Invitation to Participate

You are invited to participate in a research study

about women employees who believe long-distance trail running

has had a positive impact on their job/career.

Have you perceived a positive impact on your job/career because of your long-distance trail running? Are you willing to personally explore and describe your experience with me? I am interested in how your work life has changed as result of long-distance trail running.

Few studies have explored how women employees (from executive managers to administrative services) might decrease their own stress levels and therefore become more productive at work.

This research is about the lived experience of how distance trail running affects women at work.

What changes have you noted (i.e., improved performance, stress-relief, professional self-identity), especially those changes that are distinct from what was gained by road marathoning? This study will look at the ways in which your perceptions of your work life have changed as a result of trail running. It will require self-inquiry and exploration into the ways in which running has inspired or influenced your work.

 Does this sound like you?

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

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

-          Believe distance trail running has had a positive impact on your job or overall career;

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

-          Can describe (face-to-face or by phone) 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 two confidential, tape-recorded interviews (one initial and one follow-up, about 1.5 hours total), 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 one hour) concerning the overall themes as well if participants are all located in one geographic area.

  If you answered “yes” to the above criteria, please respond to accept this invitation to participate. Thanks for your consideration.

Happy trails,

Alison Boudreau, M.A.

Saybrook Graduate School & Research Center

CoachAlison@...  /  925-852-9900