LRC Note: We like to have one thread per subject. We've merged two threads on this into 1 and kept the original thread title. The 2nd thread was titled, "Tracksmith Decides: When Digging a Hole Make It Bigger."
I honestly don't get this one. Tracksmith's whole thing is selling boujee t shirts for $100. Now they're elitist? They've been selling this singlet for years. Have they just never advertised it? Surely they have. You have to qualify for Boston. You get people walking around in the marathon jackets. Why would the singlets be any different. I get that running should be inclusive but it is. Boston is one of few races that has a time barrier. If you hit it, you should feel good about it & then there are things like this that can help you celebrate that if you're into it.
Tracksmith needed this. There are a ton of people rage clicking through their items as I type. They’d been a quiet brand for too long. People will get mad about this and then go buy some Session shorts.
I wouldn’t have opened with that quote if this were my campaign, but the idea of a locked item is a good one. It’s gamification retail.
They’ll gain customers and market share. This was a strategic move, not a screw up.
The BQ standards are too soft anyway, they need to be dropped. This story will go by the wayside when the new time qualifiers come out and people are in their safe places complaining that is isn't "fair"
The BQ standards are too soft anyway, they need to be dropped. This story will go by the wayside when the new time qualifiers come out and people are in their safe places complaining that is isn't "fair"
Seriously, anyone who is purchasing Tracksmith is already elitist. Now that they can't buy their way into something, they throw a fit. Good for Tracksmith, but I'd never buy their overpriced crap anyway.
Reminds me a bit of the old Pearl Izumi marketing when they get into trail running like 10ish years ago. They were fairly anti-jogger and made statements like runners are always the ones to find dead bodies and that you should try not to kill your dog when you are running in their shoes and if you are too slow your girlfriend will break up with you.
Dont mind the ad. Tracksmith was already elitist. Their clothing by and large is way overpriced. They have tshirts that are like 100 dollars. This is not super out of line with most high end running clothing these days though. They say it will last longer so it is a good investment, but I still have a couple pairs of 25 dollar adidas shorts from 12 years ago that work great and havent lost any elasticity in the waistband yet.
I was technically "qualified" to go to Harvard Medical School, but i wasn't accepted and i didn't go. I have no desire to buy and wear a Harvard teeshirt. Why are people so upset that a Boston marathon item is just for Boston marathon runners?
What they are missing is the fact that big races like this are incredibly exclusionary. Going to Boston is cost-prohibitive for many people, imagine the waves of Kenyans, Ethiopians, ugandans etc. that would have no problem getting under the BQ cutoff lol.
I'm honestly shocked that there isn't a list of demands on the Instagram posts that ask Tracksmith to team up with the BAA and provide free lodging/meals/travel to X number of qualifiers. Tracksmith could buy up 500 hotel rooms in Boston and people will still be unsatisfied.
The runner influencer scene on Instagram has become insufferable. Unfortunately, I am bombarded by this content on my Instagram feed. I've got one reel where some guy is telling me to push my leg off the ground like I'm pushing a skateboard, immediately followed by some lady telling me to think about riding a bike when I'm running, immediately followed by someone else saying I should take 12 to 14 days off after running a half marathon. I feel bad for new runners who have to sift through all this noise to find what works for them.
I f-ing really hate this sport sometimes. You really cant have nice things anymore without someone finding a way of moaning about it.
If they hate this 'BQ singlet for BQ qualifiers' for being elitist, then I hope they're contacting the BAA for being elitist for having time standards in the first place. I hope they're contacting the Olympic committees for not giving out finishers medals to all finalists at the Olympics. I hope they're cancelling the 'World Champion' title for not being inclusive enough. I hope they're contacting every single race organiser on the planet and complaining about finishing results ranking people is elitist. fml.
The modern hobby jogger thinks the sport owes them something and has lost sight of the fact that this, by design, is the most elitist sport there is. Whether you are comparing yourself against your own times, or against the next man, the sports hinges on the principle of who is faster, fastest, and how do I get faster.
The modern cultural shift over the past decade is killing everything in site, god knows nothing can happen unless it is uber inclusive and accounts for every single conceivable cross section of society.
I totally agree with you.
Some of my "faster" running friends have talked about this. It's almost as if they begrudge the better runners their talent and hard work.
My running club is becoming a Hobby Jogger's paradise. NOTHING is geared toward the faster runners.
Every 5-6 hour marathoner who runs 28 miles a week (including their Sunday 20 miler) think they work just as hard as the guy who works full time and runs 100 mpw to get a 2:30.
I only ran 2:49 and when I talked about going through 20 miles in 2 hours people thought I was some kind of running super star. Some of them thought that was impossible!
I wasn't even good!!!
Maybe Track Smith should make a Hobby Jogger- I'm slow and proud- shirt.
Have to have a little sympathy for people who run every day, love the sport, race a lot, train seriously, and are made to feel not real runners by this sort of thing.
Look, I'd qualify for Boston by 20 minutes if I wanted to, but many people really love the sport and can't get into that race despite all their efforts. They understand that it's a timed sport, and fair is fair, but have a little sympathy for them eh.
Marketing here was poor, but the outrage is worse IMO. My lord. If you, like the army of running influencers going en masse to the comments, want to get a billion likes/positive reinforcement, go say some nonsensical virtue signaling on that post & it’ll happen. As a progressive person, I see this stuff and think how clearly off the mark and extreme cancel culture becomes & it just plays in to the other side’s argument. From a running perspective, I’’ a former sub 2, 50 flat 400 mediocre track guy who has gotten older and in to marathons. I haven’t BQd yet & it’s motivating me to get better at jogging. I find it absurd these people get offended by the notion they are jogging too. I run 6:50ish MP…that is NOT fast lol. That is jogging. So if you’re taking 5 hours to do a marathon, you should be honored to ever even be referred to as jogging (it’s more like walking). Get over yourself people. Also, I heard all this fervor over the guy behind the quote…it appears he ended up apologizing and reconciling with Katherine Switzer. She was complimentary of him ultimately, as were many others. To me, this is the exact kind of story we should tell.
I have more respect for Jock--he changed his ways. When he was dying with cancer Kathrine even went to visit him often and they became very good friends!
The comments are hilariously delusional. "This type of sentiment is damaging to the running community." People really need to get over themselves. It's running, stop begging for a participation medal
The BQ standards are too soft anyway, they need to be dropped. This story will go by the wayside when the new time qualifiers come out and people are in their safe places complaining that is isn't "fair"
I think in the '80s it was 2:50 for men and 3:00 for women.
I was technically "qualified" to go to Harvard Medical School, but i wasn't accepted and i didn't go. I have no desire to buy and wear a Harvard teeshirt. Why are people so upset that a Boston marathon item is just for Boston marathon runners?
What they are missing is the fact that big races like this are incredibly exclusionary. Going to Boston is cost-prohibitive for many people, imagine the waves of Kenyans, Ethiopians, ugandans etc. that would have no problem getting under the BQ cutoff lol.
I'm honestly shocked that there isn't a list of demands on the Instagram posts that ask Tracksmith to team up with the BAA and provide free lodging/meals/travel to X number of qualifiers. Tracksmith could buy up 500 hotel rooms in Boston and people will still be unsatisfied.
The runner influencer scene on Instagram has become insufferable. Unfortunately, I am bombarded by this content on my Instagram feed. I've got one reel where some guy is telling me to push my leg off the ground like I'm pushing a skateboard, immediately followed by some lady telling me to think about riding a bike when I'm running, immediately followed by someone else saying I should take 12 to 14 days off after running a half marathon. I feel bad for new runners who have to sift through all this noise to find what works for them.
“…and while you’re at it Tracksmith, could you be less like, New England-y..? It’s very offensive to people in the rest of the country..”
Have to have a little sympathy for people who run every day, love the sport, race a lot, train seriously, and are made to feel not real runners by this sort of thing.
Look, I'd qualify for Boston by 20 minutes if I wanted to, but many people really love the sport and can't get into that race despite all their efforts. They understand that it's a timed sport, and fair is fair, but have a little sympathy for them eh.
This for sure, the only people who run around wearing their Boston jacket like it's their whole personality are the ones barely squeaking under the qualifying mark. A 2:55 marathon is a jog for any number of the sub 2:20 people in the race, but they're not the ones bragging about their BQ to put down people who are "joggers" because they're sitting on the other side of an incredibly arbitrary line in the sand. Tracksmith exudes the same energy as a mediocre D1 sophomore who thinks they're special because they get free t-shirts and shoes for showing up.
I'm glad this tracksmith debacle is finally shedding a light on how oppressed joggers are and how difficult it is for us to spend money on running gear.
I really want the parkrun 250 t-shirt as it's my favourite colour but I've been told I've got to earn it. Don't they know how unachievable that is for so many people? Waking up in time for a 9am plod every Saturday for 5 years?
For an event that prides itself on inclusivity it really lets itself down and gives me no alternative than to hide in the bushes next Saturday and mug a 70 year old as they're putting their barcode away for their top.
Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win a LetsRun t-shirt.Help us build the best running shoe review site for a chance to win one of 10 LetsRun t-shirts.