A well-written summary by Alex Rienzie of Michelino’s Controversial Grand Teton FKT run, the gross overreach by the National Park Service and the role Fastest Known Time played in all this:

The FKT site sometimes lists details for routes. Other times, route nuances are spread word-of-mouth amongst athletes. Some routes mandate specific trails. Others measure the fastest trip from point A to point B, deferring specifics to the athletes.

This has been my gripe with this story too. Climbers achieve a record by being fastest from point A to B. Many routes on the Fastest Known Time website are similarly structured, like this one had been before the controversy. For the National Park Service to single Michelino Sunseri’s run out and threaten legal action is complete bonkers.

COROS announces the new PACE Pro:

With a blazing 1500-nit AMOLED display, massive battery life, and double the processing power of the iconic PACE 3, the COROS PACE Pro delivers unmatched performance for athletes committed to pushing their limits.

These AMOLED displays are becoming the norm without sacrificing battery life – this is a good thing.

Here’s what DC Rainmaker has to say about it:

 …for the first time in its history, COROS is trying to compete directly price-wise, with their competitors.
…
the Pace Pro, priced at $349/399EUR is the closest the company has ever come to matching their competitors on features and pricing.

Is this a sign of COROS maturing and having established itself in the market that they can change strategy?

One super interesting tidbit from the box the watch ships with:

The second difference is the lack of charging cable, and instead, a charging keyring adapter. COROS has played around with such an adapter in the past, and 3rd parties have made one for other companies including Garmin and Apple. Essentially, you take your own USB-C cable and stick it in the end of the keyring adapter, and boom, you’ve got a charging cable. COROS says if you can’t find a USB cable of your own, what rock are you living under, they’ll happily send you one.

I’m sitting on a half-written article bemoaning the current state of charging cables for GPS watches. I cannot understand why watch companies don’t ship with better cables and especially why they haven’t switched with USB-C cables. I’ve been traveling quite a bit this year and have found that my watch is reason why I still need to travel with a USB-A adapter. It’s dumb. It’s 2024, high time to change this. Well, COROS seems to have found a great solution here. Rather than shipping a full charging cable they just ship a small adapter that any USB-C cable can connect to. This is brilliant, and I really hope the other watch makers (hello Suunto!) will copy this right away. And let’s hope fix their charger altogether, because this is overpriced garbage.

But to leave this article in on a high note: The Suunto Race S is now available in titanium. Which is very nice indeed (still with the same dumb charger though).
 

Massive news for the short distance trail circuit partnering up with my favorite shoe brand:

Through this partnership, La Sportiva and the Cirque Series will deliver an enhanced experience for runners and outdoor enthusiasts through exclusive on-site activations, athlete appearances, gear demos, and product giveaways at each event.

Amazing.

This is a bit of a different post here on Electric Cable Car. As news organizations around the country have failed to find their spines, inspired by their billionaire owner’s cowardice, I have been thinking a lot about the role of Electric Cable Car and what I am trying to do here. The focus of this blog is mountains, and trails, and running. This would easily allow me to avoid taking a stand and avoid becoming “all political on here”. (As if that is somehow a bad thing. As if we actually have the luxury to avoid any of this.) So I’ve been sitting here thinking and wondering if there’s something worth writing about that’s not just parroting others. Something that’s fitting for this blog and fitting for who I am as a person, and human being.

In general I’m a positive guy. One could call me an optimist. I try to approach business decisions, big life decisions, even small decision with of a positive spirit. I rather hesitate and slow down than let negative emotions rush my judgement. I think overall this has served me well so far.

So, how about voting, should I apply the same principles here?

I’m German and I want to frame my answer to this question by sharing two interlinked events that shaped my worldview in a fundamental way.

• The first: Germany was defeated in World War 2. And thank fucking god for that. Where would I be? What would Germany be like today? What would have happened to the world if the Allies wouldn’t have come together and collectively recognized the evil that was Hitler’s reign? Would we still have humankind if the Allies wouldn’t have decided that the right thing to do was to focus on this one single issue. Going to war meant sacrificing much else in order to put a stop to this evil empire and its ugly and destructive world views and even more cruel and inhume actions. Of course, I wasn’t alive back then but growing up I was acutely aware of the actions of my grandparents. In school and in popular culture one could barely escape the heritage Germany was shouldered with and takes very serious still today. WE did this. THIS happened in our country.
• And this brings me to my second point: As a teenager I was taught that I do play a role in this. I’m not responsible for the past, but for my actions in the present. What I speak, how I think and how who I vote for affects others and can affect the course of history. I wasn’t filled with fear but with a sense of responsibility. “Wehret den Anfängen” we call it in Germany. “Resist the beginnings”. This call to action was impressed on my throughout my youth. What it means is a responsibility Germans own, encouraged even from the highest leaders of the land that can be summarized as: “This (what happened in World War 2) can NEVER EVER happen again on our watch.

Today, and the here and now

I’ve heard the phrase that voting isn’t a wishlist submitted to Santa Clause but rather a game of chess. You position your players for decisions in the future. This is correct, but somewhat abstract. I want to submit another phrase: Voting is War. Sounds too strong? Maybe. I grew up hating war, avoided military service in Germany and declared I was a pacifist. As the optimist I claimed to be earlier, this phrase sounds dark and negative. Who wants to go to war, voluntarily? War is bad, always. But. What if war comes to you? What if you have no choice in the matter and your hand is forced? Do you fight? Do you prioritize survival to protect the people around you? Do you do the right thing in a moment like this? There are countless stories, depicted in movies that tell the heroics of people doing the right thing when faced with the unfathomable. We see ourselves being these people that instinctively know how to do the right thing.

This is that moment

What we’re faced with in this country and in almost every western country is that fascists have taken the mic, bankrolled by obscene amount of dark money and an army of online trolls, and they are waging war. The words they speak, the lies they spew, the friends they keep and enemies they declare, and the visions of a world they portrait. This is war. A war against democracy, against civil liberties and the rule of law, against individual autonomy and the freedoms so many before us have fought and died for.

In some ways my ‘Wehret den Anfängen’ example isn’t even relevant anymore. That was meant for 2015 when that orange fascist walked down the escalator of his tower. Back then I was told to not be hysterical and that he would mellow out and become presidential. That IT couldn’t happen in this country because of the systems we have in place. The balance of power and the laws, and all that stuff that didn’t work at all. Now it’s 2024 and we’re still fighting this evil menace and it’s worse than ever before. At least they don’t hide anything anymore. There’s no amount of sane-washing the media can do with these latest rallies, these hateful speeches speeches, and these angry antics by billionaire edge lords.

War has come to our doors and it wears a fascist hat. Our action is therefore simple. Punch the nazi and vote to defeat the fascists. While we still have elections were this might still be a nonviolent tool to defeat the enemy.

There are no alternatives

• We could argue over the dumb reality here in the US that effectively forces a two party system.
• We could balance the books and look at every issue and see how the candidates and the parties they represent compare.
• We could debate the nuances of the various policies proposed.

But none of this matters. We’re at war. Wartime is no time for nuance. The task is simple, the choice is clear. The way this country has chosen to setup its system and the way things have taken shape we’re in a situation where only one person can prevent absolute and utter disaster. That person has to be elected to succeed and voting for Kamala Harris is the only task asked of each and every one of us. No need to go to literal war. No need to literally take up arms. Just take your constitutional right seriously and vote. Stand in line, fill out that ballot, send it in, but, whatever it takes, fucking vote. It’s our only chance and our last one.

I didn’t see myself ever in a place of comparing any life situation to a war. And god forbid I never want to be in one where bombs and bullets fly. I don’t do it lightly. But the situation we’re in is different. War has been brought to our doorsteps and it’s up to us to respond. What will you do?

I hope, for all of us, that I can return to my regular content soon.

Via The Daily, HOKA just can’t stop growing:

Hoka Sends Sales Surging at Deckers Brands in Second Quarter
Net sales at Hoka grew by more than 34% and Teva returned to growth in the second quarter ending Sept. 30.

That headline wrote itself.

Of note:

Hoka is focused on growing brand awareness in international markets, and international revenue growth outpaced growth in the U.S., Caroti said.

Why that international expansion of the UTMB World Series is so important to HOKA and other sponsors. Similarly: Golden Trail Series’s expansion into China.

Via LinkedIn (no official announcement has been posted on the events website):

The Mont-Blanc Marathon and New Balance join forces for the next 5 years.

New Balance’s commitment to running is deeply rooted in its heritage. Since 1906, the brand has been developing innovative, high-quality products designed to meet the diverse needs of runners.

The Mont-Blanc Marathon is one of the most prestigious trail running events in the world with its 8 emblematic races bringing together nearly 10,000 trail runners (children, young people, elites, amateurs). Forerunner of mountain races, with the 1st edition of the Cross du Mont-Blanc in 1979.

This didn’t take long. Less than a month after the announcement was made that Salomon was parting ways with the historic event in Chamonix the Mont-Blanc Marathon has already a new title sponsor secured. And it’s ‘New Balance’. Who had that brand on their bingo card? I mean, I guess New Balance has trail shoes? And I guess it makes sense that a brand that is NOT YET established in trail to take on a sponsorship to get their name out. Salomon clearly is a known quantity in the Chamonix valley and they don’t really need to brand exposure at the event. New Balance on the other hand with US$6.5 billion in revenue for 2023 according to Wikipedia has the size and cash to get their name established in the trail running space. And what better place to do it than in the ultimate place for trail running: Chamonix, and at one of the largest trail races in the world.

It’s also worth noting that Bruno Laroque is the Senior Marketing Director EMEA, New Balance and has previously worked for Salomon.

A follow up post on yesterday’s update on Näak’s VC funding round:

We went on Dragons’ Den Season 13 hoping to make a deal with one of the panel members. We were asking for $200,000 in exchange for 15% of our business. The Dragons got the chance to try our energy bars, and we received positive feedback on the taste of our product. In the end, we received an offer from Arlene Dickinson for $200,000 in exchange for 25% of our company, and we accepted the deal.

That was back in 2018, I believe.

This investment of just $200K, in Canadian Dollars no less, isn’t much. But clearly was enough of a splash to get them to open the door to the UTMB partnership.

As a side note: I finally learned what Näak stands for:

So we created Näak Ultra Energy Bars, the Nutrition for Athletes and Adventurers who run Kilometers.

I always thought it was a play on the word ‘snack’, but the Canadians squeezing the word ‘Kilometers’ into their brand name is fantastic.

Finally! I’m excited to unveil a brand new sitewide search feature on Electric Cable Car with DuckDuckGo. On the bottom of every page you will find a search bar where you can search through the entire catalogue of any article ever written here on Electric Cable Car. Heads up: the results will display at DuckDuckGo.com, the search engine of my choice.

Hope you like it and find it useful. And do let me know if you encounter any bugs.

Another massive event in the UTMB World Series. Ultra-Trail Ninghai in the East China mountains attracted over 4,500 racers to compete. The podiums were almost an exclusive Chinese affair with the exception of Sunmaya Budha from Nepal and Eszter Csillag from Hungary claiming the first and second spot in the women’s race of the 50K.

For full results visit the UTMB website, below the top runners by race:

100K (106KM – 3 Stones)

Women:

1. Fuzhao Xiang – China – 11:27:23
2. Anna Li – China – 12:01:24
3. lingjie chi – China – 12:22:13

Men:

1. Guangfu Meng – China – 10:05:00
2. Ji Duo – China – 10:12:10
3. GUIDU QIN – China – 10:23:49

50K (60KM – 2 Stones)

Women:

1. Sunmaya Budha – Nepal – 05:40:03
2. Eszter Csillag – Hungary – 06:05:37
3. Ruifang Zhou – China – 06:10:19

Men:

1. TAO LUO – China – 04:54:58
2. JIANJIAN YANG – China – 04:57:01
3. BangLin Fan – China – 05:04:19

20K (25KM – 1 Stone)

Women:

1. yuan jin – China – 02:06:22
2. Minfei Dong – China – 02:15:55
3. XUEFANG DING – China – 02:24:43

Men:

1. yuedu shiye – China – 01:47:37
2. juci geng – China – 01:56:09
3. XIN LI – China – 01:56:26

Below are the numbers broken down by distance and gender:

• 100K Starters: 1197. DNF: 365 + Finishers: 832. Women 160 (19%), Men 672 (81%).
• 50K Starters: 1583. DNF: 179 + Finishers: 1406. Women 395 (28%), Men 1011 (72%).
• 20K Starters: 1721. DNF: 22 + Finishers: 1700. Women 704 (41%), Men 995 (59%).

China’s Ultra-Trail Ninghai by UTMB saw a total 4,501 starters and 3,938 finishers. 1,259 (32%) women and 2,678 (68%) men reached the finish line and earned themselves their respective stones and an UTMB index (or directly punched their ticket to the Finals in Chamonix for 2025).

Next up, another doubleheader on the opposite ends of Europe: Mallorca by UTMB on the beloved Spanish vacation island in the Mediterranean is happening from October 30 to November 3 and the famous and brutal Kullamannen by UTMB on November 1-2.

In the hubbub leading up to UTMB I completely had missed this announcement:

Näak, pioneering leader in sustainable sports nutrition, announced today the raise of $5 million through a Series A funding round.

This explains so much. Näak seemingly came out of nowhere and is now literally everywhere. This growth has to be fueled with investment money and not just off of sales of stroopwafels.

Is this the first “new outdoor business” that has received this kind of funding? And made it public?

Kate Robertson and Tiffany Montgomery for The Daily:

Dick’s Sporting Goods’ foray into the outdoor market is shrinking, at least for now, according to multiple brand executives who sell to the outdoor-focused Public Lands chain.

Dick’s has told those brands that it plans to close five of its eight Public Lands stores, and convert those former Public Lands stores into other banners, including potentially its experiential House of Sport concept, which has been a hit with shoppers since it launched in 2021.

These stores were opened with much fanfare a few years ago and looked pretty cool. Many of the big brands, The North Face, Patagonia, etc. signed on as key launch partners. Dicks opened them far away from the PNW which is REI land so I never had the chance to actually visit any of them to actually experience what they felt like.

Is that a win for REI? Or are these big box stores carrying a little bit of everything an old system waiting to be overhauled? I was just up in Whistler and saw EVO had taken over several of the small shops renting/selling bikes and other stuff one needs on the mountain. Is that the future? Smaller shops, smaller assortment, but closer to the actual trailhead and with a more intimate atmosphere?

Episode 319 with Jessie McAuley:

Canadian multi-sport athlete Jessie McAuley, repping Arc’teryx, joins the show to talk about his journey from competitive mountain bike racing in his youth to finding skimo racing for his winter adventures and trail racing for the summer. As if that’s not enough Jessie still finds time to bike and climb and goes on long adventure runs in the coastal mountains in British Columbia. This seems to works for the Squamish resident who came in 3rd at this year’s Mount Marathon in Seward Alaska and who’s getting ready for another busy season of skimo races here in North America and over in Europe.

LINKS

• Jessie McAuley’s website: Ocean to Alpine Media
• Jessie McAuley on Instagram
• Beast of Big Creek
• Cover shot by Cayman Waughtel

Yesterday we were wondering who the outfit was Vacation Races sold their business of events around the world are, today we’re getting the answer. In an email sent to (presumably) past runners (I raced Vacation Races Zion 100 a few years ago) they introduce themselves and clear up a few questions:

VR isn’t going anywhere. It’s a brand within the Motiv family, benefiting from the expertise, operations, and network Motiv has built over the years while still retaining everything that makes Vacation Races special. We will work hand-in-hand to support local partners, care for the passionate participants, operate in an environmentally and eco-friendly manner, and stay true to the mission, vision, and values that have made the VR events what they are today. We’re excited to continue providing unforgettable experiences and to ensure that VR remains as beloved as ever.

And to answer the question who Motiv Sports actually is:

At Motiv, we’re runners, too, and we’re proud of our history of supporting partners and communities around the world, from the Challenge Family Triathlons to the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach and San Francisco’s iconic Bay to Breakers. This partnership between Motiv and Vacation Races makes perfect sense: it brings together two passionate and experienced brands, each offering something unique to the running community.

After Ironman’s partnership with UTMB this seems to be another triathlon events management group that is moving into the trail running space.

Announced not on their news blog or their media newsroom on their website but on Facebook:

As of this week, Vacation Races has been acquired by Motiv Sports/Y11 Sports & Media. After 12 incredible years, it is time for VR to enter a new era with improved management, more resources, and a fresh look for the future.

The post is signed by the original owners of Vacation Races but no info is give on who Motiv Sports/Y11 Sports & Media are. And no link to a website for more information.

Digging through the internet I found the website of Y 11:

Y11 is a diversified sport and media investment house, working with founders and their brands to maximise potential and reach collective goals.

Here’s what this private Equity firm has to say about their investment into the endurance sport sector:

We take heritage IP races and marathons and bring them into a bigger brand, “Challenge”. This is likely going to go beyond triathlon to represent a whole community of likeminded endurance and wellbeing participants. This will be a world-class brand and B2C business, if it uses the right skills and tech.

A online search for Motiv Sports takes me to the Motiv Group with the mission:

We are the vehicle that connects brands to audiences
at the point of passion.
Striving for the best, from start to finish.
We place the local community first, our event partners second and ourselves, a distant third.

I guess this feels like a typical story of VR “selling out” their races and community to cashing in on the success they’ve built over the years. But maybe I shall reserve my judgment until I see the official announcement by the buyer of this IP as they call it… or these running events, rather.

The founders of Vacation Races have moved on and are off doing this now.

The race that almost wasn’t. Threatened by wildfire the team only received green light a few days before the event. Courses were rerouted, even the start/finish line area was moved from downtown Big Bear across the lake. I’m glad they were able to still hold the event, although the altered course looked suboptimal, which is of course understandable given the conditions. I’d rather than a modified course after I put in all the training than get my race completely cancelled.

Belgian Dentist Karel Sabbe of PCT and ACT fame, running for On Running, ran the 50K and came in 6th. Was he there to collect stones?

For full results visit the UTMB website, below the top runners by race:

100M – (159.3KM – 4 Stones)

Women:

Kristina Chang – USA – 21:15:24
Coral Buitenhuis – Canada – 21:29:51
Kate Butcher – Canada – 22:14:23

Men:

Sam Wood – USA – 18:24:08
Mike Lavery – USA – 18:27:19
Cordis Hall – USA – 18:31:33

100K – (98.8 KM – 3 Stones)

Women:

1. Michelle Buncke – USA – 09:21:08
2. Priscilla Forgie – Canada – 09:45:02
3. Lindsay Allison – USA – 09:50:46

Men:

1. Nick Hirdt – USA – 08:25:39
2. Gordon Gianniny – USA – 08:38:44
3. Hector Rodriguez – Mexico – 08:41:31

50K – (50 KM – 2 Stones)

Women:

1. Helen Mino Faukner – USA – 04:13:09
2. Klaire Rhodes – USA – 04:18:44
3. Kristin Johnson – USA – 04:28:12

Men:

1. Ryan Becker – USA – 03:30:56
2. Jordan Clay – Great Britain – 03:35:22
3. Dylan Humberger – USA – 03:50:42

20K – (23.1 KM – 1 Stones)

Women:

1. Emily Clarke- USA – 01:53:11
2. Ellie Swemba Grimmer – USA – 02:19:52
3. Lorena De Luna Saucedo – Mexico – 02:28:35

Men:

1. Brandon Miller – Canada – 01:37:12
2. Mckennon Woltman – USA – 01:48:25
3. Matthew Walker – USA – 01:48:28

Below are the numbers broken down by distance and gender:

• 100M STARTERS: 299. DNF: 89 + FINISHERS: 210. Women: 37 (18%), Men: 173 (82%).
• 100K STARTERS: 320. DNF: 36 + FINISHERS: 285. Women: 61 (22%), Men: 223 (78%).
• 50K STARTERS: 533. DNF: 16 + FINISHERS: 517. Women: 144 (28%), Men: 373 (72%).
• 20K STARTERS: 280. DNF: 4 + FINISHERS: 276. Women: 109 (39%), Men: 167 (61%).
• 10K STARTERS: 78. DNF: 0 + FINISHERS: 78. Women: 54 (69%), Men: 24 (31%).

Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB saw a total 1,510 starters and 1,366 finishers. 405 (30%) women and 960 (70%) men reached the finish line and (expect the 10K runners) earned themselves their respective stones and an UTMB index (or directly punched their ticket to the Finals in Chamonix for 2025).

in 2025 Kodiak will be the North American Major – will be super interesting to see how these numbers will change and how this will affect Canyons (the previous NA Major) next year.

Next up on UTMB World Series Calendar we’ll travel to West Gate, China for Ultra-Trail Ninghai (17-20 Oct).

Rickey Gates is at it again. This time offering an absolute amazing, and slightly insane trip for this coming summer:

The Pacific Northwest boasts some of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world and we, as trail runners, have the ability to go deeper into these lands and experience them on a level worthy of their charm. With such vast distances between these gems, to visit them is a logistical and endurance feat in and of itself which is what makes Bus Run Bus such a tempting challenge. 

The bus route starts in San Francisco and ends in Seattle. For folks looking for an epic trip stopping at incredible places for runs, this is it. What an idea, fantastic, and yes, slightly nutty too.

More celebrity sightings today. Zoë Rom has her on the Trailhead podcast:

Zoë interviews Randi Zuckerberg (yes, that Zuckerberg!) about how she went from running a half marathon, to signing up for the Cocodona 250 in a year. Plus, they dive into what it means to go all in on your passions, and advice for athletes balancing training with busy lives.

She stacked up quite an impressive list of events on UltraSignup too.

Via Reddit, but linked here directly to the US’s Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland’s Facebook page with the entry:

My 34 mile run through red canyons and soft sands of Canyon De Chelly — the petroglyphs and ancestral houses made me reflect on the strength of Indigenous people. I’m proud and thankful that our running tradition has endured through the generations.

Inspiring.

Adam Ruggiero for GearJunkie:

Minnesota-based footwear maker Vasque will cease all operations, the brand confirmed to GearJunkie today. A subsidiary of Red Wing Shoe Company, Vasque began making hiking-focused shoes and boots 60 years ago — a market that, at the time, was just emerging among American consumers.

I wonder if Vasque would’ve ventured into the trail running space it would’ve had a chance to survive?

A fundraiser for the Old Fort Strong Fund in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene:

The Old Fort Strong Endurance Festival is 6/12/24hr trail run and mountain bike ride on the trails that encompass Camp Grier, right in the backyard of Old Fort, NC on December 7th, 2024.  The weekend will have a festival atmosphere with multiple vendors, live music, and. special guest speakers across the trail running and mountain bike world.  Full schedule will be sent out soon.

If you’re in the area: sign up and join Sally McRae, Anton Krupicka, Hailey Moore, John Kelly and Gordan Wadsworth. There’s a virtual option too, and you can donate directly as well.

Happening now from Oct 15 – Nov 14, 2024:

Immerse yourself in a month-long celebration of the stories that move us—stories of grit, passion, and the beauty of trail running. From October 15 to November 14, we’re opening our film archive to raise funds for our annual Filmmaker Grants, empowering emerging artists to bring your trail stories to life.

Get your tix and support amazing storytelling.

From their press release:

Last night, Swiss outdoor sports brand Mammut made a bold statement in central London with a spectacular activation aimed at awakening both dormant and new mountain enthusiasts, encouraging them to embrace the outdoors.

I don’t understand the “negative message” of proudly claiming to NOT be something. Say what you are. Celebrate it, invite people to join and inspire them. Don’t dig at other brands by saying what you’re not. Especially not if you’re Mammut and you probably sell a huge percentage of your product to people wearing it “on the street” and not just for serious mountaineering expeditions.

Mammut too is one of the outdoor companies with longstanding history and huge brand appeal, but now owned by some random private equity company.

According to Wikipedia:

The Mammut Sports Group belongs to the London-based investment firm Telemos Capital, a private equity company.

There are very few outdoor brands still in charge of their own destiny, sadly.

Tessa Wong and Flora Drury for the BBC:

Last month, a team of climbers filming a National Geographic documentary stumbled on a preserved boot, revealed by melting ice on a glacier.

This boot was believed to belong to Andrew Comyn “Sandy” Irvine, who disappeared while attempting to climb Everest in June 1924 with his partner George Mallory.

Whenever these remains are found it’s such a relief to the families and such a crazy weird thing to think about for the larger mountaineering community. Who gets Jimmy Chin on their podcast first to tell the full story?

This just came across my desk:

Trailrunner HQ is the all-in-one mobile app that delivers content and catalyzes networking for your racers, sponsors, and volunteers.

Seems to be offering the same/very similar functions as the Capra app.

What I told the Capra founders when they asked me if I wanted to take their app for a spin and utilize for my races is that the biggest problem with these apps is that it cannot replace the race directors’ regular communication. So you end up not replacing and optimizing your communication but just adding an additional layer of where you communicate with your participants. If an app like this could replace all other communications, then it would be cool, but as it stands it results in just more work.

mozart 100 by UTMB in Austria gets some route reshuffling and is adding a 100M distance to their lineup of races. Previously their longest distance earned them just a 100K Index, but now with the changes there’s a 100M Index race in the mix. Here are the new distances:

• 100M – 119 KM with 5,800 M vert. – 4 Stones
• 100K – 92 KM with 4,700 M vert. – 3 Stones
• 50K – 45 KM with 1,900 M vert. – 2 Stones
• 50K – 37 KM with 1,600 M vert. – 2 Stones
• 20K – 23 KM with 1,000 M vert. – 1 Stone
• 9K with 300 M vert.

I’m not overly familiar with the trails in the area, so I can’t speak of how these numeric changes affect the actual trails runners run on. But mozart 100 is one of the OG trail races in the Alps and definitely on my list of events I’d consider traveling to. I mean, come on, the area is beautiful, when it’s nice out.

The ECC UTMB calendar is updated to reflect that change.

Last week I had a conversation with Mike McMonagle on Instagram:

.. i hate that i purchased them bc i dont think runners should have to pay for their photos; i think the races should pay the photographers and the photos should be provided at no extra cost to the runners.

I initially responded to his post with the following:

But wouldn’t that just mean that the runner anyway pays for the photo? Because if the race pays for the photographer then they just roll that cost into the entry fee?

Mike responds suggesting that it might be a better experience for everyone involved if the RD just pays the photographer upfront, includes the photos in the registration fee and makes them available for racers for free.

I’m not here to claim to have the answer for this. It’s a tricky situation:

• Race directors want to offer the best possible experience for their runners.
• Race directors need great photos of their event to market the event in future years.
• Runners want to race, have a great time and possibly not spend too much money on that experience.
• Photographers want to make a living, which I of course fully support.

So, what should one do?

Aside from creating a memorable racing experience one of the biggest challenges for race directors is trying to control costs. Not just for themselves, events management is expensive and trying to scrape out a few cents of profit is hard work, but also for the runners. No runner wants to see the cost of an event balloon to painful number.

To caveat this, before I share my thoughts: My races are small, my entry fees are cheap. This is all very much a shoe string operation and I view these issues from this perspective. Other race directors have different budgets to realities and will make decisions from their perspective – that is a ok. I am not here preaching the one true way of doing this.

My personal take is that the best experience of runners is to offer them add-on options and let them choose what other “things” they want to pay for. This a la cart offering keeps the basic entry fee low and accessible to the most runners and allows folks who ‘want the shirt’ to get a shirt. Challenge of course with that is that the numbers of shirts I am selling is not just lower, but the potential profits with it. It’s a trade off I’m making to ensure the accessibility of my events.

My approach to trail work donations is a bit similar. My organization dedicates a portion of all entry fees as donation to trail maintenance organizations. But beyond that, I am offering runners to give additional dollars I am passing on the the organizations I annually donate to. This is optional and not a requirement. Again, I’m trying to keep the entry fees accessible.

Now, when it comes to race photos it may be warranty to approach this a bit differently. Creatives need to get paid and their services valued. My initial approach was to forgo photographers as the events couldn’t justify the expenses. Then I realized I needed the photos for marketing and paid for it out of that budget line item, but runners loved the photos and wanted to download them. So I gave them away for free. Which of course, seems like the nicest thing to do for the runners and gives both the event and the photographer the biggest exposure. People love free photos and clearly will download and share them in larger numbers as supposed to paid ones. So, I clearly could just leave it there. Pay the photographer out of the marketing budget, give the photos to the runners for free.

But having taken on the expenses for photographers for a few races I did some research and realized that most big races charge for photo downloads. It values the work of the photographer if I don’t just give it away for free but put a price tag on it for the runners. Those who want to pay for it get great photos. Clearly this diminishes the amount of photos downloaded and shared. It’s an additional expense, and not many runners will fork over the dollars, but maybe that is a way of recouping some of my expenses for the race director, and maybe if this pays for the cost of hiring the photographers I could expand this out and hire more photographers for additional spots around the course?

That’s my current thinking. That’s where I currently stand.

Could I maybe increase the usage of the photos and exposure for the event if I’d make the photos free to use? Yes, probably. And there’s certainly a case to be made for this, as Mike does. But I feel that race photos aren’t part of the essentials piece that I would consider what runners pay for when they sign up for my races. Aid station supplies, safety and first aid, permits, a bib, and course marking. That’s the basics, right? Everything else is extra and it should be treated as such.

Yes, the conversation changes if sponsors want photos, then their sponsor contribution could pay for the work of the photographer. My thinking also might change if sales of photos are too low and I end up with an expense I anyway pay for, but the photos aren’t shared – then what?

So, this is a developing thought, but rather than just hashing this out on Instagram I thought I put it here.

UTMB just released a 52 minute documentary about the 2024 UTMB race:

“Conquering Mont-Blanc: the path 2 UTMB” showcases the intense moments: from the start to the summits, from moments of doubt to triumphant victories, where every runner, whether elite or amateur, pushes themselves beyond the challenges of the mountain. You’ll be plunged into the heart of the action with its epic stories of humanity, solidarity and going beyond personal limits.

The main narrator of the film is Topher Gaylord, newly named President of Western States which is just another example of how closely these two races are actually working together and shaping our trail running world.

The runners the film follows are:

• OCC: Sunmaya Budha – Nepal – DNF
• OCC: Vincent Herdoin – France – 1200th
• CCC: Sylvia Nordskar – Norway – DNF
• CCC: Petter Engdahl – Sweden – DNF
• UTMB: Marianne Hogan – Canada – 3rd
• UTMB: Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz – France – DNF

What’s a bit of a bummer, and always such a gamble for the filmmakers, is that of the six runners featured four DNF’ed. But maybe that is exactly what needs to be shown to showcase how hard these races are and that success is not assured, even with the elites. Overall the film is a fantastic recap of the 2024 events, especially as someone who raced OCC myself. Good thing I just got myself more stones.

Episode 318 with Katharina Hartmuth:

After a year plagued by accidents and injury Katharina finds herself at the starting line of her dream race: the massive, and mighty Tor des Géants in the Aosta Valley of the Alps. Over the following days Katharina goes through the usual challenges any trail runners faces in a massive ultra distance event but always stays in the leading position and in the process crushing the women’s course record and arriving in seventh overall, almost 5 hours ahead of the second woman. This episode is not a race recap but a conversation about what motivates us, what drives us, and what inspires us. Why do we take on these challenges and what adventures are we seeking?

LINKS

• Katharina Hartmuth on Instagram
• Katharina Hartmuth on Strava
• Tor des Géants
• Cover shot by Jonas Hill

This was the third edition of Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB on the south coast of France. And while that sounds like a lovely place for a race, the weather usually is quite finicky and provides an interesting added challenge. Notable results include Courtney Dauwalter smashing yet again all previous records, arriving 5 hours ahead of the second woman and in 2nd place overall within just 13 minutes of first place. I wonder how first place Cristofer felt the over the last 5 hours of the race when there was a honest chance for Courtney to overtake him. But she wasn’t the only one racing this event aiming for stones to get back to the UTMB Finals this coming year. This year’s UTMB winner Vincent Bouillard ran and won the 20K, I’m assuming to also get stones for the coming year.

For full results visit the UTMB website, below the top runners by race:

159K (100M – 4 Stones)

Women:

1. Courtney DAUWALTER – USA – 21:35:57
2. Enrica DEMATTEIS – Italy – 26:33:34
3. Agathe LEBEL – France – 26:37:57

Men:

1. Cristofer CLEMENTE MORA – Spain – 21:22:14
2. Nicolas CERISIER – France – 22:28:24
3. Vincent FABRE – France – 22:56:36

107K (100K 3 Stones)

Women:

1. Ingrid M DUE-GUNDERSEN – Norway – 15:02:49
2. Wonny KEIL – Austria – 15:10:45
3. Aurélie DE BREMOY – France – 15:37:08

Men:

1. Valentin LACROIX – France – 11:19:04
2. Yohan VIANI – France – 11:40:29
3. Guillaume HANSEL – USA – 12:01:48

54K (50K – 2 Stones)

Women:

1. Sylvia NORDSKAR – NO – 05:08:48
2. Camilla MAGLIANO – IT – 05:13:18
3. Louise SERBAN-PENHOAT – FR – 05:20:34

Men:

1. Jonathan ALBON – GB – 04:15:31
2. Simon PACCARD – FR – 04:23:27
3. Ezekiel RUTTO – KE – 04:30:32

22K (20K – 1 Stone)

Women:

1. Marie NIVET – France – 01:48:04
2. Alexandra YATZIMIRSKY – France – 01:51:50
3. Jekaterina GALLAMOVA – Latvia – 02:02:46

Men:

1. Vincent BOUILLARD – France – 01:32:07
2. Clement GÉNOT – France – 01:34:32
3. Morgan LE TENNIER – France – 01:37:37

Below are the numbers broken down by distance and gender:

• 100M Starters: 576, DNF: 179 + Finishers: 399. Women: 32 (8%), Men: 367 (92%).
• 100K Starters: 1111, DNF: 214 + Finishers: 897. Women: 80 (9%), Men: 817 (91%).
• 50K Starters: 1884, DNF: 52 + Finishers: 1833. Women: 312 (17%), Men: 1521 (83%).
• 20K Starters: 1195, DNF: 13 + Finishers: 1191. Women: 480 (40%), Men: 708 (60%).

Another massive event in the UTMB World Series the Nice Côte d’Azur by UTMB saw 4,766 starters and 4,320 finishers. 904 (21%) women and 3,413 (79%) men reached the finish line and earned themselves their respective stones and an UTMB index (or directly punched their ticket to the Finals in Chamonix for 2025).

Next up on UTMB World Series Calendar we’ll travel to South Korea for TransJeju (11-13 Oct) and to California for Kodiak Ultra Marathons (11-12 Oct). Kodiak received the green light just a a couple of days ago with the Line fire having threatened the course and nearby towns over the last few weeks.

adidas TERREX will be the new title Sponsor for the races:

New for 2025, adidas TERREX is the official partner of the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile, Marathon, Trail Sisters Half Marathon, so expect great gear and the opportunity to demo TERREX products.

Title sponsor announcements usually don’t make headlines here on Electric Cable Car, but the language used to announce this on Instagram piqued my interest:

Lake Sonoma Relentless joins the @adidasTERREX family of trail and ultra races

“The family of trail and ultra races.” Is that a first hint at adidas TERREX getting into the race series game, rather than just seemingly sponsoring random events across the globe? HOKA has this on lock with the UTMB World Series, and Salomon owns an entire series themselves. Clearly adidas must be taking a long hard look at this themselves. Especially given their investment into a dedicated trail team over the past years adidas has been no stranger in the trail running space for many years now.

Salomon owns the Golden Trail Series and see it as a marketing tool for them. This isn’t news but through this light we need to see the various changes Salomon is announcing for the Series. Athletes don’t seem to love it. Francesco Puppi on Instagram:

After checking the course of the Golden Trail Series final last week, I feel like it’s not aligned with the idea that I have of a nice, logical course.

This will be an interesting tension going forward. The money in our sport will be in making it more spectator friendly. This money in turn will flow to the pro athletes. Complaining about a course being too contrived – to support spectator viewing – feels shortsighted.

Here’s how the GTS speaks about the route:

The finals will be held on Saturday for the women’s category and on Sunday for the men’s category and will feature a “flower format” course with a total length of 23.5 kilometers and a total elevation gain of 1,400 meters. The course offers a variety of tracks to suit all types of runners and is designed to take athletes through the fan zone six times.

I also didn’t love the repetitions at the Whistler, so I get it in some ways. But I understood why they made these decisions, and there are more trails they can take advantage for future races. If spectators would’ve been allowed on the mountain I doubt I would’ve even pointed it out.

My feeling is that this “flower format” will become the signature formant for the Golden Trail Series. They will try to maximize their opportunities to bring spectators close to the event, allow seamless live coverage and present a model of the sport that could become an Olympic event.

Most likely this sort of athlete whining is similar to the complaints about UTMB: It’s voiced, it’s noted, and then the athletes all show back up at the events the following year.

Strava had been on a good run, adding some seemingly good features. Now though they add AI, because every tech company has to shove AI slop into their app to appease the tech community, Wall Street and investors:

AI breaks down your workout data into simple, personalized insights instantly. No extra steps, just powerful feedback—exclusively for Strava subscribers. It’s the upgrade you didn’t know you needed.

Yepp, and I still don’t need it – thank you very much. But it seems the tech company needs to keep these data center humming.

Jason Koop of course uses this announcement to dump on other coaches:

Let’s be honest, Strava’s Athlete Intelligence function is already better than 90% of the feedback the coaches who use Strava for coaching give.

Such a nice fella.

Announced via their Instagram:

After careful assessment together with local authorities and U.S. Forest Service, we have received approval to host the 2024 Kodiak Ultra Marathons by UTMB on October 11-12. 

From the Cal Fire monitor page (updated today 10/5):

Crews continued to hold the Line Fire close to its current footprint, with minimal growth since yesterday. Around the fire perimeter where it has been contained, crews monitored and patrolled the lines with no issues or challenges. Where the fire line is still active, crews worked hard to improve and hold the lines, again with no issues or challenges. In the northeast corner of the fire, sawyer crews focused on removing hazardous trees which allowed safer access for firefighters allowing them to mop up deeper into the fire area.

Yesterday, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department lifted the remaining evacuation warnings for the city of Big Bear Lake and they downgraded Angelus Oaks to “Evacuation Warning” status. 

I’m not a fire expert (although watching 2 more Youtube videos and I will be one) so I am not making any judgement calls here from my cheap seat.

I’m glad they got the fire under control before it had gotten too close to Big Bear. I’m glad the race organization got their go-ahead call from the authorities and can have their event. I’m glad for the runners who had booked travel that they can now start planning and won’t be losing any money. But if it’d be running these trails I’d be a bit nervous knowing that a fire is smoldering close by.

And yes, this post too will be tagged with the tag:’climate change effects’. I’ve said before, we only will see more of this in the coming years.

From the official Western States press release:

Topher Gaylord, a longtime member of the Western States Endurance Run Board of Directors and a leading voice in the sport of ultrarunning, has been elected President of the WSER Board of Directors.

Gaylord succeeds Diana Fitzpatrick, whose term as President ended at the end of September following five years.

Gaylord was at the starting line of the first UTMB race back in 2003. He’s always kept a close relationship with the Polettis and has been a big voice of support for UTMB in the US. Him taking the role of President at WSER will ensure that these two organizations will continue to closely collaborate.

After OCC I felt so great that I thought I had one more race in me before the winter. And I had so much fun in Chamonix that I wanted to get some more Stones to try to get back there again. Sorry to disappoint, but this system is working for suckers like me. Whistler is close – I can drive there, as supposed to having to take a plane + rental car – which is a big plus in my book. For a sea level dweller like me the trails are at reasonable elevation so I can run them without dying – hello Kodiak. And lastly, man Whistler is an awesome destination to hang out for a few days – I love this place.

Of course, as a first year UTMB event with all the kerfuffle baggage from the past year I also felt someone should report on the event and not just ignore it and snicker at it from a distance. Clearly many of the pros stayed away and the event’s fairly low signup numbers showed that it wasn’t just the pros that avoided the event. Having said this, comparing it to other North American UTMB events, the numbers at Whistler weren’t that bad. They just have a lot of room to grow given the town, the hotel rooms and restaurants, and the distance to a major airport and metropolitan area. So, what does a brand new UTMB event look like?

The Location

Man, Whistler oh Whistler, I love this place. After my first Squamish50 race back in 2016 I took the family up to Whistler for some vacation time and fell in love. For a European this town/resort/place is as close to home as it gets. A walkable mountain town with reasonably priced hotels (thank you Olympic Games!) and gondolas, and views, and gelato. Yes, three weeks after leaving Chamonix I acknowledge the difference, but that also feels like a bit of an unfair comparison. Whistler is a fantastic place for a trail running event. Ultra Trail Whistler was held out of Creekside, a small-ish community 5 min from the main Whistler Village. It felt quiet, almost a bit dead – in that offseason sort of way. On the plus side this location gives UTMB a ton of room to grow in coming years. I didn’t really consider what Whistler in September would be like until I hit the main village on Friday before the race and the town was buzzing. Tourists everywhere, mountain bikers everywhere, the bike park still in full operation and the chair lifts humming. This, I think, might hold the key to some of the challenges in the past and possibly in the future: Vail Resorts are operating a bike park here in Whistler in the ‘no-ski-season’. They sell lift tickets for a lot of money, and the park is world-renown and freaking busy – even in September. ANY trail running organization will have a hard time convincing Whistler/Vail that closing any amount of trails for the purpose of uphill running, possibly for the entire weekend and possibly for many many miles at a time is economically the right decision. Whistler seems to not just not need the trail runner, but there’s a big chance that these trail runners would interfere with their lucrative bike business.

The event

I’ve experienced now my 4th UTMB event. Canyons, Kodiak, UTMB in Chamonix, and Whistler. There’s a familiarity and similarity to their setup and operation that feels reasonable and comforting.

• Yes, they is an expo with a merch store and their sponsor’s booths (although Whistler’s was the smallest of any I’ve been to). Yes, they have a pre-race briefing that’s focused on the basics and the rules, and is no nonsense. It could be a bit warmer and a bit more fun.
• Yes, the start and finish line area feels branded and corporate.
• Yes, the boxes are checked off and there are no little quirky detail, no surprises, no oddities to write home about. Is that good? Is that bad?

It is what it is. This is what it feels like running races by the same racing company. The formality creates comfort. Things work. Things are were they are supposed to be.

You come here to race and want to be taken care of, you’re not going to a farmer’s market. Is there room to grow? Could the organization add a few things beyond the actual like like an after party, yes. And they should for folks being there all weekend – and most are – so why not. Doesn’t take a lot, but it does take some planning, some man power, and some cash, and for the first year, I rather see them put it all into the races than into the extracurricular activities. This can grow with time. And it’s not like Whistler itself isn’t a destination. There’s plenty to do. It’s just that when walking around the village after the race one feels a bit lost along the throngs of tourists and serious looking mountain bikers in their full body armor. If there’d be one bar/restaurant a runner could make a pitstop and connect with others, it would be welcome. I’m sure this will come in coming years.

The people

UTMB chooses to hide their race directors. There’s an announcer doing the pre-race briefing and he holds the mic at the start and finish line, but beyond that, you don’t see who puts on the event. They did add a nice touch and opened the races with a welcome message from the local tribes, which felt intentional and meaningful. Along the course, at the smartly placed aid stations – more on these later – the volunteers were all amazing. This was one of my worries with this event, but clearly the team dug deep and found folks in charge and helping in the various positions who in some cases might not have looked like seasoned aid station professionals one expects at Western States, but their enthusiasm and support of runners (even back of the pack runners like me) were second to none. A huge shout out to everyone spending countless hours on Whistler Mountain brazing the cold wind helping us runners reach our goal. You were all amazing. As a race director myself I can say this was for me a massively important sign that whoever is holding the reigns up there wants this event to succeed. And having creating such a positive experience for everyone involved really goes a long way.

Aid stations

Nothing was missing, nothing they ran out of. The usual fair was offered, and there was plenty of it. Yes, there was no chocolate fountain or other shenanigans, but the friendly faces, the attentiveness and the cheers made way up for any fancy antics.

Course markings

So far I might have made it sound like this event was all “business as usual” and in many ways it was. There was nothing amiss or over the top grand. The course markings though were beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. At every turn there was a warning sign placed of a “critical turn ahead”. Every wrong way was marked off with yellow caution ribbon. This was by far the best marked course I’ve ever ran. And that got me thinking. I wonder if Whistler/Vail either required this type of marking, or helped with marking the course themselves. Ski/bike/mountain patrol was out during the event and helped with getting DNF’ed runners off the course. And they provided medical support when needed. There were even volunteers at various critical crossings making sure runners took the correct turn. This seemed inspired and informed by mountain bike races, events where participants go a lot faster and any missed turn can lead to annoyance or even injury much quicker than for a mere running race. It felt overkill in certain places, but on the other hand, there was never a question of where to go. I’m just glad I wasn’t the one marking or sweeping that course.

The course

Much mockery is made online about UTMB’s ‘Kilometer-Meter Effort’ rating to determine how hard a race is. Or rather than hard, in what category a specific race should fit in. The 100K that Whistler offered initially was close to 100 kilometers long, with a massive amount of vert. UTMB adjusted the course twice, for unknown to me reasons, and they ended up with a 69 Kilometer race with 12,631 ft. of vert. They called it the 70K and it was awarded the 100K index and three Stones, worthy of a 100K distance.
I don’t mind this classification rating as it supposed to give people an idea of what they are getting themselves into. Even though I still run with people at every race who seem to JUST look at the distance and never the vert and then act surprised when the course has more climbing than they expected.
But, a 70K with a 100K rating was one of the main reasons why I wanted to race it. I didn’t think that I would have a 100K (with Whistler-type vert) effort in me, but once they adjust the course it felt achievable just 3 weeks post OCC. And for what it’s worth, this race did feel harder than OCC.

The race only had 3 aid stations, runners visited them a combined 8 times. There were plenty of stops for runners, but not a lot of aid station crew was needed to support the runners – smart. This was a looped course and that in itself wasn’t fantastic. The course did feel a bit contrived. I hope in future years they can adjust the route, combine more of the available trails in the high alpine, and create a more flowing and beautiful course.

Nonetheless this is a great race in a beautiful location. Whistler is easily accessible from the Vancouver metro area – there are bus shuttles straight from the airport. For folks from the Pacific Northwest this is an event to get your Running Stones without the need for an airplane trip.

A friend of mine asked me if I’d do the race again. Without hesitation I responded: Yes, every year, if the rest of the race calendar allows it. So, once a year I’ll be traveling to Whistler for some vert, poutine, and Running Stones.

Shouldn’t I be boycotting the Whistler event and UTMB as a whole?

Sure you can do that, but don’t put that on me.
For me, that would mean that I’d never run any UTMB race in Chamonix again. And after I ran there I sort of fell in love with it and want to do it again.
I don’t tell you that you HAVE to run in Chamonix. I don’t tell you to collect Stones or get excited about racing in Europe. So, please do not tell me that I should stop doing what I want to do because of whatever reasons are in your head. My trail running is big enough to hold it all. I won’t let you make it small.

Bill Chappell for NPR:

Fat Bear Week, a celebration of brown bears’ survival instincts, brought a grisly reminder of the animals’ predatory nature on Monday, when a male bear, 469, killed a female, 402, at Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska.

The unsettling scene was captured by a popular live webcam that follows the bears on the Brooks River.

This was supposed to be the kickoff for the popular and beloved Fat Bear Week. And I am supposed to be working, but my fuzzy post-race brain is making it hard to focus. So I watched the video of the scene, and the ranger’s summary and explanation of what happened between these two bears and might have been going on.

I’m glad I saw this video AFTER I came back from Whistler where I saw a (albeit) black bear on the first day in Creekside and then ran several hours alone through the woods in the dark.

The once-popular tech and gadget review site is shutting down:

Dig out your old iPod and fire up your ‘Songs to cry to’ playlist, I come bearing sad news. After more than 15 years covering everything Apple, it’s with a heavy heart I announce that we will no longer be publishing new content on iMore. 

Back in 2018 iMore published one of my first tech reviews I ever wrote, comparing the Apple Watch 3 to the Suunto Spartan and how each watch fares for trail runners in the backcountry. I even made a Youtube video about my trip taking the watches into the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park.

Apple Watch, meet backcountry hiking: How Apple’s smartwatch tracks long-distance exercise

What a fun project that was and what a sad day to see the website close up shop.

From an article in the BBC without byline:

The Green Runners, a group which helps athletes live more sustainability, have created the Race for Change project to build a community and work towards action for the environment.

They are currently “running” a fundraising campaign aiming to grow the organization. And while I roll my eyes at some of their antics, I do appreciate their efforts and am on board with their general focus on highlights the realities of climate change. You can support them here.

Kate Robertson for The Daily from Outdoor Retailer:

Outdoor retailer Patagonia laid off 41 employees, or 1% of its workforce, yesterday at its Ventura, California headquarters as part of a broad review of its corporate operations.

The product releases as of late have felt flat, so this news doesn’t surprise me. Even the mighty Patagonia has been affected by the aftermath of COVID/supply chain shortages/inflation and other factors.

What gets me though in the memo posted by CEO Ryan Gellert is this sentence:

Gellert emphasized that the employees who were impacted were not at fault.

I don’t have the original wording in front of me here and can only quote the published article, but this is the lamest sentence ever. Let’s hope the actual message going out to employees was a bit more honest and empathetic.