How Are Sports-Trackers Used by Runners? Running-Related Data, Personal Goals, and Self-Tracking in Running
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Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
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Faculty of Electrical Engineering Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
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Roessingh Research and Development, 7522 AH Enschede, The Netherlands
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Marco Iosa
Sensors 2021, 21(11), 3687; https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113687
Received: 23 April 2021
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Revised: 13 May 2021
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Accepted: 21 May 2021
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Published: 26 May 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications, Wearables and Sensing Technology in Sports and Physical Activity)
The purpose of this research is to explore the roles that sports trackers and running-related data play in runners’ personal goal achievement. A two-week diary study and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 runners to explore how runners engage with their running-related data to set and achieve their running goals. We found that participants pursued and transitioned between different running goals as their needs, abilities, and surrounding environment changed. We also found multiple motivations that shaped the use of sports trackers. We identified two main categories in runners’ motivations for using trackers and data to achieve their goals. These categories were (i) documenting and tracking in running, and (ii) supporting goal-oriented reflections and actions, with various reasons for use while preparing for and during running. This study provides insights into the psychological effects of running-related data and signals practical implications for runners and developers of tracking technology.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Karahanoğlu, A.; Gouveia, R.; Reenalda, J.; Ludden, G. How Are Sports-Trackers Used by Runners? Running-Related Data, Personal Goals, and Self-Tracking in Running. Sensors 2021, 21, 3687. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113687
AMA Style
Karahanoğlu A, Gouveia R, Reenalda J, Ludden G. How Are Sports-Trackers Used by Runners? Running-Related Data, Personal Goals, and Self-Tracking in Running. Sensors. 2021; 21(11):3687. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113687
Chicago/Turabian StyleKarahanoğlu, Armağan, Rúben Gouveia, Jasper Reenalda, and Geke Ludden. 2021. "How Are Sports-Trackers Used by Runners? Running-Related Data, Personal Goals, and Self-Tracking in Running" Sensors 21, no. 11: 3687. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21113687
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