A lot of the best content does't get as many views as it's all about "clickbait", flashy graphics and text, capturing the power of the algorithm, celebrating raw materialism and consumerism, and being a "hybrid something" and doing ridiculous challenges...
Great post as usual, Sage. I think the above is what bothers me the most. It's not just the 100s of pairs of barely shoes behind people in their shoedios, it's all the other garbage they're unboxing and wearing. So much waste.
Every new shoot/visit to a manufacture means wearing the newest version of their shirts/jackets/socks/hat/water bottles/everything. What happens with all this the next day? Garbage? Storage somewhere?
So much unnecessary waste and impact to the environment.
Yeah, this is something I find gross about the running ecosystem in general but it definitely stems from the influencers. One of the things I loved best about running when I got into it was kind of a weird sport and it had this cool history of being an outsider activity. Guys like Pre were legends because they lived on food stamps in a trailer while training for the Olympics. Now, it can feel so corporate and consumerist. I wouldn't even call myself a true "running purist" or "hippy-type" but I've always appreciated that aspect of the sport and it feels gross seeing how much that has fallen away.
Ben Parkes long awaited 'Goal Race' in Valencia this weekend. After years of seeing him jogging around 'non goal races' at 20 minutes off his PB, finally it's time to see what he's made of.
If he wants to make a living selling training plans, he needs to show that he can train himself. Sub 2.25 or it's a dismal failure
Clearly Parkes isn't the same runner who ran 2.25 in, I would consider, more than one way.
Matt Choi's latest subscriber newsletter, in which he describes the NYC marathon e-bike situation as "pushing the envelope."
"Hey Team,
It’s been quite the week. I’m sure a lot of you have heard about my ban at the New York City Marathon last Sunday. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the impact of my actions on the race, the running community, and myself. It's been a challenging experience, but there's also an opportunity for me to learn and grow.
One of the biggest takeaways for me is that, as athletes, creators, and entrepreneurs, we have to get comfortable with failure and the possibility of pushing things too far. Taking risks, facing criticism, and sometimes falling short has been part of my journey for years, and while it’s never easy, it's essential. I know that when we let the fear of judgment hold us back, we don’t reach our full potential. That fear stops people from going after their dreams, starting that business, or investing in their health.
I’m taking full ownership of my actions in New York. I was wrong for bringing bikes on the course. But I've learned that to take anything to the next level, to see what you are capable of, you need to push the envelope. At times that comes with success, sometimes failure, and everything in between.
If you're out there living by the status quo or are doing the same things over and over, ask yourself how you can take things to the next level in a respectful way.
Thanks so much to everyone who has shown support in the comments, messages, or from afar. I’m grateful to have you all along for this journey.
And if you haven’t yet, check out my recent YouTube video where I am very raw and transparent in talking about what happened at the New York City Marathon.
I appreciate the support and am excited to see you at the next race, event, or just out there on the streets. I love you guys so much and I’ll catch you in the next one!
Much love, Matt"
----------------------------------------------
If the following graf is taken literally, he intends to continue as is:
"I’m taking full ownership of my actions in New York. I was wrong for bringing bikes on the course. But I've learned that to take anything to the next level, to see what you are capable of, you need to push the envelope."
"But..." is used as an interrupter, contrasting the "I was wrong for bringing bikes on the course" clause with "I've learned that to take anything to the next level, to see what you are capable of, you need to push the envelope."
Basically, he’s saying if you wanna keep the content engine churning you’re gonna have to start getting comfortable with your content creators breaking the rules to see what they can get away with. That’s the lesson he’s learned here.
Matt Choi's latest subscriber newsletter, in which he describes the NYC marathon e-bike situation as "pushing the envelope."
"Hey Team,
I know that when we let the fear of judgment hold us back, we don’t reach our full potential. That fear stops people from going after their dreams, starting that business, or investing in their health.
I’m taking full ownership of my actions in New York. I was wrong for bringing bikes on the course. But I've learned that to take anything to the next level, to see what you are capable of, you need to push the envelope. At times that comes with success, sometimes failure, and everything in between.
Much love, Matt"
----------------------------------------------
If the following graf is taken literally, he intends to continue as is:
"I’m taking full ownership of my actions in New York. I was wrong for bringing bikes on the course. But I've learned that to take anything to the next level, to see what you are capable of, you need to push the envelope."
"But..." is used as an interrupter, contrasting the "I was wrong for bringing bikes on the course" clause with "I've learned that to take anything to the next level, to see what you are capable of, you need to push the envelope."
The bolded sentences above indicate narcissism approaching psychopathy. The idea that some DB who decides to try to make a living out of posting goofball vids online is doing anything noteworthy is mind-blowing.
'Content creation' is not a real thing. It's not real work, it's not noteworthy, it's a thing that scammers do to make a buck instead of actually working for a living. There's no credibility in this garbage, no respect to be earned, just the hope for a few weirdo patreon sponsors who pay (why???) for the privilege of gaining closer contact with these do-nothings.
Just goes to show the world is absolutely overflowing with awful people.
But being on Youtube and making running content for the past 15+ years (as well as documenting several of my half dozen sub 2:20 marathon time training blocks and ultra-distance racing etc.) I've seen how it's changed a lot/evolved (some good some bad, but for sure more of a crowded space). Maybe I'm just getting old and cranky though. Adapt or die.
I'd agree the space is a lot more crowded but many of these newer channels will simply fizzle out over time, even if they have substantial views over a few months. I think/hope there's only so much time someone can sustain a channel based purely on shoe reviews/consumerism. The only newer channels I come back to regularly as a viewer at the moment are Crown My Run which is purely racing footage of a guy providing a humourous commentary on his and his brother's very frequent races (filmed with insta360s on their hats) and Ryan Thomson who is a top Scottish marathoner filming his workouts and narrating his races. Both of these have cracked the nut of being likeable and providing genuinely interesting content without trying to sell the viewer anything. I don't think you need to adapt your content to match the flash-in-the-pan consumerist running channels, I think you should create more content that showcases your unique insight and experience of the running world. If you uploaded a review of a new Coros watch tomorrow, I'm afraid I wouldn't watch it. If you recorded footage of you jumping into a local parkrun 5k- perhaps with a commentary- I would definitely watch, whether you won the race or not.
Good suggestions thanks! I’ll add another one - RanToJapan, about a Brit who moved to Japan to chase his running dream. The lad puts in a lot of hard work and is quite funny. Genuine love for the sport, nothing like most of the YouTube channels around.
Matt Choi's latest subscriber newsletter, in which he describes the NYC marathon e-bike situation as "pushing the envelope."
"Hey Team,
It’s been quite the week. I’m sure a lot of you have heard about my ban at the New York City Marathon last Sunday. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the impact of my actions on the race, the running community, and myself. It's been a challenging experience, but there's also an opportunity for me to learn and grow.
One of the biggest takeaways for me is that, as athletes, creators, and entrepreneurs, we have to get comfortable with failure and the possibility of pushing things too far. Taking risks, facing criticism, and sometimes falling short has been part of my journey for years, and while it’s never easy, it's essential. I know that when we let the fear of judgment hold us back, we don’t reach our full potential. That fear stops people from going after their dreams, starting that business, or investing in their health.
I’m taking full ownership of my actions in New York. I was wrong for bringing bikes on the course. But I've learned that to take anything to the next level, to see what you are capable of, you need to push the envelope. At times that comes with success, sometimes failure, and everything in between.
If you're out there living by the status quo or are doing the same things over and over, ask yourself how you can take things to the next level in a respectful way.
Thanks so much to everyone who has shown support in the comments, messages, or from afar. I’m grateful to have you all along for this journey.
And if you haven’t yet, check out my recent YouTube video where I am very raw and transparent in talking about what happened at the New York City Marathon.
I appreciate the support and am excited to see you at the next race, event, or just out there on the streets. I love you guys so much and I’ll catch you in the next one!
Much love, Matt"
----------------------------------------------
If the following graf is taken literally, he intends to continue as is:
"I’m taking full ownership of my actions in New York. I was wrong for bringing bikes on the course. But I've learned that to take anything to the next level, to see what you are capable of, you need to push the envelope."
"But..." is used as an interrupter, contrasting the "I was wrong for bringing bikes on the course" clause with "I've learned that to take anything to the next level, to see what you are capable of, you need to push the envelope."
Have a look at the comments on his Youtube video for NY. He's getting panned.
Yeah I also like how his videos highlights the reverence the Japanese have towards running and how good the average amateur is. Also been enjoying watching him grind out 250km weeks and I hope it works out for him at Fukuoka
Some enjoy the challenges and the clickbait material but it gets very tiring. It’s hard to find the raw material out there. I’ve enjoyed Clayton Young’s channel and now stumbled upon Sean Tobin’s channel (might need anubti for the Irish accent) and I’m hooked. The production of these are fantastic. I enjoyed Sean’s latest and it’s great to see something different from the U.S scene.
Most of these videos are getting too formulaic and long to watch to be honest.
Rather be sleeping, coffee montage, oatmeal, LMNT plug, talk about what they will wear, talk about the shoes, coros plug, general complaining (workout, weather, aches and pains), splits given in miles and k's to be inclusive, race footage (50% duration of coffee montage), fake personality - cheerleader like volume and talking cadence to wrap it up.
Most of these videos are getting too formulaic and long to watch to be honest.
Rather be sleeping, coffee montage, oatmeal, LMNT plug, talk about what they will wear, talk about the shoes, coros plug, general complaining (workout, weather, aches and pains), splits given in miles and k's to be inclusive, race footage (50% duration of coffee montage), fake personality - cheerleader like volume and talking cadence to wrap it up.
Most of these videos are getting too formulaic and long to watch to be honest.
Rather be sleeping, coffee montage, oatmeal, LMNT plug, talk about what they will wear, talk about the shoes, coros plug, general complaining (workout, weather, aches and pains), splits given in miles and k's to be inclusive, race footage (50% duration of coffee montage), fake personality - cheerleader like volume and talking cadence to wrap it up.
What did I forget?
Slap the lens with your hand or a shoe as a hard cut.
Most of these videos are getting too formulaic and long to watch to be honest.
Rather be sleeping, coffee montage, oatmeal, LMNT plug, talk about what they will wear, talk about the shoes, coros plug, general complaining (workout, weather, aches and pains), splits given in miles and k's to be inclusive, race footage (50% duration of coffee montage), fake personality - cheerleader like volume and talking cadence to wrap it up.
What did I forget?
The sugary sweet cult like phrase to end the video. "Live, laugh, love... Run"
Most of these videos are getting too formulaic and long to watch to be honest.
Rather be sleeping, coffee montage, oatmeal, LMNT plug, talk about what they will wear, talk about the shoes, coros plug, general complaining (workout, weather, aches and pains), splits given in miles and k's to be inclusive, race footage (50% duration of coffee montage), fake personality - cheerleader like volume and talking cadence to wrap it up.
What did I forget?
End every video with “see you next time, until then <insert formerly tolerable but now annoying catchphrase or motif here>”
Anyway, see you next time and until then I’ll be here stacking bricks in between bouts of running to inspire because you’ve gotta love the grind of getting it done.