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Featured Guest:
Alice Wright Professional Runner Coach,Runcoach.com Artist Published Date: January 30, 2025 In this 20th interview for Wisdom for Wannabes, host Jackie Morreale interviews professional runner and coach, Alice Wright. They discuss Alice's impressive running career, her passion for coaching with Runcoach, and the importance of mindset in achieving personal goals. Alice shares her experiences with injuries, memorable races, and the fulfillment she finds in helping others. The conversation also touches on Alice's hidden talents, including oil painting, and her love for big cats, particularly cheetahs. Alice Wright shares her journey as a professional runner, the importance of mindset, the transition from UK to US running culture, and the significance of coaching and support. She emphasizes the meditative aspects of running, the challenges of injuries, and patience and training for new runners, while providing practical advice for aspiring athletes. |
Listen to/watch the full podcast recording, or read the transcript below:
Full Interview with Alice Wright:
"Figure out your why. Why are you doing this? To hit a certain time, for stress management, or for the meditative benefits of running? That needs to be the core. You need to constantly come back to that when you're wondering if you should do certain things in training."
- Alice Wright, Professional Runner & Coach, Runcoach (Wisdom for Wannabes episode 36, 35:20)
Great quotes from the interview:
(More great quotes throughout the transcript in blue below.)
- "I love the 10K!"
- "I love cheetahs!"
- "Pain is temporary."
(More great quotes throughout the transcript in blue below.)
Alice Wright
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Key Takeaways:
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Interview Transcript:
Jackie Morreale (00:00)
Hello and welcome to Wisdom for Wannabes, the podcast that explores wise words in business, beauty and personal betterment. I'm the host Jackie Morreale, and today our focus is on wellness, with an elite athlete and Runcoach whose impact reaches far beyond the finish line.
Alice Wright is a British runner a 10-time NCAA all American, and a professional athlete who has been sponsored by HOKA. She's represented Great Britain at the European Championships and posted remarkable personal bests, including a 2:28 marathon.
Let me repeat that again. A 2:28 marathon, for second place at the Houston Marathon. And a sub 32-minute 10K. I'm going to repeat that again. Circle back. Sub 32 minute 10K.
But Alice's story isn't just about elite performance, running and coaching are central to her life. She's deeply passionate about mindset, longevity in sport, and helping everyday runners build confidence in doing hard things. In fact, the way that I know Alice, and I'm dedicating this medal to her, is because she was my virtual Runcoach for the Palm Beach Half Marathon that happened in December 2025.
I'm grateful for you, Alice. You are so inspiring and thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate you and your teaching and your time.
Alice Wright (01:20)
Thank you for having me. I appreciate the introduction, and glowing review there.
Jackie Morreale (01:34)
Let's go right into the questions! Let's start with background. What is your full name, your hometown, and your current location where you work?
Alice Wright (01:42)
My full name is Alice May Wright, if you want my middle name as well. I'm originally from a little village in the UK called Abberley, in Worcestershire, so it's in the West Midlands area. I'm currently living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, of all places. The land of Breaking Bad, right?
Jackie Morreale (01:45)
Is there anything similar to where you grew up in the UK, in Worcestershire compared to Albuquerque now? Are there any comparisons that we could make, or is it totally different?
Alice Wright (02:02)
It's very different. Before I came to New Mexico, the only place I'd visited in the US was Boston. I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I landed in New Mexico and it was completely different to Boston, let alone the UK. Pretty much the only similar thing is that we mainly speak English here.
What I love about New Mexico, the weather is amazing. It is a really beautiful state. It's sunshine like 360 days a year. It's amazing for running. It’s 5,000 feet. It's got perfect trails. You've got the Bosque, and it's just a great place for training. That's the main reason I'm here, as well as the fact that I went to university here. I know the town and the lay of the land.
Jackie Morreale (02:47)
Wow. So you're running 5,000 feet up, and you're training, long distance, and this is ideal for you coming from a UK background?
Alice Wright (02:50)
The UK, it's so wet and rainy there. It's very similar to Oregon, right? It's just lovely to have that sunshine. I'm such a sun seeker. It makes the biggest difference when you're looking to get out the door for a run and it's blue skies out there. It's much more enticing than if it's pouring down with rain.
I think as well, altitude is kind of a cheat code for endurance running. It's so beneficial to train up here for red blood cells. My best races have come off with training altitude. I'm trying to keep that in training as best I can.
Jackie Morreale (03:24)
How interesting. I had no idea. I live at zero degrees altitude in Florida, right at sea level.
Alice Wright (03:30)
You can still get great training in at zero. I think altitude definitely takes some getting used to. I really struggled in my first year of altitude, coming from sea level up here. I lived in Flagstaff for six years. It's at 7,000 feet. That was a huge shock to my body.
It's not for everyone, and a lot of great distance runners do live at sea level, but for me personally, 5,000 feet is kind of my sweet spot. I'm happy to be here at the moment. Training seems to be taking it all nicely.
Jackie Morreale (03:56)
Good for you, and good to know. Tell us more about what you do, and what is your passion?
Alice Wright (04:01)
Running is obviously one of my big passions as well as coaching. I think coaching, for me, is a really great way to give back to running, really. For years, when I first turned professional out of college, I struggled with the fact that I was just selfishly pursuing my passion, really.
A lot of people I went to university with, a lot of my friends, were becoming doctors or lawyers and really helping society. And I was like, what am I helping here? When I took up coaching, it kind of filled that void for me, letting me give back to the sport and help people. It made my career feel slightly less selfish, really.
Yeah, those are my two main passions, and then, along with that, I have things outside of running. Otherwise, it just becomes a bit too running-intensive for me. I like oil painting. That's a nice escape for me. I'd say these are my top three things.
Jackie Morreale (04:50)
Amazing. Well, I agree with you on the painting, it's such a beautiful outlet.
On the selfishness of pursuing running, oh my gosh. You are such an amazing person inside and out. How fortunate are we as fans to see you pursue that dream and that talent that you had because running is not just for you, it's something that's for everybody. We all see what you've accomplished and know it's possible. You're really living the dream, at least from the outside looking in. And how lucky are we are now, people like me who are everyday runners and get to achieve and do hard things based on your teaching because you've done it all. So, I don't think it's selfish at all. I think it's helping people live healthier lives. Your friends who are doing their thing in the medical industry or whatever are also helping people, but YOU have and are helping people in a very big way, Alice Wright.
How many years have you been running?
Alice Wright (05:27)
I do appreciate that outlook on it, I really do.
It's really hard to nail down my exact age, but I think I was between 12 and 14. So I have been running now for 16 or 17 years, at high intensity, I suppose. When I was younger, I loved both field hockey and running.
Ultimately, I wasn't strong enough for hockey. I think the main reason I was good at hockey was just because I like running around a lot. I think it was around 14 when I joined my first running club. Back in the UK, it's slightly different. In America, you guys have the high school system, where you have states and all of that. We don't really have that in the UK. It's much more club-based. So you join a running club.
I joined my first club at 14. I had a fantastic coach, Dave Walker, who really brought me along as a high school runner. Long story short, I got an injury around 16. I struggled to get an MRI in the UK.
I was impatient, I wanted it immediately. When I spoke to New Mexico coaches, Joe Franklin, he was like, 'We can get you an MRI tomorrow.' I was like, 'Sold, I'm coming.' That was a big part of it, if I'm being completely honest, as well as the adventure of it. I'd grown up in this small town.
I really wanted to have that independence, I really wanted that adventure, and I wanted to do something completely different from what everyone else was doing. Maybe a little bit of a rebel, as far as running goes.
Jackie Morreale (07:03)
I love that. You've been endurance running at a very high, elite professional level for a long time. You mentioned that one of your first injuries was as a teenager. You got your MRI, then you're in college running for University of New Mexico. Then you became a 10-time All-American. Amazing accomplishments. So nothing can hold you down!
Alice Wright (07:24)
Thank you. I definitely had my fair share of injuries. Especially coming out of college, that was an adjustment for me. I picked up quite a few injuries after moving up in elevation as well. I learned a lot of lessons with those injuries. You can't really have the highs without the lows. I definitely had my fair share of them, which made the highs even sweeter.
I want to say I wouldn't change a thing, but in hindsight, lessons learned are probably what I would say. Perhaps I would change a few things.
Jackie Morreale (07:48)
In terms of lessons learned, looking back on those years and this amazing professional athlete career that you've had, what is your favorite part of your role? It could be as a professional athlete, as a professional runner, or as a Runcoach.
Alice Wright (08:03)
I'll answer both. I think running my first marathon at Houston was a really special moment for me. I'd come through a lot of injuries at the time. I wasn't sure how that marathon was going to go. To get second at Houston and run a 2:29, I was really happy with that as my first one. But I had some fantastic memories in the NCAA. As a team, we won cross country NCAAs twice, and I was runner-up twice in the 10K. Those were really special memories for me.
Then in terms of coaching, honestly, just helping people. I speak to someone and they're like, Hey, this is my goal. I want to break four hours in the marathon. Taking them through that 16-week marathon block and then them breaking four hours, it is so fulfilling as a Runcoach. It's really cool to be a part of someone else's journey. Then seeing them achieve that goal at the end is the icing on the cake, really.
Jackie Morreale (08:50)
Oh my gosh, this conversation was meant to be. My fastest ever full marathon was a very long time ago, and it was 4:10. Oh man, and now I'm an old lady, but I'm going to get it done. I don't know if it's going to be this year, but maybe 2026, 27, who knows. That's always been a dream of mine. That's amazing to hear you say that you've helped people do that.
Alice Wright (09:00)
So you're due to break the four!
Jackie Morreale (09:15)
Yes. You're running, and you love it, but it feels out of reach. If you're that person who can get someone to that next level, that's an amazing person to be. I'm so thankful for you as a coach and a runner!
Alice Wright (09:22)
I hope we can get you there to sub four. I'm making it my mission.
Jackie Morreale (09:30)
My goodness. I just felt something; very excited! Thank you for your willingness. It really helps to have somebody to guide you there. Let's make this less about me and more about you, Alice Wright. I want to hear your favorite things! We'll do it kind of quick-fire. I'll shoot a question out there and you can tell me whatever it is off the top of your head. Okay?
What is your favorite food?
Alice Wright (09:53)
Ooh, that's a tricky one. Mine's a little strange. You guys say yogurt; we say yogurt in the UK. I love yogurt, like yogurt bowl, or frozen yogurt. I don't know what it is. Someone asked me this the other day, like what would be your three foods you take to a desert island? I had to really think about it. Yogurt would definitely be one of them. Yeah, a good yogurt bowl, I would say.
Jackie Morreale (09:58)
Yogurt. Make sure that you bring a mini fridge to the desert island for your yogurt bowl. That's amazing. They are so delicious. I agree.
But this is different: Favorite food to eat before a race? Or do you eat before a race?
Alice Wright (10:16)
Right? Good thought there.
I do. Very important to top up the glycogen stores. Mine's pretty basic. I eat either toast and a banana or if I'm running a marathon, I might have something more substantial like oatmeal. It really depends on where I am and what's available. I try to just go for simple carbs and something like a banana or a gel 20 minutes before as well.
I eat quite a lot before I race and I run. I know some people struggle with that, but for me, when I get nervous, I'm an eater, so I'll eat more. I know other people, when they get nervous, it's the opposite. I think I'm fortunate in that way, because it is so important to get those simple carbs in before you race. I'm grateful for the nervous hunger.
Jackie Morreale (11:03)
Love that. By the way, you don't look like a big eater. So, I'm glad to hear you say that. We do all need the energy, especially before a big race, right? I'm glad that you have that too.
Do you have a pre-race ritual?
Alice Wright (11:17)
Yeah, I'm slightly embarrassed with it, but I am pretty superstitious. It feels immature to say because surely, I should have grown out this by now. But I do have basic things like lucky socks, a lucky pair of earrings. I try not to be too attached to things because then it's one of those situations where, if you forget to pack it, you don't want to have a freak-out.
But my one main superstition is that I always make the bed before I leave for a race. Which is something you should do anyway, but if you're a hotel, I'm sure the maids come in and they're like, what? You've done our job for us. No matter where I am.
Jackie Morreale (11:41)
Wow. So, no matter where you are, if you're at a hotel, you're going to make the bed before your race?
Alice Wright (11:54)
I think, honestly, it just came off of this: I had one good race, in NCAAs or something, and I'd made the bed before I left. Then I was like, it must be the bed. It can't have been my training; it must be the bed.
Jackie Morreale (12:03)
It must be, exactly! Well, isn't there a whole book about Make Your Bed, right? This is something that we should do every day as a sort of ritualistic way to start our day.
Alice Wright (12:11)
100 %! Apparently, you're more likely to be a millionaire or something. I think I saw that the other day.
Jackie Morreale (12:17)
Yes, exactly. Or a professional athlete! So, we'll take your word for it.
What is your favorite track and field event? If you have one.
Alice Wright (12:27)
I love the 10K. I never bonded with the 5K, or maybe I'm yet to bond with the 5K. It always feels just like a long sprint to me, the 5K. Yeah, it's got so quick these days. The 10K is the same, to be honest. I haven't done one on the track for a very long time. But in college, it was just so rhythmic for me, and I really enjoyed racing the 10K.
Then the marathon. The marathon's a really funny one to me because it's one of those races where it's so fulfilling. No matter how you've actually done in the marathon, if you cross that finish line, there is that real sense of pride and just being so proud of yourself. To be honest, the ones that haven't actually gone well for me, I've kind of crossed that line, being like, I can't believe I managed to mentally push myself past that point to get to the finish line. I think that's what makes the marathon so satisfying and so fulfilling. Even if it doesn't go well, you're still proud of yourself at the end. Whereas in a 10k, you can be more critical of yourself and be like, ‘Maybe I could have pushed a bit harder’. The marathon is just different in that regard. I do love marathons for that reason.
Jackie Morreale (13:28)
Wow. And your first one was your best one, the one in Houston with the 2:29 time? My goodness. And that was calm to you? You didn't feel, Wow, this was the most amazing thing that ever happened. My best time ever. You felt like that was a calm, relaxed pace for you to finish the marathon?
Alice Wright (13:35)
Well, don't know if we'd go with calm, but I do remember that marathon specifically. I'm the type of runner where I try and avoid sprint finishes like the Plague. I will do whatever I have to do. That means, putting the hammer down from six miles out, I'll do it to avoid a sprint finish. I remember in that race, it was a sprint finish right to the line for second place.
The fact that not only did I have to run a marathon, but I also had to do a sprint finish, and I managed to get second off that sprint finish... I think that's what made it such a cool race for me, and a really memorable experience. I went into that race really not knowing how it was going to go. It was my first one. I'd come off a lot of injuries at the time and just crossing that line, breaking 2:30, getting second place as well. I was like, Wow, this feels like all those injuries have been worth it. Yeah, that was a super satisfying day for me.
(Continued below)
Hello and welcome to Wisdom for Wannabes, the podcast that explores wise words in business, beauty and personal betterment. I'm the host Jackie Morreale, and today our focus is on wellness, with an elite athlete and Runcoach whose impact reaches far beyond the finish line.
Alice Wright is a British runner a 10-time NCAA all American, and a professional athlete who has been sponsored by HOKA. She's represented Great Britain at the European Championships and posted remarkable personal bests, including a 2:28 marathon.
Let me repeat that again. A 2:28 marathon, for second place at the Houston Marathon. And a sub 32-minute 10K. I'm going to repeat that again. Circle back. Sub 32 minute 10K.
But Alice's story isn't just about elite performance, running and coaching are central to her life. She's deeply passionate about mindset, longevity in sport, and helping everyday runners build confidence in doing hard things. In fact, the way that I know Alice, and I'm dedicating this medal to her, is because she was my virtual Runcoach for the Palm Beach Half Marathon that happened in December 2025.
I'm grateful for you, Alice. You are so inspiring and thank you so much for being here. I really appreciate you and your teaching and your time.
Alice Wright (01:20)
Thank you for having me. I appreciate the introduction, and glowing review there.
Jackie Morreale (01:34)
Let's go right into the questions! Let's start with background. What is your full name, your hometown, and your current location where you work?
Alice Wright (01:42)
My full name is Alice May Wright, if you want my middle name as well. I'm originally from a little village in the UK called Abberley, in Worcestershire, so it's in the West Midlands area. I'm currently living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, of all places. The land of Breaking Bad, right?
Jackie Morreale (01:45)
Is there anything similar to where you grew up in the UK, in Worcestershire compared to Albuquerque now? Are there any comparisons that we could make, or is it totally different?
Alice Wright (02:02)
It's very different. Before I came to New Mexico, the only place I'd visited in the US was Boston. I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I landed in New Mexico and it was completely different to Boston, let alone the UK. Pretty much the only similar thing is that we mainly speak English here.
What I love about New Mexico, the weather is amazing. It is a really beautiful state. It's sunshine like 360 days a year. It's amazing for running. It’s 5,000 feet. It's got perfect trails. You've got the Bosque, and it's just a great place for training. That's the main reason I'm here, as well as the fact that I went to university here. I know the town and the lay of the land.
Jackie Morreale (02:47)
Wow. So you're running 5,000 feet up, and you're training, long distance, and this is ideal for you coming from a UK background?
Alice Wright (02:50)
The UK, it's so wet and rainy there. It's very similar to Oregon, right? It's just lovely to have that sunshine. I'm such a sun seeker. It makes the biggest difference when you're looking to get out the door for a run and it's blue skies out there. It's much more enticing than if it's pouring down with rain.
I think as well, altitude is kind of a cheat code for endurance running. It's so beneficial to train up here for red blood cells. My best races have come off with training altitude. I'm trying to keep that in training as best I can.
Jackie Morreale (03:24)
How interesting. I had no idea. I live at zero degrees altitude in Florida, right at sea level.
Alice Wright (03:30)
You can still get great training in at zero. I think altitude definitely takes some getting used to. I really struggled in my first year of altitude, coming from sea level up here. I lived in Flagstaff for six years. It's at 7,000 feet. That was a huge shock to my body.
It's not for everyone, and a lot of great distance runners do live at sea level, but for me personally, 5,000 feet is kind of my sweet spot. I'm happy to be here at the moment. Training seems to be taking it all nicely.
Jackie Morreale (03:56)
Good for you, and good to know. Tell us more about what you do, and what is your passion?
Alice Wright (04:01)
Running is obviously one of my big passions as well as coaching. I think coaching, for me, is a really great way to give back to running, really. For years, when I first turned professional out of college, I struggled with the fact that I was just selfishly pursuing my passion, really.
A lot of people I went to university with, a lot of my friends, were becoming doctors or lawyers and really helping society. And I was like, what am I helping here? When I took up coaching, it kind of filled that void for me, letting me give back to the sport and help people. It made my career feel slightly less selfish, really.
Yeah, those are my two main passions, and then, along with that, I have things outside of running. Otherwise, it just becomes a bit too running-intensive for me. I like oil painting. That's a nice escape for me. I'd say these are my top three things.
Jackie Morreale (04:50)
Amazing. Well, I agree with you on the painting, it's such a beautiful outlet.
On the selfishness of pursuing running, oh my gosh. You are such an amazing person inside and out. How fortunate are we as fans to see you pursue that dream and that talent that you had because running is not just for you, it's something that's for everybody. We all see what you've accomplished and know it's possible. You're really living the dream, at least from the outside looking in. And how lucky are we are now, people like me who are everyday runners and get to achieve and do hard things based on your teaching because you've done it all. So, I don't think it's selfish at all. I think it's helping people live healthier lives. Your friends who are doing their thing in the medical industry or whatever are also helping people, but YOU have and are helping people in a very big way, Alice Wright.
How many years have you been running?
Alice Wright (05:27)
I do appreciate that outlook on it, I really do.
It's really hard to nail down my exact age, but I think I was between 12 and 14. So I have been running now for 16 or 17 years, at high intensity, I suppose. When I was younger, I loved both field hockey and running.
Ultimately, I wasn't strong enough for hockey. I think the main reason I was good at hockey was just because I like running around a lot. I think it was around 14 when I joined my first running club. Back in the UK, it's slightly different. In America, you guys have the high school system, where you have states and all of that. We don't really have that in the UK. It's much more club-based. So you join a running club.
I joined my first club at 14. I had a fantastic coach, Dave Walker, who really brought me along as a high school runner. Long story short, I got an injury around 16. I struggled to get an MRI in the UK.
I was impatient, I wanted it immediately. When I spoke to New Mexico coaches, Joe Franklin, he was like, 'We can get you an MRI tomorrow.' I was like, 'Sold, I'm coming.' That was a big part of it, if I'm being completely honest, as well as the adventure of it. I'd grown up in this small town.
I really wanted to have that independence, I really wanted that adventure, and I wanted to do something completely different from what everyone else was doing. Maybe a little bit of a rebel, as far as running goes.
Jackie Morreale (07:03)
I love that. You've been endurance running at a very high, elite professional level for a long time. You mentioned that one of your first injuries was as a teenager. You got your MRI, then you're in college running for University of New Mexico. Then you became a 10-time All-American. Amazing accomplishments. So nothing can hold you down!
Alice Wright (07:24)
Thank you. I definitely had my fair share of injuries. Especially coming out of college, that was an adjustment for me. I picked up quite a few injuries after moving up in elevation as well. I learned a lot of lessons with those injuries. You can't really have the highs without the lows. I definitely had my fair share of them, which made the highs even sweeter.
I want to say I wouldn't change a thing, but in hindsight, lessons learned are probably what I would say. Perhaps I would change a few things.
Jackie Morreale (07:48)
In terms of lessons learned, looking back on those years and this amazing professional athlete career that you've had, what is your favorite part of your role? It could be as a professional athlete, as a professional runner, or as a Runcoach.
Alice Wright (08:03)
I'll answer both. I think running my first marathon at Houston was a really special moment for me. I'd come through a lot of injuries at the time. I wasn't sure how that marathon was going to go. To get second at Houston and run a 2:29, I was really happy with that as my first one. But I had some fantastic memories in the NCAA. As a team, we won cross country NCAAs twice, and I was runner-up twice in the 10K. Those were really special memories for me.
Then in terms of coaching, honestly, just helping people. I speak to someone and they're like, Hey, this is my goal. I want to break four hours in the marathon. Taking them through that 16-week marathon block and then them breaking four hours, it is so fulfilling as a Runcoach. It's really cool to be a part of someone else's journey. Then seeing them achieve that goal at the end is the icing on the cake, really.
Jackie Morreale (08:50)
Oh my gosh, this conversation was meant to be. My fastest ever full marathon was a very long time ago, and it was 4:10. Oh man, and now I'm an old lady, but I'm going to get it done. I don't know if it's going to be this year, but maybe 2026, 27, who knows. That's always been a dream of mine. That's amazing to hear you say that you've helped people do that.
Alice Wright (09:00)
So you're due to break the four!
Jackie Morreale (09:15)
Yes. You're running, and you love it, but it feels out of reach. If you're that person who can get someone to that next level, that's an amazing person to be. I'm so thankful for you as a coach and a runner!
Alice Wright (09:22)
I hope we can get you there to sub four. I'm making it my mission.
Jackie Morreale (09:30)
My goodness. I just felt something; very excited! Thank you for your willingness. It really helps to have somebody to guide you there. Let's make this less about me and more about you, Alice Wright. I want to hear your favorite things! We'll do it kind of quick-fire. I'll shoot a question out there and you can tell me whatever it is off the top of your head. Okay?
What is your favorite food?
Alice Wright (09:53)
Ooh, that's a tricky one. Mine's a little strange. You guys say yogurt; we say yogurt in the UK. I love yogurt, like yogurt bowl, or frozen yogurt. I don't know what it is. Someone asked me this the other day, like what would be your three foods you take to a desert island? I had to really think about it. Yogurt would definitely be one of them. Yeah, a good yogurt bowl, I would say.
Jackie Morreale (09:58)
Yogurt. Make sure that you bring a mini fridge to the desert island for your yogurt bowl. That's amazing. They are so delicious. I agree.
But this is different: Favorite food to eat before a race? Or do you eat before a race?
Alice Wright (10:16)
Right? Good thought there.
I do. Very important to top up the glycogen stores. Mine's pretty basic. I eat either toast and a banana or if I'm running a marathon, I might have something more substantial like oatmeal. It really depends on where I am and what's available. I try to just go for simple carbs and something like a banana or a gel 20 minutes before as well.
I eat quite a lot before I race and I run. I know some people struggle with that, but for me, when I get nervous, I'm an eater, so I'll eat more. I know other people, when they get nervous, it's the opposite. I think I'm fortunate in that way, because it is so important to get those simple carbs in before you race. I'm grateful for the nervous hunger.
Jackie Morreale (11:03)
Love that. By the way, you don't look like a big eater. So, I'm glad to hear you say that. We do all need the energy, especially before a big race, right? I'm glad that you have that too.
Do you have a pre-race ritual?
Alice Wright (11:17)
Yeah, I'm slightly embarrassed with it, but I am pretty superstitious. It feels immature to say because surely, I should have grown out this by now. But I do have basic things like lucky socks, a lucky pair of earrings. I try not to be too attached to things because then it's one of those situations where, if you forget to pack it, you don't want to have a freak-out.
But my one main superstition is that I always make the bed before I leave for a race. Which is something you should do anyway, but if you're a hotel, I'm sure the maids come in and they're like, what? You've done our job for us. No matter where I am.
Jackie Morreale (11:41)
Wow. So, no matter where you are, if you're at a hotel, you're going to make the bed before your race?
Alice Wright (11:54)
I think, honestly, it just came off of this: I had one good race, in NCAAs or something, and I'd made the bed before I left. Then I was like, it must be the bed. It can't have been my training; it must be the bed.
Jackie Morreale (12:03)
It must be, exactly! Well, isn't there a whole book about Make Your Bed, right? This is something that we should do every day as a sort of ritualistic way to start our day.
Alice Wright (12:11)
100 %! Apparently, you're more likely to be a millionaire or something. I think I saw that the other day.
Jackie Morreale (12:17)
Yes, exactly. Or a professional athlete! So, we'll take your word for it.
What is your favorite track and field event? If you have one.
Alice Wright (12:27)
I love the 10K. I never bonded with the 5K, or maybe I'm yet to bond with the 5K. It always feels just like a long sprint to me, the 5K. Yeah, it's got so quick these days. The 10K is the same, to be honest. I haven't done one on the track for a very long time. But in college, it was just so rhythmic for me, and I really enjoyed racing the 10K.
Then the marathon. The marathon's a really funny one to me because it's one of those races where it's so fulfilling. No matter how you've actually done in the marathon, if you cross that finish line, there is that real sense of pride and just being so proud of yourself. To be honest, the ones that haven't actually gone well for me, I've kind of crossed that line, being like, I can't believe I managed to mentally push myself past that point to get to the finish line. I think that's what makes the marathon so satisfying and so fulfilling. Even if it doesn't go well, you're still proud of yourself at the end. Whereas in a 10k, you can be more critical of yourself and be like, ‘Maybe I could have pushed a bit harder’. The marathon is just different in that regard. I do love marathons for that reason.
Jackie Morreale (13:28)
Wow. And your first one was your best one, the one in Houston with the 2:29 time? My goodness. And that was calm to you? You didn't feel, Wow, this was the most amazing thing that ever happened. My best time ever. You felt like that was a calm, relaxed pace for you to finish the marathon?
Alice Wright (13:35)
Well, don't know if we'd go with calm, but I do remember that marathon specifically. I'm the type of runner where I try and avoid sprint finishes like the Plague. I will do whatever I have to do. That means, putting the hammer down from six miles out, I'll do it to avoid a sprint finish. I remember in that race, it was a sprint finish right to the line for second place.
The fact that not only did I have to run a marathon, but I also had to do a sprint finish, and I managed to get second off that sprint finish... I think that's what made it such a cool race for me, and a really memorable experience. I went into that race really not knowing how it was going to go. It was my first one. I'd come off a lot of injuries at the time and just crossing that line, breaking 2:30, getting second place as well. I was like, Wow, this feels like all those injuries have been worth it. Yeah, that was a super satisfying day for me.
(Continued below)
Alice Wright, While Racing:
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(Continued)
Jackie Morreale (14:36)
Good for you. I can only imagine. Congratulations! You really are a superhero. Here you are talking, and you're also an amazing human inside and out. I really appreciate that.
Just curious, have you ever done any field events in your years of running?
Alice Wright (14:39)
Thank you. I am sure I was put into them when I was younger. I remember shot put. I could barely pick the thing up. That was my shot put experience.
I'm also a runner where I'm very much a slow twitch athlete. I'm terrible at fast stuff. If you told me to go and sprint a hundred meters, it's such a struggle for me, I don't know how they do it as fast as they do. I really have no idea. So really, I was destined from a young age to do anything long. I was always doing the longest one, I was never doing the sprints, I never started off that way. As much as I'd love to say I did some competitions, I never touched the field events.
Jackie Morreale (15:24)
By the way, your modesty is amazing. I really appreciate that you could admit that there's something that's somewhat more of a challenge for you. It's funny that it's sprinting, which is a short distance, which most people, I think, gravitate to, like me, in high school track. Trying to think back to all those years ago in school. They always place those long-distance events in track and field last. I don't know why they did this. This really must have been such a mind game to be doing your mile or your 5k or whatever and everybody else is in their sweats and ready for the bus.
And here you are, you've gotten past all of that, injuries, everything and you are a pro and you're such an inspiration.
So, like I said, this is never quick fire, but I will continue to ask some questions, and try to keep it simple. Do you have a favorite musician or type of music? It could be while you're running or just in general.
Alice Wright (16:06)
Yeah, it's partly my fault there.
I do like a mix of music. I'm quite European in sense that I do like, when I say EDM, it's probably more like trance music. It sounds very intense, but I do like something with strong beat to it. I like Deadmau5. I also really like more chill music like Maribou State, Elderbrook, and Elder Island and that genre as well.
The only one that's been tough for me to get on board with is country music. I feel like I'm dipping my toe in at the moment. But I've always put my foot down. I was like, no country music. Especially when I first moved to America. I was like, what is this?
Jackie Morreale (16:46)
It grows on you though, right? Strangely. I was the same. I grew up in New York. It was never a thing for me. And now, it's kind of fun. For running, is the EDM, the DeadMau5, the stuff that keeps you going? The good BPM.
Alice Wright (16:57)
Yeah. My sister always was listening to Faithless and Deadmau5 and trance music. I just adopted that. She's my older sister. She is super cool to me. I think I just was like, I'll like whatever she likes. Then I actually do love it. I love EDM, but I don't really like Skrillex-y stuff. I like something a bit more of a beat to it. That’s a little bit too much for me.
Jackie Morreale (17:18)
Skrillex is intense sometimes. Deadmau5 has some good ones. Going back a few years, he's got this 10-minute song. It's epic. It's so good, and there are so many layers, and it brings you up. Yeah, I get it. It's a good long-distance race kind of music.
Favorite thing to do when not running? Could be painting.
Alice Wright (17:38)
Yeah. Probably painting, honestly. Don't get me wrong, I do love like a good reality TV show. I'll put my hands up to that. I love Below Deck, Selling Sunset, and all that basic stuff. Something a bit mind-numbing that you can watch in the background.
I think being creative, that's my main outlet when I'm not coaching, when I'm not running. I really do like oil painting. I find it really relaxing and you can also listen to music at the same time.
Jackie Morreale (18:04)
Agree. Do you have a favorite thing to paint?
Alice Wright (18:05)
I lived in Arizona for six years, and I love Sedona. I love painting the red rocks. That's my go-to. When I was in Sedona, I would take pictures and use them as inspiration. I can't say I'm any good, but I definitely enjoy doing it.
Jackie Morreale (18:19)
Now I need to see the red rocks and your version of it.
Favorite brand to wear? Could be while you're running, or not running.
Alice Wright (18:26)
There’s a lot of great brands out there, honestly. Shoes-wise, I'm loving wearing the Pumas. I've been trying out a bunch of different models, and I really like the Pumas. For everyday runs, I like HOKA, and Nike's always a classic, and Adidas as well.
Sporting-wise, there are some really great options out there. I think each brand specializes in a different type of shoe and it really depends on what type of runner you are, et cetera.
In terms of clothing, I do really like Zara. I grew up going to Zara and buying clothes. There are some nice British brands as well that I shop at when I go home. I do like to do my shopping back in England. I probably still have an English sense of fashion.
I'm quite an online shopper as well, I'm tired from training.
Jackie Morreale (19:09)
Taking notes about your tips in terms of what shoes you wear to run because I know that you probably tried and demoed everything that's top of the line on the market.
Alice Wright (19:14)
Kind of. I ran for HOKA for six years, so I was restricted to wearing those shoes. I finished with HOKA earlier this past year. It was exciting for me to try different brands and try different super shoes. When I first went professional, super shoes were really just starting out. I never really got a chance to experiment with all the different ones when they were all coming out.
It's been really fun this past year to try different ones and see which ones I like. I'd highly recommend to anyone looking for their racing shoes: Go to a specialty running store and try them out on the treadmill. A lot of these stores have great return policies. Even if you run in them for a few weeks and you're like, ‘Hey, it felt great on the treadmill, but it doesn't feel so great running outside’, a lot of them will let you exchange them. I think trial and error, really, is best when it comes to racing shoes and super shoes.
Jackie Morreale (20:04)
I never even heard of the term "super shoes". I really feel out of the loop. I need to go to my local running store and get on a treadmill because I've been ordering the same thing for years, every couple of months I replace. That's a really smart idea to see what works for you. And you're right, they usually have really great return policies. They know you'll be a customer for life once you get the right fit.
Alice Wright (20:11)
The super shoes make such a difference. Nike first came out with their 4 % shoes, that's to say they take 4 % off your time, which is a huge amount when you think about a marathon. They really do make a difference in finding the right pair. It's such low-hanging fruit; it can take time off your marathon time without even having to train. Who doesn't love that?
Jackie Morreale (20:41)
Right. Who doesn't love that?
Favorite sport, other than running? Or sports team? or both?
Alice Wright (20:47)
I love watching tennis. I grew up watching Wimbledon. I've never actually been to Wimbledon, but I always watched it on the TV. I know I do need to go, right?
My sister did a lot of rowing, or crew. I grew up watching that, which was really fun for me. I used to run alongside my sister. I always said, if I could go into a different sport when I was younger, I'd probably try and force golf. It's a very social sport. I'm sure the golfers out there are probably like, 'No, you're so wrong.' I know they work very hard, but it seems like a cool sport to do. I think I'd give golf a good go if I had my time again.
Jackie Morreale (21:18)
It's interesting because you've been on running teams, and there are golf teams and there are tennis teams, but they all are sort of individual sports where your own performance is the sport. I know you said you played field hockey growing up, which is all running, and it's a lot of teamwork, and now you're running as a pro athlete. So interesting.
Well, I know that you're going to play golf and there's some really good courses close to Albuquerque. I know that that's in your future.
Alice Wright (21:55)
Yeah, I hope so. I did actually play once; my friend and I went to Hawaii. We'd really never played golf. We thought it would be fun to go to an 18-hole course in Hawaii.
Jackie Morreale (22:05)
How did it go? You did the whole course, not just the range?
Alice Wright (22:10)
So embarrassing. It was so embarrassing.
I think it took us about… well… I think we got kicked off after about six holes because we were just out there for so long.
People were flying past us, so we had to just let everyone go past us. Yeah, it's a funny memory to think back on.
Jackie Morreale (22:15)
Oh my gosh, that's a problem. It kind of backs up behind you. You have to start very early. Well, you have to stick with it. No matter what happened in Hawaii, you have to stick with it. I'm positive you'll be an amazing golfer.
Proudest moment? I'm sure there are many, but anything that might come to mind?
Alice Wright (22:27)
There are definitely some running achievements that are up there. Those NCAA performances, I'm really proud of those. Looking back on them, I feel more proud now than I probably did at the time. At the time, and I think this is true for a lot of people, when you achieve something, your eyes are on the next thing. It's next, next, next.
My mantra or philosophy at the moment is to really appreciate the moment that you're in and celebrate the successes when you're in it. That's something that I've learned through my time in running. When you have a good performance, really celebrate that performance and appreciate it. Don't be so eager to be onto the next one.
Embrace the moment that you're in. I think NCAAs, the team championship titles, the runner-up places I got in the 10K, and the Houston Marathon. Another big one for me was breaking 32 minutes in the 10K. That was something I really wanted to do throughout my whole college experience. I think it was my first year when I turned professional.
They have a track race at Stanford called Payton Jordan. It was always one of my favorites in college, and going there and breaking 32 there was really special for me. That's up there as well.
Jackie Morreale (23:46)
Let's break this down for those of us who can never ever achieve a sub-32 10k. So that would be how many minutes per mile, since it's 6.2 miles?
Alice Wright (23:52)
I think it's around like a 5:05 mile. I'd say it's around there. It goes back to, I've been doing it for 17 years. It's been my main focus.
In 2019, I started coaching. I started to chat with people who have families, who have full-time careers. People are doing all sorts of crazy things, impressive things. They get up at 4:30, and they're running. Honestly, if you look at most professional runners, they wouldn't be able to do that. We're divas; we'll get up and train at 10 AM. As much as I want to say, it's impressive what we do, and there was a lot of hard work and mental strength that goes into it; we have the time to do that.
If it is your full-time job, it's a lot easier to get to those performances than it is for someone who's balancing a family life, a full-time career, and then still managing to get to the finish line of a marathon. To me, that's honestly almost more impressive. I respect you guys out there who are doing that.
Jackie Morreale (24:57)
Well, almost more impressive than your ability to do a 5:05 mile is your humility. You have so many things to be proud of. I love that you have that humor about it, and shred a little bit of hope on the rest of us who try to squeeze it in and get some peace of mind and some fitness and see if we can balance our lives.
But really, what you're doing is superhero-level. I think about running a 400m one time around the track in track & field a million years ago, and that would be beyond my full sprint level to be able to do the four laps for a mile.
Alice Wright (25:40)
Honestly, I couldn't run a 400m. Pretty much every high schooler who runs the 400 would beat me in a 400. I am useless at it.
Jackie Morreale (25:47)
That's crazy to me. It's amazing they didn't put you on a 400 and 800 because it just would seem like an easy win, easy points for the team.
Alice Wright (25:52)
No, I would have probably been last.
Jackie Morreale (25:58)
Again, there's that humility. Love it.
Hidden talent? If you have one that you would like to share.
Alice Wright (26:04)
I'm repeating myself, but probably oil painting. When I was in Flagstaff during COVID, I really picked up oil painting. There wasn't really much else you could do at the time. I did sell some. I was painting tigers at the time.
Honestly, it all came off the back of that Joe Exotic, on Netflix. I think everyone watched it during COVID, right?
I really love tigers. I love big cats. I'm such a cat person. I just started painting tigers. I was on NAZ Elite at the time, and they printed some t-shirts with my painting on it, which was really cool. They started selling, and then I started doing custom orders for people. Painting took off for me a little bit during COVID. I'd say that's probably my hidden talent, I suppose, even though I keep harping on about it.
Jackie Morreale (26:44)
My gosh, painting and fashion design.
My next question, what is your favorite animal?
Alice Wright (26:46)
You know what, it's a cheetah. It sounds very basic for a runner. I feel like big cats are so trendy at the moment. I like to think that I was into cats before other people were. But I do, I love the cat family. I feel like everything's got a tiger on it these days. But I'd say cheetah is my favorite.
Jackie Morreale (26:58)
Exactly. You totally led that trend. Yes!
Do you have any more of those cool tiger t-shirts? I'm sure they sold like hotcakes.
Alice Wright (27:10)
Gosh. I might. If I do, I will send you one for sure.
Jackie Morreale (27:14)
Please do! They need to go to Neiman Marcus too, or Harrods, or the main store in London. Yes, they need to go there when you're ready for your line of hand-painted t-shirts.
Favorite book?
Alice Wright (27:17)
It’d be great!
I've been reading a lot of Liane Moriarty, like Apples Never Fall. Do you remember the show, it was called Big Little Lies, with Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman?
Jackie Morreale (27:32)
Yes. From Monterey, California? Big Little Lies. Yes.
Alice Wright (27:40)
Yes. She writes quite a few. I really like her books because they've got a good mix. You've got the romance in there, a bit of a murder mystery. It just keeps you on your toes. It's not just one kind of genre. She dabbles in a bit of everything.
I really like reading her books, and obviously, none of them are running-related. It's really cool for me to take myself out of the running world and get wrapped up in another world.
(Continued below)
Jackie Morreale (14:36)
Good for you. I can only imagine. Congratulations! You really are a superhero. Here you are talking, and you're also an amazing human inside and out. I really appreciate that.
Just curious, have you ever done any field events in your years of running?
Alice Wright (14:39)
Thank you. I am sure I was put into them when I was younger. I remember shot put. I could barely pick the thing up. That was my shot put experience.
I'm also a runner where I'm very much a slow twitch athlete. I'm terrible at fast stuff. If you told me to go and sprint a hundred meters, it's such a struggle for me, I don't know how they do it as fast as they do. I really have no idea. So really, I was destined from a young age to do anything long. I was always doing the longest one, I was never doing the sprints, I never started off that way. As much as I'd love to say I did some competitions, I never touched the field events.
Jackie Morreale (15:24)
By the way, your modesty is amazing. I really appreciate that you could admit that there's something that's somewhat more of a challenge for you. It's funny that it's sprinting, which is a short distance, which most people, I think, gravitate to, like me, in high school track. Trying to think back to all those years ago in school. They always place those long-distance events in track and field last. I don't know why they did this. This really must have been such a mind game to be doing your mile or your 5k or whatever and everybody else is in their sweats and ready for the bus.
And here you are, you've gotten past all of that, injuries, everything and you are a pro and you're such an inspiration.
So, like I said, this is never quick fire, but I will continue to ask some questions, and try to keep it simple. Do you have a favorite musician or type of music? It could be while you're running or just in general.
Alice Wright (16:06)
Yeah, it's partly my fault there.
I do like a mix of music. I'm quite European in sense that I do like, when I say EDM, it's probably more like trance music. It sounds very intense, but I do like something with strong beat to it. I like Deadmau5. I also really like more chill music like Maribou State, Elderbrook, and Elder Island and that genre as well.
The only one that's been tough for me to get on board with is country music. I feel like I'm dipping my toe in at the moment. But I've always put my foot down. I was like, no country music. Especially when I first moved to America. I was like, what is this?
Jackie Morreale (16:46)
It grows on you though, right? Strangely. I was the same. I grew up in New York. It was never a thing for me. And now, it's kind of fun. For running, is the EDM, the DeadMau5, the stuff that keeps you going? The good BPM.
Alice Wright (16:57)
Yeah. My sister always was listening to Faithless and Deadmau5 and trance music. I just adopted that. She's my older sister. She is super cool to me. I think I just was like, I'll like whatever she likes. Then I actually do love it. I love EDM, but I don't really like Skrillex-y stuff. I like something a bit more of a beat to it. That’s a little bit too much for me.
Jackie Morreale (17:18)
Skrillex is intense sometimes. Deadmau5 has some good ones. Going back a few years, he's got this 10-minute song. It's epic. It's so good, and there are so many layers, and it brings you up. Yeah, I get it. It's a good long-distance race kind of music.
Favorite thing to do when not running? Could be painting.
Alice Wright (17:38)
Yeah. Probably painting, honestly. Don't get me wrong, I do love like a good reality TV show. I'll put my hands up to that. I love Below Deck, Selling Sunset, and all that basic stuff. Something a bit mind-numbing that you can watch in the background.
I think being creative, that's my main outlet when I'm not coaching, when I'm not running. I really do like oil painting. I find it really relaxing and you can also listen to music at the same time.
Jackie Morreale (18:04)
Agree. Do you have a favorite thing to paint?
Alice Wright (18:05)
I lived in Arizona for six years, and I love Sedona. I love painting the red rocks. That's my go-to. When I was in Sedona, I would take pictures and use them as inspiration. I can't say I'm any good, but I definitely enjoy doing it.
Jackie Morreale (18:19)
Now I need to see the red rocks and your version of it.
Favorite brand to wear? Could be while you're running, or not running.
Alice Wright (18:26)
There’s a lot of great brands out there, honestly. Shoes-wise, I'm loving wearing the Pumas. I've been trying out a bunch of different models, and I really like the Pumas. For everyday runs, I like HOKA, and Nike's always a classic, and Adidas as well.
Sporting-wise, there are some really great options out there. I think each brand specializes in a different type of shoe and it really depends on what type of runner you are, et cetera.
In terms of clothing, I do really like Zara. I grew up going to Zara and buying clothes. There are some nice British brands as well that I shop at when I go home. I do like to do my shopping back in England. I probably still have an English sense of fashion.
I'm quite an online shopper as well, I'm tired from training.
Jackie Morreale (19:09)
Taking notes about your tips in terms of what shoes you wear to run because I know that you probably tried and demoed everything that's top of the line on the market.
Alice Wright (19:14)
Kind of. I ran for HOKA for six years, so I was restricted to wearing those shoes. I finished with HOKA earlier this past year. It was exciting for me to try different brands and try different super shoes. When I first went professional, super shoes were really just starting out. I never really got a chance to experiment with all the different ones when they were all coming out.
It's been really fun this past year to try different ones and see which ones I like. I'd highly recommend to anyone looking for their racing shoes: Go to a specialty running store and try them out on the treadmill. A lot of these stores have great return policies. Even if you run in them for a few weeks and you're like, ‘Hey, it felt great on the treadmill, but it doesn't feel so great running outside’, a lot of them will let you exchange them. I think trial and error, really, is best when it comes to racing shoes and super shoes.
Jackie Morreale (20:04)
I never even heard of the term "super shoes". I really feel out of the loop. I need to go to my local running store and get on a treadmill because I've been ordering the same thing for years, every couple of months I replace. That's a really smart idea to see what works for you. And you're right, they usually have really great return policies. They know you'll be a customer for life once you get the right fit.
Alice Wright (20:11)
The super shoes make such a difference. Nike first came out with their 4 % shoes, that's to say they take 4 % off your time, which is a huge amount when you think about a marathon. They really do make a difference in finding the right pair. It's such low-hanging fruit; it can take time off your marathon time without even having to train. Who doesn't love that?
Jackie Morreale (20:41)
Right. Who doesn't love that?
Favorite sport, other than running? Or sports team? or both?
Alice Wright (20:47)
I love watching tennis. I grew up watching Wimbledon. I've never actually been to Wimbledon, but I always watched it on the TV. I know I do need to go, right?
My sister did a lot of rowing, or crew. I grew up watching that, which was really fun for me. I used to run alongside my sister. I always said, if I could go into a different sport when I was younger, I'd probably try and force golf. It's a very social sport. I'm sure the golfers out there are probably like, 'No, you're so wrong.' I know they work very hard, but it seems like a cool sport to do. I think I'd give golf a good go if I had my time again.
Jackie Morreale (21:18)
It's interesting because you've been on running teams, and there are golf teams and there are tennis teams, but they all are sort of individual sports where your own performance is the sport. I know you said you played field hockey growing up, which is all running, and it's a lot of teamwork, and now you're running as a pro athlete. So interesting.
Well, I know that you're going to play golf and there's some really good courses close to Albuquerque. I know that that's in your future.
Alice Wright (21:55)
Yeah, I hope so. I did actually play once; my friend and I went to Hawaii. We'd really never played golf. We thought it would be fun to go to an 18-hole course in Hawaii.
Jackie Morreale (22:05)
How did it go? You did the whole course, not just the range?
Alice Wright (22:10)
So embarrassing. It was so embarrassing.
I think it took us about… well… I think we got kicked off after about six holes because we were just out there for so long.
People were flying past us, so we had to just let everyone go past us. Yeah, it's a funny memory to think back on.
Jackie Morreale (22:15)
Oh my gosh, that's a problem. It kind of backs up behind you. You have to start very early. Well, you have to stick with it. No matter what happened in Hawaii, you have to stick with it. I'm positive you'll be an amazing golfer.
Proudest moment? I'm sure there are many, but anything that might come to mind?
Alice Wright (22:27)
There are definitely some running achievements that are up there. Those NCAA performances, I'm really proud of those. Looking back on them, I feel more proud now than I probably did at the time. At the time, and I think this is true for a lot of people, when you achieve something, your eyes are on the next thing. It's next, next, next.
My mantra or philosophy at the moment is to really appreciate the moment that you're in and celebrate the successes when you're in it. That's something that I've learned through my time in running. When you have a good performance, really celebrate that performance and appreciate it. Don't be so eager to be onto the next one.
Embrace the moment that you're in. I think NCAAs, the team championship titles, the runner-up places I got in the 10K, and the Houston Marathon. Another big one for me was breaking 32 minutes in the 10K. That was something I really wanted to do throughout my whole college experience. I think it was my first year when I turned professional.
They have a track race at Stanford called Payton Jordan. It was always one of my favorites in college, and going there and breaking 32 there was really special for me. That's up there as well.
Jackie Morreale (23:46)
Let's break this down for those of us who can never ever achieve a sub-32 10k. So that would be how many minutes per mile, since it's 6.2 miles?
Alice Wright (23:52)
I think it's around like a 5:05 mile. I'd say it's around there. It goes back to, I've been doing it for 17 years. It's been my main focus.
In 2019, I started coaching. I started to chat with people who have families, who have full-time careers. People are doing all sorts of crazy things, impressive things. They get up at 4:30, and they're running. Honestly, if you look at most professional runners, they wouldn't be able to do that. We're divas; we'll get up and train at 10 AM. As much as I want to say, it's impressive what we do, and there was a lot of hard work and mental strength that goes into it; we have the time to do that.
If it is your full-time job, it's a lot easier to get to those performances than it is for someone who's balancing a family life, a full-time career, and then still managing to get to the finish line of a marathon. To me, that's honestly almost more impressive. I respect you guys out there who are doing that.
Jackie Morreale (24:57)
Well, almost more impressive than your ability to do a 5:05 mile is your humility. You have so many things to be proud of. I love that you have that humor about it, and shred a little bit of hope on the rest of us who try to squeeze it in and get some peace of mind and some fitness and see if we can balance our lives.
But really, what you're doing is superhero-level. I think about running a 400m one time around the track in track & field a million years ago, and that would be beyond my full sprint level to be able to do the four laps for a mile.
Alice Wright (25:40)
Honestly, I couldn't run a 400m. Pretty much every high schooler who runs the 400 would beat me in a 400. I am useless at it.
Jackie Morreale (25:47)
That's crazy to me. It's amazing they didn't put you on a 400 and 800 because it just would seem like an easy win, easy points for the team.
Alice Wright (25:52)
No, I would have probably been last.
Jackie Morreale (25:58)
Again, there's that humility. Love it.
Hidden talent? If you have one that you would like to share.
Alice Wright (26:04)
I'm repeating myself, but probably oil painting. When I was in Flagstaff during COVID, I really picked up oil painting. There wasn't really much else you could do at the time. I did sell some. I was painting tigers at the time.
Honestly, it all came off the back of that Joe Exotic, on Netflix. I think everyone watched it during COVID, right?
I really love tigers. I love big cats. I'm such a cat person. I just started painting tigers. I was on NAZ Elite at the time, and they printed some t-shirts with my painting on it, which was really cool. They started selling, and then I started doing custom orders for people. Painting took off for me a little bit during COVID. I'd say that's probably my hidden talent, I suppose, even though I keep harping on about it.
Jackie Morreale (26:44)
My gosh, painting and fashion design.
My next question, what is your favorite animal?
Alice Wright (26:46)
You know what, it's a cheetah. It sounds very basic for a runner. I feel like big cats are so trendy at the moment. I like to think that I was into cats before other people were. But I do, I love the cat family. I feel like everything's got a tiger on it these days. But I'd say cheetah is my favorite.
Jackie Morreale (26:58)
Exactly. You totally led that trend. Yes!
Do you have any more of those cool tiger t-shirts? I'm sure they sold like hotcakes.
Alice Wright (27:10)
Gosh. I might. If I do, I will send you one for sure.
Jackie Morreale (27:14)
Please do! They need to go to Neiman Marcus too, or Harrods, or the main store in London. Yes, they need to go there when you're ready for your line of hand-painted t-shirts.
Favorite book?
Alice Wright (27:17)
It’d be great!
I've been reading a lot of Liane Moriarty, like Apples Never Fall. Do you remember the show, it was called Big Little Lies, with Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman?
Jackie Morreale (27:32)
Yes. From Monterey, California? Big Little Lies. Yes.
Alice Wright (27:40)
Yes. She writes quite a few. I really like her books because they've got a good mix. You've got the romance in there, a bit of a murder mystery. It just keeps you on your toes. It's not just one kind of genre. She dabbles in a bit of everything.
I really like reading her books, and obviously, none of them are running-related. It's really cool for me to take myself out of the running world and get wrapped up in another world.
(Continued below)
Oil Paintings by Alice Wright, inspired by the Red Rocks in Sedona, Arizona:
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(Continued)
Jackie Morreale (28:03)
I love it. I haven't read it, but I've watched the series with Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman. So many twists and turns, and the landscape alone is worth watching it for. Then you have these amazing female protagonist characters that have built the story, and you just fall in love with them. So I get it. OK, adding it to my list. Thank you for the recommendation.
Favorite quote for life, if you have one?
Alice Wright (28:10)
I like the quote, 'Everything happens for a reason'. A lot of people will argue me on it, that awful things happen in the world. What's the reason for it? That aside, for me, selfishly, I suppose, with injuries and stuff, I have to see them as all happening for a reason.
There's another quote out there, that's, Every setback is setting you up for a better comeback. There's a much more elegant way of saying that, but I do really like the phrase, Everything happens for a reason.
Me and my best friend back in the UK, we always say it to each other. Anytime anything kind of bad happens, or we're stressed about something, we're like, ‘There is a reason for this’.
We might not be able to see it right now, but it will all kind of come out later down the line. That's been true for me with a lot of things that have happened in my life; with my injuries and moves and things that I've felt compelled to do. I always felt like there was a reason for that.
That's probably my very long-winded way of saying that's my quote.
Jackie Morreale (29:17)
I completely agree with you and your best friend, that everything happens for a reason, highs and lows.
Favorite place?
Alice Wright (29:19)
My family spent a lot of time in Greece, and I love Greece. I love the culture there. Whenever I go to Greece, I feel like it's not materialistic, and no one's shallow. It's very family-focused and just human-to-human focused. That sounds a bit cheesy to say, but it is such a wake-up call to what's really important in life.
Greece is just so special to me. Then having my family out there as well. We like to go on family holidays there and it's such a special place for me.
Jackie Morreale (29:49)
Absolutely. I love all the reasons why you love Greece. I have not been there, but I have watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 for the mental journey to Greece many, many times. I can't even count. And my gosh, the family focus and the food and the sun. Obviously, it's an amazing place in the world.
Alice Wright (30:00)
Yeah, great movie.
Jackie Morreale (30:08)
I have read a wonderful article by you on fanword.com, if anyone listening wants to check it out, which is called, 'Everything Happens for a Reason.' So, whether you're with family in Greece or you're painting a tiger that then becomes a t-shirt, it really seems like you're riding this amazing wave of things happening for a reason. I love that you dive deep into some of the lows and how pesky running injuries affected you.
But if you spin it and say, okay, I wasn't able to get an MRI when I was a teenager and hurt in the UK, and then this took me on this adventure to becoming a US athlete and everything that's happened since you moved to New Mexico and Arizona.
So based on some of those learnings, highs and lows, what was that transition to running in the US like compared to UK?
Alice Wright (30:52)
In the UK, it's very club-based. When I came to the US, it was definitely a culture shock for me. I honestly didn't know what a GPA was. I didn't know what credits were. While I was even trying to pick up all of that, I was also trying to adapt to the altitude, this new place that I was living, all the different rules and regulations that are different between the UK and the US.
The money's different. I know that's a silly thing to say, but there are so many things that I didn't really appreciate that would be so different to me when I came out here. The food's different, I could go on. That was a huge change for me in itself. The way that running was done.
Honestly, I didn't know what the NCAA was, which is embarrassing to admit for someone that moved their whole life over to America. I didn't know what any of these things were. I just threw myself into the deep end. Understanding what the NCAA was and what it meant was a big shock for me.
Then, lining up in these cross-country races, there are hundreds of people. I always say it's like The Hunger Games. You're there at the start and there's hundreds of people around you. They're saying, three, two, one, you all have to sprint off the line. I've done those types of races before, but there wasn't the depth, I suppose, in the UK. That was very shocking to me.
When I realized that the NCAA was, it opened a lot of doors for me. It helped me go professional after college. It set me up for that career to earn money, to pursue my passion, which is amazing. I'm so, so, so grateful for the NCAA and the opportunities that it gave me.
I was so lucky to have such a great coach, Joe Franklin, at UNM. The school was so supportive to me. I feel so fortunate to have had that experience and then to move on and be professional. It was a bit of a fairy tale ending for me.
There were things that I perhaps overlooked when I was coming out of college and turning professional. I think it's very easy to get caught up on finances. You kind of chase the money or the sponsor. Everyone wants a sponsor, right? But in hindsight, now that I'm out of that, I have to be honest with myself. Why am I doing this?
I'm doing it to try and be the best runner that I can be. That's something that, this last year, I've really focused on. The decisions I make need to be focused on what's going to make me the best runner.
It sounds very selfish to say that, but I need to try and get rid of the outside noise and the slightly immature mindset that I had coming out of college, and really focus on what it is that's going to get me to that point, rather than, Oh, I can say that I've got this or I might be getting this amount of money.
It's more important to me that my performance is at the core of why I'm doing all this, if that makes sense.
Jackie Morreale (33:20)
I don't think that what you're doing is selfish at all. I think we all need to just focus on ourselves and what we do best and how to be a better version of ourselves in that. Because as soon as you start comparing your journey to other people's journey, you're done, right? You just want to be a better runner than you were yesterday or five years ago or whatever.
Alice Wright (33:27)
Yeah, 100%. The saying, ‘Comparison is a thief of joy’, someone said that to me in the last few years. It does ring so true. It's as soon as you start comparing yourself to others.
In a way, it's impossible not to when you're racing. You're constantly like: Your time, is it faster or slower than someone else's? Is it the difference between first and second? It's going to be there.
But you have to be so focused. You have to be in your own lane and so focused on what you're doing and what works for you.
What works for someone else doesn't mean it's going to work for you. That's something that I've learned massively throughout my whole running career.
You might see online, they're doing that type of workout or they're eating this, they're doing that and that works for them, look how well they're doing. But if you do it, it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to work for you.
You really have to fine-tune what it is that makes you the best version of yourself, whatever it is that you're doing. That's just been one of the biggest lessons I suppose I've learned throughout my running career.
Jackie Morreale (34:32)
Man, it's so good. The lessons that you've learned in running, Alice, are really applicable to anybody in any walk of life. Because we really all just want to be better versions of ourselves. It comes down to knowing who you are. Having that bravery, that courage, that you did to pursue what you love to do.
And not only just for you, but also for other people get to see the amazing things that you've done to get your personal best, and really can be inspired by that and try to follow in your footsteps in their own way. Because not everybody necessarily goes out for a run, like I did this morning for a half hour, to try to become the next pro athlete. No, I'm just trying to do it for peace of mind, and a little bit of fitness, and get a little bit better every day for me.
Alice Wright (35:18)
When I talk to clients I coach, I think it's important to figure out your why. Why are you doing this? Are you doing this to hit a certain time? Are you doing this for stress management? Are you doing this for the meditative benefits of running? That needs to be the core.
You need to constantly be coming back to that when you're wondering if you should do certain things in training. Is this going to improve the very reason I started this?
Not everyone is like, I want to go and smash a marathon time. That's not why a lot of people run. People do it for all sorts of different reasons. That can change as well.
There will be a point in my life when I know I'm not going to be able to PR all the time. I might be doing it for the meditative reasons of running. There are so many different reasons. It's important to constantly keep that at the forefront of your mind when you're doing it.
Jackie Morreale (36:04)
You mentioned the meditative purposes of running twice. I feel that when I run big time. My creative stuff flows after I run. If I don't run one day, it's okay. But after a couple of days of not running, it's like everything else kind of deflates a little bit. It is like a meditation, even though you're not sitting there, but you're still so present. You get rid of all the noise, and you just focus on movement.
Alice Wright (36:21)
Yeah. I was reading an article the other day about how when you run, you get a dopamine hit. It's interesting because a lot of professional runners develop depression when they finish with their sport. There's actually a very valid reason for this. Your brain gets so used to a certain amount of dopamine being released each day that when you stop doing it at the same intensity, you can develop like a bit of depression because you're not getting the dopamine hit that you're used to.
A lot of runners always say, I'm addicted to running; running is my drug. But it's true. It is addictive because it's something that you rely on for a bit of happiness. It sounds a bit sad to say that. In a way, it's nice, because there's no harm really in running. It's only positive.
Jackie Morreale (37:06)
Exactly, then if you get hurt or something keeps you from running, it kind of brings you to a different place where the chemistry in your brain isn't the same, and you have to find some other way to keep it there.
Alice Wright (37:15)
Yes, 100 %. That was very validating for me to read because when I've been injured, I do get very down. Each time I pick up an injury, I'm like, I'm going to try not to be as depressed as I was last time. Normally, I find myself back there again, being really miserable, and it does make sense to me.
Running is just such an outlet for me, whether it's stress management, whether it's me feeling like I'm getting closer to achieving my goals. There's so many reasons why running makes me feel good.
When I don't have that, it's really about shifting your mindset. That's why it's been so important for me to have things outside of running, that aren't related to running, for times when I can't do it. It's like, I'm going to channel all my energy now into making the best painting I could possibly make.
Jackie Morreale (37:53)
Exactly. I bet you do make the best painting that you've ever made as a result. Yes! Sometimes you need to be in that place to reach that creativity and dig deep and stuff comes out that you didn't expect.
Nobody wants to hear about the lows, but everybody goes through it. I really appreciate you going there as a pro athlete, as a coach, because it's so relatable. Everybody knows that feeling of endorphins, that dopamine high of whatever sport makes you feel that way. Then, when you're not able to do it, it kind of takes you to a different place. It's how you manage it and how you get through it, right? I think that's part of this amazing person that you are, inside and out, in every facet, it just shines through. Running is like a metaphor for so many other things in your life, it seems.
Okay, so I want to talk about HOKA. You go pro from college. You pick up this amazing company as a sponsor. My gosh. Then you they're sponsoring you for six years. What was that feeling like? How do young athletes take their sport to the next level?
Alice Wright (38:52)
It's a little different now. There's such a thing as like NIL deals in college where you can get sponsored while you're in college. As upsetting as it is for me to look back on now, that they weren't a thing back in my day. That sounds a little arrogant to say I would have gotten one…
Jackie Morreale (39:10)
But look, you paved the way for that to happen for young athletes.
Alice Wright (39:16)
It was an exciting time. Senior year of college, I understood the pressure.
I understood that each performance counted towards what type of sponsorship I was going to get, whether I was even going to get one at all.
I picked up a great agent, HAWI Management, who I'm still with at the moment, and they really helped me navigate that process. They spoke to the companies, saw what the offers would be.
Then it's ultimately just about sitting down with your agent and figuring out what's best for you. I knew I wanted to stay at altitude, and my other options were more sea level-based.
I decided to move to Flagstaff. I was a little naive in thinking that it would be very similar to Albuquerque. I remember when I first went up to altitude, one of the symptoms, not really altitude sickness, but your body trying to adjust is not being able to sleep. That's something I battled with for a long time is not being able to sleep. I remember there was one run I got up and I literally didn't sleep at all. I'd done a run in the evening before. I couldn't sleep, and I got up and had this 12-mile run in the morning. I remember thinking, I'm so desperate for sleep here, but my body just will not let me do it.
A few red flags that I probably should have listened to. My stubborn mindset was a little bit against me in that it was like, I must grind through, I must make it work. It was my body's way. I think a lot of my injuries have nothing to do with HOKA or the coaching. It was more to do with the fact that my body could not handle the 7,000 feet, to be honest with you.
I was super fortunate to have a great brand. The people at HOKA were amazing to me.
They supported me through a lot of times when other companies perhaps wouldn't have. They supported us all through COVID when none of us could race. They weren't really getting much value out of us at that time because we couldn't go, we couldn't travel, we couldn't race. There weren't even races to do.
I'm so grateful to have a brand that continued to support us. With my injuries as well, I had a lot of injuries, some that went on for years. They supported me through that. I was super grateful for that sponsorship.
To be at the place that I'm at now, I'm really happy to be back at 5,000 feet in Albuquerque. I'm working with a new coach now, getting my legs back underneath me. I'm hopeful for 2026. I'm not injured. I dealt with a lot of injuries in my time in Flagstaff and it's been great for me to get some consistency back and feel positive about my fitness and where I'm heading next year.
(Continued below)
Jackie Morreale (28:03)
I love it. I haven't read it, but I've watched the series with Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman. So many twists and turns, and the landscape alone is worth watching it for. Then you have these amazing female protagonist characters that have built the story, and you just fall in love with them. So I get it. OK, adding it to my list. Thank you for the recommendation.
Favorite quote for life, if you have one?
Alice Wright (28:10)
I like the quote, 'Everything happens for a reason'. A lot of people will argue me on it, that awful things happen in the world. What's the reason for it? That aside, for me, selfishly, I suppose, with injuries and stuff, I have to see them as all happening for a reason.
There's another quote out there, that's, Every setback is setting you up for a better comeback. There's a much more elegant way of saying that, but I do really like the phrase, Everything happens for a reason.
Me and my best friend back in the UK, we always say it to each other. Anytime anything kind of bad happens, or we're stressed about something, we're like, ‘There is a reason for this’.
We might not be able to see it right now, but it will all kind of come out later down the line. That's been true for me with a lot of things that have happened in my life; with my injuries and moves and things that I've felt compelled to do. I always felt like there was a reason for that.
That's probably my very long-winded way of saying that's my quote.
Jackie Morreale (29:17)
I completely agree with you and your best friend, that everything happens for a reason, highs and lows.
Favorite place?
Alice Wright (29:19)
My family spent a lot of time in Greece, and I love Greece. I love the culture there. Whenever I go to Greece, I feel like it's not materialistic, and no one's shallow. It's very family-focused and just human-to-human focused. That sounds a bit cheesy to say, but it is such a wake-up call to what's really important in life.
Greece is just so special to me. Then having my family out there as well. We like to go on family holidays there and it's such a special place for me.
Jackie Morreale (29:49)
Absolutely. I love all the reasons why you love Greece. I have not been there, but I have watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 for the mental journey to Greece many, many times. I can't even count. And my gosh, the family focus and the food and the sun. Obviously, it's an amazing place in the world.
Alice Wright (30:00)
Yeah, great movie.
Jackie Morreale (30:08)
I have read a wonderful article by you on fanword.com, if anyone listening wants to check it out, which is called, 'Everything Happens for a Reason.' So, whether you're with family in Greece or you're painting a tiger that then becomes a t-shirt, it really seems like you're riding this amazing wave of things happening for a reason. I love that you dive deep into some of the lows and how pesky running injuries affected you.
But if you spin it and say, okay, I wasn't able to get an MRI when I was a teenager and hurt in the UK, and then this took me on this adventure to becoming a US athlete and everything that's happened since you moved to New Mexico and Arizona.
So based on some of those learnings, highs and lows, what was that transition to running in the US like compared to UK?
Alice Wright (30:52)
In the UK, it's very club-based. When I came to the US, it was definitely a culture shock for me. I honestly didn't know what a GPA was. I didn't know what credits were. While I was even trying to pick up all of that, I was also trying to adapt to the altitude, this new place that I was living, all the different rules and regulations that are different between the UK and the US.
The money's different. I know that's a silly thing to say, but there are so many things that I didn't really appreciate that would be so different to me when I came out here. The food's different, I could go on. That was a huge change for me in itself. The way that running was done.
Honestly, I didn't know what the NCAA was, which is embarrassing to admit for someone that moved their whole life over to America. I didn't know what any of these things were. I just threw myself into the deep end. Understanding what the NCAA was and what it meant was a big shock for me.
Then, lining up in these cross-country races, there are hundreds of people. I always say it's like The Hunger Games. You're there at the start and there's hundreds of people around you. They're saying, three, two, one, you all have to sprint off the line. I've done those types of races before, but there wasn't the depth, I suppose, in the UK. That was very shocking to me.
When I realized that the NCAA was, it opened a lot of doors for me. It helped me go professional after college. It set me up for that career to earn money, to pursue my passion, which is amazing. I'm so, so, so grateful for the NCAA and the opportunities that it gave me.
I was so lucky to have such a great coach, Joe Franklin, at UNM. The school was so supportive to me. I feel so fortunate to have had that experience and then to move on and be professional. It was a bit of a fairy tale ending for me.
There were things that I perhaps overlooked when I was coming out of college and turning professional. I think it's very easy to get caught up on finances. You kind of chase the money or the sponsor. Everyone wants a sponsor, right? But in hindsight, now that I'm out of that, I have to be honest with myself. Why am I doing this?
I'm doing it to try and be the best runner that I can be. That's something that, this last year, I've really focused on. The decisions I make need to be focused on what's going to make me the best runner.
It sounds very selfish to say that, but I need to try and get rid of the outside noise and the slightly immature mindset that I had coming out of college, and really focus on what it is that's going to get me to that point, rather than, Oh, I can say that I've got this or I might be getting this amount of money.
It's more important to me that my performance is at the core of why I'm doing all this, if that makes sense.
Jackie Morreale (33:20)
I don't think that what you're doing is selfish at all. I think we all need to just focus on ourselves and what we do best and how to be a better version of ourselves in that. Because as soon as you start comparing your journey to other people's journey, you're done, right? You just want to be a better runner than you were yesterday or five years ago or whatever.
Alice Wright (33:27)
Yeah, 100%. The saying, ‘Comparison is a thief of joy’, someone said that to me in the last few years. It does ring so true. It's as soon as you start comparing yourself to others.
In a way, it's impossible not to when you're racing. You're constantly like: Your time, is it faster or slower than someone else's? Is it the difference between first and second? It's going to be there.
But you have to be so focused. You have to be in your own lane and so focused on what you're doing and what works for you.
What works for someone else doesn't mean it's going to work for you. That's something that I've learned massively throughout my whole running career.
You might see online, they're doing that type of workout or they're eating this, they're doing that and that works for them, look how well they're doing. But if you do it, it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to work for you.
You really have to fine-tune what it is that makes you the best version of yourself, whatever it is that you're doing. That's just been one of the biggest lessons I suppose I've learned throughout my running career.
Jackie Morreale (34:32)
Man, it's so good. The lessons that you've learned in running, Alice, are really applicable to anybody in any walk of life. Because we really all just want to be better versions of ourselves. It comes down to knowing who you are. Having that bravery, that courage, that you did to pursue what you love to do.
And not only just for you, but also for other people get to see the amazing things that you've done to get your personal best, and really can be inspired by that and try to follow in your footsteps in their own way. Because not everybody necessarily goes out for a run, like I did this morning for a half hour, to try to become the next pro athlete. No, I'm just trying to do it for peace of mind, and a little bit of fitness, and get a little bit better every day for me.
Alice Wright (35:18)
When I talk to clients I coach, I think it's important to figure out your why. Why are you doing this? Are you doing this to hit a certain time? Are you doing this for stress management? Are you doing this for the meditative benefits of running? That needs to be the core.
You need to constantly be coming back to that when you're wondering if you should do certain things in training. Is this going to improve the very reason I started this?
Not everyone is like, I want to go and smash a marathon time. That's not why a lot of people run. People do it for all sorts of different reasons. That can change as well.
There will be a point in my life when I know I'm not going to be able to PR all the time. I might be doing it for the meditative reasons of running. There are so many different reasons. It's important to constantly keep that at the forefront of your mind when you're doing it.
Jackie Morreale (36:04)
You mentioned the meditative purposes of running twice. I feel that when I run big time. My creative stuff flows after I run. If I don't run one day, it's okay. But after a couple of days of not running, it's like everything else kind of deflates a little bit. It is like a meditation, even though you're not sitting there, but you're still so present. You get rid of all the noise, and you just focus on movement.
Alice Wright (36:21)
Yeah. I was reading an article the other day about how when you run, you get a dopamine hit. It's interesting because a lot of professional runners develop depression when they finish with their sport. There's actually a very valid reason for this. Your brain gets so used to a certain amount of dopamine being released each day that when you stop doing it at the same intensity, you can develop like a bit of depression because you're not getting the dopamine hit that you're used to.
A lot of runners always say, I'm addicted to running; running is my drug. But it's true. It is addictive because it's something that you rely on for a bit of happiness. It sounds a bit sad to say that. In a way, it's nice, because there's no harm really in running. It's only positive.
Jackie Morreale (37:06)
Exactly, then if you get hurt or something keeps you from running, it kind of brings you to a different place where the chemistry in your brain isn't the same, and you have to find some other way to keep it there.
Alice Wright (37:15)
Yes, 100 %. That was very validating for me to read because when I've been injured, I do get very down. Each time I pick up an injury, I'm like, I'm going to try not to be as depressed as I was last time. Normally, I find myself back there again, being really miserable, and it does make sense to me.
Running is just such an outlet for me, whether it's stress management, whether it's me feeling like I'm getting closer to achieving my goals. There's so many reasons why running makes me feel good.
When I don't have that, it's really about shifting your mindset. That's why it's been so important for me to have things outside of running, that aren't related to running, for times when I can't do it. It's like, I'm going to channel all my energy now into making the best painting I could possibly make.
Jackie Morreale (37:53)
Exactly. I bet you do make the best painting that you've ever made as a result. Yes! Sometimes you need to be in that place to reach that creativity and dig deep and stuff comes out that you didn't expect.
Nobody wants to hear about the lows, but everybody goes through it. I really appreciate you going there as a pro athlete, as a coach, because it's so relatable. Everybody knows that feeling of endorphins, that dopamine high of whatever sport makes you feel that way. Then, when you're not able to do it, it kind of takes you to a different place. It's how you manage it and how you get through it, right? I think that's part of this amazing person that you are, inside and out, in every facet, it just shines through. Running is like a metaphor for so many other things in your life, it seems.
Okay, so I want to talk about HOKA. You go pro from college. You pick up this amazing company as a sponsor. My gosh. Then you they're sponsoring you for six years. What was that feeling like? How do young athletes take their sport to the next level?
Alice Wright (38:52)
It's a little different now. There's such a thing as like NIL deals in college where you can get sponsored while you're in college. As upsetting as it is for me to look back on now, that they weren't a thing back in my day. That sounds a little arrogant to say I would have gotten one…
Jackie Morreale (39:10)
But look, you paved the way for that to happen for young athletes.
Alice Wright (39:16)
It was an exciting time. Senior year of college, I understood the pressure.
I understood that each performance counted towards what type of sponsorship I was going to get, whether I was even going to get one at all.
I picked up a great agent, HAWI Management, who I'm still with at the moment, and they really helped me navigate that process. They spoke to the companies, saw what the offers would be.
Then it's ultimately just about sitting down with your agent and figuring out what's best for you. I knew I wanted to stay at altitude, and my other options were more sea level-based.
I decided to move to Flagstaff. I was a little naive in thinking that it would be very similar to Albuquerque. I remember when I first went up to altitude, one of the symptoms, not really altitude sickness, but your body trying to adjust is not being able to sleep. That's something I battled with for a long time is not being able to sleep. I remember there was one run I got up and I literally didn't sleep at all. I'd done a run in the evening before. I couldn't sleep, and I got up and had this 12-mile run in the morning. I remember thinking, I'm so desperate for sleep here, but my body just will not let me do it.
A few red flags that I probably should have listened to. My stubborn mindset was a little bit against me in that it was like, I must grind through, I must make it work. It was my body's way. I think a lot of my injuries have nothing to do with HOKA or the coaching. It was more to do with the fact that my body could not handle the 7,000 feet, to be honest with you.
I was super fortunate to have a great brand. The people at HOKA were amazing to me.
They supported me through a lot of times when other companies perhaps wouldn't have. They supported us all through COVID when none of us could race. They weren't really getting much value out of us at that time because we couldn't go, we couldn't travel, we couldn't race. There weren't even races to do.
I'm so grateful to have a brand that continued to support us. With my injuries as well, I had a lot of injuries, some that went on for years. They supported me through that. I was super grateful for that sponsorship.
To be at the place that I'm at now, I'm really happy to be back at 5,000 feet in Albuquerque. I'm working with a new coach now, getting my legs back underneath me. I'm hopeful for 2026. I'm not injured. I dealt with a lot of injuries in my time in Flagstaff and it's been great for me to get some consistency back and feel positive about my fitness and where I'm heading next year.
(Continued below)
More Artwork by Alice Wright:
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(Continued)
Jackie Morreale (41:25)
It's incredible to hear that you, as an incredible running coach, also have your own coach who helps you to get through it. Everybody needs a coach. Everybody needs an amazing coach!
Alice Wright (41:32)
100 %! I always say, I'm great at giving advice but when it comes to me taking my own advice, I'm so self-critical. I self-coached for the first half of this year and I picked up another stress fracture, which is an overload issue. It's because I'm too harsh on myself. I'm like, no, we need to be doing more. But when I have an athlete in front of me, it's very easy for me to take a step back and be like, 'This is what's rational here. I know you want to run more, but...' Honestly, the role of a coach is to actually hold people back a lot of times.
As runners ourselves, we want to do more, we want to keep pushing. I think it is important as a coach to be the one who says, No, we need to slow down your easy runs. We need to take the mileage back and look at things from a very rational perspective.
I think as humans, we can be a little bit irrational with ourselves, right? I think we're all guilty of it. Lessons learned there from myself, honestly.
Jackie Morreale (42:26)
I agree. It sounds like you're so strategic with your own coaching, but like you said, with self-coaching, all that strategy kind of goes out the window a little bit, and that's for everybody. We all need somebody in our corner, whether it's a coach, a mentor, somebody to kind of help us guide the way. I think that's really healthy, and I'm happy that you found somebody that you're working with again.
So! You are super talented at running and so many other things. Other than the time that you're investing, your hard work, and your talent, in your opinion, is there anything that differentiates a casual from a professional runner? Is there a certain mindset that might give runners an edge?
Alice Wright (42:55)
It's funny. Because I've done it from a young age, I know how to push myself in running. That's something that takes time to develop. It's a learned skill, really, of how hard can you push yourself. I noticed this when I try other sports like cycling or swimming. I can't get my heart rate up as high as I can with running, which I know is a biological thing, it is harder to do that, it's an impact-based sport, running. I don't feel I can push myself as hard in those sports because I don't know how to do it, if that makes sense.
I almost don't trust that I could sustain an effort for a certain amount of time. I think that's a learned skill.
I think as a professional runner, you have the time to focus on it and really focus on recovery, and yes, there are sacrifices that need to be made.
If my friends are going out drinking, you do have to say no... I'm not saying you need to say no all the time, I think 80/20 is a pretty good balance to have. I've got a hard session tomorrow, tonight is not the night to be going out.
You do have to put your sport first if you want to get to that level. Me being in America, that's a sacrifice in itself. All my family are back in England but I'm doing this because it's what's best for me, and living in Albuquerque.
I love New Mexico, don't get me wrong but there are other states out there. California's great, Florida's great, but I've chosen to live here. It's at altitude, it's great for running.
Jackie Morreale (44:20)
I'm so curious about the red blood cell at altitude thing. I only know for me, having skied most of my life, going somewhere where it's very high, I feel different; a little bit lightheaded. I don't feel completely myself. I know other people who feel sick as a dog as a result of the altitude. So running at altitude actually optimizes some of the blood cell creation in your body? Tell me more. It’s an amazing thing.
Alice Wright (44:40)
It is a really cool thing. If you train at altitude, basically, your body produces more red blood cells. When you go down to race, you've basically got a performance enhancer. It's a legal one. A lot of the best marathon runners in the world, it's really about how high you can go.
That is true. A lot of African runners were born at 10,000 feet, some born at 12,000 feet. Naturally, they've already got the red blood cells in them when they're born.
Just training there, you're basically improving that each time you go for a run.
The main thing with altitude is how to balance the training you're doing with the recovery.
The recovery is the hardest part. It was really difficult for me in Flagstaff.
I'd love to go to 14,000 feet and train there. It wouldn't be sustainable for me, I'd break down, I'd get an injury, so it's a fine line. It's one that pretty much all professional runners tread. A lot of people do camps at altitude, some people even sleep in altitude tents, which is a tent that's basically, they suck the oxygen out, pretty much. There's probably a more scientific way of saying it. And you sleep in that.
Jackie Morreale (45:46)
My gosh, the more you know...
Look, being an athlete and putting your sport first is a healthy way to live. Training at 5,000 feet because that's what's made you efficient and optimized. My gosh, you really know so much about your sport, and I'm so glad to learn from you.
What motivates you to be a better runner and coach?
Alice Wright (45:58)
With coaching, seeing people improve and achieve their goals is really motivating in itself. Having that personal relationship with people. A lot of the people I coach are my friends. I chat with some of them daily. I think having that sense of responsibility is huge for me.
Just helping them achieve whatever their goal may be. For some, it's weight loss, stress relief, or achieving a certain time or a place. For some of them it's about getting into the military, getting past those tests. It's very motivating to help them do that. Making an impact on someone's life is very satisfying.
I always say, if I go to the Olympics, that will probably be when I retire. That will be like the peak of my athletic performance. I know a lot of people who have also said that and then don't retire. I'm assuming I'd probably be in that category as well. But I think that would be the peak. I hate to use the Olympics as a goal because it only happens every four years. It's a lot of pressure.
There aren't many of them in terms of your athletic career, so you only really have a few shots at it. But I'd be lying if I said that that wasn't a big goal of mine is to try and go to the Olympics.
Jackie Morreale (47:09)
Man, I can't wait to see you run at the Olympics. I can't wait to see you holding the torch!
Alice Wright (47:11)
Hopefully LA. It would be convenient!
Jackie Morreale (47:18)
I can just envision it. I don't know which country it's going to be for but just remember the little people in the US who love you and support you. Nothing can stop you. I'm learning from you.
Let's talk about the big picture, the why. What defines success for you in running?
Alice Wright (47:20)
Thank you. I would be lying if I said I wasn't performance-driven. I have certain things that I want to achieve in the marathon. I have certain times that I want to achieve in all the distances, really. I try not to get too hung up on that.
I think ultimately it's about bettering yourself. I think this is where I really need to focus on my own journey and not comparing myself. I got a lot better at that in the last few years. I am very focused on what I'm doing and trying not to pay attention to what other people are doing. When you're racing, you want to be ahead of certain bodies, if that makes sense, but trying not to compare in an emotional sense.
Jackie Morreale (48:16)
It goes back to your own personal best, right? You are performance-oriented, that's what keeps your head in the game, but it's about your own personal achievements.
Let's talk about injury prevention, because I know you know your sport inside and out, and the science that goes into it. Are there any simple ways that you might suggest that new runners can protect themselves from injuries?
Alice Wright (48:39)
Injury has to do with load management and not increasing your volume too quickly. Going by the 10 % rule is what I would suggest. Not increasing your mileage by more than 10 % each week and paying attention to the intensity that you're doing as well.
It's all well and good increasing your mileage by only 10%, but if all of it's in zone four, zone five, then you're going to run into injury.
It's about volume and intensity and making sure you're doing that at a sustainable rate and one that your body can adapt to.
Little things: foam rolling, static stretching after running, dynamic stretching before running, fueling, trying to hit that 20-minute window after running, and getting a 3:1 carb-to-protein ratio in. Those are all things that really help.
One of the main ones is sleep. That's something I really struggled with at 7,000 feet and was perhaps one of the reasons I had so many injuries. It doesn't need to be rocket science.
In this day and age, we get bombarded by social media adverts for certain tablets you can take and herbs you can try. I always try and bring it back to basics. It's sleep, fuel, and movement. Training in the right way and not being greedy with it. You've got to be patient in running, especially in marathon training.
Whether you're pacing a marathon or training for a marathon, you just cannot rush the process. If you do, you're much more likely to end up getting injured. So really, it's about patience.
Jackie Morreale (49:55)
Such wise words. Any advice to runners who have had past injuries but love running as a sport and want to continue running based on your own experiences, any ways to kind of surmount and move forward?
Alice Wright (50:08)
More than a handful of times that I've been like, what's the point in this? Just injury after injury after injury. I've had doctors tell me, You're never going to run pain-free again.
I have had to push through all of that. And truly believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
You have to remain so confident in yourself and really trust your intuition with it as well.
I respect people that are like, running isn't serving me anymore. It's something that I need to take a step away from, for my own sanity. I respect that.
But I think just have that belief that it is going to get better. When you're injured, when you're hurting in a marathon, just tell yourself, pain is temporary, it's not going to last forever, you will get through this. Even if you're in the middle of an injury and you're like, this is never going to end... it will.
Often with injuries, especially if they're not bone, it's about trial and error. If you have tendon, if you have muscle, ligament, it is about tweaking little things. It can make a big difference.
Getting a good support system in place, I think that's huge as well. Make sure you are seeing a physical therapist. If you know your nutrition isn't right, see a nutritionist. They say it takes a village, and it is so true. You've got to have the right people around you.
Jackie Morreale (51:14)
Love it. I just saw somebody walking down the street, a group of military guys, and one of them had on their shirt, ‘Pain is weakness leaving the body.' I loved it because it's so true. I love that you said it's temporary. If you can identify that and try to be in the present and try to use your intuition and know your own body and surround yourself by the right kind of people, nutrition, good sleep, and everything that you need to have a well-balanced life to perform as an athlete.
Speaking of such, what advice would you give to new runners? Is there an ideal time in your life or a certain distance or a certain speed that's a good place to start?
Alice Wright (51:48)
Patience is huge. Rome wasn't built in a day; you have to trust the process. More often than not, you're going to have a few troughs and valleys in there.
We're looking for a trend over time, rather than day to day. They say this about weight loss: don't weigh yourself every day because ultimately, you're looking for improvement over time.
I'm not going to sugarcoat it and say to you, yeah, we can totally get you ready for a marathon in four weeks. We might be able to get you to a finish line, but it's not going to be at the time that you perhaps want it to be. I'll be very honest with people about timelines based on where they're coming from. I talk to women who have just given birth. You have to be realistic about it.
Another important thing is to have an A goal and a B goal as well. Have one that you'd be satisfied with, and have one that would be a, wow, that was an amazing day. Don't just have the ‘that would be an amazing day’ goal. I think that's key.
I do think coaching is super valuable. I've got my own coach. Rather than just trusting some template that you're seeing online, having someone guiding you through that is really valuable to do it properly.
I do believe in the saying, 'If something's worth doing, it's worth doing properly.' If you are going to train for a marathon, why not train to the point where you're going to run your best marathon or get the best out of yourself on that day? Don't look back on it being like, if I'd done a few more runs, I might have been able to break this time.
With a coach, they're there to help work training in around your life. It needs to be adjustable. It's not like, do this 12-week plan. No, we need to be constantly talking. How are you feeling? How's training? How are the fatigue levels? Have you got a heavy work week? Are all these different stresses getting involved? Working with clients on that personal level.
I don't know if that answered the question, but I think it was in a roundabout way.
Jackie Morreale (53:27)
You're such a good coach. There's so much thought and careful planning and thinking outside the box. It's not just about the time. There are so many other carefully constructed things, and you're working with people one-on-one. It's so situational, right? Whether you just had a baby or you're training for a certain time. I love the idea that you not only have this massive goal that you want to hit, but you also have a secondary one.
What advice would you give to someone looking to do a half or full marathon for the first time?
Alice Wright (53:56)
Pace yourself. Practice your fueling. Do a dress rehearsal, about two weeks out. It's important. I speak to a lot of people who want to wing it.
It is such low-hanging fruit, and it can make the biggest difference.
You've got to practice your fueling, your electrolytes, your racing outfit, and your breakfast before the race. All of these things you need to practice. Often, these things get overlooked.
Then also just being realistic: How much time do you have to train for this? I speak to people who sometimes say, I want to train twice every day. Let's be realistic. Family life, work life. What is realistic? Is it three times a week that we're looking at, that we could capitalize and get some quality runs in? Being careful with your time and making sure that you've got good time management.
Then also that you're willing to put in the work.
I like to lay out a 12-week block. What's the next 12 weeks going to look like? Let's be honest, is that realistic for you? If not, maybe we need to prioritize some of the long runs and not worry about some of the fluff mileage, I call it, like the easy runs. Working with a coach and trying to figure that out is important.
Jackie Morreale (54:57)
The fluff runs. Again, I like hearing the terminology from you. It just depends on your lifestyle, right? I love the idea of two weeks ahead of time doing a trial run, not just for your last long run before the race, but to tie your shoes the right way, to eat your breakfast, and to fuel, and maybe goo works for you. Maybe it doesn't, right? It's different for everybody, but I love that advice to do a trial run.
Shout-outs to anybody who has helped you get where you are today?
Alice Wright (55:27)
I've had some fantastic coaches. Some particular standouts, like Dave Walker, my high school coach, Joe Franklin, my college coach, the coaches at NAZ.
Then my current coach, Philip Kelly, has been amazing with bringing me back from the depths of injury. My coaches for sure.
Then my boyfriend, John. I'm fortunate he's a physical therapist. So that's been really handy for me. Also, he's out there on the bike with me before he starts work for the day, pacing me in sessions. Without him, it would be very hard for me to do what I'm doing right now.
Then my family and friends, so supportive of my running and letting me make those sacrifices. They'd be my main shelter.
Jackie Morreale (56:01)
Amazing. I love that your boyfriend, John, and your sister are right next to you doing those miles, whether on the bike or rowing. Otherwise, what is next for you, Alice Wright?
Alice Wright (56:08)
We're doing Houston half in January. I hope I can bring some of that magic back. It's a very fast race, the half. It's a bit of the 5k for me, it does feel like a long sprint. I think just seeing where I'm at. I'm trying to be sustainable about my training and not rush things. To see it as part of the stepping stones to get me to where I want to be in the marathon.
Jackie Morreale (56:33)
I know you're going to do your personal best. I can't wait to see what 2026 brings for you; the Houston half and everything else going for you.
Alice Wright (56:39)
Thank you.
Jackie Morreale (56:45)
I hope that your travels take you to a Florida race soon, I have my sign ready!
Alice Wright (56:50)
Thank you!
Jackie Morreale (56:52)
Thank you for your time.
Alice Wright (56:54)
Thank you for having me.
To learn more about Alice Wright and her work as a coach for Runcoach, visit: www.runcoach.com
Jackie Morreale (41:25)
It's incredible to hear that you, as an incredible running coach, also have your own coach who helps you to get through it. Everybody needs a coach. Everybody needs an amazing coach!
Alice Wright (41:32)
100 %! I always say, I'm great at giving advice but when it comes to me taking my own advice, I'm so self-critical. I self-coached for the first half of this year and I picked up another stress fracture, which is an overload issue. It's because I'm too harsh on myself. I'm like, no, we need to be doing more. But when I have an athlete in front of me, it's very easy for me to take a step back and be like, 'This is what's rational here. I know you want to run more, but...' Honestly, the role of a coach is to actually hold people back a lot of times.
As runners ourselves, we want to do more, we want to keep pushing. I think it is important as a coach to be the one who says, No, we need to slow down your easy runs. We need to take the mileage back and look at things from a very rational perspective.
I think as humans, we can be a little bit irrational with ourselves, right? I think we're all guilty of it. Lessons learned there from myself, honestly.
Jackie Morreale (42:26)
I agree. It sounds like you're so strategic with your own coaching, but like you said, with self-coaching, all that strategy kind of goes out the window a little bit, and that's for everybody. We all need somebody in our corner, whether it's a coach, a mentor, somebody to kind of help us guide the way. I think that's really healthy, and I'm happy that you found somebody that you're working with again.
So! You are super talented at running and so many other things. Other than the time that you're investing, your hard work, and your talent, in your opinion, is there anything that differentiates a casual from a professional runner? Is there a certain mindset that might give runners an edge?
Alice Wright (42:55)
It's funny. Because I've done it from a young age, I know how to push myself in running. That's something that takes time to develop. It's a learned skill, really, of how hard can you push yourself. I noticed this when I try other sports like cycling or swimming. I can't get my heart rate up as high as I can with running, which I know is a biological thing, it is harder to do that, it's an impact-based sport, running. I don't feel I can push myself as hard in those sports because I don't know how to do it, if that makes sense.
I almost don't trust that I could sustain an effort for a certain amount of time. I think that's a learned skill.
I think as a professional runner, you have the time to focus on it and really focus on recovery, and yes, there are sacrifices that need to be made.
If my friends are going out drinking, you do have to say no... I'm not saying you need to say no all the time, I think 80/20 is a pretty good balance to have. I've got a hard session tomorrow, tonight is not the night to be going out.
You do have to put your sport first if you want to get to that level. Me being in America, that's a sacrifice in itself. All my family are back in England but I'm doing this because it's what's best for me, and living in Albuquerque.
I love New Mexico, don't get me wrong but there are other states out there. California's great, Florida's great, but I've chosen to live here. It's at altitude, it's great for running.
Jackie Morreale (44:20)
I'm so curious about the red blood cell at altitude thing. I only know for me, having skied most of my life, going somewhere where it's very high, I feel different; a little bit lightheaded. I don't feel completely myself. I know other people who feel sick as a dog as a result of the altitude. So running at altitude actually optimizes some of the blood cell creation in your body? Tell me more. It’s an amazing thing.
Alice Wright (44:40)
It is a really cool thing. If you train at altitude, basically, your body produces more red blood cells. When you go down to race, you've basically got a performance enhancer. It's a legal one. A lot of the best marathon runners in the world, it's really about how high you can go.
That is true. A lot of African runners were born at 10,000 feet, some born at 12,000 feet. Naturally, they've already got the red blood cells in them when they're born.
Just training there, you're basically improving that each time you go for a run.
The main thing with altitude is how to balance the training you're doing with the recovery.
The recovery is the hardest part. It was really difficult for me in Flagstaff.
I'd love to go to 14,000 feet and train there. It wouldn't be sustainable for me, I'd break down, I'd get an injury, so it's a fine line. It's one that pretty much all professional runners tread. A lot of people do camps at altitude, some people even sleep in altitude tents, which is a tent that's basically, they suck the oxygen out, pretty much. There's probably a more scientific way of saying it. And you sleep in that.
Jackie Morreale (45:46)
My gosh, the more you know...
Look, being an athlete and putting your sport first is a healthy way to live. Training at 5,000 feet because that's what's made you efficient and optimized. My gosh, you really know so much about your sport, and I'm so glad to learn from you.
What motivates you to be a better runner and coach?
Alice Wright (45:58)
With coaching, seeing people improve and achieve their goals is really motivating in itself. Having that personal relationship with people. A lot of the people I coach are my friends. I chat with some of them daily. I think having that sense of responsibility is huge for me.
Just helping them achieve whatever their goal may be. For some, it's weight loss, stress relief, or achieving a certain time or a place. For some of them it's about getting into the military, getting past those tests. It's very motivating to help them do that. Making an impact on someone's life is very satisfying.
I always say, if I go to the Olympics, that will probably be when I retire. That will be like the peak of my athletic performance. I know a lot of people who have also said that and then don't retire. I'm assuming I'd probably be in that category as well. But I think that would be the peak. I hate to use the Olympics as a goal because it only happens every four years. It's a lot of pressure.
There aren't many of them in terms of your athletic career, so you only really have a few shots at it. But I'd be lying if I said that that wasn't a big goal of mine is to try and go to the Olympics.
Jackie Morreale (47:09)
Man, I can't wait to see you run at the Olympics. I can't wait to see you holding the torch!
Alice Wright (47:11)
Hopefully LA. It would be convenient!
Jackie Morreale (47:18)
I can just envision it. I don't know which country it's going to be for but just remember the little people in the US who love you and support you. Nothing can stop you. I'm learning from you.
Let's talk about the big picture, the why. What defines success for you in running?
Alice Wright (47:20)
Thank you. I would be lying if I said I wasn't performance-driven. I have certain things that I want to achieve in the marathon. I have certain times that I want to achieve in all the distances, really. I try not to get too hung up on that.
I think ultimately it's about bettering yourself. I think this is where I really need to focus on my own journey and not comparing myself. I got a lot better at that in the last few years. I am very focused on what I'm doing and trying not to pay attention to what other people are doing. When you're racing, you want to be ahead of certain bodies, if that makes sense, but trying not to compare in an emotional sense.
Jackie Morreale (48:16)
It goes back to your own personal best, right? You are performance-oriented, that's what keeps your head in the game, but it's about your own personal achievements.
Let's talk about injury prevention, because I know you know your sport inside and out, and the science that goes into it. Are there any simple ways that you might suggest that new runners can protect themselves from injuries?
Alice Wright (48:39)
Injury has to do with load management and not increasing your volume too quickly. Going by the 10 % rule is what I would suggest. Not increasing your mileage by more than 10 % each week and paying attention to the intensity that you're doing as well.
It's all well and good increasing your mileage by only 10%, but if all of it's in zone four, zone five, then you're going to run into injury.
It's about volume and intensity and making sure you're doing that at a sustainable rate and one that your body can adapt to.
Little things: foam rolling, static stretching after running, dynamic stretching before running, fueling, trying to hit that 20-minute window after running, and getting a 3:1 carb-to-protein ratio in. Those are all things that really help.
One of the main ones is sleep. That's something I really struggled with at 7,000 feet and was perhaps one of the reasons I had so many injuries. It doesn't need to be rocket science.
In this day and age, we get bombarded by social media adverts for certain tablets you can take and herbs you can try. I always try and bring it back to basics. It's sleep, fuel, and movement. Training in the right way and not being greedy with it. You've got to be patient in running, especially in marathon training.
Whether you're pacing a marathon or training for a marathon, you just cannot rush the process. If you do, you're much more likely to end up getting injured. So really, it's about patience.
Jackie Morreale (49:55)
Such wise words. Any advice to runners who have had past injuries but love running as a sport and want to continue running based on your own experiences, any ways to kind of surmount and move forward?
Alice Wright (50:08)
More than a handful of times that I've been like, what's the point in this? Just injury after injury after injury. I've had doctors tell me, You're never going to run pain-free again.
I have had to push through all of that. And truly believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
You have to remain so confident in yourself and really trust your intuition with it as well.
I respect people that are like, running isn't serving me anymore. It's something that I need to take a step away from, for my own sanity. I respect that.
But I think just have that belief that it is going to get better. When you're injured, when you're hurting in a marathon, just tell yourself, pain is temporary, it's not going to last forever, you will get through this. Even if you're in the middle of an injury and you're like, this is never going to end... it will.
Often with injuries, especially if they're not bone, it's about trial and error. If you have tendon, if you have muscle, ligament, it is about tweaking little things. It can make a big difference.
Getting a good support system in place, I think that's huge as well. Make sure you are seeing a physical therapist. If you know your nutrition isn't right, see a nutritionist. They say it takes a village, and it is so true. You've got to have the right people around you.
Jackie Morreale (51:14)
Love it. I just saw somebody walking down the street, a group of military guys, and one of them had on their shirt, ‘Pain is weakness leaving the body.' I loved it because it's so true. I love that you said it's temporary. If you can identify that and try to be in the present and try to use your intuition and know your own body and surround yourself by the right kind of people, nutrition, good sleep, and everything that you need to have a well-balanced life to perform as an athlete.
Speaking of such, what advice would you give to new runners? Is there an ideal time in your life or a certain distance or a certain speed that's a good place to start?
Alice Wright (51:48)
Patience is huge. Rome wasn't built in a day; you have to trust the process. More often than not, you're going to have a few troughs and valleys in there.
We're looking for a trend over time, rather than day to day. They say this about weight loss: don't weigh yourself every day because ultimately, you're looking for improvement over time.
I'm not going to sugarcoat it and say to you, yeah, we can totally get you ready for a marathon in four weeks. We might be able to get you to a finish line, but it's not going to be at the time that you perhaps want it to be. I'll be very honest with people about timelines based on where they're coming from. I talk to women who have just given birth. You have to be realistic about it.
Another important thing is to have an A goal and a B goal as well. Have one that you'd be satisfied with, and have one that would be a, wow, that was an amazing day. Don't just have the ‘that would be an amazing day’ goal. I think that's key.
I do think coaching is super valuable. I've got my own coach. Rather than just trusting some template that you're seeing online, having someone guiding you through that is really valuable to do it properly.
I do believe in the saying, 'If something's worth doing, it's worth doing properly.' If you are going to train for a marathon, why not train to the point where you're going to run your best marathon or get the best out of yourself on that day? Don't look back on it being like, if I'd done a few more runs, I might have been able to break this time.
With a coach, they're there to help work training in around your life. It needs to be adjustable. It's not like, do this 12-week plan. No, we need to be constantly talking. How are you feeling? How's training? How are the fatigue levels? Have you got a heavy work week? Are all these different stresses getting involved? Working with clients on that personal level.
I don't know if that answered the question, but I think it was in a roundabout way.
Jackie Morreale (53:27)
You're such a good coach. There's so much thought and careful planning and thinking outside the box. It's not just about the time. There are so many other carefully constructed things, and you're working with people one-on-one. It's so situational, right? Whether you just had a baby or you're training for a certain time. I love the idea that you not only have this massive goal that you want to hit, but you also have a secondary one.
What advice would you give to someone looking to do a half or full marathon for the first time?
Alice Wright (53:56)
Pace yourself. Practice your fueling. Do a dress rehearsal, about two weeks out. It's important. I speak to a lot of people who want to wing it.
It is such low-hanging fruit, and it can make the biggest difference.
You've got to practice your fueling, your electrolytes, your racing outfit, and your breakfast before the race. All of these things you need to practice. Often, these things get overlooked.
Then also just being realistic: How much time do you have to train for this? I speak to people who sometimes say, I want to train twice every day. Let's be realistic. Family life, work life. What is realistic? Is it three times a week that we're looking at, that we could capitalize and get some quality runs in? Being careful with your time and making sure that you've got good time management.
Then also that you're willing to put in the work.
I like to lay out a 12-week block. What's the next 12 weeks going to look like? Let's be honest, is that realistic for you? If not, maybe we need to prioritize some of the long runs and not worry about some of the fluff mileage, I call it, like the easy runs. Working with a coach and trying to figure that out is important.
Jackie Morreale (54:57)
The fluff runs. Again, I like hearing the terminology from you. It just depends on your lifestyle, right? I love the idea of two weeks ahead of time doing a trial run, not just for your last long run before the race, but to tie your shoes the right way, to eat your breakfast, and to fuel, and maybe goo works for you. Maybe it doesn't, right? It's different for everybody, but I love that advice to do a trial run.
Shout-outs to anybody who has helped you get where you are today?
Alice Wright (55:27)
I've had some fantastic coaches. Some particular standouts, like Dave Walker, my high school coach, Joe Franklin, my college coach, the coaches at NAZ.
Then my current coach, Philip Kelly, has been amazing with bringing me back from the depths of injury. My coaches for sure.
Then my boyfriend, John. I'm fortunate he's a physical therapist. So that's been really handy for me. Also, he's out there on the bike with me before he starts work for the day, pacing me in sessions. Without him, it would be very hard for me to do what I'm doing right now.
Then my family and friends, so supportive of my running and letting me make those sacrifices. They'd be my main shelter.
Jackie Morreale (56:01)
Amazing. I love that your boyfriend, John, and your sister are right next to you doing those miles, whether on the bike or rowing. Otherwise, what is next for you, Alice Wright?
Alice Wright (56:08)
We're doing Houston half in January. I hope I can bring some of that magic back. It's a very fast race, the half. It's a bit of the 5k for me, it does feel like a long sprint. I think just seeing where I'm at. I'm trying to be sustainable about my training and not rush things. To see it as part of the stepping stones to get me to where I want to be in the marathon.
Jackie Morreale (56:33)
I know you're going to do your personal best. I can't wait to see what 2026 brings for you; the Houston half and everything else going for you.
Alice Wright (56:39)
Thank you.
Jackie Morreale (56:45)
I hope that your travels take you to a Florida race soon, I have my sign ready!
Alice Wright (56:50)
Thank you!
Jackie Morreale (56:52)
Thank you for your time.
Alice Wright (56:54)
Thank you for having me.
To learn more about Alice Wright and her work as a coach for Runcoach, visit: www.runcoach.com
Continued reading, recommended by Alice Wright:
Apples Never Fall. September 14, 2021. By Liane Moriarty (Author).
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Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World. April 4, 2017. By Admiral William H. McRaven (Author).
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