"When you're constantly surrounded by a higher class of athlete, you can run the risk of always having to qualify yourself," said Finn Melanson, founder and host of the SingleTrack podcast. After finishing his first thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail, Melanson moved to Salt Lake City as a way to embed himself in a community where there was already a high concentration of individuals serious about their outdoor pursuits, specifically trail running. Another podcaster, Jonathan Levitt, host of the For the Long Run podcast, found himself in a similar position to Melanson, moving to Boulder, Colorado, from Boston.
January marks the season when many professional runners announce sponsorship changes. Here’s why that’s important, and what it means for the future of running.