This post is part of the I’m a Running Researcher series. See all profiles in this series here.
Who are you?
My name’s Ross and I’m a full-time husband and Dad. In my spare time, I’m also a Professor of Sport Psychology, a Trustee for the charity LimbPower, and a regular volunteer for ParkRun.
What is your background?
In terms of my academic background, I got my PhD in Sport Psychology from Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2009. I then got my first lecturing position at the University of Roehampton before moving onto St Mary’s University.
How long have you been researching running?
Only over the past 12 months, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed integrating my hobby with my academic career. I look forward to doing more in this space.
How did you get into researching running?
I started researching running due to my MSc and PhD students. Many of them would label themselves as runners, and their passion for running has led me to work with them.
What running research have you done?
I’ve published two studies. One exploring runners’ experiences of harassment in London and another exploring how elite track athletes’ story their injury experiences.
How do you research running?
Due to Covid-19 we have largely used traditional methods until now (e.g., survey, life history interviews, timelining). But, moving forward, we would like to explore running-interviews, visual methods, and novel ways of capturing lived experiences.
What is the most significant, important, surprising, interesting, unusual, or favourite finding emerging from your research?
One of the most surprising findings for me has been the harassment experienced by runners. Recognising my male privilege here, I was unaware of the harassment encountered by female runners. This is such a concerning issue that needs to be addressed.
Do you run?
Yes and no. I used to run in organised events, but I find little pleasure in them now. I probably run 2 or 3 times a week now as a form of escapism. I also volunteer for ParkRun and get a lot of pleasure from supporting others to enjoy running.
Where can I find out more?
On Twitter @rosswadey or my university profile.
Jographies 