Over the last 3 years there are 3 things that grew at a faster rate than anything else in the entire world. This is a fact and I will name them for you (the reader): quantum computing, the sport of running, and moodboard accounts on instagram.  

If you're familiar with the last 2, you may have seen the work of Chris Flannel at Runner's Highest.  This account has consistently, and tastefully, continued to have its finger squarely on the pulse of the collective running world conscious. For the past 4 years, Chris has been a custodian of what is sacred, a guardian of what is holy, an archivist of what has came, and steward for what is to come in this running game. We are lucky to have been featured a few times. 

We connected with Chris for conversation about running and his work. 

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Christian, please introduce yourself and give us a scene report. Where do you hail from, where are you right this moment, what’s going on?

Hey! Nice to meet you! I’m Chris, 37 years old, born and raised in Germany. I've been living in Frankfurt for almost 10 years now. Not always the first [choice for tourists] but situated just in the heart of Europe, you’ll make it to Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Munich or the Alps in just around 4 hours - fair deal! Right now I'm looking forward to getting miles and altitude in Transgrancanaria [Spain] in late February!

There’s obviously a sturdy handful of running curator accounts that have been popping up recently, but RH has been around for a minute... When did you start the account, what was going on in the scene at that time, and what inspired it all? Do you remember your first post?

Yes, the number is growing as we speak. I started Runners Highest in mid-2020, right when the pandemic hit Europe and the first lockdown took place. Back then, I called it Click Click Run (mimicking the pistol at the start), and the original idea was to avoid annoying my friends with more and more running content. And so it began. I wasn’t really 'part of a scene,' to be honest; it was loose contacts from the internet, some old friends from the sneaker community, and my running friends in Frankfurt. I can remember my first post: it was an on-feet shot of the Nike Epic React—I really loved that shoe! Generally, I posted so much Nike, especially Nike Trail, as they had just released the Pegasus Trail, and I really liked that one. And Gyakusou—I had some older stuff, and people seemed to like that 'archival' perspective. I posted lots of vintage ads, 80s shots of celebs in running gear, and stuff like that. But already in 2020, some brands had running-related collabs: Asics and Reigning Champ, for example; Adidas x Universal Works (and Wood Wood), Hoka x Engineered Garments, and some more. But what we call 'community' now was by far not as large as it is today.

TURBO ROUND INTERMISSION

• Favorite race: Everything UTMB Mont Blanc in Chamonix! 

• Favorite shoe: Asics Novablast (1-5 actually)

• Favorite restaurant: i’m a simple person. Give me a good sandwich, a burger or a spicy Ramen! 

• Favorite cafe: Drei Kaffeebar Frankfurt

• Favorite artist right now: Tyler, the Creator 

• Dream cultural experience: i’d love to re-learn French and i’d love to live “somewhere” else for a while 

So much to curate, so little time. Out of all the #content generated from around the running world, how do you select what feature on your account? How much of what you’re putting up is made with your own two eyes (and camera)?

To be honest, it has to 'click' with me. There are no general rules. Sometimes it's a certain newness, sometimes a special collaboration, but most times it's the content. I really love good shots, but at the same time, I love an authentic 'snap.' I try to have as much of my own content as possible on Runners Highest—which is obviously not always possible. But right now, it's around 1 in 3 posts, I think, more when it comes to stories.

Social media do be changing everything, huh? In what ways do you think platforms like Instagram have altered the landscape of the running world (in the non-obvious ways)? Does this trend continue, is there a bubble about to burst, what’s your take?

As in every sphere, social media has a good and a bad side. I mean, Runners Highest wouldn’t be here as it is if it weren’t for social media. I wouldn’t have met hundreds of amazing people from all over the world, many of whom I’d call friends now. It brought me to places, allowed me to run races... but yeah, on the other hand, it can get a bit toxic. I can see it in the comments sometimes—not so much under my posts, but there’s definitely some bitterness in the comments of people. Also, and this is quite personal, I tend to feel a fear of missing out—and that even more since the page grew over the past years and I got invited to stuff from time to time. There was a time I wanted to be at every event, post at every time during day and night. Well, that changed; I have a family now, and I’ve learned to prioritize better. Most times, at least!

We were recently both quoted in the same article about running in the fashion biz (or maybe fashion in the running biz). “As the hype gets bigger it instantly creates new players. Right now, running and running culture is in a place where everyone has their own spot if they want one.” We love this mentality. Can you elaborate more on it?

Thanks for bringing that up. To be honest, I don’t think I was misunderstood, but if I recall correctly, I referred to the Berlin Marathon with that take. Some people were annoyed by like two dozen shakeout runs and several events around the marathon, and I said, 'Well, I don’t really mind, as there’s a place for everyone right now.' But still, I think you could translate that into a running community sphere but also into brands and the industry. We have lots of small (and upcoming) brands on the market right now. I don’t think that all of them will make it, but I think right now every brand has a chance, as the running community really likes to explore alternative and independent brands right now, more than ever before.

You’re one of the foremost experts in the world on having your finger on the pulse of what’s resonating in the running world. How would you describe the stories, products, etc. you see striking a cord with the community as a whole?

Yeah, that’s a bit of an overused term, but I still think originality and authenticity are key here. People can definitely differentiate between a pure marketing case and an authentic story. Take your Olympic story or the Unsponsored project as examples. People (and I) loved that because it was authentic. True. Also, raw projects like The Speed Project are good examples; take the running crew Jolie Foulée, for example. It’s funny, it’s rough, it’s real. Or Distance Athletics. And they’re running. It’s not a show.

Everyone gets a slightly different flavor of the running world. How would you describe the runner who’s following and engaging with your account? How are they participating in the sport / what’s their relationship to it?

That’s something I think about a lot. I know for a fact that my followers slightly tend to be male, and people from the U.S. are the biggest demographic group. Other than that, I know that they love running—but maybe differently than the classic runner. It’s less of a pure sport, more a part of lifestyle. On the performance side but also when it comes to their gear. They love to feel good while running, and the outfit may be part of that. They love the cool stuff, but that doesn’t mean they don’t like performance. They just wanna look good and enjoy running. One last thing: what changed a lot over the past 4–7 years is that people don’t always come to brands via the sport. As the sport has become lifestyle as well, they grow into the sport through their lifestyle, through running being a social gathering, and also through brands sometimes.

What’s the dream for Runner’s Highest? Where do you go from here? Where’s the account in 100 years from now? Okay, maybe not 100… How about in 3 years?

That is a tough one. I think I’d love to make a living from what I’m doing right now, as I love what I’m doing. But I want to switch sides a little, to be honest. Lately, I really enjoy writing my Substack, going a bit beyond the pure product and content. The wording may be a bit simple, but instead of being part of the media rollout, I’d love to contribute to the strategy and concept of brands… and it’s nice that this already happens sometimes. That’s good! And as I’m pretty sure running won’t just go away in the next three years, I think I’ll be there as well. Also, I hope people will still appreciate what Runners Highest does, hahaha.

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Thanks for the chat, Chris. Always a pleasure seeing you out in the world. Until the next time!