "fancy" (you know, the nice kind!) finish line porta potty. Then, in 2019, I got the best seat in the house for the first time: New York City Marathon finish line announcer.

After announcing at the finish and at the Finish Line After Dark in 2019, 2021, and 2022, in 2023 I made my NYC TV debut. I joined the broadcast talent team as a reporter on the international feed, and was featured on the WABC7 local broadcast. Last year, I was on the ESPN and WABC7 broadcasts at the finish line, interviewing notables including Chelsea Clinton, Casey Neistat, Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, Sara Vaughn, Matt James, and Ilona Maher.

This year: They're putting me on ESPN and ABC again! In addition to hosting a live show with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone during New York City Marathon weekend, on race day I'll be part of the ESPN2 and WABC7 broadcasts as a start and finish line reporter from 8 AM until 5 PM.

Let's have some fun!

SPONSOR:

• New Balance: Click here to check out this year's official New York City Marathon collection!

In this episode:

• New York City Marathon race director Ted Metellus talks about why he's excited for this year's TCS New York City Marathon (5:25)
• The 2025 TCS New York City Marathon by the numbers (25:40)
• Pre-race: how to get in, how to handle feeling overwhelmed by logistics, and how to watch this year's race (29:05)
• What you need to know about getting to the start line in Staten Island, and what to do once you're there (38:40)
• Dorian Kail, New York Road Runners Director of Professional Athletes, talks about assembling this year's professional athlete fields and shares the top storylines to watch (53:40)
• All about the New York City Marathon course (1:23:00)
• Welcome to the New York City Marathon finish line — and what happens once you cross it (1:33:30)
• What to know about spectating at the New York City Marathon (1:38:20)
• Listener Q&A (1:48:00)

Follow Ali:

• Instagram @aliontherun1
• Join the Facebook group
• Twitter @aliontherun1
• 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!

"People can say whatever they want. But at the end of the day, I know what my bigger picture is. I know what my why is here. And so I'm just going to really try and stick to that knowing I feel very confident in what I'm trying to do, even if people might not understand it right now. It's all just a process, baby."

Next weekend, Molly Seidel will run the TCS New York City Marathon — her first marathon in two years. But the Molly who will be lining up in Staten Island this year is very different from the fresh-off-earning-an-Olympic-bronze-medal Molly who ran it in 2021. (Her 2:24:42 is still the fastest time run by an American woman in NYC.) In this conversation, Molly talks about the highs from the past few years, including that fourth-place finish in New York City in 2021 and an eighth-place finish and personal best (2:23:07) at the Chicago Marathon in 2023. She also talks about the lows, including what was going on behind the scenes during those races, injuries, mental health struggles, and sponsorship changes. She offers updates on her new coach, her new home base, her new relationship, and her new relationship with running, and talks all about her training, mindset, and goals for race day in New York City.

SPONSOR:

• goodr: Click here and use code ALI for $5 off your next order.

In this episode:

• What's making Molly happy today (2:05)
• How Molly is feeling heading into this year's New York City Marathon (5:15)
• How Molly today compares to the 2021 Molly who ran an American course record in NYC (11:05)
• Why Molly is calling Austin home right now (13:40)
• Why Molly changed coaches this year (20:35)
• What Molly's NYCM training has been like (23:30)
• What would make this year's New York City Marathon a success? (27:35)
• Molly's advice to fellow New York City Marathon runners (29:50)
• Molly's take on L.A. 2028 and whether she'll try to make another Olympic team, and what sponsorship looks like these days (35:00)
• Congrats, grad! Molly talks about earning her MBA (38:45)

Follow Ali:

• Instagram @aliontherun1
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• 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 trying to figure out how to live with stage IV cancer. How do I live and enjoy my life and enjoy these moments while also knowing I had to fly home the next day to go to chemo?"

From the press conference and the New Balance live show to the 5K, the marathon finish line, and all the moments in between, this is my recap from the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

SPONSORS:

• Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase.
• Oofos: The best in recovery footwear! Check out Oofos's 2025 Project Pink collection, where 10% of every purchase is donated to cancer research.

In this episode:

• Friday: the press conference, the big feelings, and the New Balance live show (1:30)
• Saturday: the Abbott Chicago 5K, the ABC interview, the game show, and the time with friends (21:50)
• Sunday: the 2025 Bank of America Chicago Marathon! (36:45)
• Monday: the final run and the trip home (1:01:40)
• Final thoughts (1:06:40)

Follow Ali:

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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!

"Running is running is running, and I love it all."

Courtney Dauwalter returns to the Ali on the Run Show — this time as a 2:49 marathoner! Courtney is an ultra runner who is best known for her GOAT-status success on the trails. In 2023, she became the first person to win Western States, the Hardrock 100, and UTMB int he same year. Earlier this year, she won Hardrock in a women's course record: 26 hours 11 minutes and 49 seconds. Most recently, Courtney's been hitting the roads! She just completed the Twin Cities Marathon — her first marathon in more than a decade — in 2:49. But it's not about the time on the clock for Courtney. In this conversation, she talks about why she wanted to run a road marathon, why Twin Cities, and why now. Plus, an exciting announcement about what's next.

SPONSOR:

• Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon's 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (I'm an Otter!) Use code ALI at checkout for 15% off your next Lagoon order.

In this episode:

• "It's candy corn season!" (2:00)
• Courtney's snapshot moment from the 2025 Twin Cities Marathon (4:50)
• What's making Courtney happy today, and what she's into right now (5:45)
• How Courtney is feeling post-marathon, and how road marathons fit into her career right now (8:20)
• What Courtney's marathon training looked like, and how it differed from ultra training (16:00)
• Courtney's time goal and expectations for Twin Cities (21:30)
• Courtney's fueling and hydration plan for Twin Cities (26:35)
• Courtney's take on the marathon community (29:30)
• Courtney recaps her race at the Twin Cities Marathon (36:00)
• Courtney's takeaways from the marathon (43:20)
• What's next on the run for Courtney (47:00)
• How it feels to be a 2:49 marathoner (53:30)

Follow Ali:

• Instagram @aliontherun1
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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!