rick fie (Rick_fie)
New member Username: Rick_fie
Post Number: 1 Registered: 2-2006
| Posted on Sunday, February 19, 2006 - 9:13 am: | |
Dear Colleagues, My name is Rick Fie and I am at the University of Minnesota where I am doing research on disordered eating in female xc/distance runners. We know what a controversial and problem area this is and there is still much to learn. I am excited about being able to add some unique insights to our current knowledge and I am writing to ask for your help. I believe there is a wealth of information hidden away in personal diaries the runners may have kept. It’s my hope to use those diaries as a primary data source. I also believe one of the more challenging parts of my research will be in finding the people who have kept them. I am hoping you would help me along these lines. I’ve copied below and also attached a document that elaborates further and gives contact information. If you are a potential participant, I look forward to hearing from you. Or, if it would be possible for you to forward that document to potential participants (runners past or present) or post the attachment in a place where people may see it that would be a tremendous help. There is also a copy of this document at www.tc.umn.edu/~fiexx001/participants.doc If you’d like to talk with me further, I’d welcome the opportunity. My email address is fiexx001@umn.edu. Respectfully, Rick Fie Research Participants Needed Disordered Eating in Female Distance Runners: A Qualitative Diary View Hi…my name’s Rick Fie and I’m at the University of Minnesota. I appreciate your stopping here to have a look. I’ve had a lifelong professional and personal interest in “disordered” eating and I am in a position this year to be able to do some original research along those lines. I have a great desire to educate people about this area and I could use your help. In recent years there has been a tremendous amount of research about disordered eating and much has been learned. Yet there is still so much to understand. As the area continues to grow, new questions and interesting ways of answering them are emerging. In terms of athletics, very few studies have actually looked at how certain types of behaviors surrounding eating develop, or especially, the meanings and purposes associated with them. However, there is a wealth of that type of information out there---the question is: how to get at it? I believe it may be hidden in the personal diaries of runners. I got the idea from reading Mary Wazeter’s book “Dark marathon, the Mary Wazeter story: The ongoing struggles of a world class runner”. Mary relied heavily on her personal diary/training journal by way of telling her story. Her book is full of insights and experiences that when brought to light help us to understand her eating from a unique and worthwhile perspective. If you are a female who ran cross country in high school and/or college, kept a diary (or an extended training journal) and wrote about your experiences with any of the following: fasting, severe caloric restriction, vomiting, diet pill, laxative or diuretic use, excessive exercise or special/ritualistic dieting, you could be a participant in my study. Your diary could be a wealth of information towards building an understanding about these things. We wouldn’t have to meet in person; you would not have to actually part with your diary; and you will remain anonymous in terms of the analysis. If you’re interested, I hope you will drop me an email at fiexx001@umn.edu and we discuss the consent process, and how to arrange our communication.
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