The Trials and Tribulations of Running YouTubers

GnozaKnows wrote:

checked out wrote:

Does anyone else feel like Ben Parkes doesn't enjoy making content anymore? He's still able to turn on the children's TV presenter energy for the camera but he just seems to churn out really generic training tips and shoe review videos now. Compared to what he was putting out 3-4 years ago it's worlds apart.

Yeah, he's looked disinterested at best in recent videos. I gather he's not enjoying the process or his profession as much as previously. He may even feel trapped (I hope not).

Luckily, for those starting out, his template-style training plans are dirt cheap at 10 GBP or similar. Since studies show many people who pick up running later in life don't stick with it long term, this can provide safe guardrails without a high entry barrier.

There are other YouTubers who haven't earned coaching credentials who are charging large sums, sometimes even monthly subscriptions, for essentially the similar template-style results.

Race1 wrote:

GnozaKnows wrote:

Yeah, he's looked disinterested at best in recent videos. I gather he's not enjoying the process or his profession as much as previously. He may even feel trapped (I hope not).

Luckily, for those starting out, his template-style training plans are dirt cheap at 10 GBP or similar. Since studies show many people who pick up running later in life don't stick with it long term, this can provide safe guardrails without a high entry barrier.

There are other YouTubers who haven't earned coaching credentials who are charging large sums, sometimes even monthly subscriptions, for essentially the similar template-style results.

Not sure if you are aware. BP is a fully qualified/certified coach in the UK.

I've purchased a few of his plans. They are simple enough for me running well over 3 hours. And give me the structure that I don't think about what I want to do, I just do what the plan says.

Race1 wrote:

GnozaKnows wrote:

Yeah, he's looked disinterested at best in recent videos. I gather he's not enjoying the process or his profession as much as previously. He may even feel trapped (I hope not).

Luckily, for those starting out, his template-style training plans are dirt cheap at 10 GBP or similar. Since studies show many people who pick up running later in life don't stick with it long term, this can provide safe guardrails without a high entry barrier.

There are other YouTubers who haven't earned coaching credentials who are charging large sums, sometimes even monthly subscriptions, for essentially the similar template-style results.

Not sure if you are aware. BP is a fully qualified/certified coach in the UK.

I've purchased a few of his plans. They are simple enough for me running well over 3 hours. And give me the structure that I don't think about what I want to do, I just do what the plan says.

As another posters says. Buying shoes yourself is an expensive thing to do. But its so much better in terms of reviews. With a notable hat tip to FordyRuns who is so chaotic he will slag off the shoes sent to him, and has been barred from a few brands as a result

BrainCelll wrote:

GnozaKnows wrote:

I've commented in opposition to many YouTuber coach methods. First to mind is Choi, who's run a wide array of plans. Personalized and template-based, subscription-based, free app with in-app purchases (), etc.

But Parkes, eh. Certified coach that charges a one-time 10 GBP for a template plan is really cheap. Hardly a scam in my view. Will it offer profound benefit? Maybe not. But it's a cheaper offering than just about anyone I've seen, and he's moderately educated on the topic.

Certified Coach, so who has he coached? What is his track record? and why do his copy+paste training plans look really familiar (if you know where to look)? He gets to send out generic un-tailored **** and charge people for it when you can find more detailed stuff for free online, like he did.

1) He has avoided doing any real workouts for years hiding behind endless excuses
2) He calls himself a 2:25 Marathoner despite barely averaging sub3 in recent years
3) He tells everyone they should join an Athletics Club, yet in 14 years has only ran 1x race in his club vest because he's actually only signed up to assure London Marathon Championship start-line. Has he ever trained with them? Not since pre-2014, where he was no longer welcome..
4) He intentionally mis-leads people about certain race results - ask him what his HM PR is
5) He hasn't PR'd at any distance for 5+years (sign of great training knowledge)
6) He has a weird habit of crying at almost every race he goes to now?
7) He uploaded his Girlfriends Arc of Attrition race vlog to his own channel to reap the views and new followers, instead of putting it on hers that she had just set up and promised the video would be on
8) For some weird reason he's decided to sell merch with his surname on it.. why? Who is he to have people wearing his surname?
9) As mentioned, his training plans are suspect from where they originate, and why top out only at sub17? Because he doesnt actually know what he's talking about, he'll just throw more miles and slightly larger generic workouts at people until they run sub17. Trying to coach someone to sub15 or sub14 actually takes knowing what you're talking about but he's avoiding that by appealing to the less serious runners.
10) Interesting Youtube channel. I wonder where I've seen many of these videos before? I wonder if they're just recycled from videos he already made in the past and/or copies ideas from other channels?...........

...all of this definitely sounds like the type of person I'm sure would be great to take advice from about how to conduct your life/training...

and oh yeah 11) he quit his job to do youtubing, but then set up a ko-fi account asking people to donate to him every week to cover his income

but I'm sure maybe he's just really busy doing all those youtu.. nope his partner edits all his videos for him. He just runs around 45M weeks, film rarely to re-hash an old video and get his GF to sort the videography out for him.

The man is a leech.

BrainCelll wrote:

GnozaKnows wrote:

I've commented in opposition to many YouTuber coach methods. First to mind is Choi, who's run a wide array of plans. Personalized and template-based, subscription-based, free app with in-app purchases (), etc.

But Parkes, eh. Certified coach that charges a one-time 10 GBP for a template plan is really cheap. Hardly a scam in my view. Will it offer profound benefit? Maybe not. But it's a cheaper offering than just about anyone I've seen, and he's moderately educated on the topic.

Certified Coach, so who has he coached? What is his track record? and why do his copy+paste training plans look really familiar (if you know where to look)? He gets to send out generic un-tailored **** and charge people for it when you can find more detailed stuff for free online, like he did.

1) He has avoided doing any real workouts for years hiding behind endless excuses
2) He calls himself a 2:25 Marathoner despite barely averaging sub3 in recent years
3) He tells everyone they should join an Athletics Club, yet in 14 years has only ran 1x race in his club vest because he's actually only signed up to assure London Marathon Championship start-line. Has he ever trained with them? Not since pre-2014, where he was no longer welcome..
4) He intentionally mis-leads people about certain race results - ask him what his HM PR is
5) He hasn't PR'd at any distance for 5+years (sign of great training knowledge)
6) He has a weird habit of crying at almost every race he goes to now?
7) He uploaded his Girlfriends Arc of Attrition race vlog to his own channel to reap the views and new followers, instead of putting it on hers that she had just set up and promised the video would be on
8) For some weird reason he's decided to sell merch with his surname on it.. why? Who is he to have people wearing his surname?
9) As mentioned, his training plans are suspect from where they originate, and why top out only at sub17? Because he doesnt actually know what he's talking about, he'll just throw more miles and slightly larger generic workouts at people until they run sub17. Trying to coach someone to sub15 or sub14 actually takes knowing what you're talking about but he's avoiding that by appealing to the less serious runners.
10) Interesting Youtube channel. I wonder where I've seen many of these videos before? I wonder if they're just recycled from videos he already made in the past and/or copies ideas from other channels?...........

...all of this definitely sounds like the type of person I'm sure would be great to take advice from about how to conduct your life/training...

and oh yeah 11) he quit his job to do youtubing, but then set up a ko-fi account asking people to donate to him every week to cover his income

but I'm sure maybe he's just really busy doing all those youtu.. nope his partner edits all his videos for him. He just runs around 45M weeks, film rarely to re-hash an old video and get his GF to sort the videography out for him.

The man is a leech.

GnozaKnows wrote:

BrainCelll wrote:

Certified Coach, so who has he coached? What is his track record? and why do his copy+paste training plans look really familiar (if you know where to look)? He gets to send out generic un-tailored **** and charge people for it when you can find more detailed stuff for free online, like he did.

1) He has avoided doing any real workouts for years hiding behind endless excuses
2) He calls himself a 2:25 Marathoner despite barely averaging sub3 in recent years
3) He tells everyone they should join an Athletics Club, yet in 14 years has only ran 1x race in his club vest because he's actually only signed up to assure London Marathon Championship start-line. Has he ever trained with them? Not since pre-2014, where he was no longer welcome..
4) He intentionally mis-leads people about certain race results - ask him what his HM PR is
5) He hasn't PR'd at any distance for 5+years (sign of great training knowledge)
6) He has a weird habit of crying at almost every race he goes to now?
7) He uploaded his Girlfriends Arc of Attrition race vlog to his own channel to reap the views and new followers, instead of putting it on hers that she had just set up and promised the video would be on
8) For some weird reason he's decided to sell merch with his surname on it.. why? Who is he to have people wearing his surname?
9) As mentioned, his training plans are suspect from where they originate, and why top out only at sub17? Because he doesnt actually know what he's talking about, he'll just throw more miles and slightly larger generic workouts at people until they run sub17. Trying to coach someone to sub15 or sub14 actually takes knowing what you're talking about but he's avoiding that by appealing to the less serious runners.
10) Interesting Youtube channel. I wonder where I've seen many of these videos before? I wonder if they're just recycled from videos he already made in the past and/or copies ideas from other channels?...........

...all of this definitely sounds like the type of person I'm sure would be great to take advice from about how to conduct your life/training...

and oh yeah 11) he quit his job to do youtubing, but then set up a ko-fi account asking people to donate to him every week to cover his income

but I'm sure maybe he's just really busy doing all those youtu.. nope his partner edits all his videos for him. He just runs around 45M weeks, film rarely to re-hash an old video and get his GF to sort the videography out for him.

The man is a leech.

Take a breath. If money is no object, everyone who desires coaching would learn from the best. Reality is, that's not happening.

I never wrote that Parkes was some running coach genius. I wrote he's achieved basic coaching accreditations in the nation within which he resides. This provides some level of knowledge, moreso than YouTubers who don't invest time in going through training yet offer similar services.

Rather have a new runner get a cheap template plan from someone who may have learned little than spend a lot on coaching from someone who only knows what worked for them. Choi, for example, has no coach credentials, per his LinkedIn. Only a nutrition course cert. And he's giving "personalized" running advice at $14 monthly or $99 annually.