Long Run Labs

From $4,000 annual sponsorships to multi-faceted brand partnerships—Anton Krupicka and La Sportiva's Kelsey Quinn reveal how ultra running's explosive growth transformed athlete sponsorship from performance-only deals to authentic storytelling collabor...

What does it take to be more than “just a product” in the outdoor industry? Living the business and culture of running, Ross Rutherford is an ultramarathoner and led sports retail and partnerships at Cheribundi and probiotic juice brand GoodBelly. Ross...

What parallels can be drawn between training for/ finishing a race and building/selling a business? Salomon Aiach is a 37-year-old venture capitalist and entrepreneur who currently runs his own venture capital firm, focusing on sourcing deals, managing...

Everything is sales - and in today's job market, the person who gets hired isn't necessarily the best candidate, but the one who's best at marketing themselves. Arielle Knutson is the CEO of Oiselle, a women’s running apparel brand where she leads with...

Every runner has an underdog story. Here’s how telling those stories resonates with other amateur runners and grew the Rambling Runner podcast to one million downloads. Matt Chittim is a podcaster in the running space and running coach. He is a founder...

Athletes are spending $5K on cold plunges but $20 on pillows without realizing the role that sleep plays in performance. Ryan is the founder of the sleep & fitness business, Lagoon. The company's mission is to help people optimize their sleep and perfo...

Starting and building a race isn’t easy, but Stu McConnachie’s passion and community-focused business strategy have led UTCT to what it is today. Stuart McConnachie is a prominent figure in South Africa's trail running community, best known as the Race...

Sydney Tremaine turned her love of exploration into a career building relationships with trail running legends - but it all started with one family vacation run she'll never forget. A love for being outside and exploring have always been present in Syd...

Think about it… we know more about our fantasy football leagues and cars than our own health. Something needs to be done about that. Alex is the Founder and CEO of Eternal. Before founding Eternal, Alex was the founder and CEO of The Athletic, a subscr...

Do you think “company culture” is irrelevant? It’s actually essential. Troy Meadows is a Culture Creator with a running problem. He helps founders, and athletes articulate their "WHY" in order to find clarity in how they build their businesses and pers...

Climate change can be scary and confusing, so what actions can we take that actually make a difference? Erin Sprague is the CEO of Protect our Winters (POW), where she helps outdoor enthusiasts protect the places and experiences they love from climate ...

Want to close more deals? Don’t pitch your idea in the first conversation. Aaron Lutze is the co-host of Second Nature, a podcast about the business of the outdoor industry. He is also the founder and presenter on Super Rider, a YouTube channel that he...

Are you passionate about your work or just going through the motions? Sports have always been a throughline for Drew Hartman, and running graduated from "the way to stay in shape for soccer" to a primary athletic focus, social community driver, and cre...

Want to support a brand? Then request that your local retailer carry their product! As athletes and adventurers, Adam Saks and Ben Parens know the importance of simplicity and high performance in their daily routines. After countless miles and too many...

We're talking growth of trail running with the Polettis, the founders of UTMB! Jon sits down with Michel and Catherine Poletti, the founders of the UTMB race series. They share their journey of starting and growing UTMB, along with essential business i...

Does reaching a broader audience help or hurt your business? In 2013 Yuri discovered Unbound Gravel (formerly DK 200), arguably the most difficult gravel grinder in the country, and was bitten by the gravel bug. He won the 2015 edition, the hardest one...

Are you saying “yes” too much? Ross Mackay is the founder of Cadence, a performance supplement brand focused on endurance athletes. Jon chats with Ross about: •Running and Athletic Journey - From marathons to HYROX competitions, and the lessons learned...

Are you doing what it takes to stay relevant in the running industry? Kara Goucher is an Olympian and broadcaster whose career has featured elite competitions, endorsements, and broadcasting. Her story will inspire you to excel in both the performance ...

Allison Lynch is a marketing expert who has worked for companies like WHOOP, COROS, and Remedy Place. Jon chatted with Allison about: •working in a running store to becoming a marketing specialist •getting hired at WHOOP and the transition to COROS •na...

David Callahan is the Co-CEO of UltraSignup, the industry-leading marketplace for races in the trail and ultra-running community. Jon chatted with David about: • his athletic background and introduction to trail running •his transition from law to acqu...

Dylan Bowman is a seasoned trail runner and entrepreneur based in San Rafael, California. Jon chatted with Dylan about: •going from amateur to professional athlete •how to build relationships in the running industry •the birth of his company, Freetrail...

The outdoor industry runs on big ideas, relentless energy, and people who don’t quit easily. Sound familiar? Welcome to Long Run Labs, a new weekly podcast from the team behind For The Long Run, hosted by Jon Levitt. This show is all about the builders...