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."
Can someone post what the original said? I’m late to the party and don’t quite understand, but I can see from the comments in their apology, that people are still upset.
the comments are wild. They're acting like they've had some horrible injustice done to them. Road races are dominated by slower runners. You can find more than a few races each weekend that walkers/joggers/runners can participate in at any time. Most faster or elite level runners don't just hop in the Thin Mint 5k. Why? because let Sally win in a 24 min 5k...I can run a TT on my own without the hassle of some fun run 5k. It's like USATF, they don't just let anyone run at USA's. Boston has always been exclusive and it seems it got really lax the last couple of years. I had a friend who ran 8 plus minute miles and qualified for a 23 year old. I'm sorry but that's not fast. It doesn't matter age or gender it's about the speed you're running. If you don't like it find a new race (their are many options) or run faster. Simple.
I imagine part of, or maybe all of the reason the whiney “modern audiences” feel so amped up to attack this singlet is that the Boston Marathon was already a target of the “modern audiences” type. The race has caught some minor flak from them just in account of requiring a time to enter (people have even tried the classics like “qualifying times are fatphobic” and “qualifying times have a disparate impact on runners of colour”), that one fat black author-activist went on a whole campaign in April claiming the Boston Marathon was racist, and keyed up by that campaign, that one cheer team tried to cry racism when the cops stopped them from entering the course. Once you’re in the crosshairs of the modern audiences, you can never really leave. The attacks might die down for a while but one mention of you and they’re back on the offensive. Doesn’t matter that technically this product is not sold by the BAA, it’s close enough for the intellectuals that make up modern audiences.
One of my biggest concerns with this whole ordeal is that it's moving the ball towards Boston becoming a lottery/charity marathon with no amateur qualifying component. I grew up outside Boston, watching the marathon on TV every year (finally went in person to see Meb win in 2014), was never a runner until after covid started, and now I'll be running my third Boston this spring. The folks pushing the 26.True marathon (inaugural version in 2022, loosely organized, few participants) definitely got some press attention, especially with the silly Newton cop incident (spectators getting in the way/being obnoxious, followed by overreaction by cops), and things like this just further their narrative. I think their marathon is a cool idea, touching the diverse and poor neighborhoods in the city, but it's clear their organization is extremely anti-BAA. Something else that happened recently with the Boston Marathon was the town of Brookline threatening to revoke BAA's permit if they didn't adopt a bunch of performative measures for Indigenous People's Day when they held the race on that day in 2021. BAA bent the knee and exposed their biggest vulnerability: each town on the route can threaten to revoke their permit for whatever reason. The race goes through 8 different municipalities, and despite being extremely rich and white, Natick, Newton, Wellesley, and Brookline are bound to demand similar things from the BAA in the future. I can see a world where the 26.True folks convince some town electeds to whittle away at how Boston selects its field. Higher quotas, fewer fast people, etc. etc.
Separately, my biggest issue here is not only that the BQ singlet is extremely douchey to wear as a runner, but someone at Tracksmith wanted to feel like a special gatekeeper by actually building an application webpage for people to submit proof of their Boston registration. Absolutely psychopathic power trip to sell some crappy merch.
I get the jock semple issue, that was bad. But the level of entitlement from these absolute insufferable losers is really a sight to behold. Acting like the word jogger is some terrible slur.
This coming from the place that uses "hobby jogger" as a terrible slur?
The fat inclusive back of the pack acceptance movement is ruining the sport. Run harder or take up pickleball.
I never understood who said running was a community and it has to be inclusive. Who decided this? Go run if you like I don't care. Don't run and I don't care either. Nobody stopped anybody from running.
It's the narrative that she sells. I think she was featured in RW or something on like black while running. Like who give a crap. I don't care if she runs or not.
Imagine if we suggested the book she is hawking be renamed form “running wild black” to “jogging/walking 10 miles a week while trying to get myself a bunch of attention and money”
Can someone post what the original said? I’m late to the party and don’t quite understand, but I can see from the comments in their apology, that people are still upset.
They released a BQ singlet?
This was reddit fodder too. They had an old picture of Boston with this caption: “This is not a jogging race.” When entries opened for the 1970 Boston Marathon, the co-race directors issued this stern edict. Perhaps unknowingly, they were writing the first chapter in a decades long story of amateur excellence. The BQ is not just a time. For many runners it represents the culmination of thousands of lonely miles; months of waking up in the darkness to get the workout done; and the defeat of the fear that they were chasing an impossible dream. We launched the first BQ Singlet in 2015 and every year we've worked to improve the technical features. This year, we wanted to make sure it’s something special for qualifiers only. Hard to get, harder to earn, the 2024 BQ Singlet is reserved for runners who have both qualified and registered for the 2024 Boston Marathon. Learn more and reserve your spot in line to buy a BQ24 Singlet today via the link in our bio.
I'm disappointed they took it down. It's a lot of bullying over a marketing ethos that's just trying to valorize running. What they should really be bullied for is NO DAYS OFF. That's actually harmful.
Not to mention her comment was so outrageous that it deserved finding out who actually thinks that way.
It starts with: "I really do feel for all of the people you compromised over the past 48 hours." Someone replied saying "Compromised. WTF does that even mean???" and she says "if you don't understand it, it's not for you."
These people can't be serious. Also isn't her reply excluding those who don't understand??
This is the top comment in the new Instagram post announcing the deletion of their old Instagram post. I laughed so hard when I read this.
I see all the letsrun.com message board power users came up for air in this comments section to defend an athletic brand’s dignity. Friendly reminder that touching grass is an important part of any track workout, including your special “elite” ones 🙄
Disappointed that Tracksmith caved in to this outrage. I can't even conceptualize the mental gymnastics required to be offended by their post. They must also be the people who wear their finisher medal for a week after the race.
The fat inclusive back of the pack acceptance movement is ruining the sport. Run harder or take up pickleball.
I never understood who said running was a community and it has to be inclusive. Who decided this? Go run if you like I don't care. Don't run and I don't care either. Nobody stopped anybody from running.
Except the person originally quoted in the Tracksmith post, who literally pulled a woman off the Boston course in 1967
that’s the part of this tempest in a teapot i am most sympathetic to — it was boneheaded of Tracksmith to quote him
Here is the apology post. The comments are just as golden. People saying "this still isn't enough", etc. Good lawd.
That's the point, though. That's why you don't apologize to these psychopaths. The only approach is the one traditionally used by the British royal family: "Never complain, and never explain." If people are freaking out on you for something stupid, don't give them the satisfaction.
Here is the apology post. The comments are just as golden. People saying "this still isn't enough", etc. Good lawd.
People saying they were “…saddened by the original post.” Really..? Saddened….? JFC
LOL, yeah, unless you count the 24/7 depression and/or anxiety these people drive themselves into because that's cool nowadays. No, what's happening here when people say things like "I'm saddened by..." or "this still isn't enough" is simply that people have learned the lingo that gets you what you want in Current Year. Most people aren't stupid, they're capable of spotting what you have to do/say to gain an advantage, be part of the cool kids club, or whatever it is they want to do. People with certain interests or political bents have recognized that if you claim offense, you can get people or corporations to issue an apologize or otherwise give them whatever relief they want. The exact language or acts that represent a free ticket to what you want change over time, but people pick up on them quickly. People can't be bothered to log on to Zoom to go to their basket-weaving class en route to their no-work-required degree, but people turn into expert learners when there's a social advantage to be gained.
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