Finishing the Race: Exploring the Meaning of Marathons for Women Who Run Multiple Races

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study focuses on the meaning of marathons for six women living in the Midwest. The women who participated in the study had completed five or more marathons and discussed the reasons why they repeatedly ran this distance. Few individuals will ever run a marathon; fewer women than men participate in the sport. Through in-depth interviews, six themes emerged including struggle, emotion, pride, intimate connections, preparation, and inspiration/transformation. For women who took part in this study, the essential invariant structure or essence of running multiple marathons is the creation of a transformative experience—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Limitations and future research are also discussed.