If you were on the Internet and not living in a cave in the early 2000s, you would know what an AIM away message is. But if you don’t, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was a chatting program that allowed users to set away messages when they had to take a break from having hilarious online conversations with their best buds.
Reasons to post away messages included: eating dinner, sleeping, showering, or going to cross country practice. People typically set their away messages to have crazy fonts and colors, and it wasn't uncommon for them to be a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, because, well, actually there isn’t really a logical explanation.
We're throwing it back to the days of having to get off your dial-up connection because your aunt called your landline. Here are some running-themed away messages you definitely would set if AIM were still a thing.
GET YOURS: The Exclusive “Running is a Natural High Tank”
When you love running more than you love your significant other.
When you can't make a decision, so you ask your run squad.
When you don't PR even though you trained your butt off.
When you want to show off how many times you've read “Once a Runner.”
When you're carb-loading before a race.
When you get a little loopy at mile 20.
When you've seen “Juno” one too many times.
When you run all the miles and really need a nap.
When you're out there crushing your track workout.
When you want to keep it simple.
If your away message is up because it’s dinner.
Danielle Zickl is a freelance writer who has 10 years of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition. She's a graduate of Ithaca College. You can find her work here on Women's Health, and in many other publications including PS, SELF, Well+Good, Runner’s World, Outside RUN, Peloton, Men’s Fitness, and more.
