RECREATIONAL DISTANCE RUNNING ORAL HISTORY COLLECTION

MORE THAN THE MILEAGE

ABOUT

Purpose

More than the Mileage aims to highlight the impact of recreational distance running beyond the physical, but its ability to establish identity confirmation, self esteem, and connection to the natural environment. Running’s accessibility lends itself to a diverse participant pool, showcased through the runners documented here. The shared experiences within the sport display a supportive community, an important outcome that signals an opportunity for public health officials to promotionally and financially back running organizations, groups and initiatives within their locales.

Why Oral History

Oral history gathers, records, and preserves the voices and memories of participants in past or current events through, today, the means of modern technology. Its ability to capture first-hand the stories of recreational distance runners aligns with the practices of sociological autoethnographic and ethnographic study, the methodologies utilized within several pieces of literature on the topic of running. Oral history acts a perfect complement to this technical research, which altogether present a holistic view of the sport for both new and experienced runners. Learn more about the Oral History Department at the University of South Carolina here.

About the Interviewer

My name is Hannah Clark, a senior at the South Carolina Honors College, and I am completing the undergraduate thesis requirement on a topic near and dear to my heart. As a somewhat-above-average cross country and track runner in high school to an avid casual-but-sometimes-serious club runner in college, the sport has provided me with so much meaning in my life. Some of the most important mentors, friends, and connections I have are from within the community and for the cumulative work for my undergraduate degree, I thought there was no better way to pay homage to this activity than to bring in others, from fellow Carolina Club Cross Country and Track & Field members and Clevelanders, and everyone in between, to amplify this sentiment. My aim is to encourage newcomers to find their place within the running community, or have seasoned vets see experiences similar to theirs be celebrated. Enjoy!

A special thank you to my thesis director, Helen van der Sluis, and second reader, Andrea L’Hommedieu, for their continued support and expertise throughout this process.

Feel free to reach out!

hannahmitchellclark@gmail.com