Runners Get A Wellbeing Boost From Participating In Organised Races

By Christian Jarrett An increasing number of people are taking up recreational running. It often starts with a slow, painful canter around the block, followed by a wheezy vow to get into better shape. Maybe this was you, and you’ve since marshaled enough grit to complete runs of a sufficient length and frequency that you’re now comfortable telling people that you’re an actual, real-life runner. Do you leave it there, or is it time to train for and take part in a proper, organised race? A recent study suggests it’s worth a go – Marzena Cypryańska and John Nezlek report in The Journal of Positive Psychology that recreational runners were happier and more satisfied with life during weeks in which they had taken part in an organised race. The pair believe this is because the main aim for most people who take part in (non-elite) organised races is simply to complete the course (which virtually all entrants do).  Therefore “no one loses, no matter how long they take to finish” and finishers usually get some kind of medal or award and come away with a powerful sense of camaraderie and achievement. The researchers add that “In this sense, mass road races, however unwittingly, potentially represent a positive psychology intervention.” Cypryańska and Nezlek recruited hundreds of regular, but non-elite, runners via running websites and magazines and asked them to complete a weekly diary for three months. Each week they recorded wheth...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Positive psychology Sport Source Type: blogs