“My trauma manifested into a default mindset for me to be a runner - specifically, run away, escape, and protect myself.”
The former WSL chief Erik Logan, whose almost five-year tenure as pro surfing’s north star was cut short on a moody June day in 2023 with no reason given, has continued his run of confessionals on his wildly addictive Substack.
One week ago, Erik Logan posted a lengthy screed detailing his cataclysmic descent from 42-year-old beginner surfer, loving everything surf, to architect of the entire sport with all its ensuring baggage. Stroke, heart surgery, divorce, losing his WSL job and surprise pivot from surfing and into tennis!
We’ve all been told, ‘Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.’ Or maybe, ‘Follow your passion; the money will follow you.’ There are countless variations on this theme,” wrote Erik Logan.
“Throughout my career, I let this idea guide my professional choices, and tried to make my job my passion. The reality was that I was passionate about my work, but it was never my burning passion. Four years ago, I took a passion that I had discovered and made it my job and I can now say I’m not 100% sure this cliche is the best advice, at least for me.”
In today’s confessional Erik Logan, who may look like a doll but who ain’t stupid, mines his childhood trauma.
“My childhood was complicated. All of us have different issues from childhood, so I’m not assuming mine was any more or less special than anyone else’s. Any abuse you experience as a child shapes you for decades to come. Whether it is verbal, emotional, or physical, it all takes a toll on you, primarily if you never deal with the trauma properly. My trauma manifested into a default mindset for me to be a runner – specifically, run away, escape, and protect myself. Run from everything: problems, unhappiness, whatever I didn’t like – shut down and run.”
And,
“My coping mechanism for trauma at a young age was using my feet to get running. The physical running also spilled over into emotional running, leading to avoidance, shutting down, and countless other not-so-great personality traits. My therapist, whom I will call Jennifer (in honor of Dr. Melfi from The Sopranos), now has lifetime employment and works with me weekly on this trauma. A lifetime of conditioned reactions to stress or trauma means that I react by running (physically) or emotionally (shutting down) at times still to this day.”
Clues to the disappearance of Erik Logan? Forced to run, escape and protect from WSL trauma?
There could be 1000’s of explanations for why Elo and his parents are positioned the way they are in the photo.
But when put next to accusations of abuse and trauma the space between Elo and his mother looks like something a shitty made for TV movie would do to beat into the viewers head that this child was abused.
Elo very well could have been abused. Something he’d have in common with most assholes. They’re still assholes.
Victim mentality, gimme a break!!
I’d traumatised too if there were photos of my dad in that suit
Who had “reading ELO’s pathetic substack diary entries” in the “Things You’ll Devolve Into Doing on Beach Grit” pool? You won.
Life is like a box of chocolates… you can’t run away from. Run Elo Run!…
Too bad he didn’t run sooner.
Wish his little running legs would run him off an extremely high cliff
The irony…going to a therapist weekly. Stop fucking running to others to solve your problems.
THIS event must happen and needs Chas as moderator. If only Hunter S. Thompson were still alive today to observe this with me while we contaminate our blood with a proper mixture of drugs and alcohol!
Thought it was cause he insisted on giving Conologue and others private clarinet lessons or groin high reflexology massages🤷🏽♀️
I would have smashed Elo’s mum.
Negs, you still wearing that suit? The vest is the clincher, for sure.
Jesus christ…I love how “trauma” is used as a scapegoat for being a complete dumb shit. E Lo will truly turnkey any sob story he can fabricate to catapult his lack luster speaking engagement career… should we have excepted anything more…
His therapist is providing the excuse for his behavior via the childhood trauma moniker. i hear this shit too often…we all have baggage. YAWN!
Logan’s Run?
Very good
whats the issue ? he did climb the ladder(s) of success.
*Bailey ladder of success
True and like so many before him, he rose to his level of incompetence aka the Peter Principle. He was incapable of handling the pressure of a C-Level job and it is obvious he never should have been placed into the role. Blame Ziff for not having the professional experience and acumen to see this before he hired Elo.
I would have given his mom a good horsing.
What a pussy
What a lot of shit.
Needs someone to change his nappy not a therapist.
Hey I had a lot of childhood trauma around making money so I could own a G&S Fiberflex skateboard along with a Banzai aluminum skateboard. So I secured a paper route to pay for my skateboard habit. That only led to more trauma as I wanted a Logan Earthski so unlike Elo I bought the third board just as I discovered girls. It was a confusing time as girls were more fun than skateboards. Like Elo, this trauma followed me into adulthood and here I am commenting on BG.