Tired Eyes, Full Heart

These weekly newsletters are starting to feel very 2010 Blogging on Wordpress, don't you think?

The perfect early spring robe. I wear this as often as possible. I’m wearing it right now. (But my hair looks decidedly worse.)

Bleak week for America.

Great week for memes, though.

My week got off to the most productive start. When I finally got into bed Monday night, I’m pretty sure I fist pumped the air. It was such a solid work-filled day, and I felt really good about it. I sent those emails I’d been procrastinating, followed up on past-due invoices, did some creative brainstorming, recorded a podcast episode, went to the dump — even worked up the motivation to get on the treadmill at 6 PM for an hour-long walk that turned into a five-mile run.

The rest of the week mostly followed suit. I hunkered down. I worked my butt off. I’m deep in all things Boston Marathon right now, including finalizing plans for live shows (details coming ASAP) and recording an all-new version of the annual “Everything You Need to Know About the Boston Marathon” episode, which should be out next week.

I got workouts in whenever I could. I started every day with 20 minutes of strength work (I use the Peloton app and usually do a 10-minute core, barre, or Pilates class plus a 10-minute upper body class.), and got out for daily runs and / or walks, some with Ellie and some without. I ran with my neighbor on Wednesday morning, which is the very best way to start the day. Our 6.2 miles flew by because we were yapping the entire time. And when I walked, I talked, using that time to catch up with Jess, Jay, Jackie, Conor, Emily, and Michael.

I got to take part in a fun pre-Boston event for Bank of America, moderating a conversation with Des Linden and B.A.A. President and CEO Jack Fleming. I daydreamed a lot. I cleaned and organized a lot. It was a nonstop week, and it’s going to feel so good to take a big, deep, satisfying breath come Friday night.

A solid seven-day stretch that started with the most unexpectedly perfect Annie & Mommy weekend. You know those weekends that you go into without any plans, and then you end up doing so many different things and they’re all so fun and it just ends up being a really magical, happy weekend? That’s what we had. I loved it.

We wrapped up the week by hosting Girls Night! Every other Thursday(ish), Annie and I do dinner after school with at least one other family. Lately it’s grown, and it’s just the best. Everyone gets picked up from school and we all change into our PJs (pro play date tip: do it in jammies so you don’t have to change once you get home later than expected), and the girls all play so well together, and the moms get to hang out and chat and drink wine (usually a bubbly rosé). My eyes are heavy as I’m writing this, but my heart is wonderfully full.

Oh and Annie would want you to know she got a choker. That’s been a pretty big deal around here. She is forever changed. She “looks like a first grader!” (She’s been dying for a choker ever since she saw her older cousin Abby wearing one last summer.) My mom and I took her to Claire’s on Sunday and she got to pick one thing. The choker was the immediate and ultimate front runner. She can’t stop staring at herself. I’m obsessed with her confidence.

And really, the memes this week. They don’t make up for the state of it all, but at least I’m enjoying the occasional giggle on the way down…

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This week on the Ali on the Run Show:

• Ask Ali! I’ve received many, many comments (all of approval, actually!) about my answer to “If you could be anyone else for a day, who would you be and why?” LOLLLLL. It took a turn I didn’t expect, but I’m not mad about where we ended up.

• Jinger Gottschall, New Balance Director of Sports Research: And there’s a video to go with it! How cool is Jinger’s job?

Listening to:

• Molly Seidel on the Fast People podcast. I wanted to get out for a three-mile run, and this 32-minute episode was the perfect companion. I always appreciate hearing from Molly, and host Sarah Lorge Butler managed to cover a range of topics in a relatively short amount of time.

Watching:

• I actually don’t want to talk about the latest episode of The White Lotus, thankyouverymuch. Hated. That.

• I finished my annual Schitt’s Creek rewatch. Perfection, as always.

• I rewatched Running Point. Delightful all over again.

• ALISON, READ A BOOK, PLEASE.

Ali elsewhere:

• Biggest thanks to husband-and-wife hosts with the most, Chris and Kari Lynn Cotone-Chavez, for having me on the Citius Mag Podcast as part of their “How I Built This” series. I listened back to the entire 2-hour episode, which I almost never do when I’m a guest on a show. While I certainly took some unnecessary tangents in my storytelling, droned on for far too long, and said “um” far more than I realized, I felt really proud listening to the story of how the Ali on the Run Show came to be, and the roads it took to get here. As you prooooobably know, I tend to give myself very little credit for things. I even told Chris and Kari that I think any success I’ve had is due as much to luck as it is to hard work. (In hindsight, I think I disagree. I do think the hard work has outweighed the luck. And I’d like to own that.) I think I’m going to be really glad to have this episode in the archives as something to look back on — or to share with Annie? — someday. Thank you to everyone who has offered really kind feedback. I have been so pleasantly shocked by how many messages I’ve received this week. It means a ton, truly. And yes, now that I have gone back and listened to the “Juno” lyrics, I, too, am shocked I didn’t realize what I was singing about. In my defense, I don’t really know any of the words to any songs ever. I just bop along. But yeah. I’m aware now.

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). Use code ALI for 20% off your next UCAN order.

• Shokz: Click here and use code ALI for $10 off your next purchase. Code valid in the U.S. and Canada. (Check out the limited edition Boston Marathon OpenRun Pro2!)

• 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. Use code ALI at checkout for 15% off your next Lagoon order.

• Vuori: Click here for 20% off your first Vuori purchase.

And so…

Take good care of yourselves. Take good care of each other. Take three deep breaths. Stand up and stretch real quick. Wiggle your toes. That feels good! And whatever you’re going through, keep going.

(You’ve got this. You’re doing great.)

Love,

Ali