Kofluzi back with the runners weekend videos. Going from complaining about the pros to getting free trips abroad, Paris.
Welsh Runner decided on a whim to race Newport today rather than London next week. Blows up. Had a terrible race. Doubt we'll see a YouTube video for a while as he disappears under his rock again.
Just to be clear, we all agree he's not training properly though?
IMO what he shows us is how you can have all these resources and work so hard and still get it wrong.
I'm 100% sure if you put sirpoc's brain in floberg's body and forced to live floberg's lifestyle outside of running, but the training is planned and performed by sirpoc, then 2:30 would have been broken in Fall 2024, or Spring 2025 at the latest, and he'd be sub 2:25 by now.
Though I used to criticize Jeff Cunningham, for all I know he is giving sound advice. Floberg has documented himself repeatedly straying from Cunningham's instructions. NSM is not his only way to improve. I've even said that John Davis would get Floberg out of his plateau (Davis, btw, is coaching Alec Blenis now. IDK if Blenis has been mentioned in this thread but he's yet another bodybuilder going after a sub 2:30).
As far as Floberg as a coach, I hate to say it, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's effective at helping completely clueless novices running 4 hour marathons down to low 3 / sub 3 marathons, at which point they can actually enjoy running, which isn't a bad thing. Like people learning to sing well enough to enjoy karaoke. A lifetime of improvement isn't necessarily the goal, though some go on to do that.
He can also dispense advice much better than he can set an example. His flaws aren't all lack of knowledge.
Ultimately, he's a very social, emotional, and hard-working guy. While all three of those traits can be used to get better, they can also hold you back. Currently he's on the wrong end of all three of them and he can't see it.
If this race goes poorly for him after he's made it unequivocally clear that he believes he can run sub 2:30 on Monday and he foresees no possible excuse for failing, I hope he finally makes some real progress in his post-race analysis. He does seem to at least try things (increasing mileage, speed block, strength training) to get those last few minutes. I'm sure he'll plan to attempt some kind of adjustment going forward, either mentally or in his training.
His training is still all over the place. He wants to run sub 2:30 then he could do a lot worse than get either of that guys you mention to help, sirpoc or John Davis. Both of which have taken already decent marathoners and made them quicker. I'm sure he will deviate from what he's given by them, but this is the problem, he will never improve because he doesn't want to do the dirty work to make it a reality. Hell, he could pick up the NSM book, read the pacing chapter which is pure gold and would have a better chance. He could do that today and still get a gain tomorrow.
He has so much information, but doesn't know how to apply any of it. 2:30 shouldn't even be a problem. Given what he's put in, he his spectacularly underperforming.
I actually would be interested to see any runners who used him as a coach and how they progressed (4h-ish down to 3:00-3:20-ish?), no sarcasm.
Kofluzi back with the runners weekend videos. Going from complaining about the pros to getting free trips abroad, Paris.
Welsh Runner decided on a whim to race Newport today rather than London next week. Blows up. Had a terrible race. Doubt we'll see a YouTube video for a while as he disappears under his rock again.
People pay him for coaching?
Your idea of a terrible race probably a bit harsh. He goes 2"29 and came 11th . I thought it would be a massive blow up , it wasn't really.
Was looking like a 2"25 attempt. The majority of racing at the point end of club running marathons goes like that. Not every race , especially the marathon, goes to plan.
Just to be clear, we all agree he's not training properly though?
IMO what he shows us is how you can have all these resources and work so hard and still get it wrong.
I'm 100% sure if you put sirpoc's brain in floberg's body and forced to live floberg's lifestyle outside of running, but the training is planned and performed by sirpoc, then 2:30 would have been broken in Fall 2024, or Spring 2025 at the latest, and he'd be sub 2:25 by now.
Though I used to criticize Jeff Cunningham, for all I know he is giving sound advice. Floberg has documented himself repeatedly straying from Cunningham's instructions. NSM is not his only way to improve. I've even said that John Davis would get Floberg out of his plateau (Davis, btw, is coaching Alec Blenis now. IDK if Blenis has been mentioned in this thread but he's yet another bodybuilder going after a sub 2:30).
As far as Floberg as a coach, I hate to say it, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's effective at helping completely clueless novices running 4 hour marathons down to low 3 / sub 3 marathons, at which point they can actually enjoy running, which isn't a bad thing. Like people learning to sing well enough to enjoy karaoke. A lifetime of improvement isn't necessarily the goal, though some go on to do that.
He can also dispense advice much better than he can set an example. His flaws aren't all lack of knowledge.
Ultimately, he's a very social, emotional, and hard-working guy. While all three of those traits can be used to get better, they can also hold you back. Currently he's on the wrong end of all three of them and he can't see it.
If this race goes poorly for him after he's made it unequivocally clear that he believes he can run sub 2:30 on Monday and he foresees no possible excuse for failing, I hope he finally makes some real progress in his post-race analysis. He does seem to at least try things (increasing mileage, speed block, strength training) to get those last few minutes. I'm sure he'll plan to attempt some kind of adjustment going forward, either mentally or in his training.
His training is still all over the place. He wants to run sub 2:30 then he could do a lot worse than get either of that guys you mention to help, sirpoc or John Davis. Both of which have taken already decent marathoners and made them quicker. I'm sure he will deviate from what he's given by them, but this is the problem, he will never improve because he doesn't want to do the dirty work to make it a reality. Hell, he could pick up the NSM book, read the pacing chapter which is pure gold and would have a better chance. He could do that today and still get a gain tomorrow.
He has so much information, but doesn't know how to apply any of it. 2:30 shouldn't even be a problem. Given what he's put in, he his spectacularly underperforming.
Norwegian Singles Method, written my Letruns own sirpoc, foreword by Marius Bakken. Which is quite the achievement for a hobby runner to get someone as serious as that to write a foreword. Id like to think this alone makes the YouTubers who want affirmation from true elites rage inside.
Close to a must buy really, even if you don't go head first into it as 1:1 gospel, it still provides a ton of information about what is important when it comes to training and perhaps what isn't. I ran a half recently and took the pacing section on board and it made me realise I had no idea how to pace a race before.
Incredibly good reviews and written by what seems to be is a top bloke. FOD has confirmed here he is really just a top fella, that's good enough for me.
Making this in the hope it'll buy sirpoc another beer with a sale. Especially as the guy is too modest to even bother promote his own book, yet ironically it's become a best seller in the running training category anyway.
A fraction of the cost of a gold tier fordy runs plan and almost certainly more likely to improve you.
His training is still all over the place. He wants to run sub 2:30 then he could do a lot worse than get either of that guys you mention to help, sirpoc or John Davis. Both of which have taken already decent marathoners and made them quicker. I'm sure he will deviate from what he's given by them, but this is the problem, he will never improve because he doesn't want to do the dirty work to make it a reality. Hell, he could pick up the NSM book, read the pacing chapter which is pure gold and would have a better chance. He could do that today and still get a gain tomorrow.
He has so much information, but doesn't know how to apply any of it. 2:30 shouldn't even be a problem. Given what he's put in, he his spectacularly underperforming.
What is the “NSM book?” Serious question here.
NSM is an abbreviation of Nick Sends Marathons. It’s the training blueprint that Nick Bester used to train his way from banker to professional marathon runner.
I think most people know you can make decent money from it, its more the longevity factor. Even if as a medium/small youtuber you are making 150k a year ( i think this is already ambitious). You then have to take into account all the business expenses which probably mount up to 30/40k (flights/hotels/equipment/paying editors etc) and then getting taxed on top of that, your take home might be ~90k/ year with no benefits.
This seems like decent money at the time but its not ever going to be enough to retire on unless they think they can keep up that level of engagement (and platforms continue to pay this much) for 50+ years which just isn't going to happen. And even if they do invest as much as they can in a smart manner (I guarantee none of them will be) they aren't making anywhere near enough to get any big returns.
There's a reason why a large number of these runfluencers come from extremely wealthy families and are able to spend the most important years of forming a career doing sweet F all...
Especially the Utah downhill girls and others. Even Choi. Lots of East Coast/West Coast elite types.
Flogborg has too much ego to train correctly, he cares too much about what the pace says on Strava, partially I’m sure because it’s his job. He doesn’t even manual lap on a track for f***’s sake, relies on “track mode”. He also makes sure his standing rest doesn’t show up on his moving time so his sheep are very impressed with the moving pace. I try not to be a hater often, but he makes it so hard not to be. It will be quite enjoyable to see 2:35+ and see him continue to avoid eating humble pie.
Bang on. I can’t believe how many sheeple idolize him. It’s insanity and I wonder if some are bots honestly. Floberg is legitimately delusional - I truly don’t even know if he’s purposely being deceiving and knows how cringey he comes off at trying to say he’s aware of his training and other things he says, or if he really is just that unintelligent. Clearly the guy has marketing chops to spin the entire YouTube into a money maker and continue to con people for run coaching since they oooh and ahhh at every corny artsy running video he uploads. But at this point I just think the guy is an actual moron when it comes to logically reasoning through training and understanding things.
That or he’s also too far up his own arse and that narcissistic to be oblivious to how much of a tool he comes off as to any legit runners and people who are running similar or faster times. I still cannot believe he forced his family to be part of a video watching him run a mile on a treadmill. Basically has 5 paid actors in his household who probably are all miserable when the camera whips out.
I hate that he’s profiting six figures off of running and social media but I take solace in the fact he is too foolish to figure out how to break 2:30 and is starting to look more and more embarrassing to any serious folk with every video and post he continues to make at this point. It’s a train wreck I can’t look away from. I just wish his coaching would dry up as the man doesn’t deserve to be pocketing $1k+ per head for what is likely rubbish “coaching” and nothing sauce he’s providing
He even had his late grandpa in one of the vids, and his wife running her half...I'd love to know what Sab thinks of this...
His kiddos will grow up and realize they've been had!
Someone commented on Flobergs 10 miles at "goal pace" (which was about 2;29 pace) on Strava saying why are you running this pace when every race you've ran indicates you're in 2:35 shape and the man responded "My top end usually never translates to my marathon prediction. I think I'm within PB striking distance again."
He never races. When he does, he says he was untapered. When he does race his times indicate he is not in 2:30 shape and this is proven on race day. When does he ever look at "top end speed"? Don't the usual VDOT style calculations work for this man? Is he special?
Doesn't believe in US education system and thinks he knows better. Doesn't believe in the coaches guidance and thinks he knows better. Doesn't believe in VDOT calculators and thinks he knows better.
The man is an absolute idiot
People trolled on Seth for weird training but at least early Seth was honest in the shoedio; I think later SJD had some Floberg tendencies. But even later SJD never had the grift that a certain Chicagoan has. Just a bunch of "bull"...
What sucks is there are hints of some humanity at times and seriousness from our Windy City runner but then they quickly fade away.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Someone commented on Flobergs 10 miles at "goal pace" (which was about 2;29 pace) on Strava saying why are you running this pace when every race you've ran indicates you're in 2:35 shape and the man responded "My top end usually never translates to my marathon prediction. I think I'm within PB striking distance again."
He never races. When he does, he says he was untapered. When he does race his times indicate he is not in 2:30 shape and this is proven on race day. When does he ever look at "top end speed"? Don't the usual VDOT style calculations work for this man? Is he special?
Doesn't believe in US education system and thinks he knows better. Doesn't believe in the coaches guidance and thinks he knows better. Doesn't believe in VDOT calculators and thinks he knows better.
The man is an absolute idiot
He's constantly maxing himself out in his workouts as evidenced in the long run you mentioned and the other 2mi repeats he did earlier in the week. The paces he's hitting for the amount of effort he's putting in clearly show that he's in for a really unpleasant day if he goes out at 3:30/km pace at Boston. I suspect a blow up is on the horizon with a "just not my day" excuse and a "I freaking love this community" with the rock on emoji to close out the caption.
Weather looks to be good, but I could see flo go out too fast in 1:12 as a result and die to a 2:45 to 2:48....
Welsh Runner decided on a whim to race Newport today rather than London next week. Blows up. Had a terrible race. Doubt we'll see a YouTube video for a while as he disappears under his rock again.
People pay him for coaching?
Your idea of a terrible race probably a bit harsh. He goes 2"29 and came 11th . I thought it would be a massive blow up , it wasn't really.
Was looking like a 2"25 attempt. The majority of racing at the point end of club running marathons goes like that. Not every race , especially the marathon, goes to plan.
Thats just marathon running, fair play to him .
Agreed, you'll not find a bigger hater of Matt than me - his videos make me want to kill myself - but this particular result is still very very decent, I still want him to delete all his social media and never curse the world with his cacka again, but I can appreciate a good marathon attempt when I see it!
Struggling with the site, but looks like she got 3:28:54?
The altitude cr*p was clearly just a weird Asics promo (she's even listed as an Asics athlete here!), but fair play to her if she managed it. I imagine there was tears either way, in true Running Channel fashion.
It's not a bad result for Sarah in many ways and I don't mind saying it's a better performance than I expected. Well done to her for a PB.
I still stand by previous comments regarding poor training, and the fact that in many ways, 2 years to take 15 mins off a PB as a full time running influencer is a pretty poor return on investment.
If she opened up with a 1:56 and closed with a 3:28 that means her back-half split was around 1:32? That is a HUGE negative split, she could have run 3:15 to 3:20 with even pacing...(1:37-1:38 to open and 1:40-ish to close)
Kofluzi back with the runners weekend videos. Going from complaining about the pros to getting free trips abroad, Paris.
Welsh Runner decided on a whim to race Newport today rather than London next week. Blows up. Had a terrible race. Doubt we'll see a YouTube video for a while as he disappears under his rock again.
People pay him for coaching?
Fairly certain he was meant to be one of the star influencers at Bristol Track Club 5k yesterday (alongside titans of the running shillverse like Fenton and FOD), so not sure what went on with turning up in Newport?
Its a good run, he's still just got me covered to put my limited cards on the table... but at the same time the guy has been saying he's going to go sub-2:20, and then disappearing off the face of the earth for the past half decade.
Be cool just to see 6-8 months of 80-100 miles a week, no huge or fancy sessions (and if they go wrong, just move on to the next), and see what he can actually do somewhere like Valencia.
Probably got a few more implosions before we get there though.
It's not a bad result for Sarah in many ways and I don't mind saying it's a better performance than I expected. Well done to her for a PB.
I still stand by previous comments regarding poor training, and the fact that in many ways, 2 years to take 15 mins off a PB as a full time running influencer is a pretty poor return on investment.
If she opened up with a 1:56 and closed with a 3:28 that means her back-half split was around 1:32? That is a HUGE negative split, she could have run 3:15 to 3:20 with even pacing...(1:37-1:38 to open and 1:40-ish to close)
Her mile splits are fairly consistent on her run. There’s no way she ran a 1:56 first half.
How many who are criticising Fordy Runs have actually used his coaching? I've been on the Gold tier for 12 months (only £99.99 per month), and it has transformed my running. Before I started with him, I was running 2 or 3 times a week, since he's been my coach I am now running 5 times per week, with double the mileage. I've gone from 4:17 to 4:02 in those 12 months and hoping to go sub 4 in London. I credit all my success to Fordy and would definitely recommend his coaching.
I don’t think the sarcasm is obvious here but I know you ain’t serious 🤣
If she opened up with a 1:56 and closed with a 3:28 that means her back-half split was around 1:32? That is a HUGE negative split, she could have run 3:15 to 3:20 with even pacing...(1:37-1:38 to open and 1:40-ish to close)
I believe that's the time from the start gun so she would have crossed the start line 10 minutes or whatever after that after everyone ahead of her commenced.
Someone commented on Flobergs 10 miles at "goal pace" (which was about 2;29 pace) on Strava saying why are you running this pace when every race you've ran indicates you're in 2:35 shape and the man responded "My top end usually never translates to my marathon prediction. I think I'm within PB striking distance again."
He never races. When he does, he says he was untapered. When he does race his times indicate he is not in 2:30 shape and this is proven on race day. When does he ever look at "top end speed"? Don't the usual VDOT style calculations work for this man? Is he special?
Doesn't believe in US education system and thinks he knows better. Doesn't believe in the coaches guidance and thinks he knows better. Doesn't believe in VDOT calculators and thinks he knows better.
The man is an absolute idiot
People trolled on Seth for weird training but at least early Seth was honest in the shoedio; I think later SJD had some Floberg tendencies. But even later SJD never had the grift that a certain Chicagoan has. Just a bunch of "bull"...
What sucks is there are hints of some humanity at times and seriousness from our Windy City runner but then they quickly fade away.
As a Chicagoan, he’s not a Chicagoan. He’s a Park Ridgian.
It's not a bad result for Sarah in many ways and I don't mind saying it's a better performance than I expected. Well done to her for a PB.
I still stand by previous comments regarding poor training, and the fact that in many ways, 2 years to take 15 mins off a PB as a full time running influencer is a pretty poor return on investment.
If she opened up with a 1:56 and closed with a 3:28 that means her back-half split was around 1:32? That is a HUGE negative split, she could have run 3:15 to 3:20 with even pacing...(1:37-1:38 to open and 1:40-ish to close)
Your idea of a terrible race probably a bit harsh. He goes 2"29 and came 11th . I thought it would be a massive blow up , it wasn't really.
Was looking like a 2"25 attempt. The majority of racing at the point end of club running marathons goes like that. Not every race , especially the marathon, goes to plan.
Thats just marathon running, fair play to him .
Agreed, you'll not find a bigger hater of Matt than me - his videos make me want to kill myself - but this particular result is still very very decent, I still want him to delete all his social media and never curse the world with his cacka again, but I can appreciate a good marathon attempt when I see it!