Green Exercise, Blue Spaces and Active Leisure Events: The Performance of New Participants is Associated With Their Response to Event Characteristics

Abstract

Active leisure events (ALEs) promoting activity among non-traditional sporting participants are an increasingly important part of health interventions and social prescribing. Identifying characteristics of ALEs that encourage engagement are key for enhancing their efficacy. Models revealed first-time participants returned to parkrun more quickly if they were male, older, performed poorly, attended a larger event with more new adult participants, a hard surface type and with woodland and freshwater on its route. Interaction terms between performance and event characteristics revealed poor performing new participants were particularly influenced by event size and less influenced by woodland and freshwater suggesting that they might find it easier to hide at large events and feel less out of place. This highlights the importance not just of identifying characteristics of ALEs that influence return rates but also identifying interaction terms with performance so the behavior of target demographics can be better understood. Organisers of ALEs might want to consider prioritizing the use of routes that maximize exposure to woodland and freshwater and consider introducing additional strategies designed to make less fit participants feel that they belong.