Send us Fan Mail

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 down the "gray zone," the frustrating middle ground where runners feel exhausted all the time but never seem to improve, and explains why the right answer depends entirely on where you are in your running journey.

Dr. Ali also shares a simple standing test to figure out whether your legs need more strength work or more speed practice, and why pain is never a reliable measure of whether a workout is working.

By the end, you'll understand why sequencing strength and speed correctly, instead of trying to do everything at once, is the real key to getting faster.

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 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 first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website.
• Book a Free 30 minute Call with me if you're wondering how you should train and if working together makes sense.
  
  Hi, I'm Dr. Ali
  I've been running for 15+ years and been in the rehab space since 2012 when I earned my Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree. I get injury prone runDisney runners across the finish line without feeling broken.

Send us Fan Mail

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 the "2 minutes per mile slower than race pace" advice that gets passed around constantly online, and explains exactly why it doesn't work for back-of-the-pack and run/walk runners the way it's intended to.

Dr. Ali also shares what she's learning in real time about pacing, run-walk intervals, and how cumulative training stress across an entire week affects a single workout.

If you've ever had a run feel completely off and couldn't figure out why, this episode will give you the bird's-eye-view framework to make sense of it.

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 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 first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website.
• Book a Free 30 minute Call with me if you're wondering how you should train and if working together makes sense.
  
  Hi, I'm Dr. Ali
  I've been running for 15+ years and been in the rehab space since 2012 when I earned my Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree. I get injury prone runDisney runners across the finish line without feeling broken.

Send us Fan Mail

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 running should fit into your life, not the other way around, and why embracing that mindset is actually what makes training sustainable.

She covers the structure of her recommended training week, the value of cross-training and rest days, and how slowing down on easy runs can transform running from a chore into something you genuinely look forward to.

Whether you're wondering if you can split a long run, skip a workout, or simply miss Global Running Day guilt-free, this episode gives you permission to make running work for your real life.

Episodes mentioned that talk about “The Gray Zone”:

• Episode 202,
• Episode 203,
• Episode 206,
• Episode 210
• Episode 211

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 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 first to know when doors open!

Free Resources

• Follow me on Instagram @rundisneydpt
• Join the Facebook Community to get training support
• Check out FREE training plans for injury-prone runDisney runners on my website.
• Book a Free 30 minute Call with me if you're wondering how you should train and if working together makes sense.
  
  Hi, I'm Dr. Ali
  I've been running for 15+ years and been in the rehab space since 2012 when I earned my Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree. I get injury prone runDisney runners across the finish line without feeling broken.