Running in nature as an important element of lifestyle medicine: motivations and environmental attitudes of modern runners and sports tourists
Keywords:
running, motivations, nature, life satisfaction, sports tourismAbstract
The aim of the study is to identify the motivations and attitudes of participants of running events, taking place outside the city, and their socio-demographic profile. For this purpose, a face-to-face interview was conducted with 107 participants of the Warta Challenge running event held in the Wielkopolska Voivodeship. The results of the study revealed that mass running events, organized outside a large city, are most often attended by young and middle-aged men, from large cities, with higher education and professionally active. Participants of the Warta Challenge regularly take part in running events. It motivates them to participate in the marathon, improves the quality of their lives, not so much due to the sports results achieved, but due to contact with nature and with other people. Over 80% of respondents prefer running outside the city. They mostly appreciate lack of crowds at their running routes, surrounded by nature.
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