Motivation in the committed runner: correlations between self-report scales and behaviour

Regular running or jogging has been promoted for improved health and well-being. The potential negative aspects of commitment or ‘addiction’ to the activity have received less attention. Moreover, there has been little investigation into the personal motives of the committed runner. The present study used established psychometric self-report scales to document the levels of ‘addiction’ to running, together with an analysis of personal incentives for a group of committed runners who were, on average, running over 40 miles per week. The scales confirmed that the majority (77%) were highly committed to levels of running which would be classified as moderately or highly ‘addictive’. The predominant personal incentives for such runners were associated with ‘mastery’, ‘competition’ and weight regulation, although ‘health concerns’ and ‘fitness’ were also important motives. The commitment to running as measured by the scales was related to the frequency of running and distances run, but not to the number of years of running. Regression analyses indicated that mastery and social recognition were important predictors of levels of running commitment. It is suggested that committed runners should be regarded as a heterogeneous population and that more information is required on the motives of a broader sample of runners. For those who initiate running as a means of promoting health, there is a potential danger of developing an obsessive commitment to running, and this may be more likely for those individuals who are prone to stress.