Maybe I am old, actually

Plus: the world's first run crew; running because you enjoy it; and reality TV

I ran with a group last week, and as we gathered to begin, the run leader joked that he’s 35 so really understands the need to warm up before running. The joke was not that the warmup was a single set of hamstring scoops, but that he was actually in his early 20s and being 35 was sooo unimaginably ancient. Ah. In the moment, I decided not to highlight the fact that I’m 41.

Me running the Saturday Stairs Turkey Trot in Griffith Park on Thanksgiving morning. My incredulity at free race photos captured by Jeff Palkovich.

Not that I’m doing my Strava Wrapped on the first Monday of December, but it’s been an intensely rewarding year of running. It feels good to have a body that can run fast when I choose to. A privilege, even, but it is one that I‘ve been working hard for.

After a couple of glorious months of winter running at the start of 2024, I achieved a painful, annoying, and temporarily debilitating back injury (I told you I’m 41) in March. Spinal inflammation! I continue to physical therapy my way out of that, and the several pounds of extra muscle around my hips have led to a really pleasing increase in both power and endurance.

At this point in my life — when I would be put in the Masters category for races — I’m running faster and further than I’ve ever run before in my life. I did not see that coming back in March.

Maybe being old is good, actually.

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Last week on Running Sucks

I had to cut last week’s long-read down from 13,000 words of transcription down to a 2,500-word feature, and it was a difficult pleasure — just like running.

21 years ago, Mike Saes formed the first run crew: NYC Bridgerunners. While it’s nice to give him his flowers as the undisputed godfather of Run Clubs, the ultimate OG of the social running experience, the difficulty in cutting that transcript down came because every single thing he said — every position he took — was correct.

He explains how we need to be elevating women to positions of authority. He understands what run clubs/crews can provide communities. He talks about elevating each other, rather than being in competition. The dude is cool as heck.

Meet the man who invented Run Club

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Last year on Running Sucks

This piece with Mau Diaz of Aire Libre was a wonderful conversation. He and I share an outlook on running. We run to run. We don’t run marathons. We run because we love what it provides our lives. We run because of the lessons we learn along the way. We run because of the people we meet.

Quantifying Happiness

I’m happy to call Mau a friend now. We actually went for a run together through the Venice canals on Friday. I logged it on Strava. He did not.

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Around the internet

This is nothing to do with running, but it’s a fascinating interview with a woman that is so far outside my wheelhouse of knowledge.

I met the author of this profile,

Rebecca Lynne Loftin

this weekend, and she tried to explain to me which reality TV show(s) Farrah Abraham starred in, but I had zero knowledge. It was a fruitless endeavor.

It’s not that I frown upon reality TV exactly, but Real Housewives or The Bachelor or Big Brother just don’t interest me. My kinda reality TV is watching men running around and playing a game together. I’m an Arsenal fan so I prefer soccer/football, but others prefer NFL, NBA or track and field, or Minecraft or Grand Theft Auto. It’s all reality TV.

This is something I’ve been thinking about since I noticed feeling something approaching disdain when I saw my 7-year-old enthralled by a YouTube recording of someone else playing video games. That feeling bothered me.

What’s the difference between that and me watching Bukayo Saka ping one in top bins from the edge of the 18-yard box or Noah Lyles power through to the 100m Olympic gold? Nothing, actually. It’s all reality TV. It’s all watching someone else live their life and play a game to entertain you.

Anyway. Read the article here. It’s about reality TV. It’s also not about reality TV.

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Running Sucks Haiku of the Week

Stretching’s good for you
Regular strength training helps
You’ll just get better

I saw a cool post this morning by Jon Levitt of For The Long Run about how health compounds. It’s true! Maybe if I’d put the work in more regularly beforehand, I wouldn’t have hurt my back like I did. Maybe, maybe. Time to do some stretches, perhaps.

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Thanks for reading
- Raz