What gives you the ick?
The (very separate) problems with run clubs, trail runners, and insecticides.
“What’s your biggest running ick?”
It’s an objectively horrible question, but that’s what an IG reel from London’s Acai Berry Run Club asked its patrons last week. No, Acai Berry isn’t a new neighborhood in the English capital, but a twelve-store chain of cafes that focuses on the Brazilian superfood. And they’ve got their own run club.
It certainly aligns with their values of healthy eating, but they’ve misread the room with this video. The things that members of the Acai Berry Run Club had the ick for weren’t the best.
Wearing a running vest for a 5k
Not wearing proper running shoes
Wearing too-proper running shoes
Wearing a matching outfit with sunglasses
Guys who come to run club to talk to girls (valid)
Many runners are put off joining group runs because they’re conscious of being scrutinized by exactly the kind of gatekeeping that Acai Berry is promoting. If they do take that leap, though, they often are surprised by how inclusive and encouraging runners are compared to the trash talk of team sports.
You know by now that I’m a huge fan of run clubs of all shapes and sizes. At their frequent best, run clubs create real community via an accessible healthy practice. I also love when run club communities meet with purpose at a local independent business — often a coffee shop, bar, or brewery. I believe that run clubs can (partially) solve the loneliness epidemic, and boost the local economy. What’s not to like about that?
The Acai Berry experiment is a huge reason why corporate run clubs give me the ick. It’s not real community. It’s certainly not a healthy culture. It’s a forgettable marketing campaign leveraging runners for clicks in exchange for a free tiny bowl of food.
If brands want to use the running space to promote their wares and potentially bring new people to the sport, that’s fine, but if they’re simultaneously using their reach to put people off finding the rich community that is out there, it’s of massive detriment. A bit more thought is very welcome.
I’d love to know your thoughts on this. What’s your favorite run club experience? Has a corporate run experience previously lured you in? Have you been put off joining a run club? If so, why?
Last week on Running Sucks
Last week, I wrote about how Broken Arrow Skyrace, one of the biggest trail races in the USA, is actively working to make their event more inclusive. They partnered with Arc’teryx to bring 100 runners from historically under-represented communities in California to Palisades Tahoe.
This was a 100% positive move by Broken Arrow and Arc’teryx to give more to people who have had less. While the overwhelming reaction was celebratory, there were (as usual) a few noisy naysayers scoffing at the initiative, talking about how diverse they thought trail running already was, and how they’re definitely not the problem.
The thing is, the inclusivity action at Broken Arrow had nothing to do with them. It wasn’t for them, about them, or by them, but their comments focused only on their experiences, with a disregard of what others might have experienced. It was a moment for someone else, but they wanted to storm the stage like Kanye West to tell their story, as if both truths were unable to exist side by side.
Just like those in that video above will have put so many off ever joining the Acai Berry Run Club, those loud commenters on Broken Arrow are exactly the reason people are put off from running trails. Who wants to be around attitudes like that? Ick.
I’m really interested to know if you’ve impacted by Broken Arrow’s work, either positively or negatively. Please have your say below.
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Consumerism in Running: a chat in a shop
This discussion is happening this Friday June 27 at Running Wylder in San Francisco, and I can’t wait. The panel is a veritable feast of awesome people.
If you wonder why I write about the relationship between commerce and culture so much, it was the subject of not one but two university theses. I was a teenage punk rocker. I still might be.
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On a very positive note…
My article for Imagine5 about building a Monarch butterfly waystation in my local park was posted online recently. Read about why Monarch butterflies are as important for pollination as bees, and how I grappled with the Parks & Rec department to get the milkweed planted.
Here’s a good moment to remind those lucky enough to have the yard space around your home to stop spraying insecticides, and to consider installing a native garden.
Running Sucks Haiku of the Week
Diversity works.
Add lifting to your running —
You will be stronger
I was explaining what I write about to a keen motorcyclist the other day, and he said, “Oh, it’s just like whether I choose to ride solo or with a group, or get my fast bike or comfortable bike out of the garage.” You can transpose every lesson if you think hard enough.
That’s about running, but it’s also not about running.
Housekeeping
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Thanks for reading
Raz x
Raz: "The Acai Berry experiment is a huge reason why corporate run clubs give me the ick."
And that format will never get over it. The niggle in the back of your mind, that this has an underlying commercial drive.
It reminds me of "work" happy hour, or the attempt of any corporation to provide "fun" to it's workers. It never works. We are all just waiting for this to end.
"Has a corporate run experience previously lured you in? Have you been put off joining a run club? If so, why?"
No to the first question, see my reason above. Even races that have a corp backing put me off. A local grocery store chain sponsoring a 10K at Thanksgiving? No thanks. As to the second question, the only "club" I will join is a grass roots, based on running first club. And even then, if it gets too large, I tend to avoid it. Too many competing philosophies make for emotional, personal, political, and other struggles. Tribe size is a delicate thing.
Great topic Raz.
I get the whole "icks" thing because I certainly have a few but I realize none of them play a direct roll in my life so it's just a silly preference. Kind of hilarious they try and build a community while actively drive away potential members. Kind of the same vibe as "all paces welcome" but run 8 min miles.
I'm part of a run club and the thing I enjoy most is that we have track days and Sunday runs. The Sunday runs are a nice stroll where I can socialize, where as the track days I can challenge myself heavily. I am unashamed to admit I will talk s* to my friends and encourage others to challenge themselves but the encouragement is positive and light in nature.