This place is toxic.

The catch-22 here is that the only way to spot good advice/information is to already know said information. This is not a forum for beginners. It is a playground for old, disgruntled running trolls.

If you find a better running forum, please report back. Otherwise lie down and gather your fleas.

Most of the people who continuously frequent this site are/were pretty good runners, or at least that's how they see themselves, even if it's not true. But, inevitably, everybody on here eventually found out that he was not quite good enough. Maybe you didn't get that D1 scholarship, or you never quite made all-American, or you weren't quite fast enough to make the Olympic trials, or you made the trials but never had a prayer of making the team. This creates an inferiority complex, and when these guys see other, slower people posting on here, they lash out, thinking subconsciously, "if I wasn't good enough, how dare this much slower person believe that HE can be good enough??" I think It's part of the competitive mindset that a lot of current and former athletes have. Doesn't make it right or nice, but that's how it is. And plenty of people here do try to be gracious to those asking for sincere advice, but that's just not the prevailing culture.

Now go back to runner's world, you hobbyjogger.

There's very little trolling in the serious threads about training. Sure, arrogance or funny grammatical errors will attract a swarm of trolls. And the occasional noob troll may troll the wrong threads. But he'll quickly get put back in place by the experienced troll masters.

So yes, the trolls are the masters of this board. But we rule it wisely. Just like serious mobsters we want to stay out of troubles if we don't gain anything from it.

op

Look at the thread by ricardo.

He wanted to break 20 for 5k . He got a lot of good counseling. Most of the posts had supportive tones to them. When he did it , several people congratulated him and gave him further encouragement.

There was some squabbling and one upping going on, but not too much. Discussions like that are much more impactful on learning than trying to cipher some " how to " book or article.

HardLoper wrote:

Laughing and shaking my head wrote:

If I dared to come on here and claim that I could "only" run a 5k in 16 minutes, and was honestly looking for help on improving, I think most of the responses would basically be, "Don't bother, hobby jogger. Why do you even get out of bed in the morning?"

No you wouldn't, go look at the threads similar to this and they are mostly real advice

This really is the truth. But it is probably difficult for the new hobby yoggers to discern bullshit from what is good. BUT, anyone serious about the sport will be reaearching a breadth of information, perhaps then they too will be equipped to peruse this "community" to determine what is good or bad advice.

Noobs gotta pay their dues too, doe.

Like I said, point me to a better forum. Unfortunately I don't think one exists that has the rage-inducing free-for-all environment with the occasional speck of gold that keeps many of us around.

Absolutely. The collective psyche of LetsRun is marked by disappointment, in many respects. It is up to us to transcend this.

Laughing and shaking my head wrote:

I come here 2-3 times a week just to see what's going on. I spend half the time laughing at how incredibly cruel most of the responses are, and the other half being disgusted at the same thing. Just depends on my mood, I guess.

I'm relatively new to this board so maybe it's all one big joke that I haven't been here long enough to get yet.

If I dared to come on here and claim that I could "only" run a 5k in 16 minutes, and was honestly looking for help on improving, I think most of the responses would basically be, "Don't bother, hobby jogger. Why do you even get out of bed in the morning?"

Indeed, the board can at times be like the start of XC race. Get your elbows out, take no sh*t, and get to the f**ken front before the first turn.

Come on!! It is fun!!

Here are some things people have called me on the forum:

1) a lunatic

2) a liar

3) insane

4) a psychotic with "messianic","save the world", and "reveal the truth" themes.

5) armchair analyst

6) blood doctor

7) an idiot

8) a moron

9) a MoRan

10) mentally deficient (by trollism within the last 48 hours)…... Oh boy.

11) mentally retarded

12) a conspiracy theorist (I also agree with #12)

13) a piece of sh*t who should go f*ck himself

14) fred

15) a sock puppet

16) an internet weirdo

17) various combinations of #1 to #16

These are only from this week on the Letsrun.com forum.

So not really a bad week.

By the way…every single person on the forum has a sub-4:00.00 minute mile PR …except for Metric Miler.

I am sure you will have lots of fun here. Everyone is very friendly.

OK?

The way it is wrote:

Maybe you didn't get that D1 scholarship, or you never quite made all-American, or you weren't quite fast enough to make the Olympic trials, or you made the trials but never had a prayer of making the team. This creates an inferiority complex,

You are the one sounding pretty bitter.

For me, it was best effort at the time with the resources I had. No regrets. I know I'm not the only one.

Laughing and shaking my head wrote:

I come here 2-3 times a week just to see what's going on. I spend half the time laughing at how incredibly cruel most of the responses are, and the other half being disgusted at the same thing. Just depends on my mood, I guess.

I'm relatively new to this board so maybe it's all one big joke that I haven't been here long enough to get yet.

If I dared to come on here and claim that I could "only" run a 5k in 16 minutes, and was honestly looking for help on improving, I think most of the responses would basically be, "Don't bother, hobby jogger. Why do you even get out of bed in the morning?"

I don't come here for running advice I already know everything I need to know. I come here for the heated social and political debates that escalate quickly into demeaning insults and/or hard facts. These type of debates help keep your mind sharp and can challenge your views on certain subjects or beliefs. I come to letsrun for the hostility.

Wilkommen wrote:

I come to letsrun for the hostility.

Line of the Day!

sorry for being friendly wrote:

Wilkommen wrote:

I come to letsrun for the hostility.

Line of the Day!

Please don't change guys

pop_pop!_v2.2.1 wrote:

The way it is wrote:

Maybe you didn't get that D1 scholarship, or you never quite made all-American, or you weren't quite fast enough to make the Olympic trials, or you made the trials but never had a prayer of making the team. This creates an inferiority complex,

You are the one sounding pretty bitter.

For me, it was best effort at the time with the resources I had. No regrets. I know I'm not the only one.

Agreed I maxed out my physical potential, I don't think my body can go any faster than I did and I'm satisfied with my career.

The Fool doot doot writ:

"The catch-22 here is that the only way to spot good advice/information is to already know said information. This is not a forum for beginners. It is a playground for old, disgruntled running trolls."

Old includes everyone from age 13 and up. A lot of millennials troll LRC from work, and their mom's basement.. A lot of middle and high schools troll LRC from school, and their mom's basement. LRC is not age exclusionary.

Laughing and shaking my head wrote:

I come here 2-3 times a week just to see what's going on. I spend half the time laughing at how incredibly cruel most of the responses are, and the other half being disgusted at the same thing. Just depends on my mood, I guess.

I'm relatively new to this board so maybe it's all one big joke that I haven't been here long enough to get yet.

If I dared to come on here and claim that I could "only" run a 5k in 16 minutes, and was honestly looking for help on improving, I think most of the responses would basically be, "Don't bother, hobby jogger. Why do you even get out of bed in the morning?"

My trollometer is registering 5/10, you've made it on to two pages, well done. Now, go away and work on that sub 14 5k, $250,000 income and trophy wife then, like the rest of us, you'll have earned the privilege and right to be "incredibly cruel", in the mean time just STFU.

You know it, fam wrote:

Absolutely. The collective psyche of LetsRun is marked by disappointment, in many respects. It is up to us to transcend this.

And don't forget bitterness, that's the undercurrent.

There is a thread about an alleged gang rape at a Florida HS.

Read the replies.

Some facts about the LRC Community:

1. We ALL ran a 4:30 mile in high school.

2. We are now 14:30 5kers and sub-4 milers.

3. Our wives are much hotter than yours.

4. We make $250,000 a year.

Just like look away dawg.