Fourteen years in the past, I took a flying leap to dedicate myself full time to iRunFar. On the time, I used to be a younger Washington, D.C., lawyer who wasn’t getting what he wanted out of labor. I’d already been a runner for 15 years at that time and had this little aspect mission known as iRunFar.com, the place I shared my ardour for path working and ultrarunning. Apart from a slew of non-public working blogs, there wasn’t a lot happening within the area on the time. Because it had been, I ran with it.
Although the journey was actually difficult at instances, that gamble paid off in additional methods than I may have imagined. I’ve made lifelong pals, skilled extra of the world than I’d ever dreamed doable, and, hopefully, added to the game that has given a lot to me.
Bryon Powell working the Yading Skyrace within the mountainous west of China’s Sichuan province in 2016. Photograph: Roger Graham
On the similar time, iRunFar grew from a private coaching weblog to a one-man informational web site to 1 full-on media entity. At present, we’ve 4 full-time employees, a slew of supporting employees inside AllGear Digital, and lots of columnists, writers, and race protection assistants. I’m happy with the truth that iRunFar is now a worldwide chief in path working and ultrarunning.
Since the very first put up in December 2006, iRunFar’s printed greater than 6,500 articles by properly over 100 authors. We’ve additionally supplied our hallmark in-person race protection of greater than 100 races in practically 20 international locations on 5 continents. That’s reflective of seeing in addition to being part of our sport turning into actually world.
Briefly, what a journey! That journey’s removed from over for iRunFar or for me. Nonetheless, it’s time for me to cross on the baton of management whereas I acquire my breath and assist the staff as they dash on. Thankfully, essentially the most succesful arms of our present Managing Editor, Meghan Hicks, are there to obtain the handoff and run the subsequent leg as Editor-in-Chief.
Meghan Hicks sporting an enormous smile throughout her profitable Bob Graham Spherical completion in England in 2017. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Meghan first supported me as a associate as I jumped into iRunFar full time. At first, she merely helped out with the positioning. Then, she joined iRunFar as its second full timer means again in 2013.
As iRunFar’s second in command for greater than a decade and a path runner and ultrarunner for even longer, Meghan is aware of the game – its folks, locations, and races. Much more, she is aware of talk about it, and set up a staff to do the identical in addition to anybody on the market. I couldn’t be extra excited to see the place she’ll take iRunFar and can assist her in any means I can.
Staff iRunFar — Bryon Powell, Sarah Brady, and Meghan Hicks — on the 2023 World Mountain and Path Working Championships. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
On the similar time, with Meghan stepping up, iRunFar has a gap at its Managing Editor — or, relatively, it had such a gap. I’m additionally excited to announce that Editor Sarah Brady will develop into iRunFar’s new Managing Editor. Whereas the overwhelming majority of Sarah’s efforts have been behind the scenes in modifying the work of all of the writers you see right here on iRunFar, you could know her from her columns The Lengthy Recreation and It Takes a Village, her numerous different articles, and her handful of video interviews for iRunFar.
It’s price reminding everybody that Sarah’s an completed mountain runner and ultrarunner in her personal proper. In actual fact, she simply represented Eire within the Path World Championships 80k on the 2023 World Mountain and Path Working Championships in Austria!
I hope to restrict myself to a part-time function for the foreseeable future after we work by means of a transition interval. However I’ll nonetheless be right here at iRunFar! I’ll handle a section of our gear testing staff, write occasional articles, assist cowl races infrequently, and in any other case work with Meghan and the staff to see the place to greatest put my abilities to make use of.
I think you’ll see extra adjustments than typical right here at iRunFar over the approaching months. Meghan’s new concepts will encourage new instructions, and, hopefully, create more room and better capability for artistic, new storytelling. I, for one, am excited to see what iRunFar, in all its varieties, appears like down the path a methods. What a journey will probably be.
And one final thing … Due to all of you, iRunFar’s readers, who’ve been such an necessary a part of iRunFar’s journey up to now and who will hopefully be part of us for the journey to return!
Joyful trails,
Bryon
Bryon, Meghan, and Sarah having fun with some path time after protecting UTMB in 2022. Photograph: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
