6 Lessons Learned from Podcasting that Apply to Runners

Tomorrow, I’ll be releasing my 100th episode of the Diz Runs With podcast.

Getting to 100 is a pretty big achievement. When I started the show, I was planning on continuing to do shows for the foreseeable future but 100 episodes was still something of a mythical land that I didn’t know if I’d ever see.

My Humble Beginning

But I made it.

During the course of recording and editing and contacting guests and responding to questions from listeners and writing show notes and doing all of the other things that are required to keep a podcast alive and kicking, I learned a few things that apply not only to podcasting but to running as well.

So on the eve of a pretty major milestone for me, I’d like to share some of the things I’ve learned with you.

Lessons Learned from Podcasting That Also Apply to Runners

You’ve Got to Be In It For the Long Haul–Doing a podcast is a lot of hard work. So is training for a marathon. If you’re not going to commit to doing it, especially during the hard times, you’ll never reach your goals.
Don’t Pay Attention to What Everyone Else Is Doing–I’m in several podcasting groups on Facebook, and barely a day goes by that someone doesn’t talk about how many downloads they’ve gotten on their show. Typically they are boasting 1000s of downloads per day, while I’m typically getting 100-150. If you’re comparing, it would look like my show is failing miserably compared to many others. But there are a lot of variables that can contribute to dramatically different download numbers (some of which are pretty slimy) just like there are a lot of variables that determine the speed of two different runners. If I’m running a 4 hour marathon, and someone else is running a 2:45, there is no reason for me to get discouraged and give up because I’m not as good as the 2:45 marathoner. Similarly, who cares how the other podcaster is getting 1000s of downloads per day. As long as I keep pushing myself to improve my craft, it doesn’t matter what others are doing.
Don’t Be Afraid to Make Changes–My show has evolved over the last several months. I started out with a certain vision in mind, but I’ve been willing to shift gears when something doesn’t work, when listeners provide feedback, and when new ideas strike. When it comes to your running, you also need to be willing to try new things. Whether it’s new shoes, different gear, running naked, or working with a coach, you don’t know if something will benefit you until you try it. So don’t be afraid to try something new, especially if you feel like you’re no long making progress towards your goals.
Make Sure You’re Still Having Fun–I still love podcasting. Sure it’s hard work. And there are somedays that it almost feels like a chore, but I’m having a lot of fun connecting with amazing people and talking about our passion for running. The day that podcasting is no longer fun, is the day I need to walk away from it. And the same should hold true for each of us when it comes to our training and racing.
You Never Know Who’s Paying Attention–There are times that it feels like no one is listening to the show. I’ll ask the listeners for feedback about something specific, or ask them to tweet me their thoughts, or try some other way to engage the listeners and all that I’ll hear is crickets. But then randomly I’ll get an email or tweet thanking me for doing the show and telling me how it’s helped them to keep running. And that makes it all worth while. As runners, we never know who we may be inspiring by our commitment to our sport. But rest assured, people notice us as we are running. You may never know the impact that you may have on someone that sees you out there sweating this summer, but I hope you know that people are paying attention and I guarantee you’re inspiring someone with your effort.
The Running Community is Awesome–I knew this before I started the show, and I’m sure you are well aware, but runners are pretty awesome. With this podcast, I’ve had the privilege of talking to people from every corner of the running world, and everyone has a unique story that I get to help them share. And whether I’m talking to an Olympian or someone who just started running a year ago, it’s pretty awesome to know that we are all part of the same running community, and that our community is always open to adding a few more people to the mix!