The gripe I have is that the intention of the descriptions and faces just don't seem to align with the way I actually would feel during training... here, let me give you the break down so I can explain myself better...
Here's the face you get if you felt "great" during a run... but how often do you feel "great" during a run? I might feel great about a run or after a run, but the only time you'd ever see me running along with a big shit eating grin plastered on my face is maybe during my last week of marathon taper when I'm totally rested and intentionally running at recovery pace anyway... I guess I'll call this one my taper face (sounds like some kind of depraved sex act you'd find on Urbandictionary.com...)
This next face is what you put down if you felt "good" during a run... no real gripe with this one, except this is probably more of the face I'd have if I felt "great"... It's not that I don't like smiling, in fact I smile quite a bit... just not when I'm running, and certainly not ear to ear!
This face is what you choose if you felt "Alright", and here's where my problems really start to escalate... Does that dude look alright to you? To me, he looks like he just dropped his ice cream cone or his puppy ran away... and my problem with this one doesn't just end with the face... I just don't like their use of the word "alright"... ask me on any given day how my run went and I'd probably answer either "not bad" or "alright"... to me, an "alright" run is a successful run... after all, I'm not skipping through a flowery field with a bluebird on my shoulder... I'm marathon training goddamn it!!!
This is the face you choose if you were feeling "Blah"... I guess the description is okay... I mean everyone has those days where they just feel blah... on the other hand I actually have "blah" days scheduled into my plan... they're called recovery days and they're put there specifically because I know I'm going to feel blah... for instance I just ran a particularly hard interval session on Tuesday so I'm going to run a 3 miler at recovery pace on Wednesday since I'll be feeling blah... so since it's part of my plan I don't like the way Daily Mile is insinuating that "Blah" is a bad thing.... also what's up with the face? The "Alright" guy... he looks blah to me... the "Blah" guy? I've seen that face before... He looks like he's about to crap his pants!!! (shout out to Adam over at "the boring runner" on this one)
And then there's tired guy... first off, is that guy sweating or is he crying??? somebody get him a Kleenex... and for god sakes man, suck it up, the run couldn't have been that bad... Also... what do you mean tired? If I just finished a tempo run, or interval run, or medium long run, or long run, or race then you're damn right I'm tired!!! Once again, I feel like Daily Mile is insinuating that being tired is a bad thing, when really it's kind of the point of what I'm doing... I mean honestly, if I get done with a quality work out and I don't feel even the least bit tired then I probably didn't push myself hard enough!!!
Finally there's injured face... Looks like this guy took either a stick to the eye or sustained some kind of head wound... either way he probably shouldn't be running... now, I guess it could be an injury that didn't affect his running in which case I don't see the relevancy of including it in a running log... on the other hand if this is refereeing to an actually running related injury, then once again, HE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE RUNNING... unless of course it's just a minor ache and pain type injury... the type that inevitably comes with the territory of being a runner... in which case I could probably use this face every freakin' day, effectively rendering it meaningless... basically, no matter how you look at it, this one is completely moot!!!
Anyway, to wrap this post up I'm going to leave you with some suggestions for some emoticons that might actually fit my mood after a run a little better... take em' or leave em' Daily Mile
exhibit B: 
exhibit C:exhibit A: I just finished a killer speed work session emoticon
exhibit B: maybe I had a bad run... maybe I had a great run... maybe a dog attacked me... or maybe someone stopped me and asked me for directions while I was running... doesn't really matter why, but sometimes I just finish up a run full of irrational anger which takes 2 or 3 minutes of recovery to dissipate.
& exhibit C: Not sure if this one pertains to running, but I think it pertains to me... cuz "that boy ain't right" and neither am I!
Haha! Very entertaining post. I agree those emoticons don't do much. I seem to pick 'good' for pratically everything. The others just don't seem to fit!
ReplyDeleteI would contact daily mile and insist that on their next upgrade they allow users to upload custom emoticons...yours are clearly better and more on point.
ReplyDeleteI believe exhibit C would apply if your run took you too close to a rubber-cement factory, or if your trail run took you into a medicinal-marijuana field during wildfire season. Either way, you're living the runner's-high dream.
ReplyDeleteYou were definitely exhibit B when writing this post.
ReplyDeleteBut, do you really get that angry when someone asks you for directions?
What happened, did you describe the route and then they hit you with a bottle?
Good rant, and you should try smiling from ear-to-ear when you are running or otherwise. It's healthy. Healthier than exhibit C anyways.
HAHAHAHAHAHA!! I am familiar with Daily Mile but I don't personally use it. I don't ever smile like that either.
ReplyDeleteThese are great - I agree with Patrick on contacting DM.
ReplyDeletehahahaha that is so true...You really should cotnact daily mile!
ReplyDeleteCompletely, completely agree! I think I sometimes take longer to decide on an emoticon for my run than to do the run itself. You should send this post to the head honchos at DailyMile, insist on institution of more accurate emoticons and collect your royalties. Just sayin'
ReplyDeleteI think I've felt like exhibit C a few times. However, it had nothing to do with running. It was more adult oriented.
ReplyDeleteLOL too funny and totally agree! They need to update their emotions!
ReplyDeleteSo TRUE! My average emoticon for the last week was "Blah"- how inspiring! Daily Mile- take note of the suggestions!
ReplyDeleteLOL - YES! I've thought about that probably way too much too....and now we've both thought about it a little more. Damn you dailymile!
ReplyDeleteVery true man. Those faces are lame. Who really cares how you felt during a run anyways? As long as you did it right? And you are funny about the injury one. The guy shouldn't be running in the first place if injured. Very funny and cool post man, just like the other ones. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI quitely convulsed in front of my computer while reading this post. And by convulsed, I mean snickered without making a sound, sicko.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, that comment on my blog was a spam, but why does it make sense? I get a few of those a post. I need to just make all commented approved first. But that would require work on my behalf and we all know how that goes.
I think DM should pay you for your dissertation!
ReplyDeleteI gave up on DM, I couldn't keep up wiht it.
ZOMG I have always been confused by those emoticons too! And like, why isn't there one for "on the verge of puke" cause if I've done my speedwork right, that is the only emoticon I need, nuff said!
ReplyDelete