Well, here we are.

The end of the first month of the year! Not one for resolutions, I’m still rolling with my 2024 goal of consistency.

We’re a couple of weeks out from Black Canyon 50k, which Emily and Angie (of Wild Poppy Creative Consulting - part of the team that helps make all this content possible… hear more from Emily on the next episode of FTLR) have deemed, “Return to Ultra".

In this return to ultra, I’ve been doing things differently. At a time when I needed to take action before I had the motivation to do so, I stuck a race on the calendar in the dead of winter. I knew that would mean running in the cold/in the dark/in the snow, and oh it sure has. It has forced me to adapt when it’s dangerous to be outside, and be ok with running on the treadmill (one of my biggest foes!!!!). And it has forced me to dig deep and find my why, and to find a strong reason to keep putting in the miles despite it being quite uncomfortable at times to do so.

And I’m loving it.

I highly recommend it. Motivation follows action. Sometimes, you just have to start. It’s a way more elegant version of “fake it til you make it.”

A new year often brings new partners, but here at FTLR, we’re mostly just going bigger with existing partners, and doing more with less. You’ll see more from PUMA/Boulderthon/Tifosi/Leadville and Lake County, and we’re also welcoming a new partner, Shokz. I’ve been using Shokz for quite a while now and absolutely love the enhanced level of safety on the roads and trails that comes from being able to hear my surroundings.

Next month we’ll be sharing another survey, as we love to hear what you all think about the pod and how things can continue to improve.

As mentioned, in the next podcast with Emily, we are reviewing 2024 and looking ahead to 2025. You’ll hear more about our plans and how we’re thinking about this whole operation in that (extended!) episode.

Happy trails!

— Jon Levitt, Host and Creator of For The Long Run 

Returning to Ultra 🏃🏻‍♂️

You may have figured out by now that I’m returning to the ultra game in a BIG way this year (LFG!). 🚀 I have a few races lined up and am excited to be dialing in my training throughout the year.

As I go through this year, I’m going to be sharing my process and thoughts as I dive back into the world of ultra training and racing. You can follow along on our YouTube here.

Here’s a glimpse of the types of updates we’re sharing 👇

To keep you running for the long run 👇

Thanks to our major sponsors this month, Fuel Goods, PUMA, Hyperice, Boulderthon, and Tifosi. By supporting our sponsors, you are supporting the show and the whole team behind it. Y'all are the best!

Listen to this 👇

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.

You don’t want to miss this conversation!

New to the For The Long Run Podcast? Start here. 👇

Welcome to our community! We are so excited to have you here. To get you started, check out our playlist just for you: the top 12 For The Long Run episodes. And let us know what you think. 🤗

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About Jon Levitt and For The Long Run

Jonathan is a runner, cyclist, and podcast host from Boston, MA, who now lives in Boulder, CO. For The Long Run is aimed at exploring the why behind what keeps runners running long, strong, and motivated.

Follow Jon on Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and Twitter.