Is Hal's forum gone?

[dot520]

I used to just go to www.halhigdon.com and then work my way through and find Hal's board. I've checked it sporatically since coming here. Went there just now and I see he has a new website but no real way to get to a board. I just see Training Peaks but he isn't listed below. He must be all Twitter and Facebook now.

[mul21]

It's there, but it has become a huge pain in the ass to get there. Here's a link.

https://www.trainingpeaks.com/YAF_Gateway/forumhost.aspx?g=forum&c=2

[Julie]

Your link took me there but now I have no idea how to login. Online forums aren't dead, though, I visit a few that are very alive and well.

nvm, I found it through the hal higdon site the long way around.

[mul21]

The easiest thing to do (and about the only way to sign in) is to just google training peaks and log into that stupid calendar thing, then click on the forums. Gee, I wonder why traffic is down!

[Julie]

I kind of commented on that on one of his threads. It was nothing like that when I joined 6 yrs ago.

[Admin]

I think that Hal is set on moving away from the forums now that he's on FB and Twitter. While I don't believe that Hal will ever accept this, the truth is that the forum dynamics were built around a group of consistent posters who knew each other over many years... with a few who kept things 'interesting'. Some days there were threads that caught fire with near rapid-fire posting from dozens of v-teamers. Fun times. Excitement. Goofiness. And... some running stuff.

Now, it's largely just running... and only a few regulars. The forums are buried behind a training peaks front. It lacks the spice of a vibrant, diverse community. It's damned boring.

[Michael Mitchell]

I kind of commented on that on one of his threads. It was nothing like that when I joined 6 yrs ago.

Nope. Agreed.

[mountandog]

agree

[Nick Morris]

I think that Hal is set on moving away from the forums now that he's on FB and Twitter. While I don't believe that Hal will ever accept this, the truth is that the forum dynamics were built around a group of consistent posters who knew each other over many years... with a few who kept things 'interesting'. Some days there were threads that caught fire with near rapid-fire posting from dozens of v-teamers. Fun times. Excitement. Goofiness. And... some running stuff.

Now, it's largely just running... and only a few regulars. The forums are buried behind a training peaks front. It lacks the spice of a vibrant, diverse community. It's damned boring.

No doubt...Well said Matt +1

[Nick Morris]

I actually can not remember the last time I was on that site. We had some good times, but we also got policed way too much...It really is a shame. Although, if it wasn't for that, we would be here today having a good time and learning a lot from each other!!!

[Michele "1L" Keane]

I actually can not remember the last time I was on that site. We had some good times, but we also got policed way too much...It really is a shame. Although, if it wasn't for that, we would be here today having a good time and learning a lot from each other!!!

+1

and I made very good friends through the original Hal forums straight through to the present day.

[ounce]

Back in December, the traffic and postings were markedly down here. I had wondered if people had left to go someplace else or just left or just holiday season.

I went over to Hal's and it was deader than we were.

Since New Years, postings have increased here, so I guess we were just on Christmas break.

Our freedom to post has allowed us to let our hair down more than on Hal's, with the same or better quality in the advice.

I believe the byline on the 365 banner at the top of the window, we are good for the sport. Even if it's just us.

[Diego]

It's still there. Of course, traffic is down. Here's an excerpt from Hal's post in the forums from 2 days ago.

As an aside, why does Twitter slow the internet down? ESPN's website gets very slow compared to 4-6 months ago, thanks to "protweetme" and facebook apps. I can't navigate back and forth to different stories with a single click any more.



"Based on traffic, I have been giving some serious thought to shifting some of the forums. This forum, Q&A w/HH, gets good use, but Body Shop (last post: 9 days ago) and Going Places (last post: 23 days ago) are dead.

My current thinking is to simply eliminate them and allow any questions that might have been posted there come here. I may not do that immediately, since I want to think about it some more.

Also, while the Blog forum is very useful for a group of people, it is a small group. Every now and then I would do some blogging myself, and plan to start one again for our trip to Egypt next month, but there is nowhere near the number of people there were a year ago.

I'm going to suggest that part of the reason may be that the Internet has changed--and I have changed with it. I now have a Facebook "friend" page (Hal Higdon) that is at its maximum number of 5,000 friends. And a Facebook "fan" page (Hal Higdon's Marathon) with no limit that attracts even more visitors. For some time I tried to get people to stop asking me questions there and come here, but I have given up being a control freak. When I answer questions on Facebook, it usually is with a sentence or two. Here I often offer more paragraphs. I feel Hal Higdon's Virtual Training offers a better opportunity to respond in depth--and get in-depth responses from many of you--but many runners may prefer quick answers.

Or 140-character Tweets, since I now have more than 10,000 followers on Twitter @higdonmarathon.

Add to that the weekly Q&A w/HH column I do for TrainingPeaks. I have been in recent discussions with TP about that and other issues. We continue to be concerned about how best to serve runners through our various Internet outlets.

I'm not sure how many changes I will make, or how soon I will make them. If you have any thoughts, let me know. "

[Nick Morris]

As an aside, why does Twitter slow the internet down? ESPN's website gets very slow compared to 4-6 months ago, thanks to "protweetme" and facebook apps. I can't navigate back and forth to different stories with a single click any more.

It's not just Twitter that is slowing things down. In general data usage is skyrocketing at alarming rates. Thanks to the Twitters, Facebooks, and Netflixs of the world we are seeing a huge influx in data usage. The internet/data structure within the US is not as strong as in other parts of the world. The system gets "bogged" down from the high usage and could someday take down the US infrastructure. Do I think that this will actually happen, no. We are currently adding more relays and cell towers to try to keep up with the demand. Not to mention that cell phone companies are putting caps on data usage, charging more for those that go over certain data thresholds, and/or slowing peoples data down once they hit a certain level.

[Nick Morris]

Back in December, the traffic and postings were markedly down here. I had wondered if people had left to go someplace else or just left or just holiday season.

I went over to Hal's and it was deader than we were.

Since New Years, postings have increased here, so I guess we were just on Christmas break.

Our freedom to post has allowed us to let our hair down more than on Hal's, with the same or better quality in the advice.

I believe the byline on the 365 banner at the top of the window, we are good for the sport. Even if it's just us.

I remember that it used to get pretty quite on the other site around the new year, too. Things will start picking up as the temps start going back up. Not to mention that Boston is right around the corner.

[Ben Z]

It's still there. Of course, traffic is down. Here's an excerpt from Hal's post in the forums from 2 days ago.

...but there is nowhere near the number of people there were a year ago.

I'm going to suggest that part of the reason may be that the Internet has changed--and I have changed with it.

I can think of a few reasons his traffic is down...

[Dave-O]

It's still there. Of course, traffic is down. Here's an excerpt from Hal's post in the forums from 2 days ago.

...but there is nowhere near the number of people there were a year ago.

I'm going to suggest that part of the reason may be that the Internet has changed--and I have changed with it.

I can think of a few reasons his traffic is down...

I know, right? How about "I chased off 100+ devoted followers and frequent posters?" Sheesh.

I went there last week for the first time in a while (to check on VW's training) and it took my five minutes to figure out how to log in. Way to be user friendly!

[Julie]

I know, right? How about "I chased off 100+ devoted followers and frequent posters?" Sheesh.

I went there last week for the first time in a while (to check on VW's training) and it took my five minutes to figure out how to log in. Way to be user friendly!

That's what I found yesterday.

Traffic is down around here in the winter, I think, partly because some of us aren't training as much. My running is absolutely pathetic in the winter and I'm not training for anything right now (whereas during the summer many of us were training for fall races).

[Matt W]

It's still there. Of course, traffic is down. Here's an excerpt from Hal's post in the forums from 2 days ago.

...but there is nowhere near the number of people there were a year ago.

I'm going to suggest that part of the reason may be that the Internet has changed--and I have changed with it.

I can think of a few reasons his traffic is down...

I know, right? How about "I chased off 100+ devoted followers and frequent posters?" Sheesh.

I went there last week for the first time in a while (to check on VW's training) and it took my five minutes to figure out how to log in. Way to be user friendly!

The only reason I log in there is to keep up with VW as well. Even he seemed PO'd about something there recently. It's sad to see what that place has become.

[Jim fredericks]

I guess the old forums have just come to their natural conclusion. I follow Hal on Facebook now and still use his training programs. I think that we are still fortunate to have this forum as a place that we can turn to other runners for advice and inspiration.

[Diego]

It's still there. Of course, traffic is down. Here's an excerpt from Hal's post in the forums from 2 days ago.

...but there is nowhere near the number of people there were a year ago.

I'm going to suggest that part of the reason may be that the Internet has changed--and I have changed with it.

I can think of a few reasons his traffic is down...

I know, right? How about "I chased off 100+ devoted followers and frequent posters?" Sheesh.

I went there last week for the first time in a while (to check on VW's training) and it took my five minutes to figure out how to log in. Way to be user friendly!

The only reason I log in there is to keep up with VW as well. Even he seemed PO'd about something there recently. It's sad to see what that place has become.

I think it was Hal's recent quote above and his decision to eliminate 2 of the forums. MVW's training is going extremely well. I predict sub-3:03 if the weather cooperates.

[Jerry]

It's still there. Of course, traffic is down. Here's an excerpt from Hal's post in the forums from 2 days ago.

...but there is nowhere near the number of people there were a year ago.

I'm going to suggest that part of the reason may be that the Internet has changed--and I have changed with it.

I can think of a few reasons his traffic is down...

I know, right? How about "I chased off 100+ devoted followers and frequent posters?" Sheesh.

I went there last week for the first time in a while (to check on VW's training) and it took my five minutes to figure out how to log in. Way to be user friendly!

The only reason I log in there is to keep up with VW as well. Even he seemed PO'd about something there recently. It's sad to see what that place has become.

The thread promote me to login yesterday, but I refused to say hello.

[GregC]

I actually think Hal deserves some credit. He has made some mistakes in his dealing with dedicated forum members, but for an 80+ year old man, he has adapted very well to new technologies as they have become available. It's kept him and his books relevant, which in the end, is the reason I think he does all this anyway.

[Ben Z]

I actually think Hal deserves some credit. He has made some mistakes in his dealing with dedicated forum members, but for an 80+ year old man, he has adapted very well to new technologies as they have become available. It's kept him and his books relevant, which in the end, is the reason I think he does all this anyway.

Yes, relevant to make money. Sorry for the negative spin, and maybe it's just me, but I felt like most of what he did was a sales pitch to sell more books, training programs, etc.

I am a firm believer in capitalism, so I don't fault him for that - per se, but let's not sugarcoat it.

[Admin]

I posted over there on the 'reexamining the forums' thread attempting to explain why so many left. I pointed out that it wasn't the technical issues with TPs. It was Hal's decisions and his dismissive reaction to the user's frustration. It became very apparent that, despite some of us having been regular contributors for many years, the 'V-Team' really didn't matter. That has proven true, as the 'V-Team' no longer exists.

After 15 minutes or so, I went back and deleted the post. It dawned on me that it really doesn't matter. Hal's gonna be Hal and sell his brand as long as he can. More power to him.

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