Hi there, I am currently studying A levels (Biology, Chemistry and Psychology) and I have enroled on a fourth subject. It is called the extended project qualification, it is basicly a large in depth research project on a subject of your choice. The title is going to be something like What is the history of distance running in humans, and how does the activity affect present day humanity?
It is going to be about evoloution and persistance hunting ect. and about the reasons why people run e.g. physical and psychological health benifits.
I am just looking for any input or experiences anyone would like to share that would help me with some ideas. Thanks.
Comments
Try reading Christoher McDougall's book Born to Run. It addresses these issues and is very readable
Agree with above - also you could try Ad Finn - Running with the Kenyans.
I was just reading about this guy; it's a nice story: http://www.badassoftheweek.com/young.html
When I was at school pupils would get sent on cross-country runs as a punishment. Do they still do that? It really annoys me looking back as it just fixes the idea in childrens' minds that running is meant to be unpleasant. I never got sent on one, honest.
Thanks for all the suggestions they have helped a lot, and that story about Cliff Young is insane. To reply to Joe, I don't think they do that anymore and I hope not. Part of this project will be pursuading people to give running a go so I might change a few minds of those punished soles.
I'm bad at spelling and for some reason spellcheck wasn't working. I'm a scientist not a writer.
Aidan I wasn't having a go at your spelling, it was just a really appropriate typo
Without meaning to nag spelling is especially importance in science as it shows attention to detail. Imagine a medic who wrote hypaglycemia instead of hyperglycemia and whoever read it took it to be hypoglycemia - result one dead diabetic.
*important
Sorry
Hahahaha well done WiB. Bear that is a good point I do need to sort it out, thank you.
Doh!!! Grovel grovel - entirely my fault, I changed what I was writing and forgot to edit accordingly, but doznt mater coz ize a runer not a rider.
I have just realised that soles thing, that shows how bad I am I think I have a tiny bit of dyslexia. I one wrote dog bowl as dogbole, hahahahaha.
Spellcheck wouldn't have shown 'soles' as incorrect, as it is a word in its own right
Aidan, what do you need? Are you looking for personal anecdotes?
Do you want to know why we've chosen to do distance running or did you want quotable book recommendations?
Don't worry about the spelling we have all committed the sin of submitting a typo or two every once in a while ... I can't ever remember how to spell embarrassed which is frankly embarrassing especially as it's not exactly a complicated word.
I'm just looking for any suggestions of what to put in the project or research ideas. What do you think is interesting about running or what would you put in 5000 word essay on this topic. I'm going to interview some runners later on in the project to show variety to my research methods.
Hi Aidan,
Try finding some runners biographies and then select anyone from the list for your A level course. Try to read their experiences and then choose the best one for your subject of distance running.
Do ask for any more question....!
Men are faster than women.........but the women are getting faster at a quicker rate than the men........will they one day be equal now that women are getting similar chances of equal food and exercise from a young age........
also women were not allowed to take part in long distance races till recent times.....in the olympics the first womens marathon was in 1984 which for us older people isn't that long ago.......
and for many years were not allowed to run more than a 100m in the olympics as they were too delicate
I say go back to these times, as women are getting far too good at running. The amount of times I've been chicked at races is ridiculous!
On a serious note, that would make quite a good subject. How long until the gap is closed completely, or even reversed?
+1 for reading Born To Run.