For The Long Run: Exploring the Why Behind Running

From hitting rock bottom to building a life of recovery through running: Meet John Shep.
John is a Canadian ultrarunner, teacher, and host of the Athletics Ontario Running Podcast. He’s also the creator of “Outrun the Darkness,” a project centered around a 142.2K ultra-double, completing the Sulphur Springs 100K and the Ottawa Marathon on back-to-back days to raise awareness for youth mental health.
John’s journey into running didn’t start with performance. It started with recovery.
After a mental health crisis and disordered eating led to hospitalization, running became a way to rebuild his relationship with himself, with food, and with the world around him. Nearly two decades later, he’s still living what he calls “a life of recovery,” using running as both a tool and a platform.
Jon and John dive into:
• John’s path from mental health crisis to ultrarunning
• the concept of “living a life of recovery”
• how running can support, and sometimes challenge, addictive tendencies
• “riding the edge of the lightning bolt” and finding balance
• using running as exposure therapy and rebuilding a relationship with food 
• the role of community in recovery and mental health
• the story behind Outrun the Darkness
• why mental health conversations need to be ongoing, not occasional
• what it means to use running for something bigger than yourself
Stay connected:
Follow John: https://www.instagram.com/outrunthedarkness/
This episode is supported by:
Precision - Dial your fueling in this year. Use code “LONGRUN26” for 15% off your first order at www.precisionhydration.com.
Mount to Coast - Built for runners who go long. From Badwater to Boston, Mount to Coast is designing footwear for the demands of real endurance. Learn more at mounttocoast.com.
Don't miss out on a live podcast recording in Boston at the Marathon Sports Brand House brings together Jonathan Levitt and Joe Corcionefor a candid conversation on training, strategy, and gear for runners looking to take on longer distances from their first 50K to ultramarathons. Sign up here!
Tifosi Optics - If you've been curious, now's a great time to try them. Head to tifosioptics.com and use code FTLR2026 to tell ‘em i sent you!
Boulderthon - Our favorite Colorado race event with a variety of distances. Use code FTLR2026 for $20 off the marathon or half marathon when you register at www.boulderthon.org.

From questioning what’s considered “normal” in professional sport to speaking up about what actually needs to change: Meet Grayson Murphy, a professional runner bringing clarity to conversations around pregnancy, contracts, and what real support for athletes should look like.
Grayson is a world champion trail runner and professional athlete who has built her career at the highest level of the sport. But beyond performance, she’s using her voice to challenge long-standing norms around how female athletes are treated, especially when it comes to starting a family. Her perspective is grounded, honest, and rooted in lived experience.
Jon chats with Grayson about:
• her identity as an athlete and how that’s shifting with pregnancy
• why she’s never felt the need to choose just one lane in running
• what it’s actually been like to slow down during pregnancy
• comparison, expectations, and stepping away from social media
• signing a pro contract while pregnant and what that represents
• why being supported shouldn’t be seen as “lucky”
• how expectations for women in sport are starting to change
• sharing the non-perfect version of her life and why that matters
• the role of community and other athlete moms
• what’s next, including a potential marathon debut
• building a business alongside her running career
• why storytelling and non-endemic sponsors are shaping the future of the sport
Stay connected:
Follow Grayson:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/racin__grayson/
Wild Strides Paper Co. training logs and coaching: https://wildstridespaper.com
This episode is supported by:
Precision - Dial your fueling in this year. Use code “LONGRUN26” for 15% off your first order at www.precisionhydration.com.
Mount to Coast - Built for runners who go long. From Badwater to Boston, Mount to Coast is designing footwear for the demands of real endurance. Learn more at mounttocoast.com.
Tifosi Optics - If you've been curious, now's a great time to try them. Head to tifosioptics.com and use code FTLR2026 to tell ‘em i sent you!
Boulderthon - Our favorite Colorado race event with a variety of distances. Use code FTLR2026 for $20 off the marathon or half marathon when you register at www.boulderthon.org.
Good Ranchers - Better training starts with better inputs. Good Ranchers delivers high-quality, American-sourced meat and seafood so you can stay consistent with your protein and iron. Visit goodranchers.com and use code IRON for $25 off plus a free protein each month.

From a finance pro who decided to chase what scared him, to a trail runner who's pushed the boundaries to 200 miles: Meet Dom Bubri, who discovered that the most extraordinary transformations happen when you stop thinking and just start running.
Dom is a trail and ultra runner who loves the grind of long miles and the clarity that comes from spending time outside. By day, he leads finance teams, but his favorite lessons come from the trail - showing up consistently, embracing discomfort, and playing the long game. Running has shaped how he thinks about work, leadership, and life beyond the finish line. 
Jon chats with Dom about:
his introduction to running

the transition from road to trail running

going from 50K to 100 miles

his winning mental approach 

getting to the 200 mile race distance 

Stay connected:
Follow Dom:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dbubri/
LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/dbubri

This episode is supported by:
AmazFit Check out the T-Rex 3 and a selection of GPS watches at https://us.amazfit.com/discount/FTLR2026 and use code “FTLR2026” for 10% off. 
Vacation Races Run where you play and chase the extraordinary. Use code “FTLR” for 15% off their half marathons, ultras, and trail fests at vacationraces.com through the end of 2026.
Precision Dial your fueling in this year. Use code “LONGRUN26” for 15% off your first order at www.precisionhydration.com.
Mount to Coast Mount to Coast is partnering with For The Long Run because they want to tell the stories behind the runners. The why. There's something specific coming around the Boston Marathon that I can't fully get into yet. But stay tuned. It's worth it. For The Long Run it will be indeed.

Nutrition expert Alex Larson reveals how one simple timing shift in daily eating can dramatically transform sleep quality, recovery, and performance for endurance athletes — but most runners are doing the exact opposite of what actually works.
Alex Larson is a Minnesota-based registered dietitian who felt her calling the moment she crossed the finish line of Ironman Wisconsin and has leaned into this mission of serving endurance based athletes. She works with endurance athletes on fueling for improved performance and body composition through a flexible eating style. She’s worked with athletes from all over the U.S. and in over 15 different countries and she herself has completed 20+ triathlons including Ironmans and multiple 10K and half marathons. Her clients fall back in love with their sport and life again.
Jon chats with Alex about:
daily fueling strategies and meal timing

pre-run nutrition and carbohydrate intake guidelines

recovery nutrition and post-workout fueling protocols

supplement evaluation: creatine, protein powders, ketones

sleep quality optimization through proper nutrition timing

Stay connected:
You can find Alex on Instagram here:
http://instagram.com/alexlarsonnutrition
and her website here:
https://alexlarsonnutrition.com
TikTok: @alexlarsonnutrition
Podcast: Endurance Eats
This episode is supported by:
Vacation Races Run where you play and chase the extraordinary. Use code “FTLR” for 15% off their half marathons, ultras, and trail fests at vacationraces.com through the end of 2026.
Precision Dial your fueling in this year. Use code “LONGRUN26” for 15% off your first order at www.precisionhydration.com.
Tifosi Optics If you've been curious, now's a great time to try them. Head to tifosioptics.com and use code [FTLR2026] for [20% off]. That's tifosioptics.com with code FTLR2026 to tell ‘em I sent you!
Boulderthon - Our favorite Colorado race event with a variety of distances. Use code FTLR2026 for $20 off the marathon or half marathon when you register at www.boulderthon.org.
AmazFit Check out the T-Rex 3 and a selection of GPS watches at https://us.amazfit.com/discount/FTLR2026 and use code “FTLR2026” for 10% off.

The formula for elite running performance lies in the consistent application of stress and recovery - repeatable things that you can sustain over time.
Cliff Pittman serves as the Coaching Development Director for CTS, where he leads the Ultrarunning and Cycling Coaching staff. With a deep passion for ultrarunning and a commitment to excellence, Cliff specializes in coaching athletes at all levels—from beginners to elite runners. 
Jon chats with Cliff about:
• stress and recovery fundamentals
• minimum effective dose for training adaptations
• subjective feedback vs. objective data analysis
• training specificity for race demands and terrain
• how to manage life stress as part of your training load
Stay connected:
Follow Cliff:
www.instagram.com/coachcliffpittman
This episode is supported by:
AmazFit Check out the T-Rex 3 and a selection of GPS watches at https://us.amazfit.com/discount/FTLR2026 and use code “FTLR2026” for 10% off.

Vacation Races Run where you play and chase the extraordinary. Use code “FTLR” for 15% off their half marathons, ultras, and trail fests at vacationraces.com through the end of 2026.

Precision Dial your fueling in this year. Use code “LONGRUN26” for 15% off your first order at www.precisionhydration.com.

Tifosi Optics If you've been curious, now's a great time to try them. Head to tifosioptics.com and use code [FTLR2026] for [20% off]. That's tifosioptics.com with code FTLR2026 to tell ‘em i sent you!