"Running Sucks... but that's why we love it"
Substack author Raziq Rauf refuses to sugarcoat the world of running - and his writing is all the better for it
If you enjoy this post check out the other inspirational stories on this newsletter.
Just last week, we spoke to Diz Runs podcaster Denny Krahe about the increase of cheating in running events, athletes’ pushing their limits and why people should run until they are old.
You can read that story here:
Denny Krahe: Diz Runs podcaster on cheating, pushing limits and why people should run
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“There's a million guidebooks on how to run a marathon.
“I don't want to just do that again. And if that's all that people want me to do, then I'm sorry, that's not going to happen.”
Raziq Rauf isn’t changing his approach to writing about running for anyone.
His Running Sucks newsletter covers a host of subjects, including hard-hitting reports on everything from running slowly, body image and homelessness to racism and air quality.
The stories are largely inspirational - or at least aspirational - and unfailingly fascinating.
But that hasn’t meant Raz hasn’t had to deal with a lot of people who “quote, unquote, want me to stick to running”.
He has lost subscribers when writing about serious issues like homelessness in Skid Row and racism in South Central, Los Angeles.
He said: “As much as people talk about homelessness and wanting to help the homeless, et cetera, they might not want it shoved down their throat in their inbox.
“And that is something I do. It's important to keep homelessness, racism, things like that in conversations. Always.
“It's not something that I can ignore. It's not something that they can ignore”
It is an ethos which goes back to Raz’s days working as a music journalist in London - before a career change took him to his current home in Los Angeles.
He said: “On the one side, I was just reviewing albums and concerts. There wasn’t really much to be talked about in terms of social issues.
“But then I would interview a band, and we talked about their struggles in terms of mental health, in terms of society, et cetera.
“And you can start talking about things that are a bit more than just that narrow lane of that musical genre.
“Now, I can talk about more than just running a trail, more than just running a marathon.”
Why ‘Running Sucks’?
When talking and writing about something you love, and feel is just that little bit special, there is a danger you become somewhat highfalutin.
There are so many running websites, podcasts and newsletters out there that go on and on about what gels to take, how to knock 0.2 seconds off your PB, and whether wearing the latest Hoka or Alphafly shoe will make you look most like you’ve ‘got all the gear and no idea’.
OK, so firstly that last sentence is slightly unfair and very much tongue-in-cheek. And, of course, there is a place for discussion around how to become a better, fitter, faster runner.
But, there is also a risk it all becomes somewhat pretentious and, frankly, a bit… boring.
It’s a trap Raz works hard to avoid in his newsletter - starting with its very name.
On his Substack About page, Raz writes that no matter how much you love running, “there is always a moment that sucks. It suuucks”.
And he told Running Tales: “Running does suck, even if just for a moment. From a mindset perspective, it's really good to accept the difficult things in our lives, because otherwise you might be in a situation of denial.
“Everyone understands that being in denial is maybe not the healthiest way to live. The second part of it is that it's a funny name. I like funny names.”
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Raz’s light-hearted approach to the newsletter’s title disguises the often serious subject matter he takes on.
“One of the main things I do is to identify the parts of running that do suck,” he said. “Maybe the reader will be able to recognise themselves in that.
“Then I might try and offer a couple of solutions to getting through that, because that's all we're trying to do.
“We're just trying to get through it. That's kind of the central premise of what I do. I go around interviewing interesting people in the running world to find out their little tips and tricks and stories.
“And sometimes they've got really good ways of getting through those sucky moments.”
The music journalist who used running to escape music:
Raz’s own running story started with 400 and 1,500 metres races at school in north-east London.
But during his time at university, and early days working in the music industry, he drifted away from taking part in the sport.
It was actually a need to get away from music - the friend of so many on longer runs - which drove him back to running.
“I was listening to music for 16-hours a day,” he said. “While I was awake, I was listening to music.
“And so I used to go for a run without headphones to get away from music. That was pure leisure, there were no starting guns, no running clubs.
“I was on my own, a bit of peaceful time. I think it's a lot more accepted that you can run in a meditative way now, but that's how I started running again 15 years ago.
“And it's still how I run. I don't listen to music. I don't really suffer from any more mental health issues than anyone else these days, but it's still a good space to sort my thoughts out and prepare myself for the day ahead.”
Raz’s return to running was also a response to the music industry’s penchant for late nights and excessive alcohol intake.
“As you can imagine, working in the music industry, drinking was a daily occurrence,” he said.
“Being able to tell my colleagues that I was going for a run instead of joining them on their evening parade into seven to ten pints was helpful.
“It worked. They stopped bothering me quite so much anyway.”
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These days, he prefers to run the 10k distance, paying homage to the old NHS recommendation of 45 minutes cardiovascular exercise, three times week.
His focus isn’t on speed or distance, instead using the activity to boost his physical and mental health.
He said: “I think about what I'm going to write while I'm running. It helps me to figure things out in that way.
“But obviously there's also physical health, which is very important. So that's my primary goal.
“I ran one half marathon because someone in our circle of friends was making fun of me for only running fives and tens. She was a marathoner. I was like, ‘okay, I'll run a half marathon’.
“I ended up running a faster time than her. And she never mentioned it again.”
‘I love running - because I know it sucks’:
So, does a man who keeps his running to five and 10ks, explores the complex face of the sport and society, and writes a newsletter called ‘Running Sucks’ actually like running at all?
When asked what it would take for him to write a blog called ‘Running’s Amazing,’ Raz pauses before saying it would only happen “in a bizarre world”.
“I don't know,” he said. “Running is amazing. It is amazing because obviously I spend a lot of time writing about running. I love running.
“But I think, for me, that definitely came from understanding that running sucks and coming through the other side, embracing the suck and, figuring out how to make it suck less.
“So, yeah, running is amazing. We know that.”
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Great interview. I'm enjoying the work you both are doing, keeping me in touch with the wider world of running, beyond the tiny subset-of-a subset of that community that I personally experience — thanks!
Raz is such an awesome community member :)