Disclosures
At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver
“Run, Karla, Run!” is a personal blog written and edited by me, Karla Bruning. This disclosure policy is valid from September 20, 2012. It may be changed at any time without notice, and changes or additions may be made to this policy without being noted. I wrote this disclosure policy based on the template at www.disclosurepolicy.org.
Compensation
I do not have any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions on my site. I do accept free products, travel, event tickets, race entries and the like. Most often, they are products and services I accept so that I can write intelligently about them. For example, I get copies of books to review, shoes and apparel to try, etc. I also often get free race entries, access to media events, free event tickets, press passes, etc. I couldn’t have covered the Olympics in 2010 if I had to buy tickets to every event that I went to—no journalist or blogger could. However, any freebies I get will never influence the content I write or sway me to give something a great mention. Sometimes I receive samples and choose to write nothing at all.
Content
The views and opinions expressed on “Run, Karla, Run!” are purely my own. I choose what I write about, when I write about it, and will always give my honest opinion. No company or organization pays me to say nice things about them or to say anything about them at all. The fact that a company provided me with a free book to review, a free pair of shoes to try, or a free race entry doesn’t mean I’m going to lavish them with praise. Sometimes I get free samples and decide to write nothing at all. I’ll always be honest about my experiences with a product or race. And I will only endorse a product, service, or race if I believe, based on my experience, it is worthy of “Run, Karla, Run!” Any claim, statistic, quote or other mention about a product or service should be verified with the company that provides that service or product.
Interviewing Olympian Jeff Galloway
Advertising
A third party ad network—in my case Google AdSense—generates most advertising on “Run, Karla, Run!” I get chump change from these advertisements. Their appearance on my site does not mean I endorse any of the products or services advertised. I never know what ads will appear from day to day, so they don’t influence what I write in any way.
You may find some affiliate links on RunKarlaRun.com. RunKarlaRun.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I also participate in affiliate programs with Google, LinkShare and Commission Junction. If I create a link to a product or service, I might be paid a commission if you purchase the product or service. However, I NEVER write posts for the purpose of including advertising via affiliate links. I ONLY include links when I’d be mentioning the product or service in the article anyway. For example, I mention Runner’s World Magazine a lot. I read Runner’s World, I like Runner’s World and I refer to them as a reference in many articles. So instead of constantly giving them free advertising, I’m now a Rodale (Runner’s World’s parent company) affiliate. Here’s an example of an affiliate link to their rodalestore.com Notice when you hover over the link with your mouse, “Affiliate Link” pops up. This is how I indicate that I might be compensated by the link.
Interviewing 7-time American record holder Bernard Lagat
Influences
As a freelancer with significant ties to the running community, there are organizations and individuals that may influence my content by the nature of our relationship. Again, no one pays me to say anything about them. But I’m apt to write about things I have experience with and that I see my readers like to read about. Often, the two are one and the same. These are the companies I have ongoing relationships with:
New York Road Runners
I am currently under contract with New York Road Runners to host a weekly lifestyle running show called On The Run. I hope you’ll watch it. Each webisode gives insider access to pro athletes and inspirational local heroes, as well as news about community running programs and the running industry.
I have also sung at New York Road Runners events including the ING New York City Marathon, Fifth Avenue Mile, New York Mini 10K and other races. You can see a list of those races here. And I’ve worked with NYRR as a Social Media Reporter for the 2011 ING New York City Marathon and as a MOTOACTV Ambassador for the 2012 NYC Half. Finally, I am one of NYRR’s 60,000 members and run lots of NYRR races.
NYCRUNS
NYCRUNS often invites me to sing at races or moderate events they are organizing, including The Brooklyn Marathon, The Yonkers Marathon and the Jack Rabbit NYC Running Show. I used to be a contributor to their website back in the day when they were a fledgling company. However, NYCRUNS does not compensate me in any way for writing about them. They have given me an occasional race entry for working with them as a singer and have hired my band for events like Zombies Take Manhattan. (I’m in an ’80s cover band that is often hired to play races and other events).
Interviewing Disney race director Jon Hughes
runDisney
I am a self-professed Disney kid. I’ve been a Disney kid since I could mumble the words “Fairy Godmother.” My dog’s name is Cinderella after all. She’s the second dog I’ve named after a character from that story. The running nerd and Disney nerd in me collide perfectly at Disney races. I often get free race entries, hotel, park tickets and some meals while attending runDisney events. I don’t write about them because they give me free stuff. I write about them because I think they put on fantastic, fun, and well-planned events. Plus, my readers can’t seem to get enough runDisney. I will point out when I think they have missed the mark, like the conspicuous lack of Tinker Bell on course at the 2012 Tinker Bell Half Marathon or the lack of official photographers at character stops at the 2011 Wine & Dine Half Marathon. I really do believe in being honest about my experiences and Disney is no exception.
Family and Friends
With Phil at Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon
I often write about my family, friends and other co-conspirators. Sometimes they join me on my running adventures. Sometimes they cheer me on. Sometimes they are launching a new race or product I think is cool. But I will always identify them as such. My main photographer and running partner-in-crime is my husband, Phil. You’ll see his name all over the site.
I belong to a running club called the New York Harriers. You’ll see me in New York Harriers gear all over the site.
If there is any one else that I know that I happen to write about—and there have been—I mention as much in the post.
That’s it. I hope you enjoy reading this blog. I certainly enjoy writing it.
