I subscribed to Runner’s World magazine last year, just a few months after I started a walk-jog program detailed in their Runner’s World Complete Book of Women’s Running. I found both the Runner’s World site and magazine useful at the time, however, my interest waned and by the time they started sending me offers to renew, I decided it wasn’t worth it.

Then came the endless emails from other Rodale properties in my in-box. Figuring they were an upstanding company, I dutifully clicked unsubscribe on the emails.

But the mails kept coming, and each time, less relevant to me than the last.

And imagine my surprise when I received the latest issue of Runner’s World, with my subscription continued to 2010…and then the bill stating:

Dear Laura ****,

We’re puzzled.

We renewed your subscription to RUNNER’S WORLD as requested.

We’ve sent 4 previous reminders.

But as of 09/02/09 our records show that we still have not recieved your payment of $21.94.

Well, Rodale – I’m puzzled, too! You see, I ignored your previous mails because I had no interest in renewing. Yet you sent me new issues anyway, and now a bill for Runner’s World for $9.94 more than if I bought it on Amazon. This, plus the unending spam in my in-box has made me wary to purchase any other Rodale products.

I’ve sent an email to their customer service, and am rather skeptical that I’ll hear back. One Step Ahead has yet to respond to my unsubscribe request, so who knows where this will lead.