Mass sport events as a motivational drive to improve health

English abstract: Mass sport events (MSE) are found to be popular worldwide, and research indicates MSE might have health benefits, and these events present a potential to encourage people to trail physical activity. However, there is a limited amount of research that has explored MSE potential to encourage the level of physical activity and exercise, and especially with a focus on motivational factors. With the high level of inactivity and sedentary in Norway today it is a need to search for arenas that promote physical activity and exercise. The main aim of this study was to present research investigating the potential motivational drive among first time participants in MSE, and MSE potential to improve health. This project focused on motivation and health indicators, and the sample consisted of first time MSE participants in Birkebeinerrennet 2015. The research questions in this project was “To what extend can entering a mass sport event for the first time provide a motivational drive for more regular exercise, and can this lead to improved health?” and “To what extent can mass sport events involve individuals with a low level of physical activity?” To understand the potential in MSE a quantitative approach was used, collecting a wide variety of data. Data were collected using questionnaires and repeated physical fitness measurements. The health-indicators was measured 14-weeks before the event, and 1-week before the event. This project identified, among other, mastery, physical fitness, enjoyment, exercise goal, and personal challenge as the most important motivational factors for exercise and participating in MSE. It was also found a statistic significant change in the health-indicators max and body fat from the 14-weeks before the event test to the 1-week before the event test. It is suggested that this MSE do not involve individuals with a low level of physical activity as the sample in this project presents high scores in the health-indicators, indicating the participants are at a high level of physical activity and exercise in the 14-weeks before the event test. The study concluded that MSE has the potential to provide a motivational drive for regular exercise, which can lead to improved health. However, this MSE is not found to involve individuals with a low level of physical activity