Running Instagrammers #9 We go by chip time around here

[runlondon21]

Gonna disagree with you on the time thing. I don’t see it as bashing, I see it as wanting the best person you can. In this world of “ours”, faster does kinda mean better. If THATS what you are looking for obviously. It’s disingenuous to say it’s not.

No one is saying if you run a 19 min 5k you are rubbish. But in the world of 5k and running fast, that IS slow. In that world.

But why is running fast a marker of good coaching? A great coach can coach people of far superior ability to them. Look at professional coaches in pretty much any sport, they were often never the best player.

Sure you can want someone of similar pace to you if you think that will help them understand you. But just because Joe can run a 17 minute Parkrun doesn’t mean he has any concept of how to get you there

It frustrates me that people don’t seem to get this. It’s why people like Bester and PMG get flooded with clients, because they’ve turned their big PBs and social media presence into a money grabbing scheme and everyone is stuck in a “fast = knowledge” kind of mindset. Why is that better than someone with a deep coaching knowledge and loads of experience, but might happen to run a 5 hr marathon?

 

[Putridpumpkin]

I hate people who call others soft. Like, legitmately hate them. You don't get a medal in life for forcing unnecessary discomfort upon yourself and bragging/being a martyr about it. Judging others for wanting to stay warm, not being okay with racing on sheet fucking ice (got called soft for that myself a couple of years back. Oh excuse me for trying not to fall and break every bone in my body), going on the treadmill rather than facing shitty conditions outside, and many more, says more about your own fragile ego than it does about anyone else.

There's a fine line between being tough and being a plain bloody idiot.

 

[runnerbean23]

Yes we get it, you’re super tiny and you’re proud of it

I messaged her for the first time. I don’t care if she blocks me. I’ve had enough.

 

[instaclowns]

All this chat with Bester, I'm thinking we need an thread just for him if it'll going to kick off and explode!

Boomshakatwatta

 

[Lemming312]

One of my friends was at the running show today, he was looking to spend money . Tried on Asics, loved them, they wouldn't let him buy them there, he had to buy online . He went to the Hoka stand twice and they ignored him (he's an older, overweight Asian gentleman so probably some kind of age/weight/race discrimination going on there, they were happy to talk to the young white runners). He went to Brooks, again they wouldn't let him buy there, went to Saucony and came home with a new pair of Saucony running shoes!

 

[the_chafe_is_real]

And the drama continues

 

[BatterseaRunner]

 

[fckthegrm]

All this chat with Bester, I'm thinking we need an thread just for him if it'll going to kick off and explode!

Boomshakatwatta

If this happens can we please include 'Scamshakalaka' in the thread title?

 

[Paperclip22]

Agreed. My daughter getting involved with the junior section of our club has opened my eyes.

Two out of three of the coaches would struggle to run a 5k but their coaching is exceptional with more than a few kids now competing at national level. The time and dedication they give is phenomenal and all for free/at their own expense, driving round the country supporting the kids.

I'd much rather have a coach that isn't obsessed with their own running because that doesn't leave much time for clients.

 

[ChrisMay]

Guys- did my first run in a year today - feel like I can confidently comment without feeling like a fraud

 

[Lastqueenofscotland]

I don’t think saying Elish is a poor role model because she’s very slight is fair. She is the daughter of two elite middle/long distance runners, it’ll very much be in her genetics to be very lean. She talks a lot more sense than a lot of people about sensible training, nutrition etc, and gets incredible results as well as being really sensible, ie dropping London as she had a an issue getting fuelling right.

---

Also “in the flesh” Laura muir is absolutely tiny, she just doesn’t have the super defined muscle tone and thin face that some elites have

 

[the_chafe_is_real]

Interesting. Holly Rush storied about this yesterday, tagged Best Athletics too. Can’t wait to see how it all plays out. He can’t keep pretending it’s not happening, his name is getting out there and not in a good way

 

[Lastqueenofscotland]

I’m not sure on what planet a comfortable GFA counts as a substandard time! What the fuck is with the PB bashing on here of late

 

[OldSchoolRunner92]

So do you think Anna's improvement is not sustainable? She went from 4ish to 2:38ish, isn't it?

Do you mean Anya Culling? If so, then I'd say she's an exception in that when she ran her first marathon, she probably wasn't aware of her natural talent and didn't train as much as she now does - therefore her natural capability wasn't reflected in her first marathon time. Even if we trained harder or smarter than Anya, not many us will run a 2.36 marathon because we simply aren't meant to physiologically, not matter how hard we train.

Not always, but often, big leaps in progress are proceeded by sudden, more intense training - such as leaps in mileage volume, running fast all the time and intensity of training sessions. These yield big results in the short term which are often noticed on social media and by our friends/peers - it's nice to be recognised - and therefore tempting to carry on with overly intense training that sooner or later, causes injury/burnout and therefore inconsistency of training followed by stagnation in progress.

If you're in it for the long term, enjoyment and improvement then gradual, baby steps in improvement is much more sustainable, safe approach - which you get with sensible, manageable and uninterrupted training. You can get far with this approach - but it takes patience and not being in it for the wrong reasons - like social media recognition.

Of course, there will always be people like Anya who have lots of talent and take bigger leaps - but those big leaps have to come to an end eventually, otherwise we'd all be world record holders.

Sorry for the massive message - I'm very passionate about this area and could talk about it for England!

Yeh I know someone who in the course of 13 years took their marathon time from about 7hrs to 3:40ish. But that’s not a headline, and most people wouldn’t find that gratifying! I personally find it more impressive than super rapid improvement

I'm all for people who quietly just get on with it and make progress over time.

 

[Asgyui]

I remember at local park run had a medical emergency a few months ago and the volunteer who was covering the role of number checker had to rush with the defib to the medical emergency. The park run had put a post up explaining this in social media after the event, he did manage to get back to his post, but a few of the runners up to 24 mins times weren't as accurate. I was shocked at some of the responses of the post, many considerate people sending well wishes to recovery of casualty but others posting shots of garmin/strava asking for times to be updated!

 

[the_chafe_is_real]

Actual picture of Bester right now, as more and more people compare their cut and paste plans and see how little they got for £175 a month… boomshakalaka you scamming bastard

 

[Instaderp]

Talking of the sex pest, off on his travels again. I wonder if Virgin Atlantic know how much of a creep he is?

Also, what the fuck is he doing with his hair? He looks more and more like a gremlin every day.

 

[Lemming312]

Matt going to spill the tea when he gets back from Kenya.....

 

[irunforfun]

Why is runnerbeans off to New Zealand with a very young baby?! Bizarre behaviour

I think she got gifted entrance to a 5k

 

[Runin’ Wild]

Is it just me or recently has Instagram gone to a full on begging for gifts site

Today it’s littered with people celebrating being in the OOCrew…. For fucks sake you are adults not 10!

Also why if they have the Frontrunners why do ASICS give the usual tossers freebies as well to promote, I thought that was the job of the FR’s??

And you’d be spoilt for fucking choice on getting a discount code for the National Running show…they‘ve got more ambassadors than Man Utd have fans!