'It has to hurt': A phenomenological analysis of elite runners´ experiences in handling non-injuring running-related pain. Issue 2 (4th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bluhm, Kasper; Ravn, Susanne
• Is Part Of: Qualitative research in sport, exercise & health. Volume 14:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 216
• Page End: 231
• Publication Date: 2022-03-04
• Subjects: Running -- pain -- phenomenology -- ethnographic fieldwork -- expertise -- bodily self-consciousness; Sports sciences -- Research -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Exercise -- Research -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Health -- Research -- Methodology -- Periodicals; 613.71
• DOI: 10.1080/2159676X.2021.1901136
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2159-676X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Running can be a painful endeavour. In this article, we focus on four elite middle-distance runners' experience of non-injuring running-related pain, with the aim of better understanding how their handling of pain is a part of their expertise as elite athletes competing on an international level. The article employs phenomenological clarifications of bodily self-consciousness and pain in the analysis of an ethnographic fieldwork carried out during four months in a Danish elite middle-distance training group. The first author's background in competitive running enabled him to draw on his own 'insider' experiences as a runner to perform participant-observations and facilitate rich descriptions in both formal and informal interviews. The analysis indicates that a large part of the runners' training and racing relied on three overarching ways of handling pain. The runners possess a familiarity in dealing with the 'acidic' pain experienced during short intervals and races, they 'shuffle' with pain in order to enhance their performance, and they persistently ascribe context-dependant meaning to the experienced pain of running. Importantly, the runners continuously draw on this nuanced familiarity of their pained runner´s bodies while practicing and competing. We suggest that these ways of handling running-related pain can be understood as integral to their expertise as elite runners.