Monday, May 9, 2011

Inspired or Annoyed?

I use Daily Mile as a training log.  It’s great, I write my splits in my notes, and this way I can go back a few months and see my progress.  Take last week, for example, when I ran my fastest mile since the f’ankle incident.  I cheerfully put my entry into Daily Mile, and then it published to my personal facebook page. 

The first time I set up my Daily Mile page and it published to my Facebook page, it was a happy accident.  Apparently I had checked a box, or clicked a button.  Initially I was going to un-do this ‘mistake’, because I thought it seemed a bit crazy to have the randomness in my running journal entry published on my FB.  Eventually I learned that if I edit the splits into the DM journal after the fact, my FB friends don’t see exactly how fast or how slow I’m running each mile.  They just see, “Nice quick little run with Kc” or “The Posse was out in FORCE today!” followed by the “g. ran 14.2 miles in XYZ minutes and felt great (blah)(injured)(tired).”

Still, sometimes I don’t have time to go back and edit, so I just put the splits up, or I put them up for my watch-less friends who, like me, keep track of how fast they’re running.

After a few months of Daily Mile Status updates on FB I started getting e-mails, comments, and IM’s indicating that random people were inspired by my fitness endeavors.  One friend told me that she started run/walking because she felt like if I could get up at 5am and hit the pool, that she could surely fit in a 20 minute walk/run after preschool drop off.  A friend's husband just tries to bike as many miles as I run in a week… apparently my cycling endeavors are putting a real strain on his cycling because he now has to match those miles as well.  


Another friend told me that she was inspired to aim for a half marathon this year, because I inspired her to “imagine the possibilities”.  


Could anyone ever say anything to me that was MORE impactful than that

I thought not.  But then I got a negative comment about my D.Mile posting this week.  Just an offhand snarky remark that I won’t share exactly.  And it made me think that my Daily Mile posts are… well, that I’m a braggart.  Am I?  

I suppose in a way, I am.

Look at me Me ME!  I ran XYZ miles at this pace!  and I. Felt. GREAT. ~ SO THERE~. 

I mean, that’s NOT what it says, but I suppose if you had a bad run, or are lacking endorphins from your lack of run day, or are a sour puss, or think that I'm bragging or whatnot… it might read that way.

To the person who made that comment…  On one hand, I appreciate it that you let me know your feelings on the matter.   On the other, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that the underhanded delivery made me a little sad.  I admit, because it's you who said it, this probably meant more to me than you. 

So, readers, what do you think?  


Do you think publishing Daily Mile posts on FB is obnoxious?  Do you think it's inspirational?  Should I un-click my publishing options and let my training log go back to being private?


19 comments:

Unknown said...

I publish mine to my FB and I've had friends ask me things they should do in order to get healthy! I think if people take it as bragging that they have nothing better to do and a lack of self-esteem. I for one was NEVER athletic, even though I tried to be. It boggles my mind that I'm able to run as much, be it still slow as I do. I am proud that even after 2 babies I am in the best shape of my life. If you can't be proud of what you do than there is a problem. Be proud!! While I'm guessing that you can't remove yourself from this person's life you can explain to them your feelings and let them know how much it hurt.

Sarah K said...

I don't publish mine to my facebook, not sure why, but I do not find them to be obnoxious. Isn't facebook about sharing? It's no different then the random "John checked in at Shell Station on 95." Anyone who gets annoyed by social media is kind of missing the point. Keep posting and keep inspiring :-)

Anonymous said...

I don't publish mine to facebook. Only a few FB friends run and honestly don't really give a crap about my runs, pace, etc. Sometimes when I see certain posts on dailymile I feel like people are bragging when they go into all this detail, etc. My runs are for ME and me only. I share if people ask questions, but other than that I don't feel the need.

Anne said...

From what I just read, you get tons of people telling you how inspired you make them (which is a great thing) and one person who was a little off that day and made a snarky remark (which isn't about you, but about them). I say focus on the big picture and keep on inspiring! :)

Run with Jess said...

I don't publish my DM feeds to FB... but only because I already post enough on FB about running (after all, it is our life, our passion!). Like you I get many many comments about it being inspiring and motivating. If anyone has a problem with it, they can always hide me in their feed or defriend me. I just quit worrying about "what other people think".

bobbi said...

I struggle with this so mcuh - it's nice to hear that someone else does too. I publish to fb, because my family likes to see what I'm up to, and I have a lot of supportive friends, but sometimes I feel like I'm being annoying, especially now when I'm 6 weeks out from a marathon and training hard and not everything is easy. I don't know the right answer...

~K~ said...

i used to use a diff program that posted my run info to fb, but i quit b/c i was worried about sounding like i was bragging. (which i totally was -- i'm proud of how far, fast and often i'm running!) Instead I just make a random status update when i do smthng i'm really proud of like PR at a race or run my fastest 10k ever. This way people are aware of what I'm doing but I don't worry so much about it getting annoying since it's not every day or 2 that they're seeing anything about it. How about letting Daily Mile share it on your blogger facebk page? None of us runners will find it annoying for sure! =)

Unknown said...

I don't publish my DM runs on FB. Basically, because I don't want to annoy my non running friends with every. single. workout.

That being said, I didn't think about it inspiring others. I do post about running, but just the big stuff (on FB).

And, um, when I get negative comments on FB, I have been known to remove those people from my friend list.

Mel -Tall Mom on the Run said...

I run 4 days a week...I post on Facebook 4 days a week. If it Inspires BONUS, if it annoys I could care less..if people dont like it they can hide my posts..

Nuff said..

Rene' said...

I am with Mel...and I have received some negative comments, but I just smile and move on. You don't want to see it block me out! G...you are awesome and you are doing some awesome things so be proud, be a bragger (sp?) what you, me and millions of others do everyday is an accomplishment and personally I am not apologizing for it!

DaphneB said...

I agree with Mel. I share my runs on FB. It's opened my eyes to friends that are already runners (which I didn't already know about) and allowed them to motivate me that way. Also, there are a bunch of friends that have started working out or running because of my posts. I agree also that my postings are no more annoying than the standard junk that people feel the need to share. SHARE ON!!

Shellyrm ~ just a country runner said...

I'm glad to read that others were questioning this practice too.

I post my runs on FB. Am I bragging? I don't know if it's bragging but as everything on a social media site is, it is about me. It's about drawing attention and sharing things that are important to me. My family, the faith, my fitness. And like Mel said, if others don't like it hide my posts. Their loss.

As for the detail on DM, many people use only DM to record the details of their runs/bikes/swims and want to record how things went. If that upsets someone else I think they should stop reading other people workouts. I often choose not the share my run time on line because I maintain a database for all the details of my workouts since I have use that for years I don't need the double entry of sharing it with others unless I feel like I want to share it (like in a race situation).
I am sure my friends both running and non are sick to death of my running streak but I don't care. I hope that it inspires someone to choose to get off their butts just a little more whether that inspiration comes in the form of being inspired or being made jealous. Either way it's gotten someone to move a little more and maybe they will help their family move a little more and maybe they will tell their friends what they did and they will move a little more...

dawn @ running the dawn said...

i can totally see both sides of this argument. i don't post mine, and i've never really thought about why, but when i do sit down and try to come up with a reason...i guess i don't want to toe the line. i am super self conscious about my exercise regimen...like i rarely talk about my miles outside of my blog and dm. i assume that people don't really care and i choose to stay silent.

i'd never thought about the people i could be inspiring if i was more open....so, am i preventing people from starting their fitness journey? possibly. but i'm too shy about exercise to put myself out there...

Meredith said...

To be honest, I've thought about nixing all of it... Running updates, dailymile posts to Facebook, linking my blogpost on FB, blogging, you name it. It's when I start allowing the negative in that I want to stop it all. Hide in a shell and keep it all to myself. But, then, I'll get an email, a note, a kind word of how I may have inspired someone. For that reason, I leave it out there. Not to mention a sweet friend who told me it's my Facebook page and to do whatever I wanted with it. She was one amazing lady, so I'll keep her words close to my heart!

I figure, if someone doesn't want to read it, they can skip over it or hide it... just like I do Farmville updates, game updates, etc.

And, just so you know, you inspire the heck out of me!!

Racy Runner said...

Every workout on Dailymile feeds into Facebook---I love it. I know that some of my friends are inspired and I know some could care less (the number who are inspired outweighs those who I offend). For those who are "sick" of seeing, "Casi ran 5 Miles and Feels Great"--they can hide my posts or defriend me (their loss).

Running is new to me and I love it. Posting in a social network not only inspires others to get involved, but it helps hold me accountable.

Rhubarb said...

I post mine on DM, and not FB, but I love reading other people's "bragging" posts about how much they've run. I think there are people that might find it annoying, but they are probably just the type of people that compare themselves to others and it makes them feel bad that they aren't doing as much as you. In my opinion you should keep posting on FB, because the amount of people you are inspiring is so much more important than the few people who it makes feel self-conscious about their own workouts.

Julie D. said...

No I don't think it is obnoxious at all. The great thing about FB is you can ignore it, if it doesn't interest you. I wouldn't only because 90 percent of my audience (FB friends) don't run and don't care. That is what I use my blog for mostly, because the people that go there care about running or are interested in my running. I think if you can inspire one, though...go for it! Who cares about the naysayers. They are just jealous!

RunHapi13 said...

I say keep posting. You have never been one to be swayed by what another person thinks of you, that's part of the many things I love about you. For some, green is not always a good color, ya know?

Jen said...

I post. I comment on others! Bragging, why they hell not? I get positive comments about it.... Let those jealous people keep posting about their laziness and you keep rockin it girl!