<![CDATA[Run Intel | The Marketing of Running]]>ea36529e-1a39-5dfb-9a70-58de7c5e12a5Mon, 09 Nov 2026 07:30:01 +0000Captivate.fmJosh Rosenthalhttps://artwork.captivate.fm/e5fdcc4e-23e9-4585-be8c-36362703a165/Run-Intel.jpgRun Intel | The Marketing of RunningJosh RosenthalJosh RosenthalRun Intel is a weekly podcast and intelligence brief about running marketing. Each week, Borderlands breaks down the marketing campaigns that worked, the expensive misses, major partnerships, launches, media moves, and emerging signals shaping the running industry. Built for marketers, brand leaders, founders, agencies, retailers, media teams, and anyone working in the business of running. We look at running brands, sports marketing, footwear marketing, trail running, road running, sponsorships, partnerships, athlete marketing, creator marketing, product launches, retail, paid media, brand campaigns, running industry trends, and the business of running. https://run-intel.captivate.fmfalseepisodicnopodcastWhy Running Brands Fail in New MarketsWhy Running Brands Fail in New MarketsRunning brands spend months building go-to-market strategies, hiring consultants, and committing budgets before entering markets they barely understand. Then they show up and execute the plan. But what happens when the market tells them something different?

Josh looks at why brands struggle to enter new markets, and why learning quickly might matter more than executing perfectly. Plus, three interesting activations from the New York City Marathon by Therabody, Saucony, and Vuori, and a surprising number from the Outdoor Industry Association showing where running participation is actually growing.

Subscribe and share rate and all the good stuff.

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Outrider + Borderlands

]]>Running brands spend months building go-to-market strategies, hiring consultants, and committing budgets before entering markets they barely understand. Then they show up and execute the plan. But what happens when the market tells them something different?

Josh looks at why brands struggle to enter new markets, and why learning quickly might matter more than executing perfectly. Plus, three interesting activations from the New York City Marathon by Therabody, Saucony, and Vuori, and a surprising number from the Outdoor Industry Association showing where running participation is actually growing.

Subscribe and share rate and all the good stuff.

--

Outrider + Borderlands

]]>11bcb5b9-6d81-4714-8468-43fe5b974759Mon, 09 Nov 2026 00:30:00 -070010:21falsefullRunning Brands Need to Stop Selling CommunityRunning Brands Need to Stop Selling CommunityRunning brands can't stop talking about community and culture. Every run club, race, and product launch seems to be about one or the other. But do runners actually care what brands have to say about either? And when does participating in running culture become exploiting it?

Paul Mellor takes over Run Intel this week with a challenge for running marketers. As the industry grows and competition intensifies, brands are reaching for community as an easy way to stand out. Paul thinks they're missing the point, and that the harder, more interesting work is being ignored.


]]>Running brands can't stop talking about community and culture. Every run club, race, and product launch seems to be about one or the other. But do runners actually care what brands have to say about either? And when does participating in running culture become exploiting it?

Paul Mellor takes over Run Intel this week with a challenge for running marketers. As the industry grows and competition intensifies, brands are reaching for community as an easy way to stand out. Paul thinks they're missing the point, and that the harder, more interesting work is being ignored.


]]>70c3936a-7f0a-4da7-b9ec-58fc96b51636Mon, 02 Nov 2026 00:30:00 -070007:51falsefullWhat Running Brands Get Wrong About Social Media AdsWhat Running Brands Get Wrong About Social Media AdsRunning brands spend real money on Instagram ads, but how do you know which content is worth promoting? Organic performance can tell you a lot before you spend a dollar. Josh breaks down why brands keep paying to push content that isn't working, what to look for before buying attention, and why being willing to look stupid is part of figuring out what actually resonates.

Plus, one number from Mike Hahn's Work in Running: $120,000, the top of TYR's advertised salary range for an in-house photographer-videographer. And something worth noticing: Cole Townsend's Running Supply residency at Heartbreak's Cambridge store, where an independent running newsletter is becoming a physical retail experience. A few thoughts on HOKA's new subelite program and Nike's renewed attention to specialty retail round out the week.


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Run Intel is a weekly podcast about the business and marketing of running, from the Borderlands Podcast Network. Hosted by Josh Rosenthal, it explores the brands, people, ideas, and decisions shaping the running industry. Made for the marketers, founders, retailers, and industry insiders building the future of the sport.

Have something worth sharing? Send it to intel@borderlands.cc.

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]]>Running brands spend real money on Instagram ads, but how do you know which content is worth promoting? Organic performance can tell you a lot before you spend a dollar. Josh breaks down why brands keep paying to push content that isn't working, what to look for before buying attention, and why being willing to look stupid is part of figuring out what actually resonates.

Plus, one number from Mike Hahn's Work in Running: $120,000, the top of TYR's advertised salary range for an in-house photographer-videographer. And something worth noticing: Cole Townsend's Running Supply residency at Heartbreak's Cambridge store, where an independent running newsletter is becoming a physical retail experience. A few thoughts on HOKA's new subelite program and Nike's renewed attention to specialty retail round out the week.


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Run Intel is a weekly podcast about the business and marketing of running, from the Borderlands Podcast Network. Hosted by Josh Rosenthal, it explores the brands, people, ideas, and decisions shaping the running industry. Made for the marketers, founders, retailers, and industry insiders building the future of the sport.

Have something worth sharing? Send it to intel@borderlands.cc.

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]]>36eab7aa-9a7b-4316-83c3-84093fefed5dMon, 26 Oct 2026 00:30:00 -060012:40falsefullHow Running Brands Build CommunityHow Running Brands Build CommunityRunning brands want to get closer to runners. But what actually earns that relationship, and where does it create value? From running store economics to personalized marketing, the business of running is finding new ways to connect with the people who make the sport matter.

Katie Douglas of Running Wylder responds to last week's conversation with Vivek Gowri. DashLX shares newsletter results that should get marketers' attention. Freetrail and Rogue Expeditions are taking runners to Switzerland, while the Kansas City Marathon is giving a local running store a bigger role. Plus, a look at ANALOG, Borderlands' experiment in celebrating running culture beyond the finish line.

Chapters

  • 00:00 — Katie Douglas Responds to the Run Store Economics Conversation
  • 01:36 — One Number: DashLX's Newsletter Results
  • 03:36 — Money in Running: Freetrail × Rogue Expeditions
  • 05:13 — Kansas City Marathon × The Running Well Store
  • 06:44 — ANALOG: A New Way to Celebrate Running
  • 08:46 — Closing Thoughts

borderlands.cc

]]>Running brands want to get closer to runners. But what actually earns that relationship, and where does it create value? From running store economics to personalized marketing, the business of running is finding new ways to connect with the people who make the sport matter.

Katie Douglas of Running Wylder responds to last week's conversation with Vivek Gowri. DashLX shares newsletter results that should get marketers' attention. Freetrail and Rogue Expeditions are taking runners to Switzerland, while the Kansas City Marathon is giving a local running store a bigger role. Plus, a look at ANALOG, Borderlands' experiment in celebrating running culture beyond the finish line.

Chapters

  • 00:00 — Katie Douglas Responds to the Run Store Economics Conversation
  • 01:36 — One Number: DashLX's Newsletter Results
  • 03:36 — Money in Running: Freetrail × Rogue Expeditions
  • 05:13 — Kansas City Marathon × The Running Well Store
  • 06:44 — ANALOG: A New Way to Celebrate Running
  • 08:46 — Closing Thoughts

borderlands.cc

]]>ec84ca3e-dd20-411a-8e69-0ba2cc592c6aMon, 19 Oct 2026 00:15:00 -060008:55falsefullEveryone is Running, So Why Are Shops Closing?Everyone is Running, So Why Are Shops Closing?Running is booming. So why are independent running stores struggling?

In Episode 2 of Run Intel, Josh Rosenthal sits down with Vivek Gowri, owner of San Francisco Running Company, to understand the economics of independent run specialty and what running brands are getting wrong.

Despite growing enthusiasm for running, local stores face rising costs, increasingly complicated inventory, and remarkably thin profit margins.

Vivek explains why a well-run store might only keep 7% of its revenue as profit, how brands can better support specialty retailers, and why direct-to-consumer sales aren't necessarily the threat many assume.

We also explore the relationship between run clubs, local running stores, and the communities that sustain them.

CHAPTERS

  • 00:00 Why is run specialty struggling?
  • 01:58 Rising costs and the 7% problem
  • 04:27 What running brands misunderstand
  • 06:57 Are DTC websites competing with local stores?
  • 09:31 Run clubs and the future of specialty retail

ABOUT RUN INTEL

Run Intel is a podcast for running marketers, exploring the business, culture, and decisions shaping the running industry. Subscribe for new episodes and share this conversation with someone working in running.

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Outrider Office of Strategy | USA GTM for Global Running Brands

Borderlands Podcast Nework

]]>Running is booming. So why are independent running stores struggling?

In Episode 2 of Run Intel, Josh Rosenthal sits down with Vivek Gowri, owner of San Francisco Running Company, to understand the economics of independent run specialty and what running brands are getting wrong.

Despite growing enthusiasm for running, local stores face rising costs, increasingly complicated inventory, and remarkably thin profit margins.

Vivek explains why a well-run store might only keep 7% of its revenue as profit, how brands can better support specialty retailers, and why direct-to-consumer sales aren't necessarily the threat many assume.

We also explore the relationship between run clubs, local running stores, and the communities that sustain them.

CHAPTERS

  • 00:00 Why is run specialty struggling?
  • 01:58 Rising costs and the 7% problem
  • 04:27 What running brands misunderstand
  • 06:57 Are DTC websites competing with local stores?
  • 09:31 Run clubs and the future of specialty retail

ABOUT RUN INTEL

Run Intel is a podcast for running marketers, exploring the business, culture, and decisions shaping the running industry. Subscribe for new episodes and share this conversation with someone working in running.

---

Outrider Office of Strategy | USA GTM for Global Running Brands

Borderlands Podcast Nework

]]>8668091c-6256-4c05-b276-1434e3942a12Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:15:00 -060011:28falsefullRunning Brands Are Getting Too Close to RunnersRunning Brands Are Getting Too Close to RunnersRunning marketing is getting closer and closer to the runner. More field teams, more events, more community roles, more brand presence. The question is whether that proximity is actually building affinity or starting to feel extractive. Run Intel 1

For episode one of RUN INTEL, Josh looks at three brands approaching that problem differently: Unknown Runner through service, Roark through media, and Craft through events. Then he pulls back to what hiring trends across running might be signaling about where brands are putting their attention, and why getting closer to the runner only works if you are giving something back.


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Outrider Office of Strategy | USA GTM for Global Running Brands

Borderlands Podcast Nework

]]>Running marketing is getting closer and closer to the runner. More field teams, more events, more community roles, more brand presence. The question is whether that proximity is actually building affinity or starting to feel extractive. Run Intel 1

For episode one of RUN INTEL, Josh looks at three brands approaching that problem differently: Unknown Runner through service, Roark through media, and Craft through events. Then he pulls back to what hiring trends across running might be signaling about where brands are putting their attention, and why getting closer to the runner only works if you are giving something back.


---

Outrider Office of Strategy | USA GTM for Global Running Brands

Borderlands Podcast Nework

]]>fcdbd395-fae7-4748-8d33-3d27bc5aa8b0Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:15:00 -060013:25falsefull