...and I'm a Monster on the Hill
I joined a ski racing team.
Like so many — most, I think — of you, I have found myself glued to updates coming out of California this week. I’m sending all of my love to the people (and pets) of Los Angeles, and to those who have been affected by the wildfires. It’s absolutely devastating.
There are so many resources circulating about where to donate and how best to support those in need right now, and I know I’m nobody’s source for that. But if I can share one way to support one of our own, and if you’re in a place to make a financial contribution, Jinghuan Liu Tervalon — a writer and runner — and her family lost their Altadena home and their belongings this week. This GoFundMe has been created to help them start to rebuild.
Sending love and comfort to all. I simply cannot imagine the fear, heartache, and devastation so many are experiencing this week.
In lighter fare, if you’re up for that…
I joined a ski team.
If 2023 Ali was overwhelmed, scared, and emotionally paralyzed, and 2024 Ali was all about survival and finding a glimmer of a light at the end of any given tunnel, I hope 2025 Ali is about having fun and finally living.
So far, nine (10 when you’re reading this, but who knows what today will bring!) days into 2025, and I’m doing it!
I wrote more about it all here.
It’s been four days since I made my Monday night ski racing debut, and I cannot wait for next Monday night. Being on a ski team is at least 82% of my personality right now. (I’m also 8% “OMG have you watched Shrinking?,” 7% consumed by the Allison Holker vs. the dance world drama, and 3% “It’s too cold to do anything right now so I’m just going to sit here with my shoulders up by my ears, being cold.”)
It’s really fun being a grownup and trying something new and exciting and a little scary but not too scary. It’s fun having a hobby. It’s fun being a beginner. It’s fun that there are no stakes. My only goal as a gate-racing (probably not a term legit ski racers would use, but who cares?! low stakes!) newbie is to have a good time on Monday nights this winter. (And not get hurt. I am very afraid of getting hurt.)
I hadn’t been on skis in two years, and that year I got out exactly one time, plus once the year prior. Before that, it had been several years since I’d slipped some bulky boots into bindings. (I cannot resist an opportunity for alliteration.)
So I — like my gear — was a bit rusty.
But what’s that phrase? Something about riding a bike?
And it totally was.
It felt so good to head back to the same local mountain where I learned to ski as a kid, and where Annie is learning to ski now. To be out there with friends (and my dad!* and his friends!) under the lights, laughing and freezing and catching up. I was so happy and giddy and giggly all night.
I wasn’t particularly good or fast.
In fact, I was one of the slowest skiers of the entire night. I kind of want to get better and improve each week, and I kind of actually don’t care at all! (I also cannot for the life of me understand how the scoring works, so that’s helpful, because if I don’t understand something, I will just actively ignore it!)
Braids and bibs. She’s ready!
I loved getting some runs in with friends, and chatting on the chairlift in between.
I loved the nervous energy of lining up before each run (each skier races twice), and I loved feeling tears streaming down my face on the way down because I refuse to wear goggles. I loved that I smiled (and talked to myself: “don’t fall, don’t fall, don’t fall, whooooooa don’t miss that gate”) the whole way down. I loved getting drinks and chili in the lodge afterward. (I love love love a lodge situation.)
A great start to the week.
A great start to the year.
A great sign — I think, I hope — of things to come.
(Sign up for the thing you want to do. Dance class, ski racing, Zumba, pottery, cooking, hiking, trapeze, a massage, a spray tan. See what happens.)
*OK, I say I don’t have goals, and I don’t, but I wouldn’t hate it if just once I beat my dad. Turns out, the guy’s still got it! He is, as a teammate noted, “sneaky quick.” I am, as a teammate noted, “fine!”
This week on the Ali on the Run Show:
Nell Rojas, on Life Lately: The first guest on the Ali on the Run Show in 2025, and oh what fun! I loved getting to catch up with Nell, who has had a rough year and a half on the run. I’m excited to see her in the wildly stacked Boston Marathon pro field! (Karaoke with Ali and Nell: Who has song suggestions? HMU in the comments with your dream duet scenarios and song suggestions, please.)
What I’m watching:
Still working my way through Shrinking on Apple TV. I love it. The first two episodes, I was like, meh, it’s cute, but I don’t love it. Now I want to slow down because I don’t want it to end. I am so attached to these characters.
Loving lately:
These Oofos boots. So easy to slip on for school drop-off and pick-up.
My Barefoot Dreams robe, which was a “sorry you have cancer” gift from my college girlfriends, and I wear it (and work in it) every single day. A New Hampshire winter must.
The Zombies 1, 2, and 3 movies and soundtracks. Annie’s latest obsession, and I’m not going to lie, these soundtracks go so hard. “Someday” is a lovely ballad, and “Call to the Wild” will absolutely be in my Spotify Wrapped by year-end. You’ll see.
I’m in Planning Mode on the work front, and I love it! Scheduling sponsors for the year, pitching brands for different events, fielding requests, making it all fit together like a big puzzle piece… I genuinely love this part of my job. I’m working on nailing down my 2025 event and travel schedule, and there are so many fun things in the works that I’m pumped to tell you about and do with you. Because what are we doing in 2025? We’re having fun! Vibes vibes vibes. (Go to bed, Alison.)
SPONSOR SHOUT OUTS
I am so eternally grateful for the wonderful brands and partners I get to work with on the Ali on the Run Show. You can always find the offers and discount codes in the show notes for each podcast episode (rate, review, and share while you’re there!). And now they’re here as well:
UCAN: Click here to get a FREE UCAN Edge sample pack (you’ll just pay the cost of shipping), including the new Mocha + Caffeine gel and the Chocolate gel. (My dream!) Then, use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.
New Balance: Click here to shop New Balance's latest releases for the season.
goodr: Click here and use code ALI for $5 off your next order.
Lagoon: Click here to take Lagoon’s 2-minute sleep quiz to see which pillow is right for you. (Emma Bates and I are both Otters!) Use code ALI at checkout for $25 off your next Lagoon order.
Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase.
The Eugene Marathon: Register for the Eugene Marathon (April 27, 2025) and save $10 with code ONTHERUN.
St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Nashville: Sign up today for the races happening April 26–27, 2025, and use code ONTHERUN for $10 off.
And so…
Take good care of yourselves. Take good care of each other. Tell someone you love them today. Do one good thing for yourself or someone else. Pay something forward. And whatever you’re going through, keep going.
(You’ve got this. You’re doing great.)
Love,
Ali
I drove by my local mountain (hill?) a couple of weeks ago. It's where I took my first lessons as a kid (which I cried about the whole way there because I didn't like being bad at things in front of other people. Oh wait, I still don't haha). Anyway, it's been so cold here that there was actually snow on the trails and I found myself looking up lift tickets that night. Daydreaming about dusting off my old skis that haven't seen the outside of my parent's attic in about 10 years. Then Ali posted about joining a ski team. I don't know, it feels very much like a sign. So now I'm here thinking about when I can play hooky from work and do some quick (ha, right!) runs when there aren't a bunch of people on the slopes.
Between the Allison Holker drama and the Zombies references (my kids are also obsessed and I have all 3 soundtracks memorized) - you've hit on a lot of my very specific interests here ha!