Runners on the whole have a symbiotic relationship with nature and we tend to be a helpful bunch so when Catherine Pickard form the University of Derby approached runABC Midlands asking for help we thought it only right that we should answer the call.

The truth is we’re asking you, our visitors, to answer the call as Catherine, under the expert tutelage of Dr. Charlotte Scott, is studying the connection to nature and pro-environmental behaviour among adults who exercise for 2 hours or more each week as part of her Masters in Psychology. The study is fully supervised by the aforementioned Dr. Charlotte Scott and has been approved by the University of Derby’s ethics committee.

Participation in the study consists of answering a series of online questions about your main exercise (e.g., how often and where you exercise) in addition to your feelings about a place where you regularly exercise, your relationship with nature and your environmental behaviour. The survey is anticipated to last no more than 15 minutes and can be done at any time that is convenient to you. Runners who would like to participate must meet the following criteria - be at least 18 years old, exercise at least 2 hours a week and have access to a computer/mobile device. 

The study conforms to the UK Data Protection Act (2018) and is completely confidential, anonymous and you can withdraw at any time during the study and up to two weeks after participation.

So go on! What are you waiting for? Let’s show our Midlands running community for what we are - a helpful bunch of nature lovers.

You can complete the study online using this link.

Image by Paul Edney from Pixabay