Running to the Castle
A podcast for slow, back-of-the-pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners on a journey to running magical miles.
Join me, Dr. Ali, as I share the secrets I've gathered as a runner, Doctor of Physical Therapy and coach.
You'll learn the exact ways I get my clients to the castle strong without feeling broken or held together with KT tape as they cross the finish line.
Dr. Ali and this podcast are lovers of runDisney and are not affiliated with runDisney.
Episodes
230 episodes
RTTC #230 What Makes You Faster Quicker Running or Strength?
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles one of the most common questions she hears from slow and back-of-the-pack runners: what actually makes you faster: running more, strength training, or speed work? She breaks ...
RTTC #229 Proof of Time Half Marathon Training Week 4
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali walks through every workout from Week 4 of her Proof of Time half marathon training… the wins, the hard ones, and everything she had to rearrange when life got lifey. She digs into t...
RTTC #228 Running Is Part of Your Life Not Your Whole Life
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali explores one of the most common questions she hears from runners: what do you do when life gets in the way of your training schedule? Dr. Ali shares her personal philosophy that runn...
RTTC #227 Proof of Time Half Marathon Training Week 3
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali takes us inside Week 3 of her Proof of Time half marathon training, a week where life got lifey and the schedule had to bend. She explores how to triage your workouts when everything...
RTTC #226 Will Running Longer Intervals Make Me Faster?
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down one of the most common assumptions in the run/walk world: that running longer is the key to getting faster. Using a real question from a Stronger Faster Finisher me...
RTTC #225 Proof of Time Half Marathon Training Week 2
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali walks through every workout and non-workouts of her second week of Proof of Time half marathon training. From navigating a low blood pressure episode that threw off her early week, t...
RTTC #224 Cross Training What It Is and Why Every Slow Runner Needs It
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali redefines what cross training actually means for slow runners, and it goes way beyond strength training. She makes the case that true cross training is any cardiovascular activity th...
RTTC #223 Proof of Time Half Marathon Training Week 1
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali kicks off her real-time proof of time training experiment as she prepares for a September 10K to earn a faster runDisney corral placement.She shares why she chose a longer training runway...
RTTC# 222 How Should I Carry Water for runDisney Races and Training?
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali answers a listener question about the best way to carry water during runDisney training and races… and whether hydration vests are basically the same thing as weighted vests. She bre...
RTTC #221 How Many Races Should You Sign Up For?
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down how many races slow, back-of-the-pack, or injury-prone runners should realistically sign up for each year without ending up burnt out, injured, or hating training. She sh...
RTTC #220 Should Slow Runners Wear a Weighted Vest?
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali answers a Stronger.Faster.Finisher. listener question… should slow runners wear a weighted vest? She explains why weighted vests might make sense for firefighters, military personnel...
RTTC #219 How to Do Intervals in a Crowded Race Environment
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali answers a listener question about how to manage run/walk intervals in crowded runDisney race environments, especially when dodging other runners makes the experience frustrating instead of fun.&...
RTTC #218 How to Stay Consistent With RunDisney Training Without Hating Every Run
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down what consistency actually looks like for slow, back-of-the-pack runDisney runners… and why it has less to do with willpower and more to do with whether you actually enjoy yo...
RTTC #217 The Non-Negotiable Everyone Should Add To Their Run
In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali shares the one non-negotiable every runner needs to add to their routine, and it’s not another workout, speed session, or long run. It’s recovery. She explains why recovery should be ...
RTTC #216 How Fueling More Helped a Back-of-the-Pack Runner Finish Dopey an Interview with Kai
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali sits down with Kai to share his powerful journey from walking for weight loss to completing the Dopey Challenge after years of setbacks, surgeries, and time away from running. Despit...
RTTC #215 Springtime Surprise Recap
In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali recaps her Springtime Surprise weekend experience from start to finish, sharing everything from travel chaos and expo surprises to race strategies and emotional finish line moments. S...
RTTC #214 How Slowing Down Long Runs Helped Her Go From Just Finishing a Marathon to a Princess PR an Interview with Christina Bowler
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali talks with Christina Bowler about how she went from a self-proclaimed non-athletic Disney fan who could barely run the mile in gym class to a runDisney runner who completed multiple race weekend...
RTTC #213 Race Day Cross the Finish Line With Confidence
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali walks listeners through exactly how to approach race week so they can cross the finish line feeling calm, prepared, and confident instead of panicked and second-guessing themselves. ...
RTTC #212 How a Back-of-the-Pack Runner Finished Dopey from the Last Corral Interview with Page Bitner
In this episode of Running to the Castle Dr. Ali sits down with Page Bittner to walk through her full journey from a gymnast who hated running to a Dopey Challenge finisher, and not just any finish, but one that required adaptability, trust, an...
RTTC #211 What to Do When Your Running Feels Worse Than It Did Months Ago
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down one of the most frustrating experiences for runners…when your pace slows down and your stamina feels worse despite months of training. She explains why this is incredibly...
RTTC #210 No Pain No Gain Really?
In this episode of Running to the Castle… Dr. Ali breaks down the biggest misconception in running, that “no pain, no gain” is the key to getting faster. She explains why that mindset is actually keeping so many slow, back-of-the-pa...
RTTC #209 Before You Stop Running Because of Pain Listen to This
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali Marty breaks down one of the most common fears she hears from runners: that a painful week of training means they've injured themselves and need to stop completely. Drawing from thre...
RTTC #208 What Should You Eat When Training for runDisney Races?
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali talks about one of the most common questions runDisney runners ask: what should you eat when training for your races? She explains why there is no single “healthy” meal plan that wor...
RTTC #207 How To Stay Consistent Training for runDisney As a Slow Back of the Pack Runner
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down what consistency actually looks like for slow, back-of-the-pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners…and why it has less to do with motivation and more to do with how your tra...
RTTC #206 How to Run A Faster Half Marathon As a Slow runDisney Runner
In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali breaks down how slow, back-of-the-pack runDisney runners can actually get faster in the half marathon without exhausting themselves or overtraining. She explains why the build phase,...