The Trials and Tribulations of Running YouTubers

::writes notes for a video::

so you're telling us she quit her job and moved across the country for an unpaid role...... and her contract was up for renewal at 14months....

all of that would also have been more believable had Philly not been coached by Helen Clitheroe for 4+years, so obviously she can be coached by her outside of NB

If your numbers are right and they gross 500k, they might be earning a living but they aren't getting rich. They have at least 5 people on their payroll. Let's look at the math:

Their based in Baltimore, which has seen better days, so commercial rent is low. $25/sq ft per year is the going rate. Let's say they have 1,500 sq ft. That's $37,500 there but not triple netted. Add in another $12,500 for taxes, power, garbage, etc, and you're at $50,000, or 1/10 of revenue, just for office/retail space.

Then insurance is probably another $425 a month. So that's $5,000.

Given all their contracts with brands, they likely have to have an attorney on retained. There's another $50k.

Health insurance is probably about $2,000 per employee per month if they cover dependents. $1,250 if they don't. But we'll assume they do. There's another $120,000 there.

So that leaves $275,000 for salaries. But 7.65% of that is employer taxes, so there's another $21,063 there.

If you assume everyone is being paid equally (and they're most assuredly not), then that's a salary of $50,792 per employee. Let's say Thomas and Meaghan both take $75,000 and Robbie makes $60,000, that leaves ~$40k for Brandon and Wide Foot Jared. So $20k a year part time gigs for them. Explains why they only show up from time to time in the videos!

Really, this isn't that great of a business model. It's a living, but very little opportunity for growth or value to the business. I guess they could sell it for $1.5 million if businesses are still worth 1.5x gross revenues. But really who wants to spend $1.5 million for a business that is a grind for $75k a year. And the business is linked to their personalities so it doesn't really have much value of they're no longer involved. But if you get a bunch of free travel and bibs and free food from shoe companies, then I suppose it's easier to live on $50-$75k a year.

Per Sage's recent social, he's a hybrid athlete. this book's already been written...

Soon-to-be member of the Serious Runner regimen.

Yes, you’re spot on. Also worth remembering that her YouTube revenue + other revenue streams through socials would have increased in that period to supplement the job she left. Easily making a few k a month on YouTube revenue alone plus Coros etc etc

Helen was coaching her before she was contracted to NB as a coach for the team so yes she was with her prior, but no longer is that possible under the contractual circumstances.

Good details. We forgot: Lots and lots of free gear (travel, housekeeping, pillows, hydration, etc.). No money to spend. All savings. Plus, travel to different places, like vacations. Your baseline is half. They may make over a 1million easily, possibly more. The building is their own I think they mentioned once. Plus, they are in sync with top brands, top ambassadors, top everything. You have no idea.

I like what Nick Symmonds is trying to do. Deadlift 500lbs. Run a sub 5 mile.

He doesn't "look" juiced either. He could be. Maybe some low level TRT, but he is a middle distance guy who took 10 years to put on some mass and strength.

I think age is eventually going to keep him from doing it.

He finally figured out the deadlift....stop caring about running and being light and put on mass and you can get there.

I am 46 but I only deadlift 405 at 185lbs. I have no idea what I can run, but I put in 30-40 mi a week at 7:30ish pace. I think I could probably get a 5:10-20 mile today...but maybe more like 5:30 lol. I am also about as casual as I can be, working 40+ hours a week in the Army.

Symmond NOT being able to do both at the same time should tell you how hard it is to do clean.

If someone mentions Hall I will slap them. He's on a stack of TRT a mile high.

Alan

Only take shoe advice from wealthy runners that get them for free.

I'm interested in that final comment as it is arguably restraint of freedom if HC wishes to coach her as a volunteer without it impacting adversely on her coaching role for NB. Your first para makes me wonder what the trade off is for whatever income she (bowden) derives from this vs a large part of the part of the sport in which she has her roots thinking she is evolving towards a ....whatever. possible sigh of relief that she's probably not quite good enough to ever get an Olympic slot ahead of the best UK marathon women.

My man FOD Runner is sick for like the sixth time in 2024 and back hammering double thresholds. Wants to get a lactate meter to avoid "overcooking it". Brother you have existed in a state of being overcooked for about three years, a lactate meter ain't gonna help you.

I must admit I'm a fan of FOD Runner. I like how he consistently documents his training in a way that I can at least understand what he is trying to do to get better and improve as a runner. I find that some Youtubers set their goal and then after a few weeks will post an update with something along of the lines of, "fitness is improving" or "getting in shape" and as a viewer I'm left wondering, but how did you get from where you were to where you are now?

Indeed. Maybe in another vid he explains how he really needs to weigh out all his food to ensure suitable % of energy sources. He comes over as an OK sort of dude tho what's the point?

Hi, I'm Roger Biebert, and I am here today to review The FOD Runner's "
Will DOUBLE THRESHOLD Training Get Me A 5K And 10k PB?!" Let's get into it...

After focusing on different training styles for years, a young runner considers a new training method and wonders if it will result in personal bests. This is only a basic blueprint of what unfolds in "DOUBLE THESHOLD," an intensely felt cinematic experience.

The spare yet emotionally sumptuous video, based on the FOD runner's real-life experiences, is not just a simple tale of terror or a suspenseful saga of survival, although it has elements of each scenario. Instead, “DOUBLE THRESHOLD" is a soul-searing celebration of the impenetrable bond that endures even under the most unbearable of circumstances between a runner and their training plan.

Through the introduction of double threshold training, the director explores the dualities of existence and inner conflict within the FOD runner. Through the eyes of our protagonist, we see a runner who is struggling between duty versus desire, reason versus emotion, past versus future. The training itself highlights the rigorous mental and emotional conditioning taken to navigate these conflicting forces.

Visually, the training sequences depict with striking imagery the runner's inner turmoil and the challenges they face to achieve PRs. The use of contrasting colors, surreal landscapes, and dreamlike sequences emphasize the symbolic nature of The FOD Runner's journey.

DOUBLE THRESHOLD's power to touch audiences lies in the video's delicately rendered and highly relatable core relationship. The first third of “DOUBLE THRESHOLD” greatly depends on the ability to build a believable, primal connection between a runner and their training plan, one that at times feels as if the umbilical cord has yet to be severed.

As for the runner, his whole focus is on his success and rarely anything else. He even ignores a possible painful rotting tooth in his mouth, until it falls out off screen. For the runner, his training plan is his anchor and his reason to carry on. How else could a hobby runner withstand regular social visits? That we share the runner's limited perspective makes running out in public even more unnerving.

While the runner seems like an utterly normal middle aged European, it dawns on the viewer that he may be becoming more dangerous, and what might be best for everyone is if he hatches a plan to break free from his training plans before it is too late. What ensues is best seen and not spoiled, but the outcome is a successful one.

One of the best things about “DOUBLE THRESHOLD” is how such an intimate video manages to raise some big questions. What defines us as a person? Why do we really need to PR? Why are runners so astonishingly resilient when under duress? What happens when all your troubles disappear yet contentment persists in being an illusion? And what does a runner do when they begin to outgrow their training plan? The viewer must ask, are all these questions equal in importance?

In the end, we are rightfully left once more with a runner and his plan. Together, they are able to close the door on the past and look to the future that is just dawning.

Four out of four stars.

Ketone IQ had a strong push but has lost a of steam from the shoetubers.

Christ, sick again and HR still high? I was as sick as a dog around the same time as him back in Feb/March, sicker than I'd ever been. But guess what, I listened to my body and didn't train through it. Now I'm back stronger than before I was ill and he's still trudging through "moderate" runs.

The best YT influencers for running IMHO are from UK. One is OldManRunner from Dublin. See his YT channel. Really smart ones. Other is TheRunTesters from London. Check these out.

LMAO. As soon as I saw the video title I knew that letsrun would be having a frenzy with this. He is overtraining his overtraining. Watching him is honestly comical.

Dublin is not part of the United Kingdom.

It's time to catch up with our favorite running YouTubers.

Kofuzi is lamenting that he has too many shoes and criticizing the BAA's streaming rights policies on his live stream. On his main channel, he's reviewing his Saucony Endorphin Pro 4. He doesn't like the shoe. He also mentioned the word "shoe" 80 times in five minutes.

The Believe in the Run crew is milking the Boston Marathon for all its worth. Though I'm not sure that Adidas will be all that happy with their free bibs investment after watching the video. While they dutifully wore Adidas gear and kit during the race, the shakeout runs they included in their video were Asics and New Balance! The end of the video is a finish line shot featuring Matt Choi, it figures the two most annoying running influencers would be friends with each other!

Ben is Running is documenting his last workouts before his marathon.

Spencer Brown is winning a local 5k dressed as a Jedi and doing a 3200m time trial.

Allie Ostrander is headed to the Olympic Trials and rightly rubbing it in to some dumb internet troll who left a nasty comment on her YouTube.

Last but not least, the greatest of all time, still the original running YouTuber is running an FKT and celebrating with ice cream. He's also back to taking panoramic drone shots of the Colorado Mountains. It's good to see Seth doing well.

And that's all the time we have for ShoeTubers this week!