Research on the run: moving methods and the charity ‘thon’

Abstract

This article explores the growing popularity of charity sporting events or ‘thons’ as an emergent fitness practice. To do this, I locate my analysis within a discussion of the emergent trend towards moving methods in sport and physical cultural studies research. Reflecting on some of the methodological challenges and theoretical conundrums that arose from my involvement as a runner-researcher in a qualitative research project that used a GoPro™ camera to capture the experiences of participating in the Mother’s Day Classic; a major fundraising event for breast cancer research and education in Australia, the article engages with broader theoretical and methodological debates as to the application of moving methods in sport and physical cultural studies.