HAMMER TIME
Warning: Long Post (5,791 words to be exact).
Proceed at Your Own Damn Risk.
Are we going to throw rocks?
110% yes…and we’ve got a whole quarry to work with.
Are some people going to be offended?
Definitely…some folks get winded just by watching someone else carry a backbone.
Are others going to be fascinated, energized, and nodding like they just found religion?
You bet your ass.
Will a few people panic-scroll, clutch their pearls, and message their running buddies about “what Eric just posted”?
Guaranteed…popcorn not included, but recommended.
Will a few folks get their feelings hurt?
Yep. Feelings are free. Bandaids are not.
Will others feel seen, validated, and finally understood for the first time in ultra-running history?
Hell yes…welcome home!
Is this post going to rattle cages?
Cages? We’re taking down the whole damn zoo.
Will it expose the weak, the lazy, and the clipboard-wielding hobby bosses who peaked at their local 5K fun run?
Absolutely…sunshine is the best disinfectant.
Will it fire up the gritty, the loyal, the dirtbags, the lifers, the real ultrarunning tribe?
100%…this one’s for them.
Will some folks read this and instantly unfollow because their ego can’t handle a light breeze?
Good. The unfollow button on Facebook exists for a reason. Use it.
Will others bookmark it, quote it, screen-cap it, send it to their group chats, and treat it like scripture?
Fact.
Is this written for the people who “get it”?
Always. They’re the ones the sport was built on.
Is this written for the folks who don’t?
Nope. They can watch from the kiddie table.
Will anything in here be sugarcoated?
Not one molecule.
Will anything be ambiguous, soft, hesitant, or open to interpretation?
Zero chance…clarity is kindness, brutality is optional.
Will anyone walk away from this post unsure of where Epic Ultras stands?
Not if they can read a single sentence.
Are we about to redefine the tone, set the new standard, and draw a line in bedrock?
Yes…and once it’s carved, it’s not moving.
Because by the time you’re done reading this?
There will be no question…NONE…about who we are, what we’re building, and where this entire sport is about to go next.
MY NORTH STAR
THE EPIC ULTRAS MISSION
Before we go any further, before I drop the links, the proof, the history, the future, the sales, the disruption, the hammer…you need to understand one thing:
Everything you’re about to read is rooted in a single mission I wrote in July of 2012…and I have never changed one word of it:
“The primary mission of Epic Ultras is to organize, manage, facilitate and deliver the highest quality ultrarunning events in the world.
Our vision is to create an environment that strongly encourages ALL runners to discover & nurture their own greatness!”
That’s it.
That’s the spine.
The foundation.
The immovable pillar beneath every decision I make.
This is why I do things the way I do them.
This is why my races were what they were.
This is why people still talk about them a decade later.
This is why the energy has surged back the moment I resurfaced.
People ask me all the time:
“Eric, why do you say this?”
“Why do you do that?”
“What’s the method behind your madness?”
“Why the attention to detail?”
“Why the intensity?”
“Why the tone?”
“Why the fire?”
Here’s the bottom line:
Because every single thing I’ve ever done with Epic Ultras…every aid station, every medal, every shirt, every cutoff time, every volunteer, every finish-line moment, every email, every piece of communication, every logistical detail, every piece of branding, every standard I’ve ever set…ALL of it ties back to this one singular mission.
EVERYTHING!
That’s why nothing is accidental.
That’s why nothing is haphazard.
That’s why nothing is “good enough.”
If you ever ran one of my races, you already know this.
If you didn’t, you’re about to find out.
This mission statement isn’t a slogan.
It’s not corporate fluff.
It’s not something I wrote once and forgot.
It is the bedrock of who I am as a race director and what Epic Ultras stands for.
Everything that follows…the proof, the disruption, the sales, the urgency, the unapologetic tone, the new era we’re stepping into…ALL of it is founded on this one single mission.
If you understand this, everything else in this post, on this page will make perfect sense.
LET’S GET ONE THING STRAIGHT
I’ve said this in a number of posts before, and I’ll say it again right here at the top:
I’m not here to make friends.
I’m here to fulfill my primary mission…the mission you just read above.
Everything else is secondary.
Everything else is noise.
Gary Vaynerchuk said it best…famously, infamously, whatever label you want to slap on it:
“I can say whatever I want because nobody can fire me.”
And he’s right.
That line hit me the first time I heard it, and it hits me even harder today, because here’s the truth:
I speak freely because I own this.
I built this.
Nobody controls my voice.
Nobody edits my truth before it hits the page.
If you’re here, reading this, scrolling this, following this journey…understand something:
I’m not reporting to a board.
I’m not answering to a committee.
I’m not pleasing sponsors, donors, gatekeepers, or fragile egos.
I’m not here to tiptoe around anyone’s delicate sensibilities.
This is my platform.
This is my legacy.
This is my brand.
This is my mission in motion.
And if any of this rubs you the wrong way?
Once again, there is an unfollow button on Facebook for a reason.
Use it. Seriously. It’s right there.
No hard feelings.
No drama.
No exit interview.
Just tap it and move on.
Because I’m also going to remind you…politely, but directly:
This is my page.
I can post whatever the hell I want…and I will.
What I’m building is for the people who get it.
The ones who feel this.
The ones who resonate with the mission, the movement, the momentum, and the standard.
Not for the ones who need everything watered down, smoothed over, and approved by an imaginary HR department.
So now that we’re crystal clear on this?
We can continue.
A BRIEF HISTORY…AND THE RUMOR MILL THAT WENT FULL BATSHIT
Let’s rewind for a second.
Back in 2015, when I sold all the Epic Ultras races to a very reputable company, I was burnt the “F” out.
Not “tired.”
Not “needing a weekend off.”
I mean completely scorched earth, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically.
I didn’t know if I’d come back.
I didn’t know when I’d come back.
All I knew was I had to step away before I burned the whole damn thing to the ground with me still inside it.
And that’s when the rumor mill….exploded.
I’m talking full-tilt, unhinged, batshit-creative nonsense…the kind of stuff only bored people with empty lives, idle hands, and overactive imaginations could come up with.
In the span of a few months I supposedly:
- committed tax evasion
• went to prison
• fled the country
• joined a cult
• lost my mind
• got three people pregnant
• slept with someone’s mom
• slept with someone’s dog
• slept with someone’s anything that walked past me
I heard it all!
And here’s the crazy part…
If you think the rumor mill doesn’t work, you’re living in a fantasy world.
What blew my mind wasn’t the rumors…it was how FAST they got back to me.
People forget something:
Epic Ultras had a tribe. A real one.
People talked.
People listened.
People watched.
And people reported back to me at light speed.
I’d hear rumors about myself before the person spreading them even closed their laptop.
And anytime someone tried to take a public swing at me or Epic Ultras on Facebook …
my runners, my loyal diehards, my crew, my family-in-the-sport…
they’d swarm those threads and shut that shit down before I even saw it.
It was wild.
It was exhausting.
It was enlightening.
But the deeper truth?
I wasn’t gone because of rumors, or drama, or bullshit stories.
I wasn’t hiding.
I wasn’t spiraling.
I wasn’t doing anything except recovering from years of pouring my entire heart and soul into our beloved sport.
I stepped away because I needed to step away.
And now…
After years of silence…
After years of people wondering, guessing, assuming, talking out of their asses…
After years of people thinking Epic Ultras had faded into the rear view…
You’ve spent the last few months watching your news-feed get dominated…again…by a level of momentum nobody saw coming.
You’ve seen the teasers, the reports, the stats, the returns, the resurrection.
This isn’t a rumor.
This isn’t speculation.
This isn’t mythical “Eric might be back” talk.
I’m here.
I’m back.
And I’m building something bigger, louder, sharper, and more undeniable than anything Epic Ultras has ever done.
Everything you’ve seen in the last 60–90 days is just the beginning.
And thanks to the overwhelming proof we’ve already dropped…
stats, reports, server data, history ..
you don’t have to guess anymore.
You can see it.
You can feel it.
This is not a return.
This is a rebirth.
THE HERE AND NOW…AND A HARD LINE IN THE SAND
Over the past couple of months, as Epic Ultras 2.0 has erupted back into the spotlight and the numbers have gone ballistic, I’ve received a tidal wave of positive messages…encouragement, celebration, support, excitement, loyalty, and a whole lot of “Holy shit, he’s REALLY back.”
But not all of it has been positive.
And that’s fine, I’ve learned not to take anything personal in this business…disagreement and debate are natural.
Critique is natural.
Hell, even a little friction is natural.
But let me be crystal clear:
Alongside all the excitement and support, I’ve also received a handful of jabs, snipes, pot-shots, and cheap digs…
some delivered through direct messages…
some through email…
and a few that have crossed the line into harassment, intimidation, or straight-up defamatory bullshit.
So I’m addressing it here, now, and once and for all.
This isn’t drama.
This isn’t gossip.
This isn’t vaguebooking.
This is simply me drawing a boundary that should’ve never needed to be drawn in the first place.
Because while I’ll always welcome conversation, criticism, feedback, or questions…
I will not tolerate malicious attacks, fabricated narratives, fear-mongering, or the kind of cowardly shit people only send from behind a keyboard.
Period.
Full stop.
End of discussion.
THE LEGAL REALITY…AND WHY YOU SHOULD THINK TWICE
Let me make something else extremely clear…not as a threat, not as bluster, but as a matter of fact:
I am represented by Riling Burkhead & Nitcher in Lawrence, Kansas…the oldest continuously operating law firm in the entire state.
Not one attorney.
Not one specialty.
A team.
Tax.
Business.
Contracts.
Defamation.
Litigation.
Personal matters.
Digital matters.
Everything in between.
Whatever situation I’m dealing with…personal, professional, or a messy combination of both…I have the exact legal firepower I need within arm’s reach.
And trust me when I tell you:
I will use it if I have to.
I’m not putting up with harassment.
I’m not putting up with intimidation.
I’m not putting up with defamatory bullshit dressed up as “opinions.”
Not now.
Not ever.
And since a few people seem fuzzy on how the internet works, let me also clarify something else:
Whenever you visit my website…
Whenever you fill out a form…
Whenever you click a link…
Whenever you send anything through email…
Your IP address is logged.
Your device fingerprints are logged.
Your timestamps are logged.
That’s not “Eric being dramatic.”
That’s standard server behavior.
So if you think you’re going to fire shots from the shadows…
If you think anonymity protects you…
If you think you can sling shit without consequences…
You might want to rethink your strategy.
Because if someone crosses a line,
my response will be swift,
professional,
and as aggressive as the law allows.
This is not me posturing.
This is not me “acting tough.”
This is called protecting myself, my company, my mission, and my community.
Play stupid games…and the legal system will happily hand out the prizes.
“Who the hell does this guy think he is?”
By this point, I know exactly what a few of you are thinking.
You’re scrolling, shaking your head, muttering under your breath:
“Who the hell does this guy think he is?”
Well…
it’s simple:
I’m Eric MotherF**king Steele.
Period. Full stop.
And here’s the funny part…
I didn’t give myself that nickname.
A couple of my closest newfound ultrarunning buddies branded me with it years ago at one of the most well-known ultras in the country.
That morning, before pre-race briefing, we were standing around talking shop.
They mentioned the legends they admired…a couple of the ones they’d always wanted to meet…and I told them:
“Stick with me tonight. I’ll introduce you.”
They laughed.
They thought I was full of shit.
They thought I was talking big.
But that evening, when we walked into the packed pre-race meeting…
standing room only, hundreds of runners, crew, and volunteers…
I walked them straight over to two of the most respected names in the sport…
…and introduced them like it was nothing.
Their jaws didn’t just drop.
They hit the floor.
By the time we walked out of that room, they weren’t calling me Eric anymore.
They were calling me:
Eric MotherF**king Steele.
And the name stuck.
Not because of ego.
Not because I chased it.
But because people who actually know me…
people who’ve watched me show up, lead from the front, put in the work, do the impossible, and deliver every time…
they’ve seen who the hell I am.
So when you see the tone of this post…
When you see the confidence…
When you see me calling my shot without flinching…
Understand:
This isn’t bluster.
This isn’t a midlife crisis.
This isn’t bravado.
I’m an individual with history, receipts, reputation, and results.
Now…with that out of the way…
let’s move from story to proof.
The next section?
This is where the numbers start hitting like freight trains…
and where anyone still wondering “Who does he think he is?”
gets their answer in cold, server-side data.
Let’s drop the stats.
THE RECEIPTS: Cold, Hard, No-Wiggle-Room Proof
Now that we’ve cleared the air about who the hell I am…
let’s talk about why the momentum is what it is, and why this entire sport is suddenly buzzing again.
**First up ..the one nobody saw coming:
Web Server-side proof. The real kind.
I’m talking about raw AWStats data straight off my server…
not screenshots, not Canva bullshit, not “trust me, bro” marketing fluff.
This is behind-the-scenes traffic eruption in real time, the kind of numbers you cannot fake without a PhD in forensic pixel manipulation.
👉 Epic Ultras 2.0 Web-Server Stats (Cold, Unfiltered Proof)
If you haven’t clicked that link yet, do it.
Bring a helmet.
It hits like a punch in the face delivered by truth itself.
And in case you missed the other two pillars of proof…
Because some of you are brand new, and some of you haven’t fully connected the dots yet…
👉 Historical Epic Ultras Participation Stats (2013–2015)
The numbers that showed EXACTLY how hard we dominated before the first hiatus.
👉 Top 10 Dead Giveaways of a Shitty Ultra
The manifesto that explains EXACTLY why our standards are what they are.
Together?
These three pages form the Trifecta of “Argue With This And You’ll Look Stupid” Evidence.
Past dominance.
Current momentum.
And the philosophy that ties it all together.
And…here’s one more, for your “reading pleasure” if you so choose:
👉Epic Ultras Official Security Policy
NOW THAT THE HOUSE-CLEANING IS DONE…LET’S GET TO THE GOOD STUFF
Alright…
Now that we’ve gotten all the necessary house-cleaning out of the way…
the mission…
the boundaries…
the facts…
the history…
the receipts…
and the truth hitting as hard as a Tyson right-hook…
it’s finally time for the fun part!
Because the next section isn’t about rumor control…
or clarifying my voice…
or shutting down bullshit.
This next part is about what’s coming.
And more importantly…
What opens TONIGHT.
Historical Cowtown Ultra Race Series (Round #1) opens to the general public by Midnight (CST) tonight.
Our seven-day member-only window has officially closed…
and by Midnight (CST) tonight, the doors will swing wide open.
And before we get into the registrations, the caps, the pricing, the perks, and the upcoming race sequence…
We’re going to lay out, in simple, undeniable terms:
How Epic Ultras 2.0 actually works now…
What makes this era different from everything before it.
Why being a Member matters more than ever.
Why FOMO is not hype…it’s math.
How the our race ecosystem is intentionally designed.
What runners can expect in 2026…2027…and beyond
And then…
I’m going to drop the MAJOR one differentiator…
the sledgehammer nobody in the ultrarunning world has ever had the guts or vision to implement.
The thing that will change the relationship between runners and and ultra-races forever…at least ours anyway.
This next stretch is where the momentum becomes real, tangible, undeniable.
If you’ve been watching the past two months and wondering,
“What is Steele cooking?”
You’re about to find out.
- Early-Bird Bullshit? Not Here. Ever.
Let’s get this straight right out of the gate:
I don’t play the early-bird discount bullshit game.
Never have, never will.
If you’re a Member, you automatically get what everyone else is out there chasing with coupon codes, countdown timers, and panic emails:
$50 off every single Epic Ultras race you gain entry into…no exceptions
A seven-day Members-only registration window before the general public even smells the starting line.
That is your early bird.
You want the perk?
Buy the membership.
It’s clean.
It’s honest.
It’s transparent.
And it rewards the people who actually support what we’re building.
Memberships are $100 through December 31st, if they last.
On January 1st, they go up to $200, permanently.
Most important part?
It’s not even about the discount.
It’s the access.
Seven full days of a guaranteed shot of entry… exclusive priority before the rest of the world fights over limited-capacity races.
That’s the real value.
We don’t play games.
We don’t dangle fake urgency.
We reward loyalty.
That’s how Epic Ultras does early bird:
you get a full 7-Day shot first, and you pay less…automatically.
Everyone else? They can stand in line, if one even exists after our members get first shot.
All-In Pricing”? Cute. We Actually Mean ALL-INCLUSIVE.
Now let’s address the next industry-wide circus:
This whole new marketing buzzword…“all-in pricing.”
I’ve dug into this.
I’ve researched hundreds of races in the past two months.
And let me tell you something:
Most of what’s being called “all-in” is borderline truth-in-advertising.
You see a price in massive 24- or 28-point type…
and then buried down in the fine print are the add-on fees, processing fees, registration fees, platform fees…
Before you know it, the price jumps 15% to 18%…sometimes more.
That’s not “all-in.”
That’s bait-and-switch fine-print bullshit.
So here’s how I do it:
When I post a price, that’s the price.
Period.
No fees. No add-ons. No surprises.
The number you see is the number you pay.
Why?
Because all-inclusive actually means something.
It means the advertised price is the real actual price, including all state sales tax, Stripe processing fees, and whatever other kind of BS is added on, etc.
Epic Ultras does not play shell games.
We don’t nickel-and-dime runners.
We don’t hide charges in the basement of the registration form.
My pricing is exactly what it claims to be:
all-inclusive.
Everything built in.
Everything transparent.
And guess what?
Runners appreciate honesty more than hype.
After the Member Window Closes: Speed Wins. Period.
Once the seven-day Members-only window closes, here’s how I run the game:
I may offer a small discount to the general public…but it will never exceed the $50 Members already get.
Not once. Not ever.
Maybe it’s $25.
Maybe it’s 10%.
Maybe it’s the same $50…
if I decide it fuels the launch the right way.
But here’s the unbreakable rule:
Any public-facing discount is ALWAYS tied to speed.
Always.
It’ll go to:
The first 10 signups
Or the first 15
Or the first 20–25
Whatever number I choose…at my discretion…because I reward early adopters, decisive movers, and people who step into the arena fast.
Always have, always will. Just ask any of the past Epic Ultras competitors…it is how I have always rolled.
No never-ending discount windows.
No “fake urgency” tactics.
No countdown-timer clowns.
Move first, get rewarded.
Move slow, pay full boat like everyone else.
And when those limited fast-mover slots vanish?
Boom…full all-inclusive pricing kicks in instantly.
OR…
You can skip every bit of that gamble and lock the whole damn thing down by grabbing a Membership for $100 before the end of the year (or before they’re gone).
Do that ONE thing, and you win on every front:
MEMBERS GET ALL THIS, AUTOMATICALLY:
$50 off EVERY Epic Ultras race…all year long
Seven-day Members-only registration window before our “house-list” or public even has a chance
$20 merchandise credit in the Epic Ultras store
20% standing discount on all Epic Ultras apparel & merch, year-round
Full 2026 subscription to the quarterly EPIC ULTRAS Magazine
Access to the Members-Only Area launching January 2026
Private updates, race drops, special offers, and surprises BEFORE anything hits the public feed
Priority access to limited-edition items, camps, clinics, and future event registration
Guaranteed first shot at race signups before races even sniff the general public
In other words:
Membership solves every problem instantly, permanently, and automatically.
No guessing.
No hoping you’re early enough.
No watching other runners beat you into the race while you’re still refreshing the page.
With Membership?
Your seat is reserved.
Your discount is locked.
Your first-shot at access is guaranteed.
THE NO-VOLUNTEER POLICY…NON-NEGOTIABLE. BUILT INTO OUR DNA.
Let me make something crystal..clear, because this has been one of my bedrock principles since the day I founded Epic Ultras in July 2012:
There are NO volunteers at Epic Ultras.
Never have been.
Never will be.
We are a for-profit company, and if a business is generating revenue, then human beings supporting that business deserve to be paid for their time, period.
At every Epic Ultras event in the past, anyone who worked for us was remunerated in one of two ways:
Comped race entries to other Epic Ultras events if they were runners.
A fair, negotiated hourly rate if they weren’t.
No ambiguity.
No smoke and mirrors.
No “Thanks for helping, here’s a T-shirt.”
No pretending that free labor is acceptable in a for-profit enterprise.
And this is where some people in this sport need a wake-up call:
⭐ If you’re putting on a for-profit race, and you’re pocketing money, while leaning on “volunteers” to do the labor…you’re clowning the game.
Plain and simple.
McDonald’s doesn’t run on volunteer fry cooks.
Pizza Hut doesn’t ask people to hand out breadsticks “for the love of the brand.”
So why the hell would any runner believe it’s acceptable for a for-profit race director to build a profitable event on unpaid labor?
Answer: It’s not.
And yes…
I’ve seen this exact bullshit in the industry more times than I care to count.
We’re not naming names, because we don’t have to.
Anyone who’s been around knows exactly what I’m talking about.
On the non-profit side?
Totally different story…and totally cool.
Non-profits run on volunteers because the entire organization is volunteer-driven.
That’s exactly what “volunteer” means.
But at Epic Ultras?
⭐ We are a professional organization.
⭐ We pay professionals to deliver a professional experience.
This is how you ensure:
Consistent customer service
Accountability
Standards
Reliability
Pride in the role
And an overall race experience that doesn’t depend on who “feels like showing up” or who happens to be in a good mood that morning
When someone is paid to uphold a position, they show up differently…
because it’s their job, not a favor.
This is exactly why Epic Ultras events have always had a reputation for being tight, efficient, reliable, and dialed-the..in.
Our runners deserve nothing less.
Our brand demands nothing less.
And our mission…the one carved in bedrock…requires nothing less.
⭐THE GUARANTEE NOBODY ELSE IN THIS SPORT HAS EVER HAD THE GUTS TO OFFER…UNTIL NOW! ⭐
Let’s cut straight through the noise:
Epic Ultras is implementing a money-back guarantee.
Not a “partial credit,”
not a “future discount,”
not a “we’ll think about it” scenario,
not a loophole-riddled corporate policy.
A real one.
A direct, transparent, risk-reversal guarantee…
with clear conditions, clearly stated,
and fully outlined on the Cowtown Ultras registration form
when it goes live after 9PM(CST) tonight.
I’m not spelling out every detail here,
but here’s what does matter:
The entire reason this guarantee exists is simple:
I “hardcore” believe in what we deliver more than anyone else in this sport.
I thoroughly trust the absolutely unforgettable experience we provide.
And I’m willing to back it up.
No committees.
No boards.
No nonprofit red tape.
No “industry standard” excuses.
Just confidence, accountability, and real-skin in the game.
Nobody else has ever offered a guarantee like this because they can’t.
They don’t control enough variables,
they don’t have the operational chops,
and they sure as hell don’t have the conviction.
Epic Ultras does.
And if anyone thinks this won’t shake the entire industry,
they’re not paying attention.
Want the full details?
They’ll be live on the registration form tonight.
Clear.
Simple.
No fine-print games.
Nothing hidden.
Just a guarantee that proves one thing above all else:
We’re not scared to back our work.
Because we actually know how to deliver.
⭐ THE MARKETING STACK…AND WHY WHAT YOU’VE SEEN SO FAR WAS JUST STAGE ONE ⭐
Let’s clear something up right now…
If you think what you’ve seen from Epic Ultras these past two months has been “full throttle,”
you are wildly underestimating what’s actually happening.
Everything you’ve witnessed…the posts, the buzz, the spike in traffic, the chatter pouring through the Midwest…
that was Stage One.
And for Stage One, we kept it simple, contained, and intentional.
Here’s exactly what we did:
- We targeted only the Midwest on Facebook.
Not the coasts.
Not the mountain states.
Not national.
Not international. - We targeted only our historical tribe through email.
Past runners.
People who signed up through our forms.
People already familiar with the brand. - We kept ad spend tight, disciplined, and calculated.
Yes, we used ad dollars.
We always will.
That’s called business.
As the old-school greats say:
“Advertising doesn’t cost ..it pays.”
And I can say that confidently because:
I’ve been involved in direct marketing my entire life.
I wrote, fully-developed, and taught an Internet Marketing Course at Butler County Community College back in 2000, that is still being offered to this very day.
I’ve studied and applied more marketing frameworks than most people even know exist.
Everything you’ve seen so far was designed to do ONE THING:
Give the Midwest and the historic Epic Ultras tribe the first chance to get on board.
Before the national wave hits.
Before the coasts see what’s happening.
Before the international crowd wakes up.
This was the opening salvo…nothing more.
And now?
Now we move into the next phases…
⭐ THE MARKETING STACK…AND WHY WE’VE BARELY EVEN TOUCHED THE GAS ⭐
Let’s clear something up right out of the gate:
If you’ve been watching your feed explode with Epic Ultras posts for the past couple months and thinking:
“These guys must be in full sales mode…”
Think again.
For nearly two straight months:
We didn’t ask you for a single damn thing.
Not a dollar.
Not a signup.
Not a sale.
Nothing.
We weren’t selling…we were SIGNALING.
Re-establishing our brand.
Rebuilding our aura.
Dropping lore.
Reawakening the tribe.
The very first time we asked you for anything was ONE WEEK AGO when we opened:
Membership sales
With massive member benefits
Including a $50 discount at every race
A seven-day early-entry window
And more perks than anyone else in the sport even attempts
One week.
That’s it.
Everything before that was pure value, pure presence, pure dominance.
And now that we’ve made that clear…
Let me show you the stack we’re only now beginning to unleash.
⭐ PHASE TWO…FACEBOOK GOES NATIONAL (AND COASTAL) ⭐
For two full months, our Facebook targeting was locked to the Midwest.
Why?
Because historically:
60% of our runners came from the Midwest
The other 40% came from everywhere else
Ultrarunners will travel anywhere for something unique…
especially for something historic like the Cowtown Ultra Series-Round 1 we’re opening tonight.
Phase Two is simple:
We ignite Facebook ads across the entire United States, specifically to the ultramarathon interest group on Facebook.
Coast to coast.
Border to border.
What you’ve seen so far is a fraction of what’s coming.
⭐ PHASE THREE…SMS DETONATION ⭐
Let this sink in:
We haven’t sent a single SMS blast…yet,
ZERO.
Our opted-in SMS list is nearly identical to our email list ..
around 3,800 runners.
In 2025, SMS is:
Faster than email
Higher converting than social
Instant
Direct
And brutally effective
When that first text hits inboxes,
it’s going to feel like a shockwave running through the sport.
And yes ..
we’ve intentionally saved it.
⭐ PHASE FOUR…PRINT ADVERTISING RETURNS ⭐
From 2012 to 2015, Epic Ultras regularly appeared in:
UltraRunning Magazine
Hammer Nutrition News
We are actively evaluating returning to both.
Print STILL works…
especially in ultrarunning, where people share magazines, keep them, reread them, and treat them like artifacts.
Another channel we haven’t even touched yet.
⭐ PHASE FIVE ..DIRECT MAIL (THE DARK HORSE) ⭐
This is where most race directors are totally lost.
Our house database includes USPS-standardized addresses for about 70% of our runners.
And unlike most people in this sport:
I spent 30 years in the direct mail industry, working with national giants like:
Firestone
Midas International
And multiple major retail chains
This means:
I know how to segment.
I know how to target.
I know how to pull response.
And I know how to do it cheaply.
Mailing to a couple thousand runners doesn’t cost thousands of dollars.
And ultra runners READ real mail.
We haven’t even started mailing yet.
⭐ PHASE SIX…INTERNET TV / OTT ADVERTISING (THE NUCLEAR OPTION) ⭐
Streaming ads in 2025 are:
Dirt cheap
Hyper-targeted
Available by ZIP code
Deployable across multiple platforms
And insanely effective
Imagine seeing a Cowtown Ultra Race Series promo on Roku, Hulu, Sling, or YouTubeTV…
Not nationwide…
but only in the exact regions we want.
It’s surgical.
It’s disruptive.
And nobody else in ultrarunning is even in this universe.
And again…
We haven’t even launched this channel…yet!
⭐ THE REALITY: WE HAVE BARELY EVEN STARTED ⭐
Let this hit you the way it’s meant to hit:
For two months we:
Didn’t push national ads
Didn’t send SMS
Didn’t run print
Didn’t run TV
Didn’t run direct mail
Didn’t sell anything except ONE WEEK of membership offers
We built pressure.
We built tension.
We built momentum.
We let the field talk, speculate, panic, and react.
And now?
We’re finally beginning the real rollout.
If this is what Phase One looked like…
Phase Two through Six are going to feel like an earthquake.
And Now… A Shift You Probably Didn’t See Coming
We’ve covered the mission.
We’ve covered the history.
We’ve covered the haters, the rumor mill, the legal boundaries, the operational backbone, the marketing stack, the member structure, and the guarantees nobody else in this sport has ever had the guts to offer.
Everything you’ve read up to this point is the steel, the structure, the straight-line proof of what Epic Ultras stands for…and what we refuse to compromise on.
But here’s the part most people miss about me, about Epic Ultras, and about this entire movement that’s now erupting across your feeds:
As intense as I am…
as savage as my copy gets…
as hard as I push…
there’s a heart under all of it.
A very real one.
Because at the end of the day…underneath the grit, the disruption, the proof, the fire…
it all comes from a place of wanting every runner whoever participates in an Epic Ultras Event to feel alive, connected, supported, and part of something bigger than themselves!
And that’s why what I’m about to say next might surprise the hell out of you…
Some of you already know this, some of you don’t, but I’ll say it plainly:
P!nk is my all-time favorite female rocker since Pat Benatar.
And trust me…I saw Pat live five or six times back in the day.
So yeah…I’m that old, and I know a powerhouse when I see one.
Now let me get this out of the way upfront, because I believe in honesty even when it isn’t convenient:
I don’t agree with some of P!nk’s political views.
Not even close on a few of them.
But here’s the thing…
they’re her business.
Just like mine are mine.
And, just for the record…since some of you will wonder sooner or later…
I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Libertarian and have been for most of my adult life.
If you don’t know what that means, go do your research.
But I don’t drag politics into Epic Ultras, because this movement isn’t about left or right…
it’s about heart, grit, freedom, and personal damn responsibility.
Which brings me to the curveball:
For all the fire and fury of this post, for all the data and all the disruption and all the proof we’ve put on the table…
The song that has been on repeat for me…literally 683 plays this year alone…is P!nk & her daughter Willow’s “Cover Me in Sunshine.”
Yeah.
That one.
I’ve had it looping for hours while writing this today, and here’s why:
Despite everything happening in the world…
despite the noise, the critics, the rumors, the stress, the grind, the rebuild…
this song cuts right through it with one simple truth:
There’s still beauty.
There’s still hope.
There’s still connection.
And there’s still sunlight worth standing in.
P!nk’s backstory, her resilience, her fire, her honesty, her guts…all of it…resonates with me in ways most people would never expect when they see the savage side of what we do here.
But that’s the point.
Epic Ultras has always been both things:
The fire and the heart.
The punch and the warmth.
The grit and the sunshine.
And that’s why this song hits me right in the soul every time.
And with that…
I’m stepping out onto my front porch here in Wichita, Kansas…and yeah, it’s a damn gorgeous December evening…to sip a hot cup of coffee, fire up a fat cigar (rare occasion, but this evening earns it), and cue up one of the greatest tracks ever written:
“The Long Run”…The Eagles.
Because if you know, you know:
“Who is gonna make it?
We’ll find out in the long run…”
That’s the whole game right there!
Not the loudest.
Not the flashiest.
Not the ones talking the most shit in the shadows.
The ones who endure.
The ones who build.
The ones who outlast.
The ones who show up again and again and again.
That’s Epic Ultras 2.0.
That’s our movement.
That’s the road ahead!