Running Sucks Running Socks
That’s right: I made Running Sucks running socks with Swiftwick.
Designed in a retro style using the blue/yellow colorway of my book, the words are on the back of the sock especially so that the people you pass can have a chuckle. If you’re reading this newsletter, I hope you also like spreading a little joy while you’re running.
The socks themselves are super high quality, moisture wicking with light compression, of course, but they have a lifetime guarantee. Running Sucks running socks will last forever. Go grab a pair from the Swiftwick site.
I’m giving away a pair of Running Sucks running socks (I’ll not tire of typing or saying that) over on Instagram this week. All you have to do is 1) repost this post and 2) tag a friend in a comment.
A little bit of lore: I was editor of a website about heavy music from 2008-2015 called Thrash Hits. A funny observation about the logo was that it could be read as Thrash Hats. Well, I never got Thrash Hits thrash hats made, so these Running Sucks running socks feel like overdue closure on that very specific anecdote.
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A family business
For Global Running Day last Wednesday, I ran 1.22 miles with my son. He’s been bugging me to come running with me for the past year, so this run was a huge bonus of my return from injury.
I ran with him two more times last week on the road to him running a mile race at the end of this month at the Abbot Kinney One, hosted by Venice Run Club. Closing down one of Los Angeles’ most iconic streets for half a day is an enormous undertaking and achievement. I can’t wait to take part.
The Mayors Who Run
I popped down to the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Long Beach last week to run almost 5k with a handful of America’s mayors. I was interested because quite a lot of LA28 Olympic events will be hosted in Long Beach, which is one of the coolest areas in this massive conurbation.
Of the 1,500 mayors of cities with populations over 30,000, over 200 attended the conference. 10 of them braved the June Gloom to reach the Boardwalk.
On the run, I had a chat with Mayor Matt Tuerk of Allentown, PA. We met when he complimented me on my vintage Arsenal shirt (all I’ve been wearing for the past two weeks) and then we talked about a shared love of punk music, Arsenal FC, and running – he instigated this annual group run. I think we’re friends now.
I also asked Long Beach city officials what their goal is for Long Beach in the Olympics and the line that kept getting spoken was that they want to make sure local residents are involved. What does that mean? I don’t know exactly, but it’s a nice sentiment.
Los Angeles is currently suffering its own heinous mayoral election, where we were subjected to the threat of reality TV man Spencer Pratt taking charge. I believe that we’ve escaped that now, but MacArthur Park’s homeless residents and encampments were unceremoniously cleared last week in the name of dismantling open-air drug markets. Coincidentally, there’s a World Cup viewing party at MacArthur Park next week…
At the track again
This weekend, I’m planning to attend the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix. I want to see Josh Kerr in the 800m as he continues his progress in Project 222, as he aims to break the men’s mile world record next month in London.
The lack of discounted tickets for children is disappointing at a time where track and field has gained an unwelcome reputation for being a sport that people don’t really want to attend. Make it easy is my suggestion.
W is for your Why
Do you ever think about why you run? How do you figure that out?
I just wrote a six-pager for issue 49 of Like The Wind magazine. The mag’s tagline is ‘It’s not how we run, it’s why we run,’ which is exactly how I write about running.
Sure, I’m a trained running coach, but my approach is more holistic. I care about why my clients are doing what they are doing. That allows me to help them think about how to train for their event, their life.
For instance, I don’t run to win. Even when I was a teen running track, it wasn’t as much about competition as it was enjoying a new experience and new people. As a Third Culture Kid, that world of organized inter-school athletics was totally alien to me. And now? Running is a part of life in the same way that brushing my teeth is a part of my life, and I don’t try to win at that either.
When I moved to LA, I was running two races per month. I was placing in the top 10% of each race, but I was also out at bars and concerts most nights with my new friends, my new wife, a new run club. My social lifestyle simply wasn’t conducive to top performance as an amateur runner, but, in that moment, I needed both of those parts of my life. My goal was to find a way to accommodate them both.
Why did I run?
For my health, both physical and mental
For exploration of my new hometown
To balance out my poor diet (as much as possible)
For quiet time, alone in a busy life
I still run for all of those things, but recently I’ve added two more:
To aid my creativity
I want to run with my son
Lives don’t remain the same, and it’s important to be pragmatic in those situations. With an aging body, I do not expect to finish in the top 10% of finishers any more, and that’s ok. I’m 43 years old, and I’m likely over the hill of my peak physical performance. I expect my kids to be faster than me sooner rather than later as I coach them towards a path where they can love running as much as I do.
My primary goals now are to remain free of injury so that I can keep exploring this world, hopefully with my family, so that informs my why completely. Why do you run? What’s your story?
Thanks for reading
Raz xx
Thrash Hats LOL. I’m running to get time alone, and to bolster my mental health! Ordered a pair of the socks (even though they aren’t toe socks!)
I love the socks!!!!!