What is Borderlands Actually Building?

Josh Rosenthal
July 7, 2026

For the first time in months, I’m stepping away from interviews and monologues for a Borderlands Trail Running founder update.

By the time this episode goes live, my family and I will be somewhere over the Atlantic, leaving Paris after two years and moving back to Salt Lake City. I came to France thinking I was building one thing and left building another. I’m leaving with a much bigger vision for what Borderlands can become.

In this monologue, I share what changed during our time in Paris, the mission that continues to guide Borderlands, where I want the company to be over the next month, year, and decade, and how everything we’re building fits together.

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In this episode

  • Why Paris changed the way I think about media, culture, and Borderlands
  • The mission behind Borderlands: The Heart of Trail Running
  • One-month, one-year, and ten-year visions for the company
  • Why Borderlands is expanding beyond podcasts
  • The role of the website, newsletter, documentaries, YouTube, live events, Arcade, and Live on Course
  • The contributors helping shape Borderlands, including Bryce Carlson, Inky Steve, Stan Van Kimmel, Christian Brecheis, and others
  • A look at where Borderlands is headed next

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Written by

Josh Rosenthal is the founder of Borderlands, an editorial media company built around trail running, ultrarunning, and the culture surrounding the sport. Through essays, films, interviews, and the Borderlands Trail + Ultra Running Podcast, he is building Borderlands into a media institution for deeper stories, sharper counterpoints, and a fuller celebration of trail running. His work brings taste, curiosity, and cultural analysis to a sport often covered through race results, gear, and athlete-led narratives.