Long Run Labs

Jonathan Levitt

Long Run Labs is a weekly series exploring the intersection of endurance and entrepreneurship from the team that brings you For The Long Run Podcast. From brand builders to movement makers, we spotlight the runners driving change in the outdoor and endurance space. These are the untold stories behind the tools, companies, and communities that shape the industry, told with curiosity, honesty, and heart. Hosted by Jon Levitt. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

  1. 6D AGO

    The Evolution of Performance Marketing in Niche Markets

    Jason Wiener has spent over 25 years navigating the intersection of sports and technology, transforming from an adventure sports agency owner who represented major brands like PowerBar and Specialized to a data-driven athlete development pioneer who's using physics modeling and digital twin simulation to help young cyclists reach elite status. Now focused on building a highly technical program for junior mountain bike athletes in the United States, Wiener applies the same precision he once used consulting with IndyCar teams to break down race courses with 30-second accuracy, creating targeted training regimens that helped his daughter place fourth at national championships in her first year. With eyes set on the 2028 LA Olympics, he's leveraging his unique blend of motorsports analytics, Silicon Valley tech experience, and quantified self expertise to identify and develop the next generation of American cycling talent. Jon chats with Jason about: the athlete development pathway from junior to elite cycling data-driven course simulation and performance modeling podcast network advertising and brand partnerships Olympic medal targeting for LA 2028 trail running market trends and brand positioning Stay Connected: Follow Jason: http://jasonwiener.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonwiener/ This episode is supported by: Skej My favorite tool to help schedule meetings. Check out skej.com/longrunlabs for a very special offer! Superfiliate helps brands turn creators, customers, and communities into a scalable growth channel, without the usual affiliate mess.

    1h 1m

  2. FEB 17

    Want to be a Sponsored Trail Runner? Listen to This

    The most successful trail sponsorships happen when brands stop asking 'what can this athlete do for us?' and start asking 'what can we build together that neither could create alone? Born in Bennington, Vermont and growing up on the Long Trail, Alyssa Clark is a professional trail runner, coach, podcast host, and partnerships manager. Her greatest passion is mountain running and she is working to become the best 100 mile runner both racing and for long distance trail and multi-sport adventures as she can be. Alyssa currently resides in San Diego, CA with her husband and two cats.  Jon chats with Alyssa about: company culture and employee engagement through storytelling sponsorship evolution and contract growth in trail running building community through hospitality and personal connections professional athlete development and brand partnerships product testing and athlete involvement in development Stay Connected: Follow Alyssa: https://www.instagram.com/theory_in_motion/ Alyssa’s “Uphill Athlete” Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trail-running-series-crewing-and-pacing/id1523174465?i=1000624374730 “Why Fit Compounds” Substack Essay: https://open.substack.com/pub/longrunlabs/p/why-fit-compounds?utm campaign=post-expanded-share&utm medium=post%20viewer This episode is supported by: Skej My favorite tool to help schedule meetings. Check out skej.com/longrunlabs for a very special offer! Superfiliate helps brands turn creators, customers, and communities into a scalable growth channel, without the usual affiliate mess.

    54 min

  3. FEB 10

    How Michael Brandt Built Ketone-IQ by Failing Until He Won

    From selling $30 shots that tasted 'completely crazy' to building a nine-figure business now sold nationwide in Target, Michael Brandt proved that scaling isn't about perfection—it's about refusing to stay in the ivory tower and dancing with your customers through every messy iteration. Michael Brandt is co-Founder & CEO of Ketone-IQ, building what's next in human nutrition. Prior to Ketone-IQ, he was an adjunct professor of brand strategy at Academy of Art in SF, product manager at YouTube, and studied engineering & design at Stanford. He’s also a competitive marathoner and currently lives in LA. Jon chats with Michael about: Persistence until success mindset Building/Scaling Ketone-IQ Marathon running and competitive goals Going deep vs dabbling philosophy Early product development and sales Check out Ketone-IQ: ketone.com/FTLR Stay Connected: Follow Michael: https://www.instagram.com/michaeldbrandt/ This episode is supported by: Skej My favorite tool to help schedule meetings. Check out skej.com/longrunlabs for a very special offer! Superfiliate helps brands turn creators, customers, and communities into a scalable growth channel, without the usual affiliate mess.

    1h 3m

  4. FEB 3

    From Coca-Cola to KIPRUN: Launching a Running Brand the Hard Way

    Would you trade 20 years at Coca-Cola and Amazon for the chance to democratize high-performance running gear? Meet Julien Vancauwenberghe, the Chief Marketing Officer behind KIPRUN, the most anticipated running brand launching in the USA this year. Julien didn't take the traditional path to the starting line. Driven by challenges and a desire to make an impact, he honed his skills at fast-moving organizations like Amazon and Coca-Cola before bringing his unique European-US perspective to Decathlon: the third largest sporting goods company in the world. Julien joins us to discuss his personal journey, what he learned across three different industries, and how KIPRUN plans to debut in the USA. Jon chats with Julien about: Julien's background as a French-American CMO with 25 years of experience KIPRUN’s brand strategy: Decathlon's running brand targeting expert runners US market entry: April 2026 launch through wholesale partners Brand vs performance marketing: Focus on community trust over ads Athlete partnerships: Co-creation with 40 athletes, journey over results Stay connected: Follow KIPRUN: https://www.instagram.com/kiprun/ www.kiprun.com Share this episode on LinkedIn with someone who you think could also find it helpful!

    53 min

  5. JAN 27

    THE Problem-Solving Playbook for Entrepreneurs with Moisés Jimenez

    Being an entrepreneur and building a business is like being an athlete - you have no idea what's going to come out the other side, but you put everything you can into it and hope for the best. As a Venezuelan trail runner raised in the Chilean Patagonia, Moises runs professionally with The North Face and co-founded Vert.run to help make quality coaching more accessible for trail and ultra runners at every level. He’s currently based in Boulder, Colorado.  Jon chats with Moises about: entrepreneurship challenges and resilience in business his running journey from Venezuela to competitive trail racing Boulder Boys podcast creation with friends  Vert Run coaching app development and evolution sponsorship relationships and brand partnership strategies Stay connected: Follow Moises: https://www.instagram.com/moises.jimenez/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/moises-jimenez-leon/ Vert.run: https://www.instagram.com/vert.run/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/vert-run/ Boulder Boys Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-boulder-boys-show/id1728762148 Share this episode on LinkedIn with someone who you think could also find it helpful!

    59 min

  6. JAN 20

    How a Tech Exec Became a Running Store Owner

    From tech hardware professional to trail running community steward - Vivek Gowri is rewriting what it means to own a running store. After a decade in the Bay Area running scene and two decades in tech hardware, Vivek is taking over San Francisco Running Company in 2026, not just as a business venture, but as a mission to carry forward a 15-year legacy of trail running culture and community building. Vivek Gowri is a Product Manager at NVIDIA, where he leads initiatives in gaming and AI hardware. When he’s not shaping the future of tech, he’s out on the trails as a dedicated runner and advocate for diversity in the outdoor space. He brings a thoughtful perspective to the intersection of technology, endurance sports, and inclusion — bridging innovation with impact on and off the trail. Jon chats with Vivek about: running community building in Bay Area through SFRC store ownership transition and legacy stewardship responsibilities modernizing retail through technology and e-commerce expansion angel investing in running/outdoor innovation companies international brand influence on US trail running market Stay connected: Follow Vivek: https://www.instagram.com/vivekgowri/ Share this episode on LinkedIn with someone who you think could also find it helpful!

    48 min

  7. JAN 13

    The Future of the Creator Economy with Demitra Carter

    What if there was a framework you could follow as a content creator that would allow you to work with brands most effectively? Demitra Carter holds a Master of Science in Education in Sport Management and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing. She is a relationship-driven sports content creator, host, and former Division I track and field athlete who is passionate about sports, women, and culture. Demitra made history as the youngest certified World Athletics Agent and brings a unique, global perspective to the sports industry through her experience working at ON as a Global Social Media Manager, where she helped shape brand storytelling at an international level. Currently signed to RH7 as a freelancer and influencer, Demitra serves as the Director of Influence at Popfly. She thrives in roles that sit at the intersection of sports, talent, media, and marketing, and is deeply committed to inspiring and connecting with others through authentic, impactful storytelling. Jon chats with Demitra about: brand authenticity and values alignment content creation across multiple platforms running community and individual sport dynamics local dealership and non-endemic partnerships LA 2028 marketing opportunities for athletes Stay connected: Follow Demitra: https://www.instagram.com/demitra_carter/ Follow Popfly: https://www.instagram.com/popflyco/ Share this episode on LinkedIn with someone who you think could also find it helpful!

    52 min

  8. JAN 6

    Embrace Your Messy Story: Angie Lake’s Predictions for How to Stand Out in 2026

    From first-time finisher to changing lives: hear about how Angie Lake is breaking down barriers in trail running, one story at a time. Angie Lake is co-director of Wild Woman Trail Runs and community manager of The Cairn Project, a nonprofit closing the gender gap in outdoor sports. As a storytelling consultant, menstrual health educator, and outdoor podcast host, Angie holds conversations around Blood, Sweat, and Fear to build happier and healthier communities for women. Jon chats with Angie about: Angie's evolution as an athlete and entrepreneur Wild Woman Trail Runs race direction brand partnerships and community building women's health and running science the 50K Sisterhood Scholarship Program Stay connected: Angie's website: www.angielake.com Wild Woman Trail Runs: www.wildwomantrailruns.com The First 50k Sisterhood: https://cairnproject.org/first-50k-sisterhood Follow Angie: bloodsweatfear.substack.com instagram.com/angvswild linkedin.com/in/angie-marie instagram.com/wildwomantrailruns instagram.com/thecairnproject

    57 min
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Trailer

4.8
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Long Run Labs is a weekly series exploring the intersection of endurance and entrepreneurship from the team that brings you For The Long Run Podcast. From brand builders to movement makers, we spotlight the runners driving change in the outdoor and endurance space. These are the untold stories behind the tools, companies, and communities that shape the industry, told with curiosity, honesty, and heart. Hosted by Jon Levitt. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan Levitt
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    41
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jonathan Levitt
  • Show Website
    Long Run Labs

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