This coming Saturday, I am going to be facing quite the conundrum. My training schedule indicates that I should run/walk for 8 miles, which is the longest I’ve ever done – I just did six miles the last 2 weeks in a row. A two mile leap is a pretty big one. I was nervous about jumping from five miles to six. I’m really nervous about jumping (or limping, as the case may be) from 6-8.
But here’s the real complex thing about all of this training. You have to make a choice every time you go out about how you are going to approach your run. You can test your endurance by trying to run at a steady pace for as long as possible. You can try to just get through the distance you want to reach at whatever pace you can. Of course, you can also try to go as fast as possible. Now, I’d like to say that I try option 1 or option 2, but I run with my RunKeeper app going on my Iphone, and that persistent voice tells me what my average pace per mile is, and I have to admit, I get competitive with myself. However, with 8 miles looming before me, I’m thinking speed may not be what to strive for.
Two years into blogging
My friend Nancy Davis is going to be celebrating her one-year anniversary soon, and while I was cheering for her, I remembered my anniversary is coming up soon (April 18th, in fact). Two years seems like both a long time and a short time. A lot has happened in the last two years, that’s for sure. I mean, heck, how many platforms have I used in 24 months? That’s dizzying in and of itself.
But looking back, I can see that when you start a blog, it’s very much like starting to train for a marathon. When I started out, I decided I would try for endurance. I was going to do a blog post every day for 100 days in a row. I think I got to about 27, for what it’s worth. My posts were not very good, as I look back on them. I don’t know that I was getting much out of writing – I was dipping my toe in and seeing what it would be like to write a post every day.
After a while of trying that, I decided that I would just sort of go at my own pace. But then I noticed a lot of bloggers I admired were pumping out two posts a day. This was the speed part of my training. I would try to publish one post at around 3 AM and another at around 3 PM. This was, just like going for speed in marathon training, a very swift way to reach burn-out mode.
Now, I’m kind of lollygagging my way through blogging. When I have an idea, I march on over and type it up. If I don’t have an idea for a day or three, I don’t get all sweaty like I used to. The world, as it turns out, can do pretty okay without a blog post from me. You see, I’m still running the blog-a-thon. I’m still here. But I no longer care about the speed or even the day-to-day endurance. I just care that I keep going, keep reaching milestones, and continue to stay in the game.
I’m thinking that might be how I approach my 8 miles on Saturday. Getting it done without serious pain is the ultimate goal. In the end, if you’re not super competitive, it doesn’t matter as much how long it took you to finish the marathon. It just matters that you cross the finish line. The finish line might not be so evident in the blogging world, but you have goals. You have milestones you want to reach. When you reach those, no matter how long it takes, you have experienced success.
Or am I just trying to be a running slacker? What do you think?
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eleftheriag/357396442/ via Creative Commons
You make a great point. Blogging is a lot like a marathon. You have individual benchmarks and goals that you want to reach, but in order to do it you have to pace yourself. I think so many people get intimidated and don’t start blogs because they are too busy comparing themselves to the “A-listers” (btw, the way I hate this term) who post 1-2 a day, get a zillion RTs and likes, etc. It should never be about them, but about you and the goals that you want to achieve.
@jessicamalnik I agree, a lot of it when you start is looking at someone you admire and saying, “Oh, ok, if I do things like they’re doing things I’ll have the same experience. Great!” But for me it was also varying tidbits of advice. I had heard that the more you post, the more traffic you get. I had also heard that the less you post the more traffic you get. In the end, you have to figure out what you want to do with your blog and keep adjusting things until you find your own secret sauce. But boy can it be frustrating!
OR… there is in fact another possibility for runners – you can run fast but no need to go the distance until race day 😉
intervals are by far and away the best way to train (and I’m old, I know this because I have a lot of years of running under my belt!). I guess in business the analogy is work smart not hard …
Either way – you are due a HUGE congratulations for putting your trainers on and hitting the road. No matter how long it takes you are way ahead of those who never get off the sofa!
Cathy
@CathyPresland Thanks Cathy. I think that point is apropos for bloggers too. Just getting out there and writing for all to see takes a lot of courage. I think a lot of bloggers don’t give themselves enough credit for what they’re actually getting done.
Good for you, on the marathon side and the blogging side. Last year, I aimed to run the Detroit Marathon…worked out, trained, got myself up to a consistent 8 miles/run…then severely sprained my ankle playing basketball. It’s been a battle ever since then to get back to it. Keep up the good work!
-Brad
@LuftigWarren oh, that is my worst nightmare right now – getting hurt so that I lose all my momentum. I definitely feel for ya!
You just need some LSD my dear; don’t worry about the fartleks……………LSD as in Long, Slow, Distances. Remember when I said only increase your ‘new’ distances by 15 minutes? Well, 2 miles roughly equates to 15 minutes, give or take. My strategy was to always start out slow and taper off from there………:). Trust me when I tell you it’s more about being on your feet that long instead of speed. My marathon time was 3:42 btw……..:).
Nancy Davis is a great writer and certainly has had her share of challenges so it’s commendable she is even able to still be around. I like Ms Nancy…..
When I first jumped in, it wasn’t a sprint; it was more like a quarter-mile funny car dragster. I thought everybody had to keep pace w/ Gini Dietrich . Because I was (and still am to a certain degree) rudderless, I knew my longevity would be like the NFL…..Not For Long…..if I kept trying to ‘hang’ with the big boys (and girls).
I never write about anything and have found a way to survive for a year but it was because I found what was sustainable for me and I was able to keep it fun. There were times I felt like a social loser because I didn’t have a ‘game plan’ like everyone else seemed to have. The reality is, even those with game plans struggle as well. I was ok to just settle for sustainability.
Probably more than you wanted to hear about me today, huh? But who else can I talk about?
@bdorman264 Well, YOU have to keep pace.
@ginidietrich Dang it, you weren’t supposed to see that…………oh wait, it that what linking does?……………:)
@bdorman264 Nancy Davis Gini Dietrich so many acronyms!!
I know what you mean, Bill, and I think you’re right regarding just learning to be on your feet for that long. So what is the bloggy reflection of that? I think it’s continuing to write even if your traffic dips down a bit. There was a long time there where I couldn’t buy a comment and I was getting *maybe* 10 visits a day. I felt like I was following all the best advice. I was asking questions, I was trying different topics. Just nothin. Then one day people started talking back, and darned if I have a clue why (though I’m sure glad it went down that way!).
Blogging, like running, like life, can be quite weird 🙂
You’re not a slacker by any means! I’m competitive, too, but I realized long ago that I was better off challenging myself with longer distances than faster paces. Not that I don’t try to run faster, especially when I’m running with someone…Competition can be healthy, but only up to a certain point.
Success in running or blogging is different for everyone. It seems a little silly to expect others to reach for the same goals we have. I think we need to spend more time cheering for people when they reach their goals rather than undercutting those people because the goals weren’t our goals, or they weren’t accomplished in the way we would have liked.
@Erin F. Well said Erin, and I think you’re exactly right. Some people are out here blogging for business while other people are blogging just to make themselves happy. How could their goals possibly be the same? And yet we seem to apply the same ruler to blogs all across the board. I think the system is definitely a bit flawed 🙂
When I moved to Chicago, I hadn’t run a day in my life. I did it because I knew no one here and I needed to make some friends. It was a super painful way to make friends, but it worked. I ran three marathons before I took up cycling and I have some really good friends from the experience. I learned two things: Go your own pace and find a group (or partner) who runs the same pace.
That’s the same for blogging. Go at your own pace. There is no way Spin Sucks would pump out two blog posts a day without guests or without Lisa Gerber . In fact, if I, myself, weren’t committed to blogging once a day, by 8 a.m., I’d likely only get out there two or three times a week. There is no use in comparing yourself to others. Do what works for you. Until you get that three minute mile down.
@ginidietrich And maybe don’t try for that 3-minute mile until you’re sure you won’t die in the process. That needs to be added in there somewhere, right? 😀
Thanks for commenting, Gini.
When people say honestly the accepted wisdom is that they were less than honest previously. I don’t think this is true sometimes it is a way of not wanting to offend a person who we respect, admire and class as a friend albeit a online friend. For me there is no differentiation. I give my all. Half measures don’t cut it ever. I always thought the pace would get to you. In your early days you were prolific present and correct everywhere. I was worried about you. I thought this pace cannot be maintained. But I know you are committed and don’t want to be perceived as someone who does not follow through. I noticed when you had a break , when you were carrying an injury that stopped you tweeting and blogging. I was hoping it would not get to you. And it didn’t you kept going, persevering. And the results of all the work and discipline show through. You are already successful. You have stayed the distance and the experiences have made you a better person, blogger and engager. The difference now is you are setting your own pace instead of looking externally for markers. And people recognize you are settling into a groove how high and how deep the arc of that groove ascends and descends is up to you. Your friends and supporters are with you for the ride whatever you choose to do and that respect and support is deserved. Keep on pedaling 🙂
@Grit08 Gosh Kenny, could this comment be any nicer or sweeter or kinder? I don’t think so!
I definitely was going at a fast pace when I first started. A chat every night except Friday – sometimes 2-3 chats a night. Blogging 1-2 times every day, trying to comment on every blog I read. I don’t know what I was thinking! But I guess some people can keep up that pace. I am not in that category. I burnt out a little, so I let things build up a bit and then went back at it with adjusted expectations. As you say, what matters most is what you expect of yourself. That has to be your compass.
The key is going at your pace – you know the story of Frank Thomas owner of Wendy’s -in his book he wrote that when he started he kept his eye on McDonalds and one on his own business. He finally stopped thinking and keeping his eye on McDonalds and his business boomed!
Just like blogging – I blog when I have something to say, something to post. On running – I also am a runner but don’t get bent out of shape if I don’t run one day. A marathon is different though and you used a great analogy!
In gratitude,
Nancy
@makegirlfriends Dave Thomas was founder of Wendy’s. Frank Thomas is a much awesomer, enormous baseball player nicknamed “The Big Hurt.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Thomas_%28designated_hitter%29. LOL…I love it!
@makegirlfriends That’s a great analogy – the fast food industry often seems to be a game of mirroring what your competitors are doing, but occasionally you see a chain get their own good idea and run with it, and then you can see the magic build. The same happens for blogging, but I’m not sure the process is always as visible or accessible.
Rooting for you, Margie –
I am amazed at six MILES. I would worry about six blocks!
@miraclady Well, I’ve been building up since January. It was not so long ago that completing a mile was a pretty big deal. If you keep chipping away at something, often something good will result. Or something scary…one of those 🙂
Margie-
Good luck with the leap to 8 miles.
But more importantly you have hit on an important issue. We delude ourselves into thinking we can keep the pace that “everyone” else does. the truth is our goals, skills, interests, and lives are different.
Once we know why we are doing a thing, the rest falls into place. Blogging- Are we here to make money, get to the top of the heap, turn out the best quality we can manage, etc? Running- Are you training to someday run a marathon, or trying to set a new standard for yourself?
Blogging is like a marathon, and I don’t think most newbies realize that from the outset.
Do I think you are being a slacker? That’s for you to decide. I think you are making a wise choice in picking a reasonable goal, coming home uninjured (and not burned out), to go further another day.
Martina
@martinamcgowan
@Martina McGowan you are always so wise, lady.
It’s funny. Pretty early on in my blogging I wrote a post about how blogging is like a marathon, not like a 100-yard dash. Like so many young punks, I thought I was being all profound and stuff, but truthfully, I didn’t run at all and had only been a blogger for a few months. What did I know about what a marathon is really about?
Ah well. You live and you learn. At least I had the right idea 🙂
Thanks!
When I started my blog, I wanted to post every day because that is what I saw everyone else doing. The people I read – like yourself – also have full-time jobs and a personal life. Some are even running their own business and they blog every single day – so why couldn’t I? Well, I just couldn’t. I dont know why but it’s not in me and when I do, it’s crappola that is just pushed for the sake of pushing something. I started on a scheduled of 2 times per week and then jumped up when I got more comfortable. Kind of like what you are doing with your running training. I now commit to writing every week. Maybe I should get more firm about the specific days or the numebr of times, but I blog when I have something and I keep a few on the back burner for those weeks that life is just too out of control for me to spit out something fresh.
@C_Pappas It’s tricky. I also went through a phase where I’d try to write five posts over the weekend so my week would be all set up. That was just too hard. If the ideas aren’t there and you try to really push on it, you’re just going to make yourself miserable. And I think ultimately that’s the case no matter how much you’re trying to blog. I think that’s why the series approach becomes so challenging for me. If you don’t have the desire to write or if you don’t have an idea ready to go, it’s going to be easy for you to feel really stuck followed by really frustrated.