Running Sucks

This is Running by Raziq Rauf is the perfect book for the performative male in your life who enjoys the distinguished look of reading in public.

Pair with an American's idea of tourism for the truest magnetic effect. No, that's not Buckingham Palace. It's a McDonald's.

Described by Bro Bible as "absolutely awesome," This is Running is a never-done-before look at the world of running in the 21st century.

Printed in glorious technicolor, this book is a unique cultural snapshot of a revolutionary period in the sport from renowned Substack author Raziq Rauf. Yes, he's got a newsletter. Please subscribe.

This is Running by Raziq Rauf. Available from all good bookshops. And the bad ones.

Last weekend, I was onstage twice at Like the Wind Magazine's inaugural RUN CULTURE: LIVE event in London. For clarity, I was invited to be onstage, rather than gatecrashing this wonderful amalgamation of reasons WHY we run.

The work in Like the Wind is very similar in style to what I do in the newsletter. My focus is all on community and creativity, tho, whether that be run clubs, South Asian runners, the female perspective, or how a runner truly stands out from the crowd. LtW does all that and more. That's the point of a magazine! They bring everything together.

It is truly an honor to be in a position to share a stage with Adharanand Finn and howie Adharanand Finna mashowie goldklangir work, and I don't think there could've been a better host for our conversation on Friday than JOSLYN THOMPSON RULE.

It'JOSLYN THOMPSON RULEto chat with Simon Freeman, but when heSimon Freemananel on storytelling, it was as easy a chat as it could be. Again, I was up there with some of the brightest minds - people I only dreamt of knowing, let alone being friends with. Thanks to Tilly, Harki, Marek, and Matt for their wisdom.

Add to that: meeting Linford Christie (!!), listening to Charlie Dark spit wisdom, walking past in-person creativity in zine making and shoe decoration, and generally bumping into some of the greats of the running world... PHEW.

It was yet another event that I left filled with gratitude and an even stronger outlook on the future. Things are ok. Just keep making cool s**t.

I can't wait for the next Run Culture: LIVE!

Photos from my 35mm camera coming in a few weeks 🙃

but these 📸 Fieldwork Studio

Thanks fFieldwork Studioxx

I'll be appearing at Burbank Book Festival on Saturday, October 3rd. Come down to Buena Vista Branch Library for 10am, after your long run maybe.

You'll be able to purchase signed copies of This is Running at the fest after I speak about my writing process as part of a panel, 'Turning Research into Great Reading' with some other creative non-fiction authors.

10.15am-11.15am - Turning Research into Great Reading
11.45am-12.45pm - signing for YA and non-fiction authors

I've absolutely loved the conversations with people who have picked up on the technique that I've adapted from my learnings in one particular class at Harlow College in 2006. 

You can find out exactly what that technique is at 10.15am on Saturday, October 3rd at Buena Vista Branch Library in Burbank.

I ♥️ libraries. One of the big moments of getting my first book published was seeing New York Public Library pick up some copies. Some of the biggest offerings of love have been when my readers have requested their local library get a copy in.

It's literally all it takes to keep the world turning a bit more correctly.

Try it
Raz xx

Burbank Public Library
Burbank Loves Books

The featured song was the opener from Limp Bizkit's legendary afternoon set at Reading Festival 2000. Fred made a joke about everyone having a book, and then I got dropped on my head in the moshpit. Joke's on him!

Reminiscing about w**e, cheese, and This is Running at the rabbit clubhouse in Chamonix, .

There were 100 options available to you, so I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who took time out of their day to talk with me about my book at Hotel Le Faucigny.

And I'm thinking about running it back in NYC this October...

Who's in? And what do light bites look like in New York? No wrong answers!

📸: Emily Cameron Emily Cameron

The human(ish) UTMB experience

Scarpa Alien for Cole Cole Townsend

Chris @ Les Altitudes

He actually ran 100k or whatever

Alex Zono @ Les Altitudes

The shoes look banging

Trappe on a train.

With that Janji bag, of course.

Sophie Power @ the rabbit Clubhouse

I'm eternally grateful to people like Sophie for doing things cool enough for me to write about in a book.

Mikey Kratzer in the flesh! Always a pleasure.

Ryan Montgomery @ Hoka Flylab

One of the most interesting runners out there IMHO. Cool guy too.

Chris Z @ the Spar

My fellow xSubstackx old-timer

Tommy @ Satisfy's fuel station

Great photo stian dahl sommerseth

I'm always learning something from this guy

I only ever want to bump into Josh by accident. Pure joy.

Even if you've chosen to go minimalist and digital, my hook for you is that every minute you spend reading a physical book or magazine is a minute you're not on your godforsaken mobile phone. Call it Nature's Brick, if you will, but this is your solution to digital fatigue in 2026.

I will return home to Los Angeles with a few beautiful publications crafted with loving intent. I joked recently that I'm in the pocket of Big Excess Luggage, but the truth ain't far off.

Clockwise from top left:

Poison Lasagna issue 6 is the latest zine from Eighteen86 and it's a celebration of Arsenal's gloriously triumphant season. Filled with film photography from the streets, words from the minds of true lovers, and an aesthetic to live for.

These two from Chris Z. Meeting up with Chris in Chamonix, where he vacations with his family every year, was a true joy. He and I started publishing on Substack the same week, and we share a deep history of loving both hardcore and running, so this fanzine is perfect. His tale of running 100 miles at Western States... less so. I don't wanna do that. I'll take issue 2 of Burning Fight tho.

I follow some silly Instagram accounts like Egg Chip Bean Pint and sometimes they make little zines like this and I buy one for me and one for a friend.

The 50th edition of Like the Wind. What a milestone. I'm so happy to have been invited to speak at Run Culture live this weekend. Thanks to those who brought a book for me to sign yesterday. Truly an honor.

This one from 4Running is in Italian, so I can only appreciate it in the same and only way people appreciate those magazines with loads of pretty pictures but totally illegible typefaces. But Daniele held this magazine out to me with smiling pride, like I do with photos of my dog. Look at her. Isn't she beautiful.

These artifacts created by these multi-hyphenate creatives, punk rockers, auteurs are something to behold. I've surrounded myself with these people for as long as I can remember, and I will continue to celebrate them for as long as I can. Because life can be glorious if you fill it intentionally. I swear it on a hundred sunrises.

Thanks for reading,
Raz xx

I've got a couple of 50% off codes for tickets to Like the Wind Magazine's inaugural RUN CULTURE: LIVE live festival this Friday and Saturday. DM me and I'll sort you out. It's gonna be great.

I'm talking about writing my book with esteemed authors Adharanand Finn and howie Adharanand Finniday howie goldklanghe Truman Brewery. Bring The Truman Breweryyes, that's right! I'm an ultrarunner too. Except in the mountain of writing about running. Ultrawriter? Yeah, why not. We'll probably try to talk about that, but do give us some grace: we're writers.

Photo of This is Running c/o Caio Turbiani.Caio Turbiani