As I write this my fiftieth post on this site is just about to go live, with another ten or so in the queue, and you may not be shocked to learn that the audience for this kind of written, experiential content is nothing compared to what I might have were I to hold up a camera to my face and make clever reels or influencer-type posts.
Hell, even the Kid made a TikTok of a five klick run the other day and got more views on that in a single day than I’ve accumulated here in two and a half months and a fifty posts.
We were chatting in our group messages recently about an influencer who was caught cheating in the Berlin Marathon, found out to have caught a ride for part of the distance on the back of bike, and shaved enough of her time off her total that it got called out for cheating. She had to apologize to half a million of her followers.
What’s the point? someone asked.
Indeed. What the hell is the point of any of it? Well, besides money and temporary fame and, oh right, the thrill of it all—from showcasing to cheating to whatever else I seem to be missing.
The fact is, I’d rather just sit over here quietly and write things that are meaningful to me. And if they happen to be meaningful to other people, even just a few, then what else does one need out of sharing a hobby with the universe?
I get it. To many people this whole thing may seem like a bit of a waste, or an indulgence, or some random guy trying to find relevance. But I go out on the trails to make contact with the real world. I run to feel the wind. I lace up and trace routes through my neighbourhood to get away from the falseness of performative content.
Sitting down later to write about that experience, reflectively and without the pressure of whatever is that drive people to act out, cheat, or do whatever seems to give them clicks and likes and follows—that is what is important to me.
You may think I’m writing for you or an audience or to chase some kind of temporary fame, but I’m really just writing for me, to reflect, and to close the meditative circle of this often lonely sport that was never really meant to be broadcast.
Definitions
- august
- In the month of August where I live summer peaks and the days are often relatively hot (in the high 20s or low 30s) muggy, smokey and dry. Rain is infrequent, but when it arrives it comes in the form of drenching downpours and epic thunderstorms. We begin our runs earlier in the day because the local marathon runs late in the month and our training distances are maxing.
- influencer
- Don't be an influencer who runs, be a runner who influences... Be someone who challenges others to be their best healthy self and to rest when they need it. Be someone who encourages others to be inclusive to the sport, builds a strong community, champions good sportsmanship and stands cheering for everyone. Share pics, stats, and courage... for the right reasons.
- klick
- As a Canadian I run in metric. As a writer, I find the word kilometre clunky and clinical. I'll usually use the colloquial "klick" or "klicks" to substitute in for this.
- september
- The days are noticeably shorter when we realize that September is upon us. The post-summer routine kicks in and people are back to regular work schedules and kids are back in school. It can still be warm, but the hottest days are behind us and most of the biggest races of the year are in the rear view. We savour September knowing winter is too soon to come.
- the kid
- I'm father to a daughter who has often been mentioned in my writing. She's an adult now, but I'm still not going to dox her on this or any site. She'll remain as anonymous as I can make her and you shall only know her as "The Kid"
