NEW CALL FOR OLYMPIC TRAIL RUNNING AS RUNNERS UNITE IN LONDON TO PARIS TRAIL TO MARK 100 YEARS SINCE RUNNING OFF-ROAD WAS AN OLYMPIC SPORTRunners from across the UK have united in a trail run from London to Paris to campaign for the inclusion of trail running at future Olympic Games.

This summer’s Olympics marks one hundred years since running off-road was an official discipline, with cross-country running the last of its kind at the Paris 1924 Games.

Now, in a campaign launched by outdoor footwear company, Merrell, athletes from running clubs across the nation are calling on Olympic decision makers to include trail running at future Olympic Games.

They’ve now stepped onto the campaign trail by trail running in relay over 455km from London to Paris. The runners embarked on their intercity adventure between 11^th and 14^th April.

In recent history, trail running has been on a steep ascent of popularity to become one of the world’s fastest growing sports, according to the International Track and Field Federation, with millions of people around the world participating in races, events, and recreational runs.

The sport has been catapulted into the spotlight in recent weeks following the historic completion of the infamous Barkley Marathons by British trail runner, Jasmin Paris, alongside fellow Brit Russ Cook completing an epic achievement by running the length of Africa. Trail and ultra-running are having a moment.

Now, fans of the sport believing it now deserves its place within the Olympic schedule.

Jimi Harrison, a member of the Keep On Keeping On running club, said: “We’re running from London to Paris ahead of the Games to raise awareness that trail running continues to be overlooked as an Olympic sport. At Paris 2024, four new sports are being added that include breakdancing, surfing, skateboarding and sport climbing.

“We feel that new Olympic sports should reflect the trends and popularity of the current day and believe the time has come for trail running to be adopted at future Olympics.”

As part of the campaign, Merrell has penned an open letter to representatives of the International Olympic Committee, International Trail Running Association and Brisbane 2032, calling on them to set the wheels in motion to include trail running at the Olympics when the Games go Down Under – the next cycle when sports can be added to the Olympic programme.

Simon Sweeney, marketing manager at Merrell who are driving the campaign said, “As trail running fans, we wanted to use our platform to help mobilise the international trail running community around a common cause.

“One that we firmly believe has been overlooked for too long – we’re calling on Olympic organisers to end the century of hurt and give trail running its rightful place within the Olympic schedule.”

The century long wait for an off-road running at an Olympics follows an infamous cross-country event at the 1924 Paris Games in which a difficult course combined with extreme weather conditions of over 40 °C and noxious fumes emitted from a power plant near the course, resulted in only fifteen of the 38 starters crossing the finish line. After the event, both the Red Cross and local police spent hours searching for runners who had passed out on the course.

Amongst the racers that day was Great Britain’s only finisher, Ernie Harper, who finished just outside of the medals in fourth place.

Harper’s granddaughter, Jan Humphrey, supports the campaign and believes we owe it to the competitors of the ill-fated race a century ago to reintroduce running off-road.

“Ernie was a real trailblazer in every sense of the word – he was a natural runner and competitor – a true Olympian.

“We continue to derive pride from having an Olympian in the family and still have pictures from his adventure to the 1924 Olympics. Despite missing out on the medals and the testing running conditions, he was incredibly proud to be part of the Olympic movement.

“He went on to compete in two further Olympics, winning a marathon silver medal in Berlin in 1936. I’ve no doubt he’d be actively backing the campaign to bring trail running to the Olympics in 2032 in Australia where he emigrated and built a family.”

Straight outta Hackney and onto the trails, Merrell tapped London-based running crew, Your Friendly Runners, to venture out of the city and put the new Agility Peak 5 through its paces.

Established in 2018, Your Friendly Runners is a community of running tastemakers built on the idea that running brings us closer together. Its purpose is to connect people, offer shared experiences and create new friendships.

Your Friendly Runners is a community of running tastemakers built on the idea that running brings us closer together.

 Forming part of Merrell’s Find the Love. Run Wild. campaign – an initiative that seeks to inspire runners to find happiness off-road – they traded in the canal and marshland pathways of East London in search of the joy of running wilder.

Entitled, Beyond the Marshes, the community laced up for a big outing on the trails, escaping the capital and heading out to the Surrey Hills.

Rising early doors,  the trail team swung by their local coffee spot to caffeinate before boarding a train destined for the trails.

 The crew served up a 15km route with an evolving landscape and mixed terrain as they embarked on a journey to discover that running wilder means running happier.

The runner’s weapon of choice was the Merrell Agility Peak 5 – the wildly popular trail shoe franchise from the brand that’s packed with tech including a FloatPro midsole, Vibram MegaGrip outsole and a GORE-TEX option.

Agility Peak 5 trail shoe s packed with tech including a FloatPro midsole, Vibram MegaGrip outsole and a GORE-TEX option.

The Swiss Army knife of trail shoes that fuses performance and lifestyle, it excelled as Your Friendly Runners cruised through the kilometres. 

The crew finished up with a pint down the local before heading back to home turf.

Across the season, Merrell will be hooking up with communities across the country and challenging them to Find the Love. Run Wild. with the Merrell Agility Peak 5.

The ‘outdoors’ can mean a lot of things to different people. Some associate it with the wide-open glens of the Scottish Highlands, while for others it can be their local park or holiday destinations. What’s true for everyone – however you define the outdoors – is that the outdoors has a way of defining you, of inspiring you, of capturing a little part of you.

Combining the awe-inspiring impact of the outdoors with the music scene, what is produced can affect people dramatically. Through Mountain Radio – Merrell’s latest collaboration with Size? – we explore the connection between music and nature, and how this can transport people to different places.

Flora Win-Young is one of the collaborators on the project. The London-based DJ and

producer takes an ambient style, inspired by travel and the natural world.

“I grew up in central London and my family are all from some of the densest cities, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Kuala Lumpur” says Flora, “so I never had much experience with nature until I got older.”

Flora Win-Young is one of the collaborators on the project. and wears the Hut Wrap Ultra

“I was always afraid of the countryside and wilderness, being isolated in the middle of nowhere. In recent years, being able to travel as a part of my job as a journalist and then also as a DJ and musician meant I was able to explore so many places that I never could otherwise.

“I think new landscapes and cultures are the main inspirations for my work, from abandoned towns in the Arctic Circle and Icelandic volcanos, literary trails in Buenos Aires to the woods in remote islands in Japan – vastly differing scenes on the planet is what drives and moves me the most.”

As a Londoner, her favourite spots come from the 3,000 parks in London – which make up a fifth of the London area.

“For places in and near London, I’d say I have a lot of fondness for more developed spots like Syon Park, Hampstead and Richmond Park having often gone to them as a kid with my dad.”

The inspiration of her childhood in London, and travelling the world became embodied in Merrell’s Mountain Radio track, an original piece of music Flora put together.

Flora Win-Young

“The idea of it using field recordings was to evoke the sensory experience of London and its density and feeling” explains Flora, “contrasted or in continuation with the universality of nature and remoteness.”

And when she’s not taking in the green fields of London? Flora explains that she always has a project on the go:

“I’ve just started an experimental format record label called Doyenne focusing on the divine feminine which will be hosting a launch event at Cafe OTO in June. I’m also currently finishing a composition at Parisian sound institution INA GRM / GRM Tools, working on two scores and remixes for Nyege Nyege Tapes and a Japanese pop singer.”

For those looking to be transported to the outdoors through the power of music, visit the Mountain Radio page.

Explore the full Merrell lifestyle range.

Mountain Radio, a collaboration between Merrell and Size? along with some exciting up-and-coming DJs from the UK, takes a look at the relationship between electronic music and the outdoors – where musicians and social trend setters take inspiration from their surroundings.

Finn McCorry, a Manchester based DJ, is one of the contributing experts in the project. He’s a regular on the decks of the coolest spots in the North West – including The White Hotel and South Basement – and known to be one of the nicest blokes in the industry. 

We sat down with him to talk through how the outdoors has inspired his work. 

Finn McCorry, a Manchester based DJ, is one of the contributing experts in the project.

A lot of my records have featured photographs taken in the countryside where I lived, I guess trying to lean into some of the romanticism and utopianism you find in 90s dance music styles.” 

The Peak District is one such place – where Finn grew up, and a point of escapism for him when getting away from busy city life. “I have always been a fan of the reservoirs in Hope Valley. It’s the best place for cycling in the North, and has loads of beautiful spots like Stanage Edge and Robin Hood’s Cave. They’re both brilliant for wandering up and exploring.”

Finn wears the Moab Speed GTX SE

Joining forces with Merrell’s Mountain Radio campaign, Finn created an original track for the project, composing a piece of music which evokes a sense of place and brings together the environment. His inspiration: his journey through Manchester and to Bamford in Hope Valley, Peak District.

“I took inspiration from the sounds created while travelling from Manchester, out to the middle of the Peak District. I recorded sounds where I’m based in South Manchester, travelling up to Manchester Piccadilly, and before catching the train out to Bamford in the Peaks. I went to the Old Mill Pond, which has a walkway with sluice gates – they produce a ton of rushing water noises and the sound blocks everything else out. The effect is super hypnotic and meditative.”

Finn created an original track for the Mountain Radio Project

In addition to his involvement with the Mountain Radio project, and working the decks across Manchester and the North West, Finn has numerous other projects on the go.

“I have a new vocal House record out in the next couple of weeks with Private Joy, a member of the Lovescene family – which will be coming out just in time for summer.”

Such is his eclectic mix in music tastes, Finn tells us his current go to listening: “the A Party Called crew. Boogizm & Chunky have just had amazing albums out, been listening to them a lot.”

Learn more about the Mountain Radio Project here.

Check out the full lifestyle range here

It has been said that music is the strongest form of magic. Indeed, music is a powerful force that has the ability to take you back in time, transform your mood, or even transport you to a different place. Merrell wanted to explore this further so, in collaboration with Size?, they searched the UK for the best up and coming DJs who use nature as their inspiration and help transport their audience to The Great Outdoors.

In essence, Mountain Radio aims to celebrate our oldest muse – the beautiful world around us. Nature has been singing since the dawn of time, and, whilst it is sometimes drowned out by the hum-drum of the city, it is always there crying out to be heard.

The DJs that Merrell  have partnered with know this and look to transport you through their music to the beautiful hills and vibrant coastlines that we have all over the UK.

The first DJ goes by the name Flora Win-Young and when she isn’t in a recording studio, she likes to spend her time out in nature and can often be seen cycling her local canal lanes. For Flora, nature is the ultimate muse – it is never-ending, always changing, and beautiful to its very core. Her love for the outdoors was typified by her decision to record her latest EP, The Sacrifice, not in a cushy recording studio in London where she’s based, but in a remote cabin in the North Wales wilderness.

You can check out a Q & A with Flora here [LINK] which goes into more detail about her artistic process.

For more insight into how the outdoors has shaped Fin’s music, check out his Q & A here [LINK}

To check out the tunes that Flora and Fin have created head to the Merrell EU on Spotify. 

Delve further in to the  Merrell lifestyle range.

To shine a light on what defines a cultural hotspot, we have tapped a couple of individuals to show their city through the eyes of a local, highlighting several of the lesser-known spots alongside their favourite urban green spaces that provide respite from the hustle and bustle. 

For those who are visiting from out of town, let’s face it, there is more to see from London than Big Ben, the London Eye and Buckingham Palace which, with the help of Maria Maleh, the Co-Founder of Hamster FC, we’re going to detail in the following alternative city travel guide, ‘City Limits’. 

Given the size of the capital, Maria Maleh, who has been a resident since 2011, helped us to peel back London’s layers and dive deeper into the spaces, stores, galleries, bars and activities that visitors and long-time inhabitants alike can indulge in. Maria has highlighted the hidden gems that you won’t find in your typical tourist brochure, striking a balance between conventional and some more off-the-beaten-path recommendations by venturing to Greenwich Peninsula Golf Range, Stepney City Farm and Roman Road market. 

• Greenwich Peninsula Golf Range – I think if you said to someone that you played golf during your visit to the capital of the United Kingdom, they would probably just cast you off as a loon. Greenwich Peninsula’s Golf Range sits on the bank of the Thames and allows you to hit golf balls to your heart’s content. 
• Stepney City Farm – Situated in the heart of Tower Hamlets, Stepney City Farm does everything its name suggests: it’s a working farm in one of London’s many thriving boroughs, describing itself as a ‘rural oasis’. There are many elements to the farm including a popular farmers market every Saturday, allowing adults and children the chance to meet various farm animals and providing educational programmes to the community. Lastly, Maria drops in that the farm cafe, ‘The Allotment Kitchen’, is a personal favourite spot of hers.
• Cody Dock – Community-led regeneration at its finest and a very wholesome picture of people from all backgrounds rallying around for the good of the local ecosystem and human spirit. Cody Dock is home to a number of facilities and activities including open gallery space, outdoor classrooms and birdwatching.
• Three Mills – The wonderful green spaces of Three Mills allow you to just escape and breathe momentarily. Also, it is home to a historic piece of art called ‘Reaching Out’, the first statue of a black woman by a black artist that depicts a normal everyday person as they go about their business, as many of London’s inhabitants do.
• Roman Road Market – Spanning over 150 years, the Roman Road market is a real East End icon famed for its diverse street food offering, quality homeware and affordable fashion. 
• Bow Creek – In a historically industrial part of London, the last thing you would expect is a wildlife haven, but Bow Creek provides a tranquil release from the surrounding city. Head over to the wharf and meet the locals, from newts and water scorpions to flocks of birds.

To shine a light on what defines a cultural hotspot, we have tapped a couple of individuals to show their city through the eyes of a local, highlighting several of the lesser-known spots alongside their favourite urban green spaces that provide respite from the hustle and bustle. 

Taking on the all-important role as one of Northern England’s heartlands, Manchester is steeped in cultural importance attracting people from all over the world to soak up its history and as a hub for those in the creative industry. Despite being relatively small in a geographical sense, the city prides itself on its spirited, independent community with a wealth of fashion and footwear spots to explore, especially in the Northern Quarter.

For us to unearth some of the most authentic spots in Manchester, naturally, we had to reach out to Kian Patel who runs All Terrain 95, a fashion and footwear platform that has seen him travel across the world, but, you know what they say, there’s no place like home. With a particular emphasis on footwear and technical clothing, Kian’s style fits right at home in Manchester amongst like-minded people, as well as following in the steps of the same tastemakers that walked its streets 30 years before. 

His Guide 

• Mayfield Park – Slap bang in the city centre, this 6.5-acre green space provides a much-needed respite from the goings-on outside of this bubble. Providing a stark contrast between nature and manmade, Mayfield Park welcomes in the sky, open space, trees, the river Medlock and increased biodiversity in an ever-busy world. 
• NCP Car Park Stanley street – Looking for a place to park your car and do an impromptu photo shoot? This is the spot for you. 
• Northern Quarter – Epitomising Manchester into approximately 0.3sq/km, the Northern Quarter is home to a diverse range of bars, galleries and shops all within walking distance of each other. Whilst exploring the Northern Quarter, you’ll come across plenty of inspiring art pieces by locals and visitors. 
• Gone Fishing Vintage – Nestled in the aforementioned Northern Quarter, Gone Fishing Vintage is THE go-to spot when it comes to vintage Italian sportswear, featuring labels like Avirex and Stone Island. Even better, it is a locally run independent store that is up-cycling and reusing clothing that may otherwise be nonchalantly discarded. 
• Philadelphia Fried Chicken – This isn’t the first chicken shop to have housed a music video or photo shoot, that’s for sure, but it does provide some well-needed refreshments after a day trekking through the city with Merrell. According to Kian, it is home to the best burger in the city, the ‘Number 1 Spicy’. 

Lastly, we wanted to ask Kian what Manchester means to him, he responded with, ‘A Strong sense of community and culture that unite in sports, music and fashion. Manchester has inspired many of my hobbies with such a variety of geography there is always something to do, from shooting photography in the city to catching sunsets over the cityscape.’

This season Merrell ushers in a new lifestyle collection that fuses performance and authenticity. Featuring a curated collection of silhouettes that are optimized for all terrains, the unisex lifestyle range has been designed to naturally transition from city to summit.The instant classic, the Merrell Moab Speed Gore-Tex® SE, is introduced to the collection. This updated iteration of the Moab Speed franchise combines the innovative, trail ready aspects of the brand’s modern icon, with added updates to dial up the style’s lifestyle aesthetics.

Moab Speed Gore-Tex® SE

The Moab franchise extends further through the introduction of  the Merrell Moab Speed Storm Gore- Tex®, offering an updated upper, and later this summer, the unisex Merrell Moab Speed Storm Gore-Tex® BOA® featuring a BOA® Fit System dials in a fast, effortless, and precision fit. These silhouettes have been built to perform on the trail withstand the elements.

Moab Speed Storm Gore-Tex®

Moab Speed Storm Gore-Tex® BOA®

The SS23 lifestyle collection sees the introduction of the amphibious Merrell Hydro Runner – a model inspired by the cult favorite Merrell Hydro Moc. Designed for fast and light escapades around water, `the Merrell Hydro Runner features an EVA cage for a lightweight and flexible fit.

Hydro Runner

The all-new unisex Merrell Hut Ultra Wrap takes the brand’s distinguished comfort credentials to the next level. It features a sustainability-focused BLOOM® performance midsole foam made from algae biomass. The recycled webbing and flecks in the outsole constructed using eco-friendly, eco materials deliver maximum comfort.

Hut Ultra Wrap Coyote

Hut Ultra Wrap White

The refined range combines performance features ready for multi-faceted adventures. Explore the collection now.

A product advancement incubator where Merrell’s performance credentials are put to the test by leading trail athletes. The two latest models have been engineered for the specific challenges moving at speed through the wilderness can bring, and pushes the boundaries of trail running further from the beaten track.

First up is the MTL Long Sky 2, an aggressive all-terrain trail runner built to tackle a variety of environments which could be encountered in a single route. A quick drying construction that is packed with trail tech. Built with a Vibram® MegaGrip sole®, an internal locked-in bootie that maximizes grip on slippery ground, a lightweight FloatPro FoamTM midsole and 100% recycled TPU reinforcements form a tough layer of protection from outdoor hazards like rocks and bracken. The upper is made from a breathable mesh lining, recycled webbing on the tongue and reflective details for visibility in low light, making this model lightweight as well as tough. The ultimate goal of every versatile outdoor racing shoe.

Next is the MTL MQM, a hybrid model specially designed for tackling steep inclines with hazardous terrain. This approach model combines features taken from a climbing shoe and integrates them into a fast-moving trail runner. The model utilizes an internal bootie, 100% recycled laces & PU insole, and a lightweight high-rebound EVA foam midsole, expertly matched with a TPU waterproof shell and Rock Plate for added protection from the elements. The toe itself is taken from a climbing shoe allowing you to grip to rocks on the  ascent, reinforced by a Vibram® MegaGrip® outsole for traction on wet or dry surfaces.

Both the MTL MQM and the MTL Long Sky are available in exclusive Merrell 1TRL colourways online now.

An untamed cousin of some of the most divisive footwear around, taking its rightful place amongst the trails of the tundra.

For an aftersport model, the Winter Moc 3 1TRL is fitted with a considerable amount of tech. Featuring a hairy suede leather and textile upper, 100% recycled mesh collar and lining, and a removable PU foam insole. All matched with a Merrell sticky rubber outsole for a piece of footwear built specifically for the winter. 

This latest silhouette marks another expedition into new environments. Taking the versatile values and easy on, easy off ideals of the Jungle Moc and Hydro Moc and adapting them for a completely new biome. Bringing comfort to colder climbs.

A new backcountry staple created for the moments in between the snowy trails. The Winter Moc 3 1TRL is available online in Moonbeam, Herb, Black/Oyster and Chai. 

Shop the full range now