The rise of the isolation running challenge; why people are running far in small places – Runner’s World (UK)

Running challenges have become part of the fabric of our sport. It’s now relatively common place to hear of someone running 50 marathons in 50 days, or back-to-back ultras, double ‘rounds’, 24-hour treadmill challenges or just running everyday for as many days as you possibly can. They’re an aspirational and often money-generating side of our sport that helps propel forward an amateur level of endurance running that was once not even considered.

So it comes as no surprise that even during one of the most surreal and unique times for generations, the ‘running challenge’ continues with gusto.

Stemming from a sense of goodwill and a need to keep running, runners are setting themselves more and more challenging feats – a marathon on a balcony, a half marathon in the driveway, ascending the height of Everest on a flight of stairs, 100km in a garden – big distances all completed in tiny spaces, sometimes during enforced lockdown and more often than not to raise money for charities (but perhaps also because of the desire, dare I say obsession, to keep running).

These runs undoubtedly inspire others to do the same and during these unprecedented times, any form of escapism is tempting. But is there a risk of over-saturation? We’re still allowed to run outside, for now, so why add more constraints to an already stressful time?

Part of the answer to this is, ‘Why not?’. Runners have always sort after a unique experience; the marathon itself is a very long way to run and it’s only relatively recently that it’s been taken on by so many. The other side of it is that running is now a virtual game (I don’t mean an actual game, though those with access to Zwift might disagree); running now plays out on social media more than ever and this is perhaps where the issues start. It’s a competitive landscape where those who shout the loudest are often the most liked, and nothing shouts louder than a borderline-preposterous run. Again, the motives are often positive but that doesn’t detract from the precedent it might set, particularly if the main motivation behind it is for ‘likes’. ‘The challenge for these runners doing the challenges is that now so many people are doing them they lose their novelty, and the engagement they crave from others may not be so forthcoming. Then it is important to know you are doing the challenge for yourself and no-one else,’ says Dr Josie Perry, a sports psychologist.

And here lies the greater issue: are people genuinely helping others or helping themselves? If it’s the latter, then that too isn’t necessarily a bad thing. ‘If your key self-identity is as a runner, and suddenly the races you have entered have been cancelled, the club sessions you go to have stopped and the thing that makes you feel like you is curtailed, then you are likely to lose lots of motivation and feel a sense of grief,’ says Perry. ; To get that motivation back, studies have found we need to focus on three pillars: feeling like you have some control, feeling good at what you do and feeling like you are part of a community.’

‘Many runners are happy enough to put their race plans on hold and let the running part of their identity take a back seat for a few weeks. Those who see running as a key part of their identity may not feel able to, so they will do whatever it takes to maintain that. Setting up a challenge like this can help them feel in control and competent and the social media side – being able to talk to others about it, stay in touch, and get positive feedback – will be important as it helps that feeling of community and belonging. Neither approach is good or bad – just different ways of coping with the tricky situation in which we find ourselves.’

This certainly helps to explain the allure of attempting such a feat: being reassured that you are still the person you see every day in the mirror is a crucial stabiliser in turbulent times. But while justifying doing it so as to continue a presence online might make you feel as if you have links to a community that appreciate your efforts, you may well feel duty bound to appease that audience too and that’s when it’s time to take a step back.