Hadn't looked through the whole issue until last night. If I had seen the article of trials and tribulations to run a 67 minute 10K, I would not have bought the magazine. Give me a freakin break, my 8 year old could do better than a 67 min. 10k. And yes, there are magazines I support: Track and Field News, Running Times, and I long for the days when American Runner was published. Runners World Sucks, it's as simple as that.
Runners world is not the only magazine that writes fluff pieces.Read the articles about Torres in Running times,same stuff thats been written before plus giving only one side of the problems between Torres and Wheeling high school.Not one running magazine has printed the problems the Torres and thier club coach caused at Wheeling.If you think about it I cant think of any magazine that writes full articals about runners that dont have fluff in them.I do agree that alot of the articles are not for hard core runners,but its not who the magazine is targeted for.They do sometimes have good tips on training and other ting to improve your running.Also Rtime has just as many shoe reviews.
John Bingham is trying to ruin road racing.He is a part of a road racing managment company that bought the Chicago Distance Classic that has thousands of runners each year.Instead of giving cheap t-shirts for a runners $30 they now will get a some type of dri-fit shirt.And to make sure he gets all of the Gallowalkers,Penguin followers,and slow Rw readers he has offered cash prizes for winners.I wish there were more people trying to ruin running like John Bringham.
What exactly is the in-depth story of Torres during Wheeling HS? I know that Jorge did not run track his senior year because running with his club was a violation of the IL state rules or something really stupid like that.
OK, I got one of those cheapie subscriptions to RW a while back. I am also a pack-rat and have a pile of old RW's (and RT's of course) in my basement. Here's who's been on the cover for the last year (in reverse order):
June Soledad O'Brien of Today Show
May RW subsriber gal
April RW subscriber gal
March Will Ferrell of SNL
February RW subscriber gal
January Carrie Tollefson
December Dan Browne
November Lisa Guerrero of Fox Sports
October G W Bush
September RW subscriber guy
August Sarah Schwald
July Khalid Khannouchi
So, we've got 4 elite runners, 4 celebs (inc. pres), and 4 RW subscribers. 7 females, 5 males. What I notice is that so far 2003 is particularly bad. Of course, remember that RW's parent company is Rodale, and their prime mission is one of health, not athletics. As I look over the covers and perhaps more telling, the advertisements, I get the sense that their major demographic push is women in the 30 to 50 age bracket looking to get in better shape.
Here is an ad that speaks volumes to me: A-B pushing their new Michelob low-carb beer. Hello? Didn't anyone tell them that runners LIKE carbs? Of course, if you're target is people trying to get in shape and lose weight, it makes perfect sense...
Carl Hiaasen wrote:
On the occasions I find myself reading this shit, which is every month, I have made a game of desperately wishing for the worst possible ending for the narrator and all those involved in the "drama." If someone's running in remembrance of her dead father, I root for her to be hit by a truck driven by the drunkeb administrator of a major charitable organization.
This sounds harsh, to be sure, but if the editors believe more people feel as I do, perhaps thy'll begin accepting submissions from actual runners rather than publishing material that throws even the shitty, slow runners like me into a state of misanthropy and soullessness. Then again, I doubt it - I'm complaining, but I still read the magazine.
Ah, man, I was gonna refrain from replying on this thread but this post tugs at my chain some. Carl, your reaction IS harsh. It's beyond harsh. Oddly enough, there are runners that DO buy the mag for its content and some have stories to tell that appeal to others. If they don't appeal to you, do what I do, skip'em. If you don't like the mag, don't buy it. Go to RW Daily for your hard-core fix.
As old-fashioned as it sounds, you might consider writing a letter to the RW editor if you've an opinion to share. There are plenty of other sources of running reading if you seek inspiration, entertainment and info. If it's soul you want, get out the door for a run, every day, twice a day if fit.
I'd be willing to bet that 75% of all school runners don't read running mags ('cept T & FN). They just run. Try it.
scotth wrote:
Carl Hiaasen wrote:On the occasions I find myself reading this shit, which is every month, I have made a game of desperately wishing for the worst possible ending for the narrator and all those involved in the "drama." If someone's running in remembrance of her dead father, I root for her to be hit by a truck driven by the drunkeb administrator of a major charitable organization.
This sounds harsh, to be sure, but if the editors believe more people feel as I do, perhaps thy'll begin accepting submissions from actual runners rather than publishing material that throws even the shitty, slow runners like me into a state of misanthropy and soullessness. Then again, I doubt it - I'm complaining, but I still read the magazine.
Ah, man, I was gonna refrain from replying on this thread but this post tugs at my chain some. Carl, your reaction IS harsh. It's beyond harsh. Oddly enough, there are runners that DO buy the mag for its content and some have stories to tell that appeal to others. If they don't appeal to you, do what I do, skip'em. If you don't like the mag, don't buy it. Go to RW Daily for your hard-core fix.
As old-fashioned as it sounds, you might consider writing a letter to the RW editor if you've an opinion to share. There are plenty of other sources of running reading if you seek inspiration, entertainment and info. If it's soul you want, get out the door for a run, every day, twice a day if fit.
I'd be willing to bet that 75% of all school runners don't read running mags ('cept T & FN). They just run. Try it.
Oh, scotth, it has already been explained that the only way to get a letter to the ed. published in RW is to start it with "I cried when I read..." or "I was moved to tears by..."
By the way, against by better judgement, I read this month's Penguin column. He spent most of the column trashing "old school runners." Telling readers they were better, smarter, more well rounded than "old school runners" that try to run fast. Terrible. Absolutely terrible.
Who was on the cover this month? Some news anchor telling about her "struggles" to run a 67 min. 10K. WOW!!!!!
GP, thanks for not 'trashing' me. The only time you'd need to start a letter to the editor as you describe is if you wanna win won of those RW tees for getting published. Otherwise, letters do get read and if enough complain and protest, change might occur. I assure you, change ain't gonna happen if you guys/gals only bitch here on letsrun. Also, it'd be a more productive use of your energy to write.
As I've said before, I skip plenty in RW including Bingham. In general, I figure I can never know too much so prowl for nuggets of info/ideas.
Rodale is just like that Nestle plant that closed in Austin, NY; the company isn't in business to employ people...they're in it to make money. Rodale wants to make money on RW so they've gone to the format available and it seems to sell pretty well. RunTimes is a good read too w/harder hitting topics but only has a fraction of the readership.
Now, would I like to see stories on fast people in RW: YES.
scotth wrote:
GP, thanks for not 'trashing' me. The only time you'd need to start a letter to the editor as you describe is if you wanna win won of those RW tees for getting published. Otherwise, letters do get read and if enough complain and protest, change might occur. I assure you, change ain't gonna happen if you guys/gals only bitch here on letsrun. Also, it'd be a more productive use of your energy to write.
As I've said before, I skip plenty in RW including Bingham. In general, I figure I can never know too much so prowl for nuggets of info/ideas.
Rodale is just like that Nestle plant that closed in Austin, NY; the company isn't in business to employ people...they're in it to make money. Rodale wants to make money on RW so they've gone to the format available and it seems to sell pretty well. RunTimes is a good read too w/harder hitting topics but only has a fraction of the readership.
Now, would I like to see stories on fast people in RW: YES.
On that, my friend, we do agree. I would never trash you. Sure, I trash Penguin, Galloway, and RW in general (in a generic way, of course) but that's about it.
I sent a couple of manuscripts to RW for consideration. All rejected. Then I figured out what I was doing wrong. My articles were about racing and training hard. I didn't mention anything about running making me feel better after my dog died, or about how running a local Let's All Hug And Get Along 5k in 32 flat made me realize how running can bring us all closer.
There is an old country song where they lyrics talk about writing the perfect country song. You have to talk about momma, jail, trains, rain and pick up trucks. Well, writing to RW is the same way. Just talk about your feelings and how running slow is really the way to finding inner peace. Once I did that, RW published the next two manuscripts I submitted. It's quite funny, actually. No, actually, it's quite sad.
Here's a story I am considering submitting to RW:
Wow, all those years I spent in the sport training hard, running fast, trying to beat other runners. What was I thinking? You see, I was an old school runner. I thought the sport was about winning races. Boy, was I wrong. I started reading RW, and it has opened my eyes. I am enlightened now. I see that the sport is nothing about competition. I know we are all winners, no matter what. In my last 5K, I took Gallowalks at every half mile, ate some great donuts at the halfway point to refuel, and finished holding hands with my fellow Gallowalkers (my fellow man) in 35 minutes, and we all broke out into a chorus of "We Are The World." It was a touching experience, and I was moved to tears. I know I'm not quite as slow as the Penguin yet, but I'm working on it. Just a few more donuts and a few less training miles, and soon I'll be finishing holding hands with the Penguin, reaffirming our humanity the whole time. Thanks, RW!
Now THAT would get published!
Penguin wrote:
John Bingham is trying to ruin road racing.He is a part of a road racing managment company that bought the Chicago Distance Classic that has thousands of runners each year.Instead of giving cheap t-shirts for a runners $30 they now will get a some type of dri-fit shirt.And to make sure he gets all of the Gallowalkers,Penguin followers,and slow Rw readers he has offered cash prizes for winners.I wish there were more people trying to ruin running like John Bringham.
Penguin, is this you? Must be someone in the know. Thanks for what you're doing to the Chitown Disance Classic, but it's still irresponsible of you to tell your readers that they're slow, they'll always be slow, so be slow and proud. That's the beauty of running. By putting in the miles and doing speedwork, you can't help but get faster.
Maybe you should give it a try.
Generic Poster wrote:
Here's a story I am considering submitting to RW:
Wow, all those years I spent in the sport training hard, running fast, trying to beat other runners. What was I thinking? You see, I was an old school runner. I thought the sport was about winning races. Boy, was I wrong. I started reading RW, and it has opened my eyes. I am enlightened now. I see that the sport is nothing about competition. I know we are all winners, no matter what. In my last 5K, I took Gallowalks at every half mile, ate some great donuts at the halfway point to refuel, and finished holding hands with my fellow Gallowalkers (my fellow man) in 35 minutes, and we all broke out into a chorus of "We Are The World." It was a touching experience, and I was moved to tears. I know I'm not quite as slow as the Penguin yet, but I'm working on it. Just a few more donuts and a few less training miles, and soon I'll be finishing holding hands with the Penguin, reaffirming our humanity the whole time. Thanks, RW!
Now THAT would get published!
Dude, you have all the words to make a perfect RW article! Penguins. Gallowalkers. Slow. Humanity. Donuts. Enlightened.
I believe you have written the perfect RW article.
Can you add one thing? How about this:
Before I could pick up my finisher's medal during the rain, a gallowalker got run over by a dang ole train.
Two things about 'Runners World'. They are trying to make money so marketing it to 'elite' or fast runners wouldn't make much sense and I like the fact that they get a lot of people to run/jog these big races because all those entry fees keep these races going. I don't even talk about running anymore because one of these 'new found runners' always ask you what type of speedwork they should do to get faster. It is just a whole different perspective. I don't really care, I'm just going to keep on getting my daily fix out on the roads.
FASTERTHANU wrote:
Hadn't looked through the whole issue until last night. If I had seen the article of trials and tribulations to run a 67 minute 10K, I would not have bought the magazine. Give me a freakin break, my 8 year old could do better than a 67 min. 10k. And yes, there are magazines I support: Track and Field News, Running Times, and I long for the days when American Runner was published. Runners World Sucks, it's as simple as that.
Yea, and her original plan was to run (gasp)sub 60! Yup, if you can believe it, it reads in the article and I quote:"I told David Bloom on the air today that our bet was off, that I wasnt going to try to break 60 minutes. He said I was a wimp, but I told him that RunnersWorld told me to focus on endurance (running real slow) instead of speed. He was appropiratley humbled!"
I cringed after reading this, im still trying to figure out how you run 12 minute miles too, I dont feel like Im doing anything if I run slower than 7:30 pace.
Am I - a runner since the days when Bill Rodgers was still winning Bostons - the only one who wants to pull aside each and every one of these fat, loud runners (Bingham being the odious archetype) who have been at it for maybe one or two years and explain to them that road races did in fact exist before they came along, literally gobbling up everything in sight like the filthy, stinking, repugnant, ugly, rapacious slobs they are?
It's one thing to speak broadly about more runners being better for the sport (a questionable claim in itself; what's better for the bottom line of Reebok or the Country Bumpkin Marathon isn't necessarily better for those of us who like to race), but another thing entirely to screech on and on in the face of obvious evidence refuting the essence of a stated position - in this case, that running needs penguins and their unctuous ilk. It doesn't. Back in the 1980's road races consisted of a course, some water, a timer, and maybe a horrid-looking T-shirt. Is that enough? Indeed it is, for most of us. The rock bands at every mile, the cases of crullers for every finisher, the ornate medals, the wide variety of gaudy and worthless shoes, and the rest of the bullshit spattering the road race scene of today may be popular, but don't try feeding me the idea that it's necessary or I will (metaphorically speaking; I'm just a wimpy fool with a keyboard) grab you by the throat and punch you in the mouth until the majority of your teeth are shattered or absent, and then I will continue rooting for sad "Finish Line" endings.
What exactly did Mr. Bingham say about "old school" runners in his latest straight-out-the-ass-of-a-fat-idiot offering?
Mr Hiassen- the Penguin suggests to us that "..unless your on world record pace, whats the difference?..." Ummmm, Self pride maybe? Dignity? Not looking like a fatass? So according to Mr. Bingham remark everyone should give up running marathons in the range between 2:06 and 5:00, and join his undignified back of the packers. He also says that he wants to enjoy himself as much as possible when he runs, i.e. he dosent wanna push himself so tha he might actually have to breathe hard. Its weird, but I can remember many a XC race that ive run to the point of hallucination or blacking out in the chutes, but did I not enjoy it? Hell I loved every minute of it. He also claims that were all falling "VICTIM" to the faster-is-better philosophy. Actually I like to say that im falling victim to the I-wanna-kick-everyones-ass philosophy.
There's no better satisfaction than falling down, fighting the urge to vomit and watching the world spin. That way you know you kicked hard enough.
But regarding Runners World . . . this shit makes me sick. I'm a high school runner, and my coaches sometimes get their workouts from this shit rag. Other runners I know actually believe what they read in it, from the cinammon will make you faster shit to the walk break thing. It makes me sick. I skimmed about four pages of this month's issue and immediately felt sickened . . I read one column that said to be considered a marathoner you didn't need to run the entire way . . another article was about weight loss. Every month the thing is filled with another bull shit weight loss article or some bull shit workout plan for fatasses who want to improve their 29 minute 5k pr.
I think it's great that the slower runners are a part of the sport. They need to be doing something healthy for themselves, and in a country where obesity is so rampant, if more are running, that's great.
However, the Penguin is insulting. His column this month about "old school" runners was a put down the likes of which I have never seen a fast runner throw out. His comment about "if you're not on WR pace, why bother" is idiotic. I'm never going to run a WR, or even get close to it. I guess the Penguin wants me to just give it up and go to the back of the pack with him. Never! As long as I am physically capable, I'm going to keep running as fast as I can, and beating as many runners as I can. You see, that's called competition. That's sports. Take that away from running, and you might as well be doing Richard Simmons' "Sweatin' to the Oldies."
Running has benefited me in many ways, but the main thing it taught me is that hard work pays off. It taught me that I can make goals, work towrad them and reach them when, at first, they seemed unreachable. Penguin's drivel is irresponsible. He's teaching people that they can't get any better, so don't even try. You suck. Be proud. You're not setting any wr, so why try? Let's just have this attitude with everything in life. You'll never score like MJ, hit home runs like Bonds, or run a marathon like KK and you'll never change the world. So, be a fat, lazy, welfare sucking leach your entire life and don't even try. Give it minimal effort, feel good knowing you at least gave it some effort and pat yourself on the back.
I wonder if he taught his children to live life like that?