Curated: Issue 3
A different drummer.
At the 1972 Olympics, Frank Shorter became the first American in 64 years to win gold in the marathon—an event credited with launching the jogging boom. Today, running is on fire again. Clubs are exploding in popularity, brands are feeding the blaze with piles of cash, and social media “runfluencers” are stoking the coals.
Amidst the onslaught of marketing messages and one-size-fits-all Internet wisdom, remember… There is space to make running exactly what you want it to be. Our sport rejects the conformity of comfort, and (if we’re honest) defies common sense. It’s a celebration of subcultures and a befriending of the absurd.
Running is punk AF.
Run Lightly,
-mike
Bandit’s “Unsponsored Project”
A few brands just outside the mainstream are giving the current running boom a raw edge, anchored in urban culture and fashion. NYC’s Bandit Running enters the chat. Taking the sport’s “sponsorship problem” head-on, Bandit gave unbranded gear to a handful of unsponsored track and field athletes at the Olympic Trials to help them draw the attention of industry players.
By providing support to these athletes, Bandit is empowering them during competition while building community around the event itself, encouraging fans to support the athletes during the Trials. It’s an innovative approach that shows Bandit’s commitment to the sport and the athletes who drive it forward while receiving little in return.
Read More on Believe in the Run
Run Travis Run
Whether you think Blink 182 is punk, pop, or something else, you gotta admit running is rebellion against sedentary norms, and inspiring others to give it a shot—as Travis Barker is doing with “Run Travis Run”—is a positive thing. Sound off in the comments about the $70–$200 price of admission, but if a brush with celebrity gets a few more people lacing up… That’s commercialism for the common good.
I used to run in Vans up until a year ago. I don’t run with nobody. I don’t have a coach. I was just like, “I’m going to figure this out.” I’d run to the freeway and back from my house.
Can Hardrock stay quirky? Should it?
For the third straight year, 39 year-old Courtney Dauwalter dismantled the wild and tough Hardrock Hundred, besting her own record. On the men’s side, 49 year-old Frenchman Ludovic Pommeret was first to kiss the rock, also running a course best. At a time when ultras are trending younger, Hardrock favors the grizzled vet. It’s just one way the stalwart event stays anchored to its roots—and stays small.
What makes Hardrock successful is that its formula intentionally rejects the scale that many associate with success in our sport, and its oddball feel and intimate community continue to be a draw that stones, series, and flashy events can’t match.
This excellent piece honors the history of an original, outsider “tough guy” event (the founder’s name is Hardman, for Gordon’s sake), while not letting the race off the hook for its challenges with equity and inclusivity.
Punk: Bruce Lee
When I read The Secrets to Bruce Lee’s Legendary Physical Training last month, it sent me down an existentialism rabbit hole, which eventually spawned the theme of this issue, which got me thinking: Bruce Lee was punk AF. Read the article, then tell me the legendary martial artist and philosopher didn’t live the ethos of:
Non-conformity (breaking traditions and norms)
Authenticity and integrity (truth to identity and rejection of pretense)
DIY (self-creation and expression)
Minimalism (stripped-down approach and aesthetic)
If you follow the classical pattern, you are understanding the routine, the tradition...you are not understanding yourself. ~Bruce Lee
Also Punk: Sobriety
⚠️ Shameless self-promotion alert! But really, this segment also promotes our friends at Run Tri Bike, so you’ll allow it, right? No choice. My newsletter. Anyway, when Jason Bahamundi suggested we chat for the mag’s “How It All Started” feature, I jumped at the chance to share a slice of Lisa and my sobriety journey. Everyone’s story helps someone, and we hope this has a small ripple effect.
Running hard and drinking hard were almost inseparable in my family. It was the model of toughness I grew up with.
Running Lightly is building a community interested in the soul beneath the surface.
