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- Title
Trail and Ultrarunning: The Impact of Distance, Nature, and Personality on Flow and Well-Being.
- Authors
Martinez, Christy Teranishi; Scott, Crista
- Abstract
Ultramarathons, races extending beyond the traditional 26.2 mile marathon, have become increasingly popular over the past decade. Ultrarunners run longer distances and spend extended periods of time in nature compared to short-distance runners. The present study examined the role of distance and nature on runners' flow (i.e., complete absorption in the present moment) and well-being. One hundred eighty-nine runners (132 women, 57 men, Mage = 35.93 years, SD= 9.66) completed an online survey assessing running distance, running environment, flow (Jackson & Marsh, 1996), personality (TIPI; Gosling, Rentfrow, & Swann, 2003), and well-being (Cote, Gyurak, & Levenson, 2010). Independent t tests revealed that ultrarunners spent more time in nature (p= .001), were more neurotic (p = .04), and experienced greater flow (p = .001) than short-distance runners, but did not differ in well-being. Multiple regression analyses indicated that being an ultrarunner, running in nature, conscientiousness, and openness significantly predicted flow, F{7, 163) = 8.48, p = .001, R2 = .27. Running environment and personality (i.e., extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness) predicted greater well-being. However, contrary to expectations, running in a nonnatural environment was related to greater well-being, but being an ultrarunner and flow were not, 7(8,161) = 4.57, p= .001, R2= .19. Findings suggested that, although distance and nature contribute to flow, running in general may have a more profound impact on well-being than immersing oneself in nature.
- Publication
Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, 2016, Vol 21, Issue 1, p6
- ISSN
2164-8204
- Publication type
Academic Journal
- DOI
10.24839/2164-8204.JN21.1.6