The pros and perils of social media

  facebook

                                  strava

              twitter

                                       mapmyfitness



Our lives have become so much more of an open book. We can share so much and follow so much of where people are at. It's such a great way to keep in touch, get advice or opinions on things and connect with others you perhaps wouldn't get the chance to. 
In the running world we like to debate on whether to use poles, whether to wear the new x-talons or Hokas, rub our feet in vaseline or which head torch to buy amongst the gazillion out there (thank you all for help with that). We love to record and share the miles we've done and the number of gruelling meters/feet endured. Whilst I love strava for being able to see where others have gone and whether I've managed to beat my last time or occasionally bagged a course record, I cannot help but compare myself and feel that whatever I am doing doesn't compare to what others are managing to achieve. I feel like I am failing. That I can't possibly compete with those out there that clock hours and hours and miles and miles week in week out.  And whilst I have the time, or could make the time I feel quite weary and that maybe I don't have what it takes. And I feel disappointed, because doing enough has never been too much of a problem for me. I can't help but notice the people out there that I perhaps will never be able to compete with, the ones that are seriously driven. I feel almost jealous of their discipline that they spend all their time running running running, rain or shine. I thought that was me, disciplined and driven. Apparently not compared to others. But then I also realise that a lot of these people are obsessed. Running is after all very addictive and with all the exposure through social media it is no wonder we do become obsessed. 
So I am feeling sorry for myself, but then I also know that I need to just try and figure out what is going to work for me. I have to say that having entered the Lakeland 100 it is definitely living up to the expectation of being challenging, and not just physically. And I know that by continuously comparing myself and looking at what everyone else is doing, it is challenging me more mentally and emotionally. I am not in a great frame of mind, not feeling good enough and so I think that I need to take a step away from the social media and just focus on me. Focus on what it is that I enjoy and why I entered the event in the first place. Because a part of me did believe I could finish. So I'm going to just get back to it.