Motivation in the Athens Classic Marathon: The Role of Sex, Age, and Performance Level in Greek Recreational Marathon Runners

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

PantelisT. Nikolaidis¹  Beat Knechtle²  Thomas Rosemann²  Aïna Chalabaev³ 

[1] Exercise Physiology Laboratory, 18450 Nikaia, Greece;Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland;UFR APS, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38400 Grenoble, France;

关键词: gender;    master athletes;    endurance;    marathon;    personal goal achievement;    physical motives;    psychology;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph16142549

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The aim of the present study was to examine the motivation of recreational runners and its variation by sex, age, and performance level. Finishers (female: n = 32, age 40.1 ± 9.0 years old, height 162 ± 7 cm, body mass 57.7 ± 7.5 kg, race record 4:34 ± 0:39 h:min; male: n = 134, 44.2 ± 8.6 years, 176 ± 6 cm, 77.0 ± 9.3 kg, 4:02 ± 0:44 h:min) in the Athens Classic Marathon 2017 completed the Motivations of Marathoners Scales (MOMS) 56-item questionnaire. The highest scores in the MOMS were observed in the general health orientation and personal goal achievement categories, and the lowest in the recognition and competition areas. Female participants scored higher in coping, self-esteem, and goal achievement than their male counterparts (p < 0.05). The <30 age group scored higher than the 35−40 and 40−45 age groups in “competing with other runners” for male participants (p < 0.05). The average performance group outscored the slowest group in “achieving personal goals” and “competing with other runners” in female participants, whereas an effect of performance on these two themes was shown in male participants as well (p < 0.05). In summary, we partially confirmed that female and male marathon runners differ for their motivations. In addition, novel findings were the identification of age and performance level as correlates of motivations. The knowledge of these trends would be of great practical value for practitioners to optimize the motivation of their athletes.

【 授权许可】

Unknown