From Run Clubs to the Tech World: Meet Viktor Makarskyy

Viktor Makarskyy wasn’t always a runner. As a lifelong swimmer, he didn’t truly fall in love with running until he moved to Los Angeles and discovered the power of community-based run clubs.

Now he’s a committed marathoner, CTO and co-founder of GOES Health, and a passionate advocate for accessible outdoor safety. Whether he’s designing tech to support wilderness adventurers or showing up for a weekly hill workout, Viktor blends personal experience with product vision in everything he does.

“That first run club changed everything. It created friendships, accountability, and joy. That’s where the lifestyle started.”

Creating an Active Lifestyle That Lasts

Viktor’s success with running (and life in general) comes from one powerful concept: habit layering. He explains how creating small, enjoyable routines around a new behavior makes it sustainable. In his case, running became the habit, but what kept it going was everything that surrounded it:

• Friends he saw at workouts

• Amazing meals after long runs

• Consistency and structure through a training plan

• Progress he could feel before he could see it

He emphasizes that many people struggle to maintain a habit because it’s only functional. But when it becomes joyful, social, and rewarding, it becomes repeatable.

“Everything we do—running, creating tech, starting a business—it all comes down to repeatable, habit-forming adventures.”

Why “Feel” Still Matters More Than Metrics

Even as a tech founder, Viktor doesn’t obsess over data. He tracks his runs, sure—but he doesn’t let numbers dictate everything. Instead, he encourages runners to ask: how does this feel?

He also shares how goal-setting needs to evolve as you progress. Instead of endlessly chasing PRs, Viktor finds motivation in community races, hilly terrain challenges, and adventure runs.

“The less I obsess about the outcome, the more I enjoy the process—and often, the better the results.”

Building GOES Health: A Medic in Your Pocket

GOES is a mobile app designed to help people make smarter outdoor decisions and respond effectively in emergencies—especially when cell service is gone. Viktor’s vision: create a tool that provides wilderness medical insights, personalized risk assessments, and offline emergency protocols, all in one interface.

The app is built on real protocols used by wilderness first responders and medics. Whether you're trail running in Colorado or hiking in the desert, GOES helps you prep for things like:

• Altitude and sun exposure

• Wildlife risk (snakes, bears, insects)

• Heat, cold, and dehydration

• Illness, injury, or trauma without cell service

“It’s like having a mountain medic in your pocket, walking you through what to do when something goes wrong.”

GOES is especially helpful for runners who frequently train in remote areas—and Viktor uses it daily before his own runs.

What You’ll Learn

• Viktor’s transition from swimmer to runner

• How LA’s running culture changed his life

• His approach to building lasting health habits

• Why he values feel > numbers in training

• How GOES Health helps runners prep smarter

• Tips for injury prevention and outdoor risk management

Whether you’re a road or trail runner, you’re going to love this episode 👇

Partner Programs That Actually Work? Meet Superfiliate. 🚀

If you’ve ever wanted to build an affiliate program without the headache, this is your sign. Superfiliate is the clean, no-BS affiliate platform I’ve been recommending for years — and for good reason.

Whether you’re on the brand side or working with creators, Superfiliate keeps it simple: intuitive setup, effortless tracking, and seamless payouts. No bloated dashboards. No tangled workflows. Just tools that do their job so you can do yours.

Bonus: Superfiliate helps you actually engage your partners with cobranded landing pages, UGC, rewards (cash, credit, gifts!), and more.

If you’re ready to grow your program without growing your stress, head to Superfiliate.com — and tell them I sent you. 💸

Creating a Better-For-You Brand from the Ground Up with Live Cushy Founders Adam Saks and Ben Parens

The Chafing Problem No One Solved

Ben and Adam, both lifelong athletes, were frustrated by the lack of effective, natural anti-chafe solutions. From BodyGlide to Vaseline, most options either didn’t last or didn’t feel good to use. So they took the DIY route, iterated relentlessly, and eventually created a clean, all-organic alternative that actually worked for the miles they were logging.

It didn’t start as a full-blown company. It started as a fix for something they genuinely needed.

Why Brand Matters More Than Ever

Both founders spent years helping other companies build their brands. So when it came to launching their own, they knew the bar would be high. Live Cushy isn't trying to ride a marketing wave. They’re trying to build a brand that feels personal, grounded, and built for people who actually move.

They talk about storytelling as a business strategy, and how they’re earning trust one user at a time, rather than chasing flashy influencer deals or TikTok virality.

Bootstrapping vs. VC: The Slow Burn of Sustainable Growth

One of the biggest takeaways in this episode is the intentionality behind their growth. Adam and Ben chose not to seek outside investment early, and instead focused on refining the product, building community, and getting feedback from real athletes.

The result? More control, less compromise, and a pace that mirrors the endurance mindset they live by.

Creating a Brand You’d Run With

For Adam and Ben, Live Cushy isn’t just a product—it’s a reflection of the kind of people they want to surround themselves with. People who value simplicity, movement, wellness, and being outside. The kind of people who train early, cheer loudly, and care deeply about what goes in and on their bodies.

It’s a brand built for the middle of the pack as much as the podium.

From Anti-Chafe to the Full Adventure Stack

Live Cushy launched with one hero product. But that’s only the beginning. The duo teases what’s next (potentially a natural deodorant and other everyday adventure essentials) and emphasizes that customer feedback will shape every step forward.

They’re not just building for the sake of it. They’re building what people are asking for.

Listen to this interesting conversation about what it takes to start something from nothing 👇

The Adventure Buddy You Need 👇

GOES is your essential outdoor guide that keeps you informed and ready, no matter where the trail takes you. Created by wilderness medicine doctors, this app helps you level up your knowledge, plan smarter trips, and handle medical emergencies with more confidence, even when you're far off the grid.

Let’s say you’re out in the backcountry on a long trail run, out of cell service, and something goes wrong. With GOES, you can literally tap on a body part, and the app will walk you through how to triage the situation, assess the level of risk, and take the right next steps. It’s like having a wilderness first responder in your pocket. 🤯

Honestly, it’s an absolutely essential piece of my adventure gear—and one I won’t head out on trails without. Download yours today! Use code 25FTLR30 for 30% off an annual GOES+ plan. GOES+ gives you access to the rewards program plus much more additional medical content and our emergency assessment tool.

About Jon Levitt and For The Long Run

Jon 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, and Twitter.