Do you run just for the sake of running? Do you run to keep your weight down? Do you run to fit into that favorite bathing suit? Is running your social event?
The following list of "Running Types" was taken from the article "A Typology of Marathon Runners" by Benjamin M. Ogles (published in the Journal of Sport Behavior, March 2003). Unfortunately I do not have a copy of this article for the blog but I do have an excerpt containing the list. Read the following list and determine what of runner you are, then post your comment on the blog.
So are these correct? Is it safe to say that all runners can fit into these "types"? While I have never run a marathon before, I am a #2 runner in general for sure!
--Cassie
1) Running Enthusiasts- Endorse a wide variety of reasons to run, including health, self-esteem, weight management, personal goal achievement, recognition, affiliation, life meaning, etc. Typically older and more marathon participation. More likely to run with other runners and disproportionately female.
2) Lifestyle Managers- Personal goal achievement, self-esteem, health orientation, psychological coping, weight concern, life meaning. Motivated by interest in improving physical and psychological well-being. Not motivated by social and competitive reasons for running. More likely to train alone and run slower marathons. Train fewer miles and days. Less likely to train twice in one day. Disproportionately female.
3) Personal Goal Achievers- Personal goal achievement is motivation to run. Motivated primarily by improving running performance and speed to the best of their capabilities. Not motivated by competition with other runners, only with themselves. Somewhat younger, faster times, training more miles, disproportionately male.
4) Personal Accomplishers- Personal goal achievement, self esteem, health-orientation. Primarily concerned with accomplishment (i.e. a general sense of positive participation). Weight concern, life meaning, and psychological coping are not main reasons for running. Rated near the middle on most variables (i.e. "average" for some of the variables mentioned above), disproportionately male.
5) Competitive achievers- Personal goal achievement, self-esteem, health-orientation, competition, life meaning. Competition with others is main motive for running. Younger, faster marathon times, train more days, likely to train twice in one day, disproportionately male.
