I've talked about this a little bit with Spitz out in Indy, but I'll throw it on here as well. I am a bit disappointed with the current month's issue's of Runner's World and Running Times for a few different reasons. Several months ago, the same publishing company, Rodale, who owns and operates Runner's World purchased the operating rights to Running Times. Fairplay. No real worries there. As is the case with many lifestyle magazines, many themes and articles are repeated from year to year. In running and health lifestyle mags there are a few standby's....
12 Weeks to a new 5k PR!!!
Healthy foods for recovery!!!
Beat the winter blues!!!
and the ever popular, New Year, New YOU!!!!
But here, as we work our way out of the heat of summertime and into some confidence boosting, long run begging fall weather we have identical themes around the last two issues of these two running mags. And what are they, "The Green Issue!"
Now, I am not an anti-enviromentalist by any means. In fact my faith leads me to believe that one of our duties is to be proper stewards of the earth. This in fact has in part led to my vegetarian diet. But, it's hard to miss the irony of a publisher sending out two magazines at 80-90 pages each (many of which, lets face it are not recycled) on the importance of running green.
It's not that I am against this line of thinking at all. It is in fact actually interesting to read about runners footprint on the enviroment. And it is, in fact interesting to read about the steps that many shoe companies are taking to become more green including recycled material in their shoes, and more biodegrable soles, even if they miss some of the most obvious steps (recycled cardboard boxes, please. thanks!). It's just that I am unsure of how much we can write about it. Especially over the course of two magazines. Couldn't it be contained in one? At the end of the day, it's simplistic, I know, but despite Brooks attempts to make a more green shoe, unless it fits better or takes time of my 10k more than my less green Saucony's I'm unlikely to but it just to save a year or two's space in a landfill.
It's nitpicking. Yes, I know. I very much understand. Still, couldn't one magazine maybe use some of those pages to preview the College XC season? Maybe a summary of some of the best College XC courses then serves into a good article on trail running.
Thing is I buy both the magazines anyway. I have a subscription to Running Times, and I purchase Runners World on the newstand month. And even though I told myself I wouldn't this time, due to the overlap of material I did anyway. I love both of your magazines. But please, next month a little more variety?
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3 comments:
I've been a little disappointed with some of the generic articles in Runner's World recently. I did find the green shoe article interesting. Are there any regional or local mags out there? I got one called "Colorado Runner" at my half-marathon, and it was pretty good and had a different feel than RW.
http://www.coloradorunnermag.com/
It had a preview of this year's high school xc competition, which I thought was pretty cool. There's hopefully a magazine like that in your area.
We used to have a magazine out here called New England Runner, but I haven't seen it recently. I would love a mag out here that covers the local cross country seasons and races like that.
I had no problem with the Runner's World green shoe article, now that I've gotten through it, I do think it was a decent article. It's just having the Running Times issue also focused on the same green idea. Especially when Running Times used to be more focused on competetion a few months back.
Exactly. I like Running Times because it offered a more competitive perspective on running, but lately the content has mirrored Runner's World too much, and even Runner's World has "redesigned" their magazine, using elements from Running Times. That's just sacrilege.
-spitz
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