Gripped Inc. launches all-Canadian running magazine

Gripped Inc., the Toronto publishing company that brought out Gripped: The Climbing Magazine in 1999, Triathlon Magazine Canada in 2006, is launching Canadian Running Magazine. It's intended to serve the estimated one million runners in Canada with all-Canadian content. A six-issue sub costs $17.95.

“This is the first running magazine that is truly dedicated to all levels of runners in the Great White North, from St. John’s to Ottawa to Victoria,” says editor-in-chief Michal Kapral in a release. “At last, Canadians can read about the best running routes, the excellent races, the most influential and up-and-coming runners, inspirational stories, winter running tips, and running news – in Canada! Oh, and running programs in kilometres, not miles!”

The editorial team are all runners: Kapral (known as The Joggler) won the Toronto Marathon in 2002 with a personal best time of 2:30:40, holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon while juggling (2:50:09) (that's him at left), and is a sponsored athlete. Senior editor Kevin Mackinnon is an accomplished runner, triathlete and coach, and the editor of Triathlon Magazine Canada. Senior editor Alex Hutchinson represented Canada at the World Championships. Publisher Sam Cohen is a life-long runner who will focus on 5K and 10K races in 2008. Publisher and editorial director Dave Chaundy-Smart is a passionate runner who completed his first and second marathons two weeks apart last fall.

“Our editorial team is led by accomplished runners who are tapped into the running community,” says Gripped Inc. publisher Cohen. “We found the right people and ran with them. And hey, the first issue speaks for itself.”

He says the Canadian running magazine market has significant room for growth. U.S. publication Runner’s World sells about 25,000 subscriptions in Canada and 10,000 copies on newsstands – with total U.S. sales of 600,000. Based on population – Canada has one-tenth the population of the U.S. – Canadian Running Magazine has the potential to reach 60,000 Canadian subscriptions.

The new magazine will appear on newsstands in Ontario on February 21, Quebec on February 25, and the rest of the country on February 26.