What is The Search for Epic?
The Search for Epic is an editorial discovery project powered by Epic Ultras. It is built around a continuing investigation into what makes ultrarunning races, runners, people, stories, and experiences truly epic.
What are the two core questions behind the project?
The two driving questions are: “What makes an ultra truly epic?” and “What makes an ultrarunner truly epic?” Those questions anchor the editorial search while leaving room to explore the people, communities, traditions, failures, breakthroughs, and experiences around them.
Is SearchForEpic.com a publishing site?
No. SearchForEpic.com is being developed primarily as a discovery, intake, and submission portal rather than a duplicate publishing destination. Selected material may be researched, developed, and published through Epic Ultras and related media properties.
What will people eventually be able to submit?
The planned portal may accept races, runners, story ideas, written material, photographs, video, interviews, historical material, nominations, traditions, people, communities, and other leads that may deserve editorial consideration.
Can someone submit their own race or their own story?
The future portal is intended to support both self-submissions and nominations from others. Submission will not guarantee publication, endorsement, review, or any “epic” designation.
Does a difficult race automatically qualify as epic?
No. Difficulty can be part of the story, but difficulty alone does not settle the question. History, design, culture, execution, community, meaning, experience, and other factors may matter too.
Does an elite performance automatically make an ultrarunner epic?
No. Performance matters, but The Search for Epic is intentionally broader than results. Character, persistence, service, transformation, failure, recovery, relationships, influence, and other dimensions can be equally important.
Does the project cover people other than runners and race directors?
Yes. Crews, pacers, volunteers, photographers, writers, medical professionals, families, communities, longtime figures, and others around the sport can all become part of the search when their stories reveal something meaningful about ultrarunning.
Are DNFs and failures part of the editorial scope?
Absolutely. A DNF can contain more truth, consequence, transformation, or meaning than a finish. The Search for Epic does not assume that success and significance are the same thing.
What does “Epic is earned” mean?
It means the word should not be treated as automatic marketing language. The project approaches “epic” as something that should emerge from evidence, story, experience, character, context, and sustained inquiry.
What is the relationship between The Search for Epic and Epic Ultras?
The Search for Epic is powered by Epic Ultras and is being built as a dedicated discovery and submission arm of the broader Epic Ultras editorial ecosystem. Epic Ultras remains the primary media and publishing platform.
Who created The Search for Epic?
The Search for Epic was created by Eric Steele, founder of Epic Ultras and a longtime ultrarunner, race director, speaker, writer, organizer, and community builder.
Is the submission portal open now?
Not yet. SearchForEpic.com is currently in its initial launch stage. The submission infrastructure is being developed and will be added later.
Will every submission be published or featured?
No. Submission will not guarantee publication, coverage, review, endorsement, or any future designation. The purpose of the portal is to surface material for editorial consideration and further investigation.
How should the project name be written?
The editorial title is “The Search for Epic.” The primary domain is SearchForEpic.com.