Today we’d like to introduce you to Lucas Hathaway.
Hi Lucas, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Runur was founded in 2020. We started because we saw a need for a product that just didn’t exist in the running world. I fell in love with the sport of running in 2017, while running the NYC Marathon. It was everything a race should be. I was attracted to the sport, the community, the feeling of accomplishing something hard. I had completed races before this one, but the NYC Marathon was what changed things for me.
I was a cross-country runner in high school and had always enjoyed running. In 2012, I got in a violent motorcycle wreck. I was hit going through an intersection and my whole life changed in an instant. I was a personal trainer at the time, in peak physical condition and I thought I was invincible. Within two weeks, I lost fifteen pounds and over the next six months, I sank deeper and deeper into a personal depression. It seemed like everything in my life was falling apart and everything I tried to do only made my mental health worse. From that dark place, I found freedom in talking to a counselor and have been a huge advocate for mental health ever since.
From that low point, I found freedom in letting go of all the losses and focusing on the incredible blessings all around me. We tend to have a mental “Wins and losses” score card and when the losses get too great, we make it so much bigger than it needs to be. The wins are simple – waking up in the morning, food on the table, etc. We take so many of those seemingly little things granted and if we focus on the blessings around us, we are exponentially happier.
Fast forward five years and running started to become who I was. I went from someone who runs every once in a while to a RUNUR. The stoic philosophy of rejoicing in suffering and embracing the good and the bad completely changed my life. Running gave me direction in life and helped me to focus on getting a little better every day. I ran the 2017 NYC marathon, the 2018 Chicago marathon, and the 2019 Berlin Marathon. By 2020, I started realizing the running gear was not sufficient for the miles I was putting in and my shorts were holding me back from having comfortable long runs.
During Covid, I started reaching out to suppliers and started working to build a better pair of shorts from scratch. I came up with a running short design that has changed the way I run and works to essentially eliminate chafing. Chafing is a huge concern on long distance runs and something so many runners struggle with. We launched on Kickstarter at the end of 2021 and really haven’t looked back! I ran the 2021 Boston Marathon, 2022 London Marathon, and just finished the 2023 Tokyo Marathon to become a Six Star Finisher of The Abbott World Marathon Majors. Through all of these races, my Runur shorts put in the work with me and didn’t let me down!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Just like life, starting a company has never been or will never be a smooth road. There are daily challenges, but that’s what makes it fun.
I am not a fashion designer. I have no experience in manufacturing or product design. I don’t have a marketing degree or a social media education. I am not a web designer. Really, every part of this company is out of my comfort zone. Each day brings new challenges, with new opportunities to overcome them.
So many people let the fear of the unknown stop them from ever really starting. School generally teaches us that failure is the opposite of success, but it’s really the path to it. My recommendation is to start quickly and fail faster. The more failure you experience, the more success is waiting for you.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Runur Athletics?
At Runur Athletics we are aiming to make a pair of running shorts to outlast your longest run.
Nothing about running is easy. The training hours are lonely. The weather changes quickly. Your body rebels against taking the road less traveled. Yet, in those moments, you unlock a side of yourself you didn’t even know existed. There is no ego, no doubt, no self-judgment. It’s just you and the road ahead.
When I started running marathons and ultras, I had no idea what was involved in the process. I had no idea that I was capable of the mental and physical transformation that has occurred. And I definitely had no idea where to find the apparel that I needed to ensure my journey was comfortable and efficient.
I started out seeking to solve the problem of chafing for myself. Now, I want to share my design and help all runners at any experience level go the distance. After running over 2,000 miles in my design (100 of those miles done within the same 24 hours at a 100 mile race!), I am confident these shorts will withstand whatever obstacle you throw at them. It’s time to feel the power of your own strength.
At Runur, we celebrate the real you. The road warrior. The up-at-five and out the door trudger. The trailblazer. The late-night and still-out-here Runur. Our running shorts won’t back down. They’re tough and bold. Just like you. No matter how you run ur run, run it well.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success for most people is binary. It’s one thing or the other. They see it as money if they don’t have any or they see it as sales numbers if they haven’t sold anything.
I see winning as success in every area of your life. Can we all just get off social media for a few minutes and stop comparing ourselves to the latest influencer we see? Success is deeply personal and until you define exactly what you want in your life, you will always just be chasing the next thing.
If you gain the whole world but lose your soul, are you really better off? Do you want the lives of the people you are chasing? Certain athletes have won a lot of games, but I certainly don’t want their lifestyle. Billionaires and CEOs have built mega empires but do they have what you want? Do they have the love of family? Do they have peace?
Success for me is enough money to live comfortably, enough time to travel when I want, the love of family and friends, and a pursuit that means something to me.
Until you define it for yourself, you will never know if you are successful and you will constantly compare yourself to others with no satisfaction of your own successes. The moment you define what success means to you is the moment you can start making goals to get there.
Contact Info:
- Website: Runur.run
- Instagram: Runur.run
