Ghost Town

OWinter

Just an observation, this place seems a bit of a ghost town recently. I've no real history posting but as a long time lurker remember the days when it was a really active place.

My personal theory is boards.ie in general seems to be passing its sell by date

bleedinlegit

OWinter wrote: »

Just an observation, this place seems a bit of a ghost town recently. I've no real history posting but as a long time lurker remember the days when it was a really active place.

My personal theory is boards.ie in general seems to be passing its sell by date

Your text is greatly improved compared to your fb text,
"Just an observation" 😉

Too much fighting on de dance flo...

tang1

Certainly tumbleweed-esque around here for a while now, worst I've ever seen the place to be honest. Posters have moved on, closed accounts or just are fed up of the place. There was a great group of posters that kept the place going for a long time but they are the ones that have moved on or closed there accounts. Up to the newer people to breath a bit of life back into place.

glacial_pace71

I think there's an element of people occasionally uprooting the plant to see how its roots are growing: let some of the lurkers take time to start a few new threads.

They might often be reluctant to post in a thread with 1,000,001 entries. (Indeed, many people access Boards via their phones and so have limited ability to copy a link to an article or an athlete's social media feed etc when seeking to share information with others). Yet it's also the thread with 1,000,001 entries is the subject of greatest interest to all.

However, to some extent there's a trend that people not sitting with a laptop would perhaps tend towards reading/passive consumption than to posting replies, let alone creating new threads.

There are plenty of interesting training logs on the site. Perhaps the running threads are to an extent repetitive for those who've answered on a subject previously, so there will be a tendency for people to move on, or to keep it as an offline chat post-race (or over pints) with others.

Given the demographic profile it's likely that the majority of posters are 30-something/40-something, which is not the target for advertising-oriented sites, but it also provides an advantage of the site not being artificially hyper-animated by some paid advertising kid in a call centre somewhere, going on about great nutritional supplement x, runny-rocket-runners y, or macho-massage-muscle-therapy z. If people are posting then it's about something of real interest to them or to other runners rather than trying to convince men that they need to buy sports bras or whatever.

(On a related point there are no click-bait style threads either, e.g. no-one is posting about Freddie Starr eating their hamster etc. It's not You-Tube, so we don't need to drive traffic to screen for eyeball-numbers/cents-per-clickthrough rackets). Activity will unfold as events come and go, e.g. there's always a nice build up for the marathon threads in the preceding months. It's not a catastrophe for there to be occasional quiet periods.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

I think it's more a macro trend and people are consuming information differently to a few years ago with a move to other social media platforms.

kit3

There was a concerted effort a number of weeks back by a long term poster to pull A/R out of the doldrums. The sad fact is that the poster in question has since gone and it would appear to have gone largely unnoticed, despite this being one of the most knowledgable and helpful posters here. This indicates, for me, where A/R is at now.

tang1

kit3 wrote: »

There was a concerted effort a number is weeks back by a long term poster to pull A/R out of the doldrums. The sad fact is that the poster in question has since gone and it would appear to have gone largely unnoticed, despite this being one of the most knowledgable an helpful posters here. This indicates, for me, where A/R is at now.

It was noticed by some.

kit3

tang1 wrote: »

It was noticed by some.

I'm sure it was Tang. A big loss.

average_runner

It's a social forum now. Think a new sub forum is needed. More for training, get together runs, advice for runners who run for a time, basically a more serious sub forum.

El Caballo

average_runner wrote: »

It's a social forum now. Think a new sub forum is needed. More for training, get together runs, advice for runners who run for a time, basically a more serious sub forum.

While I'd like that to work, I don't think it would as all of those things are already in place on the main forum, they just don't be used. I have to agree with jackyback about the way that information is consumed has changed. There is a huge wealth of information on running out there now. I know if I'm looking for answers on something, I'll generally look for articles on the topic as they contain a much larger volume of info than can ever be on an internet forum. Plus, I don't think the knowledge is out there on forums anymore to answer a lot more of the advanced coaching questions. Why? I don't know but this isn't a problem relevant to boards but pretty much every forum on running. Pretty much every great thread on training on Letsrun is pre-2010.

I have to say, one of my pet peeves on this forum is that mostly any questions on training will be answered by join a club. Not saying it isn't good advice but there's no real discussion on training beyond the basics of slow down. This is invaluable advice for beginners and something we all had to learn at some stage but it's not something that gets the more advanced runners or coaches intrigued. As the running boom kicked off, most forums switched from the being the haven for experienced runners to more beginner focused simply because beginners ask more questions. This probably had an effect on why a lot of the more knowledgeable posters moved on as well. The balance here probably was a little better than most other forums tbh but you will never keep everyone happy.

The anonymous reregs don't help either tbh. Constantly feel sketchy when I see a new poster on the forum and probably not alone on that one.

ThisRegard

rovers_runner wrote: »

The Operation Fattie jog a 5k as a bucket list item crowd have a lot to answer for.

Running has become a tool for them to advance their "journey" from fat ass to a slightly less fat ass.

Hence the sport has been dumbed down to an extent where there is no differentiation between an elite and a 40 minute life changing experience among the snowflakes.

I see Kathryn Thomas has ridden the arse off it now too charging gulible fatties a grand for a weeks exercise in some field in the west of Ireland.

And it's posts like this that make it an unwelcoming place to anyone new to the forum so you'll never get a fresh perspective.

Cabaal

rovers_runner wrote: »

The Operation Fattie jog a 5k as a bucket list item crowd have a lot to answer for.

Whatever people's views on OT I don't think there's a need to call people names like this, it's comments like this that make athletics and running in general a unwelcoming place for new people.

There is every difference between an elite and a 50 or 40min PB for 10km for a avg runner, only a fool thinks there isn't.

OWinter wrote: »

My personal theory is boards.ie in general seems to be passing its sell by date

Yeah, I've been hearing that since October 2001
:rolleyes:

hot buttered scones

It would be a shame if this forum dies out. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've learned almost everything I know about running from here. Although I often wondered if some of the "Random Running Questions" were posted as new threads would it breath a bit more life into the place?

Coffee Fulled Runner

I'd agree about the random running questions thread. It might be better getting locked and create more threads and dialogue. A lot of things that merit a thread of its own get lost there. I think there still is a place for forums but most are a lot quieter these days than 10 years ago before social media got a hold. I'm fairly new here. I posted a good bit here last year but when I was injured I found this place depressing but now that I'm making a return I'm brave enough to look again.

Working class heroes

Question : How do we make the A/R forum more popular?
Answer : Lock the most popular thread.

Good god it should be a sticky not locked.

28064212

kit3 wrote: »

There was a concerted effort a number of weeks back by a long term poster to pull A/R out of the doldrums. The sad fact is that the poster in question has since gone and it would appear to have gone largely unnoticed, despite this being one of the most knowledgable and helpful posters here. This indicates, for me, where A/R is at now.

The manner of their exit was even more damning. Once again, an obvious troll comes along, gets to spout their nonsense for a couple of days unhindered, and drives another important poster away.

johnruns

Boards doesnt allow anything to be discussed if ppl disagree on anything here yellow cards and bans are issued and pages upon pages of posts are deleted.

average_runner

johnruns wrote: »

Boards doesnt allow anything to be discussed if ppl disagree on anything here yellow cards and bans are issued and pages upon pages of posts are deleted.

In fairness only medical advice and unproven allegations are banned here

hot buttered scones

Coffee Fulled Runner wrote: »

I'd agree about the random running questions thread. It might be better getting locked and create more threads and dialogue. A lot of things that merit a thread of its own get lost there. I think there still is a place for forums but most are a lot quieter these days than 10 years ago before social media got a hold. I'm fairly new here. I posted a good bit here last year but when I was injured I found this place depressing but now that I'm making a return I'm brave enough to look again.

Working class heroes wrote: »

Question : How do we make the A/R forum more popular?
Answer : Lock the most popular thread.

Good god it should be a sticky not locked.

I'm not advocating locking the thread or getting rid of it. I'm just asking the question would some of the questions in that thread be better off in a thread of their own. Although if you do have a question or a point for discussion it'll probably get answered faster in the Random questions thread because so many people are subscribed to it. I'd be guilty of just checking updates of threads I follow rather than checking the main forum. Yeah - I have no answers. Maybe we could start some threads about running?

tang1

johnruns wrote: »

Boards doesnt allow anything to be discussed if ppl disagree on anything here yellow cards and bans are issued and pages upon pages of posts are deleted.

Disagree with you completely on all of that..........

johnruns

tang1 wrote: »

Disagree with completely on all of that..........

Disagree with completely on all of that..........

hot buttered scones

johnruns wrote: »

Boards doesnt allow anything to be discussed if ppl disagree on anything here yellow cards and bans are issued and pages upon pages of posts are deleted.

There's plenty of discussion on this forum (or there was anyway hence the topic). Maybe in other forums, but in my experience not in A/R.

tang1

johnruns wrote: »

Disagree with completely on all of that..........

I'm illiterate as well as thick!!!

johnruns

lol

Working class heroes

Red card for both of you. Week ban, out!

adrian522

OWinter wrote: »

Just an observation, this place seems a bit of a ghost town recently. I've no real history posting but as a long time lurker remember the days when it was a really active place.

My personal theory is boards.ie in general seems to be passing its sell by date

Is it not a bit hypocritical for someone who does not contribute to the forum to come on and complain that there are not enough people contributing to the forum?

There is nothing stopping you or anyone else from getting and keeping the conversation going.

You can't expect the same people to be driving it year after year. If you have something to say jump in on the conversation.

Chivito550

kit3 wrote: »

There was a concerted effort a number of weeks back by a long term poster to pull A/R out of the doldrums. The sad fact is that the poster in question has since gone and it would appear to have gone largely unnoticed, despite this being one of the most knowledgable and helpful posters here. This indicates, for me, where A/R is at now.

Yes, there was a huge effort made. Yet many of the threads that were started remained ghost threads, with either no replies, or him basically talking to himself. It just goes to show how little people are interested in discussing most areas within the sport. If it's not doping related, then the elite athletics stuff rarely gets much traction, unless it is marathon related. Why bother making so much effort really? So much investment for absolutely no return.

Efforts have been made to try broaden people's horizons, and try get the recreational running community interested in discussing track and field, cross country, elite athletics, and whatever else, in the hope of bringing the entire athletics and running community together. 400m being added to the Round Numbers, yet outside of the handful of sprinters or 800m runners who frequent this place, I only recall Krusty and ecoli ever having a go. There was a Track and Field Challenge set up about 5 years back by Kurt, and it was a monumental flop. It was basically me talking to myself publicly.

The reality is that the vast majority of people do not care, and will never care, and I have (finally) accepted that. Easier to discuss stuff one love's with like-minded people elsewhere, than to try convince strangers to enjoy something they don't give two hoots about. These efforts do not seem to work. Simple as that.

It's pretty sad in ways. There's nowhere online where the athletics community can discuss conventional athletics. This would seem like a natural place, but despite the fact that there are many people who run competitively in clubs, almost none post here. About 7-8 years ago some did, including elites, but not anymore.

The reality is that marathon performances, ultra runs through mountains, lap upon lap from dawn to dusk back to dawn again, newbies trying to run their first marathon etc, are all things that seem to garner more interest here than things like the World Cross Country Championships (which was on today by the way), the Irish National Track and Field Championships etc. Just the way it is, but it's not surprising that posters are either gone completely, or only posting occasionally now.

I started posting on this forum during the 2009 World Championships because it was an awesome place at the time to discuss the top guys in our sport. It no longer does this. I also started positing as I got great advice regarding marathon training etc. I'm sure this great advice is still there. Since becoming a sprinter, I don't tend to value much advice here, as I have a coach who can give far better advice.

The forum still serves a purpose, just not everyone's purpose.

There is still one very positive thing associated with this forum though. The Beer Mile.

kit3

28064212 wrote: »

The manner of their exit was even more damning. Once again, an obvious troll comes along, gets to spout their nonsense for a couple of days unhindered, and drives another important poster away.

Unfortunately this was the case and not the first time for this particular troll either.

Sacksian

Notwithstanding the points about re-regs and the more general decline of boards, which I both agree with, my two cents are:

I know the moderators have a thankless task but the best forums on Boards and elsewhere generally have moderators who are more engaged a) with the forum content, and b) in creating it.

I think most of the posters on the forum seem to be active members of clubs so there are a lot of people participating in and discussing competitions on the AI calendar throughout the year (xc, track and road), but the current moderators don’t seem to be as active in this regard as those in the past were. I’m particularly thinking of Ecoli and PConn who did a lot of the races on the calendar and posted about their training and racing when they were moderators - I think it helps with the atmosphere.

Ultimately, I think the forum’s future is as a social forum - I might discuss the Graded series or the calendar here or the future of Irish athletics because I’ll be racing against some of the people here or they’re involved in the sport. It might be the same for others posting on training logs and I think that’s a very valuable resource, but it’s not going to compete with running forums with 000,000s of posts and posters with in-depth knowledge and experience.n

Krusty_Clown

kit3 wrote: »

Unfortunately this was the case and not the first time for this particular troll either.

Who left?