Post-Pandemic Motivational Tendencies of Extreme Running Competitors In The Spatial Arrangement of Poland

Previous research reinforces the understanding that event organization is an effective way to accelerate the socio-economic development of host areas – cities, regions, and countries. There are many benefits that a given area can gain from organizing events. Economic benefits are most frequently emphasized. These include increased spending, tax revenue, and infrastructure investment. As research on the importance of event organization progresses, attention has also begun to shift to other elements, namely the motivational tendencies of participants in the meetings industry, recognizing non-economic benefits such as social cohesion, marketing opportunities, and the empowerment of local communities. These elements directly motivated the launch of research on the motivational tendencies of athletes participating in sporting events.

A clear research gap has been identified in the field of meeting industry organization. This gap concerns both gaps in the literature, including significant evidence related to changes in the athletes’ perception of events, as well as their preferences and needs, which could be met by an event organizer. Due to these shortcomings in the ongoing event research, this study presents important elements related to athletes’ willingness to participate after the COVID-19 pandemic has ended.

The main goal of this article is to demonstrate the motivational tendencies of extreme running competitors in a spatial context. The study utilized secondary analysis of literature sources and statistical data, which allowed for the analysis of athletes participating in extreme running events based on data from the author’s online portal.

The research process utilized geostatistical analysis tools, which allowed the development of a GIS model of athlete concentration with a spatial context. The research results focus on demonstrating the post-pandemic propensity of athletes to participate in sporting events, pointing to the importance of various factors, including the class of the event, the purposefulness of the start, and the atmosphere at the event.