Ali on the Run Show

"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.
FOLLOW EMMA GRACE @emmagracehurley
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"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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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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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!

"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. 
FOLLOW MOLLY @bygolly.molly
SPONSOR: Lagoon. 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.
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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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 want to be part of making people care. My hope is that my enthusiasm for the sport as a fan of the sport comes through in my calls."
Even if you don't know his face, you definitely know his voice: Paul Swangard is here! Paul, a lifelong resident of Eugene, OR, is known as the Voice of Hayward field, where he's the longtime in-stadium announcer at the University of Oregon. He's an Emmy-award winning member of the NBC sports talent team, where he is an analyst and does play-by-play for track and field and distance events including the Olympics, World Championships, US National Championships, Millrose Games, New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, Diamond League meets, and more. He also does the world feed broadcasts for the New York City and Boston Marathons. Paul is a professor in the School of Journalism and Communications at the University of Oregon, he's a sought-after media consulstant and strategic advisor for brands in running and beyond, and he is one of the best to ever get on the mic. 
FOLLOW PAUL @paul_swangard
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In this episode:
What is making Paul happy today? (3:00)
What Paul hopes his University of Oregon students take from his classes and his teachings (5:40)
Paul's road to Hayward Field — and the microphone (13:25)
What it was like working World Championships in 2022 at Hayward Field (24:05)
Paul explains his role on any given NBC broadcast (31:55)\
Paul's most meaningful memories on the mic (37:15)
What makes a broadcast a success? (47:30)
On getting nervous before going on air (56:50)
What Paul wishes the viewers at home understood about a race broadcast (59:25)
Follow Ali:
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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!

"So we kissed, and then we spent every day after that together." 
They're one of running's greatest power couples: Deena and Andrew Kastor are here for Love on the Run Week! In this conversation, the Olympic bronze medalist and the esteemed coach talk about how they met, how long they waited to call each other, and who made the first move. Today, Deena and Andrew live in Mammoth Lakes, CA, with their daughter, Piper. 
FOLLOW DEENA @deenakastor
FOLLOW ANDREW @coachkastor
SPONSOR: Lagoon. 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.
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!