868. Emma Grace Hurley's 2026 USATF Half Marathon Championships Recap
Release Date: 03/05/2026
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...
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874. Emily Sisson, Boston Marathon-Bound
Ali on the Run Show
"That’s been my thing lately: What excites me?" Emily Sisson is the American record holder in the marathon, a two-time Olympian, and a New Balance professional athlete. And right now, she's gearing up to make her Boston Marathon debut. In this conversation, Emily talks about how the Boston build has been going, and why now was the time to finally race Boston. She talks about her sixth-place finish at last month's United NYC Half, explains why she wanted more from her 2:25 finish at the New York City Marathon in the fall, and talks about making Ireland home — and making new friends in the...
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873. Jess McClain, Boston Marathon-Bound
Ali on the Run Show
"All I can do is move forward knowing that one day I’ll have that moment." Jess McClain just might be the most-loved professional marathoner in the country. The Phoenix, AZ-based Brooks athlete made national headlines last month when she was leading the U.S. Half Marathon National Championships in Atlanta and was led off course by an official vehicle in the final mile of the race. That day, Jess lost out on a national title, a spot on Team USA, and a good amount of prize money. (Listen to Emma Grace Hurley's recap of the day .) She handled the aftermath with grace, compassion, and optimism....
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872. Emma Bates, Mom-to-Be
Ali on the Run Show
"It’s a new day, it’s a new age, let’s learn, let’s grow together. That’s it." Last week, professional Colorado-based marathoner Emma Bates when she shared that she had been dropped by her fueling sponsor after they found out she was pregnant. In this conversation, Emma shares her side of the story that has taken the running community by storm. Emma also talks about running a 2:25 at the Valencia Marathon in the fall, about finding out the next day that she was pregnant, and about the realities of being a pregnant professional marathoner. SPONSOR: Lagoon. to...
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871. Why Did You Run Your First Marathon?
Ali on the Run Show
"I needed to do it like I needed to breathe." At any given marathon, there are thousands of runners on the start line, hoping to complete the 26.2-mile journey to the finish line. That means that at any given marathon, there are thousands of reasons to run. This episode is about those reasons. (Thank you to the nearly 1,000 of you who shared the stories behind why you ran your first marathon. Truly inspiring.) SPONSOR: Oofos: The best in the recovery footwear game. to check out Oofos's new CLUB+ line! Your feet are going to be so happy! In this episode: Why I ran *my*...
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870. My 2026 NYC Half Weekend Recap
Ali on the Run Show
I remember being like, 'I can’t believe I’m here. I can’t believe I’m doing this right now.'" It's been a while since I've done a race recap! This weekend, I ran the United Airlines NYC Half — my first half marathon in two years. With 11 rounds of chemotherapy in the rear view, I felt a major shift this weekend in my favorite city, with so many of my favorite people, doing one of my favorite things. In this solo episode, I'm breaking down the entire weekend (in far too much detail, and with too many stories about parking, turkeys, and eyebrow tinting). From the parties and plays to...
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869. No Stupid Questions: Shoes & Sports Bras Edition, with Jinger Gottschall
Ali on the Run Show
"Everyone deserves a super shoe." Welcome to the second 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, the business of running, and "no such thing as TMI." Last week, Eric Jenkins and Aisha Praught Leer answering questions about professional running — and then some. This week, Jinger Gottschall returns to the show to answer questions about shoes and sports bras. Jinger...
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868. Emma Grace Hurley's 2026 USATF Half Marathon Championships Recap
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...
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867. No Stupid Questions: Professional Running Edition, with Aisha Praught Leer & Eric Jenkins
Ali on the Run Show
"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...
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866. Molly Seidel, Ultramarathoner
Ali on the Run Show
"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,...
info_outline"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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