by Larry Eder
This is my daily chat with #RunBlogRun viewers and track fans on all things track & field!
This is Saturday, December 30, 2023.
Our topics today:
1. In the Spring of 1988, I launched a magazine called #SportCare&Fitness, a sports medicine title focused on reducing injuries. Bruce Taylor was the launch editor, I was the launch publisher, and Ali Kalamchi was the Editor/investor/founder. Kay Douglass and Tom Voss were an amazing design team. During that launch, I spent time with Mason Fackert III, who helped me appreciate how little I knew about publishing.
2. It was a beautiful magazine, and I learned so much in the launch of the title. Without the publishing of SportCare&Fitness, I would never have been able to launch #AmericanAthletics in 1989 or #AmericanTrack&Field in 1994.
3. American Athletics was my next publishing venture, with Christine Johnson, from 1989-1994. We then launched #AmericanTrack&Field, which was published from 1994-2016.
4. The #RunningNetwork was a group of 33 wonderful print pubs and websites established in 1986 by Mike Collins and fellow publishers.
5. Print publishing, for me, came crashing down with the last of our print advertisers in 2016. The economies of scale are just not there, and without the support of the running brands, most of our partners at the #RunningNetwork moved to digital only.
6. Track & Field news returned to a print issue about two years ago, and Athletics Weekly moved from Weekly to monthly print and weekly digital editions. You find a way to survive.
7. I have focused on #RunBlogRun, and after five years of trying, seem to be making some headway. The daily interaction of digital publishing works for me, although I must admit I am always trying to find a way to bring back a print publication.
8. During the pandemic, I learned the value to podcasts and began 3, #SocialingtheDistance, #ConvoswithLarry, #AthleticsChat. These came from Mike Deering and my son, Adam Eder.
9. We have done videos since 2010, and we have over 1,400 for your viewing pleasure on YouTube at #RunBlogRun. Most of the videos were done by AJ Felice, Adam Eder and Mike Deering, who teamed up as #TheShoeAddicts.
10. We have 23,000 stories on RunBlogRun since Brian, my brother and co-founder, and I started the site in 2006. In 2022, Brian moved all 22,000 stories at the time to a new, more modern, and accessible site.
11. This summer, at #Budapest2023, we hit 6.52 million viewers a day on all social, web, and newsletters from #RunBlogRun. That is our newest high.
12. We have such an amazing crew of writers, photographers, and videographers who have worked with Brian and I. We are especially grateful to them. Stuart Weir is the most prolific, with 110 columns and 111,000 words in 2023.
13. Since June 2022, I have tried to do a daily podcast, #CoffeeWithLarry. I am most grateful for the people who enjoy my daily journey into track geekdom.
14. We thank all who have enjoyed #RunBlogRun and commented on it as well!
15. As this is the last column of 2023, we wanted to wish everyone a very happy New Year and we look forward to seeing you on the road, on the track, or in a pub or stadium in the coming year!
16. Also, Run, Jump, Throw, tell someone you love them, and cherish each and every day of living on this very small planet with those you love.
See you January 2, 2024 on #CoffeeWithLarry
