RunningAHEAD - Topic: Balkanization of the RA Forums--a rant

perfesserr

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 8/5/2007 at 8:07 PM
modified: 8/5/2007 at 8:55 PM

I recently browsed some of the "user group" forums here on RA, and found a wealth of information, most of it not specific to the group, which really belonged on the main forum. For example, the "2000 miles" group forum has lots of great information, not directly related to the goal of running 2000 miles/year. Like the thread, "running and cancer". Is this information ONLY relevant to those running over 2000 miles per year? I don't think so. I've run 9 marathons/ultras this year and this information is of interest to me, but since I am projecting "only" about 1800 miles this year I am not part of that group and would ordinarily never have seen those posts. Anyway I don't have the time or inclination to parse the dozens of user groups on this site, looking for topics of interest. I look at the main forum and if it's not there, I probably won't see it, or contribute to it. My concern is that these "user group" forums are cannibalizing the main forum, which is by consensus the best part of RA. That is, much good and informative dialog is going onto special interest forums where only a few members will ever see it, and not appearing on the main RA forum where we can all benefit from it. Will all of the good dialog migrate to the special interest user groups, rendering the main forum irrelevant? I hope not. I like reading all the posts, from newbies to veterans like jlynnbob. If the thread subject line doesn't interest me, I don't read it. I've seen this happen on other forums, as they grow they evolve into cliques, and the dialog fractures into multiple special-interest groups. I hope it's not happening here, I like the RA forum.

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

Western States 100 June 2016

zoom-zoom

rectumdamnnearkilledem

posted: 8/5/2007 at 8:15 PM

I think that's an excellent point and I have actually had that same concern festering in the back of my mind recently, too. I've really tried to post my own threads that are of general running interest on the main boards for that very reason. Sometimes I will have a question or topic in mind that I'm not really sure where to put--specifically when then concern things like women's health issues or weight loss, since I am admin. for both the Ladies Locker Room and Jiggly Joggers groups--sometimes I think we have topics of discussion in these places that would be of interest to the general readership. So there have been times where I've cross-posted a bit. Of course, there are some very off-topic boards, which are kind of nice to have sequestered away. I understand the fear of clique-ishness, too. I've been on more than a few boards where good friends have grown into enemies from that sort of adolescent behavior. BUT I will preface that by saying that in every case it's been on message boards that were 90% or more female in makeup. I don't know what it is about women's boards, but they can be really divisive. As a result I have little use for women-only sites. I have found that the lack of that sort of behavior in the Ladies Locker Room group is really refreshing...I guess maybe all of us gals are coming from the same place when it comes to that sort of thing. We're all very tolerant of our differences, but not of catty behavior. k

Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.

~ Sarah Kay

mikeymike

posted: 8/5/2007 at 9:03 PM

Perfesser, please don't go telling the unwashed masses about the content in the 2000 swamp. It's only for really cool people. Oh. Wait. Not what I meant. Anyway. Initially I felt the same way you do. I thought the groups were totally unnecessary--hell I thought the main forum was too compartmentalized with training, racing, nutrition, equipment, etc. each having its own forum. I thought why not just have one big form called "Running"? But now I like having my little clique that I can go to and just be myself--not have to be polite or patient, be able to let loose my sarcasm and wiseassery without worrying about offending anyone. I like that there are lots of conversations that I have no interest in at all happening in groups that I'm not a member of so I don't have to see it in the main forum. I also like that traffic is pretty light in the 2k forum so if I'm following a thread and I don't check in at RA for a day, it hasn't blown up into some 5 page amalgam by the next time I check in. I think what's happening here is a pretty normal evolution as the site gets more popular. It's good to mingle with the whole community out in public a lot of the time, but sometimes you just want to chill with your own crew too. Also the "running and cancer" thread wasn't about running and cancer or ultras. It was about beer. And fudge. And salt water taffy. Did you even read it?? Hellooo.

Runners run

perfesserr

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 8/5/2007 at 9:14 PM
modified: 8/5/2007 at 10:03 PM

OK, beer, fudge, and salt water taffy--we all want to read about that! Don't just limit to the 2000-mile group! Kind of makes my point, doesn't it?

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

Western States 100 June 2016

mikeymike

posted: 8/6/2007 at 5:47 AM

Oh just join already. There's no password or membership dues. If you run 1800 miles this year you'll finish in front of about two thirds of the members of the "2000 mile" clique. And we now have balkanized fora (likely thanks to Trent.)

Runners run

Trent

Good Bad & The Monkey

posted: 8/6/2007 at 7:32 AM

Quote from mikeymike on 8/6/2007 at 5:47 AM:

If you run 1800 miles this year you'll finish in front of about two thirds of the members of the "2000 mile" clique.

You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin' to? You talkin' to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the blip do you think you're talking to?

I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.

Poor baby

perfesserr

Imminent Catastrophe

posted: 8/6/2007 at 9:24 AM

Quote from mikeymike on 8/6/2007 at 5:47 AM:

Oh just join already. There's no password or membership dues. If you run 1800 miles this year you'll finish in front of about two thirds of the members of the "2000 mile" clique...

Kind of beside the point. Here's my central point:

Anyway I don't have the time or inclination to parse the dozens of user groups on this site, looking for topics of interest. I look at the main forum and if it's not there, I probably won't see it, or contribute to it.

I think the forum loses something by siphoning everything into special interest groups. But maybe it's just me.

"Able to function despite imminent catastrophe"

"To obtain the air that angels breathe you must come to Tahoe"--Mark Twain

"The most common question from potential entrants is 'I do not know if I can do this' to which I usually answer, 'that's the whole point'.--Paul Charteris, Tarawera Ultramarathon RD.

√ Javelina Jundred Jalloween 2015

Cruel Jewel 50 mile May 2016

Western States 100 June 2016

mikeymike

posted: 8/6/2007 at 10:22 AM
modified: 8/6/2007 at 10:31 AM

I don't have the time or inclination to parse the many user forums on this site either. That's why I generally just scan the top subjects in the main forum and then 2k group. It saves time. Okay I'll be semi-serious for a minute. I understand your concern and I agree that the forums lose something by being so segmented. But they also gain something. For an extreme example of what RA might look like down the road if it were just one big happy free-for-all, check out letsrun. I strongly suspect that several people who mostly post in the 2k forum--but also frequently venture out into the open and add to the conversations in the main forums--would likely have given up these forums by now if it weren't for their little sandbox. Turns out some of the members appreciated a place where they didn't have to repeatedly apologize for running high mileage or (god forbid) being fast, relatively speaking. As open and welcoming as RA is most of the time, there can occasionally be an anti-mileage and anti-fast backlash. There is a tendency for some to interpret anything that an experienced or faster runner says as condescending, even if that was not at all the intention. The 2k group provides safe refuge from that.

Runners run

eric :)

posted: 8/6/2007 at 11:17 AM

Hey Russ, Thanks for bringing up this point. The forums (fora?) and groups are two components that I had in mind when I considered creating this site. They serve specific roles in my grand plans. Even though they can be mutually exclusive of each other, each fills in what the other lacks. The 2k group is its own entity, like all the other groups. As Mike pointed out, the more experienced runners congregate there because they are with their peers and aren't stigmatized for running high mileage. Many of the members do post to the main forums, and I too hope that they would share their occasional brilliance with the rest of us. eric Smile

sfh1182

Sine Metu

posted: 8/7/2007 at 3:56 PM

Whoa, where did these main forums come from?? Wink

*runs back over to 2K forum*

A lot of pressure in the middle of those shoulders / And we ain't gettin nothing but older / Ain't nothing change but the day we run from / But nobody knows that better than you,huh

Scout7

posted: 8/7/2007 at 5:08 PM

I am most amused by the fact that someone thinks anything of value comes out of that cesspool....

Balkanization of the RA Forums--a rant (Read 1039 times)