Last updated: July 16, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Running so I can… (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “the Site,” accessible at runningsoican.com) handles information when you visit our website. We wrote this policy to be accurate to how the Site actually operates today, and to be understandable no matter where in the world you’re reading it from.
Who we are
Running so I can… is a personal blog sharing ideas and products related to running. The Site is operated by Mike D. You can reach us through the Contact Me page on the Site.
What information we collect
Contact form submissions. If you fill out the form on our Contact Me page, we receive the name, email address, and message you provide. We use this only to reply to you. We do not add you to a mailing list, share this information with third parties, or use it for marketing.
Server logs. Like virtually all websites, our hosting provider automatically logs basic technical information when you visit — such as your IP address, browser type, and pages requested. This is standard technical data used for security and site functionality, not for tracking individuals.
Analytics. We use Google Analytics to understand overall traffic patterns — such as which pages are popular, how visitors found the Site, and general audience location and device type. Google Analytics sets cookies in your browser to do this. See the Cookies section below for details, including how to control this.
Affiliate links. Some posts on the Site contain affiliate links (for example, to running gear or products we recommend). If you click one of these links and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Clicking an affiliate link may result in the merchant or affiliate network (such as Amazon Associates) setting their own cookie on your device to track the referral and credit us with the commission. We do not control these third-party cookies — they are governed by the merchant’s or network’s own privacy policy, which we encourage you to review.
We do not currently:
- Allow public comments (comments are closed sitewide)
- Require account registration to read the Site
- Sell, rent, or share any personal information with third parties for their own marketing purposes
- Use advertising cookies or retargeting
If any of this changes in the future, we will update this policy and, where required by law, ask for your consent first.
Cookies
We use a small number of cookies on this Site:
- Strictly necessary cookies from WordPress and our hosting provider, required for basic site functionality and security. These do not track you across other websites and do not require consent.
- Analytics cookies from Google Analytics, which help us understand how visitors use the Site in aggregate. These are not strictly necessary, and for visitors in the EU, UK, and other regions requiring consent, we will not set these cookies until you accept via our cookie consent banner. You can withdraw consent at any time through that banner, or by using your browser’s cookie settings or Google’s opt-out tools.
- Third-party affiliate cookies, set by merchants or affiliate networks (not by us) when you click an affiliate link on the Site, for the purpose of tracking referrals and commissions.
Legal basis for processing (for visitors in the EU/UK)
Where the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or UK GDPR applies, our legal basis for processing is:
- Contact form data: your consent (you choose to submit the form) and our legitimate interest in responding to inquiries.
- Server logs: our legitimate interest in maintaining the security and functionality of the Site.
- Analytics cookies: your consent, obtained via our cookie banner before any analytics cookie is set.
- Affiliate referral cookies: set by the third-party merchant or network based on their own legal basis, once you choose to click through.
How long we keep information
- Contact form submissions are kept only as long as needed to respond to your inquiry, then deleted periodically.
- Server logs are retained for a limited period by our hosting provider for security purposes, then automatically purged.
- Analytics data is retained according to our Google Analytics settings, in line with Google’s standard retention periods.
International visitors and data transfers
This Site is accessible internationally. Our hosting provider, Google Analytics, our form plugin (WPForms), and any affiliate networks we work with may process data in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards (such as standard contractual clauses) for any international data transfers.
Children’s privacy
This Site is not directed at children under 13 (or the relevant age of digital consent in your jurisdiction), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted information to us, please contact us so we can delete it.
Third-party links and affiliate disclosure
Our posts may link to external websites or products, including affiliate links to running gear or services we recommend. Where a post contains affiliate links, we disclose this clearly within the post itself, in accordance with FTC guidelines. We are not responsible for the privacy or business practices of external sites we link to, including affiliate merchants. We encourage you to review their privacy policies separately.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example if we add new features or services. We will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page when changes are made. For significant changes affecting how we collect or use your data, we will provide additional notice where required by law.
Contact us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please reach out via our Contact Me page.