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. 4 HR AGO

    From Kickstarter to a Brooks Partnership: PYNRS Founder’s Blueprint for Community-First Business Building

    When immigrant parents chase opportunity across continents, their children often become bridges between worlds. Sid Baptista discovered that running could be the vehicle to bring transformative experiences back to the communities that shaped him.  Sidney Baptista is the Founder of PYNRS Performance Streetwear, a Boston-based running brand rooted in culture, community, and performance. Inspired by the legacy of Black pioneers in distance running, Sid created PYNRS to amplify, celebrate, and expand who gets to belong in the sport. Through product, storytelling, and community-driven experiences, he is redefining what running culture looks and feels like. Jon chats with Sid about: building community through inclusive running experiences creating performance apparel for underserved athletic bodies innovative product design addressing real runner needs strategic brand partnerships driving market validation entrepreneurial hustle and creative problem-solving approaches Stay Connected: For Sidney - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidbap/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sidbap For PYNRS - Website: https://pynrs.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pynrs_/?hl=en LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/pynrs/ This episode is supported by: Skej My favorite tool to help schedule meetings. Check out skej.com/longrunlabs for a very special offer!

    1h 9m

  2. 10 MAR

    Consistency is a Competitive Advantage: Carbon Plates, Speciality Retail, and Smarter Marketing with Gelindo Bordin

    From marathon champion to business leader, Gelindo Bordin transformed his Olympic gold medal triumph into executive expertise, now directing innovation at Italian running brand Diadora while bridging the gap between elite performance and everyday runners. Gelindo Bordin is the Marketing Director at Diadora, where he leads the company’s marketing strategies with a deep passion for both sports and brand development. A former Olympic gold medalist, Bordin made history as the first Italian to win the Olympic Marathon. He began his career as a mountain cross-country runner before transitioning to longer distances, debuting in the marathon in 1984 and later winning the Milan Marathon. Over the course of his illustrious career, Bordin earned an Olympic gold medal, two European titles, a bronze medal at the World Championships, and an Italian half-marathon title. He is, still, the only male to win both the Boston Marathon and an Olympic gold medal in the marathon. He won the Boston Marathon in 1990 and describes the victory as his "second greatest run, after winning the Olympics”. Retiring in 1993 after competing in 18 marathons, he now brings his wealth of experience and passion for sports to his role at Diadora, where he drives the brand’s visibility and engagement in the global market. Jon chats with Gelindo about: his Olympic Marathon champion career product development technology innovation  athlete sponsorship evolution  running injury prevention focus  how to maintain brand consistency Stay Connected: https://www.instagram.com/diadora/ This episode is supported by: Skej My favorite tool to help schedule meetings. Check out skej.com/longrunlabs for a very special offer!

    1 hr

  3. 07/10/2025

    Venture Capitalist Salomon Aiach’s Running Revolution: Becoming Journey-Obsessed Instead of Goal-Obsessed

    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 a portfolio of 22 companies, and helping entrepreneurs build resilient businesses. He has a unique international background being born in the US and raised in Paris from ages 2-18. He later lived in Israel before returning to Boston for college at Boston University. Salomon discovered running in 2022 as a way to connect with business partners at German VC firm Early Bird. What began as a networking strategy quickly evolved into a life-changing passion. Despite starting as a complete beginner who couldn't run 10K, he completed the New York City Marathon just months later, eventually achieving a sub-4-hour time of 3:59. His running experience has fundamentally shaped his approach to venture capital. He now looks for entrepreneurs who demonstrate the same resilience and commitment he learned through marathon training - those who can push through when things get difficult and maintain focus on both the journey and the destination. Jon chats with Salomon about: Living in different countries (Israel, America, France, Greece)The role venture capital plays in running businesses  Marathon goal-setting and mindset shiftsFour key market components of the running industry Finding your "why" in running and business Stay connected: Follow Salomon: https://x.com/_salomon_a?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/_salomon_a/ This episode is supported by: Superfiliate: This episode is brought to you by Superfiliate. If you're tired of overcomplicated and unnecessarily expensive platforms for affiliate marketing, do yourself a favor and check out Superfiliate.com. Mention that Long Run Labs sent you and get your first month free! Eternal: Check out eternal.co and use code “LRL” for 10% off your Performance or Foundations plan.

    59 min

  4. 30/09/2025

    The Keys to Effective Community Building in Women's Sports with Oiselle CEO, Arielle Knutson

    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 a focus on brand strategy, community, and culture. She brings two decades of experience building mission-driven brands, including her leadership at Nuun Hydration, where she helped scale one of the most recognized names in endurance sport. A lifelong athlete and 9-time IRONMAN finisher, Arielle has also completed 8 marathons, and 4 ultramarathons. Her leadership reflects the same discipline and drive she brings to sport, building teams and brands with resilience and staying power. Jon chats with Arielle about: the strategy behind achieving a 3x return on ad spend the fundamentals of effective storytelling the trend of large brands strategically investing in women's sportsthe evolution of what defines a media company Stay connected: Follow Arielle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielleknutson/ This episode is supported by: Superfiliate: This episode is brought to you by Superfiliate. If you're tired of overcomplicated and unnecessarily expensive platforms for affiliate marketing, do yourself a favor and check out Superfiliate.com. Mention that Long Run Labs sent you and get your first month free! Eternal: Check out eternal.co and use code “LRL” for 10% off your Performance or Foundations plan.

    53 min

  5. 23/09/2025

    How to Grow a Podcast to 1 Million Downloads with Matt Chittim

    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 and host of the Rambling Runner Podcast and the co-host of Relay and Road to the Trials.  Jon chats with Matt about: Using podcasting as a "laboratory" for learning social media marketing Monetization Strategies and sponsorship deals Creating Personality-driven content that entertains and informs Community building through consistent content and engagement Stay connected: Follow Matt: https://www.instagram.com/rambling_runner/ Rambling Runner Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rambling-runner-podcast/id1257440830 This episode is supported by: Superfiliate: This episode is brought to you by Superfiliate. If you're tired of overcomplicated and unnecessarily expensive platforms for affiliate marketing, do yourself a favor and check out Superfiliate.com. Mention that Long Run Labs sent you and get your first month free! Eternal: Check out eternal.co and use code “LRL” for 10% off your Performance or Foundations plan.

    54 min

  6. 16/09/2025

    How Lagoon is Revolutionizing Sleep for Athletes with Founder, Ryan Hurley

    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 perform their best every day - which we do by matching people with the Lagoon pillow that's perfect for their unique needs and preferences , and providing additional sleep products designed for optimal recovery.  Prior to founding Lagoon, Ryan worked at NBC Sports for 10 years, and was a DI swimmer at the University of Virginia and a 2x US Olympic Trials finalist.  Today Ryan is an endurance sports enthusiast, having completed an Ironman, 4x marathons, 3x ultras, and is training for his first 100 miler this fall.   Jon chats with Ryan about: Lagoon's Founding Story and Mission Marketing Methods and Business MetricsBrand Building (Brand vs. Product) Sleep Optimization and the Connection to Performance The Current Landscape of Startups and Why It’s the Time to Start Stay connected: Follow Ryan: https://www.instagram.com/ryanphurley1/ Follow Lagoon: https://www.instagram.com/lagoonsleep/ Lagoon’s Website: https://lagoonsleep.com This episode is supported by: Superfiliate: This episode is brought to you by Superfiliate. If you're tired of overcomplicated and unnecessarily expensive platforms for affiliate marketing, do yourself a favor and check out Superfiliate.com. Mention that Long Run Labs sent you and get your first month free! Eternal: Check out eternal.co and use code “LRL” for 10% off your Performance or Foundations plan.

    51 min

  7. 09/09/2025

    How Ultra Trail Cape Town (UTCT) Created a Global Running Destination with Race Director, Stuart McConnachie

    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 Director of the RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town (UTCT), one of Africa’s most prestigious trail running events. Since its inception in 2014, McConnachie has played a pivotal role in developing UTCT into a globally recognized race that attracts elite runners from over 50 countries. Founder of the most prominent trail community in Cape Town, Tuesday Trails, Stuart is a runner and passionate advocate for the community and the trail environment of Cape Town and surrounds.  Jon chats with Stu about: How Stu Discovered that Race Directing is his Calling Developing UTCT & Building a Strong CommunityFinding Sponsorships & Implementing an Effective Business ModelThe Philosophy & Values that Anchor UTCTHow UTCT Compares to Other International Races Stay connected: Follow Stu: https://www.instagram.com/stuaay/ This episode is supported by: Superfiliate: This episode is brought to you by Superfiliate. If you're tired of overcomplicated and unnecessarily expensive platforms for affiliate marketing, do yourself a favor and check out Superfiliate.com. Mention that Long Run Labs sent you and get your first month free! Eternal: Check out eternal.co and use code “LRL” for 10% off your Performance or Foundations plan.

    54 min

  8. 02/09/2025

    Building Authentic Partnerships in Running with Garmin’s Sydney Tremaine

    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 Sydney’s life. Sydney grew up camping and when it came time to sign up for sports, she chose cross country and has not regretted the decision. Running has led her to some incredible places including her job at GARMIN. Outside of the sport you can find her still camping, hanging with friends and her dog, or listening to loud music. Jon chats with Sydney about: Sydney’s Career at Garmin The Athlete Sponsorship Program EvolutionBrand Marketing Strategy InspirationHow to Manage PartnershipsStaying Updated with Industry Trends Stay connected: Follow Sydney: @syd_tremaine This episode is supported by: Superfiliate: This episode is brought to you by Superfiliate. If you're tired of overcomplicated and unnecessarily expensive platforms for affiliate marketing, do yourself a favor and check out Superfiliate.com. Mention that Long Run Labs sent you and get your first month free! Eternal: Check out eternal.co and use code “LRL” for 10% off your Performance or Foundations plan.

    49 min
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Trailer

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
    44
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jonathan Levitt
  • Show Website
    Long Run Labs

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