Rethinking of activity for Assignment 1.

So a couple of weeks ago when I started this course and found out I had to pick something I would like to learn using a networked and global learning approach I thought great I can finally spend some time learning to use the DSLR camera and how to take good photos which I have been wanting to do for a couple of years now but due to family, work and study commitments I haven’t had the time.

I have discovered over the last few weeks however that a few things have changed or need to change, one of those being my previous study routines if I am to stay sane and complete this course in one piece.This has prompted me to take my own advice and do something I do for my family and I suggest to my students at the beginning of each semester. I have written a plan, a timetable of sorts so that I can achieve all that I want to and still have a family (that will talk to me) at the end of it. Doing this exercise has made me realise that I don’t have the capacity in my already busy life to add in another hobby at this time so I have decided that perhaps I need to use this assignment to take the next step in an existing hobby that I find valuable when I am studying, walking or running to be more precise.

Early this year I participated in a health and fitness challenge with my mum. Firstly to help and support mum to complete the challenge and secondly because I needed to do some exercise again. The challenge was a multi-stage marathon, the idea was to complete a marathon distance (42km) over 4 days either walking, running or a combination of both. There was a 12 week training program to prepare for the challenge and i completed the challenge. Throughout the challenge I met lots of new people and the support was amazing. I was seeing some amazing benefits for myself in just getting out and walking but by the end of the challenge I was inspired by so many of the other challenge participants to start running.

Now I am not runner, I did not run at school, in fact I avoided sports other than dance. At the end of the challenge I set myself another goal and started training to run 8km, i didn’t realise that dream as when I started running I ended up with an injury. I have since been haphazard in my training and pursuit of this challenge.

An opportunity arose about a month ago to participate in another multi challege, this time a multi-stage kilometer-athon. Basically the premise is you choose a distance 20km, 30km,40km or 50km to complete over 2 days either walking, running or a combination of both. I decided to do this challenge and get some focus and regularity back into my exercise. So I have chosen to do 30km over 2 days with the intention to run at least 5km each day.

So this is where the assignment comes in. I am going to learn to run! I am going to research running, learn about the techniques, injury management and anything else I can find out then put it into practice and hopefully achieve my goal of running at least 5km each day of the challege in October. 

Me as a learner

Why learn to run?

For me learning to run is a challenge and I do like a challenge. As I said before I am not a runner and never have been, I also know from past attempts that it is not something I am good at.

The fact that I am not good at running is a reason to learn but I also want to use this to role model something I tell my kids all the time and that is ” I don’t care how well you do something the important thing is that you have a go and try”, “I am more interested in the effort you put in than the end result”

Another reason for me to learn to run is for the health benefits associated with running or regular exercise, I need to make exercise a routine part of my life and I know that i feel better within myself and cope with all the things life throws at me more effectively when I exercise regularly.

I believe running will be something I can learn through networked learning as there are alot of runners out there and many fitness blogs and videos. I am currently part of a facebook group with the multi-stage kilometer-a-thon challenge where participants in the challenge support each other. I also know there are many apps and programs out there for people to track progress and share that information with others so I am looking forward to exploring this more.

I am also interested to see how networked learning can assist me in learning and I am glad that it can be something where the only pressure to suceed is the pressure I place on myself. In my professional life there has always been a high risk of letting someone down,of having a potentially negative impact on someone’s life at times life threatening impact and therefore any professional learning I have done has had consequences if I didn’t get it right. It is nice to think that I can learn something and at the end of the day if I don’t get it someone is not going to have their life adversly affected.

I am worried about learning in a networked way, I am worried about becoming engrossed and loosing track of time but that is a risk I am going to have to take.