Running can be calming and therapeutic as you twist and turn down dirt pathways decorated in fallen leaves. The air brushing past your face is refreshing and the only sound to accompany you is nature cracking, whistling and chirping. There is one problem. The space foam mattress covered in a down bedspread scattered with feather pillows and sitting snugly in a temperature controlled room.
You are in luck my lazy and comfortable friend! Apparently, social networks like Facebook and Twitter can give you that boost of motivation to pump those legs. According to an article from the Washington Post, writer, Clare Trageser from Runner’s World magazine recently examined how social networks contribute to our running lives, pushing us farther and faster than ever before.
The article continues to state, “Trageser details her own efforts to break a half marathon personal record through a running group she joined on Meetup.com. The members connect on Facebook, share training plans and pep talks in online forums, and post inspirational photos on Pinterest.” Yes, it is fun to run alone and feel great about being active, but it is even grander to share that with your friends. Plus, if you are feeling a little lazy on a Sunday afternoon, maybe a picture or blog post can get the blood flowing.
There are even a handful of applications that will track your running routes with details and let you post the results to your Facebook page. Nike+ Running and MapMyRun are two social media marketing apps that can help you boast about your latest run. It works wonders the other way around too when you like to be competitive with friends.
The reason why social networks help is simple. From the article, James Fowler, a medical genetics and political science professor at the University of California at San Diego, states “the best way to get someone to start running is to make it social.” Just remember the next time you’re lying in bed starting to feel guilty; your Facebook page can show you the way.
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