Race and Gender Constraints in SA Road Running

Author(s): Zubeda Paruk and Cheryl de la Rey

Source: Agenda: Empowering Women for Gender Equity, No. 17, Recreation and Leisure
(1993), pp. 25-28
Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Agenda Feminist Media
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4065517
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 in brief .

Zubeda Paruk
and
Cheryl de la Rey

RACE ANd GENdER CONSTRAINTS IN SA ROAd RUNNINq

Women's running is a rapidly being discussed. In popular

growing sport in South Africa. Since magazines like SA Runner the
the inception in 1979 of a majority of articles tend to be
women-only race in Durban, the descriptive with little analytic
number of participants has insight.
increased steadily with a record
number of approximately 3 200 The information in this article is
entrants in a 1992 ten kilometer based on two studies conducted
race. While this trend continues, during 1992. The first was a survey
the number of women runners of women runners without regard to
relative to men remains small. race. Following this, eight black
Moreover, the growth in the women runners were interviewed to
participation of women has been explore specific issues experienced
racially uneven, with white women by this group. The findings showed
far outnumbering black women. In that factors such as race, gender
the most recent ten kilometers and culture combine in complex
women road race in Durban, only ways to influence the recreational
46 of a total of 1 720 finishers were and sporting opportunities of South
black1 women. Since the removal of African women.
apartheid legislation in running, the
participation of black men has
Specific needs of women
increased dramatically. Black
women's participation has not The organisation of running as a
shown a similar trend. sport is still male-dominated and
this has implications for women's
Very few studies have investigated participation. The way in which
the social-psychological issues races are organised does not cater
associated with women runners. In for the specific needs of women.
the South African literature the Some problems identified were that
most comprehensive book on no child care facilities are available
running, by Noakes (1985), includes during organised runs and not
merely one chapter which deals enough toilets are provided,
with women and children with only particularly on longer runs. Several
physiological and medical aspects respondents also expressed

Race and gender in S.A. road running Agenda 25

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 in brief

lifestyle. Moreover, they said that

fitness was seen as a masculine
attribute and many black people
think if a woman runs she will
become masculine and less of a
woman. It appears ironical that
while running is perceived as part of
a white lifestyle, it is seen as an
acceptable activity for black men.
/ This dual perception of running as
a sport for 'men and whites'
highlights the way in which gender
and race intertwine to constrain
dissatisfaction with the inequality in black South African women's
acknowledgement and incentives for leisure activities. Some comments
female as compared with male suggested that the activity of
runners. The lack of availability of running minimises the traditional
running gear designed especially for passive role of women: "Ifeel more
women was also a source of independent and in control of
dissatisfaction. myself' and "Men recognise you as a
strong woman".
Personal safety while training was
the most frequent concern It is interesting to note from the
expressed by women runners. Only findings that pressures to remain
12 percent of the sample said that within the traditional feminine role
they always ran alone. While all came from women as well as men.
women were concerned about their Female members of the black
safety, black women living in community, for example, were
townships faced the additional reported to have made comments
constraint of higher levels of crime which accused the runners of not
and political violence. fulfilling their domestic duties and
of trying to attract the attention of
Fewer black women runners males. Even within the family it was
the mothers who were often most
Difficulties in finding a suitable disapproving of the participants'
place to train may partially explain running.
the relatively small number of black
women runners; however, the
Pressures to remain within the
women who were interviewed
traditional feminine role came
suggested that the attitudes of the
from women as well as men
wider black community was the
main constraint. A frequently
expressed view is illustrated in the Another contributing factor for the
following comment: "They (blacks) difference in the number of white
say running is a sportfor men and women compared with black women
whites". The participants noted that who run, was the exposure of
in the black community running whites to sports from an early age
was seen as being part of a white and the lack of sports facilities in

26 Agenda Race and gender in S.A. road running

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the townships. White women were negative effects were jealousy over
also seen to be more weight and friendships with male runners and
body conscious than black women. resentment about the time spent
Moreover, all the black women who running.
were interviewed said that there
were cultural taboos against their Similarly, the interviews revealed
wearing shorts. At face value the that other family members'
traditional dress of southern African attitudes varied depending on
women reveals at least as much as whether the individual family
the typical running gear worn in hot member participated in sport. For
climates. The explanation was that example, mothers tended to
the negative attitude only applied to disapprove of their daughters'
the exposure of the body while running, except in one case where
wearing western-type clothing. It is the mother participated in aerobics.
interesting that this view applies
exclusively to women since black
male runners do not seem to face Examples of negative effects were
this kind of censure from their jealousy over friendships with male
communities. runners and resentment about the
time spent running
Concerns about sex role issues
were expressed by women runners
regardless of race. These included Spouses/significant others also
the influence of running on family seemed to play a role in the
commitment, child care and women's motivation to begin
domestic chores. Often this meant running. Some women said that
difficulty finding time to train and they saw other women running
problems with child care during when they accompanied their
organised races. Other issues which husbands to road races. Others
were specific to all women as took up running so that they could
runners were anxieties about the share in an activity that consumed
effects of running on menstruation, a great deal of their husbands' time.
fertility, breast size and appearance
(eg wrinkles). Advantages of running

Relationships affected Commonly perceived advantages of

being a woman runner were, in
The majority of women surveyed order of frequency, that it has
noted that running had affected the positive physical consequences,
significant relationships in their psychological benefits such as
lives. The main trend was that increased self-esteem, a sense of
where the significant other was also achievement and reduction of
a runner, the relationship was depression, and it provides an
enhanced eg an increase in shared opportunity for recreation and for
time, closeness and understanding. making friends. The most frequent
When the change was negative, the type of comment was that, as a
significant other was most likely to result of running, respondents felt
be a non-runner. Examples of more relaxed, more confident and

r . n S . : : ..A . I .::.. . I, g e. -. r d : . ru i g A d.a ........ . .--- :. . - .:. ro a runn g Age ...nd 2 . . 7. - l.'.:, -
Race and gender in S.A. road running Agenda 27

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 In brief -.-. E- - -- - --
more energetic; an example of an to their participation in running.
oft-used statement was: Further research could provide a
"afeeling of well being - one copes broader analysis of the influence of
better with stress, work, homelife. It structural factors like class and
improves one's quality of life". culture, in addition to race and
gender, on women's running.O
Virtually all the women said that
running had made them more FOOTNOTE

conscious of their bodies which 1. Black women in this paper does not include
women classified as Indian or coloured
were seen to be firmer, with
under apartheid laws.
increased muscle tone. Running
was also believed to have helped in REFERENCES
weight reduction and maintenance. Noakes, T. (1985). Lore of Running. Cape Town:
Oxford University Press.

Constraints on women that have

emerged in other studies on gender Zubeda. Paruk and Cheryl de la Rey
and sport were all applicable to the are lecturers in the Department of
runners in our research; black Psychology, University of
South African women, however, Durban-Westville.
appear to face additional limitations

W&IE N*4EV ER D)IISCOUN *4TCA RING4C

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28 Agenda Race and gender in S.A. road running

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