Breaking4, BQ Changes, & Busine$$ of Women’s Sports w/Jon Levitt | The Running Explained Podcast

This week, I'm joined by the one and only Jon Levitt, host of For the Long Run and Long Run Labs, endurance athlete, and resident expert in both running and running-adjacent banter. What starts as a lighthearted chat about favorite running shoes (RIP Pegasus 34), run fuel (blue raspberry forever), and dream races (Tokyo, anyone?) turns into a deeply thoughtful conversation about what it means to push yourself to the edge... and what happens when you go past it. We dive into: 🎯 The anatomy of a moonshot: Was the Breaking4 Project to break 4 minutes in the mile by a woman a marketing stunt or a meaningful milestone? 🧠 The shared psychology of suffering: Why elite runners and mid-packers alike know what it feels like to “bleed” in the third lap 💥 What makes a mile so compelling (and painful) to run and watch 🥵 Downhill marathons, Boston qualifiers, and the not-so-free speed myth 💬 What we talk about when we talk about toughness, exclusivity, and why not every goal should be easy Plus: a very scientific game of “Strava Caption or Shenanigans,” Taylor Swift references, and a reminder that running a hard mile might just change your life. 🧭 Resources & Links: Follow Jon on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jwlevitt Listen to For the Long Run and Long Run Labs https://shorturl.at/i7pRU Chapters 00:00 Introducing Jon Levitt 13:32 Breaking Four: The Mile Event 16:29 Investing in Women's Sports 22:02 The Role of Storytelling 26:59 Breaking Four: An Aggressive Goal 32:15 Bravery in Breaking Records 38:04 The Boston Qualifying Controversy 42:44 Boston is a Downhill Race 47:06 Exclusivity in Running 55:14 Strava Caption or Shenanigans 🔗Links & Resources 🌐 Website: http://www.RunningExplained.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runningexplained/ 🎧 More Podcast Episodes: http://runningexplained.co/podcast 👟Coaching Services 🏃1:1 Coaching: https://www.runningexplained.com/runcoaching 👫Group Coaching: https://www.runningexplained.com/groupcoaching ✨ Exclusive Content & Support 🎙️ Bonus episodes & behind-the-scenes: https://www.patreon.com/runningexplained 📬 Join The Weekly Stride newsletter: https://www.runningexplained.com/newsletter 🏅Road to Race Day: Philadelphia: https://www.runningexplained.com/roadtoraceday