A college senior has posed an interesting question to several groups of runners for his Honors thesis: Is running an indicator of grit, or do gritty people run?
Here\’s an excerpt from the letter Rohan Vakil sent (emphasis added):
[dropcap size=dropcap]\”I[/dropcap] am a Senior Honors student at Bryant University, completing my capstone research project. Like you and your members, I am a runner, and I am interested in the relationship between running, and a personality trait called \’grit.\’
Angela Duckworth, an Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, defines grit as \’perseverance and passion towards long-term goals.\’ The question I am trying to answer is if running is an indicator of grit, or do gritty people run? What is the relationship, and how do running and grit build upon one another?
I would appreciate it greatly if you could help me in my research. Below is a link to a short survey* which allows me to explore the relationship between running and grit… The results of this study will not only help my academic efforts, but also contribute to a greater understanding of running psychology.
…Please feel free to email me if you have any questions at [email protected]\”
This survey only takes about 3 minutes to complete (trust me, I took it), and if you\’re an avid runner, this topic has already set the wheels in your head turning.
All individual survey results will be kept completely confidential. There is no obligation to participate, but it would help Rohan — and possibly runners everywhere — to understand why we lace up in freezing cold, blazing heat and pouring rain to log more miles.
So take a few minutes to complete the survey for Rohan. And in his words: All the best, and happy running!