Title: ‘Thinner is (not) faster’: Body image experiences of elite endurance athletes
Supervisor: Dr. Erica Bennett
Committee members: Dr. Andrea Bundon, Dr. Amber Mosewich
Abstract: ‘Thinner is faster’ is a common phrase endurance athletes hear throughout their sport careers. The phrase is reflective of a long-held belief in endurance running that body weight and body fat are directly related to one’s ability to perform well. This notion has translated into real world experience and practices, having detrimental effects on athlete psychological well-being and physical health. Elite endurance runners are at greater risk of developing Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), disordered eating symptomology, and body dissatisfaction due to the thin body ideal that exists in the sport. Further, these ideals have been perpetuated by coaches through harmful practices such as diet control and body shaming. However, the study of body image in endurance running is limited thus far and many gaps remain in the existing research, such as attention to the experiences of men and gender diverse athletes, Canadian collegiate runners, professional elite athletes, and a focus on breadth of experience as opposed to pathology. It is also not yet understood how coaches may or may not impact sport body ideals and athlete body image experiences. Addressing these research gaps, the purpose of my proposed research is to a) explore the body image experiences of elite endurance runners, b) examine how experiences of and related to gender shape endurance runners’ body image, and c) how coach-athlete relationships are both affected by and impact sport body ideals. Guided by a critical interpretivist lens, I will conduct individual semi-structured interviews with 10-12 endurance runners who are currently competing at the elite level in distances of at least 1500m. I will also ask participants to complete researcher-directed diaries to record their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours as they relate to body image. Using reflexive thematic analysis, I will identify patterns of meaning, connections, and themes throughout the data pertaining to my research questions. This research will contribute to current understandings of body image in endurance sport that goes beyond pathologies and diagnoses. This research may also inform change and best practices in endurance running at the institutional and coaching levels. It is important for change to be informed by the experiences of athletes themselves in order to better support their well-being as a person and athlete.