Blogging and the BT Blogger. What it is and how to use.
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How to configure and use your triathlon training log or blog.
Items covered:
What's a blog?
How do I get one?
What does a blog have to do with BT's triathlon training logs?
What is BT Blogger?
Public, private or semi-private?
Configuring
Adding friends to your blog
'Inspire Me!'
'Blogged!'
What's up with this whole 'blog' thing?
You hear about it, but unless you're on the web several hours of the day just surfing, you will probably never know the meaning of the term. 'Blog' is short for 'weblog.' It is your personal, online diary. You need no programming or software experience, the host provides these free or for a charge or they place banners in your blog. Incidentally, it's the current internet craze.
What makes blogs cool is that you can comment on anybody's blog entry for that day to be seen by all. Many blogs are also linked to other blogs. Just imagine, you can spend the whole day blog-surfing, reading into the logs/lives of others and leaving your remark.
How do I get a blog?
If you have registered to use the site (free), you are already set up to use the training log/blog here at beginnertriathlete.com. The blog is really just one of the many displays of training information and is the default view (the other is the calendar view).
What does a blog have to do with triathletes?
Well...a lot really. Soon after I created the general training logs here, I put two and two together (it's tough...I know) and realized that combining blogging and training logs would give triathletes the ultimate logging experience. Face it, we learn by watching others...not just by doing. So why not peer into someone else's daily training log...even leave comments? Now that's serious motivation.
Our blogs here go a step further. They are a great way to display a ton of training information at your fingertips:
Weather feed/Current and 5-day forecast or banners. (Weather feed for Performance Members)
Default last 7 days of complete training data.
Cool, color-coded mini-calendar designating types of training days.
Your next race and date on your schedule being displayed.
Your favorite links...others can see and click-through.
Comments left by others. (Inspire me)
Quick links to other training logs.
A section letting you know when a person responded to the blog you left a comment in. (so you don't have to keep checking back)
Links to all the regular training log graphs and reports.
Everything...really.
What is the BT blogger?
It's a constantly updated screen of everyone's public blog. It displays up to a few paragraphs of a persons day of training plus other statistics (left column). By clicking on any one individuals link, you will go directly to their blog-their past 7 days of training.
Public, Private or Semi-Private?
Which way to go?
Public means that anybody can find, read and post in your log. They can find your log through links in the forum posts you leave, links in your profile, user search, races you make public and through the BT Blogger.
Private means that nobody will be able to find your log as these aforementioned links will not be apparent.
Semi-Private. Same as 'public' but you will not be updated to the very public Bt Blogger.
How to configure this?
BLOG TITLE: 'Settings' > Training Blog Customization'
Public - Check the 'Allow guests of the site to view any logs you have made public?' box. Private - Click in the 'Training Log is Private?' box. Semi-Private - Only allow your "friends list" to have access
Adding friends to you blog
So you want to add some easy links to your friends blog? Here is how to do that:
Go back into your training log settings.
Use the selector to choose up to '60 friends to monitor their blogs.'
If download speed is not an issue, click on the 'Display members photos in your blog' to display their avatars. If not selected, you will only get the username link.
Inspire Me!
Only can be seen when logged in.
Have you seen these: & ? Yes, it's true. You have been blogged. Somebody has left you a comment or as we like to call it, 'inspiration.' Simply go to your blog-view of the corresponding day and click on the red number in 'inspire me' to see the comments such as the one below:
Blogged!
Have you left a comment in anothers log and that SAME entry has been commented on? Just navigate to the 'Blogged' area of your blog and click on the link. In doing so, you will be taken to that users training log and comments for that day. Also, comments made by others in your blog appear here too. Just an easy way to keep track of things. See example below:
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Blogging and the BT Blogger. What it is and how to use.
How to configure and use your triathlon training log or blog.
Items covered:
What's up with this whole 'blog' thing?
You hear about it, but unless you're on the web several hours of the day just surfing, you will probably never know the meaning of the term. 'Blog' is short for 'weblog.' It is your personal, online diary. You need no programming or software experience, the host provides these free or for a charge or they place banners in your blog. Incidentally, it's the current internet craze.
What makes blogs cool is that you can comment on anybody's blog entry for that day to be seen by all. Many blogs are also linked to other blogs. Just imagine, you can spend the whole day blog-surfing, reading into the logs/lives of others and leaving your remark.
How do I get a blog?
If you have registered to use the site (free), you are already set up to use the training log/blog here at beginnertriathlete.com. The blog is really just one of the many displays of training information and is the default view (the other is the calendar view).
What does a blog have to do with triathletes?
Well...a lot really. Soon after I created the general training logs here, I put two and two together (it's tough...I know) and realized that combining blogging and training logs would give triathletes the ultimate logging experience. Face it, we learn by watching others...not just by doing. So why not peer into someone else's daily training log...even leave comments? Now that's serious motivation.
Our blogs here go a step further. They are a great way to display a ton of training information at your fingertips:
Weather feed/Current and 5-day forecast or banners. (Weather feed for Performance Members)
Default last 7 days of complete training data.
Cool, color-coded mini-calendar designating types of training days.
Current and most recent month's training totals.
Current and most recent year's training totals.
Short and Long term goals.
Your picture, interests and equipment used.
Your next 3 days of planned training displayed (Performance Members)
Your next race and date on your schedule being displayed.
Your favorite links...others can see and click-through.
Comments left by others. (Inspire me)
Quick links to other training logs.
A section letting you know when a person responded to the blog you left a comment in. (so you don't have to keep checking back)
Links to all the regular training log graphs and reports.
Everything...really.
It's a constantly updated screen of everyone's public blog. It displays up to a few paragraphs of a persons day of training plus other statistics (left column). By clicking on any one individuals link, you will go directly to their blog-their past 7 days of training.
Public, Private or Semi-Private?
Which way to go?
Public means that anybody can find, read and post in your log. They can find your log through links in the forum posts you leave, links in your profile, user search, races you make public and through the BT Blogger.
Private means that nobody will be able to find your log as these aforementioned links will not be apparent.
Semi-Private. Same as 'public' but you will not be updated to the very public Bt Blogger.
BLOG TITLE: 'Settings' > Training Blog Customization'
PRIVACY: 'Settings' > 'Training Log Settings' > 'Privacy'
Configuring permissions:
Public - Check the 'Allow guests of the site to view any logs you have made public?' box.
Private - Click in the 'Training Log is Private?' box.
Semi-Private - Only allow your "friends list" to have access
Adding friends to you blog
So you want to add some easy links to your friends blog? Here is how to do that:
Go back into your training log settings.
Use the selector to choose up to '60 friends to monitor their blogs.'
If download speed is not an issue, click on the 'Display members photos in your blog' to display their avatars. If not selected, you will only get the username link.
Inspire Me!
Only can be seen when logged in.
Have you seen these:
& 
? Yes, it's true. You have been blogged. Somebody has left you a comment or as we like to call it, 'inspiration.' Simply go to your blog-view of the corresponding day and click on the red number in 'inspire me' to see the comments such as the one below:
Blogged!
Have you left a comment in anothers log and that SAME entry has been commented on? Just navigate to the 'Blogged' area of your blog and click on the link. In doing so, you will be taken to that users training log and comments for that day. Also, comments made by others in your blog appear here too. Just an easy way to keep track of things. See example below:
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