In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali explains why you should not run a half marathon to train for a half marathon or a 5K to train for a 5K. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down one of the most common questions she gets from runners: what supplements should I take for joint pain? 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles the question “Is your injury all in your head?” and answers with a firm no. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn why finishing strong has nothing to do with running more miles. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali dives into the messy overlap of AI, training plans, and social media “perfect” bodies.

She shares how she uses ChatGPT to tidy her own wording, but shows why you shouldn’t trust AI to design your plan: Gemini contradicted its own 10% rule and under-rested runners, while ChatGPT spit out a marathon plan that started at 6 miles and changed structure midstream—red flags for injury-prone athletes.

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles the question of whether cross-training actually helps your RunDisney training…and why she believes it absolutely does. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn what it was like to run the final Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon Weekend before the race series goes on hiatus.

In this episode of Running to the Castle you’ll learn how Amanda transformed her half marathon experience from a 4-hour struggle to a confident 3:15 finish. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles one of the biggest fears for slow, back-of-the-pack runDisney runners: getting swept by the balloon ladies. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn what to do when marathon training leaves you with bad muscle pain. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali shares practical race-day strategies for runners who weren’t able to train as planned due to illness, surgery, or life circumstances, aka life getting lifey. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles the common question of whether runners should wear new shoes right before a race.

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali reminds runners that a single bad workout doesn’t define their training—because workouts don’t happen in a vacuum. 

Using her “rule of thirds,” she explains that about one-third of your workouts will feel great, one-third will feel neutral, and one-third will feel tough, and that balance is not only normal but necessary for progress. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali answers a common question: “What if my easy pace feels too fast for me?”

Easy runs should feel truly easy—conversational and sustainable—not like a struggle to hit a number.

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali dives into the often-overlooked side of injuries: what happens after the bone, tendon, or muscle technically heals.

In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn 5 practical strategies to stay consistent with your runDisney training—especially if running isn’t the center of your life.

In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn about Achilles pain—what it feels like, why it happens, and how to both recover from it and keep it from coming back during your runDisney race training.

In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn how to put all the pieces of the Finisher Framework together so you can train smart, avoid injury, and cross your runDisney finish line feeling strong—not broken. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, you'll learn why fueling and hydration are essential for slow, back-of-the-pack, or “not really a runner” runners training for a runDisney race. 

Dr. Ali debunks the myth that only fast runners need to fuel, explaining that it’s not about pace—it’s about how long you’re out on the course. 

In this episode of Running to the Castle, you'll learn how shoes and equipment fit into the broader Finisher Framework—and why, despite what you’ve heard, they’re not the most important factor in your runDisney training.