The Trials and Tribulations of Running YouTubers

oddly enough I watched one of your videos (the London marathon recap) for the first time last night based on what I read in this thread! I obviously can't speak to your training or illness or whatever but I also ran London for the first time this year and I really enjoyed reliving the experience while trudging through some late treadmill miles. So, thank you! For what it's worth, I subscribe to just about every major running YouTube channel at this point and you are far less annoying than most.

*also side note: what you were saying about being boxed in on the course and hearing others' experiences about over-crowding was really interesting bc I too had this problem (running in the 2:40s), just no open road anywhere. I was really surprised honestly but assumed that London always has this problem... Have not had this issue more than the first few miles at any other World Marathon Major. But, the crowd support was next level and I LOVED my experience overall.

Thanks… appreciate it. All of us are “annoying” to a degree, it’s about who can be the least annoying 😂 personality types / approaches / philosophies all play a part in that! But the bottom line is, if you’re big enough and ugly enough to stick your face on the internet, then you’ve got to have broad shoulders and take some criticism as well as the positives.

Yes, London are getting greedy, when I did it in 2022 there was around the low 40k I think… this year it was 50k and they’ve said next year they want to push it too 70k and challenge to be the biggest in the world… which is stupid because the infrastructure for that many people just isn’t there. We don’t have big open roads like in the states, they’re much smaller so there’s much more bunching. You’ve got to be sub 2:40 to get a good experience there these days I think. I’ll go back, but I’m not sure I’d make it my target race again for a while… definitely not next year anyway!

Much respect Andy for coming on here.

I knew you were lurking on this thread when you were quite keen on not cooking yourself on the Lactate Meter again with the Welsh Runner collab. Good luck in everything and Welcome!

Thanks. That session wasn’t my finest hour, but I tend to have a few of those a year where I go a bit over the top…. That's also the beauty of the channel, to show I don’t always get it right! Matt brings out my competitive side haha

Hi Andy,

Thanks for sticking your head above the parapet! I've been critical on here previously but perhaps unfairly so.

In the interests of being more constructive, I'm not sure that I really get a sense of enjoyment from your channel? I get that you've improved times, but I do sometimes wonder whether you're flogging yourself a bit hard to chase PBs at the expense of having a good time?

Anyway, I just hope it's still fun, rather than becoming a chore.

You gotta race to have race videos. This is like the most he has raced in years honestly.

Hey… that’s ok, the last thing I want is for people to be a bit less honest… keep on keeping things as they were!

Great question - and I can see why this is perceived… because I jump from block to block without much respite in between! Honest truth… with the exception of the long run, which I could do all day every day, I need a progressive structure. This recent block I’ve just finished is the most fun I’ve had in a long time so I can confirm that the fun is still very much there. I get a burning hunger and desire to improve… I don’t always go about it the right way but you’ll always find me out there trying.

I’d also say I’m probably on the spectrum somewhere, which is why I’m a bit obsessive / compulsive… I can be rational and calm with others but with myself, it’s a different story! So just know, I am absolutely having a blast!

Appreciate the comment

Edit - as a side note, do you personally thing that perspective is there that I don’t enjoy things because I’m always showing sessions or “hard days” in videos, and not just easy runs? Because naturally, the demeanour of someone easy running and having fun will be totally different to a session… just wondering?

I'm not defending the guy by any means but you don't have to run sub 14:30 to break 2:20. Bester has a faster 5K PR than me by a couple seconds and I still broke 2:20.

Thanks for the reply Andy. The main thing is you're enjoying yourself, you don't have to answer to me or anyone on this forum.

But to answer your question, I think I got that impression because in some of the videos it feels like there's a big emphasis on getting it done no matter what. Example: a recent video where you said you had been out until around 1am to a concert and then up again at about 5am to bang out a workout. I felt tired just watching it!

Can't question the enthusiasm but I just felt like saying to you (as a fellow father with kids, responsibilities etc), cut yourself some slack dude!

It's not for me to tell anyone how to live though, so if it works for you and you are enjoying it, that's all that matters.

Appreciate that, makes total sense. Thanks for the honest feedback!

I'm talking about Seth. I think he believes the rules applied to other runners do not apply to him(which screams of narcissism if nothing more serious). Like, he is running back to back 37-38 km long runs 2 days in a row and then he gives us the advice(!)not to do that. The guy never followed a marathon plan IMO. He just runs like he is always done in the past and hopes this will get him farther.

I'm impressed by how smart and mature you sound here. Watching your videos, I sometimes thought you were a bit of a mental case, running workouts so compulsively. But reading your posts here, your relationship with running actually seems quite healthy.

I also ran in London this year with a time of 2:45, and I found the marathon course way too crowded. I only got into my rhythm after the halfway point. I was a bit disappointed because the event cost me more than any previous marathon (I went through a tour operator). I might not run in London again if they further increase the size of the event.

I’ve often watched a video back during editing and pre empted what the viewers might think… and sometimes it’s “idiot”…. Not quite “mental case” 😂 but as an example, if I’d of given myself a couple of weeks off during my London build, I wouldn’t have prolonged things…. But I didn’t and it haunts me a bit, probably the worst mistake in my 10 years of running. So for the viewers, I had emails/ IG DMs, YouTube comments saying stop but I pushed on… so I kind of dug my own grave there. Just got to make sure I dont put myself in that situation again and be a bit more sensible in my decisions… most of the time I keep it sensible, but as mentioned above, I go a bit rogue here and there.

As for London, I feel like it’s such a shame, 2022 was epic and although it was a tough day, the atmosphere was insane, fast forward to now and we were like sardines in a tin, trying to get anywhere after the race was just a no go and we nearly missed our train home, we made it by seconds… too stressful… making it a goal race is definitely not on the agenda next year! I’d only do that if I could qualify in the champs spot so it wasn’t so congested

I think he understands "rules", but prefers to run outside the rules. Is there anything wrong about that, or wrong about not following a typical marathon plan? It's not like he is coaching others to do the same or competing for diamond league wins.

Why would he prefer to run outside the "rules"? For youtube/following purposes, it makes his training more compelling to follow. Even if it causes a train wreck, it's more compelling that some middle aged guy following a traditional training plan. He also might just find more enjoyment. Personally, as a part-time hobby jogger myself, I have no interest in following a traditional road racing training plan. Each day I just workout in whatever way I feel like working out that day. Am I going to maximize my running potential? Of course not, but life is better this way.

As others have said, thanks for sticking your head up in here - really respect it!

If we're giving any feedback, i'd be saying to you to please keep your common sense and values you place in running. I found your channel when I started growing tired of other youtubers who'd lost sight of that.

Obviously they may be your friends (spill the tea if not haha!) but Matt and Kelly are an example of this, being absolutely unhinged now. Nothing they do makes sense and the recent escapades with Ironman really show their true colours, although personally I've felt from a few interactions with Matt that we see a persona on his channel anyway. Youtube and the drive for "content" really affects their behaviour - ignoring the IM DQ and their actions on social media, just the fact that they've got a camera in Kelly's face in the car whilst she's crying with the kids in the back seats is quite disturbing. Forget the content for a minute!

As a runner that also can't run 7 days a week and put up big milage, and has to do early morning sessions I've always liked that element of your content - obviously you'd prefer to be in a situation where running makes you an income too but keep hold of the reality and common sense in what you put out, because that's what made your content stand out in the first place!

Just my opinion but maybe others feel the same!

Ok, appreciate that. Yes - the channel was build 10 years ago on training series and I have no intention of dropping those… they get the least views but are the most fun to share… I value them more so for the personal touch as someone just sitting in front of a camera repetively can become boring. So watching someone train is a bit more relatable, and I’ll do my best to keep the common sense. They’re personally my favourite type of running videos to watch as well.

At this stage, I’ll say I’m here for myself and myself only, I won’t comment on other creators. If they wish to dive in then they can, I won’t speak on their behalf, hope you can appreciate that. I will however say that yes, they are both friends, and, I feel quite lucky that I get to train with Matt… I think we can all appreciate that being in a run with faster athletes can really motivate you and I do feel that motivation when I’m with him. He is a top bloke, as Kelly is a lovely person too and I can confirm she’s gone from a non swimmer to having lots of lessons and prioritising the swim in her training. So I will give credit where credits due, she bust a gut to make that start line and I hope the next time she toes the line, she doesn’t have that worry of cut off hanging over her head.

The final point I’ll say, and I’ll keep this diplomatic… and also, please note that this is purely personal preference and nothing more… but I choose not to put my family in front of the camera and don’t record around them 95% of the time. I share an office with my wife so she hears my recordings but the kids, unless one of my daughters is filming, are kept out of it. We have quite a strict social media policy with our kids but again, that’s just our parenting style. I have nothing against that people who get their kids on film, but for me, it keeps things very much 100% “running focused” without distraction. Plus there’s some f*cking weirdos on the internet so I don’t want to expose them 😂

Hey Andy, it’s great to have you on the thread. I was the one who originally posted about the lactate testing video, and it was the only time I ever commented on this thread.
Looking back, the last part of that post was probably too harsh on you - main reason for posting was genuine concern on how much you seemed to had overdone it in this session - something that I’m sure was not its intention.

But at the end of the day, as you say it’s all a matter of opinion, and you are a way faster runner than me - you go do your thing the way you think best.

I genuinely enjoy your channel and videos, you post your full training and lofty goals that are challenging, but you give your all to attain them - I hugely respect that.

Just wanted to wish you the best for your next training cycle and hope you remain healthy and happy, and in the end get the goal you set - your work ethic certainly deserves good results. Take care mate.

PS: The Forest of Dean is one of the nicest places I’ve ever had the chance to run in!

Appreciate it, and please don’t apologise… I massively overcooked that sesh, as the data showed! I felt so good and totally threw away the purpose of that session to just “push hard because it felt good”…. which is not the point at all!

Thank you, I’m here for peoples questions etc but I don’t want to slow the thread down or get in the way, so I’ll lurk in the background, keep reading and jump in where I feel it’s appropriate!

thabks! And yes, I feel very lucky to live here!

Congrats on the 5k PB, Andy, looked like a good event.

With a bit of a cooler and less humid weather, you'd have broken 16. It's on its way!