Running to the Castle

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In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali talks to runners who feel shaken after a rough peak long run and wonder if they’re ready for race day. 

She explains why that hard run is so common and what it actually says about your fitness. 

She walks through what your body is doing during each phase of the taper and why rest, recovery, and fueling make race day feel completely different. 

If your confidence took a hit at the end of training, this episode will help you settle your nerves before you hit the start line.

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali answers a question a lot of back-of-the-pack runDisney runners struggle with... how do you keep training when you don’t have a race on the calendar? 

She explains why she doesn’t want a race to be your only reason to work out, and shares how she had to pull out of her own proof of time 10K because of sudden back pain. 

She explains why five months of training still wasn’t wasted. 

Then she walks through her “I want to be ___ so that ___” exercise, which turns vague goals like “faster” or “stronger” into a clear training focus. 

She also shares her own off-season plan before Springtime Surprise: four strength days a week, building into plyometrics, plus walks and one easy-plus-progression run. 

She gives examples for runners trying to beat the Balloon Ladies at a new distance and for runners who are burnt out. 

She wraps up with how many races per year she recommends for 13 to 16+ minute per mile runners, and why a 5K every month doesn’t add up.

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles one of the most common fueling mistakes she sees: waiting for hunger to tell you it's time to eat. 

She breaks down why carbohydrates are your body's go-to energy source and why slow and back-of-the-pack runners should be fueling on every single run, no matter how short. 

Dr. Ali also explains why fueling should be based on time on your feet instead of miles, and shares her own simple system for fueling from the very first walk break. 

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali explains why she pulled out of her proof of time 10K during race week. 

A few weeks earlier she hurt her back and she uses her PT background to walk through her symptoms and the simple test she used to tell her doctor it wasn't a muscle problem. 

She's honest about what she's missing out on... the chance to prove she dropped from a 13 minute mile to a 10 minute mile and to submit a faster proof of time to runDisney. 

She explains why one race isn't worth risking a longer injury, and shares a "the money's already spent" lesson that helped her let go of the entry fee. 

She also covers what her race week would have looked like: mostly walking, rest, a 36-hour carb load, and fueling on course. 

She explains why she bases carb loading on effort and time rather than race distance, even for a 10K.

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down why more speed workouts aren't always the answer when you feel like you're not getting faster. 

She explores how race day nerves, run-walk strategy, and summer heat can all hold back your pace, even when your training is right on track. 

You'll also learn how to check whether you're truly improving with standardized pace testing instead of trusting how a run feels. 

If you run at the back of the pack and want plenty of time for character stops, castle photos, and staying ahead of the balloon ladies, this one is for you.

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali explains what the taper really is and why the right amount of pulling back changes with your race distance. 

She uses a Merida bow and arrow analogy to show why doing too much and doing too little can both keep you from a strong race day. 

She covers what to stop the moment your peak long run is done, and why "more is better" rarely applies here. 

She also shares how an unexpected back flare-up reshaped her own taper, and how scouting the race course is shaping her pacing plan.

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles a debate that keeps resurfacing on social media... whether 3 days of running a week is actually enough to train for a marathon. 

She breaks down why she builds her training plans from research and science rather than chasing every other coach's opinion, and why time on your feet matters more than mileage for runners at 13 to 16+ minute paces. 

Dr. Ali makes the case for consistency and injury prevention over pushing to four, five, or six running days, and explains how cross-training fills the gap in cardiovascular fitness without the burnout risk.

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali walks through hitting peak week of her Proof of Time 10K training... and what happened when her body had other plans. 

She breaks down the 5 phases of a successful running journey (build, train, taper, race, and recovery) and explains why "the hay is in the barn" once peak week is done. 

She also talks about how she handled an unexpected setback in the final days before taper, and why she made the call to adjust rather than push through. 

It's an honest look at trusting the work you've already put in, even when the last stretch doesn't go exactly as planned.

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali combines two weeks of Proof of Time Half Marathon training into one honest, "it just didn't happen" kind of episode. 

Week 17 got wiped out by travel... a trip to Massachusetts to visit family and meet her new niece, a flight delay, a Wi-Fi outage, and a pile of laundry that pushed her only workout, a long run, two days late. 

Week 18 started rocky too, but the week turned around fast: a speed workout testing new run-walk intervals that beat her 10K race pace goal even with a slower running split, and a long run using yet another interval combo to protect her legs before race day. 

The takeaway she wants every runner to hear... after a rough stretch, your pace doesn't crumble, but your legs might be sore, so treat that first week back like a recovery priority, not an afterthought.

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down the five warning signs that tell her a runDisney runner's speed workouts simply aren't built for them...even after months or years of consistent training. 

This episode is specifically for the 13-16+ minute per mile, run/walk crowd who keep hitting a wall: speed workouts written in distance instead of time, workouts that call for race paces you haven't actually established yet, strides tacked onto the end of an already-exhausting long run, hard intervals that are too long for your run/walk rhythm, and that flattened-out, exhausted feeling that follows every single workout. 

Dr. Ali explains why each of these misses the mark for run/walk runners, walks through her four go-to workout types...30-20-10s, progression runs, hill sprints, and tempo runs...built around your actual run/walk intervals and paces, and shares how her Back-of-the-Pack Runner Speed Program, with its waitlist open now is designed to help you get faster before your next runDisney race, whether that's Wine & Dine, Marathon Weekend, Princess, or Springtime Surprise.

6 week Speed Program

Ready to stop panicking about how far ahead of the balloon ladies you are and start actually stopping for character photos? That's what the Back-of-the-Pack Runner's Speed Program is for. Join the Waitlist today to learn more and get first dibs on registration.

7 month Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program

Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? 

Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website. 
• ...