I was first connected with Merrell Canada in October of 2020. At the time they were the title sponsor of a race series I was doing well in, and the race director connected me with the brand. I didnāt think much of it at the time. Free shoes sounded like a pretty good deal for a guy running one hundred mile weeks. The relationship grew symbiotically as my career grew. The brand continued to step up in every way they could. Without them, I likely wouldnāt have been able to move to Colorado. I had the opportunity to build a shoe with the brand, where my feedback was taken in stride. Some of the most minute changes including lug depth and lace length were changed because of my real world experience. I felt valued, seen and heard by a brand that owed me nothing. Iām not one of the best in the sport in terms of podiums and I may never be, but they treated me like a rockstar. Saturday will be my last race with the brand. I will proudly be racing in a shoe that I helped create and build. I chose not to renew my contract for many reasons, but itās been an incredible journey. One that Iām very proud of. Iāve met some of the coolest people in the industry because of my time with the brand. Iām not leaving the sport. I fully intend on running professionally for the foreseeable future, but my time with Merrell comes to a close at the end of the month. Thanks for the belief, the memories and for helping me pursue a childhood dream of product testing, development and being a professional athlete. Iāll forever be grateful for the chance we took on each other. Weāve both grown immensely in the last half decade, and weāre better for it. With love, Reid.
2026 has been a wild ride so far. Lots of sponsorship changes, and career moves but the dream is still alive and well. Grateful for the people, and brands than are sticking around for the ride as goals evolve. Relentless forward progress.
I got my green card. This has been one of the most stressful processes Iāve gone through. Every time Iāve stepped on a start line in the last 3 years I felt an insane amount of pressure. In the fall I was dropped by two sponsors and recently decided not to re sign with a third. If I wasnāt good enough to retain some of my sponsors, how would I prove that Iām good enough to stay? My ability to stay here was directly tied to my ability to prove that Iām extraordinary at what I do. Last week I finally was able to breathe a sigh of relief. Itās been a grind since Mid South. My interview looming, and although I hoped it would go well, I couldnāt help but think of what would happen if it didnāt. I feel free. Freedom to stay in a place where Iāve built my life and career. Thanks to everyone that wrote reference letters, stood by me in rocky times where the fruits of my labour werenāt paying off and for believing in me, my story and my future. Iāll always be Canadian, but this is home. And Iām stoked to be able to continue to build even more of a life here.
On this Sea Otter Eve at 2pm, we are excited to share something entirely different from #SILCA. āWithin The Margin of Errorā is a multi episode YouTube series of mini documentaries following SILCA athletes, itās not about wins or losses, but itās about the human aspect of doing hard things, and how many small choices stack up to shape us as people and athletes.
A distinct departure from our typical YouTube content. These longer form videos are not about product or how to use them, or even us selling anythingā¦This is us taking a risk to tell the stories that inspires us, what itās really like as a pro off road athlete, and how we help as a brand.
Episode One follows @reidburrows a pro Ultra Runner and his decision to step away from his biggest sponsor and bet on himself, in a pivot into being a dual sport off-road athlete. Set against the @midsouthgravel Pro Double (a same day 50K gravel ultra run + 106-mile gravel race), it shows what it takes to pursue something without any guarantees.
Produced by @thestablecyclist / County 23 Films.
Shout out to the other brands who helped on this episode:
@ventumracing@quocshoes@smithoptics@pearlizumiofficial@biketiresdirect
Welcoming @reidburrows back to the HydraPak team for another year.
Based in the Pacific Northwest, Reid is a professional endurance athlete, mountain runner, and cyclist driven by a deep connection to the outdoors and a passion for moving through wild places.
Whether heās chasing vert on the trails, exploring technical terrain on two wheels, or racing toward the finish line, Reid brings a thoughtful, grounded approach to everything he does.
Weāre stoked he's with us for another season!
Did you know @nowfoodsofficial makes a version of whey protein with matcha? (AD) Green mustache approved recovery after a fun ride in the desert. Grab some at nowfoods.com using my code REID for 20% off all year. #NOWPartner #nowambassador
You donāt know unless you try. Racing back to back weekends felt like a risky experiment, not a sure thing. This is a year of taking chances, doing what feels scary and exciting and throwing everything I can into what inspires me. This is the dream. Iām living it. And Iām incredibly grateful for the opportunity.
Big Alta 100k tomorrow with @runfreetrail and @daybreakracing . Sending it for the third time in 8 days and I couldnāt be more stoked. Closing up Q1 with a new sense of love, appreciation and freedom as I enter into a season of uncertainty on the sponsorship side. Relentless. Forward. Pursuit.
