There seems to be all about competition and the positif effects on exercise, if today you run more than yesterday, why can´t I do the same?
There is peer pressure in exercise. That's why group exercise works. You can use peer pressure to your advantage.
Why are those people running over that woman checking her watch in the photo? Looks dangerous and inappropriate. I run speed work on a track or in a grass or turf field. Do 60-100 meter sprints including bounding, hopping, skipping and burst-relax sprints. The pounding of slow jogging and flat footed running is not for everyone. Eventually , it causes joint, back, foot and soft tissue problems. I'm not sure how the writer is defining contagion. Sounds like an unscientific definition and a study based upon mostly subjective 'data'. Sounds a bit like a 'chicken/egg' dilemma in the nexus between 'routines shared and intensified among friends'. It might not take a phi beta kappa to realize that certain behaviours are shared by friends. Might just take a trip to a bar or a church. the word science should not have been used in this article.
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Does this work with money too?
If I was in a social situation--whether a field, a busy street, or heck, even a bar--and everyone else started running, I would definitely start run too.
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Some friends are opinionated, it's their right, they have choices, they act on them, or they don't. They have chosen to do what's best for them, slowly let nature take its time on the human body, they say, let it happen.
No amount of studies, books, information of all kinds means little to many, it's a lifestyle conditioned over years void of any and all forms of physical motion unless absolutely required such as walking further to the entrance of a shopping center because of too many vehicles in close proximity to their destination.
They wonder why I do what I do, especially on what I do it with, those odd riding things that few ride, that few even heard of, like a trikke, carving, moving to and fro, left and right, looks strange, but it moves me and it makes me feel good by invigorating my body with exercise.
Or raising my legs as if I'm climbing stairs on a Me-Mover, I'm gaining speed stepping high which gives me runners high without running.
Or spinning a crank on a bicycle, all of these things move me while pumping endorphins through my body which many of my opinionated friends have no idea what that feels like.
If they took the time to find out, they would do all or some of the above for their bodies sake along with their mind.
No amount of studies, books, information of all kinds means little to many, it's a lifestyle conditioned over years void of any and all forms of physical motion unless absolutely required such as walking further to the entrance of a shopping center because of too many vehicles in close proximity to their destination.
They wonder why I do what I do, especially on what I do it with, those odd riding things that few ride, that few even heard of, like a trikke, carving, moving to and fro, left and right, looks strange, but it moves me and it makes me feel good by invigorating my body with exercise.
Or raising my legs as if I'm climbing stairs on a Me-Mover, I'm gaining speed stepping high which gives me runners high without running.
Or spinning a crank on a bicycle, all of these things move me while pumping endorphins through my body which many of my opinionated friends have no idea what that feels like.
If they took the time to find out, they would do all or some of the above for their bodies sake along with their mind.
I didn't feel like running today and now I might go out for a few miles. This happens every Saturday after reading the NYTimes running newsletter.
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We all would be better off adapting the workout patterns of world and national class runners, scaled down in volume and intensity to our own ability level. These men and women know what they are doing, compared to the random workouts of people online.
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The answer to the question in the first paragraph is a definite "no" in my case. I don't discuss my workouts with others. It's personal. I won't even tell the readers of this comment how many marathons I did/didn't run.
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Other types of exercise are also contagious, it depends on what motivates. Running is very popular until our bodies complain about pain from joint and cartilage problems.
Those other types of exercise are self-powered vehicles, weight training among many others.
Reading about others on social media accomplishing exceptional results proven by Endomondo is motivational for me, makes me want to test my endurance and strength. I, in turn, post my results which hopefully motivates others to get exercise contagious.
Those other types of exercise are self-powered vehicles, weight training among many others.
Reading about others on social media accomplishing exceptional results proven by Endomondo is motivational for me, makes me want to test my endurance and strength. I, in turn, post my results which hopefully motivates others to get exercise contagious.
People who join this sort of network are affected by it-not surprising. Doesn't say much about the vast majority of runners who aren't interested in virtual interactions.
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1.1 million runners, running 225 million miles, over five years? Is that eight tenths of a mile per week on average?
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News Flash! People are influenced by their friends, and/or have friends with similar interests! Another clue that "social" "sciences" are neither socially aware nor scientific.
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"Our workouts" - in a lede? I see black spandex people at the upscale supermarke and all I can think of is who are these people who want us to see their butts in tight clothing? They're probably the type that use the word 'workout' as a word.
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Beyond running .. Hiking is surely contagious .. See you on the trail...
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So primates are competitive. Got it.
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First thought: wow, 1.1 mil runners -- finally a study here that has a decent sample size. But then the arithmetic (thank you WP in Idaho), and ensuing disappointment. However, if one considers that runners don't nec. like the 'slog' in bad weather -- or may be multi-sport people (x-c skiing, biking anyone?) -- the 'weak numbers' of mi/week doesn't seem so bad.
That said, it's drizzling here today, but I'll but on my wet gear and go for a run! Thanks for the virtual nudge, NYT (btw: distance might be shorter than usual, if it starts to pour)
That said, it's drizzling here today, but I'll but on my wet gear and go for a run! Thanks for the virtual nudge, NYT (btw: distance might be shorter than usual, if it starts to pour)
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Running with an actual training partner (not a virtual one) who is a bit faster has an upside and a downside. That partner can both challenge you as well as push you beyond your limit to the point of injury. Be sure to know the difference. Don't turn training into racing.
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I'm not convinced about the soggy runner. Maybe it's different for me being in Florida. In the summer I will run farther and faster in the rain, and it's preferable. In the winter I won't run in the rain at all. Bad weather isn't just rain and rain isn't always bad weather.
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snow ice march wind sleet rain - i think the weather is what makes the north east miserable, but glorious when it finally turns nice
Articles like this one, and the ones on the side bar (1 hr of running adds 7 years to your life, contagious yawning between you and your dog, etc.), always make me think of cancelling my subscription.
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The Times sure does play to the running crowd.
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I like to socialize before and after running. But as a male when I run I run alone. I'm not interested being in a group and chatting.
I agree about the female runners changing their routine to match other female runners. I see it all the time unless they are hard core in training.
I agree about the female runners changing their routine to match other female runners. I see it all the time unless they are hard core in training.
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"...as a male"? Ummm...To state the obvious, plenty of female runners I know do not prefer to "chat" while running, and, like me, enjoy the solitary, even meditative, aspect of running as an exercise. I love the simplicity of it. No equipment required. And the last thing I'd want to do is have to coordinate my schedule with other people in order to get my (usually early morning) run in.
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How do the researchers know that the runners read everyone else's posts before they went out? Doesn't that seem unlikely?
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It wouldn't surprise me if active people have more friends, too, simply because they get out and do things. More positive reinforcement for exercise.
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I run with my dog. She could care less about what I want to do. She does what she wants to do, and if I want to run with her, I have no choice. Her pattern is slow on the way out, and fast back to the "stables". Our strong point is negative splits. That's what most coaches recommend. So I think the dog knows what she's doing.
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Hmm. Ok, check my math, but if 1.1 million runners are tracked for five years and accumulate 225 million miles, it seems like each one is doing just over 200 miles in five years, or 40 per year, or 3/4 per week, or just over a tenth of a mile per day. Hard to talk about either causation of correlation with numbers like that.
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Presumably, they did not track each runner for 5 years. Some of the participants probably ran for only a period of months. But that's not what it says and if you take the information literally, your math is correct.
The authors present more detail in the linked article and supplementary notes.
Broadly, member usage followed a typical 'power curve'. In business, that shows up as the 90/10 or 80/20 rule: e.g., 90% of revenue come from 10% of clients.
This running app had a lot of members who were like me with Facebook - signed up, got instantly bored, and lost the password. But some are like me with the NY Times crossword - every day and more!
Consequently, the 1.1 million runners logged 59 million runs (Huh? 5 each?!?) with an average time of 45 min. and distance of 4 miles. The average runner also ran once every 8 days.
Well, either these folks are on the strangest fitness plan yet or most of the members are not truly engaged (Giminy, do NOT let the IPO salesmen get these numbers!).
Bonus wrinkles: the network has been growing quickly and the "5 years" seems to span 5 calendar years but only about 48 months. So most of the last few years has tracked many fewer members.
Broadly, member usage followed a typical 'power curve'. In business, that shows up as the 90/10 or 80/20 rule: e.g., 90% of revenue come from 10% of clients.
This running app had a lot of members who were like me with Facebook - signed up, got instantly bored, and lost the password. But some are like me with the NY Times crossword - every day and more!
Consequently, the 1.1 million runners logged 59 million runs (Huh? 5 each?!?) with an average time of 45 min. and distance of 4 miles. The average runner also ran once every 8 days.
Well, either these folks are on the strangest fitness plan yet or most of the members are not truly engaged (Giminy, do NOT let the IPO salesmen get these numbers!).
Bonus wrinkles: the network has been growing quickly and the "5 years" seems to span 5 calendar years but only about 48 months. So most of the last few years has tracked many fewer members.
More proof that human are herd animals. Humans aren't truly free thinking, and individualistic as we think ourselves to be.
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I'm sure you are right. I have heard that from several friends.
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Hmmm. Yet another study discovering/uncovering the obvious...
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Exercise in general, not just running, is quite contagious. My wife and I are retired and live in Stowe, VT. All our friends ski, bike, hike or otherwise exercise daily, regardless of the weather. There is always someone to "play" with and this has become highly motivational. And while not overly competitive, the impetus to keep active and join with others is a big part of our lives, and has contributed to a high level of ongoing fitness. When physical joins with social....good things happen.
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I suppose this "VR" (virtual running) thing would get others out on a rainy day, but I prefer to run by myself, and most runners I know feel the same. Running is a very physical form of meditation. So if you feel like sprinting, sprint. Run at the pace and distance you feel like on any given day.
Running with a partner, is like sharing a TV, and obsessing on who gets to hold the remote. Also, if you run exclusively on wooded trails, as I do, rain + dirt = mud. Best case you end up incredibly filthy; worst case is a dislocated ankle or broken leg.
Running with a partner, is like sharing a TV, and obsessing on who gets to hold the remote. Also, if you run exclusively on wooded trails, as I do, rain + dirt = mud. Best case you end up incredibly filthy; worst case is a dislocated ankle or broken leg.
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"Running is a very physical form of meditation."-darn, another idea that I thought I had come up with isn't original: exactly my experience with running; the usual obsessions go away and I can just observe the4 pace I'm running and how I feel physically; that's why I love it-my favorite expression is "I run for my head".
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This "VR" thing is getting me out today -- in the rain + dirt on my forested trail. And I'll go it alone, as always, counting strides and breaths. How far will I go? Probably to that big rock at the tip of the lake. Unless it begins to pour...
Can't imagine ever running with anyone else (but husband), esp on such a bleak spring day.
Can't imagine ever running with anyone else (but husband), esp on such a bleak spring day.
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I'd love to run in the woods alone, but how do you get past the fear of being attacked/assaulted when running in an isolated place?
Interesting study. What struck me is that men change behavior in response to both male and female friends, while women change their behavior only in response to female friends. I wish someone would study why that is...
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Women are generally wary of all males and even trust a female stranger over that of a familiar male.
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I would think it is because women don't think they can catch up to the men physically, and therefore focus on other women...
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Be careful what you seek. The answer might be, "men and women are just different" - but of course, maybe I only that kind of attitude because it was ingrained into me as a kid. I blame the patriarchy.
Interesting and useful article. I'm always delighted by the clever approaches that researchers devise to test their hypotheses and overcome obstacles to their studies.
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