that’s runnable
The 37th Edition of your favourite Running Newsletter
Social media is one of the most powerful tools for runners. It can be a source of motivation, a place to learn, and a way to connect with people who share the same passion. But it’s also filled with traps, whether you’re consuming content or creating it.
Something to Think About 💭
In anything you do, not everyone will support you. Some will try to tear you down. The key is learning how to filter the noise without losing yourself.
Something to Ask Yourself ❓
Are you using social media to enhance your running journey, or is it shaping your expectations in ways that don’t serve you?
Article of the Week 📄
This week’s article dives into the psychological traps of social media, explaining how it fuels misinformation, groupthink, and emotional manipulation. It highlights the ways algorithms exploit our biases, making us more polarised and less critical thinkers.
Track of the Week 🎶
I’ve had this album on repeat this week…
This week’s track of the week, from the album Life is Beautiful, is:
Life is Beautiful by Larry June, 2 Chainz, The Alchemist (2025)
Personal Lesson
I’ve learnt a lot about social media, as a consumer, but especially as a creator. I believe it’s one of the most dangerous things [for our mental health] that we engage with on a daily basis.
Personally, I’ve increasingly found, as my reach has grown, that more and more people are looking for faults in not only my content but also my character.
This week, I saw a comment about me on another creator’s post. It was a complete assassination of my character, and the comment itself had 14 likes (ouch). 14 strangers co-signing the idea that I’m not a good person.
This week, I saw a comment about me on another creator’s post. It was a complete assassination of my character, and the comment itself had 14 likes (ouch). 14 strangers co-signing the idea that I’m not a good person.
This person doesn’t know me at all. They haven’t met me. There was no basis for what they were saying. But there it was – a stranger on the internet, confidently declaring that I’m not actually the “Mr. Nice Guy” I apparently appear to be online. That I’m fake. A fraud.
I wish I could say I shrugged it off. That I rolled my eyes, closed the app, and went on with my day. But I didn’t. It stuck. It sat with me while I was meant to be working, crept into my head while I was training, and lingered in the background of everything I did. I kept replaying it, trying to rationalise why it hit so hard.
It wasn’t the criticism itself; I know not everyone will like me. It was the way it felt so certain. Like this person had figured something out about me that even I wasn’t aware of. Like there was some hidden truth I’d been blind to, and now it was out in the open for everyone to see. And those 14 likes? They felt like a quiet nod from the crowd saying, “Yeah, we see it too.”
I didn’t confide in anyone about it, even though maybe I should’ve. I like to think I can handle the odd comment nowadays, that I don’t need reassurance. But if I’m being honest, it completely derailed me that day. It’s wild how a single comment from a stranger who knows nothing about my life, my values, or the things I actually care about, can knock me sideways like that.
I know the advice: “Don’t let it get to you.” “Ignore the noise.” “You can’t please everyone.” And most days, I get that. But some days, words stick. And this one did.
So, what’s my point? Why am I telling you this sob story? Well, the point is: there is no better way to handle social media than turning it off. (oh, and blocking and reporting hostile accounts).
Whilst I’ve got you, I thought I’d list some of what I think are the biggest risks of SM, both as a creator and as a consumer:
Whilst I’ve got you, I thought I’d list some of what I think are the biggest risks of SM, both as a creator and as a consumer:
The Risks as a Consumer
Scrolling through social media as a runner can be inspiring, until it’s not.
- Comparison Overload: It’s easy to get caught up in other people’s training, racing, or results. You see someone smashing workouts, hitting huge mileage, or making running look effortless, and suddenly your own progress feels small. But what you see online is just a highlight reel not a full picture.
- Misinformation & Over-complication: Everyone has an opinion on training, fuelling, gear, recovery… everything. Some advice is solid, but plenty is bad, misleading, or just not relevant to you. Social media can make running feel way more complicated than it needs to be.
- The Pressure to Keep Up: When you’re constantly exposed to other people’s training, it’s easy to feel like you should always be doing more. More miles, more speed work, more races. But running isn’t about keeping up with someone else’s plan, it’s about what works for you.
- Losing the Joy of Running: When you’re always looking at running through the lens of social media, you risk losing touch with why you started in the first place. Running stops being something you experience and becomes something you compare.
The Risks as a Creator
Posting on social media adds another layer. It’s no longer just about what you consume, but also about how people consume you.
- Judgment & Criticism: The bigger your platform, the more opinions you’ll get. Some people will disagree, and that’s fine. But some won’t just challenge your ideas, they’ll challenge you. They’ll pick apart your words, look for mistakes, and assume the worst.
- The Expectation to Be Perfect: Once you put yourself out there, people assume you should always get things right. That you should never make mistakes, never change your mind, never take a break. The reality? No one has it all figured out.
- Other Creators Trying to Tear You Down: Not everyone wants to see you succeed. Some people thrive on drama, tearing others down, or undermining your credibility. If you’re building something, you have to be prepared for that.
- The Fear of Taking a Break: Social media rewards consistency. But what happens when you need space? When you’re exhausted by the noise? If your work is tied to social media, stepping away feels like a risk.
Ultimately, there’s a lot of noise that comes from social media, arguably an unhealthy and unnatural amount. Whether you’re creating content or you’re just consuming it, there will always be serious risks that you need to be acutely aware of.
Running – Life’s Metaphor
Running teaches you patience, focus, and the importance of tuning out distractions. If you let every external factor dictate your pace – whether it’s someone else’s training, unrealistic expectations, or the pressure to always show up – you’ll burn out before you reach the finish line.
Final Thoughts
Social media isn’t inherently good or bad. It’s a tool. And like any tool, it can be used wisely or it can consume you.
If you’re a consumer, be mindful of what you’re taking in. If it inspires you, great. But if it’s making you doubt yourself, compare unnecessarily, or overcomplicate your training, it’s time to reassess.
If you’re a creator, understand that not everyone will support you. Some will judge, criticise, or try to tear you down. The key is knowing what to listen to and what to ignore. And most importantly, don’t let social media dictate your worth – or whether you’re allowed to take a break.
Whether you’re scrolling or sharing, remember this: The most important part of your running journey isn’t what happens online. It’s what happens when you lace up and step outside.
Thanks again for reading and subscribing.
Run the runnable, and keep showing up for yourself!
Tommy 🙂
