Going the Distance… With a Little Technological Help? Recreational Athletes’ Running Motivations as Predictors of Their Use of Online Fitness Community Features

• In Event: Digital Technology for Health: Self-Tracking, Social Media, and Virtual Games

Abstract

Fitness wearables and apps provide users with quantified information about their physical activity patterns. Usually, users access the information on Online Fitness Communities (OFCs) such as Runkeeper, that provide feedback on the user’s performance, and offer additional social networking and gamification features. This study addressed to what extent the different features present in OFCs answer to users’ motivations to physically exercise, by examining (1) whether there are differences in motivations for running between OFC users and non-users, and (2) whether the use of particular features (e.g., self-regulatory features) is driven by particular running motivations (e.g., weight loss). To that end, a survey study was conducted among 717 runners, of which 57% used an OFC to support running activities. Results show that OFC users are more achievement- and competition-oriented than non-OFC users, and are more in search of recognition for their achievements. As expected, different running motivations predicted the use of different features. These findings are valuable to developers, health practitioners, and individual athletes, as they give insight into how OFCs can be optimally designed and implemented to support users in sustaining their motivation for running.

Authors

• Jeroen Stragier, Ghent U

• Mariek M. P. M. P. Vanden Abeele, Tilburg U