Ali on the Run Show

"We're basically the same person, just 12 years apart."
Emma Coburn and Parker Valby are professional runners, Olympians, New Balance athletes — and now, they're training partners. In this conversation, Emma and Parker talk about how they became friends, and how Parker ended up being coached by Emma's husband (and coach) Joe Bosshard in Boulder, CO. (Joe makes another brief appearance in this episode!) Parker talks about her 14:39 5000m personal best at the USATF Distance Classic this summer, and Emma reflects on this season's return to racing after injury.
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IN THIS EPISODE:
What's making Emma and Parker happy today (4:00)
Where in the world is Parker Valby? (6:00)
Why Parker has always looked up to Emma, and all about their first memories of meeting each other (6:50)
How Parker and Emma became friends and training partners (13:40)
Parker reflects on the first year of her professional career, dealing with injury, coaching changes, and multiple moves (23:50)
What Parker was looking for in a coach, and why Joe Bosshard was a fit (30:15)
How Parker and Emma both worked their ways back from their respective injuries (33:35)
Parker and Emma reflect on their returns to racing (41:00)
What's next on the racing calendar for Parker and Emma (52:55)
How Emma and Parker are most alike, and how they're different (55:30)
On the pressure of being Emma Coburn (1:01:00)
What does it mean to be The Next Emma Coburn? (1:05:45)
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Instagram @aliontherun1
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"When she said those words to me on that run, I was like, 'It's the same thing, Laura. You're gonna do the same thing that you've done. You were OK after every decision, after every scary thing you did in your career. It opened up new doors, it opened up new opportunities, I met new people. Some of those people who changed my life completely and it impacted me in ways I would never have imagined. But none of that would have happened if I didn't have the courage to trust myself to make the scary decisions and not stay in something that was no longer working because it was safe.' I just needed someone to remind me of that."
Last year, Laura Thweatt chose to retire from professional running. Now, she's the Assistant Road Team Coach for On Athletics Club in Boulder, CO, and she's thriving. But the road to post-pro fulfillment wasn't easy. In this conversation, Laura talks about that heavy retirement decision, and shares the advice she got from fellow retired pro Jenny Simpson that made the decision a little easier. She talks about how she approached the next chapter in her life, about learning the art of the corporate interview, and about the emotional side of life after going pro. Plus, how she got the OAC job, why she feared her first day on the job would also be her last, and what it's like traveling the world with Hellen Obiri. 
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IN THIS EPISODE:
Laura's "Summer of 10Ks" traveling the east coast (2:00)
What race-day nerves are like as a coach (5:45)
What's making Laura happy today (7:55)
What Laura's into right now (14:40)
Laura plays favorites with her OAC athletes (25:00)
Laura talks about her decision to retire from professional running, and the life-changing advice she got from Jenny Simpson in the process (30:00)
On figuring out "what's next?" (37:35)
Laura recounts her first day as an On Athletics Club coach (52:30)
On getting comfortable in a coaching role (1:02:00)
Has Laura ever questioned whether retiring was the right decision? (1:05:30)
What race weekends are like as a coach (1:10:05)
Follow Ali:
Instagram @aliontherun1
Join the Facebook group
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 think that the run girlies are respected within the sport the way they should be!"
As a longtime marketer and creator of The Sweat Lookbook, Lee Glandorf truly has her pulse on industry trends, running fashion, and up-and-coming brands. In this conversation, she talks about what she's seeing at the halfway point in 2026, from the Eras Tour effect on road racing and what everyone's wearing at local half marathons, to where she sees holes, gaps, and opportunities in the industry. She offers thoughtful, critical analysis of running headlines, buzzy brands, and her take on the tastemakers on the run. (Listen to Lee's previous appearances on the show here and here.)
FOLLOW LEE @leeglandorf
SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to get your hands on the beautiful, just-released, hot pink Ellipse Breathe sneakers. What a dream!
IN THIS EPISODE:
How Lee is celebrating "Lee Week!" (2:00)
Lee reflects on her relationship with running throughout pregnancy, the postpartum period, and motherhood (3:15)
Lee's trend report from her local half marathon (10:00)
The Eras Tour effect on the running industry (14:55)
Why is Bandit so popular? (23:00)
Who are the biggest tastemakers in running right now? (27:00)
How Lee finds small, cool brands that are doing exciting things (33:40)
Where Lee sees holes, gaps, and opportunities in the industry (38:15)
What it takes for a boutique brand to make it in running (43:20)
All about The Rec Room, the pop-up Lee and her team hosted on Newbury Street during Boston Marathon weekend (54:45)
Reflecting on two years of The Sweat Lookbook — and what's next (1:06:15)
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!

"I'm terrified in a whole new way now."
We got PET scan results — along with a whole lot of unexpected emotions. 
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Lagoon. My favorite pillows and pillowcases! Click here to take Lagoon's 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you, and use code ALI at checkout for 15% off your next Lagoon order.
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
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!

"If you're writing my obituary, whoever's in charge, please include this! Because I feel very proud of it!"
For this Throwback Thursday episode, we're headed to January 2023 with actress and marathoner Ellie Kemper. It's my all-time favorite episode! In this conversation, Ellie (best known for her role as Erin on The Office) recaps her 26.2-mile debut at the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon. 
SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to get your hands on the beautiful, just-released, hot pink Ellipse Breathe sneakers. What a dream!
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!