Narratives of mother-athletes in “Eco-Challenge”: the world’s toughest race

Abstract

This study analyzes the narratives of mother-athletes participating in the "World's Toughest Race" competition, a reality show that documents a five-day adventure race (AR) held in 2019 in Fiji. AR is characterized as a continuous and long-lasting multi-sport competition. The analysis of the narratives leads us to reflect on the underlying social dynamics, particularly the impact of the patriarchal model on the mothers’ experience. The results indicate that many of them feel overwhelmed, isolated, devalued and deprived of time for training, facing feelings of guilt when they dedicate themselves to sporting activities.This article proposes a critical reflection on these issues, highlighting the necessity to reassess social expectations regarding mothers who engage in high-performance sports.