Community Assessment of Social Capital: Distance Runners in Flagstaff, Arizona.

摘要

Flagstaff, Arizona is one of the premier locations for high altitude training in the United States. However the needs for visiting and local, sponsored and unsponsored, runners are not being met. Social Capital, or the effective collaboration of community resources and support systems, is disconnected. This study analyzes visiting, local, sponsored, and unsponsored runner's community visions, needs, and support systems in order to evaluate the barriers to, and catalysts of bonding and bridging relationships. The existence of strong bonding and bridging relationships indicate the existence of a community that functions in a system of Social Capital. Preliminary in-depth interviews and surveys were used to gather research. The results of the research indicated that there are relatively strong bonding relationships within the Flagstaff running community, but poor bridging relationships between the general and running communities. Overall, the results illuminate the need for collaboration between the running and general communities. With this collaboration mutual reciprocity between community groups will ensue, and Social Capital will be created.