An Introduction to Understanding Your Runner

Original Editor - Mariam Hashem

Top Contributors - Mariam Hashem, Kim Jackson, Ewa Jaraczewska, Lucinda hampton, Olajumoke Ogunleye and Tarina van der Stockt  

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Introduction[edit | edit source]

The popularity of running as a sport has increased widely over the last few decades [1]. It is not uncommon to hear that someone has got ''running a marathon'' on their life goals or their bucket list of dreams. The belief is running a marathon is an important life event is adapted by many people and could have significant effects on their beliefs, behaviours and attitudes in general[2]

Running-1705716 1920.jpg

Running is a sport that comes with huge physical and also psychological demands. People run for many reasons, to compete, to get fit, to socialise with other runners, some run to improve their mental health and others just love to run[3].

Running related injuries are part of the running experience. Runners come with a variety of joint injuries including:

However, when it comes to the assessment of injuries, a holistic assessment approach is recommended to understand the needs of the runners and help them to manage their injuries successfully.

The published evidence is heavily focused on the physical aspects of running but the psychological factors also need to be well understood and investigated.

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The Personality of the runner[edit | edit source]

Personality is defined as the sum of characteristics that make a person unique[4] Running is not only a physical task; it influences the personal characteristics of the individual particularly when done professionally.

Different studies that looked at the personality of runners found that marathon runners showed cognitive anxiety, arousal, self-confidence, motivation and perception of the physical state[5]. In addition, hardy personality (i.e., a group of characteristics related to personal perception of control, commitment and challenges), intelligence and imaginations[6] were found to be higher among marathon runners when compared to the general population [7]

Increased pain tolerance was reported to be high in long-distance runners[8]

Runners achieved high scores on boldness, warmth, conformity, sensitivity, dominance, and high drive with tension, self-discipline and emotional stability[9].

They type of running and the performance level influence on the runner's personality[10]. Periods of intensive training can place high physical and emotional demands on the athlete. A range of food disorders[7] as well as menstrual irregularity are experienced by female ultra-marathon runners during periods of intensive training due to emotional stresses but their menstrual patterns were normalised once these stresses were removed[11].

Why People Run?[edit | edit source]

An essential question to ask runners when assessing running injuries: why do you run?[3]

Understanding runners' motivation can help in exploring their personalities and therefore essential when addressing running injuries or helping runners for better performance.

The motivation to manage weight, affiliation, coping with psychological distress or day to day life and self-esteem were expressed by female marathon finishers but there weren't motivated to compete with others.[12]

Many runners are motivated to stay fit and/or manage long term conditions.

It is important to consider that running is a great personal challenge and gives the runner a sense of achievement [13] which could explain the difficulty for some runners to refrain from the sport when asked by their physiotherapists or doctors as part of their recovery plan[3].

Psychological Aspects of Running[edit | edit source]

[14]beginners in marathon running exhibited positive attitudes toward marathon preparations and were well motivated. However, they were often unprepared for the mental and emotional demands of training and competing in a marathon.

Psychological factors and running injuries

In addition to the physical symptoms, athletic injuries, including RRIs, are known to induce dynamic, individualized psychological and emotional responses that may fluctuate over time, but play an important role in recovery. 34 The psychological effects of RRIs have not been specifically evaluated, but runners are represented in some studies.35 Injury-related emotions, cognitions, and behaviors compose the core themes of the multiple psychosocial factors associated with sports injury rehabilitation.36 Fluctuations are especially evident at transitions in the recovery process, including the return to sport when sport-specific self-confidence is necessary to avert a fear response.36 37 Despite consensus regarding the importance of repeated psychological assessment throughout the entire recovery process, there are no preferred assessments. 34 Multiple assessment instruments are available, but most are too long to be clinically practical.38 Efficient methods to integrate psychological screening into clinical care would be beneficial because positive psychological responses are associated with better outcomes, and interventions for negative psychological responses decrease time lost due to injury.34 38 Running has unique physical and psychological demands. Following injury, the process to return to normal health is accompanied by a variety of physical and psychological symptoms. The consequences of these symptoms demonstrate variability, but the vast majority of injured 6 runners continue to train or compete despite ongoing symptoms. Valid assessments of recovery must incorporate the patient-perspective, and respond to meaningful fluctuations in the factors associated with recovery

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Nikolaidis PT, Rosemann T, Knechtle B. Sex differences in the age of peak marathon race time. Chin. J. Physiol. 2018 Apr 30;61:85-91.
  2. ↑ Gorczyca A, Jankowski T, Oles P. Does running a first marathon influence general self-efficacy and positive orientation. Int. J. Sport Psychol. 2016 Sep 1;47:466-82.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Nunes D.An Introduction to Understanding Your Runner.Physioplus Course 2020
  4. ↑ Weinberg (Weinberg, Robert Stephen), Gould D. Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology: Welcome to Sport and Exercise Psychology; Chapter 2. Personality a Sport. Human Kinetics; 2011.
  5. ↑ Zabala E.L., Rueda M.C.P.L., De La Llave Rodríguez A.L. Characteristics of the psychological state of popular marathon runners. Rev. Psicol. Deporte. 2009;18:151–163.
  6. ↑ Hartung GH, Farge EJ. Personality and physiological traits in middle-aged runners and joggers. Journal of Gerontology. 1977 Sep 1;32(5):541-8.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Nikolaidis PT, Rosemann T, Knechtle B. A brief review of personality in marathon runners: the role of sex, age and performance level. Sports. 2018 Sep;6(3):99.
  8. ↑ Freund W, Weber F, Billich C, Birklein F, Breimhorst M, Schuetz UH. Ultra‐M arathon R unners A re D ifferent: I nvestigations into P ain T olerance and P ersonality T raits of P articipants of the TransEurope FootRace 2009. Pain practice. 2013 Sep;13(7):524-32.
  9. ↑ Nudel DB, Hassett I, Gurian A, Diamant S, Weinhouse E, Gootman N. Young long distance runners: Physiological and psychological characteristics. Clinical pediatrics. 1989 Nov;28(11):500-5.
  10. ↑ Jerome W.C., Valliant P.M. Comparison of personalities between marathon runners and cross-country skiers. Percept. Mot. Skills. 1983;56:35–38. doi: 10.2466/pms.1983.56.1.35.
  11. ↑ van Gend TD. Menstrual patterns in ultramarathon runners. South African Medical Journal. 1987 Dec 1;72(11):788-93.
  12. ↑ Waśkiewicz Z, Nikolaidis PT, Gerasimuk D, Borysiuk Z, Rosemann T, Knechtle B. What Motivates Successful Marathon Runners? The Role of Sex, Age, Education, and Training Experience in Polish Runners. Frontiers in psychology. 2019;10.
  13. ↑ Summers J. J., Sargent G. I., Levey A. J., Murray K. D. (1982). Middle-aged, non-elite marathon runners: a profile. Percept. Mot. Skills 54 963–969. 10.2466/pms.1982.54.3.963
  14. ↑ Carter L., Coumbe-Lilley J., Anderson B. (2016). Strategies for working with first time marathon runners. Sport J. 1–7.
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