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For many amateur long-distance runners the marathon is not merely an event – it is a demanding activity, both physically and mentally. While being immersed in this activity they enter the running social world and undergo a process of identity transformation. This process encompasses immersion into a 'zone' that is often outside the partnership of marriage and includes absorption into social networks that are unlimited in time and place. In this study, an ethnographic research design was utilized, employing a combination of participant observation, interviews, and website analysis. Key findings illustrate both the complexity and the fragility regarding the encouragement of the non-running partner. It is suggested that, even if the non-running partner is supportive, embracing a serious marathon identity by the running partner can jeopardize the marriage. In other words, the partnership may crumble due to the identity transformation of one of the partners when the other doesn't play an active part in the new social world.

We examined the relationship between social physique anxiety (SPA) and physical activity (PA) in 3-generation families, and also looked at gender differences related to SPA and PA. Self-presentation concerns as related to PA were examined by means of SPA in a sample of 811 participants
from 218 families and spanning 3 generations. Participants assessed their SPA and recorded their PA over 1 week. Gender differences in SPA appeared across 3 generations such that females had higher SPA levels than did males. Significant correlations appeared between girls and mothers, boys
and fathers, husbands and wives, and fathers and their fathers. Nevertheless, PA level was found not to be related to SPA. As correlations were found between parents and their children across 3 generations, changing behavior should be targeted both in schools and in the community.

Governments worldwide have imposed harsh restrictions for decreasing the Covid-19 pandemic and maintaining public health. Yet such limitations have impacted people's physical activity. This study examined relationships between changes in physical activity and resilience, emotions, and depression during two lockdowns in Israel. An online survey was completed twice by 135 participants during two consecutive lockdowns. The results indicate that resilience and positive emotions were higher, and negative emotions and depression were lower during the second lockdown compared to the first one—even though people spent less time performing physical activity in the later lockdown. Moreover, negative emotions significantly decreased among people who reported increased physical activity during the second lockdown [M = 2.2 (SD = 0.9) compared to M = 1.9 (SD = 0.8) on a scale of 1–5] and increased among those who reported a reduction in activity [M = 1.8 (SD = 0.7) compared to M = 2.2 (SD = 0.7)]. It could therefore be concluded that while the Israeli population's resilience is higher compared to other populations (who do not regularly deal with crisis situations), their increased physical activity was associated with better resilience and emotions and lower depression scores. Since lockdowns are an extreme yet often repeated phenomenon, it is important to understand the psychological implications of engaging in physical activity.