Those of you that liked one of the most famous threads in LRC history, will like this article:
“She’d rather go to Dunkin’ Donuts than Starbucks. She doesn’t want some super duper craft beer. She’s probably going to have a Sam Adams instead of a Tree House," said Coogan.
I read this article a few days ago and became an instant fan. So many paths to becoming a great distance runner.
Unfortunately in the country that I live in most of the athletes that I coach are private school kids.
Back in the mid 80's you could still be poor and dam good. Glad I didn't have the pressure of having to fly all over the country at high school meets. What HS kids do now to chase fast times....wow. The cost of shoes? I felt guilty when I needed to buy a pair of $39.95 Nike Pegasus.
Times change.
Being paid to run already disqualifies you as a blue collar runner.
Blue-collar runner = you work a manual labor job (factory, construction, etc.) in addition to running. I think it is pretty obvious that someone with a graduate degree as the article mentions is probably not a blue-collar worker. An example of what I would consider a blue-collar runner would be someone like Phil Coppess
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Blue Collar is not selecting Dunkin over Starbucks or Sam Adams over whatever Tree House is. It is drinking the garbage you make at home and Budweiser.
wtf does the type of coffee and beer you drink have to do with being blue or white collar?
Quote Post wrote:
wtf does the type of coffee and beer you drink have to do with being blue or white collar?
this. consumer spending habits != socioeconomic class no matter how much the media wants you to think otherwise.
fethullah gulen rupp wrote:
Quote Post wrote:
wtf does the type of coffee and beer you drink have to do with being blue or white collar?
this. consumer spending habits != socioeconomic class no matter how much the media wants you to think otherwise.
exactly. if you have a blue collar job, you are a blue collar person. if you don't, you're not
Great story, especially if you watched her development in college knowing about the constant bouts with pneumonia. Who cares if she doesn't erect steel or pound nails with her hands, it is a feel good story of perseverance and rising from the ashes, right down to having to appeal for aspot in the final. Go get 'em Heather!!
Only Phil Coppess gets to wear that crown. He is still one of the fastest US marathoners ever. Imagine if he was running today with a sponsor and shoes instead of working in a factory?
mtrack wrote:
Great story, especially if you watched her development in college knowing about the constant bouts with pneumonia. Who cares if she doesn't erect steel or pound nails with her hands, it is a feel good story of perseverance and rising from the ashes, right down to having to appeal for aspot in the final. Go get 'em Heather!!
so if i'm a corporate lawyer and I drink dunkin and bud light then i'm blue collar? Cool!
this is the great 21st century letsrun conundrum
If you're not pro, and not just making money but earning a living at it, then you are a hobby jogger.
If you are truly blue collar you work full time at a grimy job (desk job doesn't cut it), but obviously that's your primary income and running is just a side gig you are by definition not a pro, therefore a hobby jogger and no better than the 28 min 5K guy running in banana and turkey suits at the local fundraiser fun run where the winner runs 25.
"Blue Collar" for runners means the same as "family values" for politicians. Everyone pretends there are exclusive criteria that matter, when it is in fact an empty label and people act as they want anyway. Neither actually are descriptive or map on to how an individual acts or thinks.
tell letsrunners that some kid grew up on a farm and that will really get the blood flowing
rojo wrote:
“She’d rather go to Dunkin’ Donuts than Starbucks. She doesn’t want some super duper craft beer. She’s probably going to have a Sam Adams instead of a Tree House," said Coogan.
Really love MacLean as an athlete, she's an awesome talent. But I REALLY dont get letsrun's fetishism with 'blue collar.'
She's an educated athlete paid to run, there's nothing blue collar about that. Nothing wrong about it either, just not blue collar.
fethullah gulen rupp wrote:
Quote Post wrote:
wtf does the type of coffee and beer you drink have to do with being blue or white collar?
this. consumer spending habits != socioeconomic class no matter how much the media wants you to think otherwise.
Does she work in a warehouse or factory? No? Then why would you call her Blue Collar?
Hey Kitty Girl wrote:
rojo wrote:
“She’d rather go to Dunkin’ Donuts than Starbucks. She doesn’t want some super duper craft beer. She’s probably going to have a Sam Adams instead of a Tree House," said Coogan.
Really love MacLean as an athlete, she's an awesome talent. But I REALLY dont get letsrun's fetishism with 'blue collar.'
She's an educated athlete paid to run, there's nothing blue collar about that. Nothing wrong about it either, just not blue collar.
This x100000000
Barely, if any, US pro runners today are "blue collar". Most come from privileged backgrounds and are able to go to school for free then run as a career because they are a marketing tool for a corporation ... and there's nothing wrong with that. A company wouldn't want their investment to risk injury and fatigue by doing manual labour all day ... they just need run fast and post about shoes.
Love to see a material understanding of class tossed aside for cultural signifiers. Does she drive a truck too? Because it's not too late to use some film magic and drop some footage of her running in the background of Harlan County, USA.