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Finding My Voice

8/3/2015

4 Comments

 
Finding My Voice - Running Designer
When starting out as a runner, I sought out the voices of others for information on running. What to eat the night before a race. Recommended races in my city. Training schedules. It seemed like every day I was searching on-line for some running-related thing or another.

While training for my first half marathon, I came across biographies and information on the Canada Running Series Digital Champions in a newsletter about the upcoming Scotia Toronto Waterfront Marathon. Although I was a social media user, most of my interactions were with my friends and family on Facebook (who were surely growing weary of my running posts!) I launched Twitter and Instagram accounts and started following several of the digital champions, along with some running magazines and elite runners I found inspiring. Following someone I didn't know seemed a little odd at first, but I got over it quickly when I saw what everyone was chatting about constantly--running. A dream come true! Many of my answers and motivation started coming from these tweeting runners. Several became friends who I saw at local events. I began following more runners and companies whose opinions or products I valued or who were there to provide inspiration or ideas to me as a runner. 

Armed with tidbits of information from the running community, I tried things. Run gear. Races. Fuel. Training tips. With many of these trials I found myself wanting to share my recaps, reviews and photos on my blog and social media. I wasn't expecting to get anything in return for these comments, but I felt good thinking these posts may help others searching for answers.

A few non-running friends and family told me they'd been inspired by those same Facebook posts I previously thought might be annoying and asked me for tips on learning to run. The number of people following me on social media increased. I became a race ambassador, helping to try to increase fundraising and race support.

Suddenly I realized I was finding my voice. The voice of a runner with information to share. Opinions, reviews and knowledge. Not to say I didn't still have questions about running--I did--but they were fewer. And now, instead of having to research or ask someone else what to do, I often came up with my own ideas of things to try.

Realizing that people were listening, I wanted to make sure what I said reflected what I believed in and stood behind. I wasn't in it to increase my number of followers, get free gear or have my name appear higher in web search results. Although opportunities to use my voice have started to increase, if I can't get fully behind the product or event, I prefer not to support it or participate.

It has made me happy to be able to support the products and people I believe in. To use my runner's voice. For those whose voices I listened to, and those that are listening, thank you!
4 Comments
MattSmallRuns
8/4/2015 12:49:11 pm

Great article Cathy! Felt like I had wrote the piece myself!

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Cathy V link
8/6/2015 03:54:06 am

Thanks Matt!

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Lucie Palka link
9/7/2015 12:38:57 pm

I feel the same way, I'm afraid that my facebook posts are annoying, but I hear a lot of positive feedback about how i inspire them to so something. It's always great to hear! Keep sharing!

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CathyV link
9/8/2015 03:11:20 pm

Thanks Lucie! I am pleased to have the blog as well as Twitter and Instagram which are all running oriented. This way my Facebook friends get only the occasional post about running :)

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    Cathy V

    Running. Design.  Family. Dogs. Gardening. Food. Crochet. Canadian. 
    ​Order varies. 


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