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
Have you tried Ben's plans and had success after doing Pfitz/JD/Hanson's/RLRF, etc. as baseline?
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.
Good lord. Please go outside. This post is legitimately unhinged.
For years he had the standard strapline about being a UKA certified coach on his website. It's standard practice before the usual guff about helping runners achieve their dreams and going on the journey with them. Oddly enough I never took a screenshot of it. Who would?!
Strange world that those pointing out a clear fact that he's selling rather expensive coaching whilst now unlicensed get mainly downvoted. Makes me wonder what sort of people he has in his fandom.
£7 for a training plan isn't 'rather expensive' and as his 'coaching' is closed/unavailable that's the only coaching currently for sale. Perhaps he used to be a certified coach and it has now lapsed and so he removed all mention of it? Sounds almost responsible to me? But the letsrun detectives can't help but find a conspiracy theory out of nowhere as usual. If your accusations hinge on you needing to have captured a historic screenshot, during which time he may well have actually been a certified coach for all you know, then sorry but there are more important 'scandals' to uncover out there.
Currently shown on his website"
Coaching IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE ULTIMATE GUIDANCE TO ACHIEVE YOUR NEXT GOAL, THEN I OFFER TWO LEVELS OF PERSONALISATION. Each package begins with an initial phone conversation to establish your goals, current fitness levels, your background, plus all the time and lifestyle factors relevant to your training. All the coaching packages are currently full. If you would like to register your interest for future availability please click here." Does this specific wording suggest someone who is not coaching anyone?
As scandals go (your word, not mine), I agree it it rates lower than many other things. But that's the thing about Letsrun anonymity, we can play with it.
Coaching IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE ULTIMATE GUIDANCE TO ACHIEVE YOUR NEXT GOAL, THEN I OFFER TWO LEVELS OF PERSONALISATION. Each package begins with an initial phone conversation to establish your goals, current fitness levels, your background, plus all the time and lifestyle factors relevant to your training. All the coaching packages are currently full. If you would like to register your interest for future availability please click here." Does this specific wording suggest someone who is not coaching anyone?
As scandals go (your word, not mine), I agree it it rates lower than many other things. But that's the thing about Letsrun anonymity, we can play with it.
I'm unsure how many more posts you can write that inadvertently prove Ben isn't calling himself a 'certified coach'. 5 more? 10?
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"marriage with a narcissist" "for those who need healing, [you] know who you are"
"imagine coming to the realization that the person that you married, the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with, is neither capable or has the desire to love you. Imagine that person has no care or compassion for you difficulties or trials. Imagine realizing that your whole relationship was a fact and the only thing they feel for you is contempt. That's what it's like for victims who married a Narcissist or sociopath." @healing.after.a.narcissist
"So now if someone asks me why I left real estate, I don't tell them the old reason I used to say. 'My kids are too important and I decided to stay home.' Well, lets be honest, that sounds better and more socially palatable coming from a woman than, 'my anxiety monster ate my brain.'"
so imagine being a 40 year old (circa 2014) with 2 kids, mental health challenges of some severity, and no job and your husband starts dating his 25 yr old co-worker (who looks quite similar to you just skinnier and younger) and 2 years after the separation he marries her, starts a career jet-setting around the world imbibing on shoe companies' dimes, and posting public pictures to look like the world's most fun dad on every other weekend from his new modern townhouse while you're still stuck in the little starter home out in the boondocks.
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
Have you tried Ben's plans and had success after doing Pfitz/JD/Hanson's/RLRF, etc. as baseline?
No, I've never tried Ben's plans. I never wrote I did, either.
I've bought two of Sage's plans after his home fire and pulmonary issue, however. I feel those provided value. I can't imagine Ben's are far different, especially since others here claim they are copy and paste from the major players.
"marriage with a narcissist" "for those who need healing, [you] know who you are"
"imagine coming to the realization that the person that you married, the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with, is neither capable or has the desire to love you. Imagine that person has no care or compassion for you difficulties or trials. Imagine realizing that your whole relationship was a fact and the only thing they feel for you is contempt. That's what it's like for victims who married a Narcissist or sociopath." @healing.after.a.narcissist
"So now if someone asks me why I left real estate, I don't tell them the old reason I used to say. 'My kids are too important and I decided to stay home.' Well, lets be honest, that sounds better and more socially palatable coming from a woman than, 'my anxiety monster ate my brain.'"
so imagine being a 40 year old (circa 2014) with 2 kids, mental health challenges of some severity, and no job and your husband starts dating his 25 yr old co-worker (who looks quite similar to you just skinnier and younger) and 2 years after the separation he marries her, starts a career jet-setting around the world imbibing on shoe companies' dimes, and posting public pictures to look like the world's most fun dad on every other weekend from his new modern townhouse while you're still stuck in the little starter home out in the boondocks.
I think Thomas is a judgmental douche with a superiority complex, and I hate all their stupid shakeout runs and sponsored reviews, but..
You people are so f*cking weird. Are you really stalking Thomas's ex-wife's instagram and LinkedIn to find content to post on here? Why?
I know that there is reasons why (the bigger) running youtubers produce so much marathon content. But it still frustrates me. I don't think I'm alone here, but a lot of people aren't running marathons and don't want to. Where is the content for us half marathon, 10K and 5K road runners?
I agree with this… despite what people think, marathons are very niche in the running world (but becoming bigger)… the problem is people are sucked into believing marathons are the biggest accomplishment in running. The reality is though, stacking training block ontop of training block, week after week, month after month is far more rewarding and much more of an achievement in my opinion. Having just finished a marathon block, I see a bigger challenge of attacking the shorter distances
Have you tried Ben's plans and had success after doing Pfitz/JD/Hanson's/RLRF, etc. as baseline?
No, I've never tried Ben's plans. I never wrote I did, either.
I've bought two of Sage's plans after his home fire and pulmonary issue, however. I feel those provided value. I can't imagine Ben's are far different, especially since others here claim they are copy and paste from the major players.
Thanks for your support! Much appreciated!
Wow, I hope people (especially other influencers!)... don't "copy and paste" from the plans Sandi and I have created. That would be copyright infringement/stealing. I've been coaching and writing training plans for over 15 years now (as well as being a Running Youtuber for that matter)....after 25 years of competitive running experience.
For the record: Sandi has designed more of our 100km-100-miler plans, while my focus has been more on the Marathon and 50km. Sandi has actually run really well at 100-milers (I have not)...yet...
But I do hope our collective experience at racing "Any Surface Any Distance" shows in the training theory, workouts and effectiveness of the Higher Running training plans. We've had countless sub 3-hour marathoners following the "BQ Marathon Plan" for example.
I'll admit it's a little annoying (at least to me) seeing a lot of "Influencer Runners" come in who just started running a few years ago.....all of a sudden becoming "coaches" and giving "pro running tips" and selling "training plans" because they cracked 3 once and have gained a massive social media following very quickly...(for what I could call a lot of "clickbait" content). I dunno, maybe I'm just getting old and cranky. Maybe it should motivate me to improve my production quality finally and have better editing and graphics. Adapt or die.
I'll admit it's a little annoying (at least to me) seeing a lot of "Influencer Runners" come in who just started running a few years ago.....all of a sudden becoming "coaches" and giving "pro running tips" and selling "training plans" because they cracked 3 once and have gained a massive social media following very quickly...(for what I could call a lot of "clickbait" content). I dunno, maybe I'm just getting old and cranky. Maybe it should motivate me to improve my production quality finally and have better editing and graphics. Adapt or die.
Wow, I hope people (especially other influencers!)... don't "copy and paste" from the plans Sandi and I have created. That would be copyright infringement/stealing. I've been coaching and writing training plans for over 15 years now (as well as being a Running Youtuber for that matter)....after 25 years of competitive running experience.
I'll admit it's a little annoying (at least to me) seeing a lot of "Influencer Runners" come in who just started running a few years ago.....all of a sudden becoming "coaches" and giving "pro running tips" and selling "training plans" because they cracked 3 once and have gained a massive social media following very quickly...(for what I could call a lot of "clickbait" content). I dunno, maybe I'm just getting old and cranky. Maybe it should motivate me to improve my production quality finally and have better editing and graphics. Adapt or die.
I guess in part the impact on you of the basket of deplorables you mention in your last para depends on how much money you have and how much you think you need; and how much non coaching leisure time you have and how much you'd like. It's quite likely that the sort of people who choose you for coaching and plans (I will let you decide which you think is the major element of 'coaching' and 'training plans') would specifically not choose a Runfluencer because they would see the likely bad deal of paying a Runfluencer for coaching. Whilst the people who think a runfluencer is their optimum coaching choice to invest in are unlikely to choose you whilst they remain of that view. You likely get a better quality of life from this and get the schadenfreude option when the Runfluencers get their mental health Black Dog phases.
I think - due respect - worrying about the copyright aspect of training plans is a Lost Cause in the league of a massive new statue of Jefferson Davis being built in Berkeley.
I'll admit it's a little annoying (at least to me) seeing a lot of "Influencer Runners" come in who just started running a few years ago.....all of a sudden becoming "coaches" and giving "pro running tips" and selling "training plans" because they cracked 3 once and have gained a massive social media following very quickly...(for what I could call a lot of "clickbait" content). I dunno, maybe I'm just getting old and cranky. Maybe it should motivate me to improve my production quality finally and have better editing and graphics. Adapt or die.
Ahem floberg ahem
Floberg is not the worst offender. The Rambling Runner/Relay guy is like a 4:00:00 Marathoner or something.
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