Abstract

The growth in the number of half-marathon participants reflects a transformation from performance-centred participation towards sporting experiences of a social and hybrid nature, with a great capacity to generate tourism flows. This study examines the social motivational structure of participants in the Bidasoa Half Marathon and identifies distinct profiles based on their social motivations. In this event, with a strong tourism appeal, 59.15% of respondents reside outside the Bidasoa region, a characteristic already recognised by the organisers, who promote parallel social activities aimed at enhancing the participant experience and encouraging overnight stays. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all runners registered for the 2025 edition (N = 1496), yielding 284 valid responses (an 18.98% response rate). The instrument measured three specific dimensions: event inclusivity, face-to-face socialisation, and digital interaction/validation. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses validated a robust three-dimensional model explaining 85.04% of the total variance, with adequate reliability and convergent and discriminant validity indices. Inclusivity emerged as the primary motivational driver, followed by digital interaction and physical socialisation. Furthermore, cluster analysis identified three segments: the Inclusive Runner (38.03%), characterised by a high valuation of inclusivity and low digital interest; the Connected Runner (31.34%), with high and balanced scores across the three dimensions and a peak score in digital interaction; and the Autonomous Runner (30.63%), displaying low levels across all social dimensions. Significant associations with age, gender, and educational attainment evidence the inherent heterogeneity of the participants. Consequently, the findings extend traditional models by integrating social and digital dimensions, thereby providing strategic implications for the contemporary management of sporting events.

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