JOIN IN ON THE FUNWelcome to my runner's blog! If you are here, then it is very likely that you engage in running yourself and may want to learn more about how we as runners communicate. That's great because that is exactly what we will be discussing. The discourse of the running world may seem a little overwhelming since we have so many members, but it is pretty simple once you get the hang of it. Lets go through the different aspects of the discourse.
|
What is discourse and how does it help us?
Discourse is simply the language and methods in which a community communicates within it. In this case, as runners, we love having new members! It is always a great feeling to see that people enjoy running. But of course to be able to achieve this, we have to keep communicating with one another. We use a lot of social media outlets to do this. As you read through, you'll see that we value support, good sportsmanship, and a close community.
Discourse is simply the language and methods in which a community communicates within it. In this case, as runners, we love having new members! It is always a great feeling to see that people enjoy running. But of course to be able to achieve this, we have to keep communicating with one another. We use a lot of social media outlets to do this. As you read through, you'll see that we value support, good sportsmanship, and a close community.
Language
Positivity! Positivity is everywhere in our community. Everyone is trying to get the rest to the finish line. We all have our goals, whether it be individual or as a team, and sometimes we need the support from others to keep moving toward our goals. Even during competitions we see runners cheering on other competitors. We are all trying to get to the same finish line, and if we were struggling wouldn't it be nice to have a little support? It is always heart-warming to hear those stories. This sport is more than just about winning.
Besides a positive tone, we can have some shortcuts or term that might be unfamiliar at first. PR is short for personal record, but since it is so easy to catch on, it is very likely that you'll pick it up right away. Within running there are a couple of different sports that encompass running, and it is common for people to use the names interchangeably when in reality they are different. Most high schools and universities have cross-country and track-and-field teams. Cross country is a running sport of longer distances on different surfaces such as dirt, grass, pavement, and usually involve hills. The course distances can vary widely, but the distances differ between genders. Track-and-field on the other hand involves both races on the track and field events such as long jumps, javelin throws, and discus throws. The track part is where the running is. But track at the university level goes up to a distance of 10 kilometers and are the same for both genders. The main difference is that track races are on a flat surface and also includes short distance races.
And then of course there are half-marathons which are courses of 13.1 miles and marathons of 26.2 miles. Believe it or not, there are also ultra-marathons which are identified as any race course that is over the normal marathon distance. They are typically 50 or 100 miles long.
Positivity! Positivity is everywhere in our community. Everyone is trying to get the rest to the finish line. We all have our goals, whether it be individual or as a team, and sometimes we need the support from others to keep moving toward our goals. Even during competitions we see runners cheering on other competitors. We are all trying to get to the same finish line, and if we were struggling wouldn't it be nice to have a little support? It is always heart-warming to hear those stories. This sport is more than just about winning.
Besides a positive tone, we can have some shortcuts or term that might be unfamiliar at first. PR is short for personal record, but since it is so easy to catch on, it is very likely that you'll pick it up right away. Within running there are a couple of different sports that encompass running, and it is common for people to use the names interchangeably when in reality they are different. Most high schools and universities have cross-country and track-and-field teams. Cross country is a running sport of longer distances on different surfaces such as dirt, grass, pavement, and usually involve hills. The course distances can vary widely, but the distances differ between genders. Track-and-field on the other hand involves both races on the track and field events such as long jumps, javelin throws, and discus throws. The track part is where the running is. But track at the university level goes up to a distance of 10 kilometers and are the same for both genders. The main difference is that track races are on a flat surface and also includes short distance races.
And then of course there are half-marathons which are courses of 13.1 miles and marathons of 26.2 miles. Believe it or not, there are also ultra-marathons which are identified as any race course that is over the normal marathon distance. They are typically 50 or 100 miles long.
Communication Sources
Social media and online websites are HUGE for us! That's one of the main methods of communication and interaction between members. There are tons of Facebook pages, Instagram pages, YouTube channels, blogs, and local event pages dedicated just to running. It is really fascinating to see how many people are involved in our community!
On social media sites we see people sharing their experiences from competitions and races and future events. Again, we just want everyone to get involved and have fun! We are always on the look out for what we can do next. But since these sites are all very community-based it is also great for tips and advice for training, competition, and injuries. Injuries are another thing. If you've been running for a while then I'm sure you've come across a sprained ankle or some other odd pain. It happens, but fortunately we have friendly people online in our communities to help us out. Yay!
Now back to the running part. If you're looking to compete, then you better get going on your training. You can create a basic agenda to get yourself started on training if you're just starting off. It definitely takes time to build endurance, so it's always good to ask others for advice. Here's a sample of a basic training plan for a 5K.
Social media and online websites are HUGE for us! That's one of the main methods of communication and interaction between members. There are tons of Facebook pages, Instagram pages, YouTube channels, blogs, and local event pages dedicated just to running. It is really fascinating to see how many people are involved in our community!
On social media sites we see people sharing their experiences from competitions and races and future events. Again, we just want everyone to get involved and have fun! We are always on the look out for what we can do next. But since these sites are all very community-based it is also great for tips and advice for training, competition, and injuries. Injuries are another thing. If you've been running for a while then I'm sure you've come across a sprained ankle or some other odd pain. It happens, but fortunately we have friendly people online in our communities to help us out. Yay!
Now back to the running part. If you're looking to compete, then you better get going on your training. You can create a basic agenda to get yourself started on training if you're just starting off. It definitely takes time to build endurance, so it's always good to ask others for advice. Here's a sample of a basic training plan for a 5K.
My go-to for information as a runner in high school and my first year as a first year in college was definitely YouTube. As I searched for guidance to improve my running I ran into an incredible channel that I just had to subscribe to. The channel has all types of helpful advice for different levels of runners. You can see this in the different videos Sage Canaday has posted. He has videos for beginners, for runners going for their first marathon, and even videos for runners pursuing an ultramarathon. You can send him messages or comment on the videos and either Sage will personally reply to them or other viewers with some level of expertise that can help. It is also nice to go through the different answers that people give since our bodies all work differently, and knowing what worked for other people could be very useful as well.
When the time approaches for a race, it can feel a little scary. The key is to be prepared, and the wonderful thing about our community is that we help each other out. This can include a course map of a race, instructions to pick up a bib, and even websites where results and records can be found. You can easily tell who the first-timers are and which members have more experience with races. But that is no reason to feel discouraged. No one is judging. We have all been through it before! After all, we just want everyone to have a great race and have lots of fun.
Well, I hope this post has given you an idea of how we communicate and what we value as a community. Feel free to share to friends and fellow runners! Thank you for stopping by and happy running!