Study of the Motivation of Spanish Amateur Runners Based on Training Patterns and Gender

Abstract

The objectives of the present study are to analyze the different training patterns of the amateur runners, according to their gender, and to find out a correlation between the training pattern and the motivation. The sample was composed of 457 amateur runners. For the collection of data, a two-part questionnaire was used. The first part consisted of questions about sporting and healthy patterns and the second part consisted of the Perception of Success Questionnaire (POSQ), adapted to Spanish. The obtained results indicated that their motives for starting to practice running and to continue their involvement are health and fun. The training pattern is as follows: they practise one to three days per week, running from three to five hours overall plus additional stretching and high intensity training. They participated in less than one running event per month. Most of them did not belong to an athletic club, did not have a coach, were not federated and have more than four years’ experience of running. What concerns the gender differences, the men trained more than the women, and they did it with relatives and friends; women preferred to do it with friends or by themselves with the assistance of a coach. Age and running hours per week were the best variables to predict the task goal orientation, especially for men. For women, training hours per week predicted the goal orientation but to the ego. This finding could be especially helpful for coaches. A high number of training hours for men was linked with a task goal orientation, and on the other hand, for women it meant an ego goal orientation. The consequences of their behaviours were likely to be markedly different.

Effects of a 48-Day Home Quarantine during the Covid-19 Pandemic on the First Outdoor Running Session among Recreational Runners in Spain

“…Moreover, males presented significantly more running experience than females and tended to run more than 40 km/week. Our results are in accordance with previous scientific evidence [ 14 ] that showed that recreational runners living in Spain run 1–3 times/week, with men accumulating significantly more years of running experience and training more hours/week than women. However, one can assume that training loads (i.e., weekly covered distance and exercise volume and intensity) were reduced during confinement; unfortunately, we did not collect this information.…”

“…Pre-pandemic data derived from the Eurobarometer showed that nearly half of Europeans never exercise or play sport (in Spain, non-exercisers constitute 46% of the population), and this proportion showed a gradual increase since 2009 [ 30 ]. However, recreational endurance running has become one of the most practiced PAs, not only in Spain but worldwide [ 14 ], increasing the participation in running events almost 58% in the last 10 years [ 15 ]. Nevertheless, recent scientific data demonstrated that during the COVID-19 pandemic the number of endurance and ultra-endurance events significantly decreased, as well as did the number of runners who finished races [ 18 ], suggesting that professional and non-professional athletes of different sport disciplines are facing an unprecedented and relatively long-term reduction or cessation in their training routines [ 19 ].…”

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that the main motivational reasons among recreational runners are to have fun, to obtain health benefits, and to achieve personal goals [ 14 , 33 ]. Self-perceived affective variables analyses during the first outdoor running session in our study showed that enjoyment and motivation tended to be significantly higher when the runner’s level increased.…”

“…Further, female runners experienced significantly higher motivation levels and better feelings than males. In this regard, it has been recently suggested that competitive runners are more motivated than their recreational counterparts for performance [ 33 ]; nevertheless, motivation of recreational runners is high in task (i.e., personal goal and mastery achievement) and low in ego (i.e., competition and external achievement/social recognition) orientation [ 14 , 33 ].…”

“…On 2 May 2020, after 48 days of home quarantine, the population living in Spain could finally leave their homes to exercise or simply go for a walk again [ 13 ]. In this sense, recreational endurance running has become one of the most practiced PAs not only in Spain but worldwide [ 14 ]. In fact, participation in running events in the last 10 years increased in the entire world almost 58% [ 15 ].…”