Ali on the Run Show

"The energy I give the first athletes when they cross is the same as I give the final finishers." —TCS New York City Marathon Race Director Ted Metellus

Every year on the first Sunday of November, athletes 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, which this year is expected to see a record-breaking 60,000 runners on the 50th anniversary of the five-borough course. Two jam-packed hours of New York City Marathon-related information. Let's have some fun! (See you at the finish!)

SPONSORS:

• New Balance: Click here to check out this year's official New York City Marathon collection!
• Vuori: Click here to get 20% off your first Vuori purchase. (Get the Villa Widelegs!)
• Lagoon: Click here and use code ALI at checkout to get 15% off your next Lagoon purchase. (I'm an Otter!)

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 (6:40)
• The 2026 TCS New York City Marathon by the numbers (50:40)
• Pre-race: how to get in, how to handle feeling overwhelmed by logistics, and how to watch this year's race (57:40)
• What you need to know about getting to the start line in Staten Island, and what to do once you're there (1:05:20)
• Who to watch in the professional athlete and celebrity fields (1:28:45)
• All about the New York City Marathon course (1:41:15)
• Welcome to the New York City Marathon finish line — and what happens once you cross it (1:56:35)

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!

"It's less scary if you face it. If you avoid it, it grows. It becomes scarier. Sometimes it's better to just face things head on."

In April 2022, Siobhan Donovan was 33 years old. She was 36 weeks pregnant with her third child when she thought she had a clogged milk duct. It turned out to be stage IV breast cancer that had already spread to her bones. The doctors induced labor, and when Siobhan's son was four days old, she went to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to begin aggressive treatment, starting with 27 grueling rounds of weekly chemotherapy — with a newborn in tow. Siobhan's treatment worked: By 2024, she had achieved No Evidence of Active Disease status, and was training for the Boston Marathon (raising $20,000 for DFCI in the process). But just before the race, she found out her cancer was back. She crossed the finish line, and began another year and a half of chemotherapy. Today, 4.5 years after her initial diagnosis, Siobhan is NED again, and in training mode again: Next weekend, she'll run the TCS New York City Marathon. In this conversation, Siobhan vulnerably revisits the hardest days of her life, talks about where she's at now, and shares her hopes, dreams, and fears for the future.

SPONSORS:

• Shokz" My favorite headphones! Use code ALI for $10 off your next Shokz purchase. (I love the Open Run Pro 2.)
• Oofos: The best in the recovery footwear game. Click here to check out Oofos's new CLUB+ line! Your feet are going to be so happy!

In this episode:

• What's making Siobhan happy today (3:10)
• Why Siobhan is running this year's New York City Marathon (5:20)
• What Siobhan's into right now (10:45)
• What Siobhan was like growing up, how running came into her life, and how — and why — she became a marathoner (15:40)
• Is cancer like a marathon? (33:15)
• Reflections on Breast Cancer Awareness Month (38:00)
• On receiving a stage IV breast cancer diagnosis at 36 weeks pregnant (42:45)
• "Dying was the biggest fear" (52:20)
• On being a fighter, a warrior, and a survivor (1:01:10)
• Siobhan's advice to caregivers (1:21:45)

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!

"It was nice to be in Chicago and not feel like my life was imploding."

I'm just about recovered from the 2026 Chicago Marathon weekend, where I was in town as a part of the finish line announcing team and co-host of the Champions Reception. That means it's time to recap it all in exhaustive detail. In this solo episode, I'm covering everything I did, everywhere I went, and everyone I saw, from the parties and events to the 5K, the boat ride, and, of course, race day.

SPONSORS:

• New Balance. Click here to get your hands on the just-released SC Rebel. You're going to love it!
• Lagoon. My favorite pillows and pillowcases! Click here to get the limited edition Ali on the Run x Lagoon Cool Flex Performance Pillowcase (!!!), and use code ALI at checkout for 15% off.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What life looked like heading into Chicago Marathon weekend this year, and my history with Chicago (1:15)
• Friday: the flight, the Off the Rails live show, and the way-too-late night (15:10)
• Saturday: the Abbott Chicago 5K, the breakfast date, the finish line rehearsal, the sushi walk to the Bean, and the best boat ride ever (31:10)
• Sunday: the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (1:05:15)
• Monday: the final run, and the trip home (1:34:00)

Follow Ali:

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

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 took a selfie with Deena and Joanie yesterday! That's the coolest moment of my life. I literally think that was the best two seconds I've ever lived. It's never gonna get better than this."

She's a marathoner — and she's the fastest first-time marathoner in American history! This weekend, Emma Grace Hurley made her much-anticipated 26.2-mile debut at the Chicago Marathon, and she knocked it out of the park. Emma Grace ran 2:20:47, the fastest marathon debut for an American woman, and finished seventh overall. In this conversation, recorded the day after the race, she breaks it all down, from the training and the race plan, to how she felt during both the best and toughest miles of the marathon.

SPONSOR:

• Shokz" My favorite headphones! Use code ALI for $10 off your next Shokz purchase. (I love the Open Run Pro 2.)

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!

"Remember the entire journey, because it's very special."

Welcome to Chicago Marathon week! The 48th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon takes place this Sunday, October 11, and this episode is jam-packed with information you'll want to hear before you head to the start line. (And yes, you really should plan to get there two hours early.) The elite fields are, as always, stacked, and those athletes will be followed by 55,000 of you en route to 26.2-mile glory. Get ready. Get psyched. And get that Goose Island at the finish!

SPONSORS:

• Shokz" My favorite headphones! Use code ALI for $10 off your next Shokz purchase. (I love the Open Run Pro 2.)
• Oofos: The best in the recovery footwear game. Click here to check out Oofos's new CLUB+ line! Your feet are going to be so happy!

In this episode:

• Chicago Marathon executive race director Carey Pinkowski talks about what to expect at this year's race (3:45)
• The 2026 Chicago Marathon by the numbers (43:15)
• All things pre-race: How to get in for next year's Chicago Marathon, how Chicago is committed to sustainability, and whether or not you can still change your starting corral assignment (49:15)
• Who to watch in this year's professional fields (1:00:55)
• What to know about getting to the start and navigating the athlete village (1:06:15)
• Chris "Coach Worm" Wehrman and Robyn LaLonde talk Chicago Marathon course strategy (1:15:10)
• All about the finish line experience (1:44:20)

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!

"I don't want to just read names and countries the whole time. That gets boring. I like to talk to runners, too. 'If this is your first New York City Marathon, throw your hands in the air!' And then half the hands go up, and you're like, 'Oh my gosh, this is so amazing!' I don't know why after all this time I'm still surprised they're listening to me!"

Even if you don't know her name or her face, you probably know her voice. Karla Bruning is one of the longtime announcers and emcees for the New York Road Runners, and has been hyping up runners at the New York City Marathon since 2010, when she not only ran the race for the first time, but also sang the National Anthem at the start! In this conversation, Karla talks about how she has become one of the voices of the TCS New York City Marathon, and what the road to life on the mic has looked like. In addition to being a marathoner, a triathlete, a mom, a wife, a journalist, and a race announcer and event emcee, Karla and her husband also own Dovetail and Co., a hotel group with seven properties in locations including Bermuda, Waikiki, the Catskills, and Newport, RI. Life is good for Karla, who is booked, booking, and busy!

FOLLOW KARLA @runkarlarun

SPONSOR:

• New Balance. Click here to get your hands on the just-released SC Rebel. You're going to love it!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What's making Karla happy today, and what she's into right now (4:05)
• How Karla's spends her days off the run (8:00)
• Karla's road to becoming a race announcer at the New York City Marathon (14:15)
• What it was like singing the National Anthem at the New York City Marathon start line in 2010, and how Karla started working races after that (19:30)
• All about being a start line announcer, and what runners don't see (24:20)
• The view from the New York City Marathon finish line, and what it takes to be a finish line announcer (27:50)
• On learning how to pronounce all those names (37:45)
• Karla's most memorable finish line moments (41:30)
• Karla's jam-packed marathon week schedule (45:30)
• The parts of the job that Karla says are the most stressful (53:40)
• Karla's take on the changing landscape at finish lines (1:02:50)
• On Karla's relationship with running right now (1:05:35)
• Karla's advice for this year's New York City Marathoners (1:09:20)

Follow Ali:

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

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 think one of my biggest problems is I finish every race and think, 'I think I can go faster!'"

If you follow the sport, you probably recognize Alana Levy. The New York City-based runner and member of Brooklyn Track Club is seemingly everywhere these days. From local staple races like the New York Mini 10K and the Fifth Avenue Mile (where Alana just won the open division in a personal best 4:38) to major marathons, like the 2025 Chicago Marathon where Alana earned her Olympic Trials Qualifier, running 2:36:53, to this year's Boston Marathon, where she improved her personal best by more than two minutes, racing in the pro field and finishing in 2:34:50. She's logging 100-mile weeks, winning races, and qualifying for the Olympic Trials Marathon — while working full-time as the director of product management at Pearl Health. In this conversation, Alana talks about her relationship with running and how it has evolved over the years, and about what it's like being a part of the ever-evolving New York City running community.

FOLLOW ALANA @yo_lans

SPONSOR:

• New Balance. Click here to get your hands on the just-released SC Rebel. You're going to love it!
• Lagoon. My favorite pillows and pillowcases! Click here to get the limited edition Ali on the Run x Lagoon Cool Flex Performance Pillowcase (!!!), and use code ALI at checkout for 15% off.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What's making Alana happy today, and what she's into right now (3:20)
• All about Alana's job as Director of Product Management at Pearl Health (14:55)
• What Alana's relationship with running is like right now (16:55)
• Alana reflects on "Young Lans," her childhood in Chappaqua, NY, and her experience running in college (18:40)
• On graduating from college and trying to figure out what to do next (29:00)
• How Alana has found her place in the New York City running community (35:30)
• How Alana became a 2:34 marathoner (41:25)
• Alana's OTQ journey (44:50)
• What it was like racing the 2026 Boston Marathon in the pro field (56:40)
• What Alana's relationship with running looks like right now (1:04:20)

Follow Ali:

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

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!

"Don't let anyone or anything make you feel like less of a runner."

There's a chill in the air. It's officially fall. And that means it's officially fall marathon season. Whether you're gearing up for your first or your 50th, it's likely that your weekends right now are consumed by long runs, your shopping cart is filled with gels and Body Glide, and you're eagerly awaiting the day your race city's weather is available in the 10-day forecast. (You can keep checking, but trust that it'll keep changing.) In the spirit of the marathon, this is a crowd-sourced episode sharing the best advice, the biggest regrets, and the race day must-dos from the greatest community around: the Best Running Friends (that's you!). Plus, the pet peeves that really set you off on race day, your favorite things to listen to on the big day, and what you wish you would've known before your first 26.2. (You've got this!)

SPONSORS:

• Shokz" My favorite headphones! Use code ALI for $10 off your next Shokz purchase. (I love the Open Run Pro 2.)
• Vuori: Click here to get 20% off your first Vuori purchase. (Get the Halo Essential Wide Leg pants!)

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Your best running tip or piece of advice (4:25)
• Wish you wish you would've known before your first marathon (20:00)
• Your favorite way to celebrate a race well run (34:50)
• Your race-day superstitions, traditions, must-dos (44:25)
• What are you listening to on race day? (55:00)
• The vent session: your biggest race day annoyances and pet peeves (1:02:40)

Follow Ali:

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

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 running friendship in true form. We would not otherwise be friends. We're different ages, our kids are different ages, we live completely different lifestyles. She's as organized and type A as it gets, and I could not be further from that. And it works. Running brings people together, and it's so special to have that connection. We make fun of how different we are in the rest of our lives, but in running, we jive."

On the day we recorded this episode, Arielle Chernin dropped her three daughters off at school. She has three girls ages five and under, with three different drop-off and pick-up locations. Then, she completed her 20-mile training run for the upcoming Chicago Marathon before putting in a day's work at the Brookline Food Pantry, where she is the organization's operations manager. The Newton, MA-based 3:02 marathoner is booked and busy, but she's having so much fun along the way. In this conversation, Arielle talks about finding her mom strength, and how that's changed her life on the run and beyond. She talks about running a personal best (3:02) at the Boston Marathon earlier this year, when she was six months postpartum, and about the big goals she's ready to share for next month's 26.2 in Chicago. Plus, all about her career path, her wild first birth story ("baby born on bathroom floor!"), and how she approaches training and racing.

SPONSOR:

• New Balance. Click here to get your hands on the just-released SC Rebel. You're going to love it!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• All about Arielle's friendship with fellow runner Emily Oster (2:55)
• What's making Arielle happy today, and what she's into right now (7:40)
• How Arielle's relationship with running has evolved over the years (10:25)
• Arielle's earliest Boston Marathon memories (16:15)
• What motivates Arielle on the run (19:20)
• Arielle's wild first birth story (29:30)
• How Arielle's Chicago Marathon training is going (36:00)
• All about Arielle's job as the operations manager at the Brookline Food Pantry (44:15)
• Arielle talks about why she loves running whimsy (48:00)
• How Arielle ran a marathon PR six months after having her third daughter (51:50)

Follow Ali:

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

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!

"But I'm really grateful. I had so much time to make mistakes, look stupid, look cringe, not know what I'm doing — so that when the opportunity arose, I was ready to go. I knew who I was, and I was ready to hit it."

Cody Rigsby is undoubtedly one of the most popular — and most loved — fitness instructors on the planet. With a big personality, endless sass, and pop-heavy playlists, it's not surprising that Cody's Peloton classes are taken by millions. (From Pink to Prime Ministers, you're likely to see some buzzy names on the leaderboard during any given Cody class.) Since rising to superstardom, Cody has published a book, competed on Dancing With the Stars (he and pro partner Cheryl Burke finished third in 2021), and become a celebrity in his own right. In this conversation, Cody talks about his love/hate relationship with running, about his perspective on relationships in 2026, and about how he got the job at Peloton.

SPONSOR:

• Lagoon. My favorite pillows and pillowcases! Click here to get the limited edition Ali on the Run x Lagoon Cool Flex Performance Pillowcase (!!!), and use code ALI at checkout for 15% off.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What's making Cody happy today? (3:55)
• What Cody's consuming right now (5:35)
• Getting to know Cody via Google Search (12:45)
• When running came into Cody's life, and what his childhood was like (18:30)
• Cody's plans for turning 40 (June 8, 2027!) (26:00)
• How Cody got the job at Peloton (30:20)
• How Cody has found his voice on the platform (38:00)
• Cody's reflections on his experience emceeing at lululemon's SeaWheeze 2026 (45:20)
• When Cody realized that Peloton — and he — were making a massive impact (49:45)
• Cody looks back on his experience on Dancing With the Stars (52:00)
• The role running plays in Cody's life right now (55:00)

Follow Ali:

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

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!