Trail running is not only a sport. It is a culture shaped by landscapes, races, brands, athletes, media, aesthetics, community, ambition, and the stories runners tell themselves about suffering, freedom, and belonging.
Borderlands covers trail running through that wider lens, treating the sport as a place where identity, business, performance, ritual, and meaning all collide.
Trail running culture is the trail running world separate from the race result. It includes the rituals, language, gear, media, places, brands, and personal myths that give the sport its emotional weight.
It is why a local 50K can matter as much as a global final, why Western States still feels sacred, why UTMB creates tension, and why runners care so much about objects, stories, and places that may look small from the outside.
Essays
The Trail Was Always the Teacher
An op-ed by former ITRA president Bob Crowley on the enduring nature of trail running culture.
Rachel Entrekin and the Trail Running Sponsorship Story We All Needed
Bryce Carlson breaks down norda’s new contract with Rachel and why it’s important for the future of trail running.
Podcasts
What is Trail Running Becoming?
Josh Rosenthal explores the future of trail running and racing comparing it to the past that built it.
The Race that Built Trail Running is Being Forgotten
The local trail races are where trail running culture is inherited, not the big marquee races.
Films
TJ Bottom, Trail Runner City Dweller
Is trail running becoming too hip? TJ Bottom explores the evolving running boom.
Gear
The Most Misunderstood Shoe in Trail Running
Inky Steve explores theROCKER from Satisfy Running and explains why it’s underrated.
Gear as Identity
The gear we choose serves as more than function. It must perform well but more than that, it tells a story of who we are.
Nike Zegama 1 and Paris EcoTrail 80KM
In 2025, Josh ran an iconic Parisian trail race in a pair of shoes that were 50% off giving him one of his best days ever on a trail.
Professionalization
The athletes are progressing faster than our media. Runners are faster and the coverage is struggling to keep up.
Still Thinking About Western States
After Western States 2026, Josh Rosenthal broke down the elements that lived on from race day.
Media and Fandom
As the races become more legible, fans are paying closer attention. How is the coverage arm of trail running doing?
Cocodona Has a Fan Problem
A breakdown of the Cocodona 2026 livestream noting improvements fans want and need.
Local races
Local races are where trail running culture are reproduced. The big races are where it’s put on display.
Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races
A local race in the Salt Lake Foothills.
The Business of Trail Running
We are seeing growth in trail running through investment. What investment will survive its runway and become stable cash flowing businesses?
Impressions of Klattermusen
Klattermusen started 50 years ago and only recently entered trail running. Gonz Ferrero joined Josh Rosenthal for discussion on the growing business of trail running.
Three races explain much of modern trail running’s tension. Western States protects the sport through scarcity, ritual, and preservation. UTMB protects the sport through scale, globalization, and professional opportunity. Borderlands covers all three because the future of trail running is being shaped between preservation, scale, and spectacle.
