Send us a text

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles one of the most stressful Dopey training questions she gets every year…what to do if you miss your peak week long run.

She explains why skipping the 20-miler late in training is not only okay but often the smartest choice for slow, back-of-the-pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners dealing with illness, pain, or life getting in the way.

Dr. Ali walks through the real risks of trying to “make it up,” why being slightly undertrained is far safer than overtrained, and how the taper is designed to store energy…not cram in miles.

Using her bow-and-arrow analogy, she reframes tapering as a performance tool that helps you toe the start line with energy, confidence, and enough buffer to enjoy character stops and avoid the balloon ladies.

If you’re panicking about a missed long run, this episode gives you permission to stop stressing and start trusting your training.

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 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 a text

In this episode of Running to the Castle, Dr. Ali tackles a belief that keeps so many slow, back of the pack, or injury-prone runDisney runners stuck in fear…the idea that you have to run 26.2 miles in training to prove you can finish a marathon.

Dr. Ali breaks down why late-cycle full marathon training runs actually increase injury risk and decrease your chances of feeling good on race day.

She explains why training for time on your feet instead of total mileage is a smarter, safer strategy for runners expecting long finish times, especially those training for Dopey, Goofy, or Marathon Weekend.

She walks through the math, the physiology, and the mindset shift that allows you to build confidence without burning yourself out…so race day truly becomes your victory lap.

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 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 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 training, why timing your strength work matters so much for races like Dopey, and how poor planning…not weakness…is often the real reason runners feel stuck skipping runs.

You’ll learn how to test your body safely, when a walk or bike ride is the better choice, and how smarter strength progression and recovery can keep soreness from derailing your training altogether.

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 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 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.

Dr. Ali walks through when breaking up a long run makes sense…like vacations, packed schedules, or life getting lifey…and when it’s important to practice running long continuously for the physical and mental demands of race day.

She also reframes time on your feet, including walking all day at Disney, as a valuable part of training when used strategically, and emphasizes realistic expectations, flexibility, and making training work for real life runners…not elite ones.

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 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 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 advises against walking too fast to boost your overall pace if it means you can’t complete the training run or race.

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 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 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 strength to treat the knee discomfort directly.

She recommends using modalities such as ice and delineates the appropriate frequency and duration for slow runners to notice improvement in symptoms with this treatment.

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 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 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 bounds improvements in the final month.

Though, she mentions that if training has gone OK and for runners who have trained relatively consistently and gotten up to about 14 or 15 mile long runs with steady mileage build up, and no pain, then yes it could be possible.

Dr. Ali mentions her signature Finisher Framework that she uses to get her Stronger.Faster.Finisher. clients across the finish line without feeling broken and breaks down the 3-4 categories she looks at when helping a runner get 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 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 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 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 a different goal, and why knowing your exact pace matters more than anything else.

She also shares the pace-testing method she uses inside her coaching to help runners avoid wasting 8 weeks guessing and instead start training strategically from day one... plus what kind of gains her runners typically see after six to eight weeks of real speed work.

Register for the Free Workshop: Buffer Miles and Character Smiles: Train Smarter, Not Harder

Free Workshop for 14+ minute per mile runDisney runners wanting to have more time for character stops and build a bigger buffer ahead of the balloon ladies. Buffer Miles & Character Smiles. Click here to register now.

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 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 sh...