Running ‘No Fluff’ Zone: What the masses don’t want to read about

I had a fun dialogue with a friend and editor the other day:

“‘How to Train for a Marathon in 5 Minutes a Week’ and ‘Eat 20 Apples a Day to PR’ (clear exaggeration but you get the point). I know a lot of people like those types of articles but over the years I’ve have my fill.”

“Thank goodness you hate the ‘fluff crap’ kinda articles too. I die a little inside every time I’m asked to do one, writing that stuff makes my brain numb.”

unicorn runner PR

There were more little barbs in there and witticisms but you get the picture. The ‘fluff’ crap; it’s all over the web and even in the magazines and websites ‘we’ us ‘real runners’ read and subscribe to. We can’t escape it and let’s be honest the masses are looking for a kind of ‘quick fix’. So, the headlines screaming BIG rewards LITTLE work draws people in. It sells. Websites and magazines are businesses after all, so even though I’m sure it kills a few editors and writers every.single.time they must do a ‘fluff crap’ article, they do it. Gotta put food on that table.

The thing is though, which ‘we’ ‘real runners’ know is:

* there’s no magic bullet
* no super secret way to getting better and stay fit
* eating an apple at 3:19pm to drop 30 seconds off your 5k PR aint gonna do it

Most people don’t want to hear that it takes:

* a h*ll of a lot of hard work
* motivation
* motivation even when you aren’t motivated
* pushing yourself
* hurting in workouts and races

The sufferfest that is training and racing…that probably wouldn’t be a magazine the general public would just LOVE reading about. Better to think that a protein smoothie with chia seeds is all that’s required and will do the trick. Training and all that stuff, well…that’s second tier, right? πŸ˜‰
running bright and shining
The ‘training fluff crap’ I think actually parallels what writer, coach, sports nutritionist, and athlete Matt Fitzgerald, writes about in his latest book DIET CULTS. I literally devoured that read in two days so do check it out, I think most fitness minded folks will relate to a lot of what he’s saying and laugh because as athletes we’re able to ‘sniff out’ lots of the ‘diet fluff crap’ mainstream media and individuals try to get us to buy into. I will revisit this book later because I’ve got both an article on RunBlogRun coming out and after that is published do a review on this blog. So hold tight, but in the mean time check out DIET CULTS.

Getting back to the fitness and running ‘fluff’, I find that it really is only doing a disservice to the individuals who really are motivated or the ones just starting out in the sport. Coming to the realization that it’s hard work over really anything else is a learning curve all runners go through. Experience teaches us that.

Every single runner has their own journey, the progression of getting crazier and crazier more experienced and for lack of a better term ‘hardcore into’ our sport. That journey makes each runner who they are and it’s important to learn lots of those lessons yourself. At the same time, it’s a shame that falling into the misconception that certain foods or cramming 4 months of training into 2 weeks doing a run only every other Tuesday WILL make you a better runner. Because by hiding the truth you’re only stunting the progress of the runner who really does want to be their best.

Certainly the ‘fluff’ sells and the driven, self-motivated folks who are ‘real’ runners [I only define ‘real’ runners not based on speed at all, but in spirit and how motivated they are…if you’re a runner you know it in your bones.] are the minority. But the numbers of runners are growing and it proves there are eager, motivated people looking to embark on their running journey.

Welcome to crazy town.

So here’s some straight shooting for you:
* It’s going to hurt.
* There’s no ‘secret’ to getting faster and staying fit.
* Motivation is your weapon, consistency reigns supreme.
* Patience sucks but it’s required.
* Learn that unnecessary suffering isn’t going to make you better. Oh running, filled with all those fine lines we must tread.

But here’s the BEST part:
* There’s a sick sort of high and remarkable afterglow to that hurt when you’ve pushed through it.
* Nothing is more rewarding than watching yourself get faster and more fit.
* Realizing your body can DO things you never dreamed possible is far more satisfying than any pack of abs or what your vehicle of performance looks like.
* Running will effect, and improve you in all areas of life.
* Runners are tough as s*t.

It’s important to realize that clearly certain foods and a healthy diet will help your training, lifestyle adjustments (hello more sleep!) will too. But even a healthy diet with 10 hours a sleep at night is useless sans training. Take your ‘fluff’ and shove it. #run

More Reads:
5 Ways Runners Can Use Trail Running to Get Faster

What’s Fueling YOUR Run?

Runger: How runners can tame the beast and eat to perform

WEAR your motivation with Ezzere

9 Replies to “Running ‘No Fluff’ Zone: What the masses don’t want to read about”

  1. Per normal, you’ve hit the nail on the head! That crap makes me nuts!!!! Common sense has been thrown aside for an easy way out. I get asked what I do for tight arms or how I keep the mid section lean and when I say I eat as close to nature as I can and run or do yoga for an hour EVERY DAMN DAY (yes I just quoted a Nike t-shirt) they move on to find something easier. Or when I see 50 facebook friends liking and following the “tight ab challenge” page or the “squat your way to a Brazilian butt in 2 weeks” page it makes me want to puke. Wow, I didn’t realize I needed rant. PS I just requested Diet Cult from the library.

    • rant on, Sister, rant on!!! oh and add the Ab-Zapper to the list!! haha. seriously, have to ‘love’ those people that are just searching around for the answer they want. yay! can’t wait for you to read it when it’s available, i’m sure you’ll love it!

  2. I am definitely in the ‘low miler’ range there. I manage about 30 miles per week. I can’t really fit in anymore than that, and once I do go over that mark my knee and foot start breaking down πŸ™
    However, I am starting to try and incorporate some more strength training and yoga to cross train and be actively restful in addition to running.
    I wish I had time to fit in 50 miles, but those brownies aren’t gonna bake themselves πŸ™‚

      • hahaha…totally gotcha cuz I’m reading from the back end. πŸ˜‰ xoxo you!…and you make the MOST of those miles you run of that I know.
        PS- ummm, if u weren’t baking me brownies then THAT would be the tragedy! πŸ˜‰

  3. I was nodding my head the entire time reading this! I’m very tired of those articles “lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks!” and “5 weeks to your fastest 5K.” Unfortunately, I think it’s demand from consumers that drives those types of articles. The majority of America doesn’t want something that’s going to take a lot of work and months or even years. They want it quick, NOW!

    You want to know something crazy? The training plan I’m following for Marine Corps (courtesy of the Hansons) has more days of running and more mileage than I’ve ever done before. And I’m excited about it! I’m looking forward to pushing my body further than I have before and seeing what happens. πŸ™‚

    • crazy awesome! πŸ™‚ us runners always get excited about venturing into new territory…here’s to more mileage and ever reaching higher for those goals!! keep it up girl! πŸ™‚
      PS- u’ll do great, add more gradually and strength will reward you

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