Running
the Marathon—First Time
Dynamic
Duo Dashes Through
Marathon: Dr. Alice Wilder & Deborah Reber
by Joan Baum,
Ph.D.
For
Dr. Alice Wilder, the Emmy-nominated Director of Research and
Development for Blues Clues, the phenomenally successful
pre-school television series, not to mention the related industry
of educational workbooks, CD-ROMs, online magazine, audio,
special events, curricula, and consumer products, the prospect
of running the recent New York City Marathon had always been
terrifying. “I was so nervous, fearful, teary,” at the prospect
of entering. But that was before she bonded with her coach,
Deborah Reber, the innovative Director of Development at Cartoon
Network (and former ancillary Business manager of Blues Clues
and producer of UNICEF’s international animation campaign,
Cartoons for Children’s Rights), who had been a gymnast and
runner since the 6th grade. What both women shared, as they
discovered, besides a strong professional commitment ßo children’s
creative development, with a particular focus on pre-teen girls,
was running. Deb in fact is working on a book for girls, 8Đ12,
that will center on the physical and emotional skills that
can be honed running.
Asked
once about her work on human cognition and learning, Alice
Wilder replied that “the only way to understand what children
are capable of doing, what appeals to them, and what they know,
is to ask them!” As Alice tells it, Deb was the real pro, not
only a runner but the accomplished author of the inspirational
best seller, Run for Your Life: A Book for Beginning Women
Runners, widely acclaimed for providing the basics in an
engaging manner—how to prepare, what to eat, what to wear,
how to anticipate and deal with pain, etc.. As Deb tells it,
Alice was simply finding out that she could do it, and therein
lies an instructive tale for aspirants everywhere. As Alice
tells it, watching folks cross the finish line was thrilling.
She cried, especially when she heard the stories behind the
runners—their reasons for entering the marathon, their overcoming
odds, their growth in self-confidence.
Running,
like a lot of competition, can seem “intimidating,” Deb says,
but “if you run, you’re a runner,” a distinction that has significant
resonance for the world of education. “Competing against yourself
but with others” is what’s important. You can be a runner even
if you are not, as they say, “athletic.” The women also stress
the “joy” of the social connections, being in a supportive
environment. “Run with a partner, join a club in your community,
and after the race, go have brunch.” Alice, still relatively
new to running, adds that obviously “it doesn’t always feel
good when you run,” but there’s that sense of accomplishment, “we
need this boost mentally.” It’s good if children see that their
parents take risks, train, and run. At age 2 they’re ready,
Alice says. “Show by example,” bring children to the celebration
in Central Park next year. And incorporate into the classroom
activities that encourage such consciousness raising [see accompanying
box for specifics—it’s never too early.]
You
start out slowly, Deb says, maybe do 3 miles for about 3 months,
but get out there and run, or walk fast, or do a combination
of both for at least 4 days a week. “Have realistic goals,
be flexible and be forgiving with yourself.” Keeping a running
log, an idea Debbie presented as a birthday gift, was particularly
helpful to her, Alice says: “As I logged my activity, I also
found myself logging my goals, food, shoes, and general feelings.
Then when I had a good run or a not so good run, I could go
back to my log and try to determine what I did that could have
made me feel that way.” And run with friends, with others,
she repeats. The result? Again one thinks of the analogies
for the classroom—“it is the most incredible experience to
cross that finish line,” says Alice. She means: doing it, not
necessarily doing it first.#
Education
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