Wickedly Average
My team, Lucky Legs, has a facebook-based forum group and we do regularly discuss our running there. I think, as Susan points out, that the forum change after RWOL blew up with spam a while back, disrupted things.
I haven't been on the RWOL forum in a long time.
Tom (formerly known as PhotogTom)
5K - 25:16, 10K - 55:31, 15K - 1:20:55, HM - 1:54:54
Eat my shorts, Eddie.
I'd be sad to see the Miles Game go away. Even though running's been a tough go for me personally (lately), I do like the responsibility to my team my original team, the Free Agents. We do have an active FB page which I enjoy reading.The interest is waning from other areas, that much is clear. I do think it's going to take some fresh ideas to add some new energy to the game--perhaps even a MILES GAME closed group page (is there one already?) on Facebook, opening up to a wider array of runners on FB, even. I joined RA a while ago, but didn't even remember my login, and this forum doesn't seem to have the juice the OLD Runner's World forum did. That said, I'm not sure who is willing to shoulder the burden of adding such energy to the game. However, is there a way to broaden this discussion? Email all the captains of the teams who then can email all the game members? Or a direct email to all team members? I just don't want a few voices to bury the game, or save it. (Though if people aren't willing to speak up, that speaks loudly, too.)
Nooo! Please don't end this. I have been a Free Agent for almost 5 years now. I've been injured since January so I haven't posted on here but I talk to my teammates a few times per week and they have been so helpful in my recovery. Please don't end this game. They are like family to me. We are even finally meeting in March 2015. Don't end this game.
Chief Unicorn Officer
I'm also part of the game and want to see it continue. I don't mind that there's not a huge amount of activity--I do like posting my miles for the week and keeping up with my team on Facebook. I've always liked the more bare bones nature of this particular game--simply post your weekly miles and that's it. So I vote not to end it (which apparently isn't an option?).
Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54
I would also vote to keep the Miles Game. I prefer this format over the 20xx game because we're able to stay on the same team. Some people find re-shuffling fun but I'd rather stay connected. Curious which game came 1st? Seems like I've been playing the 20xx game for 10 years and I know this one has been around for many years too. Never paid much notice until I joined in '12.The forum shift has hurt both games. And while there doesn't seem to be much action on the forums perhaps other teams, like M.R.T. , are chatting on FB. Our team has as much interaction as any of the other teams I've been associated. One of the differences between the games is the format of the results post and the level of competition among teams due to the weekly match ups, All-Star week and playoffs. The Miles Game doesn't focus on that aspect, maybe because it's not emphasized by the admins. I don't know. Some folks didn't care for that on the 20xx Game and others did.One of the things that I feel hurts both games is having "secret" or locked groups. Everyone is talking but in their own little corner with no interaction among teams. Susan Rachel brings up a good point - have an open FB Miles Game forum. This could spark more interest. I know M.R.T. is more active on FB than in our RWOL Thread. We have a daily thread on FB that is very active.
Hi Bob!
Youth Has No Age. ~ Picasso / 1st road race: Charleston Distance Run 15 Miler - 1974 / profile
Please DON'T end the game. I'll admit that I'm not an active participant on RA (or RWOL anymore) but I have been a member of the Free Agents team since 2007. It's been a great motivator for me to keep up my running, and I love that I have running friends that I can support and share things with. Our team has many members who have been part of the game for years, and we've supported each other through injury, personal problems, and lots of other things. We're even planning for many of us to get together early next year for a race. These are people that I never would have known or been close to without the game. While we aren't active on RA or RWOL, we do have an active Facebook page where we communicate daily. It's true that I don't check the results every week, but I do check them regularly, and like having the motivation. I don't see a poll option to keep the game, so I'm not responding to the poll.
I realize that some teams may not have the camaraderie that my team does. Maybe there's a need to combine/mixup members from those teams, or consolidate some of the teams for fewer teams overall. Unfortunately, it's difficult to reach everyone now. I think that Bob's suggestion about a general FB page for announcements is a good one.
How about this - run it until the end of 2014 (that would change my vote) and allow those administrating the game to pass the duties on to someone else or end it at that point if nobody wants to carry the baton. It sounds like there is some interest in keeping things going, but maybe its not enough.
Don't end the game. Please. Revamp if necessary, but don't end it!
I really sounds like it matters which team you are on. My team has no FB page or active thread anywhere. The game for me is just entering a number. If it were to continue with no changes, sadly, I think I would just drop out. I'd hate, however, for my vote to ruin something that other people are enjoying.
Life is good.
My vote would be to continue the game. I've been on the Free Agents for over 6 years now and we have become like a family. At the time of the RWOL forum meltdown, we switched to facebook and have a very active team group. I think that a facebook group for the miles game might get more interest back in the game.
I too would like the game to continue. But it's clear that some changes do need to occur for it to be appealing to a broad group of runners. Some people do it for the competition, some do it for the social support aspect. It would be unwise to break up the teams that have bonded over the years, but each team should still be made competitive. Being competitive week in, week out is not important to a lot of people, but being on a team that consistently came in last while your Facebook feed got barraged with 500 daily alerts on your team's social life or newest Lululemon addition would alienate some people.
Some people are looking for an out from a game that no longer has an appeal to them, others are really bonded to their teams, others not so much. Make everybody still interested sign up again; try to keep people who care about staying their same team together and redistribute those who don't, to try to create fairer teams. Then give people the opportunity to stay with the team they're on, quit altogether, or be put on a new team every year.
It's more work, but at least you won't stay on a team you are indifferent about forever if you don't want to. Without being too gimicky, you can throw in an occasional running related challenge for bonus miles to get people talking and out of their comfort zone a bit.
Just some ideas, but at least we're talking about why those who like the game do and how to make it fun for others.
Very sad to see the game ending but it is not a surprise. Thanks, guys, for taking over and giving it a great shot.
Damaris
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