It’s virtually 2025! As path working, mountain working, and ultrarunning develop and evolve, we at iRunFar evolve alongside and regularly discover new methods to serve you, our readers. As we shut out 2024, we take a second to replicate on this 12 months for iRunFar.
This 12 months, we have been honored to step into the position of media accomplice with the World Mountain Working Affiliation. We used the chance to delve extra deeply into mountain working by information tales, in-person race protection, and athlete profiles.
The 12 months 2024 was one other massive 12 months for our ever-evolving staff. After stepping again as Editor-in-Chief simply final 12 months, our Founding Editor Bryon Powell stepped again as much as the plate, alongside editor and author Eszter Horanyi, to cowl the Managing Editor position throughout my maternity depart from March by July. Bryon continues to guide our staff of drugs reviewers, guaranteeing we keep on prime of all the newest improvements within the sport. Meghan Hicks, now in her second 12 months as Editor-in-Chief, has steered our ship all through this busy 12 months.
Below the management of Nathan Allen, who has change into an important staff member since his appointment final 12 months, our purchaser’s information division has continued to develop and be your go-to for any gear questions.
Lance Hartzler additionally grew as our social media and advertising coordinator and has achieved a fantastic job guaranteeing that each one we publish on iRunFar reaches your screens irrespective of the time of day — or evening.
As all the time, we thanks, our readers, for being with us by one other 12 months; with out you, there can be no iRunFar.
And thanks a lot to the people and firms who help iRunFar financially. Supporting iRunFar helps us develop our protection of the game we love.
Learn on for a couple of highlights from iRunFar in 2024, and tell us within the feedback part what your standout iRunFar picks are for the 12 months.
P.S.: Should you’d wish to look again, listed below are our best-of articles from 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.
iRunFar in 2024, by Numbers
Right here’s what our 12 months appears like in numbers:
- This 12 months, iRunFar was a 57-person staff.
- In 2024, we produced 512 articles and 61 movies to tell and entertain you.
- We did in-person protection at 4 occasions this 12 months — the Western States 100, Hardrock 100, UTMB, and Mountain Working World Cup Finals.
The beginning of the 2024 Western States 100. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Schooling
Schooling is on the coronary heart of iRunFar. We consider an outfitted runner will benefit from the sport extra, and we endeavor to create articles that will help you prepare, plan to your subsequent race, get better that niggle, and extra.
- This 12 months, our Working the Numbers column noticed some modifications with the appointment of Zander Chase as co-columnist alongside Mallory Richard. The 2 have labored collectively very cohesively, and it’s been nice to have two contrasting voices within the column. This 12 months, readers loved Zander’s article Quick, Sooner, Quickest: Decoding the Information Behind Appalachian Path FKTs, and Mallory’s A Information-Pushed Environmental Scan of the Path and Extremely Teaching Business.
- A standalone article from our common contributor Eryn Barber, Three Plyometric Workouts for Endurance Runners, proved well-liked with our readers.
- This 12 months, we completed republishing the perfect of Ian Torrence’s teaching articles. His article, Working Periodization: It Isn’t Rocket Science, was notably nicely obtained.
- Coach and professional runner Gabe Joyes joined the iRunFar staff this 12 months, bringing his data and wit to the Ask Gabe column. You all actually loved his article about energy coaching, working meals, and extra.
- Joe Uhan’s Keep the Course column continues to be a precious useful resource for damage prevention and administration. This 12 months, lots of you appreciated how he addressed a typical downside in Tight Hamstrings? Attempt This Three-Dimensional Thigh Mobilization!
- Adrian Stott continues to be our go-to for highway and observe ultrarunning experience. Not too long ago, lots of you loved his article A Temporary Historical past of the IAU 100k World Championships, which we printed days earlier than the 2024 championships.
- Justin Mock begins the week proper together with his common This Week in Working column, which is part of lots of our readers’ Monday morning rituals. Justin brings us mixture of outcomes from the largest extremely, path, and mountain races, some smaller grassroots occasions, and the odd standout consequence by path runners on the highway and observe.
- We have been honored to work with scientists and writers Johanna Ohm and Brady Burgess on their article Investigation: Lab Checks Verify Spring Power Misrepresents Carbs and Energy, 7 Different Manufacturers Have Correct Labels, which added knowledge to the group dialog of holding the corporate Spring Power accountable to its misrepresentation of the dietary content material of a few of their merchandise.
- Exterior our onsite race protection, we often publish outcomes articles from the game’s best races, like our articles from Sierre-Zinal, the Comrades Marathon, Transgrancanaria, and the Black Canyon 100k.
A cold begin to the 2024 Black Canyon 100k. All images: Jesse Ellis/Let’s Wander Pictures
Inspiration
Inspiration is vastly vital in working. It will probably inspire us to maintain going when issues get robust and assist us discover our why. This 12 months, as all the time, we printed a number of inspirational content material on iRunFar. Listed below are a number of the finest bits.
- Sabrina Little’s considerate column The Examined Run presents a distinct perspective on running-related issues. Her article A Case In opposition to Supershoes generated a number of curiosity and debate, with sturdy opinions in favor of and in opposition to her argument that supershoes have been detrimental to working.
- This 12 months, our long-standing author Hannah Inexperienced started a brand new column, The Artwork of Working, the place she interviews varied artists and runners. Up to now, she has profiled artists of many various genres, and readers notably loved her interview with photographer Mike Thurk.
Photograph: Mike Thurk
- Bryon Powell has continued his month-to-month column the place he retains us updated with what’s taking place in his working and life. His article, In Reward of (Ultrarunning) Expertise, resonated with many, and celebrated the advantages of a few years of expertise, which might counteract the consequences of getting old.
- AJW’s Taproom continues into its thirteenth 12 months, and thru his sequence of articles on working and getting old, lifelong runner Andy Jones-Wilkins presents his perspective and recommendation on issues affecting older runners. Many discovered his article The Artwork of Strolling helpful.
- By means of his month-to-month column, runner Zach Miller presents us pearls of knowledge gained by his years of expertise on the prime finish of the game, by all its highs and lows. One vital message he had for us this 12 months was delivered by his article Digging Holes and Stopping Trains: The Want For Common Restoration Throughout Coaching.
- Whereas highway and mountain runner Rebecca Cheptegei’s passing was an pointless tragedy, we’re so grateful to have the ability to publish a transferring poem in her honor, penned by Angie Funtanilla.
Interviews and Profiles
- Late this 12 months, Morgan Tilton handed on the authorship of the WeRunFar column to Eszter Horanyi. We’re grateful to Morgan for her wonderful writing by the years, and for shining the highlight on individuals within the sport who maybe don’t get all the popularity they deserve. Your favourite WeRunFar articles this 12 months have been ‘Ladies Are Not Small Males:’ Dr. Stacy Sims and the Ladies’s Endurance Sports activities Revolution and a profile of William Barkan, the primary legally blind runner to cowl the Western States 100 course, which he did in 2024.
- I’ve continued my column The Lengthy Sport, which profiles runners on the prime of the game, which Bryon Powell and Eszter Horanyi co-authored throughout my maternity depart. This 12 months, we aimed to develop our protection of mountain working, and as a part of that, I interviewed Kenyan mountain runner Philemon Kiriago and gained an interesting perception into his coaching and mentality. Bryon Powell and Eszter Horanyi’s profile of Spanish path runner Manuel Merillas was additionally a fantastic learn.
- Bryon Powell’s post-race interview with Ludovic Pommeret after his course-record-setting win on the 2024 Hardrock 100, simply days earlier than his forty ninth birthday, impressed many.
- Katie Schide had a stellar 12 months in 2024, profitable each the Western States 100 and UTMB — setting a course report on the latter — and Meghan Hicks was there to interview her post-race for each.
- One of many standout ultrarunning outcomes of 2024 needs to be Courtney Olsen’s 50-mile world report. I had the privilege of interviewing her within the days after, and located that she is as humorous as she is quick!
- This 12 months on the Western States 100, iRunFar had a shock visitor interviewer, within the type of former ladies’s course report holder Ellie Greenwood. A revered identify in Western States 100 historical past, Ellie’s presence behind the mic definitely added some nuance to the interviews, and even left 2023 and 2024 third-place girl Eszter Csillag a little bit star-struck!
Courtney Olsen with Tunnel Hill 50 Mile race director, Steve Durbin. Photograph: Micki Colson, Colson Pictures
Pictures
Significantly with so most of the races we cowl going down in breathtaking areas, you may’t inform the story with phrases alone! Showcasing wonderful images can be an enormous a part of what we do. Listed below are a number of the photograph highlights of 2024.
Jasmin Paris turned the primary girl finisher of the Barkley Marathons on the occasion’s 2024 version, with 99 seconds to spare. Photographer Howie Stern took this unimaginable photograph of her end. Photograph: Howie Stern
A splendid fall view on Bryon Powell’s final future earlier than racing the 2024 Extremely Gobi. Photograph: Bryon Powell
Vincent Bouillard on his method to profitable the 2024 UTMB. Photograph courtesy of UTMB.
The solar units in Chamonix, France, whereas the 2024 UTMB takes place. Photograph: Kirsten Kortebein
William Barkan is cheered dwelling on the ultimate stretch of the observe on the 2024 Western States 100. Whereas he missed the race’s 30-hour cutoff by a couple of seconds, he turned the primary legally blind individual to cowl the Western States 100 course. Photograph: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Island Lake within the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Photograph: Zach Miller
Joyline Chepngeno closes in on the end, because the 2024 Sierre-Zinal ladies’s winner. Photograph: World Mountain Working Affiliation/Marco Gulberti
A runner amidst the sumptuous surroundings at one of many 2024 KAT 100 by UTMB races. Photograph: UTMB
A yak cow and calf within the Bhutanese Himalayas earlier than the beginning of the 2024 Snowman Race. Photograph: Snowman Race/iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Meghan Hicks throughout a chilly fall fastpacking journey in Utah’s canyon nation. Photograph: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
Reminiscences
Lastly, our staff shares a few of their favourite recollections of 2024.
Justin Mock
Just a few years in the past, I by no means might’ve guessed that my canine would go to Kosovo. However in July, I took a three-week, nine-country highway journey from Central Europe by the Balkans with my two senior pups. Albania stands out as a spotlight, particular lifetime recollections!
Chuck and Elly on a canine pleasant seaside in Croatia. Photograph: Justin Mock
Eszter Horanyi
Whereas this was a 12 months the place I obtained to play many roles for iRunFar, starting from gear editor to freelance author to photographer, the spotlight was attending to pose as part-time interim Managing Editor whereas Sarah Brady went on maternity depart for 5 months. I’d go as far as to name it a profession spotlight, after nicely over a decade of taking part in with phrases for a residing. Working with such a tremendous group of authors and iRunFar staff members was nothing wanting a tremendous privilege, and I really feel like my data of all issues writing, modifying, and working elevated 10-fold. And if there’s one factor that’s sure, I’ll by no means misspell Kilian or Salomon once more!
Bryon Powell
My post-Hardrock 100 interviews have been my instantly work-related spotlight of the 12 months. I loved all of them, however notably chatting with Ludovic Pommeret and Jason Schlarb about getting old and working, as they’re barely older than and the identical age as me, respectively. Even a decade in the past, I’d seen ladies like Meghan Canfield and others working on the prime of their sport of their late 40s and early 50s, however it’s been inspiring to see a couple of males in the identical age vary excel extra not too long ago. It helps me preserve my very own getting old course of — and what it’d seem like — in perspective.
Now, from an iRunFar as an enabler perspective, there’s no manner I’d have been in a position to run the Extremely Gobi 250 Mile however for being at iRunFar. That set me up for an exquisite summer season of impressed coaching adventures forward of the race after which the run of my life on the race.
We’re so completely satisfied that iRunFar’s personal Bryon Powell was the 2024 Extremely Gobi 250 Mile males’s winner. Photograph: Extremely Gobi
Meghan Hicks
I’ve a few core recollections from iRunFar this previous 12 months. The primary was changing into a media accomplice to the World Mountain Working Affiliation, which governs mountain working and is a part of World Athletics, working’s international federation. iRunFar believes strongly within the significance of federation-level sports activities administration as a prong of a sport’s strategic improvement. We consider in utilizing iRunFar to assist advance the storytelling of federation-administered facets of the game, which is why I’m excited that our publication entered into this partnership.
My second core reminiscence from 2024 is that, for a second time, the iRunFar staff volunteered to assist placed on the Snowman Race in Bhutan. The Snowman Race takes place in Bhutan, one of many globe’s few carbon-negative international locations, and travels by the excessive Himalayas, a mountain vary whose landscapes and peoples are among the many most impacted by local weather change. As well as, the game of working is nascent in Bhutan, a rustic most definitely stuffed with potential world-class athletes. The targets of the Snowman Race are multi-fold: to share the story of a carbon-negative nation, to elucidate how local weather change unfairly impacts the nation’s landscapes and other people, and to attach Bhutan with the working world itself. iRunFar believes that working must be used to assist progress different important facets of humanity. For over a decade, the iRunFar staff has volunteered its platform, staff, and assets to raise individuals, locations, and tales much less represented within the working group. I’m so happy that considered one of iRunFar’s volunteerism focal factors this 12 months was this one.
Bhutan is a carbon-negative nation whose landscapes and peoples are unfairly affected by local weather change. iRunFar volunteered in 2024 on the Snowman Race, an occasion going down in Bhutan meant to carry these tales to a wider viewers. Photograph: Snowman Race/iRunFar/Meghan Hicks
Sarah Brady
For worry he’ll discover and skim this text in years to return, I can’t level to something apart from the delivery of my son, Max, as my spotlight of 2024.
However to carry it again to iRunFar, I relished the journey that Meghan Hicks and I took to Italy to cowl the Mountain Working World Cup Finals. After a couple of years now of overlaying the world’s prime ultramarathons and getting immersed within the media frenzy that exists round races like UTMB, the Western States 100, and the Path World Championships, there was a refreshing grassroots really feel to this World Mountain Working Affiliation occasion. We had the chance and privilege to satisfy and interview a distinct set of athletes, excelling in a distinct nook of the game. We obtained to grips with some logistical challenges to offering protection of such fast-paced races — a vertical kilometer sooner or later and a 23-kilometer path race the following. Better of all, we had the chance to run each inch of the programs ourselves at a extra leisurely tempo — one thing that doesn’t occur throughout a busy week of overlaying a 100-mile occasion.
In my working this 12 months, I wished a purpose to get me transferring once more postpartum, however I knew it could be onerous to seek out the time to drive out to the mountains, so I signed up for the Dublin Marathon on the finish of October. Highway working is much from my consolation zone, however immersing myself in a distinct sort of problem was sensible, and I even got here away with a brand new private finest!
Managing Editor Sarah Brady on her method to the end of the 2024 Dublin Marathon to realize a brand new private finest for the gap. Photograph: Richard Peyton
Name for Feedback
- What was your favourite iRunFar content material this 12 months?
- What was the spotlight of your 2024?