Borderlands Trail (+ Ultra) Running

Josh Rosenthal, Inky Steve, Sam Lohse, Mike Kratzer, and Simon Freeman (co-founder of Like the Wind) sat down in the Borderlands Podcast Studio at Paris Fashion Week to talk about the purpose of PFW and why its important for runners to pay attention to it.
You certianly don't have to, but if you're curious or care at all about what's happening with Running Apparel and Clothing, its a brilliant event. Its not for consumers though. It's a classic B2B event in random shops in the 3rd Arrondissement of Paris.
There is no central hub telling you what shop is where. You only know where to go if you know where to go. Some brands post on social while others want to be 'found' more organically.
It's all interesting. But also useful.
Presented by Kiprun.
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Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races | 30 May 2026

Paul Mellor joins Josh on the show — founder of underdog-focused creative agency Mellor&Smith, executive producer and 4x BAFTA nominee on Boiling Point, and currently working on a fresh documentary about ultrarunning legend Lazarus Lake.
We dive into why trail runners should care about the bigger outdoor industry, Nike's surprisingly humble return to trail running, what makes certain brands unforgettable (and why others fade into the background), and the power of standing out as an underdog.
Presented by Kiprun.
Paul Mellor is the founder of Mellor&Smith, a creative advertising agency that specializes in helping underdog outdoor brands — those not yet dominating their category — get noticed by the world. His clients include some of the biggest names in outdoor and adventure who are still fighting for pole position.
Beyond advertising, Paul is an executive producer and four-time BAFTA nominee for the acclaimed film Boiling Point (yes, that intense one-take kitchen drama). He's currently deep into producing a new documentary on Lazarus Lake (Laz), the mythical creator of the Barkley Marathons and Big's Backyard Ultra — offering a perspective on Laz you've never seen before.
Why trail runners and the trail community should pay attention to the wider outdoor industry
Nike's re-entry into the trail running space — why acg feels refreshingly humble
The ingredients that make certain brands memorable in a crowded market
Why some brands struggle to stand out and may never truly resonate
The mindset and creative approaches that help underdogs punch above their weight and get noticed
A sneak peek into Paul's work on the upcoming Lazarus Lake documentary and what makes this take unique.

Connect with Paul Mellor on LinkedIn
Resources & Links:
Nike ACG
Rapha
Satisfy
The Speed Project
Kantar Research — Insights on brand investment effectiveness
Paul Dyson & 2009 + 2020 Media Study — On brand allocation and effective marketing levers

Tommy Lewis and Josh Rosenthal talk about how they're a bit tired with the business of running (content and everything else) but they share a continued commitment and fascination with running itself.
Tommy is the final guest in our series celebrating those who bring light to the world through running. Others have included Laz Lake, Nils Arend, Scott Jurek, and Dean Karnazes.
He's a content creator and influencer buildling communities around running sustainabily with a sense of purpose and joy.
Presented by Kiprun.
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Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races | 30 May 2026

Lazarus Lake (Gary Cantrell) is the race director and creator of the Barley Marathons and Big's Backyard Ultra among others.
In this interview, Josh pays homage to him with three artifacts designed to spur on conversation and attempt to explain more of who Laz Lake actually is.
1. Cigarettes | Laz smokes Camel Yellows. We talk about his origins of smoking.
2. LIke the Wind magazine | Mechanical watch companies navigated the quartz crisis, Like the Wind navigated the digital crises. Laz, like LtW and Blancpain, they never got sucked in to the crises and stayed convicted and committed to their way of doing things - untouched by modernization.
3. Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway | Laz is like Santiago from the old man and the sea persistently and consistently pursuing value and validation in the struggle. Insodoing, he gives this gift to ultra runners by designing races that tease this out of every participant.
Presented by Kiprun.
Watch Part 1 and Part 2 of the Laz Lake Interviews.
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Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races | 30 May 2026

Gary Cantrell (aka Lazarus Lake) is the last rebel of ultra running.
Watch our conversation on Youtube.
We love the professionalization of trail running but we don't want it all to go that way. In order for that to be interesing, the world of underground ultra running has to live strong.
In this episode, Josh works through the stories of Popcorn Sutton and Andy Payne with Laz.
Popcorn Sutton was a moonshiner untouched by modernization. He stood in stark contrast to the Jack Daniels and Jim Beams of the world. They work to maximize revenue and total annual output where Popcorn kept doing things the same way.
Andy Payne won the Bunion Derby in 1928 - a race across America with 275 participants. He also happened to be Laz's Dad's neighbor.
Laz is a blend of the two figures with a rock and roll-type status preserving a type of heart of running all its own.
Enjoy.
Presented by Kiprun.
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Listen to Scene One (the Races of Laz Lake) on Spotify or Apple or watch on YouTube.
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Borderlands.cc | Podcast Network
Sign up: analog*Borderlands [new]letter
Wylder is now available on iOS + Android.
Salt Lake Foothills Trail Races | 30 May 2026