Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali answers a question nearly every slow, back of the pack, or injury-prone runDisney runner has asked at some point…can you skip a run if you’re still sore? She breaks down why the answer really does depend, how to tell whether movement will help or hurt, and why soreness after strength training isn’t always a badge of honor. Dr. Ali explains the difference between normal adjustment soreness and soreness that disrupts t...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles one of the most common questions she gets from slow, back of the pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners…can you break up a 16-mile long run when training for a marathon or Dopey? She explains why the popular “never run more than 3 hours” advice often doesn’t apply to runners who will be on their feet for 6–7 hours on race day, and how blindly following that rule can actually set you up for injury or a DNF. D...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali discusses how fast to walk during run/walk intervals. She gives examples from slow, back of the pack runners training for runDisney races and what running paces and walking paces could be to achieve a 15 minute per mile average training pace. Dr. Ali discusses the importance of using the same walking pace during a variety of training runs such as the long, easy runs or short, speed workouts like 30-20-10 or Tempo runs. She advise...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali discusses what one slow runner could do to help their knee pain when ice hasn’t been working. She reviews a social media post with multiple responses from commenters of what to do to relieve the knee discomfort including knee braces, strength exercises and physical therapy as examples. Dr. Ali notes the benefits of strength exercises to prevent knee discomfort and support the knee for running, though advises against using strengt...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali answers a listeners question if it’s possible to actually get faster with 5 weeks left before Dopey 2026 race. Dr. Ali dives into the nuance of yes, it is, and no it’s not, possible to get faster about 1 month before Dopey 2026. She discusses aspects such as what has training looked like in the past 5 months leading up to this race, with the caveat that if you’ve done zero training it’s not going to be possible to make leaps and ...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down 4 speed workouts that actually work for slow, back-of-the-pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners who pace 13 minutes per mile or slower. She explains how 30-20-10s, Progression runs, Tempos, and Hills help you build speed without burning out... especially if you use run/walk intervals. Dr. Ali walks through how often to do these workouts, how long you should be hitting Zones 4 and 5, why each workout has...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down how slow, back of the pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners can actually get faster... without running more miles or trying to train like elite athletes. She explains why most marathon and half marathon advice circulating online is written for sub-3 hour runners and absolutely does not apply to someone pacing 14... 15... or 16 minutes per mile. Dr. Ali shares 3 simple, proven changes that help everyday ...
Send us a text Learn more about Stronger. Faster. Finisher. ! Ready to cross the finish line stronger, faster, and prouder at your next runDisney race? Get personalized support, smarter training, and strategies designed specifically for slow, back-of-the-pack or injury-prone runners who want to build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies, have time for character photos and energy to enjoy the Disney Parks. Learn more about the Stronger. Faster. Finisher. Program today and be the firs...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali dives into one of the most common runner dilemmas: what to do when you miss a run during training... especially when you're getting ready for something big like the Dopey Challenge. She answers a listener question about leg pain and catching up safely after time off, revisiting the 10% rule, explaining when and how to skip a deload week, and how to adjust your long runs without overdoing it. Dr. Ali shares her though...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles how back-of-the-pack marathoners can get meaningfully faster before January races so they have a bigger buffer from the balloon ladies and time for character stops. She lays out a simple framework built on purposeful training instead of running the same pace every day. Long easy runs should be about two minutes per mile slower than goal race pace to preserve energy. Cross-training builds cardio without ...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali welcomes special guest Betsy Foster, founder of Foster Strength and Built Bodies and host of the Your Strongest Body podcast. Together they dive into the world of strength training for women in their 30s and 40s, breaking down the myths about “bulking up,” soreness, and calorie-burning workouts. Betsy shares her journey from dancer to strength coach and explains how lifting weights helps women build confidence, energy, and...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali discusses how to continue training for Dopey after a Marathon with 10 weeks to go. Dr. Ali discusses how you need to let your body recover from the first marathon before continuing on to training for Dopey and this is a mistake runners often make that prevent them from reaching the starting line. She outlines what the next 3 weeks could look like to allow yourself to recover from the first marathon, then goes on to discuss optio...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali discusses how to train after Wine and Dine Half Marathon or 2 Course Challenge and the Dopey Challenge, or other races that include the Marathon in January 2026. The biggest thing to avoid is overtraining. She discusses how it’s better to be a little undertrained than overtrained. Take the next 2 weeks immediately after Wine and Dine to rest and recover. Walk and cross train and take at least 2 rest days each week for the ...
Send us a text 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. She shares how repeating race distance too often leads to burnout, injury, and loss of motivation instead of better performance. Using examples from soccer training and Greek mythology, Dr. Ali illustrates how breaking training into smaller, focused sessions builds strength and endurance more effectively than const...
Send us a text 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? She explains that while glucosamine, chondroitin, turmeric, and collagen are often marketed for joint support, supplements alone rarely solve running-related pain. They can sometimes help overall joint health, but they cannot replace smart training, recovery, and balance. Dr. Ali uses her Finisher Framew...
Send us a text 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. Using a listener’s calf-pain story as a springboard, she explains how real physiology (sensitized tissues, nerve-related pain, and conditions like CRPS) can persist even when basic imaging looks “normal,” and why stress fractures often require MRI, not X-rays, to diagnose during early symptoms. Drawing on her own experience with ortho...
Send us a text In this episode of Running to the Castle, you’ll learn why finishing strong has nothing to do with running more miles. Dr. Ali breaks down the common mistake many back-of-the-pack and injury-prone runners make, adding extra runs or pushing past race distance in hopes of feeling stronger on race day, and explains why that approach often leads to fatigue, burnout, and injury instead. Using a soccer analogy, she redefines the phrase “practice like you play,” showing th...
Send us a text 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. The takeaway: treat AI ...
Send us a text 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. She explains how cross-training improves cardiovascular endurance, making running feel easier without piling extra stress on your joints. Drawing on both client examples and her own childhood sports experience, Ali shows how mixing up your training builds fitness faster, prevents overuse inju...
Send us a text 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. Dr. Ali shares her experience running all three races—the 5K, 10K, and half marathon—including the lessons she learned about pacing for photo stops, fueling with flat Coke and Nerds Gummy Clusters, and checking in every half mile to stay steady in the heat. You’ll also hear how course support, character ...