885. No Stupid Questions: Coaching Edition, with Kim Conley

"It's less scary if you face it. If you avoid it, it grows. It becomes scarier. Sometimes it's better to just face things head on." In April 2022, Siobhan Donovan was 33 years old. She was 36 weeks pregnant with her third child when she thought she had a clogged milk duct. It turned out to be stage IV breast cancer that had already spread to her bones. The doctors induced labor, and when Siobhan's son was four days old, she went to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to begin aggressive treatment, starting with 27 grueling rounds of weekly chemotherapy — with a newborn in tow. Siobhan's treatment worked: By 2024, she had achieved No Evidence of Active Disease status, and was training for the Boston Marathon (raising $20,000 for DFCI in the process). But just before the race, she found out her cancer was back. She crossed the finish line, and began another year and a half of chemotherapy. Today, 4.5 years after her initial diagnosis, Siobhan is NED again, and in training mode again: Next weekend, she'll run the TCS New York City Marathon. In this conversation, Siobhan vulnerably revisits the hardest days of her life, talks about where she's at now, and shares her hopes, dreams, and fears for the future. SPONSORS: Shokz" My favorite headphones! Use code ALI for $10 off your next Shokz purchase. (I love the Open Run Pro 2.) Oofos: The best in the recovery footwear game. Click here to check out Oofos's new CLUB+ line! Your feet are going to be so happy! In this episode: What's making Siobhan happy today (3:10) Why Siobhan is running this year's New York City Marathon (5:20) What Siobhan's into right now (10:45) What Siobhan was like growing up, how running came into her life, and how — and why — she became a marathoner (15:40) Is cancer like a marathon? (33:15) Reflections on Breast Cancer Awareness Month (38:00) On receiving a stage IV breast cancer diagnosis at 36 weeks pregnant (42:45) "Dying was the biggest fear" (52:20) On being a fighter, a warrior, and a survivor (1:01:10) Siobhan's advice to caregivers (1:21:45) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 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!

"It was nice to be in Chicago and not feel like my life was imploding." I'm just about recovered from the 2026 Chicago Marathon weekend, where I was in town as a part of the finish line announcing team and co-host of the Champions Reception. That means it's time to recap it all in exhaustive detail. In this solo episode, I'm covering everything I did, everywhere I went, and everyone I saw, from the parties and events to the 5K, the boat ride, and, of course, race day. SPONSORS: New Balance. Click here to get your hands on the just-released SC Rebel. You're going to love it! Lagoon. My favorite pillows and pillowcases! Click here to get the limited edition Ali on the Run x Lagoon Cool Flex Performance Pillowcase (!!!), and use code ALI at checkout for 15% off. IN THIS EPISODE: What life looked like heading into Chicago Marathon weekend this year, and my history with Chicago (1:15) Friday: the flight, the Off the Rails live show, and the way-too-late night (15:10) Saturday: the Abbott Chicago 5K, the breakfast date, the finish line rehearsal, the sushi walk to the Bean, and the best boat ride ever (31:10) Sunday: the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (1:05:15) Monday: the final run, and the trip home (1:34:00) 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!

"I took a selfie with Deena and Joanie yesterday! That's the coolest moment of my life. I literally think that was the best two seconds I've ever lived. It's never gonna get better than this." She's a marathoner — and she's the fastest first-time marathoner in American history! This weekend, Emma Grace Hurley made her much-anticipated 26.2-mile debut at the Chicago Marathon, and she knocked it out of the park. Emma Grace ran 2:20:47, the fastest marathon debut for an American woman, and finished seventh overall. In this conversation, recorded the day after the race, she breaks it all down, from the training and the race plan, to how she felt during both the best and toughest miles of the marathon. SPONSOR: 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 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 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!

"Remember the entire journey, because it's very special." Welcome to Chicago Marathon week! The 48th running of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon takes place this Sunday, October 11, and this episode is jam-packed with information you'll want to hear before you head to the start line. (And yes, you really should plan to get there two hours early.) The elite fields are, as always, stacked, and those athletes will be followed by 55,000 of you en route to 26.2-mile glory. Get ready. Get psyched. And get that Goose Island at the finish! SPONSORS: Shokz" My favorite headphones! Use code ALI for $10 off your next Shokz purchase. (I love the Open Run Pro 2.) Oofos: The best in the recovery footwear game. Click here to check out Oofos's new CLUB+ line! Your feet are going to be so happy! In this episode: Chicago Marathon executive race director Carey Pinkowski talks about what to expect at this year's race (3:45) The 2026 Chicago Marathon by the numbers (43:15) All things pre-race: How to get in for next year's Chicago Marathon, how Chicago is committed to sustainability, and whether or not you can still change your starting corral assignment (49:15) Who to watch in this year's professional fields (1:00:55) What to know about getting to the start and navigating the athlete village (1:06:15) Chris "Coach Worm" Wehrman and Robyn LaLonde talk Chicago Marathon course strategy (1:15:10) All about the finish line experience (1:44:20) Follow Ali: Instagram @aliontherun1 Join the Facebook group Twitter @aliontherun1 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 want to just read names and countries the whole time. That gets boring. I like to talk to runners, too. 'If this is your first New York City Marathon, throw your hands in the air!' And then half the hands go up, and you're like, 'Oh my gosh, this is so amazing!' I don't know why after all this time I'm still surprised they're listening to me!" Even if you don't know her name or her face, you probably know her voice. Karla Bruning is one of the longtime announcers and emcees for the New York Road Runners, and has been hyping up runners at the New York City Marathon since 2010, when she not only ran the race for the first time, but also sang the National Anthem at the start! In this conversation, Karla talks about how she has become one of the voices of the TCS New York City Marathon, and what the road to life on the mic has looked like. In addition to being a marathoner, a triathlete, a mom, a wife, a journalist, and a race announcer and event emcee, Karla and her husband also own Dovetail and Co., a hotel group with seven properties in locations including Bermuda, Waikiki, the Catskills, and Newport, RI. Life is good for Karla, who is booked, booking, and busy! FOLLOW KARLA @runkarlarun SPONSOR: New Balance. Click here to get your hands on the just-released SC Rebel. You're going to love it! IN THIS EPISODE: What's making Karla happy today, and what she's into right now (4:05) How Karla's spends her days off the run (8:00) Karla's road to becoming a race announcer at the New York City Marathon (14:15) What it was like singing the National Anthem at the New York City Marathon start line in 2010, and how Karla started working races after that (19:30) All about being a start line announcer, and what runners don't see (24:20) The view from the New York City Marathon finish line, and what it takes to be a finish line announcer (27:50) On learning how to pronounce all those names (37:45) Karla's most memorable finish line moments (41:30) Karla's jam-packed marathon week schedule (45:30) The parts of the job that Karla says are the most stressful (53:40) Karla's take on the changing landscape at finish lines (1:02:50) On Karla's relationship with running right now (1:05:35) Karla's advice for this year's New York City Marathoners (1:09:20) 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!