To ask what you would think of a colleague posting on social media?

If it was just running and not some weird niche thing to get views, go for it. I would follow if I was interested and ignore if not.

I know a few people with social media followings - one makes a living from it, the others it's just part of their business (art/fitness/style areas) and they have a few thousand followers. None of their social media accounts are particularly interesting to me, because it's mostly just my mate's job and not my hobby/interest.

So it's the number of followers that is galvanising you, not just the fact of documenting your running?

I see no issue with you essentially blogging your running, but it's a bit teenage TikTok to be this agog about your follower nunbers.

Probably somewhat depends on how senior you are/how important professional image is in your line of work. Personally I would never do this but it’s also not harming anyone, as long as you don’t start becoming too self obsessed by it. I had a colleague who posted endlessly on social media about herself, daily selfies, her weight loss journey, and loads of endless cryptic messages trying to solicit attention and sympathy, for example her ex boyfriend died (several years after they had broken up) and she milked that tragedy on her insta for three years straight. I didn’t know her well personally (we met at a work drinks once and she requested to follow me so I followed her back) but she later applied for a job in my team and I wont lie, part of the reason I didn’t even consider her was because her social media made her come across as self obsessed and a huge drama llama.

PS, I am sure you don't but don't post during working hours. It will make it too easy for a colleague to criticise you.

Being totally honest, I would think it was cringy and attention seeking! But I would just silently judge and then carry on with my day😂

Keep going if it makes you feel good and others respond to it. However, some may well start to get bored of this stuff as the novelty wears off.

I think your point about it being cringe until you hit a decent amount of followers is off. Cringe is highly subjective and not something buffered by having more followers.

Sounds like perhaps you’re seeking validation. Maybe that’s beneficial to you.

Op I'm going to be totally honest here.

It's people like you who have inspired me to lose weight and get fit.

For the last few years my health has declined and my weight has went up.

For the last month I've been following just ordinary folk doing fitness online, not the big flashy people with millions of followers and something to prove, the people who are building a small community and doing it because they love it.

I haven't got to running yet and probably won't for quite some time, but through walking and diet alone I've lost a stone in weight in a month, mainly down to people like you keeping me inspired and motivated.

If your colleagues find out and take the piss because you have a passion/hobby, and are quietly motivating people like me then that makes them assholes, and I wouldn't give a shit what an asshole thought about me.

Personally I think you're brilliant, and although I dont post on SM you can be sure for every follower you have, you probably have another person quietly watching and being inspired too.

What you post on your private social media is no one's business unless they're interested. It's not like doing OnlyFans, or making inflammatory comments relating to your field of work.

If I were a colleague and came across it accidentally (no euphemisms intended there!!!), I'd be impressed by your achievements.

Be careful about restricting who can see your posts. I got caught out badly one day. I'm in a big sports club and when I first joined I made online friends with a lot of the members. Years later one of the mums turned out be an insufferable arsehole but still massively in with the top tier of this club. Rather than deal with the drama I changed our friendship on FB so we were still friends but she could only see my basic info.

I posted something one day and it was being discussed in the pub and she clocked that she couldn't see it. That was an awkward conversation!!

Where did she say she would be making fun of them? The word she used was "mention".

How would your colleagues know about your account unless you told them about it and gave the details so they could find your account?

I don't follow any of my colleagues on social media and I don't want them to follow me 😀 I wouldn't find it embarrassing if I knew a colleague did similar, it's only running.

Go for it, there's a huge running community on all sorts of social media platforms, ranging from top of the range elite types, to brand new runners, to elderly folks and parents enjoying getting active with their kids. In the main, it's a fun and supportive group, and you might even get some handy tips, so enjoy it! Every now and then the odd wally might want to roll their eyes as to "why you're fuelling for a 5k run" but that's their problem and you can always block them!! And it's no business of your colleagues as long as you're not breaching any business social media policy.Enjoy your running! 😁

It's not Only Fans hon. It's just you. Running.

Why on earth would anyone care about how many followers you have? And 1200 in a month is pretty impressive.

It's a great way to keep yourself motivated. 👏👏

Why worry what other people think of it works for you.
I would not even worry...go you!

You clearly didn’t see where I clarified - not sure why you are quite so venomous about my post but you crack on

Does it matter how far it goes? You started out with a sensible intention - to keep yourself accountable - and other people are enjoying your posts which are probably helping them. It's a good thing to have happened. If anyone you know through work or socially objects or sneers, that really is there problem.
I had a similar situation when I self published some memoirs. Some of my friends read them, enjoyed them and bought or lent them to their friends. Others I'm sure thought it was an ego trip which had failed because I only sold about 150 copies - but I was really pleased with that.

What wrong with posting about your own hobby on your own SM? Of course you can do it, just don’t allow it to affect your work productivity.
I think the key isn’t to come across as obsessed. As a colleague I would worry that it became the main and only topic of conversation for you from now on. I’m not really keen on running for various reasons but I don’t want to talk about them (and about my attitude to running ).
You know this situation when you’ve asked a colleague a question about their knitting club (out of politeness while waiting for kettle to boil) and then they think you are keen and ask you to join every time they see you which is 5 times per day. Don’t be that colleague and everything will be fine.

Congratulations on your great achievement. ( no sarcasm)

Just be very mindful what you start posting. It may be just about running now, but our personal views do start leaking through. People will follow you more if they can start building a picture of who you are as a person - your lifestyle, family, habits, viewpoints. But that also exposes all of that both to the public and also to all future employers. Not necessarily a bad thing, just don’t ever drop your guard and never put anything out there you wouldn’t be happy to see on the front page of the news or on your boss’ desk.

1200is good imo! And you’ll be motivating someone. Definitely keep posting!

I don't have social media, and, no, Mumsnet isn't classed as such. I can't imagine posting my private life online. It's so alien to me and I'm only 50.

However what you're doing sounds great. I too lost weight and took up running. I just couldn't imagine photographing myself and talking about it online.

You asked if we saw a colleague doing this, what we'd think. My response is that it would be a huge thumbs up from me. I love seeing people get fit. I don't understand what would be embarrassing.

I once Googled a current colleague as she mentioned she was from the same place as me, and I was delighted to see she's an artist in her free time. I had no idea and I loved looking at the pictures.

Fine to post as long as it’s nothing inappropriate

If you aren't happy for everyone to see it, don't post it on a public space.

If you find posting keeps you motivated then don't stop. Your health is more important than people thinking it is cringy.