Ali on the Run Show

"They just want a chance to compete." Yesterday, after much anticipation and speculation, USA Track & Field announced the changes to the qualifying times for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. So, what's it going to take to OTQ leading up to LA 2028, and to get to run at the Trials? For women, the qualifying mark stays the same: 2:37:00. On the men's side, things are getting faster: Men will now need to run 2:16:00 to qualify — a full two minutes faster than the qualifying time for the 2024 Trials. In this episode, USATF's Chairs of the Long Distance Running Committee — Kim Conley [https://www.instagram.com/kfconley/] and Conor Nickel [https://aliontherunblog.com/2022/06/21/530-jess-conor/] — join the show to explain what what into making these decisions, and what they mean for athletes and fans alike. (Read the full USATF release here [https://www.usatf.org/news/2025/usa-track-field-announces-standards-for-2028-u-s-o#:~:text=The%20men's%20entry%20('B',at%202%3A37%3A00.].) SPONSOR:  * New Balance: Click here [https://www.newbalance.com/running/] to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season. Follow Ali: * Instagram @aliontherun1 [https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1] * Join the Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/509827249645825/] * Support on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/aliontherun] * Subscribe to the newsletter [http://aliontherun.substack.com/] SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ali-on-the-run-show/id1204523870?mt=2]. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"You just need to chill a little bit!" Phily Bowden has a massive following. Whether it's on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/PhilyBowden], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@philybowden?lang=en], or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/philybowden/], there are hundreds of thousands of people watching — and applauding — Phily's every training run, start line, and finish line. The 2:25 UK-based marathoner runs professionally for On, and as she always says, she loves the grind. In this conversation, Phily talks about her experience at the 2025 London Marathon, where she may not have hit her time goal (she hoped for 2:23–2:24, and ran 2:30) but left London with an admirable perspective and some serious mental fortitude. SPONSORS:  * goodr: Click here [https://goodr.com/ali] and use code ALI for $5 off your next order. * Vuori: Click here [http://vuori.com/ontherun] for 20% off your first Vuori purchase. In this episode: * All about Phily’s workout today (2:00) * How Phily’s feeling post-London (4:40) * How Phily processes her races (5:45) * Phily’s experience working with a sports psychologist (7:35) * Phily's relationship with her coach, Jon Green (9:45) * What’s next on the run for Phily? (11:15) * What Phily’s London Marathon weekend was like (13:55) * Phily’s London Marathon race morning (19:30) * The pros and cons of being a content creator on race day (23:50) * Phily’s relationship with fellow pro Molly Seidel, and how she feels about the Flagstaff running community (25:30) * How it felt standing on the London Marathon start line (30:35) * Phily breaks down the first few miles of the race (33:25) * All about that London heat (40:20) * The final 5K (46:20) * What it felt like to cross the London Marathon finish line, and Phily’s post-race takeaways (48:30) * On growing up as a “cheeky child” (53:40) * When Phily knew she could make it as a content creator, and her take on influencer responsibility (57:10) * How Phily got her non-running partner, Daniel, to become a runner! (1:02:45) Follow Ali: * Instagram @aliontherun1 [https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1] * Join the Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/509827249645825/] * Support on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/aliontherun] * Subscribe to the newsletter [http://aliontherun.substack.com/] SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ali-on-the-run-show/id1204523870?mt=2]. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"There’s this sense of all these people, they came out to watch you do this weird, crazy thing. And you’re running toward the thing you’ve been working toward for many months, and all of these people are behind you, and people beside you trying to do the same thing. It’s very special." First, Emily Oster started running. Then she started running fast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ali-on-the-run-show/id1204523870?i=1000549880366]. Then she ran a marathon [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ali-on-the-run-show/id1204523870?i=1000638543023]: the California International Marathon in 2023, where she finished in a Boston Qualifying time of 3:17:39. Now, Emily is officially a Boston Marathoner, having completed this year's race in a personal best time of 3:14:53. In this episode, the economist and best-selling author breaks it all down, including what her training was like this time around, what the energy in the city felt like for a first-time Boston Marathoner, and why she briefly considered calling it quits at mile 23. SPONSOR:  * UCAN's MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SALE: Click here [http://ucan.co/ali] to get a FREE UCAN training sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), and use code ALI for 30% off your UCAN order from now until May 26! In this episode: * Emily’s snapshot moment from the 2025 Boston Marathon (3:30) * How Emily has been feeling since Boston (5:00) * Emily’s road to the Boston Marathon, via CIM (6:00) * Emily’s impression of Boston (10:15) * On hard work, genetics, and human limits (12:30) * Emily’s experience training through an icy New England winter, and how this training cycle was different from CIM 2023 (17:30) * Emily’s relationship with coach Kaitlin Goodman (20:20) * The race plan (23:45) * Emily’s Boston Marathon weekend plans (24:25) * How Emily was feeling on race morning, and the journey to the start line (35:20) * The start line energy (38:35) * Emily’s “very specific chunking plan” (40:55) * What it was like starting to run the Boston Marathon (44:00) * Emily’s take on the Newton hills (50:20) * “That was the moment where I was like, I am not feeling good, I can’t believe there are more miles” (53:00) * Right on Hereford, left on Boylston (56:25) * Now what? (1:00:45) * What’s dominating Emily’s inbox these days? (1:04:55) Follow: * Instagram @aliontherun1 [https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1] * Join the Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/509827249645825/] * Support on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/aliontherun] * Subscribe to the newsletter [http://aliontherun.substack.com/] SUPPORT: If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ali-on-the-run-show/id1204523870?mt=2]. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"For two years, I have been sad. Not all the time. But it got pretty bad and pretty dark and pretty scary for a long time. And over these past few weeks, I’ve seen the light. And I feel like I get to be the light. And it’s been really fun to genuinely be enjoying my life." If you follow me on Instagram (I'm @aliontherun1 [https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1]), I'm sure you're sick of my 40th birthday posts. But I had so much fun that this warranted an audio version of the weekend. So we brought in the big guns: Cousin Jackie [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ali-on-the-run-show/id1204523870?i=1000691366606], here to guest host this week's episode! Best spring ever? Best spring ever.  SPONSOR:  * Shokz [https://shokz.com/?utm_source=ALI&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=aliontherun]: Use code ALI for $10 off your next purchase. Code valid in the U.S. and Canada. * Lagoon: Click here [https://lagoonsleep.com/ALI] to take Lagoon’s 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (I'm an Otter!) Use code ALI at checkout for 15% off your next Lagoon order. Follow Ali: * Instagram @aliontherun1 [https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1] * Join the Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/509827249645825/] * Support on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/aliontherun] * Subscribe to the newsletter [http://aliontherun.substack.com/] SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ali-on-the-run-show/id1204523870?mt=2]. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!

"It's just this phase of life I'm in right now where I just can't get enough of going out and having fun. Within reason. In sweatpants." I had the absolute privilege of getting to attend the London Marathon with New Balance (a sponsor of the race). I attended a New Balance Women's Summit, hosted a panel the night before the race, and spent a ton of time exploring as much of London as I could. On race day, I was at the finish line cheering for the runners as they made their way from Buckingham Palace down the chute. (Congratulations, runners! Not an easy day out there!) The entire experience was incredible. I loved the city of London, the people, the architecture, the pub scene (!!!). I already can't wait to go back.  SPONSORS:  * New Balance: Click here [https://www.newbalance.com/running/] to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season. * Lagoon: Click here [https://lagoonsleep.com/ALI] to take Lagoon’s 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (I'm an Otter!) Use code ALI at checkout for 15% off your next Lagoon order. Follow Ali: * Instagram @aliontherun1 [https://www.instagram.com/aliontherun1] * Join the Facebook group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/509827249645825/] * Support on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/aliontherun] * Subscribe to the newsletter [http://aliontherun.substack.com/] SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please subscribe and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ali-on-the-run-show/id1204523870?mt=2]. Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!