Building Asia's most successful trail racing team, with Ryan Blair

One More K

Ryan Blair, one of the OGs of trail running in Asia, takes us on a wild ride through his journey. From organizing adventure races in the 90s to building Asia’s first professional trail running team, Ryan shares how he turned passion into purpose. Whether it’s pulling off events against all odds or fighting for better opportunities for Asian athletes, Ryan’s been at the heart of it all. He talks about Sunmaya Buddha, his star runner from Nepal, whose story is as gritty as her racing. Ryan doesn’t hold back on the challenges—like the lack of prize money and global recognition for athletes from the region—but he’s all about creating change. This episode is packed with honesty, history, and a whole lot of heart, straight from someone who’s been in the trenches (and on the trails) for decades. Timestamps: (00:30) Intro Ryan (01:00) Why One More K? (03:05) Ryan’s story coming to Asia from the US (08:30) Building the Action Asia Race Series (18:00) Comparing trail running now to 30 years ago (26:40) The North Face Racing team, including Sunmaya Budha (39:00) Sunmaya is an outstanding athlete (43:30) How to improve the trail industry (50:50) Ned’s drop Show Notes: www.AsiaPacificAdventure.com www.PCI-Asia.com www.HotReels.tv www.apa.co – Brought to you by Lecka Nutrition (www.getlecka.com) Follow Us On Twitter: @OneMoreK_ Follow Us On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onemorek_ Subscribe To Our Newsletter: www.onemorek.com Reach Out: [email protected] Watch On Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@OneMoreK_ Available on Apple Podcast, Spotify and other major platforms. Hit the review button, subscribe and be part of our community. Thanks, Ned & Markus