Ali on the Run Show

870. My 2026 NYC Half Weekend Recap

Thu, 19 Mar 2026

I remember being like, 'I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm doing this right now.'"

It's been a while since I've done a race recap! This weekend, I ran the United Airlines NYC Half — my first half marathon in two years. With 11 rounds of chemotherapy in the rear view, I felt a major shift this weekend in my favorite city, with so many of my favorite people, doing one of my favorite things. In this solo episode, I'm breaking down the entire weekend (in far too much detail, and with too many stories about parking, turkeys, and eyebrow tinting). From the parties and plays to the 13.1-mile journey from Brooklyn to Central Park, this is my 2026 NYC Half recap — plus, some big updates on the cancer and chemo front.

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IN THIS EPISODE:

Some big updates on the cancer front, and how I ended up running the 2026 NYC Half (2:45)
Friday: the drive to NYC, the crime I willingly committed, the West Side Highway run, the New Balance welcome party, and Oh Mary on Broadway! (29:00)
Saturday: the shakeout run, and a lot of friend time (41:30)
Sunday: NYC Half day! (52:00)
Monday: one last run, and final thoughts (1:35:30)

MY RACE OUTFIT:

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869. No Stupid Questions: Shoes & Sports Bras Edition, with Jinger Gottschall

Thu, 12 Mar 2026

"Everyone deserves a super shoe."

Welcome to the second episode in a new series on the Ali on the Run Show called "No Stupid Questions." This is where experts come in to answer everything you've always wanted to ask about running. We'll be covering a wide range of topics including personal running and coaching, the business of running, and "no such thing as TMI." Last week, Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught Leer kicked off the series answering questions about professional running — and then some.

This week, Jinger Gottschall returns to the show to answer questions about shoes and sports bras. Jinger is the Director of Sports Research at New Balance (listen to her previous episode here), and her days are spent in the research lab working on product innovation.

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868. Emma Grace Hurley's 2026 USATF Half Marathon Championships Recap

Thu, 05 Mar 2026

"It's been a really, really tough couple days. I've never been such a combination of stressed and sad."

At Sunday's USA Track and Field Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta, the top three women — Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Ednah Kurgat — were led off course in the final mile of the race. The three were on track to take the podium, and to earn spots to represent the United States on a World Championship team. All signs were pointing to Jess, Emma Grace, and Ednah becoming Team USA ahead of the 2026 World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen this September. National titles, prize money, sponsor bonuses, and, of course, the glory of breaking the tape and earning that moment were all on the line.

Much has been said about the race, the misdirection, and the immediate aftermath. Molly Born ultimately broke the tape, as Jess, Emma Grace, and Ednah clawed their way back into the mix. But what happens now? The one unanimous takeaway from that day in Atlanta is that no one feels good about how the day played out.

Today, Emma Grace Hurley comes to us from her much-deserved post-race vacation in the Cayman Islands to offer her unique perspective on all of this. Emma Grace spent the early years of her running career as a member of Atlanta Track Club Elite. She has served on committees for USA Track and Field, and currently lives in Indianapolis, where she is coached by former Atlanta Track Club Elite coach Andrew Begley. Emma Grace has a deeper understanding than most about how these various organizations work, about what goes into pulling off a road race of this scale and, of course, about what it's like being an athlete with so much at stake.

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867. No Stupid Questions: Professional Running Edition, with Aisha Praught Leer & Eric Jenkins

Tue, 03 Mar 2026

"Live free and grind."

Welcome to the first episode in a new series on the Ali on the Run Show called "No Stupid Questions." This is where experts come in to answer everything you've always wanted to ask about running. We'll be covering a wide range of topics including personal running and coaching, shoes and gear, the business of running, and "no such thing as TMI." The goal is to offer both straightforward and nuanced answers to the questions you've been hesitant to ask or that you still don't quite understand.

First up in this series: all about professional running, with former professional runners and current hosts of the Off the Rails podcast, Aisha Praught Leer and Eric Jenkins. Aisha and Eric offer unique perspectives. They both ran professionally for big brands (Nike, Under Armour, Puma), and have since retired while staying active in the sport. They have the inside scoop, but aren't bound by NDAs or brand loyalties. They are unfiltered, honest, and always willing to go there.

FOLLOW AISHA @aishapraughtleer

FOLLOW ERIC @_ericjenkins

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

IN THIS EPISODE:

Everything you need to know about pacers (5:45)
On the track: from pre-meet and logistics to what it actually means when people say a track is "fast" (23:00)
In the marathon: medals, separate starts, and more (48:30)
Money talks, and the business of professional running (54:45)
On doping, drama, chafing, waxing, and more (1:19:30)

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866. Molly Seidel, Ultramarathoner

Thu, 26 Feb 2026

"The last couple years have been so hard. I've been through so many ups and downs that I'm like, 'There is nothing in a race that I can experience that is worse than what I've just gone through.'"

Watch out, ultra world: Molly Seidel has arrived! The Olympic bronze medalist has officially moved from the marathon to the mountains. Molly just completed the Black Canyon 100K, where she finished fourth and earned a golden ticket entry to this summer's 100-mile Western States Endurance Run. Earlier this year, Molly made her ultra debut at the Bandera 50K, where she won the race outright, beating the first male finisher by six minutes. Her 4:09:39 broke a course record that had stood since 2012. In this conversation, Molly breaks down her day at Black Canyon, and talks about how she's feeling about this new-to-her adventure.

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IN THIS EPISODE:

How Molly's feeling post-Black Canyon 100K (1:40)
What's making Molly happy today (3:15)
Molly reflects on a tough day at the 2025 TCS New York City Marathon, where she pulled out of the race at mile 18 (6:00)
Molly's recap from the Bandera 50K in January, which she won outright (9:00)
Why Molly decided to run the Black Canyon 100K (13:30)
What Molly needed from her crew (26:45)
Molly's Black Canyon 100K race report (29:45)
Molly's highs and lowest from the day (50:30)
How Molly is feeling about running Western States in a few months (53:40)

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