With the boom of social media, it’s easier now more than ever to keep in touch with what’s going on in running. Like most of you, it drives me nuts when I go to my favorite running blogs only to find there’s nothing new since the last time I visited. This simple solution…subscribe. I subscribe to quite a few blogs and get email updates when new content is posted. There are actually three ways you can do that with One Runner’s Brain:

• Subscribe to this blog. Directly underneath the sponsor ads for TeamAMC and Bonnie’s Country Classic, there is a subscribe form. Simply enter your email address and you will get an email every time new content is posted. Don’t worry about getting hit with a bunch of email marketing from me…I don’t have the time.
• Follow us on Twitter. Ah, yes, the land of tweets. For those of you out there on the social bandwagon, this might be your cup of tea. CLICK HERE to visit our Twitter page. You will also get updates on our posts as well as additional content within our running community.
• Follow us on Facebook. Another option for those of you that like to keep up with your high school sweethearts. CLICK HERE to visit our Facebook page and become a fan. Our blog posts get updated here as well and will be viewable on your wall.

All these links can also be found under the Personal links page on the right navigation bar. See you on the social network!!!

Back in July, we posted The Fresh Air Fund’s call for runners and sponsors to join their Fresh Air Fund-Racers Team for the NYC Half Marathon. Through a pretty aggressive guerilla campaign (social media, blogs and emails) it looks like they accomplished what they set out to do.

With the help of all those who stepped up for this great cause, here are the fruits of your efforts:

• Nearly 8,000 children enjoyed their best summers yet
• 370 students participated in the Career Awareness Program
• 11 counselors-in-training spent three days on the Appalachian Trail
• 168 young people were Leaders-in-training

It seems that the fundraising efforts for non-profits are limitless when it comes to big running events. Check out the website of your next event and check out the official charity for the event. There are more than likely multiple levels of involvement you can participate in.

There’s no denying it – we’re in the “social media” age. From Facebook to Twitter and a million blogs in between (present company included), there are more outlets to information than ever before. My advice to you…grab on and hold on tight.

To be honest, it’s just too much. How much information can one runner’s brain actually handle? I don’t want to find out. From now on, I’m going to treat social media as I do talking to my wife – selective listening (just a joke honey – SERIOUSLY – I’m just joking…honey?).

When I first signed up on Twitter, I followed everybody and their mother…yes I did actually follow somebody’s mother. I finally reached my breaking point after reading several posts by Lance Armstrong feeding his kids various types of sandwiches several days in a row. Could the signs have been any clearer?

My Twitter page now reads like a “who’s who” in the running world. That’s what I really want to know about. I DO care what Ryan Hall eats before his 15K training run. I DO want to know that Dean Karnazes ran the LA Marathon and kept running south thru California until he ran the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon (which is later next year and may be on my schedule next year) the following week. You can’t get that anywhere else and you have to admit, it’s good stuff! And the best part is, they’re runners and don’t have the time to post every hour on the hour.

With a little discipline and a reckless abandon to hit the “Don’t Follow” button, you too can lead a sane and informational Twitter life.