I Asked Speedgoat about Selling to UTMB
and realized he's the nexus of trail running's growth
Borderlands Trail Running
Borderlands is a media company exploring the culture, business, and future of trail running. Understanding trail running, not just following it. On Substack, we break down the ideas shaping the sport, one clear argument at a time.
Latest episodes
Harvey Lewis | The Man + Mind Behind the Ultras
Two conversations with Harvey Lewis about the person behind one of ultrarunning’s most remarkable careers, and the mindset that has kept him going for more than 30 years.
Before Ciele, There Was Miles
The unreleased hat, the forced name change, and the ethos that built Ciele.
Can We Make Trail Races Easier to Follow?
Testing our Race Intelligence Layer at the Beast of Big Creek [HELP!]
I Finally Understood Hardrock
I still don't love the race. But I finally understand what makes it special.
They Refuse to Make Toy Shoes
Inside Hoka's Culture Strategy with HOKA's Global Head of Partnerships + Global Head of Lifestyle Product
The Gift of Paris Is Leaving It
Two years in France changed Borderlands forever. Not because of what I built there, but because of who I became before going home.
10 Things I Couldn't Stop Thinking About After Western States
THE MONDAY AFTER the biggest race in trail running, these were the ideas that lingered.
WSER Honors Running. Paris Celebrates It.
analog #18 | Running Through Juxtaposition | Sport creates meaning. Culture distributes it
Trail Running Culture Doesn't Scale
The most important things in trail running can't be scaled.
More Host Than Shopkeeper
Katie Douglas built Running Wylder by treating runners less like customers and more like guests
The Trail Was Always the Teacher
An Op-Ed Response to "Western States Wants to Protect. UTMB Wants to Grow."
The Supply Chain of Trail Running Culture
Analog #17 | Western States' limits vs. UTMB's growth thesis, Tara Dower's next line, Nils Arend's last run, and more.
Eventually, Your Legs Aren't Coming Back
Acceptance in ultra running, Kilian's Gamble, the NNormal Cadi, and more from Borderlands.
Western States, the Masters, & the Kentucky Derby
The only sporting events left that feel inseparable from where they happen.
The Cost of Being Seen
Analog #16 looks at trail running’s mainstream moments, and the cost of wanting more people to find the thing we love.
A 100-Mile Trail Race, Rebuilt as an 8-Bit Video Game
Goat Rodeo 100 is an 8-bit ultratrail running game. Climb, descend, manage your fuel, and try to make it to the finish.
I Had Western States Backwards
This Week: Obsession, starting over, running culture, and the stories shaping trail running.
Does Trail Running Actually Want Competitors?
The values that make trail running welcoming are not always the values that create champions.
What Happens When a Race Intelligence System Gains Live Location Intelligence?
Exploring how precise location data could strengthen [LoC], our experiment in building a distributed network of human race intelligence.