For The Long Run: Exploring the Why Behind Running
Exploring the why behind what keeps runners running long, strong, and motivated. Running is a sport that has the power to unite us all and we are here to share conversations about how running has shaped the lives of people within our community, as well as how running has created community in itself. From pro runners and Olympians to ultramarathoners running their first big race to business owners who use running to improve their entrepreneurial journey, we believe in creating community and expanding the running world for all. Hosted by running enthusiast, Jonathan Levitt.
Young, Fit, and Ready for the Pain Cave at Western States 100: Hans Troyer’s Journey
When your motto is “young and fit,” what does it look like to train for Western States?
Hans Troyer is a 25 year old pro ultrarunner who set the course record at the Bandera 100k in 2024 and who finished second at the 2025 Canyons 100k, earning him a Golden Ticket to the Western States 100.
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Crewing and Pacing 101 for Western States and Other Ultras with Amelia Boone & Alex Hildebrandt
This is a double-header episode hearing from two experienced pacers and crew members: Amelia Boone and Alex Hildebrandt. Both have experience successfully crewing and pacing elite athletes.
This episode was recorded in 2023, but is full of evergreen content!
In this episode we talk about:
-tips for assembling your perfect crew team, starting understanding your crew needs: logistics help, gear and nutrition, cheerleading, pacing, and more
-advice for crew members and things to discuss with your athlete, including logistics and crewing by bike
-dealing w...
Training, Fueling, and Preparing for Western States with Adam Peterman
Get an inside look at what it’s like to run Western States!
Adam Peterman is a professional trail runner living in Missoula, Montana who ran for the University of Colorado.
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Running By Feel Over Data: Riley Brady’s Journey to Western States, Nike, and Beyond
We’re only a couple of weeks from the Western States Endurance Run, so we caught up with a pro for an inside look at strategizing for it!
Riley Brady is a professional ultra trail runner for Nike Trail living and training in Boulder, CO.
Jon chatted with them about:
Colleen Quigley is Building a New Kind of Olympic Development Team
Athletes are more than their sport, so Colleen’s working to bring a holistic approach to team running.
Colleen Quigley is an American middle-distance runner, Olympian, entrepreneur, mentor, National Champion, and lover of women's sports.
From her high school days on the cross country and track teams, to her collegiate career and Florida State, and all throughout her professional career running for brands like lululemon, Nike, WHOOP, ROKA, and more, community has always been a top priority.
Colleen aims to bring that value of community to life with a new professional track team cal...
How to Enjoy the Whole Process of Long Distance Running with Makena Morley
There are a million and one ways to train for running. But the best way? To Makena, it’s whatever gives you the most fun.
Makena Morley is a long distance runner living in Bozeman, MT and running for ASICS. She graduated from University of Colorado in 2020 and now coaches via RunDoyen.
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Q+A with Caitlyn Miller: Run Recovery, Business, and Race Day Prep (Live Recording at Fleet Feet in Boulder)
We love in-person events. If you missed this one at Fleet Feet in Boulder in April 2025, you can catch up with this recording!
Caitlyn Miller is a 26 year old business owner and marathon runner. Caitlyn’s business, Expntl Athletics, specializes in activewear for distance runners.
She joined Jon live at Fleet Feet for this live discussion and audience Q+A.
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Defying the Odds, One Marathon at a Time with Annie Kalter
What does it mean to show up with joy even in the midst of the hardest seasons?
Annie Kalter is a 15-time Boston Marathoner, a mom, a school culture professional, and a woman with an extraordinary story of resilience. After surviving a heart attack that required her to be revived four times, Annie defied the odds to complete her 15th Boston Marathon just five months later.
Listen to hear about:
Annie’s entry into running and how she unexpectedly discovered the marathon was her distance
Building a 15-year Boston streak and wh...
Make Time for Triathlons and Ultramarathons Even with a Packed Life: Pro Runner Allison Baca
Hoping to make time for your goals even when you have a million obligations to manage?
Allison Baca is a professional trail runner for HOKA. She juggles parenting a 3-year-old and working full time in finance while squeezing in training to compete in big mountain races.
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A Shame-Free Look at Eating Disorders, Recovery, and Mental Health in Runners
Trigger Warning: This episode discusses eating disorders.
Athletes face a lot of mental and physical pressure around fueling, so we need to break taboos.
Kate Ringwood is a licensed therapist that specializes in eating disorders in athletes. Kate's personal experience navigating her own recovery while competing in cross country and track influenced her passion in helping others.
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Blending Faith and Fitness after Sudden Cardiac Arrest with Dom Fusco
This runner took a scary setback and turned it into a message of hope.
Dom Fusco is a health and wellness creator, coach, endurance athlete, and community builder based in Austin, Texas.
After surviving a sudden cardiac arrest in 2023, Dom made it his mission to help others strengthen their bodies, sharpen their minds, and deepen their faith to live healthier, stronger, and more purposeful lives.
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Designing the World’s First and Smartest Running Shoe: Avelo’s Founder Royi Metser
Royi Metser is the founder and CEO of Avelo, the company behind the world's first smart running shoe.
Running changed Royi’s life in 2021 after a blood test was the kick in the butt he needed to make a change. Three days later he signed up for his first marathon.
It was through his personal mission to improve at running that he decided to build a product to measure force and form and use the data to help runners improve performance and reduce risk of injury.
How to Build Your Confidence and Self-Compassion for Running with Certified Mental Performance Consultant Neal Palles
Want to build your mental strength and confidence before your next race?
Neal Palles is an ultrarunning coach and a psychotherapist and Certified Mental Performance Consultant.
Through his private practice, Colorado Psychotherapy and Sport Performance, he works with athletes who are struggling with anxiety, depression, or a performance related issue to help them focus on what matters.
Listen to hear about:
Jon’s performance and mentality at the Black Canyon 50kThe difference between confidence and self-compassionWhy failure should be normalized si...The Ultimate Guide to the Boston Marathon with George Woodward
Boston is coming up next week, and to celebrate, we have a special bonus episode with you to give you the complete guide to the Boston Marathon experience with George Woodward.
George Woodward is a father, data scientist, runner, and certified coach who came to running and racing late in life. Boston 2025 will be Marathon number 21 and Boston number nine.
He runs with the Somerville Road Runners in USATF events and runs for fun with November Project and the Heartbreakers. Running has allowed him to meet many fantastic people and has added richness to his l...
The Realities of Balancing Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, and Running with Jenny Jurek
Family life in an athletic family can be a balancing act.
Jenny Jurek is an avid runner and adventure seeker sharing her passion of the outdoors with her two young children and husband, Scott Jurek.
After twenty years designing sustainable outdoor apparel, she recently launched her own business, “Always Up”, which offers performance products that empower parents to stay active during pregnancy and beyond.
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How Caitlyn Miller Went from Math Teacher to Runner and Owner of Expntl Athletics
What does it take to build a passion-based activewear line?
Caitlyn Miller is a 26 year old business owner and marathon runner. Caitlyn’s business, Expntl Athletics, specializes in activewear for distance runners.
Listen to hear about:
Stay conn...
Lessons from Pro Golfer Scott Stallings on Training for the Boston Marathon
Golfing might help your running more than you’d think.
Scott Stallings is a 3x PGA Tour winner who earned the reputation as "The Fittest on Tour" due to his fitness-first lifestyle.
In April, Scott will be participating in the 2025 Boston Marathon - his first-ever Marathon - while raising funds for and supporting Golf Fights Cancer, a non-profit organization that raises funds for cancer-related organizations and families living with the disease.
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How an Elite Runner Manages Imposter Syndrome and Finds Joy in Training with Adam Vadeboncoeur
Elite athletes deal with many of the same challenges that recreational runners do.
Adam Vadeboncoeur’s been running for over 20 years but is now finding his stride in his mid 30’s. Over the past few years, he’s gained his first Team USA spot for 50km World Championships, a 100k road national title, and a sub 2:18 marathon.
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Stay c...
This Marathon’s Not Just a Race, But a Premier Experience: The Marathon Project with Ben Rosario
The Marathon Project is back and bigger than ever.
Ben Rosario spent two years as a member of the Hansons Brooks Distance Project, was the special events director for the GO! Saint Louis Marathon, founded the Northern Arizona Elite professional team, and co-founded a specialty running store--Big River Running Company.
Now, Ben’s the CEO of The Marathon Project, an annual event in Chandler, Arizona that features an amateur and a professional marathon in one weekend.
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What does success me...Cutting through the Noise in Sports Nutrition with Your Diet Sucks Hosts Kylee Van Horn and Zoë Rom
In a world of diet culture, nutrition for running can feel complex and exhausting– but it shouldn’t be.
Zoë Rom is a writer and journalist based in Carbondale, CO. Kylee Van Horn is the founder of sports nutrition business Flynutrition, which helps runners, triathletes, cyclists, and skiers to learn not only the ‘why’ but the ‘how’ behind fueling for performance.
Together, Zoë and Kylee host the podcast Your Diet Sucks.
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How Zoë and Kylee found themselves in the running and nut...A More Affordable Way to Fuel Your Running and Endurance Adventures
Fueling your sports can be a lot simpler than you may think.
Aaron Gouw and Gabe Multer co-founded Carbs Fuel, an emerging brand in the endurance sports nutrition space.
Carbs Fuel believes that fueling shouldn’t be reserved to the affluent minority. Their flagship product is their Original 50g Energy Gel.
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Set More Meaningful Goals for Yourself, Your Community, and the Planet with Coach Tucker Grose
This chat with a coach will have you reworking your running goals to be even more impactful.
Tucker Grose is an endurance athlete and coach who enjoys competing over a variety of distances and surfaces.
In 2024 alone, he completed events from 800m on the track to 100k on the trails.
Tucker’s helped over 100 athletes incorporate running into their lives in a sustainable and health focused way.
Listen to hear about:
Managing your own running while also coaching others
Using curiosity as a driver toward goals
...
The Cost of Not Fueling Properly as an Endurance Athlete with Sports Dietitian Claire Shorenstein
Runners tend to overcomplicate nutrition, so let’s talk about both mindset and science.
Claire Shorenstein (MS, RD, CSSD) is a board-certified Sports Dietitian working with teenage and adult athletes from the recreational to elite level.
Her virtual private practice, Eat for Endurance, helps busy, active people learn how to fuel themselves for health and performance while navigating the challenges of everyday life.
Claire’s a longtime distance runner herself and hosts The Eat for Endurance Podcast.
Listen to hear about:
Claire’s mental shifts from overachieving to process-oriented
Di...
How a Former Pro Runner Balances Passions to Be a Pro Dad with Adam Merry
Want a realistic look at how parents can spend meaningful time with their kids while also working toward running goals?
Adam Merry is a professional dad and former pro runner living in Belfast, Maine. He loves the process of self-discovery and improvement through training and race trail and ultra marathons.
Listen to hear about:
Finding a sustainable balance between family life, work, and running Stepping away from Instagram and Strava to avoid comparison Finding other outlets and communities to stay connected Consistency in training for the Black Canyon 50k...A Real Look Behind the Scenes of Producing this Podcast with Emily Holland
For The Long Run’s podcast consultant is here to pull back the veil on everything from production to brand partnerships!
Emily Holland is the co-founder of Wild Poppy Creative Consulting, working with creators and small business owners to maximize their impact on the world. She’s worked with Jon for 3 years now and she joins the pod to break down everything For The Long Run in a real way.
She's a trail runner, rock climber, beginner skier, and overall outdoor enthusiast based in Boulder with her partner and weird...
The Social Side of Running: How Community Events Fill a Need for Human Connection with Brunch Running’s Alexandra Weissner
Ever thought about starting a run club or event of your own? Listen up!
Alexandra Weissner is the co-founder of Brunch Running, a community-focused run club and event series based in Denver.
With years of experience producing events like The bRUNch Run and the Steamboat Marathon, Alexandra has built a vibrant community that celebrates running, connection, and post-run brunches.
Want to run the Steamboat Marathon? Use code FTLR15 for 15% off your race entry of any distance!
Listen to hear...
How to Turn a Setback into Two Steps Forward with Pro Runner Fiona O’Keeffe
How do you stay motivated after a big setback or injury?
Fiona O'Keeffe is a professional runner with the PUMA Elite team based in North Carolina. After graduating from Stanford in 2020, she made the move to the East Coast and found success on the roads under the guidance of Alistair and Amy Cragg.
Listen to hear about:
- Balancing competition and community
- Process goals and setbacks as opportunities for growth
- PUMA’s support and how they value their at...
Tips for Downhill Running, Process Goals, and Long-Term Running Planning with Coach Ian Sharman
Get tips from a coach who’s run over 250 marathons and ultras on 5 continents!
Ian Sharman is the founder of Sharman Ultra Coaching, a team of elite coaches. He got a marathon PR of 2:21 at age 43, and a half marathon PR of 1:03 at age 44. He's won over 50 marathon+ races with at least one win every year for 19 (and counting) consecutive years.
Ian also holds the fastest time in a trail 100-mile race by a Brit (12h44m), the record for the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (69h49m), has won th...
What It Takes to Win Your Country’s First Olympic Medal with Julien Alfred
This sprinter came from humble beginnings and is now one of the fastest people on Earth.
Julien Alfred is a Saint Lucian sprinter and PUMA athlete who won the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics 100-meter event, setting a new national record of 10.72s in the final.
Her medal was the first-ever Olympic medal for Saint Lucia, and then won a silver in the 200 meters.
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The Stories Shaping Running Culture with Like The Wind Magazine’s Simon Freeman
Print media is still alive, and it’s shaping running culture, too.
Simon Freeman is a runner and co-founder of Like the Wind magazine, an indie running publication telling stories that inspire, motivate and move runners.
He and his wife Julie also co-founded Freestak, an influencer platform for endurance sports brands which they sold in 2023.
Simon lives in Switzerland, enjoying the mountain life and building the Like the Wind media business.
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How Simon wove his...This Athlete’s on a Mission to Simplify Endurance Nutrition: Laura Jorgensen of Fuel Goods
Laura Jorgensen took a "short" break from her finance job that turned into a seven-year pro cycling career, earning over 50 podiums and a spot on the U.S. National Team.
Along the way, she and her teammate-turned-cofounder Courteney Lowe built The RunnerBox and The RiderBox into top-ranked subscription boxes.
In 2024, tired of the sports nutrition industry’s tendency to be overwhelming, uninviting, and, well, stale, Laura and Courteney launched Fuel Goods—an e-commerce marketplace making sports nutrition simple, accessible, and fun.
Listen to hear abou...
How to Run For Joy and Not Ego with Writer Raz Rauf of Running Sucks
Raz says that running sucks, but we should do it anyway.
Raziq Rauf is an NCTJ-trained journalist (writer) and USATF-certified running coach (runner).
Raz interviews interesting people from the running world, and writes about their impact on running culture and the people around them in his weekly newsletter, Running Sucks.
Listen to hear about:
Solo running and how it mirrors Raz’s solo writing life The benefits of run clubs and how to get it right Why Raz lied to his friends about tra...Failure Is Not Forever: Marion Jones' Pivot from Scandal to Finding Purpose
The media often only shows one side of a story where the “fastest woman on the planet” has to return her Olympic medals.
Marion Jones competed in track and field and became a household name in the early 2000’s, working with major brands and competing in 5 events at the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics.
In 2007, Marion confessed that she had lied about taking performance enhancing drugs and was sentenced to six months in jail after a scandal involving over 20 professional athletes.
Marion used her resolve to make a...
How to Improve Your Running Economy and Set Effective Goals with Applied Sport Scientist Jonah Rosner
You could get an edge on your next running goals by learning a bit about running physiology.
Jonah Rosner is an applied sport scientist and strength and running coach living in Brooklyn, NY.
Jonah spent the past 7 years working with athletes and teams from all major American Professional Team sports, and at 25 was one of the youngest sport scientists in NFL history.
He currently collaborates with Nike to run the Nike Running Performance Lab NYC.
Listen to hear about:
Jo...Eric Hinman on How to Design Perfect Days and Why Consistency Over Time Can Change Your Life
Feeling stuck and hoping to have more perfect days in 2025? This one’s for you.
Eric Hinman is a hybrid athlete, 5x Ironman, serial entrepreneur, and brand builder based in Denver.
Eric believes in the long-term vision of the brands he partners with. His portfolio of angel investments in the wellness space includes companies such as Ten Thousand, HVMN, Beam, Slate, Ice Barrel, The Real Cereal Co, Kane Footwear, MASA Chips and more.
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How Eric went fr...
Running Food That’s MadeGood: How People and Passion Blend to Create On-the-Go Fuel with Salma Fotovat
What if your favorite running snack could also positively change the world?
Salma Fotovat is a co-founder of Riverside Natural Foods, home to one of our favorite snack brands, MadeGood.
Salma is passionate about where food comes from and leads the sourcing and impact initiatives at Riverside.
Running has brought connection, perspective, and gratitude to her life and she strives to inspire others to stay active and prioritize their mental and physical health.
...
How to Set Your Next Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal with Team RWB’s Mike “Sully” Sullivan
What’s the big, scary goal that you’re going to choose for 2025?
Mike "Sully" Sullivan is a retired Special Forces Colonel with 30 years of service in the U.S. Army, including six combat tours in Afghanistan and leadership roles in elite Special Operations units.
Sully is the current Chief of Staff of the veteran support group Team Red, White & Blue, the founding member of Team RWB Fayetteville, a career high school math teacher, and father of three children.
Listen to hear...
Dakotah Lindwurm on her Olympic Race, Training for the NYC Marathon, and Injury Prevention
Dakotah Lindwurm is an Olympic Marathoner from Minnesota who runs for PUMA and Minnesota Distance Elite.
She made the podium at the Olympic Trials, came in 12th in Paris 2024, and has a 2:24 marathon personal best.
Listen to hear about:
How Dakotah’s changed since her last FTLR appearance before Boston 2023 Big lessons from tough runs Her Paris 2024 Olympic race strategy and experience Dakotah’s hopes for younger athletes and her “why” Brand partnership support and running for PUMA (plus her top shoe picks) NYC Marathon insights and excitement for the...Boulderthon Expo Panel: How Pro Runners Face the Challenges and Welcome the Joys of Running
Hear straight from pro runners on their biggest challenges and joys of the sport.
Jon moderated this panel discussion at Boulderthon on September 28, 2024 with athletes Scott Jurek, Molly Seidel, Rory Linkletter, Maor Tiyouri, and Dakotah Lindwurm.
Listen to hear about:
Why each athlete chose running (and why their Whys can change)
How they keep moving forward when times get hard
How to get comfortable being uncomfortable
The goals of these runners and how they’ve changed over time
Pushing pa...
The Limiting Factor is Your Own Mind: Jeremy Miller’s Journey in Running, Content Creation, and Entrepreneurship
Are you one of those runners who started off absolutely hating the sport?
Jeremy Miller is an athlete and content creator based in Austin, TX. He has completed several marathons and ultras with a 2:44 marathon personal best.
Jeremy is also known for his unique athletic feats, like running a sub-5-minute mile and deadlifting 500 pounds on the same day, and running a 62-mile race around a one-mile loop in a parking lot.
He’s also the co-founder of Switchback, a running nutrition brand.
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