Skip to content

Tweet from your feet

The sun was shining and the roads were mostly clear. It was a perfect day for a run. Until I realized I left my iPhone back at the office. Instantly I went into panic mode.
RichardsHarleyMugMay23jer
Array

The sun was shining and the roads were mostly clear.

It was a perfect day for a run.

Until I realized I left my iPhone back at the office. Instantly I went into panic mode.

How could I take my runfie?

Did my run count now? (Think if a tree falls in the forest …)

Deep breaths. Deep breaths.

Suddenly the day was not as bright and shiny as it was just a few minutes ago. Social media had killed my runner’s high.

Yes I am one of those runners who shares the odd photo and commentary about the latest run on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. It’s a habit I formed a couple of years ago. Truth be told I was a little late to the ‘post everything or it didn’t happen’ game. I am typically a private person so I was reluctant to share my everything.

But I gradually understood that by posting a smiling and happy runfie or a snapshot of the trail it meant something to somebody.

Many times I have been approached by strangers on the street or at events to chat about my running adventures. A woman at yoga recently commented about this column. The woman was not a runner but she said she “may give it a go.”

Another couple approached me while I was buying snowshoes to give some positive feedback after reading my column and liking my Facebook page.

Red Deer City Coun. Ken Johnston once remarked that after reading one of my blog posts that he immediately hopped on the elliptical.

I had no idea my posts were having such an impact.

(In my newsroom, I get the odd, snarky remark from the old deskers and that’s about it.)

Through these social networking sites, I earn my own daily kick in the butt. Oh yes, there are times when I just want to curl up on the couch with a good book and devour some vegan potato chips or salt and vinegar chickpeas.

But a quick look on Instagram and suddenly the book and the chips are on the floor and I am on my way out the door.

Nothing is more motivating than seeing a runner in my gender and age group killing it on a training run. It also helps with my consistency, which I have struggled with as I balance my busy social life with my extracurricular stuff.

I’ve made connections with runners in Red Deer, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and around the world through Social Media. We chat about our training programs, our struggles, our successes and offer support and tips to one another. In some cases, we have hooked up at races or on training runs.

As social media continues to become a part of our everything, I will continue to share snippets of my life.

It might just motivate someone to move his or her ass.

Find Running with Rhyno on Facebook and @CrystalRhyno on Twitter.

***

Send your column ideas, photos and stories to crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com