First Time Marathon Motivation – Pride, Health or Charity?

Posted on April 18th, 2010 in Charity, Exercise, Health, Marathons, Running, Sport, Weight Loss

Last autumn as I prepared for my upcoming marathon I contemplated what motivates us to participate in sport? Was it the ‘runners high’ associated with the release of endorphins; Was it Freud’s belief that sexual impulses motivate us to play sport; Or was it psychologist Rogers’ opinion, that we participate due to the need for love, acceptance and respect from others?

Thanks to the findings of a study into people’s motivations to run a marathon, presented at this weekend’s British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference, I now know the reason we run our first marathon is much simpler.

While at Temple University, Philadelphia, USA, Elizabeth Loughren from the University of Birmingham, UK recruited 507 women and 399 men first time marathoners (aged 18 to 72), who completed an on-line questionnaire.

The researchers found that men are more likely to run a marathon for personal goal achievement and competition reasons than women. Overall, the most frequently cited reasons for running a marathon were achievement of personal goals, such as ‘to finish the race in a certain time’, self esteem, such as ‘to feel proud of myself’ and health orientations, such as ‘to improve my health.’ All valid reasons which I think would apply to most first timers.

In looking at the women’s answers I found it interesting that this study was carried out in the USA, in answer to the question ‘How important were each of these areas in training for and running your last marathon?’. Women were more likely to run for reasons around psychological coping – ‘to improve my mood’, or life meaning – ‘to feel at peace with the world’ – or weight concern.

I understand the weight concern as I imagine that is a universal response from women. An extra 1lb in weight is apparently the equivalent of 5 seconds extra per mile, so just 6lbs can make the difference of over 13 minutes to a full marathon race, without any change in aerobic fitness. Even elite athletes would be conscious of maintaining an optimum weight, not just those who are hoping to lose a significant amount of weight through the marathon training.

I was however, amused by the other responses. During my time living in New York I would go for a run in Central Park being motivated by trying to overtake the men who think they are fit because can lift big weights but have no stamina or speed. Or I would run by the Hudson River when there was a pretty sunset. I wouldn’t know quite how to describe this motivation, but American’s I spoke to would often speak of how they run to ‘improve their psychological wellbeing’. This statement would support Loughren’s findings that the US respondents run to improve my mood’ or ‘to feel at peace with the world’.

I imagine if the study was repeated in the UK raising money for charity would be a higher priority for a first time marathoner. If people in the UK intend to run one marathon in their life they aim to complete in the London Marathon, which has become the largest annual one day fundraising event in the world. ¾ of competitors now run for charity and UK runners often speak of how raising money for a charity close to their heart motivates them.

Elizabeth Loughren commented: “We also asked the participants whether they planned on doing another marathon; approximately 70% of women and 79% of men told us they intended to run another marathon within the next six months or year.” I also found this very surprising, whilst people, including myself, do find running marathons addictive most people say never again, as it’s a once in a life time achievement. Or they say maybe when I’m 40. For 80% of men wanting to do another within 12 months is interesting, although unsurprisingly 85% want to run another ‘to lower my finish time’.

Another interesting finding was that a reason 74% would run another marathon would be ‘to include the race as part of a vacation weekend.’ Does that mean they would they book a holiday especially at the location of a marathon, or do they mean they would maintain their fitness and if they happen to holiday at a location holding a marathon at the same time then they would compete. Or does it mean that they had to sacrifice so much of their family life during this marathon’s training then the only way that their partner would accept them doing another one would be if the family got something out of it too, such as a weekend away.

With the Virgin London Marathon next weekend, it would be interesting to know what motivates the many UK based first time runners, and if after 26.2miles they would be so eager to run another.