For The Long Run: Exploring the Why Behind Running

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 the USATF 100-mile trail championship twice and is a four-time Leadville Trail 100 Champion.  Listen to hear about: Getting hooked on ultras after a race in the Sahara Desert Ultramarathon strategies to maintain a consistent pace Behind the scenes of focusing on 100 mile races Goal-setting and long-term planning for running Tips for downhill running Outcome vs. process goals Stay connected: Ian on Instagram: instagram.com/sharmanian Follow @sharmanian on Threads, Bluesky and X Ian’s website: sharmanultra.com For The Long Run Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/forthelrpod Jon Levitt on Instagram: instagram.com/jwlevitt Join the For The Long Run email community: for-the-long-run.beehiiv.com This episode is supported by: PUMA: Get 20% off any PUMA run or train products from shoes to apparel with code FTLR20 at www.puma.com. Tifosi Optics: Fantastic sunglasses for every type of run. Anti-bounce fit, shatterproof, and scratch resistant. Use code FTLR2024 at this link for 15% off your pair. Hyperice: Innovative recovery tools for all types of training. My favorite are the Normatec leg boots and Normatec Go portable calf sleeves. Reach out to me on Instagram for a discount code to use at hyperice.com. Fuel Goods: Get all of your endurance sports nutrition goodies from one place and support an Asheville-based local business. You may even get a free FTLR hat in your custom box! Use code FTLR10.  https://fuelgoods.com/pages/forthelongrun 

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. Listen to hear about: Julien’s start to running as a child How a professional sprinter trains Not getting complacent, even with multiple Olympic medals The role that faith plays in Julien’s drive Julien’s experience on the PUMA athlete team Being featured on Netflix’s “Sprint” Stay connected: Julien on Instagram: instagram.com/julien.alfred  For The Long Run Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/forthelrpod Jon Levitt on Instagram: instagram.com/jwlevitt Join the For The Long Run email community: for-the-long-run.beehiiv.com This episode is supported by: Hyperice: Innovative recovery tools for all types of training. My favorite are the Normatec leg boots and Normatec Go portable calf sleeves. Reach out to me on Instagram for a discount code to use at hyperice.com. Fuel Goods: Get all of your endurance sports nutrition goodies from one place and support an Asheville-based local business. You may even get a free FTLR hat in your custom box! Use code FTLR10.  https://fuelgoods.com/pages/forthelongrun  PUMA: Get 20% off any PUMA run or train products from shoes to apparel with code FTLR20 at www.puma.com. Tifosi Optics: Fantastic sunglasses for every type of run. Anti-bounce fit, shatterproof, and scratch resistant. Use code FTLR2024 at this link for 15% off your pair.

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.   Listen to hear about: How Simon wove his entrepreneurial background into the endurance sports space The beginnings of Like the Wind and growing a media business Why he chose an ink on paper journal for long-form storytelling Breaking stasis and taking risks in business The challenges of training for a marathon at 50 Balancing financial challenges with creative freedom Why storytelling is so important to running culture Stay connected: Simon on Instagram: instagram.com/likethewindmag  For The Long Run Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/forthelrpod Jon Levitt on Instagram: instagram.com/jwlevitt Join the For The Long Run email community: for-the-long-run.beehiiv.com This episode is supported by: Tifosi Optics: Fantastic sunglasses for every type of run. Anti-bounce fit, shatterproof, and scratch resistant. Use code FTLR2024 at this link for 15% off your pair. Go Brewing: Grab a few six-packs of the award-winning non-alcoholic beer using code FTLR and get 15% off and free shipping on all orders above $40. My favorites are the sours. Find them at gobrewing.com. PUMA: Get 20% off any PUMA run or train products from shoes to apparel with code FTLR20 at www.puma.com.

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 about: Why Laura’s college basketball career ended prematurely and how she transitioned to running How the challenges of being a female endurance athlete led to her entrepreneurial journey The origin story of the Fuel Goods RunnerBox Behind the scenes of the FTLR Fuel Goods boxes curated by Jon Balancing personal growth with the desire to achieve Stay connected: Fuel Goods on Instagram: instagram.com/fuel_goods Fuel Goods on TikTok: tiktok.com/@fuel_goods  For The Long Run Podcast on Instagram: instagram.com/forthelrpod Jon Levitt on Instagram: instagram.com/jwlevitt Join the For The Long Run email community: for-the-long-run.beehiiv.com This episode is supported by: PUMA: Get 20% off any PUMA run or train products from shoes to apparel with code FTLR20 at www.puma.com. Fuel Goods: Get all of your endurance sports nutrition goodies from one place and support an Asheville-based local business. You may even get a free FTLR hat in your custom box!  Use code FTLR10: https://fuelgoods.com/pages/forthelongrun  Go Brewing: Grab a few six-packs of the award-winning non-alcoholic beer using code FTLR and get 15% off and free shipping on all orders above $40. My favorites are the sours. Find them at gobrewing.com.