"Why do you keep talking about running?"

If you know me at all, you also know that I am very upfront and public about my running. I talk about it often, in person and online. And I'm sure to some people, it gets a little old.

"Why do you keep talking about running?"

Heck, there's even a funny ecard about it:

Why do I keep talking about it? Simple. Because talking and posting about it increases the likelihood that I'm actually going to do it.

For example, this morning, I posted this on SparkPeople and Facebook:

Run a 10k today? Why yes, I think I will!

After that, I grabbed my bag and headed out to the gym. I hopped on the treadmill and started running. As I finished my third mile, I thought, "pfft, I should stop at three." I was bored, I wasn't feeling the run, and I just wanted to quit. I couldn't, though.

Why? Because I had already a thousand Spark Buddies and four hundred Facebook Friends that I was going to run six miles. If I quit at three, I would have to explain why. And I couldn't just not post my run results, because then people would (rightfully) assume that I was trying to hide something.

Sharing my goals upfront makes me accountable for them. And that accountability is sometimes the only difference between my success or failure.

Sure, not everyone cares to read that I'm going for a run. Or that I'm satisfied with my distance or time. Or that I'm going to get out there tomorrow and do it again. But I don't post these things to impress other people. I post them because doing so helps my commitment to myself.

Now you know.

P.S. I also post them because, honestly, can anyone ever get enough of this smiling face?