I started reading UltraRunning mag in the late 1990s, and I wrote my first article for it in 2003. I continued to write features off and on for the magazine for the past two decades and have a column in it that's nearly a decade old. You're right, its prior principle reason for being—posting results and race reports—has been eclipsed and rendered unnecessary by the nearly immediate results and numerous personal reports available through a bunch of platforms. I think it's useful to define UR by what it should *not* be: I don't think it should be mainly service-oriented and beginner-oriented like TrailRunner/Outside. I also don't think it should try too hard to be hip and trendy or whatever seems appealing right now. When I think of UtraRunning mag, the words that come to mind are "core," "old school," "authentic," "thoughtful"—and I hope Jamil and the team strive to keep those characteristics. As the success of UK's Like the Wind and also Substack (primarily a platform for readers/writers, with a reader-friendly interface) have shown, lots of readers want quality long-form articles to read. That's why I'd like to see UR keep up special, compelling feature writing by authors like John Trent, and columns by ultrarunners and coaches of note. Mainly, I think UltraRunning mag can continue to have a foothold in the sport's media by fortifying its identity as the publication "in the know" and most wise and authentic, showing long-term perspective and knowledge of the sport. Maybe many of its writers will be more gray-haired and wizened than Steep Life Media's younger livestream crew, but I think can be an asset.
Thank you for giving Like the Wind a shout-out here, Sarah. I have similar hopes to you for UltraRunning under Jamil's guidance. There are so many incredible stories in the ultra world (which as you know is one part of the entirety of running about which we publish stories in LtW) that it should mean the magazine - certainly editorially - can thrive. We send copies to subscribers in 40 countries, which I believe goes to show that running - whether on road, trail or track and over any distance - has an audience that is passionate about the sport, the activity and the stories that go with it. Simon (LtW co-founder and editor)
With the expanding race roster Aravaipa is building and buying, it seems inevitable that their list of competitors will only grow.
I hope that conflict of interest never shapes what events are chosen to be featured, highlighted or have their results published in the magazine.
Partnerships and sponsorships now also tie closely between the sport and just one brand. If there is any fallout between someone and Aravaipa, will their ability to market their product be significantly diminished?
I hope people are able to hold their friends to a standard they would hold anyone else.
My concerns aren't about Jamil specifically, just the power dynamic this situation innately creates.
I don’t know what the UR base is like, but I would love to see something based in beautiful photography telling real, meaningful stories. Something like Adventure Journal that can be proudly displayed and revisited.
I'm a long-time UltraRunning reader (and a couple-times contributor), and it is about the only thing I get in the mail that I still sit down with immediately and page through cover-to-cover. Even so, I've almost let the subscription lapse several times, and I think it's mainly a mix of loyalty and guilt that has kept me onboard. It just seems like we need some central "voice of the sport" and UR is as close to that as we have (I guess there are some online contenders, but a hard-copy magazine just feels less transient, I guess). I still mourn the loss of "Marathon and Beyond" magazine (and I still give it a significant chunk of bookshelf real estate - the full set from 2004 to the final issue in 2015), and I'd love to see UR become something like that magazine was (which would make it look at lot like what I think @Sarah is describing in her comment). It will be interesting to see what direction it goes...
I started reading UltraRunning mag in the late 1990s, and I wrote my first article for it in 2003. I continued to write features off and on for the magazine for the past two decades and have a column in it that's nearly a decade old. You're right, its prior principle reason for being—posting results and race reports—has been eclipsed and rendered unnecessary by the nearly immediate results and numerous personal reports available through a bunch of platforms. I think it's useful to define UR by what it should *not* be: I don't think it should be mainly service-oriented and beginner-oriented like TrailRunner/Outside. I also don't think it should try too hard to be hip and trendy or whatever seems appealing right now. When I think of UtraRunning mag, the words that come to mind are "core," "old school," "authentic," "thoughtful"—and I hope Jamil and the team strive to keep those characteristics. As the success of UK's Like the Wind and also Substack (primarily a platform for readers/writers, with a reader-friendly interface) have shown, lots of readers want quality long-form articles to read. That's why I'd like to see UR keep up special, compelling feature writing by authors like John Trent, and columns by ultrarunners and coaches of note. Mainly, I think UltraRunning mag can continue to have a foothold in the sport's media by fortifying its identity as the publication "in the know" and most wise and authentic, showing long-term perspective and knowledge of the sport. Maybe many of its writers will be more gray-haired and wizened than Steep Life Media's younger livestream crew, but I think can be an asset.
Thank you for giving Like the Wind a shout-out here, Sarah. I have similar hopes to you for UltraRunning under Jamil's guidance. There are so many incredible stories in the ultra world (which as you know is one part of the entirety of running about which we publish stories in LtW) that it should mean the magazine - certainly editorially - can thrive. We send copies to subscribers in 40 countries, which I believe goes to show that running - whether on road, trail or track and over any distance - has an audience that is passionate about the sport, the activity and the stories that go with it. Simon (LtW co-founder and editor)
With the expanding race roster Aravaipa is building and buying, it seems inevitable that their list of competitors will only grow.
I hope that conflict of interest never shapes what events are chosen to be featured, highlighted or have their results published in the magazine.
Partnerships and sponsorships now also tie closely between the sport and just one brand. If there is any fallout between someone and Aravaipa, will their ability to market their product be significantly diminished?
I hope people are able to hold their friends to a standard they would hold anyone else.
My concerns aren't about Jamil specifically, just the power dynamic this situation innately creates.
I don’t know what the UR base is like, but I would love to see something based in beautiful photography telling real, meaningful stories. Something like Adventure Journal that can be proudly displayed and revisited.
I'm a long-time UltraRunning reader (and a couple-times contributor), and it is about the only thing I get in the mail that I still sit down with immediately and page through cover-to-cover. Even so, I've almost let the subscription lapse several times, and I think it's mainly a mix of loyalty and guilt that has kept me onboard. It just seems like we need some central "voice of the sport" and UR is as close to that as we have (I guess there are some online contenders, but a hard-copy magazine just feels less transient, I guess). I still mourn the loss of "Marathon and Beyond" magazine (and I still give it a significant chunk of bookshelf real estate - the full set from 2004 to the final issue in 2015), and I'd love to see UR become something like that magazine was (which would make it look at lot like what I think @Sarah is describing in her comment). It will be interesting to see what direction it goes...