Ali is a long time sufferer of Crohn’s Disease and was diagnosed at the age of 7. She has ‘basically had it forever!’ She has been fortunate and has stayed away from having surgeries. At this point, her go-to drug is Stelara every 8 weeks. But Crohn’s isn’t stopping her. She is a runner and a 7 time marathoner. She obviously loves running, but also enjoys hiking, yoga, going to Orangetheory classes, and going on adventures with her dog, Ellie and her husband, Brian. On top of that, she is a blogger and podcaster of Ali on the Run. (Be sure to check her site/podcast out.) She is also expecting her first child in October of this year!

Growing up, she was in remission quite a bit and would have flares every other year. But for the last 6 years, the disease has been pretty consistent and hasn’t experienced remission for more than a year at a time.

The one thing that she would like the general public to know is that “everyone poops. Let’s stop acting like it’s gross or needs to be this silent thing. We all do it. Just, some more than others. Crohn’s is largely an invisible illness, but the more people understand about it — and the more you graciously let us use your public restrooms — the easier all our lives will be.”

Sometimes, different establishments won’t let customers use restrooms. I always cringe when I go into a store and see ‘No Public Restrooms.” We wouldn’t ask to use your restroom if it weren’t an emergency. Trust me, we don’t want to use it! We NEED to use it. So please just give us access.”

“It would be easy to say Crohn’s has kept me from so much — races I want to run, trips I want to go on, things I want to eat, and social activities I want to commit to. But I don’t let myself think that way. Instead, I choose to recognize all that Crohn’s has given me, in spite of its insanity. I have better self-awareness and a better relationship with my body because of this disease. I’m more confident, more self-assured, and more likely to roll with the punches and uncertainty because I’ve learned that’s the only way my body will let me live.”