Title: ‘Thinner is (not) faster’: Body image experiences of elite endurance runners
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Erica Bennett
Committee members: Dr. Andrea Bundon, Dr. Amber Mosewich
Defence Chair: Dr. Brian Wilson
Abstract: ‘Thinner is faster’ is a common phrase endurance runners hear throughout their careers, reflective of a long-held belief that body weight is directly related to athletic performance. The study of body image in endurance running is limited and research gaps remain, such as attention to the experiences of men athletes, Canadian collegiate runners, professional athletes, and how coaches may or may not impact sport body ideals and athletes’ body image. The purpose of this study was to a) explore the body image experiences of elite endurance runners, b) examine how gender identity might shape endurance runner’s body image, and c) explore how coach-athlete relationships impact athletes’ perceptions of body ideals and experiences of body image. Guided by a critical interpretivist lens, I conducted individual semi-structured interviews with seven elite endurance runners competing in distances of at least 1500m. Participants also completed researcher-directed diaries to record their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours related to body image, gender, and coach-athlete relationships. Using reflexive thematic analysis, four themes were developed. In Navigating Body Ideals: Isolation and Unseen Burdens, participants recounted experiences of hidden weight management, disordered eating, and isolation. Through Gendered Dialogue and Experiences of Body Image, women discussed fear in relation to body changes associated with puberty and menstruation, and scrutiny stemming from objectification. Men, in contrast, focused on the body composition changes occurring once they specialized in distance running, and used body-related humour when engaging in body-related talk which engendered self-consciousness. Agents of Conformity and Change: The Impact of Team Culture centred coaches’ reinforcement of body ideals, athletes’ places in these dynamics, and opportunities to create change through team culture. Finally, Acts of Resistance and a Shift to Sustainable Practices highlighted the resistance participants demonstrated towards distance running body ideals through self-acceptance, and their desire to prioritize longevity as a runner. This research contributes to current understandings of body image in endurance running beyond pathologies and diagnoses. The findings can inform cultural change and best practices in endurance running at the institutional and coaching levels to challenge sport body ideals and foster positive body image in athletes.