Testing the relationships among event personality, event image and runners’ loyalty: a study of an international running event

PurposeGiven the increased competition among running events, it is important for event organizers to comprehend how they can retain a base of loyal customers. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between sport event personality and loyalty intentions of runners participating in a running event. More specifically, it examined the relationship of sport event personality dimensions with the overall image of a sporting event as well as the association of event image with runners’ loyalty intentions.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 247 participants of an international running event. A structural equation model analysis was followed.FindingsThe results showed that three dimensions of event personality (namely, excitement, sophistication and sincerity) predicted event image, which in turn positively associated with loyalty intentions.Practical implicationsThe study discusses how event managers can improve the image of their events in order to increase their customers’ loyalty levels.Originality/valueThis is one of the first endeavors that examined the role of event image, a construct that has not received much attention in the context of road races, in a model concerning event participation.

Warm up intensity influences running performance despite prolonged recovery

When competing in road races, runners enter starting corrals long before the starting gun triggers. Athletes consequently must complete warm up routines well in advance of race commencement. To optimize performance readiness warm up intensity may need altered to account for the prolonged time between warm up and performance. This study tested the effectiveness of various warm up intensities on 1600 m run performance given a 20 min separation between warm up and time trial, and assessed the physiological bases for performance outcomes. In a randomized, crossover design, 14 athletic men and women [(age (mean ± SEM) = 22 ± 1 y; V·O2peak = 50.3 ± 2.5 ml·kg−1·min−1] completed three warm up routines (light-, moderate-, or high-intensity warm up), rested for 20 min, and ran a 1600 m time trial. Warm up procedures were evaluated for their influence on performance, blood lactate, V·O2, and alterations to neuromuscular function. Time trial performance was significantly faster ( P < 0.03) following a moderate-intensity warm up (6:12 ± 18 min:s·1600 m−1) compared to a light-intensity warm up (6:30 ± 18 min:s·1600 m−1). Performance following the high-intensity warm up (6:18 ± 24 min:s·1600 m−1) fell between the light and moderate conditions. When stratified based on starting lactate concentrations, 1600 m performance was optimized when pre-time trial lactate was 2.0–4.9 mmol·l−1. When a prolonged rest separates warm up exercise from time trial performance, warming up remains efficacious. Optimal warm up intensity may be identified using starting lactate as a gauge for performance readiness.

ASSOCIATION OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS AND MENTAL TRAINING WITH PERFORMANCE IN ROAD RACES

This study aimed to describe the psychological and nutritional aspects of runners and identify the association of mental training and dietary supplements with performance in road races. For this, a cross-sectional study was performed with 560 recreational runners, who participated in 2014 or 2015 Unicamp Running. The participants answered a Google Docs questionnaire about personal, emotional and nutritional aspects. A sub-sample of 302 runners was monitored using chip technology to identify the running time in 5 km and 10 km. The main motivations for the run were to improve health (73%), well-being (62,5%) and quality of life (57%). Approximately 34% consumed dietary supplements, among which 70.5% consumed proteins and 40.2% carbohydrates. The main motivations for this consumption were increased competitiveness (62.1%) and health (46.3%). There was no association between the consumption of dietary supplements and performance in road races. The participants who did mental training presented 2.5 to 2.3 times higher chance of better performance compared to the participants who did not do mental training (p=0.020 and 0.039, respectively). We hypothesized that dietary supplementation without nutritional follow-up does not offer sporting advantage and that mental training is associated with better performance in recreational runners. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0740/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Are You a Rabbit or a Turtle? A Comparative Analysis of the Pacing Profiles of the Turkish Origin and Non-Turkish Origin Elite Half-Marathon Athletes

The aim of this research was to designate and compare the pacing profiles of the Turkish and Non-Turkish female and male athletes completed and ranked in the first tenth (n = 79) in the determined half-marathon road races held in Turkey. The pacings of the athletes were divided into 5 separate segments (0-5, 5-10, 10-15, 15-21.1 km) and calculated on the basis of their average transition speed (min:sec/km). The differences both between the pacing profiles of the Turkish and Non-Turkish athlete groups and between the successive segments within the groups were examined separately for women and men with the variance analysis for mixed patterns. According to the results, there was no statistical differences between the pacing profiles of both female and male Turkish and Non-Turkish athletes (p > 0.05). In addition, there was also no difference between the successive segments within the groups (p > 0.05). According to these results, it can be said that the pacing profiles of the Turkish and Non-Turkish elite athletes were similar and close to even pacing profile without a last sprint. Although it was not statistically significant, all the athletes had small decreases in their pacings in the first 15 km of the race. In the last 6.1 km segment, while small increases in the pacings of the Non-Turkish female athletes were observed, the pacings of the Turkish women athletes were more even with small decreases. Considering the whole race, it was seen that the athletes showed pacing profiles close to positive and reverse J-shaped pacing profile.

Boom of road races in the Czech Republic – sport for all or luxury amusement?

Nowadays, similar to worldwide trends, running has become very popular in the Czech Republic. Since the mid of 1990s, the business sector has become very active in this area. Private companies organise many road races for the public, including participation of top level runners (i.e. Prague International Marathon). In 2016, within the framework of the international project IRNIST, we realised an empirical descriptive study of the Mattoni ½ Marathon in Ústí nad Labem, a middle size town. The IRNIST questionnaire was used. Analysing data on 491 runners (of 2,238 runners finished the race) we found that concern-ing socio-economic status of respondents, 56.9% of runners have a university education, one third advanced secondary education; and 63% earn more than the average wage. Participant were able to spend quite a lot of money for participation costs. These results raise the issue if the privatization and commercialization of running for the masses does not cause limit for sport participation for all.