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Running is one of the biggest participatory sports in the world (numbers since 2010 have increased almost three-fold compared to the previous decade), and right now, that boom is driven by women: 58% of race participants identify as female. But when you look at running media, especially from a sportswriting perspective, it’s overwhelmingly male.

We wanted to create a media platform that centers the stories of women, trans, and nonbinary runners—historically marginalized groups in sports coverage—and we wanted to do that in a medium that really encourages deeper storytelling and intentional reporting. I think people are inundated with (and sick of) surface-level content, and there's an appetite for content with the kind of depth you get in longform features. As a result, we’re seeing a move back towards tangible print products, which really encourage readers to slow down and immerse themselves in the stories. For RUNHER, the magazine is just the starting point. Our larger goal is to amplify important conversations around women’s running on the page, online, and in the real world, hopefully leading to real change at a higher level.

I've been a freelance journalist in the health and wellness space for nearly a decade, so I started by tapping into my own network and the connections I've made over the years, mostly using social media. We post pitch call-outs quarterly on Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn, and I try to be specific about what we're looking for in a pitch (format, topics, voice, etc.) so writers aren't guessing. (That said, I would highly encourage anyone interested in pitching to get a copy of the issue—or at least follow us on social—to get a sense of the stories we're publishing!).

We've been lucky to have writing job newsletters include those callouts in their email blasts, which expands our reach significantly. Most of our pitches are assigned through our pitch form, but I also lean heavily on other editors and writers I trust to make introductions. It's been a great way to build out a stable of writers organically so I can also assign out internal ideas as well as brand partner stories.

I'm really looking for ambitious features that tackle big ideas and big questions women face in the running space. RUNHER does not publish service content or gear guides; the magazine is made up of long-form storytelling centered around community, culture, and competition. That means we're casting a wide net. We've published articles on how run clubs provide community for immigrant runners, especially in today's political climate; the challenges women-led performance apparel companies face in securing funding and growing their brands; whether the running industry is still leaning into DEI initiatives; and what it means to give up a professional women's running career to transition genders.

A few topics I'd love to cover in the future: harassment and bullying in running, at the elite and amateur levels; the lack of diversity in trail running; the growth of the sport at the high school level; and ideas around field sports. I'd also love to see more original photo feature ideas—we'd love to showcase more work from women photographers.

We're looking to work with experienced journalists who have a track record of reporting and writing multi-source features, and who can think like editors when it comes to reporting, structuring, and drafting a clean, publication-ready piece that requires minimal editing before it goes into production. We are very much in the start-up stage and have an extremely small editorial team, so we're really reliant on freelancers who are able to deliver on the pitches they submit without excessive handholding.

Do your homework first: Read a few issues and get a feel for our voice and the kinds of stories we tell. RUNHER isn't just 'running content,' it's narrative journalism, and we care as much about the storytelling as the subject matter. When you pitch, be specific: Send an idea with a sharp angle, an explanation of why it matters to our reader, and a reason why we should tell this story now.

Keep an eye out for our quarterly pitch call-outs on Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn—that's the most direct way in. And don't be discouraged if the timing isn't right for a particular pitch. I keep track of writers and photographers whose work I like, even if we can't use a story right away. The right timing comes around eventually. And if you think you have a compelling story idea that you feel is a fit for the magazine but are worried you don't have enough experience, just send it in! We look at every pitch, and if the idea is strong enough, we'll absolutely consider it even if you don't have years of experience or a full portfolio of writing samples.

I'm not sure it's changed how we commission freelancers, but we do get a number of very obviously AI-generated pitches and I feel like I've become more savvy at detecting who is using it (the overuse of certain patterns and words—like quietly—are a dead giveaway). The beauty of independent print media is that it's a platform that celebrates human-created content. With so much content at our fingertips, it's more important than ever to have an authentic, human perspective. The stories we want to publish in RUNHER require the kind of reporting skills and experience you don't get from AI.

The best thing you can do is subscribe! Subscriptions help us pay our writers and photographers fairly, and send a message to brand partners (and the wider running community and industry) that this type of content matters and has a place in the media landscape. We firmly believe you have to invest in the kind of content you want to see in the world. The next best thing you can do is follow us on social media @runhermag and share and engage with our posts to help us expand our reach and connect with more potential readers as well as contributors.