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Social Media and Running: Notes from the #MarketingHop

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RUNNING SOCIAL: A MARKETING BLOG HOP

Lightspan Digital hosted a blog-hop and Twitter chat Jan. 8 to get insights on what social media is changing the runner’s world.

Storified by Mana Ionescu· Mon, Jan 14 2013 09:31:41

Has social media changed the way you run? 

On Jan. 8 we hosted a blog-hop with 10 great writers to talk about the myriad ways that social media is impacting the running world. Our 10 bloggers – a journalist, a charity founder, a running gear outlet, a race organizer, several runners, our marketers, and a man who claims an 827-day streak of running and drinking beer (yup, we’re jealous). 
After the posts went live we hosted a Twitter Chat with our bloggers and guests to discuss our take-aways and some of the favorite ways we’ve integrated social media into our running lives (even garnering enough interest to get our hashtag, #marketinghop, trending in Chicago that afternoon). 
Check out the great posts from this diverse group of bloggers, then check out the highlights from our Twitter Chat that we’ve gathered below. Like we did, you’ll find that rather than acting as a squawk box, social media is making deeper connections in the running world than ever before. 

Tim Cigelske, The Beer Runner, (@thebeerrunner):  A Not So Silent Sport

Myles Dannhausen, Door County Half Marathon, (@mylespulse):  How Social Media Helps Us Improve the Door County Half Marathon

Tom Held, The Active Pursuit (@tomheld):  An Antenna, Not a Mic – Reporting With Social Media

Maggie Wolff (@not_margaret):  How Social Media Changed My Running

Ashley Kumlien, MS Run the U.S. (@MSRuntheUS):  Raising Funds, Awareness With Social Media

Lauren Matricardi, Fleet Feet Chicago (@fleetfeetchgo):  The Conversation:  Our Social Media Strategy 

Bob Richards, Chicago Run-Times:  Social Media and the Silent Sports

Lightspan Digital:  How Social Media Changed Running  

Among our #MarketingHop chat highlights:
1. Social media is motivating runners, either making them lace up, or rewarding them for a run well done.
+1 RT @MylesPulse: I feel like posting on #sm is a bit like writing a goal on paper… I feel I have to follow through. #marketinghopMichelle Laing
Q6 Posting definitely motivates me, especially when I post my goals … it’s a way to hold myself accountable #marketinghopMaggie Wolff
@MylesPulse A6: yes – the "bragging rights" of posting a good time on #NikePlus helps you blast through the last couple miles #marketinghopNikhil Torsekar
A6: I don’t usually feel a "responsibility" to post, but I do love getting feedback and tips after posting. #marketinghopMichelle Laing
2. It’s tough to break free, with the urge to post now coming even in the middle of a run. We asked if anyone had ever stopped to post to a social media site in the midst of a run – almost everyone had at some point. But as much as social media is bringing runners together there’s still a strong desire to go solo once in a while. 
@jfuncannon @MylesPulse Not during…social media is a distraction from the meditative benefits during a run…#marketinghopNikhil Torsekar
I like to turn notifications off while running "@torsekar: #sm is a distraction from the meditative benefits during a run…#marketinghop"Michelle Laing
It is amazing what a run does to clear your head. Sometimes hop out for 5 miles struggling with writing. Always helps. #marketinghopMyles Dannhausen
But for ultrarunner Ashley Kumlien, even a short phone call can be a welcome break from the grind of running dozens of miles.
A5:Phone can be nice during ultra training.5+hrs of training 1-2x/week.it gets to be a lot! phone can be nice 2min distraction #marketinghopAshley Kumlien
3. Sometimes the best running apps aren’t running apps. 
A3: I like @instagram & photo sharing apps for FB & Twitter…I think photos are a great way to share your running w/others! #marketinghopAshley Kumlien
@MSRuntheUS @instagram Agree – I love seeing runners’ photos of scenic runs, esp at sunrise. Reminds me why I do it 🙂 #marketinghopMichelle Laing
And this goes beyond great scenery. Myles Dannhausen used his training to get a feel for his new city when he moved to Chicago, documenting some scenes as he ran. But when it comes to tracking a run Tom Held still keeps it old school.
A3: I’ve dabbled with @Dailymile but most often just time a run by the clock on the stove. #ludditerunner #marketinghoptomheld

4. Runners aren’t models, as longtime Silent Sports chronicler Tom Held noted. We all know this when we look around the starting coral, but social media shows us that runners come in all shapes and sizes. 

A1: SM also confirms most runners don’t look like RW covers and run sub-3 marathons. #marketinghoptomheld

5. Facebook is making information on races easier to get than ever before, as Door County Half Marathon course director Myles Dannhausen wrote. That’s vital for experienced runners, but even more-so for newbies.

@MylesPulse In general when races have their own FB pages, easier access to get updated info and to ask questions. #marketinghopSMWordell

6. Skilled social media evangelists can use it to fill a marketing budget gap. Ashley Kumlien of MS Run the U.S. blogged about the dramatic impact social media made in launching her charity (“only way I convinced 20 runners to run 140 miles per week and raise $10,000!”), and soon found she is not alone in harnessing Twitter and Facebook’s power to spread a message. 

#marketinghop Started this $1MIL charity event from twitter campaign. 5 weeks of outreach, predicted 40 runners, had sold-out 650 race day. Cupids Undie Ru
n
@MylesPulse @MSRuntheUS We got lucky since we have a very media-friendly event. Still, twitter great for finding new networks. #marketinghop Cupids Undie Run
Social media is the primary way I was able to get committee members, sponsors, speakers for @GOTRmke 5k. #marketinghopSMWordell
7. Sometimes the impact is simple. Though it has tremendous potential to improve races, raise money, and answer questions, social media can also bond runners over the most basic of experiences. 
A1: Reduces the intimidation of taking those first steps via shared experiences. We all chafe. #marketinghoptomheld
We’ll be doing this every month, taking on new topics and discussing how social media is redefining how we interact in a wide range of industries and social spheres. Join us for our next Lightspan Digital Marketing Blog-hop and Twitter chat Feb. 12, when we talk about social media’s ability to help social causes. 

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