Run For Fun by Kenneth Mascaro

RUN FOR FUN Personal Health Awareness / Exercise Amongst College Students Kenneth Mascaro IDES 431 01 Jason Lempieri / Jonas Milder Fall 2013

I have always been a fairly active person. Whether it be on my skateboard or on the running trail, I always try to keep myself in shape and moving. I have found that through being physically active I can work harder, push myself, and strive to achieve greater things that I feel would not be possible if I were not being as active as I am. I have found running to be a key ingredient in my physical activity and I feel as though it is one of the most basic ways to stay active. I wanted to understand what importance of running in other peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives and what effects it had on them.

Table of Content

Introduction

1-4

Interviews Surveys Literature Review Precedents

5 - 20 21 - 28 29 - 36 37 - 42

Other Experiences

43 - 48

Concept Development Action Research / Testing

53 - 68 69 - 84

Introduction

“Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you’re young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don’t let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself.” - John Bingham, running speaker and writer

Why is running important?

Why did you decide to start? Most likely your answer includes feeling better ... ... physically, mentally, emotionally. Running is among the best aerobic exercises for physical conditioning of your heart and lungs. Studies have shown the health benefits to be enormous, reducing the likelihood of everything from the common cold to cancer. Your stamina will increase. You’ll lose weight; most beginners lose nearly a pound a week. Just as important, running--like many forms of exercise -- is a great cure for stress, emotional strain, even mild depression. You’ll likely find yourself with fewer headaches and more energy, patience, humor and creativity. Studies have found that healthy adults who exercise regularly are generally happier than those who don’t. And running, quite simply, is convenient. You don’t need any elaborate gear. No special playing field or apparatus. No need to juggle the schedules of others. Just a pair of shoes and the inclination to get out the door.

I wanted to search for that motivation and that meaning behind people run. I wanted to know what some of the driving forces were and what the running culture was really all about. My initial search / key terms included: Running Motivation Inspiration Time management Products Running locations Running paths Exercise

active.com

Interviews

Lauren Peters Student - nursing 21 years old Ran cross-country in high school

How far would you say you run on average? A: 6 - 7 miles. How often do you run? (ie. days in one week) A: 3 - 4 times a week. Where do you like to run? (ie. the route you may take, favorite destinations) A: Trails or wooded areas. Do you use any electronic devices / programs while you run? (ie. iPhone, music, apps, etc.) A: None. What inspires you to run? (it can literally be anything) A: To be honest, I’m not sure – I’ve just always loved it, makes me feel alive. This is the best way I can describe… “Why do i run? I run for health. I run for sanity. I run for my heart, my lungs, my head, my soul. I run for me. I run for life. I run because I can. But mostly I run so that when you slowly start to pass me in a race, or even just out on the local trail or wherever, I can speed up a little bit and not let you do it. That’s why I run.” How do you keep yourself motivated with exercise in general? A: I feel depressed if I don’t. Running/exercise in general is a big portion of my identity (at this stage in my life). Motivation can also be current races I enroll in. Do you run with other people or by yourself typically? A: Even distribution of each. Do you ever get bored with running? A: Never.

Are you involved with any other sports? A: No. Do you have a schedule you use for managing your time between exercise, school, work, etc.? A: Yess. Run on Tuesdays and Thursdays after clinical, as well as Saturday and Sundays (days off). Have you or anyone you’ve ever known struggled with a lack of motivation to run? ... whether it be because of schooling, or work, etc. A: Oh boy yes I have..all the time. Usually when it’s cold or when I’m extremely tired or when I am overwhelmed with school or when its dark..happens rarely. but I also can be very highly motivated to run.. How did the transition from highschool to college affect your running habits or your ability to go running?

Takeaways: - Lauren is very poetic with her wording on what inspires her and what motivates her; I can tell she truly enjoys it - Lauren is very determined and is a very competitive runner - She enjoys both the social aspects of running along with the feeling of being independent - She has a set schedule for running that she knows, which helps her stay on track - Poor weather affects her motivation to want to go out and run - Injuries don’t seem to stop her from running

A: Transition to running after college...welp, I was getting over a stress fracture in my ankle so I wasn’t actually running. when I got back into it I was so excited that I overdid it..it didn’t help that I was reading a biography about an ultramarathoner. Anyway I ended up with Achilles tendonitis and couldn’t run for months. That certainly taught me a lesson and now I make sure that I never over do it. And when I do to ease up (better to lose a few days than many weeks/months).

Interviews

Joey Kurcina Student - accounting 21 years old Ran track in high school

How far would you say you run on average? A: I usually run 5 to 6 miles a day. How often do you run? (ie. days in one week) A: I run about 5 days a week. Where do you like to run? (ie. the route you may take, favorite destinations) A: I usually like to run around the neighborhoods close to my campus. Do you use any electronic devices / programs while you run? (ie. iPhone, music, apps, etc.) A: Yes, I usually run with my iPod Classic. What inspires you to run? (it can literally be anything) A: The females (wink). How do you keep yourself motivated with exercise in general? A: I have a routine that I make sure I follow everyday. So if you do it everyday you get used to doing that. Do you run with other people or by yourself typically? A: I usually run by myself but I do run with people here and there. Do you ever get bored with running? A: Yes on occasion I do. But not normally. Are you involved with any other sports? A: I was involved in swimming in high school but after I graduated not really.

Do you have a schedule you use for managing your time between exercise, school, work, etc.? A: Yes I do. You almost have to or you won’t get everything you wanted to do in a day done. Have you or anyone you’ve ever known struggled with a lack of motivation to run? ... whether it be because of schooling, or work, etc. A: Yes the main reason why I would have lack of motivation is the weather. Especially if it’s cold or raining outside. How did the transition from highschool to college affect your running habits or your ability to go running? A: I would say the transition forced me to run more miles because the races in college are further distance than high school races.

Takeaways: - Joe is somewhat lo-tech; he only runs with his iPod it seems - Joe has this schedule that he knows and is use to by now that keeps him on point with running - He has a somewhat nice balance between running by himself and running with others; does seem to run by himself more though - Sometimes gets bored with running - Poor weather conditions affect his motivation to run

Interviews

Jon Grey Professional runner Team USA MN 25 years old Has a twin brother - runs as well

How far would you say you run on average? A: On average I run about 80-90 miles a week, running nearly every day of the week (I only rarely take days off, but they happen). The average run is around between 8-12 miles. How often do you run? (ie. days in one week) A: (Look at number 1) Where do you like to run? (ie. the route you may take, favorite destinations) A: My favorite place to run is in the woods on trails, or on the bike paths near my house right by the lakes (I live in the land of 10,000 lakes so they are not hard to run into!). I hate treadmills, but going back to where I live... WINTER SUCKS so sometimes it is the safest/best place to run. Do you use any electronic devices / programs while you run? (ie. iPhone, music, apps, etc.) A: Nope, I am extremely low tech, I have all the cool devices (I have a garmin gps with a heart rate monitor and a solid Timex 50 lap watch but I barely use them) Most of my runs at this point I kind of know by heart and all that matters for me is getting in the correct effort. I don’t listen to music, and usually my “all tech’d out” is my watch and shades and off I go. Things I occasionally use... Mapmyrun.com, when I do need to know this is the shit. What inspires you to run? (it can literally be anything) A: Ooh, the million dollar question. Luckily this is easy, I run because I love it, it is something that I get to do on my terms and testing my body’s limits is incredible. I been able to do A LOT of amazing things because of running, and they were mostly only possible because of running. It is my escape, my outlet, my challenge, my measuring stick. I determine exactly what I get out of each and every day. This question could obviously be expanded upon but I want to make sure that I know the context and/or questions to guide me because this could go on for days!

How do you keep yourself motivated with exercise in general? A: This is something I truly love to do. I have had THREE hip surgeries (repairing torn cartilage in my hip) and I still love getting out and running. It is also my outlet and stress reliever for the day, so it just makes me have a better day. (I want to re-word this, as it sounds silly and more intense then I want but for now close enough). Do you run with other people or by yourself typically? A: I live with my twin brother Matt who also runs, and I do have my teammates on Team USA MN that I train with so that at least gives me some people, but on average about 50% or more of my runs have been solo (hip surgeries didnt help). I prefer running in smaller groups or alone though. Do you ever get bored with running? A: Nope, just tired and sore. I can definitely feel “burned out” but that is usually just from high level racing and I never hate an easy run. Are you involved with any other sports? A: Nope, just running. I played all kinds of sports growing up (soccer, baseball, swimming) but with the goals I have, those are just extra chances to get hurt. Do you have a schedule you use for managing your time between exercise, school, work, etc.? A: KIND OF, I just recently got a dry erase board calendar, and that has been awesome. It is only one month at a time, but it works for me, and I already have most of my training/other job schedule set so it makes things easier. Even my running (especially off days where I run by myself) just kind of happens... I love running at night so that also makes sure my schedule stays “normal” Have you or anyone you’ve ever known struggled with a lack of motivation to run? ... whether it be because of schooling, or work, etc. A: All runners deal with it at some point... To be as good as I am I have had to give up a lot of my social life and many other things. Luckily for me I have managed to turn that into US Teams, travel abroad, and many other races where many of my teammates/friends haven’t been so lucky. This is a TOUGH sport with very little societal upside so it is tough to stay 100% invested. I have had 3 hip surgeries, so I have definitely dealt with it. I am far from the only one and we (runners) all find different ways to calm that demon down. How did the transition from high school to college affect your running habits or your ability to go running? A: Well college for me was “running with part time school” so at the end of the day I was going running and just happened to get a degree. So my habits got a lot more structured in college and I had to learn to be able to remove distractions from my “training schedule”. I worked my ass off as a runner in college, and I am NOT the norm in any way... There is a reason I was a 3 time all American in basically 2.5 seasons of being healthy and my team all knows me for my absurd work ethic. 12

Takeaways: - The amount of miles Jon runs is insane; that is literally double the average work week of someone who isn’t running during those same hours - Bad weather affects him a lot as well; hates the winter, especially where he lives - Doesn’t like the treadmill, but will make sacrifices sometimes just so he can run - Minimalist with running; doesn’t carry a lot of technology while running

Jon and his brother Matt

- Mapmyrun.com user; good source of information for figuring out routes and tracking activity - Jon is also very poetic with his description why he runs; very beautiful - He’s pushed passed the aspect of pain with those three hip surgeries, which haven’t stopped him from continuing to run - Prefers running in smaller groups or alone - Has a schedule he is currently trying to work into his life so he can keep himself on track

Seems to be working for him

- Says that ALL runners deal with a lack of motivation at some point in their lives

Interviews

Bridget Irelan Residence life coordinator - on campus (UArts) Runs as well

Notes from my interview with Bridget: Her running route consists of starting on Spruce and venturing down to the Schuylkill River Trail... then she goes down Kelly Drive and back to MLK drive... appx. an 8 mile loop Interesting thoughts on cobblestone vs. concrete textures? She gets angry at intersections because of the street lights She is currently training for the Disney Marathon (Gave me a schedule of when to run - provided by the people organizing the marathon) “It’s nice coming to work and knowing I’ve done my workout for the day.” -- in regards to doing her workout in the morning as opposed to when I usually run, which is in the evening after classes Hates the arm band for the iPhone --- finds it to be irritating Listens to podcasts on her iPhone Takes her I.D., keys, and phone for short runs Uses a Camelback for longer runs, doesn’t think they slow her down at all Hates the hydration belt -- look up Wears Nike Pegasus 30 Leopard print Waterproof Hates spending money on running shoes ... but says, “there’s nothing like a real running shoe” Uses “I Smooth Run application?” Application does walk-run ratios -- tell you when to run and when to walk -- Bridget has bad knees She runs by herself Doesn’t want to “girl chat” “Me” time “Get out there when I want”

Runs races with her brother -- Brother runs track and seems to be a fairly serious runner (have his contact information) She also does Combat workout 2 - 3 times a week She’s also trying to get back into yoga --- Has that printed schedule she uses and modifies with her runs (Disney Marathon)

--- Seems to be successful

Takeaways: - Has a set schedule at the moment for training for the Disney Marathon - Doesn’t want too much extra to carry with her when she runs

Takes the bare essentials

- Loves her running shoes and didn’t mind spending the money on them because of how nice they are - Independent runner

After she runs a race, she won’t want to run for a month She enjoys the training though it seems Visual display Brother’s name is “Patrick Irelan” Have you or anyone you’ve ever known struggled with a lack of motivation to run? ... whether it be because of schooling, or work, etc. A: Definitely! Training for this marathon is really the only time I’ve stuck to a training plan and been super motivated. Work has been an issue in the past, especially with the on call schedule, but I’ve just gotten over it and ran through it.

Her time to run

- Try to do other things as well like yoga and the combat workout - Loss of motivation after she does a big marathon; doesn’t really want to run - Sticking to a training plan has really helped her with the lack of motivation she experiences sometimes with running - Bridget wasn’t very drivent to run until after college

How did the transition from highschool to college affect your running habits or your ability to go running? A: I actually didn’t start running regularly until after college. I played field hockey in high school and ran a lot for that, but when I got to college, it was much easier to eat Easy Mac, party too much and sleep in. I have also begun to discuss with Bridget the idea of partnering with reslife to get some backing as far as funding and spreading of the word goes with a potential project in the future. Bridget said she could certainly talk to the ladies in the office about working together

Runner Classification / Understanding

Attempt to classify runners based on answers given during interviews. The range of runners consisted of three main categories:

Used this diagraming method to plot and map out each of these runners and their answers they gave me from the interviews.

Experienced runner Average runner Novice runner

From this mapping method I was able to make comparisons between each of the runners that would allow me to move forward.

These were the consistencies that were discovered between each of the interviews and the further breakdown of the interviews afterwards. Receiving this sort of feedback helped gain understanding as to why non-runners donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t run and what allows these runners to keep up with their running routinely.

- The weather seems to be an ongoing issue and examining where the most of these runners live which is primrily on the east coast, the weather is constantly changing with the seasons - Most of these people run by themselves or in smaller groups - A set visual schedule or a mental schedule seems to be present within each of these that really help each of these runners stay on schedule and keep up with their running

Analysis

What makes these stand out?

What are these answers saying?

How could these be applied to my project?

The fact that each of these interviewees all mentioned the cold weather at some point whether I asked them about it or not makes this a very interesting element to look at

The weather is a motivational killer for these runners.

How can I re-create the running environment, but not lose any of the aspects of the experience of running?

I had no initial thought of what the preference would be with running, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very interesting to see that many of these people run by themselves

Running alone is a PREFERENCE

I was surprised to see how organized these people were with running

This tells me that setting a schedule really helps take out the lack of motivation

Is there a way to incorporate something into other peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; already existing schedules?

Creating a schedule or knowing a schedule is a sign of true effort to me

Getting into a routine of things can keep you on track and motivated

Try and create an addition to the student schedule for non-runners

This is an issue because this is huge part of the environment that people run in

This type of experience is unique to these people

The surroundings could take on a new form

Running solo is interesting, but I need to research further what not only runners, but also non-runners prefer Find a balance between the two

Next Steps ...

After reviewing the information gathered following the interviews, I found many interesting aspects and topics to look into further. The three most prominent and important factors I am noticing are running alone, the changes in the weather, and a set schedule of some sort. These three factors are very important and aide or harm the motivation of staying physically active for these runners. While this is valuable information, I still feel as though it is not much to go on, so I think the next steps in this would be to talk to some other people who may not be runners or as physically active.

These initial interviews were primarily for me to gain an understanding of what runners or people who are very physically active do to stay on top of things and stay physically active. Runners are not my primary user groups necessarily, but these key elements I have pulled out were applicable to my project in some way or another.

After this, I recognized that there may be more opportunity within talking to more college students on the University of the Arts campus. I also wanted to begin looking into elements of play and how that can be incorporated into running because of the fact that it seems as though the people who are not runners aren’t runners because of the term, “running.” I even find myself sometimes grumbling over the idea of a run when I really should go for one.

Tasks: - Survey students at UArts about their level of physical activity:

What motviates them?

Do they go to the gym?

What interferes with their time to exercise? Etc. - Research alternatives to running environments or the manner in which running is done - Look at systems that provide physical motivation and not just something that’s philosophical - Look into playful ways of exercise or fitness

Surveys

Survey on physical activity Surveys were posted on all of the University of the Arts Facebook pages for the varying class years. The survey consisted of 10 questions that asked the students about their level of physical activity. The questions are as follow:

1. Do you do any form of exercise? What is it? 2. Are you a member of a gym here in Philadelphia? 3. Do you find that school work gets in the way of your time to be physically active? 4. Do you think you are more physically active during the warmer months or during the colder months? 5. What motivates you to stay physically active or why do you think being physically active is important? 6. Have you ever attended any of the clubs here on campus that involve a good amount of PHYSICAL ACTIVITY such as Salsa Club, Slacklining Club, etc.? 7. What is the biggest motivational killer for YOURSELF with staying physically active? 8. Do you ever reward yourself for exercising? With what? 9. Do you ever go running? 10. What is your favorite childhood game? (ie. tag, hide and seek, capture the flag, etc.) ... and what video games did you play as a child?

For this set of surveys I used SurveyMonkey.com because it provides a lot of good options with ways in which you can ask questions along with the varying types of ways you can read the responses given such as via charts, graphs, text, etc.

Responses: “I don’t really want to.”

“It takes a lot of energy that I don’t have.”

“Well if I’m feeling depressed or fatigue I find it hard to motivate myself to be physical.”

“Not having a good place to work out, like gym equipment or trails to run on.”

“Gyms here are expensive, there is not one on campus.”

“Laziness, I also get sick a lot, so that fucks up any routine I may have established, and it’s hard to get back into it.”

“Having too much homework and lack of sleep.” “Too much schoolwork to do, I even have no time to sleep enough.” “Being tired/sleepy and mentally exhausted.” “Being too tired mentally or physically.” “Lack of time. School is the killer.” “Netflix!” “Injuries.”

“The gym is too far away, we need one on campus that is free.” “Being tired.” “Too much work/not enough time.” “Gaining weight.” “Loss of motivation, looking at other people’s physical attributes and being disappointed in your own.”

“Family.”

“Figuring out when to shower and eat throughout the day. If I shower in the morning, I’m much less likely to exercise later. (This is lesser to previously mentioned conflicts like time and temperature)”

“Not enough time for it because of homework.”

“Working out is boring.”

“My schedule and being tired.”

“School work.”

Being extremely lazy. I would much rather lay in bed and watch Netflix than go for a run.”

“Having no energy.”

“Being tired after classes.” “Committing to a specific time and place to work out.”

“Acid reflux.” “No gym.”

“Not getting enough sleep/not eating well makes it very difficult to be physically active.”

Analysis

What makes these stand out?

What are these answers saying?

How could these be applied to my project?

With the availability of gyms here in the city, I would have expected more people to be involved with the local gyms

I think the lack of gym memberships are due primarily to the location of the gym and also the issue of cost

Could create a space that is free to the students

This is interesting because if no one is really going to the gyms, and they aren’t really involved with any of the clubs that are very physically active, what are they doing?

There is something strangely unappealing or uninteresting with these

How do I lure people in more? Hook?

There was a lot of variety with these answers, but there were some consistencies

These answers were extremely helpful because they gave me insight as to what the students issues were and what THEY needed (ie. no gym on campus, being tired, etc.)

There is also the issue of these groups interfering with peoples’ schedules

There are also many places on campus that I can reserve for the students to use

Create something that is more physically rewarding than just that feeling of “being healthy”

Provide an alternative physical activity that is more enjoyable Create a fun space Something that works with everyone’s schedule

Next Steps ...

The students here at the University of the Arts seem to have the issue of having a good place to be active within. They also need a place the fits their needs of something close, free, and easy. In a perfect situation, it should be something just as easy and as appealing as Netflix. It could also be something that lures them in, some form of a reward system. The reward system in my mind immediately brings up aspects of games and the method of gamifying. My questions I now ask myself are:

- What ways can I create a more appealing space to workout in?

- How can I make it fun?

- What ways can I lure students in that is not simply just that feeling of “being healthy?” A reward system? Gamification?

- What ways can I incorporate this into their schedules so that it doesn’t conflict in any way?

Tasks: - Research more statistics on physical activity of college students Why are they tired? What affects their ability to stay fit? Etc. - Research gamification

Literature Review

... young adults (18 - 24) in the United States attend college.

In a study assessing

cardiovascular health among college students,

nearly

60% of participants reported

high or very high stress. Research has shown a substantial decrease in physical activity (PA) during the transition from adolescence into adulthood. This behavioral change is of particular importance because lack of PA is one of the top three modifiable risk factors of chronic disease and premature death.

Literature Review

In this article, Michael Wu, Ph.D. digs into the dynamics of group behavior and social interaction via gamification. Human behavior is a result of the precise temporal convergence of three factors:

Takeaways: - This article furthered my understanding of gamification and how it works as a model

1. Motivation: the person wants desperately to perform the behavior (i.e. he is highly motivated) 2. Ability: the person can easily carry out the behavior (i.e. he considers the behavior very simple) 3. Trigger: the person is triggered to do the behavior (i.e. he is cued, reminded, asked, called to action, etc.)

- This model can definitely be applicable to my project in a way that would bring college students in and try out any activities I could set them up with

Advertise and prompt them with a reward of some sort.

Game mechanics and game dynamics are able to positively influence human behavior because they are designed to drive the players above the activation threshold (i.e. the upper right of the ability-motivation axis), and then trigger them into specific actions. In other words, successful gamification is all about making these three factors occur at the same time.

Create a point system to follow

Give them a sense of belonging (ie. this is for everyone)

Figure 2. Translation of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs into Dan Pink’s motivators and how they are then applied within game mechanics and game dynamics.

This graphic helped me recognize how the psychology of gamification works and how the idea of a reward system really stems from something we experience psychologically.

- The students at UArts are busy and flustered with school work, make sure this system is appealing and beneficial to them - Image is important to the students as well; create a community that is supportive to everyone no matter what their level of activity is or what others think of them

Incorporate the strategies of the game to support this (ie. just because you’re quick doesn’t mean you’re going to win)

Literature Review

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Born to Run is a non-fictional book written by Christopher McDougall. Christopher writes about his journeys to discover the secrets of the Tarahumara Indians, who are a group of people capable of supposedly running hundreds of miles without injuries or rest. In the process, he takes the reader to varying places where running is prominent throughout culture and science.

The Tarahumara run because it is something that has been part of their culture for forever and they never get bored from it. It is their way of lifestyle and shows how they have adopted a way of living out of something that some use as simply a form of exercise.

Reading this book makes me really think about how I could potentially create a way to prompt our culture to adopt a new way of living similar to that of the Tarahumara. The concept of physical fitness being habitual would ultimately be the best way to get others to be active. Our culture today is so technology-based and the Tarahumara are the complete opposite and yet they still seem to be more active and free than we are. I would really much like to avoid being overly technology-based with this project to get back to some of the roots of being physically active just as the Tarahumara do.

Precedents

Being physically active with others helps with flaws in motivation and provides camaraderie. The November Project provides such a great community for EVERYONE to enjoy and be a part of. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter here what your skill level of exercise or fitness is. You just have to show up. Groups bring in an alternative to activities like running in that many of the people I talked with who ran preferred running by themselves.

City Sports Run Club Meet every Thursday at 6 p.m. at City Sports on Walnut Street.

November Project Co-founded by Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric in Boston, Massachusetts. Wanted to keep exercising during the winter months, so they made a promise to one another to meet three times a week all year, no matter the weather.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;What we actually lacked was the motivation to wake up and workout before the workforce started storming the streets. We also realized that it was really hard to get motivated on our own.â&#x20AC;?

Precedents

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Zombie Runâ&#x20AC;? takes place in numerous areas and is a very interesting way that runners have added themes to running. The run is typically 3.1 miles long and consists of obstacles such as mud pits, barriers, and of course, ZOMBIES. Outrun them and stay alive!

The obstacles that runners have to overcome during this race present a new challenge and experience for runners, which is what makes it so interesting. Community building is also very prominent here as well. Some of the responses I received from my surveys as well were that exercising and running is boring... this is an alternative. There is not only a sense of community and fun, but also elements of gamification:

There are life flags that you wear (seen in top image) that you want to keep the zombies from grabbing, but, even if you run out of them, you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t out of the race. This creates a goal people can try to accomplish for themselves even though there is no reward at the end if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve managed to keep your flags.

However, when you sign up and pay you receive some freebies for participating anyway.

Photos by: Den Sweeney Photography

Other Experiences

The National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York has just about every game you could imagine in it. Visiting this museum helped gain some understanding of where gaming and play have come from. The museum had everything from life-size Sorry to a game that will make your eyes well up with tears (shown to the right). This variation and differentiation between games gave me a great deal of understanding as to how games can have so many different purposes and meanings. In some instances such as the game shown on the right, it makes me think about the Tarahumara Indians lived, strangely. Just as this game is very transparent and raw, so are the Tarahumara with their running and the games they play while running.

These were some of the quotes I took photos of at the museum because of how much they struck me. These quotes give me understanding of how â&#x20AC;&#x153;playâ&#x20AC;? is evident in many things and it made me think of how I how play is really prominent in gamification as well.

Gamification Course - University of Pennsylvania Kevin Werbach (photo on right) This is a course that is being taught online for free at the University of Pennsylvania in the spring that I have signed up to take. I am looking forward to getting a lot out of this course as well as being in contact with Kevin Werbach who teaches the course.

Kevin Werbach

Associate Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics University of Pennsylvania Education: JD, Harvard University, 1994; BA, University of California at Berkeley, 1991

Project Statement

Designing a system that gamifies running in a manner that is fun and energetic. The goal of this project is to ultimately change the experience of running from being dreaded by some to enjoyed by all.

Project Strategy

I would like to focus on adjusting the game to fit the space. The more I get the users to engage the space, the more evolved the game can become, and the more exciting it can be. I want to also figure out what the students want the most and what their needs are. I feel that finding a balance between these two aspects will provide the most promising outcome.

Concept Development

Analysis

THINKING: WHAT DO THE STUDENTS NEED? FOOD BOOKS SCHOOL SUPPLIES

REWARDS?

Next Steps ...

ACTION RESEARCH + TESTING

Action Research / Testing

Solmssen Court Hamilton Hall - The University of the Arts

I wanted to begin working with this concept by seeing what spaces were available. Key Aspects:

Indoors - protection from the elements Communal space Large space Obstacles readily accessible Varying levels to work with

Iteration #1 Gamification of running

Candy Cane Race - Independent Race I set up this game to see if I could get others to simply participate. This concept was derived from the idea of a reward system, which is prominent in a few of my concepts, but the main focus here is to have an event take place indoors locally. Candy canes were used as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;tokensâ&#x20AC;? because of the holiday season. They were placed on each of the 3 levels of catwalks for students to collect: 2nd floor - green candy canes (2 points each) 3rd floor - red candy canes (3 points each) 4th floor - blue candy canes (5 points each) Note: The blue candy canes on the top floor were hidden to provide some variety and an extra level of difficulty when racing up to the top.

The top 3 people who collected the most points then received a $5.00 Starbucks gift card.

Action Research / Testing

Iteration #1 Gamification of running

Candy Cane Race - Analysis After the students did the race and rewards were handed out, I had the users fill out a brief evaluation sheet asking about their experience with the game. The questions consisted of: 1. What was your favorite aspect of the game? 2. What did you dislike about the game? 3. What motivated you to come and play the games? (ie. for the candy canes, the gift cards, physical health, etc.) 4. If this were YOUR game, what would you do differently? 5. Would you rather have this game be team-based or every person for themselves?

Evaluations: 1. Answers received:

4. Answers received:

The competitive spirit I enjoy the activity of the game The start Running The start allowed for strategizing the best attack

(No answer) More like a race and maze Not hide the objects on the third level Hitting involved I would give more people the opportunity and keep in mind others that can’t participate as quickly as others

Watching people go crazy for candy canes (observer) 2. Answers received: (Nothing was disliked) Need more candy canes? And area The looking for hidden objects Nothing I couldn’t find hidden candy That I didn’t run (observer) 3. Answers received: The gift card Friends and society decorum Gift cards Chance Friends and free stuff (potential headline or title?)

Nothing, it was brilliant just like Black Friday (observer) 5. Answers received: Team-based would be fun because it would become more strategical Every person for themselves Team-based Every person for themselves I enjoy every man for themselves but team games give a more even playing field Everyone for themselves (observer)

I didn’t know about them so it was a lovely surprise (observer)

Takeaways:

- Just from initial observations off the start, they really were going at it - There was a level of competitiveness that drove them to want to really run, which was excellent - The reward system works - The alterations that were given as suggestions can easily be incorporated into the game I want the students to design the game anyways, so this is excellent - The varying answers that I received from this game corresponded well with the initial answers I received from the runners that I interviewed: Elements of competitiveness Individual effort, not so much team-based Someone actually said that their favorite aspect of the game was RUNNING

S.W.O.T. Analysis

Strengths

- This subject matter is extremely interesting to me, which has kept me extremely motivated to push this project - I have people who have really enjoyed helping me (ie. the runners I have interviewed and the students at UArts) - There are a lot of directions this project can go within the realm of gamification, but within that I have created constraints that keep the project focused until that step of expansion is more promising

Weaknesses

- I need to find a more involved set of stakeholders for my project - I would really be excited to have someone such as Kevin Werbach backing my project and supporting me. I am currently in the process of contacting him - Getting people to test my activities is a bit of challenge. Once they are there getting involved they love it, but the issue I think is really grabbing their attention. At the same time, however, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve only had one activity thus far and it was also not advertised as much as I would have liked it to be

Opportunities

- If Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m able to get into contact with Kevin Werbach, I think he could be of tremendous help with my project

Threads

- The activity of running is still an underlying theme

- The gaming world has a lot of design aspects that are not only usable within the world of video games and technology, but also within the realm of being physically active - I think there is a real potential with this project because of the shear joy I experienced watching the students participate in my activities - I can really see this project escalating into something I am truly proud of

Project Plan and Timeline

Project Plan

My plans for moving forward include a lot more action research along with some testing of various prototypes. The action research and testing would incorporate the prototypes and hopefully help me understand how the students interact with the space and the elements of the game. I really want this game to be designed by the students.

Timeline

This timeline represents the next steps I would like to take with the project. Some time frames will fluctuate and vary depending on the amount of work and troubleshooting involved.

Continue to build relationships with the students.

Use the collected information to better understand the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs.

Focus the idea and refine the prototypes.

Present

Follow-up on action research and testing.

Get into contact with Kevin Werbach and try and get his support on this project.

Collect data from other schools and begin to see if testing at these schools is promising.

Contact other schools as well, find more professors that may be able to assist.

Look at other locations in Philadelphia as well, maybe not just the college campuses?

Continue to refine the prototypes and hopefully begin to tighten up the details of this.

Refine concept and prototypes. Build final models and pieces of game and distribute.

Keep researching as well though on any issues that arise.

April

Final tests and collections of data/feedback.

Step back from project and begin to look at whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s missing.

Wrap up project. Final analysis and summary.

What works really well? How can it be better?

Appendix

Sources

http://runnersforlife.com/page/the-penguin-chronicles-interview-with-john-bingham https://thezombierun.com/location/philadelphia/ https://lgst.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/1159/overview http://www.active.com/running/articles/why-run http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/perks-running-solo-or-social http://running.about.com/od/runninghumor/a/runningquotes_2.htm https://www.coursera.org/course/gamification http://lithosphere.lithium.com/t5/science-of-social-blog/Gamification-101-The-Psychology-of-Motivation/ba-p/21864 McDougall, Christopher. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. Print. Chandler, Nathan, and Sara Novak. “10 Tips for Maintaining Your Motivation to Run.” HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2013. November Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2013. VanKim, Nicole A., and Toben F. Nelson. “Vigorous Physical Activity, Mental Health, Perceived Stress, and Socializing Among College Students.” American Journal of Health Promotion 28.1 (2013): 7-15. Print.