How to Avoid Runflation

Honestly, I learn so much from TikTok and none of it inspires me.

Runflation: A made-up term from TikTok to describe the kudos-fuelled phenomenon of running really far and really fast every single day and promoting it to your followers, making everyone believe it’s normal to run really far and really fast every single day. Also linked to shaming runners who take walking breaks.

Do you feel like everyone is a professional runner lately? Sub-3 marathons are normal, many (many) ultras each year are normal, and rest days are absolutely not normal. Running influencers approach their lifestyle like elite athletes, and don’t bother trying to ever make plans with me on a Sunday - that’s been a Long Run day since I was a student, and I don’t even think I could change it if I wanted to (and I don’t want to). Thanks to runflation, I’m far from the only one and it feels pretty normal to tell you this.

In my heart, I’m delighted that running and, in particular, trail running is bigger than ever and there are events on all the time and the cool hot people on social media are making it look really cool and hot. Running is a central pillar of my life and it’s selfishly really beneficial to me when it sits so well inside the mainstream of what’s cool these days. I’m not embarrassed to be seen in my trail vest and crew-length socks outside of context and I haven’t experienced any negative reactions to my goal to run 100 miles this summer. Extreme amounts of running are very pedestrian right now.

This is one of the best outfits in my closet.

But, of course, there is a big risk in the glorification of extreme running. I had been running consistently for about four years before I took on my first marathon, and I was told that was about as fast as anyone should try to attempt going into longer distances. It’s not the strain of race day itself, it’s the training demands of running more than five times a week and increasing mileage over months than can strain bones and ligaments by asking too much, too soon. Obviously, I do not have the genetic makeup of an athlete, so YMMV. But I think I stand by that approach.

The side of runflation on social media that I don’t think we’re seeing (yet?) is the injuries. If you’ve ever been sidelined by a significant injury, I’m sure you’re with me in watching all of this with your hands over your eyes, just peeking through to see the inevitable train wrecks 🫣. Fractures, tears, strains, are all little evil gremlins sitting on the side of a race courses beckoning new runners into their clutches. Then there are deeper issues like exhaustion, burnout, and escalating to more clinical terms like ‘overtraining syndrome’ or ‘adrenal fatigue’ and hormone issues, etc. Any of the above take longer to get out of than they typically do to get into in the first place.

And yes, I know my bias is very linked to how deeply I sunk into Exercise Dependency which put me in RED-s and a hard, horrible road to recovery. Being surrounded by a culture that only ever celebrates training lots - maybe call it overtraining - really, really helps athletes get sucked into Exercise Dependency, eating disorders, body image issues, RED-s, and maybe all of the above at the same time (hi, it’s me).

Falling apart on a very, very hot day running the PPT in Montenegro.

The solution: avoid runflation. If you have a training plan, either that you downloaded or that was given to you by a real coach, use that and see it through. Do not jump ship every few weeks because something else sounded better. Follow the 10% Rule: increase your monthly mileage by no more than 10% every month. More than that 👏will👏lead👏to👏problems. Your training might look really unsexy and uncool and terribly boring compared to every running influencer who seems to be killing it in the sport, but running is a Forever Sport. You’re meant to be able to do it well into your years. Don’t fuck that up for your older self. It’s an ultramarathon, not a sprint.

Oh, and I don’t want this post to seem really negative so just including this wee reminder: we don’t finger-point at individuals and tell them they’re doing too much. Lots of athletes are just simply capable of way, way more than me and so I won’t advise them that they may be overtraining. That’s between them and their coach and medical team. We cheer each other on and otherwise stay in our own lanes 🫶. I actually usually defend running influencers because I think it’s cool AND important that we have role models in the sport who are real people and not elite athletes (whom I cannot relate to because they are not the same species). I only ask that social media influencers tell the whole truth.