{{Short description|Global monthly magazine about running}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox magazine | title = Runner's World | image_file = Runners World cover July 2011.jpg | image_size = | image_caption = Serena Burla on cover of the July 2011 issue | editor = Jeff Dengate | editor_title = Runner-in-Chief | previous_editor = David Willey<br> Bob Anderson | staff_writer = | frequency = Quarterly | total_circulation = 4,000,000 (1,600,000 print and 2,400,000 digital)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hearstglobalsolutions.com/brands/runners-world |title= Runner's World |publisher= Hearst Global Solutions|access-date=November 12, 2024}}</ref> | circulation_year = November 2024 | category = Health<br />Running<br />Marathons | company = | publisher = Hearst | founded = 1966 | firstdate = {{start date|1996|1}}<ref>https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/g20827371/50-years-of-rw-covers/</ref> | country = United States | based = Easton, Pennsylvania, U.S. | language = English | website = {{URL|http://www.runnersworld.com}} | issn = 0897-1706 }} '''''Runner's World''''' is a global magazine and website for runners of all abilities. It has additionally developed experiential formats, including a digital membership program, called Runner's World+.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barber |first=Kayleigh |date=2020-03-10 |title=In a year, Runner's World has signed up 18k to its digital membership program |url=https://digiday.com/media/year-runners-world-signed-18k-digital-membership-program/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Digiday |language=en-US}}</ref> It is published by Hearst in Easton, Pennsylvania and was formerly published by Rodale, Inc.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Kelsall |first=Christopher |date=2015-12-16 |title=Running Times closure: moving to the speed of digital media |url=https://athleticsillustrated.com/running-times-closure-moving-to-the-speed-of-digital-media/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Athletics Illustrated |language=en-CA}}</ref> Outside the United States, the magazine is published in France, Germany, Italy, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.
==History== ''Runner's World'' was originally launched in 1966 by Bob Anderson<ref>{{cite news|title=List of Top 10 Best Sports Magazines of All time|url=http://www.sportyghost.com/list-top-10-best-sports-magazines-time/|access-date=12 February 2016|work=Sporty Ghost|date=3 March 2015}}</ref> as a mimeographed newsletter ''Distance Running News, ''and Anderson published it by himself for several years from his home in Manhattan, Kansas.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Runner and writer Hal Higdon had been writing for the magazine since its second edition.
In 1969, Anderson changed the name of the magazine to ''Runner's World''.<ref>{{cite web | last =Benyo | first =Richard | title =The Essential Encyclopedia of Marathoning | publisher =Marathon and Beyond | url=http://www.marathonandbeyond.com/choices/encyclop.htm|access-date =21 April 2010}}</ref> He brought on Joe Henderson as chief editor and moved the editorial offices, now named World Publications, to Mountain View, California. ''Runner's World'' thrived during the 1970s "running boom", even in the face of competition from the New York City–based magazine, ''The Runner''.
In May of 1970 Doris Brown became the first woman to be on the cover page of the magazine, marking an important milestone for the magazine. Additionally, in 1973 the magazine began to be printed in color. Later on, October of 1987 Runner's World implemented Miles, the little running man as the apostrophe in the Runner's World title. The most recent logo change happened in October 2014, which still remains the current logo in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-09-18 |title=Runner's World Through the Years |url=https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/g20833477/runners-world-through-the-years/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Runner's World |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Purchase by Rodale Press=== In the early 1980s, Bob Anderson sold a good portion of his publications, including ''Runner's World''. Some of Anderson's books went out of print while others were distributed by Macmillan Publishing.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Eder |first=Larry |date=2012-03-22 |title=Bob Anderson, founder of Runners’ World, the RBR Interview, by Larry Eder |url=https://www.runblogrun.com/2012/03/bob-anderson-founder-of-runners-world-the-rbr-interview-by-larry-eder.html |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=runblogrun |language=en-US}}</ref> Robert Rodale of Rodale, Inc., purchased ''Runner's World'' in 1985<ref name=tim>{{cite web|title=Company Timeline|url=http://www.rodaleinc.com/content/company-timeline|work=Rodale|access-date=19 August 2015}}</ref> and the editorial offices moved to Rodale's base in Emmaus, Pennsylvania. Joe Henderson did not move to Emmaus, and stepped down as editor, though he remained associated with the magazine until 2003. Random House bought the running log, which was published under the ''Runner's World'' name for decades after the sale.
In 1986, Rodale bought ''The Runner'',<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/01/15/business/advertising-magazines-for-runners-to-merge-at-rodale.html Advertising magazines for runners to merge at Rodale], ''The New York Times'', 15 Jan 1987</ref> and merged the two magazines,<ref name=tim/> keeping the ''Runner's World'' name and some writers, including Amby Burfoot who became the editor (a post he held until 2003).
''Runner's World'' remained strong through the so-called "second running boom" in the late 1990s. In 2004, the magazine had a full redesign. Since then, the magazine has won several awards including being ranked No. 1 on ''Adweek's'' Hot List,<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2009-03-20 |title=Magazine Hot List 2005: Highlights |url=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/magazine-hot-list-2005-highlights-110859/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Adweek |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Moses |first=Lucia |date=2011-12-05 |title=Hot List: Magazines |url=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/hot-list-magazines-136863/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Adweek |language=en-US}}</ref> No. 6 on ''Advertising Age'''s "A-List";<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2005-11-02 |title=Runner’s World skips onto top-10 list ** Advertising Age ranks magazines on criteria that include "buzz.’ |url=https://www.mcall.com/2005/11/02/runners-world-skips-onto-top-10-list-advertising-age-ranks-magazines-on-criteria-that-include-buzz/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=The Morning Call |language=en-US}}</ref> been recognized for having the "Creative Team of the Year",<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 26, 2007 |title=Rodale, owner of Runners World, Acquires Running Times |url=https://sgbonline.com/rodale-owner-of-runners-world-acquires-running-times/ |access-date=November 6, 2024 |website=SGB Media}}</ref> and most notably has been nominated three times for National Magazine Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ASME ANNOUNCES 44TH ANNUAL NATIONAL MAGAZINE AWARDS FINALISTS |url=https://www.asme.media/asme-announces-44th-annual-national-magazine-awards-finalists |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.asme.media}}</ref>
In February 2007, Rodale acquired ''Running Times'' magazine and website and combined both brands in 2015.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Keith J. |date=2017-06-09 |title=Runner’s World gets a new editor-in-chief |url=https://nypost.com/2017/06/08/runners-world-gets-a-new-editor-in-chief/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Rodale, owner of Runners World, Acquires Running Times {{!}} SGB Media Online |url=https://sgbonline.com/rodale-owner-of-runners-world-acquires-running-times/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=sgbonline.com}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
Hearst acquired Rodale in 2018. ''Runner's World'' offices were moved from Emmaus, Pennsylvania, to Easton, Pennsylvania.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web| last = Kelly| first = Keith J.| title = Runner's World staff moving to a former bowling alley| work = New York Post| access-date = 2018-12-30| date = 2018-09-20| url = https://nypost.com/2018/09/20/runners-world-staff-moving-to-a-former-bowling-alley/}}</ref> That new office included a testing lab, called the "Test Zone," which also allow visitors to see the Runner's World and Bicycling product tests.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wescoe |first=Stacy |date=2018-09-20 |title=Hearst to move Bicycling, Runner’s World operations to Easton |url=https://lvb.com/hearst-to-move-bicycling-runners-world-operations-to-easton/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=LVB |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":4" />
Since then, Runner's World has covered all of the major races such as the Boston, New York City, and Chicago Marathons. They have held interviews with notable celebrities such Alicia Keys, Will Ferrell, and Kevin Hart. Will Ferrell even made a cover appearance of March 2002 issue of the magazine.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-10-31 |title=Famous Faces Are Common at the NYC Marathon. Which Celebrity Surprised Everyone With Their Finish Time? |url=https://www.runnersworld.com/races-places/a69220977/famous-celebrities-that-ran-new-york-marathon/ |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=Runner's World |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Awards== In 2019, the American Society of Journalist and Authors awarded writer Michelle Hamilton's article "Saudi Women Will Run the Kingdom" with the awards for outstanding fitness & sports article. The year following, Christine Yu was awarded by the same organization for her Runner's World article "Women Deserve to Run Without Fear."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Writing Award Winners |url=https://www.asja.org/what-we-do/awards/writing-award-winners/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=American Society of Journalists and Authors |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2021, Mitchell S. Jackson was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing for his ''Runner's World'' article [https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a32883923/ahmaud-arbery-death-running-and-racism/ ''Twelve Minutes and a Life''], "a deeply affecting account of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery that combined vivid writing, thorough reporting and personal experience to shed light on systemic racism in America."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-06-11|title=Here are the winners of the 2021 Pulitzer Prizes|url=https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2021/pulitzer-prize-winners-2021/|access-date=2021-06-11|website=Poynter|language=en-US}}</ref> The article also won a National Magazine Award and a Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting, award by Moody College of Communication, that year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2021: Angell and Jackson cited {{!}} Moody College of Communication |url=https://moody.utexas.edu/centers/sports-communication-media/2021-angell-and-jackson-cited |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=moody.utexas.edu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Feature Writing 2021 |url=https://www.asme.media/feature-writing-2021 |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=www.asme.media}}</ref>
In 2022, Wufei Yu & Will Ford's article from the November/December 2021 Issue, "172 Runners Started This Ultramarathon. 21 Of Them Never Came Back," was awarded the Excellence in Sports Reporting award by the Asian American Journalists Association, as well as the award for of Writing Best Colour Piece by Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive's (the International Sports Press Association) sports media awards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Continental rankings unveiled: Meet the best performers in Asia |url=https://www.aipsmedia.com/pages/articles/2022/31456.html |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=www.aipsmedia.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-28 |title=AAJA Announces 2022 Journalism Excellence Awards - Asian American Journalists Association |url=https://www.aaja.org/2022/07/27/aaja-announces-2022-journalism-excellence-awards/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=www.aaja.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
==International circulation== Since the early 1990s, ''Runner's World'' has expanded outside the United States, currently with 18 international editions. The first in September 1993 was a United Kingdom edition wholly owned by NatMag Rodale, a joint venture between Rodale, Inc. and The Hearst Corporation in the UK. As of December 2024, there 10 international editions of ''Runner's World'', aside from the flagship edition in the U.S.: Australia/New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the UK. All are published either as joint ventures or through licensing arrangements with publishers in those countries. Editors in each country have access to editorial content from the U.S. edition, but also publish their own original content with local flavor. Currently today, there are over 781,000 thousand users across the platform, marking the significance the magazine has in the running industry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Runner's World {{!}} Hearst |url=https://www.hearst.co.uk/brands/runners-world |access-date=2025-11-04 |website=www.hearst.co.uk |language=en}}</ref>
== Runners-in-Chief == Editors-in-chief at Runner's World are called Runners-in-Chief and, to date, have included:<ref name=":5" /> * Bob Anderson (1966 - 1985)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eder |first=Larry |date=2012-03-22 |title=Bob Anderson, founder of Runners’ World, the RBR Interview, by Larry Eder |url=https://www.runblogrun.com/2012/03/bob-anderson-founder-of-runners-world-the-rbr-interview-by-larry-eder.html |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=runblogrun |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Simon ("Woody") |title=Made with Pride: Runner's World founder Bob Anderson Talks 5-Star… - Features |url=https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/features/running-the-world-mag-founder-bob-anderson-talks-five-star-sneakers/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=www.sneakerfreaker.com |language=en}}</ref> * Joe Henderson (1970 - 1977)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brant |first=John |date=2006-08-07 |title=A Good, Long Run |url=https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a20797835/the-history-of-runners-world/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=Runner's World |language=en-US}}</ref> * Robert Rodale (1985 - 1987) * Ambrose "Amby" Burfoot (1985 - 2003)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dodson |first=Braley |date=2024-04-15 |title=77-year-old Mystic runner finishes Boston Marathon — again |url=https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-london/77-year-old-mystic-runner-finishes-boston-marathon-again/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=WTNH.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Michelle |date=2019-04-12 |title=Running Boston with Amby: The Legend, My Training Partner |url=https://run.outsideonline.com/people/running-boston-with-amby-the-legend-my-training-partner/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=RUN {{!}} Powered by Outside |language=en-US}}</ref> * David Willey (2003 - 2017)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feller |first=Ali |date=2019-06-26 |title=Ali on the Run Show Episode 153: David Willey, Former Editor in Chief of Runner's World |url=https://aliontherunblog.com/2019/06/26/ali-on-the-run-show-153-david-willey/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=Ali on the Run |language=en-US}}</ref> * Betty Wong Ortiz (2017 - 2018)<ref name=":1" /> * Jeff Dengate (2018–Present)<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Reddinger |first=Robbe |date=2019-11-25 |title=Don't Train For a Marathon Like Jeff Dengate |url=https://believeintherun.com/dont-train-for-a-marathon-like-jeff-dengate/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Believe in the Run |language=en}}</ref>
== Book publishing ==
* Dagny Scott Barrios, ''Runner's World Complete Book of Women’s Running'', 2007, {{ISBN|9781594868221|9781594867583|1594868220|1594867585}} * Amby Burfoot, ''Runner's world complete book of running'', 2010, {{ISBN|9781605295794|1605295795}} * ''The great Grete Waitz'', 2011, {{ISBN|9781609614652|1609614658}} * Jennifer Van Allen, ''Runner’s World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training'', 2012, {{ISBN|9781609619152|9781609616847|1609619153|1609616847}} *Amby Burfoot, ''Runner's World training journal'', 2012, {{ISBN|9781609618544|1609618548}} * Scot Douglas, ''The runner's world complete guide to minimalism and barefoot running'', 2013, {{ISBN|9781609612221|1609612221}} * Jennifer Van Allen, ''Runner’s World Big Book of Running for Beginners'', 2014, {{ISBN|9781609615376| 9781623364755|9781635653304|1609615379}} * Bart Yasso and Erin Strout, ''Runner's World race everything'', 2017, {{ISBN|9781623369828|1623369827}} * Meghan Kita, ''How to make yourself poop and 999 other tips all runners should know'', 2018, {{ISBN|9781635651836|9781635651843|1635651832|1635651840}} * Bill Pierce, Scott Murr, ''Runner’s World Run Less Faster'', 2021, {{ISBN|9780593232231|0593232232}}
'''Cookbooks'''
* Joanna Sayago Golub, The Runner's world cookbook, 2013, {{ISBN|9781623361686|9781623361235}} * Heather Mayer Irvine, ''The Runner's World vegetarian cookbook'', 2018, {{ISBN|9781635650617|1635650615}}
==See also== *Bob Anderson *John Bingham *Browning Ross
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== <!-- Do not add links to all language versions or individual articles --> * {{Official website|http://www.runnersworld.com/}}
{{Rodale}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Lifestyle magazines published in the United States Category:Sports magazines published in the United States Category:Magazines published in Pennsylvania Category:Monthly magazines published in the United States Category:Magazines established in 1966 Category:Rodale, Inc. Category:Running mass media Category:Magazines published in Kansas Category:Sport of athletics magazines