| TRAIL Mail #18: Fri 15 May 2020 | Next issue digital-only survey. UTMB, Comrades cancelled. Three new points to win Suunto 7. | | | | In this issue (click the category to save scrolling): - From the Editors. Will you switch to digital for issue 36?
- Photo of the week. Stellenbosch Trail Fund open for radius run.
- News. UTMB cancelled, US race director exposed, and your 5km radius.
- Funny. What do your blisters spell? Old shoes out the cupboard!
- Trail Poll. Prefer your garden or radius running?
- Training. Make your post-lockdown comeback with Erin van Eyssen.
- Gear. Ultimate comfort: Runderwear's Men's Merino Wool Briefs.
- Competition. Three bonus points to win Suunto 7 smartwatch worth R8,000.
- TRAIL, digital. Read issue 35 online, anytime.
| | | | 1. FROM THE EDITORS DEON: I hope you're doing okay. Last week I mentioned we’d have news for you about our next issue. Turbulent times are like an earthquake and no-one is immune to their effects. We're trying to adapt, just like you. To stay relevant, I've always tried to look down the line, to be ready for future opportunities and threats. The contraction of the print magazine industry over the past 15 years was a strong signal for change. Then came COVID-19 with a not-too-gentle kick in the pants. Science fiction became non-fiction.
A fortnight ago, Associated Media Publishing announced it was closing its titles, including Cosmopolitan, and House & Leisure. Last week, one of the bastions of publishing, Caxton, announced the closure of its magazine titles. This week, our distribution company RNA (a Caxton company) announced it was shutting its doors too. Nothing surprises me anymore.
There are other channels for us to distribute a print issue. But as much as I prefer reading print, it really is a costly luxury on the small planet we're sharing. I think the gravity of our climate challenge cannot be ignored for business as usual. I believe the scientists who are saying we have little time to turn our fragile ship around, or else it's going to shake us off like a dog does its fleas. I stole that from George Carlin, but unlike him, I think we can make a difference to our destiny.
We need new thinking to find solutions to climate issue as well as SA's economic challenges. My proposed solution? That we go 100% digital from our next issue.
But we can't succeed without you. Will you support us as a digital magazine? Yes – or no – please tell us through this 12-question survey, which will take you less than five minutes to complete.
Thank you if you complete it. Have a great Friday, and happy trails this weekend!
Deon Braun, TRAIL founder publisher
| HELOISE: I'm looking forward to the digital adventure. In 2014, I joined Deon at TRAIL, and he taught me print publishing from scratch. Now we go into the new format, learning together! My focus has always been finding you the best content, and that goal hasn't changed.
I have been dutifully updating our online calendar each week, but there aren't enough changes to warrant a whole section of the newsletter this week, so we've omitted a calendar this issue.
Heloise Hunter, TRAIL associate editor | | | | Chantel Nienaber is lucky to live within 5km of the Stellenbosch Trail Fund's trails, which are open to runners. She left home at 6am to make the most of her run. Her photo may appear in a future TRAIL print issue – and so could yours.View all the contributions or add your own to Monday's Facebook and Twitter posts. Use hashtags #TrailTrophies and #trailmagpix on Instagram and Twitter when you tag us. Or email us. Be sure to tell us a bit about your run for the caption. (Please note: event photographer images won't be accepted.) Prefer expressing yourself with words? Write a letter instead. Your opinions, life-changing experiences, happy and sad memories, and reflections on our sport are waiting to be shared with the community. If your letter is published, you'll receive a pair of run-specific Feetures socks. | | |
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