"I’m living the dream, being who I am, truly and authentically. I can’t complain at all. It’s not even work."

Tiara Williams is a self-proclaimed "little track nerd." The creator, journalist, broadcaster, and in-stadium announcer is the host of "Real Talk with Tee," and she's become a fan and athlete favorite for her genuine and insightful post-race interviews (that often involve dancing and laughing). Whether she's behind the mic, behind the camera, on the mic, or on camera, Tee brings a lightness to her reporting that puts athletes at ease. In this conversation, the former heptathlete talks about her passion for the sport and its athletes, and about how she has built "Real Talk" to what it is today, including stints at multiple World Championships, the 2024 Paris Olympics, international Diamond League meets, Athlos, and more. Plus, what it's like being one of the only Black women in the mixed zone, and where Tee hopes to go from here.

FOLLOW TEE @_realtalkwithtee

SPONSORS: 

• Volvo Cars: Click here to get an exclusive offer on a Volvo purchase or lease. (I'm completely obsessed with the XC90!)
• Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon’s 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (Emma Bates and I are both Otters!) Use code ALI at checkout for $25 off your next Lagoon order.
• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

In this episode:

• What Tee was up to at The Running Event, and how she describes her job and role in the running industry (2:10)
• On staying authentic while building a career and brand (4:00)
• All about Tee’s childhood, what she was like growing up, and how she got into running and sports (4:45)
• How Tee got started in sports journalism (11:20)
• The evolution of Real Talk with Tee (18:50)
• What it was like interviewing Shericka Jackson at the Paris Olympics, and what it was like seeing that interview in Sprint Season 2 (27:10)
• How Tee has found her way in the mixed zone (29:30)
• On being intimidated by certain athletes (47:10)
• What’s next for Tee? (51:20)

Follow Ali:

• Instagram @aliontherun1
• Join the Facebook group
• Twitter @aliontherun1
• Support on Patreon
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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!

"I think it would shock a lot of people to see just how hard I go for The Lonely Goatherd from The Sound of Music. That yodeling, wow."

Welcome to Ask Ali, where I answer all of your questions submitted on Instagram (I'm @aliontherun1). This time around, we're covering everything from life lately and health stuff to the pros and cons of working for myself, what I'm watching lately, the music that got me through 2024, and so much more.

SPONSOR: 

• New Balance: Click here to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season.

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!

"You’re so much more than just somebody who has survived cancer. And also...you’re somebody who has survived cancer! Figuring out that new identity is an interesting thing to navigate."

At 28 years old, Christine Thorn Fischer was a happy, healthy, elite-level steeplechasing, elementary school teacher. Then, she found a lump in her breast. Christine was diagnosed with stage four invasive ductal carcinoma — breast cancer — that spread to her spine and sacrum. Suddenly, instead of dreaming about her next race on the track, Christine was undergoing intense treatment including eight rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and hormone therapy. In this conversation, Christine — who is married to professional marathoner Reed Fischer — talks about her diagnosis and the days, weeks, and months that followed. She talks about her experience with scalp cooling to preserve her hair during treatment, about the worst day of her life, and about what it was like learning that she might die within a few years. 

Not only did Christine get a "no signs of disease" report from her most recent scans, she is living. Christine is officially back on the run, and just ran her first marathon — the TCS New York City Marathon — a few weeks ago, conquering the course in 3:09:52

FOLLOW CHRISTINE @c_thorn31

SPONSORS: 

• Volvo Cars: Click here to get an exclusive offer on a Volvo purchase or lease. (I'm completely obsessed with the XC90!)
• Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon’s 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (Emma Bates and I are both Otters!) Use code ALI at checkout for $25 off your next Lagoon order.
• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

In this episode:

• Christine reflects on running the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon (5:45)
• On being a “cancer survivor” (11:40)
• What Christine was needing when she went on a Boarding for Breast Cancer retreat (13:50)
• All about Christine’s breast cancer diagnosis and the days, weeks, and months that followed (19:45)
• Christine recounts the worst day of her life (34:00)
• Christine’s advice on how to support someone going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment (44:50)
• What Christine recalls as the hardest parts of her cancer journey (50:00)
• Christine’s decision to do cold capping during chemotherapy (59:40)
• On reaching the light at the end of the cancer tunnel (1:07:45)
• How Christine’s perspective on fear has changed over the past two years (1:16:20)
• Why Christine wanted to run the New York City Marathon after completing cancer treatment (1:17:50)

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 am healthily afraid of the marathon. It looks very painful!"

Emma Grace Hurley made a lot of big life changes this year. She moved from Atlanta to Indianapolis. She changed sponsors. She changed teams. And this weekend, it all paid off, as Emma Grace made her 13.1-mile debut at the Indy Monumental Half Marathon, finishing in 1:08:26, setting a course record, and winning the race by nearly two minutes. After a long season filled with second- and third-place finishes, this was Emma Grace's first big career win. In this conversation, the Asics-sponsored professional distance runner and member of Heartland Track Club talks about her approach to this year, her big dreams for next year, and what she plans to do about all of her Marathon FOMO.

SPONSORS: 

• goodr: Click here and use code ALI for $5 off your next order.
• Sidekick: Click here to get 15% off any recovery tool.

In this episode:

• How Emma Grace is feeling after making her half-marathon debut (2:40)
• On Emma Grace’s decision to make her half debut (6:10)
• Emma Grace’s goals and hopes for her first half (13:30)
• What it felt like to win the Indy Monumental Half Marathon (27:10)
• Emma Grace’s third-place finish at the Abbott Dash to the Finish 5K (30:30)
• Why Emma Grace loves to race, and which events top her highlight reel from the year (35:15)
• Emma Grace talks about all of the big life changes she’s embraced over the past year (45:30)
• A day in the life of Emma Grace Hurley (53:20)
• What Emma Grace was like as a kid, and how she got into running (57:00)

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!

"We go to bed too late, we wake up too early, we don’t eat enough, and we have an awesome time."

It was a New York City Marathon to remember. It was one of the best weekends of my life, and certainly the greatest weekend of my career. I hosted two live shows (one with Gabby Thomas and New Balance at Carnegie Hall, and one at Volvo Studio Manhattan with Keira D'Amato), I was on the ESPN and ABC broadcasts on race day, and I was on top of the world the entire time. This is my exhaustive recap of every step.

SPONSORS: 

• Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase.
• The Eugene Marathon: Register for the Eugene Marathon (April 27, 2025) and save $10 with code ONTHERUN.
• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

In this episode:

• Friday: the Carnegie Hall live show with Gabby Thomas, a delicious dinner at Nobu, and a sleepover with Keira D’Amato (3:40)
• Saturday: a morning run in Central Park, a Volvo live show with Keira, an afternoon of broadcast rehearsals — sort of — and an evening of arm wrestling with friends (36:00)
• Sunday: the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon, and a fun night out (1:00:00)
• Monday: time to go home (1:34:00)

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!

"This is where the magic happens."

It's an Ali and Keira live show! (The fourth Ali and Keira D'Amato live show, if you're keeping track!) Thank you so much to Volvo Cars USA for hosting us in their gorgeous Manhattan studio space for some fun, some silliness, some singing, and some sandwiches, and thank you to everyone who joined us for a fun morning the day before the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon. 

SPONSOR:

• VOLVO CARS: New sponsor alert! Click here to get an exclusive offer on a Volvo purchase or lease. (I'm completely obsessed with the XC90!)

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 had to trick myself into believing that I could win a gold medal."

Career highlight. Life highlight. Welcome to Ali on the Run Show LIVE with Gabby Thomas, presented by New Balance, held at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City, two days before the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon. (What a big sentence!) 

Gabby Thomas is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and an Olympic silver and bronze medalist. She's a 200m specialist with a Harvard University degree in Neurobiology and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Texas. She is one of the starts of the Netflix documentary Sprint, and Sprint Season 2, out next week. Gabby was the grand marshal at this year's New York City Marathon, and, allegedly, she makes a great salad.

Biggest THANK YOU to the New Balance team (Kristen, James, Sean, Summer, and so many more), the Mirror team, and the team at Carnegie Hall.

This live podcast audio was recorded by Noriko Okabe. The pre-show musicians (enjoy the opening rendition of "Shake It Off!") were Mikhail Romanov and Galina Romanova.

FOLLOW GABBY @gabbythomas

SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance’s latest releases for the season. (The SuperComp Trainer is my favorite daily shoe, and I race in the SC Elite v4!)

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 do everything that I do as if I literally, truly love it."

Rad Lopez grew up in the Bronx. He was raised by a single mom who "didn't have much," but who made magic happen for her children every day. Rad used to work at a gym in the Bronx — cleaning toilets, towels, and locker rooms, not coaching or training — and would look out at the runners on New York City Marathon day. He said one day, that would be him. Spoiler: check! Today, Rad Lopez is a Peloton instructor and Nike-sponsored athlete who made his 26.2-mile debut last year at the Chicago Marathon. He was intrigued enough that he ran his second marathon, the New York City Marathon, one month later. This weekend, Rad will run the TCS New York City Marathon for the second time. In this episode, he talks about how training has gone, about his "victim vs. underdog" mentality, and about why you should do things scared.

FOLLOW RAD @radichell

SPONSORS:

• VOLVO CARS: New sponsor alert! Click here to get an exclusive offer on a Volvo purchase or lease. (I'm completely obsessed with the XC90!)
• Sidekick: Click here to get 15% off any recovery tool.

In this episode:

• “How did today’s run go, Rad?” (2:25)
• Rad recaps his day at the Bronx 10 Mile (3:50)
• Rad’s take on the running community (6:25)
• Why Rad wanted to run this year’s TCS New York City Marathon (8:35)
• What Rad’s marathon training has been like (11:00)
• Rad’s history with the NYC Marathon (13:30)
• How Rad became a runner (19:00)
• Why Rad wanted to run his first marathon (21:45)
• Rad remembers his first marathon finish line (32:00)
• Rad’s goals for this year’s NYC Marathon (35:10)
• What Rad’s childhood was like (42:45)
• Where Young Rad found inspiration, and the difference between a victim mentality and an underdog mentality (50:00)
• How Rad got the Peloton job (55:45)

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!

"At a marathon finish line — especially this marathon finish line — you see the best of humanity."

Every year on the first Sunday of November, more than 50,000 runners, 10,000 volunteers, and two million spectators will descend on 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 and a half 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 marathon-day fueling and hydrating.

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, last year 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.

This year: They're putting me on TV again! In addition to hosting two live shows during New York City Marathon weekend, on race day I'll be part of the ESPN2 and WABC7 broadcasts as a finish line reporter, and I'll return to the finish line for the 3–5 PM broadcast on ABC.

Let’s have some fun!

SPONSORS: 

• goodr: Click here and use code ALI for $5 off your next order.
• UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), including the new Mocha + Caffeine gel and the Chocolate gel. (My dream!) Then, use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

In this episode:

• TCS New York City Marathon race director Ted Metellus talks about why he’s excited for this year’s TCS New York City Marathon (5:15)
• Pre-race questions: how to get in, how to handle feeling overwhelmed by logistics, and how to watch this year’s race (28:30)
• What you need to know about getting to the start line in Staten Island, and what to do once you’re there (36:30)
• What to know about the New York City Marathon course (59:20)
• New York City Marathon course strategy (and a pep talk!) with Peloton instructor and 2:32 marathoner Becs Gentry (1:12:40)
• Welcome to the New York City Marathon finish line — and what happens once you cross it (1:54:00)
• What to know about spectating at the New York City Marathon (1:59:00)
• You did it! Now what? (2:05:00)

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!

"I just kept picturing kindness and all these people that I knew would show up for me, and I wanted to show up for them. And for you. And for myself, frankly."

I returned to Chicago for the second time, and it was awesome. In this episode, I'm recapping all of the action from Chicago Marathon weekend, including the Abbott Chicago 5K, the New Balance live show, and, of course, race day. Plus, all the social stuff, an architecture tour, and a meaningful moment on the lakefront.

SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to shop New Balance’s latest releases for the season. (The SuperComp Trainer is my favorite daily shoe, and I ran the Abbott Chicago 5K in the SC Elite v4!)

In this episode:

• All about my role at this year’s Chicago Marathon (1:30)
• Thursday: travel day! (8:50)
• Friday: a morning walk and run, a meaningful lakefront encounter, a press conference, an architecture tour, and a girls night (14:00)
• Saturday: the Abbott Chicago 5K and a live show with Emily Birthday Girl Sisson, Emma Coburn, and Joe Bosshard (36:50)
• Sunday: Chicago Marathon day! (57:30)
• Monday: homeward bound (1:19:15)
• Listener Q&A (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!