Micah Shannon
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Identity Logo Illustration Layout
Concept Work


Man vs Horse

The Big Idea
An eccentric marathon in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells that is exactly what it sounds like.



The Story

In 1980, pub-owner Gordon Green overheard two men debating whether a man could be equal to a horse over a long distance in backcountry. Green decided to put it to the test and organized the first Man vs Horse Marathon in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells. 

Runners now compete against horseback riders in an annual marathon across 35 kilometers of a mix of road, trail, and mountainous terrain.
 





Racers roughing it out.

(Image credit—Reagan Charles Cook)





Logo & Identity


In studying the history and culture of the race, 3 core values emerged—unity, equality, and endurance. Equipped with these, I set to work building out an identity that embodies each. 




Unity

The race is marked with strong communal camaraderie, gathering people from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the unification of man, horse, and nature. 

Equality

The race creates a unique level playing field for humans and horses to fairly compete head-to-head.


Endurance

The race requires immense physical stamina, testing participants' grit as they traverse the grueling terrain.






Sketch exploration






Digital iteration










The checkered racing pattern (left) is skewed to imply speed, reflect the angled terrain, and convey the offbeat nature of the event. The flower and acorn imagery (right) are pulled from the flora of the race course, where big oak trees and rampant wildflowers make their home.





Race Course


The course itself, where all the action takes place.





















Race Bibs


Bibs used to identify participants.








Medals


Every finisher gets a medal, a hard-earned token of their determination and grit.





The medals sport an intricate ornamental pattern inspired by the dense local plant life on the trail. The ridged borders on the podium medals symbolize the hilly course terrain.

















Race Manual


Packed with all the necessary info for participants, the race manual is mailed out to racers ahead of the race as part of a welcome package.




The booklet is divided into three sections, a general info section, a section for runners, and one for riders.








These two spirited characters, Bryn (the man) and Bracken (the horse), are derived from the wordmark and symbolize the friendly competition of the event.













(Click to flip through)
















Email me:

SHANNOM7@MAIL.UC.EDU









A brand designer & illustrator crafting playful stories for fellow humans.
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Micah Shannon














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