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Scott Kummer's avatar

This raises a lot of issues I think about a lot. As an RD. As a runner. As a member of the media. Some of the first races I did you were lucky to have one picture. And if it was available for purchase you usually did. Now, there's hundreds of pictures of everything I do. We pay a photographer at our races just to take pictures of the event generally, candid shots, etc. not specifically of every runner or the like, and we offer them to the runners for free. It will someday be hard for that to compete with the continuous video coverage and all the other media out there. But at the same time I'm not sure if I really am, you see, this growth and professionalism and media collaboration etc. drives a lot of attention to a few races, which grow exponentially and can afford these things, which causes them to continue to grow. New runners think this is what trail running is, so they want to do those specific races for those specific experiences. Then they come to a smaller race and expect it, or are surprised by it, or don't come at all because the media and podcasts don't cover it. Which might not be bad either.

My races are smaller, with tons of swag, free food and drink and pictures. We have an unmonitored keg at the finish line. We even let the townspeople in on it. But if it was thousands of people like these mega races, I'm sure I couldn't do that. so there's an upside and downside.

I really feel for photographers though. Before these recent modernizations they were already struggling. I did a long form podcast with Scott Rokis about it and was really perplexed as to why we can't find a model to make a good living for them. And now I fear these photographers are left with the Hobson's choice of investing learning and modernizing, or fading away.

The good news is that this hyper tech, hyper hype, hyper growth, professionalism modernist culture only seems to be bubbling at a handful of races. You can still go to some races and then get home and say "Did anyone even take any pictures this weekend?" Which I kinda like too :)

Lots to think about from this.

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Blue's avatar

Great post and thank you for keeping it honest. Hopefully you Howie and I and everyone else with the desire will be running at 90.

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