It's Good To Be A Runnerd!

Sep 26, 2023

I’m a nerd. Proud of it too. And I’m not just a nerd. I’m many nerds. Book nerd. History nerd. Music nerd. Writing nerd. Irish pub nerd. Yankees nerd. But there is one nerd that rules them all. The Runnerd. It’s the top nerd. The big dog nerd. The nerd that all my other nerds answer to. It’s my oldest nerd. Well, actually, the Star Wars nerd may be oldest. But even that nerd from a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away knows that the force is strongest with the Runnerd.

Do you really have your hand up. Seriously? Again? We’ve talked about this. The incessant questions need to stop or at be least paused until the writing is complete. Don’t you realize that there is a really good chance that I’m going to answer whatever question you may have by the end of the article? I bet you’re the kind of person that asks who the person is on screen during the opening scene of a movie that no one has seen yet. Just give it a minute. And if I don’t answer your question feel free to raise your hand when I’m done and we can…

Your hand is still up. Ugh. You don’t need to keep your hand raised. You know I see you. I’m talking to you right now. My goodness. Fine. Let me guess… what’s a Runnerd? That’s the question, right? That’s what you were going to ask, am I correct?

And… the hand… comes down.

Runnerd. Noun. A person that is wildly passionate about, inspired by, and interested in the sport of running at all levels and derives joy from taking full part in the sport and rejoices when others take part in the sport and is also never afraid to write a run on sentence because the term run on sentence includes the word run and that makes the Runnerd so very, very happy.

You know Runnerds. You may be a Runnerd yourself. There is actually an extremely good chance you are indeed a Runnerd. You are reading this Newsletter. That’s some pretty strong evidence. But you may need more to convince you that you in fact a Runnerd or you may just want to know a few tell-tale signs of Runnerdism. Maybe you want the necessary information so you can spot other Runnerds in the wild. I gotcha covered. I’m going to clear up some misconceptions about Runnerds as well as call attention to some commonalities amongst Runnerds so we can all be on the same page or at least the same aisle of the great little independent book store that is so cozy and has the most amazing curated tables of new and old books and most definitely has a fat and lazy book store cat that simply can’t be bothered and even has a few well worn but clean couches for you to settle in and read a few pages of that book you’re going to buy. Did I mention I am not just a Book Nerd… I’m a Book Store Nerd too.

So, without further ado…

Misconception: Runnerds all look the same. Split shorts. Tank tops. 1980’s inspired triathlon glasses and depending on the scene… trucker hats or painter caps. Nah. Runnerds love running. But they don’t love dress codes. They wear what they want to wear. And then they run. What works for you may not work for me. That’s cool Because what you’re wearing doesn’t need to work for me. I’m not wearing it! Personally I loathe half tights or long tights under shorts. You may love that look. Good for you. That’s great! If what you’re wearing makes you MORE comfortable and not LESS comfortable out there on the run then you’re wearing the right stuff. Runnerds being comfortable in their own skin and clothes allows others to do the same.

Misconception: Runnerds are the fastest runners out there. Nope. Not true. Runnerds do have the most love out there for the sport though. They have the most respect out there for the sport and the athletes taking part in this sport. Runnerds have the most enthusiasm for other runners out there running themselves somewhere better and maybe even to the promised land of Runnerdom. Faster. Not as fast. Doesn’t matter. Because Runnerds know that effort is the real measurement of greatness. That’s why Runnerds don’t diminish other runners. Cowards do that. Runnerds aren’t cowards. And Runnerds know that great running is about so much more than just the numbers on a clock or watch or phone app.

Misconception: All Runnerds run the marathon. No they don’t. That’s it. No they don’t.

Misconception: Runnerds run every day. Some do. Most don’t. I can say that Runnerds run for more than a streak. And Runnerds run when they need to run. Sometimes Runnerds don’t run when they want to run because what they need is to not run. But what’s most important is that Runnerds know that they are runners every day whether they run that day or not. Because Runnerds know that being a runner is about more than running. It’s a vibe. It’s a mindset. It’s a philosophy. It’s a belief system. It’s how you carry yourself as a teammate to others and to yourselves. And you don’t need a run for any of those things.

Misconception: The term Runnerd/Nerd is considered an insult to Runnerds/Nerds. Oh heck no! To be a nerd is to filled with passion about something. Maybe it’s puzzles or crosswords or dead languages or blues music or home brewed beer or rotisserie baseball or appliances from the 1950’s that gives you goosebumps. Maybe it’s comic books that sets you off or Grateful Dead concert tapes or gardening or knitting. Doesn’t matter what lights your fire or fills you up. What matters is that you got something or somethings in your life that make you nerd the F out!

The only kind of person that could possibly believe being a nerd is a negative is some kind of empty husk of a human that sleepwalks through their days lost and too apathetic to try to be found. But they’ve got a spot on the starting line too. I know… I know… they are so obnoxious and dismissive about… well, everything. But I’d be willing to bet that at least some of that less than stellar attitude stems from a life that’s devoid of real successes, true teammates, pure challenges, and glorious attempts at glory. And maybe what they are really missing in their life is a simple invitation to join… something… something that’s bigger than they are. You know… all those things we experience as runners on the daily. It’s worth a try. Invite the empty husk to a run and who knows… they may find a little bit of what you’ve already found.

Misconception: Runnerds don’t want everyone to know what’s up. BS. Real Runnerds are always inviting people to a starting line. Runnerds are always making sure that there is room on those starting lines for everyone. Runnerds know that there is an infinite amount of greatness available on the other side of that starting line. Running doesn’t get less cool the more popular it gets. Running is and always has been cool. That ain’t gonna change. What’s not cool are people that run that try to convince others that the sport is not for them. What’s not cool are people that try to act as gatekeepers to the sport. The only barriers this sport has are ones that are meant to be jumped over. You want in? You’re already in. Welcome back to a place you never left.

Stone Cold Truth: Runnerds are badass.

Need I say more?

No.

I need say no more.

Cheers,

Coach Bennett

Just being a nerd at Hayward Field and pretending I’m taking splits alongside the great Bill Bowerman. His splits for the same intervals are always a little slower than mine. What can I say? I’m a softie.

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WTF?

Women’s running in 2023. It’s as if we’ve time traveled to 2063.

3:49 for 1500m. (Watch Faith Kipyegon blast a sub 3:50 1500m in Florence in June.)

14:00 for the 5K. (Watch Gudaf Tsegay smash the 5K World Record in Oregon.)

2:11 for the Marathon. (Watch Tigist Assefa completely annihilates the Marathon WR by 7 minutes!!!)

I got nothing… but awe and respect. These breakthroughs are almost beyond belief. It’s a great time to be a fan of the sport.

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BRAND NEW COACH BENNETT’S PODCAST AVAILABLE NOW EVERYWHERE FOR YOUR INTENSE LISTENING PLEASURE

Check out Episode 16 TEAMMATES here on Apple Podcasts:

Check out Episode 16 TEAMMATES here on Spotify:

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Back In The Booth…

Yes. The rumors are true. The band got back together. It’s been awhile. You ready for some new guided runs in 2024? I hope so! And these runs are a 10 out of 10… K? IYKYK.

Click the VIDEO to see some behind the scenes and maybe… just maybe… a rare glimpse of the one and the only Daniel the Engineer.

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HAVE YOU CHECKED OUT THE SHOW UP SOCIETY?

Because you should. coach tammie bennett is not only the co-host of Two Coach Bennetts Talking… she’s also the founder of the Show Up Society and a badass mindset coach. coach tammie not only loves lower case letters… she has also opened up “a supportive community to help you connect to your inner joy, do more of what you want, and get out of your own way.” Just click this ridiculously long sentence because it’s serving as a link to the Show Up Society Community and the details around the community and how to sign up to be a part of it and also the benefit of signing up before October 1.

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Well, that’s it for this Coach Bennett’s Newsletter. Hope you enjoyed it. Actually, I hope you absolutely loved it and you’re just waiting for me to be done so you can share it with everyone you love. Cheers and thank you for reading . Please think about subscribing if you haven’t already and maybe even share the newsletter to more than just the people you love. And if you want to support the work of the newsletter by being a paid subscriber that’s greatly appreciated too.