Ripon College Days

Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Features

Flee for your lives! The prospect of coin and cleavage sends these students down the wide and pleasant.

"Run Forest, run!" In the movie Forest Gump, Forest ran for miles. He ran from bullies, from opposing football teams, and just because he liked to run. But what makes Ripon College students run? On Saturday, April 25, the fifth annual RC2 run/walk was held. Over fifty participants from Ripon College and the Ripon community signed up to run either a 5k, 10k, or half-marathon. Proceeds for this event went to community agencies of the Ripon Area United Way and Ripon Noon Kiwanis. United Way is a national network of organizations working to advance the common good in communities by focusing on education, income, and health.

Six years ago, Professor of Psychology Joe Hatcher created the Theories of Motivation course. Hatcher wanted students to undertake a challenge well beyond their normal behavior and track their motivation.

"My initial reasoning for signing up for the half-marathon was that I needed motivation to work out during the winter," explains Hannah Bober, senior. "Throughout the semester it really helped to have that driving force to make me get out and run even if the weather was bad or I was tired."

While some students were new to the run/walk, others were returning veterans.

"I was in the marathon class with Professor Hatcher last year," states Kelcey Anderson, sophomore. "I never enjoyed running in high school, but after that class, I love running. It acts as a stress reliever and allows me to escape from my responsibilities for awhile."

Professor Jack Christ, who is teaching Theories of Motivation this semester while Hatcher is on sabbatical, explains why people are motivated to participate in this event.

"It is different from person to person and from age group to age group," says Christ. "There are social motives as well as personal-mastery motives. Especially in the running class, those who train together come to appreciate each other's effort."

"A huge factor in my motivation for running was having people around me who either encouraged me or ran with me," confesses Bober. "I liked to run with friends because it made what might otherwise be a lengthy and arduous run end up being something fun and rewarding. Everybody involved feels good about it because we all need someone there to push us toward our goals."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools