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Irish Runner

  • 26-03-2012 9:24am
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 452 ✭✭


    While I applaud the tremendous weight loss of Hannah Nolan featured in this Month's Irish Runner, did it really merit the front cover, and the few pages that it took inside? Was this a paid feature for her new website, or am I being cynical?

    Surely with the wealth of young Irish Running talent around at the moment, the front cover of our premiere (only) running magazine should be used to highlight this talent and maybe the promotion will help an up and coming athlete get some sponsorship, or at least, recognition.


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,605 ✭✭✭ultrapercy


    Domer wrote: »
    While I applaud the tremendous weight loss of Hannah Nolan featured in this Month's Irish Runner, did it really merit the front cover, and the few pages that it took inside? Was this a paid feature for her new website, or am I being cynical?

    Surely with the wealth of young Irish Running talent around at the moment, the front cover of our premiere (only) running magazine should be used to highlight this talent and maybe the promotion will help an up and coming athlete get some sponsorship, or at least, recognition.
    No your right it didnt merit a front page it didnt merit a mention at all in what is supposed to be a running magazine.That magazine is a joke and is getting worse every issue. Surely Britton should have got front page? Not a word about the Fagan drug story,head burried in the sand. This is probably the reason it was 6 weeks late coming out. Its becoming more like Womans Own or Weight Watchers Monthly (quaterly) all the time.


  • Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭Getonwithit


    Despite being run out of the AAI office the AAI get very little back I feel.. Is the policy focused on shifting copies though? Should it be? If it is pure athletics youre looking for try Athletics Weekly, theres more in a weekly edition of AW than in 3 months of Irish Runner.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,121 ✭✭✭tang1


    If memory serves me correctly the article about Joe Sweeney was in it sometime last year, or an article very similiar.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,983 ✭✭✭TheRoadRunner


    I actually thought this edition wasn't too bad, but it's all relevant I suppose. There was a decent feature on Britton & Sweeney (even if a bit repetitive from previous interviews). Bit on Bertie Messit was very good. O'Hanlon piece was excellent, very raw and no BS

    I think stories like that featured on the cover is aimed at increasing readership by enticing those new to running. I like the OP would have rolled my eyes in the past but it's the route the magazine has gone. As other have said is a bit like women's weekly in places.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,742 ✭✭✭ultraman1


    . As other have said is a bit like women's weekly in places.
    im just waitin for datin classifieds in the back 2 pages:D....i sent in a link to a report on the donadea 50k and a few fotos and results,,,didnt even get a reply..


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Pisco Sour


    ultraman1 wrote: »
    im just waitin for datin classifieds in the back 2 pages:D....i sent in a link to a report on the donadea 50k and a few fotos and results,,,didnt even get a reply..

    I like the magazine, but only read the stuff about the elites. The training stuff doesn't interest me much as it is very repetitive, and all geared towards people running marathons. No focus on sprints/ jumps/ throws etc. It is geared towards the masses. I don't blame them, and to be honest it is probably a good idea, and maybe it might get a few outsiders into athletics (could be clutching at straws though).

    With regards not getting a reply, I wouldn't take it personally. Nice guy, and does a lot of great work, but hopeless at getting back to people. I sent him an email with my Running Review stuff and he got back to me saying he was awfully impressed and that he'd like to give me a call about putting one of the articles in the yearbook. I'm still waiting on that call. :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    04072511 wrote: »

    With regards not getting a reply, I wouldn't take it personally. Nice guy, and does a lot of great work, but hopeless at getting back to people. I sent him an email with my Running Review stuff and he got back to me saying he was awfully impressed and that he'd like to give me a call about putting one of the articles in the yearbook. I'm still waiting on that call. :)

    Have to agree with this. I got an email from IR a while back, they wanted to do a piece about the marathon pacers, free subscription for any contributors... so I got a few to do up a report, sent it in... and heard nothing back. Still, FG has his heart in the right place, I'm not knocking him for a second.

    On the original topic (since she's a local legend down my way) WOOOT! Well done cover girl Hannah Nolan!:D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,983 ✭✭✭TheRoadRunner


    ultraman1 wrote: »
    im just waitin for datin classifieds in the back 2 pages:D....

    I hope for your sake they don't require a profile photo :D


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,686 ✭✭✭tHE vAGGABOND


    The first issue in ages where I read all the articles, so liked this issue.

    re: weight loss lady - news flash, some people [including my good self] are indeed interested in stories like that and want to read them. If folks want a magazine with nothing but stories you personally want to read, then get off your arse and start one and stop moaning tbh.

    Also the first issue in 23 years not pushing Chi Runniner:pac:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,200 ✭✭✭G-Money


    The first issue in ages where I read all the articles, so liked this issue.

    re: weight loss lady - news flash, some people [including my good self] are indeed interested in stories like that and want to read them. If folks want a magazine with nothing but stories you personally want to read, then get off your arse and start one and stop moaning tbh.


    I agree with this. I recently subscribed to Irish Runner and while I like it when elites get the coverage they deserve, I had no problem with this being the main cover of the magazine. Part of it is that I'm in the middle of a weight loss effort myself so I always like to read other people's success stories, especially when it's combined with running.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Pisco Sour


    G-Money wrote: »
    I agree with this. I recently subscribed to Irish Runner and while I like it when elites get the coverage they deserve, I had no problem with this being the main cover of the magazine. Part of it is that I'm in the middle of a weight loss effort myself so I always like to read other people's success stories, especially when it's combined with running.

    The problem that some people might see with her getting on the front of the magazine could be that it devalues the sport of athletics a bit. There are many people who see running as nothing more than a weight loss activity or something that you do to warm up or get fit for another sport. Putting people like this (or Ray D'Arcy) on the cover could potentially reinforce this opinion of our sport.

    That's one side of the coin. The other, as I have mentioned, is that it could help sell more copies and give our best athletes more exposure. I'm not particularly bothered. We have bigger things to worry about.

    But what would inspire a kid more to take up athletics: Watching Derval O'Rourke win major championship medals, or watching somebody make up for years of abuse of one's body, or watching a radio presenter run a marathon in 4 hours?


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,686 ✭✭✭tHE vAGGABOND


    But what would inspire a kid more to take up athletics: Watching Derval O'Rourke win major championship medals, or watching somebody make up for years of abuse of one's body, or watching a radio presenter run a marathon in 4 hours?
    TBH alas the answer has to be 3; as its closer to home and linked to the "fame at all costs" way society has gone.

    I had a stupid number of comments post DCM for all manner of people about how proud I must have been to beat Ray Darcy - just the way some people are...

    Personally, in terms of normal adult involvement in the sport, folks like us turning up to races, buying magazines and going training with clubs I would say 2 is the most important - as 90% of people out there are unhappy with their appearance and want to get involved in something.

    For kids, seeing someone win a medal of any kind is great - but we would need someone high profile, amazing and charismatic to give a real boost to numbers [All very much IMHO clearly] - and I dont know of anyone like that?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭Jnealon


    She caught my attention in the december issue after running a very impressive3.30 ish marathon. She was part of the "marathon spartans/virgins" group iirc.
    Sure she deserves the front cover, might encourage more mums etc to sign up to their local fit 4 life


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Pisco Sour


    Personally, in terms of normal adult involvement in the sport, folks like us turning up to races, buying magazines and going training with clubs I would say 2 is the most important - as 90% of people out there are unhappy with their appearance and want to get involved in something.

    Sure, for many Joe Soap or Mary Public of the adult population that could be what inspires them to run. But for kids no chance. Sure when I was a kid I ran around cluelessly pretending to be Eric Cantona on the crappy grass pitch at the top of my estate. During the Olympics I would race the other kids thinking I was Michael Johnson. I liked to be Tiger Tim Henman come Wimbledon time, and I recall a few of us likeing to think we were Jonah Lomu the odd time we threw a rugby ball around. Not once did I think I was Uncle Johnny or Auntie Maggie who had recently achieved a weight loss of 10kg.

    Kids looks up to the best. Simple as. The likes of Derval are what get kids into the sport. Not people plodding around the streets. In fact that would probably push kids away from the sport. Hardly something that would sell the sport to kids in the field game dominated market in Ireland.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,704 ✭✭✭✭RayCun


    They chose someone for the cover of a magazine not to lead a fitness drive in schools.
    I would guess that casual buyers of Irish Runner are more likely to be adults.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Pisco Sour


    RayCun wrote: »
    They chose someone for the cover of a magazine not to lead a fitness drive in schools.
    I would guess that casual buyers of Irish Runner are more likely to be adults.

    True that. It was more just a general point about the attitudes to running/athletics among the general public, with it being seen by many as a weight loss tool as opposed to a sport. I guess in some ways the cover of Irish Runner backs up this.


  • Registered Users Posts: 15,704 ✭✭✭✭RayCun


    You're reading a lot into one cover - isn't the cover photo usually of an elite athlete?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,983 ✭✭✭TheRoadRunner


    RayCun wrote: »
    You're reading a lot into one cover - isn't the cover photo usually of an elite athlete?

    Not always. In recent years a lot of non elite athletes have been on the cover. Couldn't give you a definitive figure but maybe 70/30 elite/nonelite


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,818 ✭✭✭nerraw1111


    Well the cover has worked, has us talking about it as well as some positive reviews of the magazine, so from that point of view, the cover has been a great success.

    Normally not a fan of these type of stories but done right, they can be very interesting. Marathon Talk podcasts usually only interview the elite in the sport but the most memorable interview for me was with the taxi driver who went from doing cocaine at the weekends, to running close or under 3 hours for a marathon. It worked because it was focused on his running rather than some nonsense about a journey.

    I'm hazard a guess and say most people do sport for enjoyment and to lose weight/keep fit, be it 5 a side, swimming, badminton, cycling or running. I don't think running is any different.

    I think Ray D'Arcy is doing wonders for running in general. He's encouraged so many to get into it and has normalised it, it's not a big deal, stick on some runners and get out in the fresh air.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    04072511 wrote: »
    I liked to be Tiger Tim Henman come Wimbledon time

    Really? Tiger Tim was the best you could come up with??
    Even Hannah Nolan has more charisma!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,320 ✭✭✭MrCreosote


    04072511 wrote: »

    Kids looks up to the best. Simple as. The likes of Derval are what get kids into the sport. Not people plodding around the streets. In fact that would probably push kids away from the sport. Hardly something that would sell the sport to kids in the field game dominated market in Ireland.

    Kids look up to their parents, family and friends. If seeing people plodding around the streets, or watching their parents lose 20kg training for a marathon, makes running a normal activity, it'll go far more towards keeping kids in the sport than watching the world champs on telly.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Pisco Sour


    MrCreosote wrote: »
    Kids look up to their parents, family and friends. If seeing people plodding around the streets, or watching their parents lose 20kg training for a marathon, makes running a normal activity, it'll go far more towards keeping kids in the sport than watching the world champs on telly.

    Completely disagree, unless kids have changed hugely in the last 10 years or so.

    I recall a great post by thirtyfoot on the DCM Live on TV thread from around 18 months ago:
    thirtyfoot wrote: »
    Yes, yes, yes. Great point Charlie Spedding. What's cools and sexy about some oul guy who weights 7 stone plodding along with white sh8t foaming out of his mouth or a fat lad in a westmeath jersey shuffling along in agony. What will it do for our sport. It will show kids that its a sh8te sport. Compared to Derval prowling on the startline and blitzing 10 hurdles in 12 seconds or Vlasic bending over a bar or Bolt powering off the bend. Kids will be inspired by that.

    Well done to anybody who sorts his/her life out and loses weight, but the heroic status that it seems to get is ridiculous. Yes, it can inspire somebody to follow suit and lose weight, but in the end of the day, all this is, is righting a wrong. Nobody should be obese in the first place. There are very very few legitimate excuses for obesity. Patting people on the back for finally copping themselves on is ridiculous! Will probably get slated for this but don't care. There is far too much protection, sensitivity and political correctness surrounding the topic of obesity. Nobody should be celebrated for finally reaching a certain weight loss. I don't get praise for keeping myself at a healthy weight throughout my life, why should somebody who neglected his/her weight for years be celebrated in the media for finally copping the feck on!?

    I'm far from trying to discourage people from losing weight. Fair play to anybody that breaks the lazy cycle to sort themselves out. But it does not deserve public acclaim.

    However, as I have said above, by putting such people on the cover of such magazines, it maybe, just maybe, might draw a few outsiders into buying the magazine and maybe then reading about the likes of Mad Len, Hession etc, so I guess all this unnecessary praise is a necessary evil.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,320 ✭✭✭MrCreosote


    We'll have to agree to disagree then. I'll take your point that an Irish athlete winning a medal would be inspiring and might get kids started, but show me any kid that keeps at it, and you're pretty much guaranteed that's going to be because of someone at home keeping the motivation up and making it a normal part of their life.

    As for the magazine- it's called "Irish Runner", not "Irish Professional Athlete"- what's the harm having someone on the front now and then that the majority of the potential readership might relate to?

    And as for losing 20kg. I reckon it should be celebrated because the lifestyle changes and sacrifices needed make it a bloody hard thing to do. Certainly harder than running a sub-3 hour marathon for example.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Pisco Sour


    MrCreosote wrote: »

    And as for losing 20kg. I reckon it should be celebrated because the lifestyle changes and sacrifices needed make it a bloody hard thing to do. Certainly harder than running a sub-3 hour marathon for example.

    It's only a bloody hard thing to do because that person put themselves in such an unnecessary, self inflicted condition in the first place. Had that person ate well, exercised, and looked after his/her body in the past there would not be any need for such weight loss programmes.

    A sub 3 hour marathon on the otherhand requires dedication from somebody who has not abused ones body in the past.

    One feat involves a healthy person pushing their body to its limits. The other "achievement" is simply somebody losing excess weight which he/she inflicted on his/herself. It is a joke celebrating such stuff. Talk about celebrating mediocrity! :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭Hard Worker


    04072511 wrote: »
    It's only a bloody hard thing to do because that person put themselves in such an unnecessary, self inflicted condition in the first place. Had that person ate well, exercised, and looked after his/her body in the past there would not be any need for such weight loss programmes.

    A sub 3 hour marathon on the otherhand requires dedication from somebody who has not abused ones body in the past.

    One feat involves a healthy person pushing their body to its limits. The other "achievement" is simply somebody losing excess weight which he/she inflicted on his/herself. It is a joke celebrating such stuff. Talk about celebrating mediocrity! :rolleyes:

    So, having three children is "unnecessary, self inflicted condition ". Some of your posts are downright insulting. You really havn't a clue about obesity. You seem to think that obesity is caused by eating too much and not exercising.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭RoyMcC


    Good posts 0407. I don't agree 100% but you make your assertion excellently.

    I'm on the side of anybody that makes the most of what they've got. If you're brought up by parents/teachers/coaches to be a fit and competitive young man/woman you have a head start in your sporting life. It's far easier to strive for and achieve success from that starting point rather than from a position of sloth in, say, your 30s. The successful athlete has usually had a good head start in life, the others are trying to catch up.

    As to covers I've raged for years (without effect) about the perfect model types on the covers of Runners' World. They've probably not run in their lives only for the photo shoot. But the point is they have to sell magazines and clearly their research is that a pretty woman or muscle man on the cover will sell more copies than a sweaty old bloke or an overweight gal trying their best.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Pisco Sour


    So, having three children is "unnecessary, self inflicted condition ". Some of your posts are downright insulting. You really havn't a clue about obesity. You seem to think that obesity is caused by eating too much and not exercising.

    I read recently that Obesity levels in the USA are over 3 times the levels in the 60s. Women had children back then too. In fact they had more of them. Much larger families back 40-50 years ago. Why much higher obesity rates now? Using giving birth as an excuse doesn't wash to be honest. Sonia O'Sullivan won an Olympic Silver medal 13 months after giving birth. People like to blame obesity on this or that, on having bad genetics, or on giving birth, but all that IMO are just excuses for the real reason, lazyness.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,320 ✭✭✭MrCreosote


    Very simplistic view of the causes of obesity there. Anyway it hardly matters whether it's self-inflicted or not, losing 20kilos is hard hard work for most people. I'll stand by my point that to lose that weight and keep it off requires far more dedication and changes to your lifestyle, and for longer, than running a sub-3 marathon.

    You make the marathon sound like the greatest physical feat of all time!


  • Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭Bugsy2000


    ...........For kids, seeing someone win a medal of any kind is great - but we would need someone high profile, amazing and charismatic to give a real boost to numbers [All very much IMHO clearly] - and I dont know of anyone like that?.........

    So its a Fionnuala Bolt rather than Fionnuala Britton we need I suppose. Do ya think we can get a bit of showboating out of her on the home stretch in the future? It would liven up the steeplechase for sure.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,912 ✭✭✭thirtyfoot


    To the point that elite athletes may not inspire young kids to participate in the sport more than seeing their dad running a 10k, I can't buy that. Will a kid be more inspired more by their dad playing down at the astro than seeing Messi (or even Richard Dunne) or maybe Mam playing a bit of tag rugby will do more than seeing BOD or ROG in action. A point being missed here regarding how elite sports people can inspire, the parents can be as much inspired to want their kid to play a competitive sport and be as good as they can be at it. They will do what they can to keep their kid in the sport if they have bought into the sport and are inspired by it. Also, if dad is into his sport still at 45 or 50, will he be able to invest as much into his kids sports, maybe he will, not sure. No problem with a non-elite being on front of IR, but lets not pretend that seeing people like that being celebrated will inspire kids to take up the sport more than a top, top athlete. Sometimes you have to leave the proximity bias behind.

    As regards IR, its too diluted. Not meeting the needs of competitive athletics (its all on the internet or even the AI site means the data is dated and 15 years ago that was not a problem for them), interviews are not great when compared to an athletes interview on say AW or TAFN and it still isn't hitting the button for the recreational runner in comparision to specialised mags in the UK. Think they should go one way or the other probably towards the recreational runner.


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