Run, Maria, run: a qualitative study of middle age Latina runners

This research on eight middle age Latina runners was conducted using qualitative research methods. The purpose of the study was to discover the meanings these Latinas gave to their running experiences. This study explored the concept of race, class and gender in relationship to these Latina's running experiences. Each of these women, during their life course, rejected the cultural social norms about females and physical acti-yity-they became runners. Running became a form of resistance. These Latinas took a lifetime of struggle and resistance and transformed it to an activist lifestyle today, and running played a large role. They believe strongly in giving back to their people and supporting their culture. Their stories revealed the challenges that they confronted on their way to becoming runners, sometimes failing, and sometimes succeeding. The fact that they succeeded at all makes these Latinas unique.