The Commitments to Long Distance Running and Levels of Activity: Personal or Structural?

Sport and leisure roles contribute to health and to the quality of life. Therefore, understanding the underlying causes of the commitments to these roles have gained in importance. This paper analyzes the commitments of the Israeli long distance runner. The study draws upon the theory of personal and structural commitment. These two concepts were operationalized and tested on a sample of 284 runners. The seven factors of commitment which are used in this study partly help to explain the running levels of the runners. Identification and the rewards of running are the two most salient factors in predicting the training levels of a runner. Competitive levels are explained by the cost of running, by the need to win, and by the social pressures which other people exert on the runner.