Beyond the finish line: Exploring factors influencing running maintenance among current and discontinued recreational runners.
Sport Exercise and Performance Psychology·2026
Researchers investigated the psychological and social factors that influence whether recreational runners continue or discontinue their running practice over time. The study examined differences in motivation, barriers, and experiences between those who maintained their running habit and those who stopped.
for runners
Runners might notice how their own relationship with running shifts over time, particularly around what initially drew them to run versus what keeps them engaged long-term. The findings highlight how individual circumstances and personal meaning-making around running may play a larger role in consistency than external factors alone.
editor's note
What resonated with me most was the profound influence of the "runner" identity. Framing running as an integral part of one’s sense of self appears to foster a sustainable habit, grounded in intrinsic motivation rather than external pressures.
— Ash