Running : a metaphor of the contemporary world

Abstract

I conducted my fieldwork through participant observation, taking part in races and training with the serious runners. I conducted three in depth interviews with one serious runner, a recreational runner and a runner who made the transition from serious to recreational running. In order to understand the issue of element of commitment I posed a set of questions to the serious runners. I also used other sources of information from newspapers articles, articles written by runners, and running magazines. In order to understand the runners in Malta, I had to use reflexivity more than if I had chosen another study. This is because I am a runner myself. There were many other risks in choosing a study I was so close to, but I think I overcame these by studying two types of runners, comparing them, and using memory (Clough: 2006: 276-277).