The Renaissance Athlete: How Former D1 Athlete & Artist Zach Litoff Has Worked With The Biggest Brands In The Sport, Re-Shaping What Running Means To Him, & Creating A Photo Book From The OLY Trials

The creative force behind Litoff Studios, Mr. Zach Litoff himself, joins the show today, ready to discuss his new book. Zach seamlessly intertwines athleticism and artistry–blending his elite athletic background as an NCAA Championship steeplechaser with his innovative design work; this has led him to work with major brands like Nike, New Balance, and even Apple. Recently, he led the rebranding of the iconic Bay to Breakers race for their website, infusing it with fresh, modern visuals while honoring its rich history. Zach grew up in Boulder, Colorado, where he became enmeshed at an early age with drawing, climbing and running. At Monarch High School in Colorado he came in third in the state two-mile championships, third in the mile, and fifth in the 800m. At Santa Clara University he helped build a strong program, finishing as an All-American steeplechaser with PRs of 8:32 in the steeple and 13:52 in the 5,000m. Zach went back to Santa Clara and got his Master's in Marketing, and has since started his own company doing design work, marketing, photography, video production, web design, content creation and blog creation. Whew! Zach's latest triumph is a 160-page multimedia art book called "The Last Olympic Trials," which documents his experience at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene. It blends film photography, painted-over Polaroids, mixed media, and hand-drawn illustrations to capture the shifting culture of the sport In today's conversation, Zach takes me through his running pursuits, how he's shifted his identity in the sport and how he's gone about that, his thoughts on Grand Slam track, the story behind his new book "The Last Olympic Trials" and so much more. This is just a good chat between two friends. Don't miss it. And pick up a copy of Zach's latest work to support a friend. Great work. Tap into the Zach Litoff Special. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. Comment the word "PODCAST" below and I'll DM you a link to listen. If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend! S H O W N O T E S -BUY MERCH BEFORE IT'S GONE: https://shop.therunningeffect.run -Our Website: https://therunningeffect.run -THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ -My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz