Does this sound like you…

-          30-55 years old woman who works in an organization (business or non-profit);

-          Primarily a trail runner or ultra runner (who may occasionally runs on roads);

-          Believes distance trail running has had a positive impact at your job or career;

-          Finished 2 or more distance running events (at least one 26.2 miles road marathon, and one 13.1 miles or further trail race);

-          Can describe a specific example of how distance trail running affected or changed your work life (i.e., stress, attitude, productivity, relationships);

-          Can potentially express any work-related benefits of distance trail running, especially as different from the benefits from road marathoning;

-          Can schedule 2 confidential, tape-recorded interviews (one initial and one follow up, about 1.5 hours total) in June and give feedback regarding draft findings (a description of your individual experience and overall themes of the entire study); and

-          Are open to a possible group debriefing session (about 1 hour) concerning the overall themes as well if volunteers participates are recruited from one running group

Abstract

Even though work-related stress has been long acknowledged in the literature, few studies have explored how women employees (from executive managers to administrative services) might decrease their own stress levels and therefore become more productive in their work environment.  This proposed hermeneutic phenomenological study will qualitatively explore how long distance trail running affects experienced women runners (i.e., experience with road and trail running) who are employees in an organization.  If distance trail running does have a positive impact on work-related productivity, what are the changes that these women have noted (e.g., improved performance, organization, professional self-identity, risking taking), especially as distinct from the benefits they noted from distance road running?  The primary research question is: How do women perceive or describe their experience of how their attitudes toward work changed as result of long-distance trail running?  Seven female employees who have completed at least one road marathon and one trail event will be invited to participate.  Data will be collected from semi-structured interviews with open ended questions.  Participants will assist as co-researchers by providing feedback regarding a draft description of their individual lived experience and overall themes of the entire study.  There is a possibility of facilitating a group debriefing session concerning the overall themes as well, if participants are recruited from one San Francisco Bay Area running group, and can voluntary consent to meet.