The Trials and Tribulations of Running YouTubers

Nice sarcasm. But yeah, he needs to up all the ways to make money from his channel as he now has to pay for himself and his partner to do this “full time”, travel around etc. He should add a patreon level called “pay my partner to be unemployed”. The tragic thing about her quitting to live off his channel is that his best content was always the stuff he filmed on his own.

i just don't get how the numbers work out for his channel and merch sales to cover the cost of a London apartment and income for 2 adults. I think it's probably by living cheaply but it's got to be pressure-inducing to feel that you need to run these races to produce videos that will provide at least some income

There’s a certain BPN pick me girl that constantly is showing off her Coros and comments on other peoples IG posts how the Coros is better than Garmin lol. I’ll never buy one

What is going on with latest Ben is Running short on YouTube? It's like some weird sub fetish video

That video is hilarious! Meg is so funny in it lol. Seem such a nice pair. Don’t agree with his shoe choices though. Nike shoes are hideously overrated. Adidas, ASICS, Saucony, Puma all clear.

I agree with you. I think Ben is a likeable guy, but he's digging himself into a hole. Years ago, he was also planning to move to the countryside—what happened to that dream? No one is forcing him to live in one of the most expensive areas in London and maintain the travel-heavy lifestyle you mentioned. He could move to a cheaper place and start making videos about his own trail running training, for example.

The new Nick Bester video is sooooo good. Love his run crew. Such a great vibe.

You are overdoing it. The trolling is not funny or amusing anymore.

Don't talk to Nick like that!

I've enjoyed this series and hearing his thought process throughout. I wish him well. I do find his schtick waring at times but perhaps I am just a curmudgeon who needs to start a gratitude journal.

It made me buy a Garmin. Also: Amazfit is now sponsoring Matt Choi. That's reason enough to boycott!

Interesting news in Shoetube land. Kofuzi's video on Runna is getting criticized in the comments for the short course, and for Kofuzi ringing the PR bell for the 'Gram when he knew the course was short.

His next video, a shoe review on a Diadora shoe has basically a third of his normal viewership.

Has he finally alienated his audience?

I think it's just probably more likely no-one cares about Diadora shoes...

One thing I wonder with Ben Parkes is that maybe he’s quite introverted and putting himself ‘out there’ doesn’t come naturally (unlike, say, Nick Bester who doesn’t have this issue). He has to create the content as he’s said before that is what drives his kit/plan income (he’s said if there is a lull in content, his sales drop), so he puts his goals out there to create the content, he feels the pressure, and falls apart in races. He needs the content, so it’s a viscous circle.

From a travel point of view, if I could afford it and had the same freedom, I’d do the same. Can’t knock him for that.

I do think he’s fairly unique in the YouTube area though, in a good way. I do think he’s pretty impartial. He appears to fund his own travel, buys his own shoes to review, and so doesn’t get swayed by any manufacturer. Years ago, I think he did have some tie up with strava didn’t he, but it makes me wonder what offers he may have turned down over the years, and credit goes to him I think to remain impartial. For example, he’s done all the marathon majors but appears to have funded it himself, unlike the shill Kofuzi who just goes with the companies who will pay him to go. Ben’s pre race videos are just him showing the area, expo, talking about his goals. Kofuzi’s (and most of the YouTubers) are very different as he has to get the people who are paying him into the video.

The latest running channel podcast is absolutely cringe inducing.

Rick Kelsey says "I used to run for fitness but now I only run to pay my mortgage" and has ran 33 times this year according to Strava! It's his job!

The best part was this man, who runs 2 times a week in a peak week talking about 80/20 "When I've ran earlier on in the week at the slow end of my paces I really feel the benefit on my quicker day"

His 10k PR is 47 mins and HM of 1:52 and he's talking about "taking it really, really easy" at 5:30 per km! This is way too fast for a person of his fitness to be running "easy". He is only running once or twice a week so he'll probably be OK but he shouldn't be on a podcast aimed at beginners giving out absolutely appalling advice

Super fans seemingly have no memory or take what these people say at face value. Phily continually gas lights her audience. Her London "big swing" narrative contradicts her actual splits and she keeps changing the story. Bester said he stuck with a pro at park run, and the person is not a pro - simply put fans don't care!

yeah I kind of enjoyed the video but I knew I was in for one when he was crying before the gun even went off (standing in a sea of people just chilling lol) and the thumbnail even had him all teary-eyed.

Kofuzi is hard to stomach these days.