Webbing & Wiggling: Overwhelmed & Underwhelmed

I decided the best approach to tackling my inquiry would be to start with one focus question:  What are the different training plan options?  Feeling pretty confident with my ability to conduct online searches, I did a Google search for "half marathon training schedule beginner".  Wow, so many hits!  I read the brief descriptors accompanying each hit to try and eliminate the ones I thought wouldn't fit.  I started clicking away, navigating through web pages, and analyzing training plans.  What I quickly realized is that I was finding only 12 week plans that were starting the runners with 3 & 4 miles on week one.  This is exactly what didn't work for me last time.  Here I started to experience some of those feelings that Kuhlthau outlines as confusion, doubt, and uncertainty during the exploration phase.

I had an epiphany, and I'm almost a little embarrassed to admit what it was.  My Google search words did NOT match what I was trying to find!  I went back to the search box and modified my search so that it read, "half marathon training schedule beginner 16 weeks".  Aaaah, finally I was getting somewhere!  Amazing how thinking about key words to use in a search, as you're supposed to do in the Webbing phase, proved to be successful.

I was simultaneously Webbing (searching) & Wiggling (evaluating).  I'm not sure it would make sense to entirely separate these two phases, and that's something I need to be mindful of when working with students.  There were so many hits and numerous training plans, but when evaluating them I felt really underwhelmed.  I wasn't finding exactly what I wanted.  Doubt.  There were 16 week plans, and there were bits and pieces of each one that I really liked, but not THE perfect plan.  Ah-ha: I'll simply combine the pieces from each plan that I like, creating my personal perfect plan.  This will come later... I'm thinking Excel spreadsheet.

Now, what to do with the 7 tabs open in Internet Explorer?  They all contain important information.  Wanting a bibliographic record of all my useful sites/information, I decided to create a Delicious account.  Amazing!  Useful.  Practical.  Easily accessible.  With each website I saved, I was able to title it in my own way, add tags, and write myself a note.  These notes will be really helpful during Weaving/ synthesis phase.

I'm going to continue to use my Delicious account as I research my other questions...AND I will be more specific when conducting my searches :)

If you're interested in checking out my Delicious account: http://www.delicious.com/lacingmyshoes

Prepping for Webbing

I created this concept map to help me categorize and organize my questions.  I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with all of my questions, but I think focusing on one category (i.e. "Fuel") at a time will help.  There isn't a certain category that holds priority over another.  Since I'm a linear person and like to check things off, I'll most likely move from left to right across this concept map, researching one category at a time.


Inspiration Concept Map



Wondering... so many questions

Finding purpose for this inquiry wasn't difficult.  I want to train for a half marathon and RUN all 13.1 miles.  Having some prior experience with running and this haunting feeling of failure from November's race allowed me to generate essential questions with ease.  In The Blue Book Callison outlines the 8Ws model and comments that, "Questions for inquiry come from personal issues more than from academic assignments" (54).  I have personal interest in finding answers to the following questions:

1. Training.  How should I train for a half marathon?  What are the different training plan options?  Which plan makes the most sense for me?  The plan I used last year didn't really work for me.  Week one started with 3 and 4 mile runs.  I needed 4 weeks to prepare for week 1!  I was a little behind when the training started.  My friends said things like, "Oh, if you can run 9 or 10 miles you'll be fine for the race."  Not true!  The plan I pick is going to have to get me to at least 12 miles before the race.  I'd prefer a plan that has me do a trial 13.1 mile run so I have confidence going into race day.  Also, I need a plan that will encourage me to increase my pace.  My pace stayed pretty constant.
2. Fuel.  What do runners eat?  What should I eat before runs, after runs, and during the week?  My body often felt weak during runs.  My muscles seemed to take a couple days to recover, even after stretching.  I know there are foods out there that are supposed to be for muscle recovery.  I need those.  I only lost a few pounds during my 4 months of training.  C'mon, that's one of the reasons I'm running!  I suppose the mentality of, "I went for a long run so I can eat anything I want." needs to go.
3. Gear.  Given different seasons and climates, what should I wear?  What running apparel is most effective and popular?  What are the bright yellow water bottles I've seen neatly tucked in the palms of runners' hands on the Monon Trail?  Last year's half marathon was unseasonably cold and I wasn't prepared with the right kind of running clothes.  There's no doubt I need some hydration during training runs-- maybe I should get one of those bottles.
4. Motivation.  How do runners motivate themselves before and during runs?  What motivates runners?  What running songs or Podcasts are the most motivational and popular?  Running can be a very mental sport.  I need some motivational tips to psych me up and get me through long runs.  There's something about songs with a certain number of beats per minute that can help you keep pace.  I need to select some motivational songs with pace-setting BPMs.

The questions, organized into research categories, are in no particular order.  My focus is to research the four categories in attempt to answer all of my essential questions.

The next stop in this inquiry process is "Webbing".   I'm excited to get some answers to my burning questions.

This morning I ran 36 flights of stairs to the top of the OneAmerica Tower.  The Bop To The Top race benefits Riley Hospital For Children.  I'm attaching a picture of my Bop team, The Red Hot Chili Steppers.  I'm ecstatic to have finished the race without passing out, but as you can probably imagine, I'm already thinking about setting goals and training for next year's Bop.

Selecting a topic is difficult for an indecisive person (Watching)

I need to backtrack a little.  I'd like to explain my thinking and how I landed on the topic of running.  Several ideas were floating around in my head for a personal inquiry project.  My range of topics included: creating healthy slow-cooker meals, children's literature (specifically- what's most engaging to young, male readers), planning a trip to Mackinac Island, running: preparing for a long distance race, and tips for remodeling a half bathroom.

I'm an indecisive person.  Anyone who knows me well definitely knows this.  I originally selected children's literature because I thought it could serve a dual purpose: this assignment and in my role as an instructional coach.  The problem with this topic is that although I love children's literature, it's really not personal.  Mackinac Island would be a fun and practical topic since I'm planning my first-ever vacation there this summer.  The problem is, I had already spent a good amount of time researching the island and places to stay.  How do you go back and create an authentic blog/project for something you've nearly finished?  Running quickly emerged as the most personal and interesting topic.  It's fair to say I even have some strong emotions tied to this topic (see my previous blog post).

Here begins my personal inquiry related to running.  I know I'm going to truly enjoy researching and learning about this topic.  I have SO MUCH to learn about long distance running and I'm excited :-)

Where it began

I failed.  At least I feel like I failed.  In November of 2010 I ran the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon.  Where's the failure in that?  I ran approximately 11.2 of the 13.1 miles before I had to stop and walk to finish the race.  I didn't run the entire race.

I've never really enjoyed running and despite finishing several 5k and 10k races, I wouldn't call myself a runner.  Several of my friends ran the Mini Marathon last spring.  Wow!  Their excitement and success stories motivated me to try the longest race of my life, 13.1 miles.  I wanted so badly to run the entire race.  I wasn't worried about my time or impressing others.  I'm not really competitive by nature, but I am hard on myself.  What was fueling me during training runs in late summer and early fall was simply proving to myself that I could do it.  I don't give up easily, but my body did.

Where in the world am I going with this?  How does it relate to information inquiry?  The wise Colin Powell said, "There are no secrets to success.  It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."  I've reflected on my training and the race several times.  Now it's time to learn from my experience and prepare for November's half marathon. 

I'm going to approach it differently this time.  I have a lot to learn about running and preparing for long distances.  It's never too early to start...