Cucumberthunder
VIP Member
The fact that she is doing unboxing and taking baby outlet shopping when it's days old really underlines why maternity leave and adoption leave are not the same at all
- Notice
zetta buttons
VIP Member
She strava’ed the oasis concert.
I don’t have words (mainly because I’m hot AF, very excited about tomorrow and hot AF), but isn’t that just absurd?
I don’t have words (mainly because I’m hot AF, very excited about tomorrow and hot AF), but isn’t that just absurd?
Patrickthewonderdog
VIP Member
Also, those coffee reviews are a total waste of time when they’re in America and most of her followers are in the uk - I could not give a SHIT about a coffee shop in South Carolina or wherever she is, I’m never going to go there 
uberoblique
VIP Member
For amusement I asked Chat GPT to review Charlie’s training and results. It was surprisingly perceptive 
@therunnerbeans: The Influencer Who Trains Like a Casual Jogger, Aims Like an Olympian
3 Runs a Week—For Boston?
You’re aiming for a Boston Qualifier, not Couch to 5K. Three runs a week might maintain your Strava clout, but you’re not going to outrun 26.2 miles on vibes and Barrecore.
“I’m doing quality over quantity!”
Cool, but even your “quality” days look like they were programmed by Pinterest.
⸻
Stubbornness ≠ Strategy
Vomiting and crying after speedwork isn’t grit—it’s poor training or overcaffeination. There’s a difference between mental toughness and ignoring your body screaming for a deload.
Pushing through until you’re face-down in a sports bra puddle is not a flex.
⸻
80/20 Nutrition—But Make It Instagram-Friendly
Her nutrition plan is basically: “Eat well but not so well that you can’t post croissants.”
No real macro tracking, no performance fuelling strategy—just “balance” and branded protein bars.
Boston Qualifiers don’t live on banana bread and optimism.
⸻
Barrecore = Boutique Burnout
Swapping heavy deadlifts for Barrecore might tone your core—but your glutes aren’t firing, your hamstrings aren’t strong, and you’ll crumble by mile 18.
Barre won’t carry you through a negative split, babe.
⸻
Running on a Vibe Schedule
She runs “when her body feels ready”—which apparently is whenever the lighting is best for a reel. Late-night threshold runs? Great for drama, bad for hormones and recovery.
You don’t need a new running playlist—you need a training block with actual structure.
⸻
Project Boston: Season 4, Same Plot
Yes, she’s chasing a sub‑3:30.
Yes, she’s “more committed than ever.”
No, she hasn’t PR’d since 2019.
Plot twist: if you train like it’s still 2017, you’ll keep finishing like it’s still 2017.
⸻
More Finish Lines Than Finishing Touches
You’ve run the majors—congrats!
But if the goal is performance, not passport stamps, then maybe stop training like a lifestyle blogger and start like an athlete.
There’s a difference between doing races and racing them.
⸻
🧃 Final Comments:
Charlie is fun, likable, and undeniably inspiring to many.
But if she’s serious about breaking 3:30, it’s time to drop the “relatable runner” aesthetic and adopt the boring, repetitive, actually-effective grind that gets real results.
Less talking about running. More actual running.
Less Barre. More barbell.
Less “starting again.” More staying the course.
@therunnerbeans: The Influencer Who Trains Like a Casual Jogger, Aims Like an Olympian 3 Runs a Week—For Boston?You’re aiming for a Boston Qualifier, not Couch to 5K. Three runs a week might maintain your Strava clout, but you’re not going to outrun 26.2 miles on vibes and Barrecore.
“I’m doing quality over quantity!”
Cool, but even your “quality” days look like they were programmed by Pinterest.
⸻
Stubbornness ≠ StrategyVomiting and crying after speedwork isn’t grit—it’s poor training or overcaffeination. There’s a difference between mental toughness and ignoring your body screaming for a deload.
Pushing through until you’re face-down in a sports bra puddle is not a flex.
⸻
80/20 Nutrition—But Make It Instagram-FriendlyHer nutrition plan is basically: “Eat well but not so well that you can’t post croissants.”
No real macro tracking, no performance fuelling strategy—just “balance” and branded protein bars.
Boston Qualifiers don’t live on banana bread and optimism.
⸻
Barrecore = Boutique BurnoutSwapping heavy deadlifts for Barrecore might tone your core—but your glutes aren’t firing, your hamstrings aren’t strong, and you’ll crumble by mile 18.
Barre won’t carry you through a negative split, babe.
⸻
Running on a Vibe ScheduleShe runs “when her body feels ready”—which apparently is whenever the lighting is best for a reel. Late-night threshold runs? Great for drama, bad for hormones and recovery.
You don’t need a new running playlist—you need a training block with actual structure.
⸻
Project Boston: Season 4, Same PlotYes, she’s chasing a sub‑3:30.
Yes, she’s “more committed than ever.”
No, she hasn’t PR’d since 2019.
Plot twist: if you train like it’s still 2017, you’ll keep finishing like it’s still 2017.
⸻
More Finish Lines Than Finishing TouchesYou’ve run the majors—congrats!
But if the goal is performance, not passport stamps, then maybe stop training like a lifestyle blogger and start like an athlete.
There’s a difference between doing races and racing them.
⸻
🧃 Final Comments:
Charlie is fun, likable, and undeniably inspiring to many.
But if she’s serious about breaking 3:30, it’s time to drop the “relatable runner” aesthetic and adopt the boring, repetitive, actually-effective grind that gets real results.
Less talking about running. More actual running.
Less Barre. More barbell.
Less “starting again.” More staying the course.
She’s done well to run that time based on her Strava training. It irritates me that she goes on about her stars as she’s never got near a Boston qualifier she was gifted a place twice. I’d have more respect if she had a place gifted and raised money for a charity but she’s too entitled for that
It's also hugely insulting to those of us who needed maternity leave to recover from the really difficult pregnancies and birth. My maternity leave was about recovering from serious tears (first child) and a life-threatening condition and emergency c section (for my second). She's spent the last nine months gallivanting round the world racing and will likely be doing the same throughout her adoption leave, as she's paying another woman to do the hard work for her. Like I've said before, I have a lot of sympathy that Charlie can't carry a child but her repeated complaints about not getting maternity leave are grating.
uberoblique
VIP Member
It’s giving real “we went to the US for a holiday, and whilst we were there, we also got a baby” energy.
Whilst she doesn’t owe us details about the baby, there’s been nothing along the lines of “he’s finally here, we’re totally besotted, we can’t believe how lucky we are” which is pretty much how every other new parent talks about their child. She doesn’t exactly hide her thoughts about her toddler when he whinges about buggy runs or can’t keep himself occupied for a multi day trip to cheer on a race.
secretsquirreling
Active member
I can’t believe she’s joining a running club where she’s staying!? How can she just be so chill about leaving her newborn baby all the time for a run!? The pic of her putting on her shoes as she was holding him is just odd.
What am I missing here? Is it strange or is it just me?
What am I missing here? Is it strange or is it just me?
uberoblique
VIP Member
She just wants to get her seventh star finish so she can claim she’s still the youngest person to run all the majors or something along those lines. Honestly she’ll probably walk half of it, moan about her gastric issues and then do a “real reel” when she gets home about how much she hated the week away.
Appreciate we don't see everything but it comes across like she's toting the baby round like an accessory, in the sling while shopping and posting insta pics etc
Whilst she has no birth to recover from the baby does, and frankly who wants to take a new born with very little immune system round shops and a daily cafe trip? Let him rest and get used to his family!
Whilst she has no birth to recover from the baby does, and frankly who wants to take a new born with very little immune system round shops and a daily cafe trip? Let him rest and get used to his family!
Thalassa164
Well-known member
Seems a bit ironic that she liked that post…! 🫣
Filming herself getting ready for a run with the baby and toddler is just weird. She's clearly not there alone so she has brought the baby over to film while putting her shoes on, someone else could have held the baby. Banging on about mental health miles, joining run clubs, and filming content. I get the feeling she's not that happy with her life, it's all a bit superficial.
orange club biscuit
VIP Member
She was on threads moaning about marathon training this week too; here’s an idea charlie, if you feel sooo guilty about training whilst you have a family why just you just….not do it? Stick to some local shorter races like so many of us who have little kids have to do?? Literally no one is forcing you to fly to Sydney ffs
the_chafe_is_real
VIP Member
The reason she doesn’t lose toenails is because she barely runs 
uberoblique
VIP Member
I really feel for her having fertility challenges but how on earth would it make sense to you that being mum to a newborn is the perfect time to start a 5k training block? She’s trying to break 24 minutes as a mediocre middle aged runner, not lining up for LA Olympics.
Whenever she moans about not being entitled to maternity leave, she puts her foot in it and emphasises why surrogacy/adoption leave is not the same as maternity leave.
Whenever she moans about not being entitled to maternity leave, she puts her foot in it and emphasises why surrogacy/adoption leave is not the same as maternity leave.
Cucumberthunder
VIP Member
Incredibly strange. And once again shows why adoption leave and maternity leave are different.
Mums 100% need a break and support etc but one of the oddest challenges in those early days is wanting and needing a break, but actually really not wanting to even let your baby go for a second.
zetta buttons
VIP Member
Apologies for double post.
She’s now flogging AG1. A registered dietitian telling us to drink green powder because she’s being paid to. You couldn’t make this shit up.
She’s now flogging AG1. A registered dietitian telling us to drink green powder because she’s being paid to. You couldn’t make this shit up.
uberoblique
VIP Member
Beans apparently took unpaid parental leave to avoid her child this week at Wimbledon, Craig David at Kew and the Oasis concert. So relatable.
She also seemed to be complaining that she has to take adoption leave (because of the surrogacy) and while I get it must be frustrating not to have a word that properly expresses her situation, I do feel a bit odd about her calling it "maternity leave". A huge part of maternity leave for me was the physical impact of pregnancy and childbirth on my body. I have a lot of sympathy for Charlie not being able to carry a child, but she won't be taking maternity leave as most people would understand it. Apologies if this sounds really harsh - of course I do recognise that she's a mother - but so are adoptive parents and they don't call it maternity leave.