Comparing Trail Runners and Mountain Bikers: Motivation, Involvement, Portfolios, and Event-Tourist Careers

Abstract

Amateur trail runners and endurance mountain bikers are compared with regard to motivation, involvement in their sport, competitive-event portfolios, and event-travel careers. Participants in two destination events produced by a for-profit company constitute the sample frame, with the respondents having answered a sub-set of identical questions on an online, post-event evaluation survey. The two "destination events" differ considerably in terms of the gender of participants, with a much higher proportion of females in the running event. Both samples were revealed to have a fairly high level of involvement in their sport, but a large proportion of participants in both events also participated in a wider portfolio of challenging sports. Because the dominant motivation for both samples, and for both men and women, was personal challenge, it is concluded that for many respondents involvement is directed more toward physically demanding sport than toward a particular kind of sport or event. This involvement has led a majority to develop an event-travel career. Implications are drawn for sport-event management and event-tourism marketing. Recommendations are made for further research to explore the relevance of brand communities and consumption constellations in event tourism.

Penyagolosa Trails: From Ancestral Roads to Sustainable Ultra-Trail Race, between Spirituality, Nature, and Sports. A Case of Study

“…Trail running is a unique experience resulting from the genuineness of the landscape and the simplicity of enjoying nature while also challenging one's mind and body. There is a market niche for trail runners who share similar preferences-the communitas [27]-and the experiences are shaped by all the stakeholders [28]. Despite trail running being practiced by many followers, it was not until 2013 that ITRA was set up, thus laying the foundations of trail running together with a series of associated values: authenticity, humility, fair play, equity, respect and solidarity.…”

“…However, the motivation behind trail runners has been scarcely researched [27]. The profile of the trail athlete is a young adult aged 18 to 24, whose participation decreases as they age to 45 and older [27].…”

“…However, the motivation behind trail runners has been scarcely researched [27]. The profile of the trail athlete is a young adult aged 18 to 24, whose participation decreases as they age to 45 and older [27]. The need to disconnect from the pressures of big cities, along with the concern for leading a healthy and balanced life, has driven the search for new forms of sports practice, leading trail athletes to seek pure air and greater direct contact with nature, together with the emotions provided by the race-thrill, fear, control, skills, achievement, fitness and risk-or its social factors (friends, image, escape, competition) [16][17][18]27].…”

Adaptación para deportes de montaña (CPRD-M) del Cuestionario "Características Psicológicas relacionadas con el rendimiento deportivo" (CPRD)

“…Dichas características afectan al rendimiento, como numerosos autores han apuntado hasta la fecha (Cecchini, González, Carmona, & Contreras, 2004;Getz & McConnell, 2014;Gomà, Freixanet, & Puyane & Grau, 1991;León, Fuentes, & Calvo, 2014;. Para alcanzar un rendimiento óptimo es importante que el deportista sea capaz de mantenerse en las mismas condiciones sin importar las presiones o condiciones exteriores a las que se someta (Márquez, 2004), por tanto, su capacidad de control y gestión es clave para poder alcanzar el máximo rendimiento, como numerosas investigaciones han demostrado al respecto (Carballido, 2001;Gimeno et al, 2007;Le Scanff & Bertsch, 1999;Márquez, 1995;Márquez, 2006;Moya-Albiol & Salvador, 2001).…”

Run Czech as a product of sport tourism

“…The topic of distance running events and tourism has been addressed in the last few years by, for example, Getz and McConnell (2014) or Shipway (2012). The issue of running races as sport events, has been addressed in works about the Gold Coast Marathon in Australia (Funk, Toohey and Braun,2007;Chalip and McGuirty, 2004), about the London Marathon (Shipway and Jones, 2008) and about marathons in Germany (Hallmann, Kaplanidou and Breuer, 2010).…”