Friday, December 2, 2011

YouSnoozeYouLose, New Plans, and a CONTEST




December is the beginning of a LOT of new things. For two years, I have talked about starting a new "trail running society" that one would have to EARN their way into. This was a great idea that I believed many of my friends and people of like minds would be delighted to be a part of; and while there would have been a very modest monetary benefit, it would have been rewarding in so many more important ways. It would have, but I sat on it, and talked about it from time to time, and even shared my dream with a few close friends. Well, a few weeks ago, someone ELSE in another part of the country started a very similar club, and launched it beautifully. No hard feelings--I should have got off the fence a year ago and ran with it.

For the last few months, I have been trying to spruce up my blog, tweaking the layout, trying to throw in a little variety here and there, although it's still 98% running related. Any blogger, if he/she is honest, wants more readers, and I am right there with them. My desire is to have my blog more like a daily magazine, something like minded people would read every day over their morning coffee, or at their desk when they should be working, or at home during Leno. Eventually, I MIGHT allow a little advertising and possibly realize some income from it. (I did dabble with AdSense offered through Google, and was not at all happy with ads from business colleges, various mud races, and other things that at times to conflict with my personality--and I pulled the ads.)

But the news I want to share: A good friend of mine and I are collaborating on a new website--a "trail running social network" of sorts. The site is in it's infancy, and I have a lot of crash-course learning in order to edit and contribute content, but I am attacking the challenge. I'll have a LOT more to share about this in a few days. This site is not replacing the TZ blog--that is my baby and I love it. But if things work the way we think they will, it'll be trail-running central for folks in Oklahoma, the mid states, and beyond. Is there room for another site like this? You bet there is. We want to support and promote all other trail running sites, clubs, and races. There is room for all of us, in our wonderful sport of running trailz.

The point of this post?? Well, besides airing out my brain, I want to pick yours. What would you like to see in a daily blog? And in a growing and frequently updated website? As you know, I LIKE pictures. I am thinking more videos, and better quality videos. And then interviews with runners, shoe reviews, more nuts and bolts stuff about gear and training. We plan to have this set up to where folks who join can contribute content--race reports, pictures, comments, bios, etc.

So my question for you is this: What do you think? What would you like to see? What in a website pushes your buttons--brings you back the next day? What do you see in blogs and websites that gives you that ho-hum feeling and bores you to where you don't come back? Do you like contests? Well, here's a contest: Post your comments and suggestions in the box below. Pee on my campfire, pat me on the back, give me your super idea, or just say HI! I'll take the comments and put your names in my sweaty RunnersWorld hat and draw the winner. The picture below of the Clif Bar Frisbee (held by a very handsome trail-runner-model-dude) is the prize up for grabs.Thanks to Clif Bar for donating the Frisbee, along with a couple of new flavors of their product which will be eaten and reviewed soon. Comment away, friends!!

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