LIFESTYLE SPORT-FAMILY ENRICHMENT: THE USE OF LIFESTYLE SPORTDERIVED RESOURCES TO MEET FAMILIAL ROLE REQUIREMENTS AND ENHANCE FAMILIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Involvement in ultra-endurance mountain bike racing (UEMBR) is an expensive, time-consuming and risky endeavor. These factors are potentially problematic for athletes who are also in a committed relationship or are parents; it is not unreasonable to assume that the reallocation of time and financial resources from the household to the sport is likely to cause a significant amount of role conflict for an athlete and may impact his or her personal relationships in profound ways. However, a study of competitors who have participated in the Tour Divide, a 2,745 mile mountain bike race from Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, NM, reveals that these endurance athletes experience relatively low levels of role conflict and overwhelmingly perceive their involvement in this sport to have a more positive than negative impact on their personal relationships. This unexpected response is in line with recent research regarding the cross-role relationships of work and family, where models such as Greenhaus and Powell's (2006:79) work-family enrichment (WFE) model are used to study the ways in which individuals benefit from involvement in more than one role. As with most research regarding the cross-role relationships of work and family, that of sports-family relationships primarily focuses on role conflict. In an effort to understand the processes by which involvement in UEMBR can benefit an individual's role as a significant other and/or parent, Greenhaus and Powell's WFE model is used to study sports-family enrichment. Survey and interview data are analyzed to identify specific resources that racers gain from participating in UEMBR and subsequently apply to familial roles in a manner that results in role enrichment. The suitability of the WFE model for studying cross-role relationships in this context is assessed and suggestions are made for future research regarding the relationships between athletic and familial roles as well as other aspects of UEMBR.