UltraRunning Media Group, LLC, headed by veteran runner Karl Hoagland, is acquiring UltraRunning magazine. The new ownership will take over beginning with the July 2013 issue, with Hoagland serving as Publisher.
A native of Alton, Illinois, Hoagland attended Brown University, graduating with honors in 1987. After eight years as an investment banker in New York and San Francisco, Hoagland founded Larkspur Hotels & Restaurants in 1996. Larkspur is a regional independent hotel brand and management Company that developed, acquired or managed over 30 hotels and restaurants in California and the Pacific Northwest. Recently Hoagland stepped back from active involvement in Larkspur, but remains an investor and supporter of its success and growth.
Hoagland, 48, began his ultramarathon career in 2003 with the Quad Dipsea and has now completed more than 40 ultras. Among many standout performances, he finished 14th at the 2010 Western States 100, but his most memorable and satisfying ultra race was struggling to a 15-hour finish at the Miwok 100K in 2004. Hoagland currently serves on the Board of Trustees at the Western States Endurance Run Foundation. He can be reached at [email protected]
Retiring Publisher John Medinger along with his wife Lisa Henson, who has been UltraRunning’s General Manager, will remain involved with the magazine as Correspondents at Large, contributing content on a periodic basis.
Medinger holds degrees from Oregon State and MIT, and is a retired investment banker and corporate executive. His ultra career spans four decades and completion of more than 130 ultras. A natural leader and innovator, Medinger founded the Quad Dipsea and served as its Race Director for 30 years. More recently he founded and directs the highly popular Lake Sonoma 50 miler. Medinger has served as a Trustee of Western States 100 since 1992, serving as President during a very successful era from 1999 to 2005. John’s wife Lisa Henson is also an accomplished runner with more than 50 ultras to her credit. She served in a major business role at the UR over the past six years after a successful career as a business owner, stock trader and venture capitalist.
Managing Editor Tia Bodington will retain her position with the publication, as will Subscriptions Manager Carol King. Ultrarunner Erika Lindland will join the team as a Contributing Editor with responsibility for race content and the magazine’s on-line content and presence.
“It is with great excitement and humility that I am taking the baton from John Medinger at UltraRunning Magazine. John is a pioneer in ultrarunning, and stands informally as Ambassador of our sport. His are huge shoes to fill and I am hopeful to carry the magazine forward with the same quality, integrity and commitment to our wonderful sport that he has brought to it over the past six years as Publisher. The magazine has thrived under John’s guidance during these years of huge growth in the sport. Fortunately, John, Lisa, Tia, Carol and the rest of their team are helping to insure a smooth transition for us.”
“As with John and the current team at UR, we love the sport of ultrarunning, its community, its traditions and the way it creates meaningful and lasting memories and relationships for all participants, old and new. As the Voice of the Sport®, UR holds a central role in connecting the ultrarunning community, and our goal is to continue to provide relevant, interesting, helpful and entertaining content.”
Medinger added, “I’m really excited to have Karl take over the reins. He has a rare combination of strong values, experience and passion for our sport and is bringing a ton of new ideas and enthusiasm to the party. Many folks in our community think of UltraRunning as ‘their’ magazine. Their magazine is in good hands.”
UltraRunning, widely recognized as the Voice of the Sport® since it was first published in May 1981, serves a rapidly increasing population of ultra runners. More than 36,000 runners completed an ultramarathon in North America in 2012, nearly tripling the volume of participants since Medinger’s acquisition of the magazine in 2007.