865. Paul Swangard, Track & Field Analyst & The Voice of Hayward Field
Release Date: 02/19/2026
884. A May Message from Ali
Ali on the Run Show
"Life has not been easy. Life, for the better part of the past few years, has been very hard and messy and stressful and exhausting. And I will give myself the tiniest bit of credit for surviving it. And for finding a way to be happy." The month of May brings up all kinds of stuff for me. A birthday, Mother's Day, all of the school and extracurricular activities for Annie — and the anniversaries. In May 2023, my life was upended when I was diagnosed with stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma: breast cancer. Exactly two years later, I was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer that had...
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883. Cousin Jackie’s 2026 Boston Marathon Recap
Ali on the Run Show
"It was really hard for me to distinguish who was a friend and who was actually going to win the Boston Marathon, and I just hugged them all the exact same." She's back — and this time, she's a Boston Marathoner! Cousin Jackie — my cousin and bestie, Jacqueline Adair, ran this year's Boston Marathon, and not only did she run a personal best in Boston, she also raised more than $20,000 for cancer research as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team. In this episode, recorded the morning after the marathon, Jackie talks about her training, her fundraising, and why running this race...
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882. My 2026 Boston Marathon Weekend Recap
Ali on the Run Show
"It felt so good to be reminded of all the reasons I love to do this." There’s nowhere I’d rather be on the third Monday in April than at the Boston Marathon finish line! This year, I was honored to be asked back to perform a variety of roles in Boston. I hosted a panel at the Expo along with two live shows. I was one of the race announcers at the finish line on Marathon Monday, and I was the finish line reporter for the world feed broadcast. It was a big, busy, fun, rewarding weekend that included quality time with my favorite people, a million finish line hugs, a quick meet-and-greet...
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881. Chelsea Clinton’s 2026 Boston Marathon Recap
Ali on the Run Show
"I’m so proud of all of us. I’m so proud of anyone who decides to even run a mile." Of the 30,000 runners who completed this year's Boston Marathon, only one is a former resident of the White House. Chelsea Clinton — a mom of three, podcast host, activist, author, avid runner, and former First Daughter — is now and forever a Boston Marathoner. In this episode (her on the Ali on the Run Show!), recorded just 48 hours after the race, she talks about running Boston with her best friend, Jen, and about what it took to run a personal best time of 3:40:52. ...
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880. LIVE from the 2026 Boston Marathon Expo with Annie Frisbie & Amanda Vestri
Ali on the Run Show
"Go out there and send it within reason." Every year, I host a panel at the Boston Marathon Expo featuring some of the top American women in the professional field. This year, that meant getting to chat with Puma and Minnesota Distance Elite's Annie Frisbie and Brooks athlete on the Friday before the 2026 Boston Marathon. Annie went on to lead much of the race, ultimately finishing eighth overall and as the second American woman in 2:22:00 (and 81-second personal best). Amanda, in only her second marathon, finished 15th overall and as the eighth American woman in 2:24:49 — a 51-second...
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879. LIVE at The TRACK at New Balance with Aisha Praught Leer & Eric Jenkins
Ali on the Run Show
"Winning is really fun!" On Saturday afternoon during Boston Marathon weekend, more than 775 of us took over The TRACK at New Balance for a super fun live show with cohosts Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught Leer. No further intro needed. SPONSOR: New Balance. to check out the brand new Ellipse, New Balance's just-released everyday trainer. (It's gorgeous!) Follow Ali: SUPPORT the Ali on the Run Show! If you’re enjoying the show, please . Spread the run love. And if you liked this episode, share it with your friends!
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878. LIVE at WBUR CitySpace in Boston with Claire Holt
Ali on the Run Show
"I have severe FOMO. All I want to do is run this marathon on Monday." Claire Holt is an actress best known for her work on Pretty Little Liars, H20: Just Add Water, The Vampire Diaries, and Mean Girls 2. She's a mom of three who lives in Miami. And she is a runner and a marathoner. Claire came to Boston to do this live show with us, and to take in all the weekend vibes, and I think it's safe to say she'll be back. Biggest thanks to Shokz for supporting this episode and for making all this magic happen, and thank you to Steven and the amazing team at WBUR CitySpace for having us. FOLLOW CLAIRE...
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877. My Boston Marathon Pep Talk
Ali on the Run Show
"I went back to Boston, and I found myself again. I found the Ali I knew was in there. The Ali who lives and breathes running. The Ali who had felt so isolated for so long, but who craves community and connection, and knows exactly where to find it." We're just days away from the 130th Boston Marathon! Last year, I was honored to be asked to be the keynote speaker at the Boston Athletic Association's annual partner summit at the Museum of Science. I used the opportunity to share my Boston Marathon story. My story, as someone who grew up 80 minutes north of Boston, who knew nothing about the...
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876. Sara Hall, Author of For the Love of the Grind
Ali on the Run Show
"Doubt and belief can coexist. In the book, you see a ton of my doubts and struggles with confidence. But then there’s also this untouchable belief that’s always there, too. So it’s almost like, which voice are you going to listen to?" It's a big week for professional runner Sara Hall! She turns 43 tomorrow, and then heads east to race the Boston Marathon on Monday. And while most marathoners are recovering on Tuesday, Sara, in true Sara form, will be doing the opposite: It's book launch day! Sara's debut memoir, , comes out April 21, and in this conversation, Sara talks about why...
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875. Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Boston Marathon
Ali on the Run Show
"Calm, calm, calm. Relax, relax, relax." Welcome to your guide to the 2026 Boston Marathon! We just about one week away from the 130th running of the world's oldest marathon. This year's Boston Marathon takes place, as always, on the third Monday of April — this year, that's April 20. In this mega-episode, I (along with a team of experts and insiders) attempt to answer all of your questions about all things Boston. Katie Hawkes and Lauren Proshan from the Boston Athletic Association are here to talk logistics (take some deep breaths — the journey to the start line is doable, and you...
info_outline"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)
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