I love Twitter. Some, like my husband, might even say I have a Twitter “problem.” I don’t think it’s a problem, really. I just don’t want to spend a day without being able to check my Twitter feed – even if it’s only a quick skim. I look forward to reading the ideas, the information and the experiences shared by my fellow tweeps. How is it that I get so much from a seemingly disjointed collection of 140-character musings?
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Lord Polonius (in a rather funny and ironic twist in the dialogue) says to the King and Queen, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Indeed, Will, indeed. While Lord Polonius was hardly a master of brief oratory, Twitter is a wonderfully useful technological tool for brief exchanges of ideas, information, opinions, and support.
There are some who may wonder if it is possible to share anything meaningful or useful in just 140 characters. I assure you, based on my experiences using Twitter during the previous year, it is absolutely possible. Twitter has many potential uses, which makes it supremely adaptable to the end-user’s goals. For example, my own uses incorporate several goals. I want to survey news, so I use Twitter to catch news headlines. I want information about areas of interest to my research in citizenship and social media. I’m always looking for channels of communication that will engage my students–Twitter helps with that goal, too. These applications have proven quite valuable to me.
But none of these functions is as significant as what got me hooked to Twitter: the connections I have made to the running and triathlon community.
I first joined Twitter because I research and teach about participatory media. In the interest of knowledge, it seemed necessary that I at least check it out so I could be conversant. At first, I didn’t think much of it. I thought it was simply a glorified Facebook, without some of the functionality of that “other” social network. Wow, was I wrong! Once I got the hang of the software platform, and figured out how to use searches to find topics and people to follow, I quickly realized how useful Twitter could be. Now, I rarely start my day without checking tweetdeck or my mobile.
I’ve had the good fortune to find and follow some of the best athletes in running and triathlon. In their tweets, retweets and replies, I have found support, training tips, and motivation. I was even lucky enough to find a coach, who will help me achieve my 2010 goals (shout out to @coachprs!). While John and I know several runners and triathletes who live right here in the Atlantic City area, Twitter has introduced me to a much larger community of people, all across the country–and globe–who have a collective wealth of knowledge that has been invaluable to my training.
For example, Twitter introduced me to the honest and heartfelt blog of @alitherunner, who has been on an incredible journey to be where she is today. The other morning, I read an article that was posted by @GregKnottLeMond about the dangers of drinking too much water. With a healthy fear of hyponatraemia, a condition which results from the intake of too much fluid, I found this article interesting and useful. I read a blog post from @swapontherun, which also talked about the value of social media for training, and another blog from @mikmoore924, who is training and racing to raise money for Team-in-Training. When I was training for the Bassman, I discovered that @eyrleighsdaddy and I were using the same training plan. He was a week ahead of me (prepping for a different half iron), so I was able to get feedback about what was in store. We also shared support for the race day, and war stories once it was over. @RunMikeRun1 provides a key example of how brevity is indeed the soul of wit: “I feel ripped off! The label on the yogurt covered pretzels says 8 servings but there was only 1.” I, too, have issues with wimpy portions. When you are working out several hours a day, a “normal” portion doesn’t quite cut it. (I have the grocery bills to prove it!) And, there’s so much more. If you aren’t already on Twitter, you should check it out.
When I was in graduate school, I had done some research about online communities. At the time, I was quite skeptical about whether an online forum could create “real” community. Today, I’m not so skeptical. I have found a collective of others, with a shared interest in endurance sports, a shared commitment to training, and a shared sense of connection to each other. We have become tied to each other, 140 characters at a time. Granted, some connections are tighter than others – as is the case with any community. You can see the depth and breadth of these connections each Friday when many provide recommendations for whom to follow as part of the “Follow Friday” meme.
There are many ways that this community constructs and re-constructs itself through 140 communicative bits. When a fellow tweeter has a bad day, you will frequently see others send words of support or empathy. Others may tweet that they lack motivation, and in response to this post will come 140-character shout-outs of encouragement or good-natured teasing. When someone has a rockstar workout or race, you can count on the community to celebrate in their success. I’ve experienced all of these situations, and it makes me appreciate these “strangers” who have become an important part of my running life. When John (@saltyrunnr) joined Twitter a week or so ago, I sent a tweet that said, “Welcome my husband @saltyrunnr. He just joined twitter 3 minutes ago.” In another 3 minutes, he had a dozen followers, and several people sent shout-outs, welcoming him to “Twitterverse.” It’s like hanging out and talking with friendly running and triathlete folks at a race–but without having to wait for a race! I trust the advice and suggestions of the people I follow.
Of course, Twitter is not a substitute for other types of communication and interaction. I don’t want anyone to mistake me for an alienated, isolated individual who spends hours pouring over the Twitter timeline. (Although, on some days, I do find it difficult to pull myself away from the screen…) Rather, Twitter is a complement to my face-to-face encounters, as well as other types of technology-aided communication, such as blogs or social network sites such as Facebook. For example, I link Twitter to my blog and to Facebook (and vice versa), and find that the synergy from having linked multiple platforms for expression is beneficial for strengthening my connections with others–whether they are my followers on Twitter, or my friends and family. Along with other technological innovations (such as language itself), Twitter allows me to communicate with others, and in so doing enhance my experience and understanding of the human condition.
While brevity continues to be the soul of wit, I have found that it can also be the heart of a community. Happy training!
**If you are new to Twitter, or want to know more about it, I recommend watching a brief video from the folks at Common Craft: “Twitter in Plain English.” For those who want even more information about Twitter, I highly recommend Mashable’s Twitter Guidebook.
