The answer is yes… yes it does.
Oooh, I was doing so well! Two years ago I started running, thanks to a local moms-and-daughters couch to 5k program that I coerced my oldest daughter into with me. Since then I’ve run a bunch of 5ks, two half marathons and even this one crazy 24-hour running relay called Ragnar. (Oi! That was the longest day, overnight and half of the next day of my life!)
Then one of the hottest summers that I can remember here in Minnesota hit. And I started slacking a little bit. Just a little… at first. Then a lot. Then I started doing this blog. And, friends, I’m here to tell you (as if you haven’t already figured this out) blogging takes a lot of work! It’s not just writing the blog itself, but the going out to find other blogs you like to connect with folks. Don’t get me wrong – I’m loving it. But there’s a whole lot of sit-your-butt-in-the-chair time involved. And the imprint on my chair is starting to look suspiciously just like the outline of my butt.
I’m not going to make some sort of proclamation here, like “Hence forth, I will run five miles a day – 10 on weekends – and eat only whole grains and fruits and vegetables.” Some people do really well with that whole concept of making your plans public to hold you accountable. Not me. There’s no quicker way to kill my motivation. The stress of that public accountability will inevitably find me curled up in a darkened room with a bucket of chocolate ice cream and a marathon of Firefly or Doctor Who.
But tips from fellow bloggers who’ve been at this longer than I, and who are probably better at balancing it with the rest of their lives would be more than welcome!
In other sit-your-butt-in-the-chair news – the first few days of Nanowrimo have gone well, in that I have completed the necessary word count each day. Not spectacularly – but just by the hair of my teeth. Sunday will be a completely unscheduled day and I am hoping to get a word-count cushion built up!
This is such a funny post. Blogging does take up a lot of time. I’ve learned to balance it by only posting once a week. It seems to be enough. People still drop by, and I have more time for other things like writing and exercising. Good luck!
I don’t know how people who post more than once a week do it! I am definitely finding that once a week is my limit. Good advice!
Yes, blogging takes up so much time! I’ve cut down the number of comments I make on people’s blogs. And I don’t read everyone’s blogs every day. I just split it up between all of my days. It’s helped me a lot, I think. I still post three times a week, because that’s the fastest part of it for me. It really doesn’t take that long! It’s just all of the commenting and reading. You’ve just gotta find your balance.
Way to go on your NaNo so far! I’m very impressed.
And as always, your post made me laugh.
Yeah, I’m quickly learning that reading other people’s blogs is the thing that’s really a time drain! I think that’s the area that I need to find my balance. But there’s so much good stuff out there!
As an avid runner (20+ miles a week), I would say that if it’s something you really want to do, then you just have to schedule time for it. I run three times a week. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Tuesday/Thursday are my short runs because I do it before work in the morning. Then Saturday, I have a running group that I meet up with and do my long run. Really, I go with them for the sitting around/having coffee part afterward, though.
On the other hand, I’m a substandard blogger. I’m only posting once or twice a week and they’re not very long, so I’m probably not the best person to give advice on finding time for things.
p.s. one other thing – I’m doing my first Ragnar this February and I’m super excited about it!
Good luck on your Ragnar! It really is a blast (despite what I said!). It is a crazy, exhausting event but you’ll have a great time.
I can relate. Though I’m a newbie blogger who made a misguided decision to start blogging at the same time as my first NaNoWriMo, my chair already sports my butt imprint. That slightly crazed look in my eyes is also the same one that makes me lace up running shoes and hit the pavement when I’d rather lay on the sofa with a cup of cookie dough and a good book. Okay, I still do the cookie dough / book thing. But now that I’m blogging, I think of future topics while running. I’m hoping this cancels out the butt bloating effect of blogging.
By the way, Kitty. How is NaNoWriMo going for you? I’m woefully behind on my word count and blaming last weekend’s reading binge (there may have been cookie dough involved).
Mmmmm, cookie dough. I actually bought a bag of chocolate chips the other day just to munch on – I’m not even planning to make cookies! That is a whole new level of insanity. I am getting behind on my word count, too, just in the last couple days so I’m hopeful that I can catch up tomorrow when I’ve got nothing to do all day! I recently read an article online about trying to do 10k in one day, but darned if I can find the link now. I think I may have to try to do something crazy like that to get caught up and build up a word cusion all at once.