{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,22]],"date-time":"2026-05-22T18:05:13Z","timestamp":1779473113615,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,22]],"date-time":"2026-05-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779408000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Run streaking is running on consecutive days for a minimum of one mile per day. Despite its benefits for supporting habit formation and long-term behaviour change, some streak runners report potential unintended negative consequences of run streaking. The aim of the study is to examine the backfire potential of run streaking in recreational runners who ended a long-term streak.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Qualitative semi-structured interviews with 17 recreational adult runners (10 male, 6 female, 1 other gender). All runners ended a run streak of \u00b3100 consecutive days. Transcripts were analyzed using a hybrid deductive\u2013inductive thematic analysis.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Prior to streak cessation, some runners felt streak-related inconveniences and ran with injury to prolong the streak. Immediate consequences following the end of a streak included feelings of sadness, anger, disappointment and relief. Several run streakers described a \u2018grieving process\u2019 in the weeks and months following streak cessation. Unintended negative consequences were amplified in runners with higher levels of streak attachment. All physically capable runners continued to run regularly with most starting a new streak and all voiced positive views towards run streaking despite their streak ending.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Run streaking as a behaviour change technique has small backfire potential in some runners. Ending a long-term run streak can lead to short-term negative affect which can develop into experiences of grief, particularly in those with high levels of streak attachment. No long-term negative consequences were reported. All participants perceived run streaking as positive overall and remained physically active following the end of their long-term streak.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0317254","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,22]],"date-time":"2026-05-22T17:22:46Z","timestamp":1779470566000},"page":"e0317254","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The dark side of streaking: Examining the backfire potential of run streaking in recreational runners who broke a long-term streak"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Erin E.","family":"Ingalls","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicholas","family":"Larade","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5869-3274","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Gozde","family":"Ozakinci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gabriela","family":"Tymowski-Gionet","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lena","family":"Fleig","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9832-2777","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Stephan U.","family":"Dombrowski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,22]]},"reference":[{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0317254.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"801","DOI":"10.1503\/cmaj.051351","article-title":"Health benefits of physical activity: the evidence","volume":"174","author":"DER Warburton","year":"2006","journal-title":"CMAJ"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0317254.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1724","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-020-09855-3","article-title":"Exercise\/physical activity and health outcomes: an overview of Cochrane systematic reviews","volume":"20","author":"P Posadzki","year":"2020","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"pone.0317254.ref003","article-title":"Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64 years and Adults aged 65 years or older: an integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep","volume":"45","author":"R Ross","year":"2020","journal-title":"Appl Physiol Nutr Metab"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0317254.ref004","first-page":"3","article-title":"Accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of Canadian adults, 2007 to 2017","volume":"30","author":"J Clarke","year":"2019","journal-title":"Health Rep"},{"issue":"15","key":"pone.0317254.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1638","DOI":"10.1001\/archinte.168.15.1638","article-title":"Reduced disability and mortality among aging runners: a 21-year longitudinal study","volume":"168","author":"EF Chakravarty","year":"2008","journal-title":"Arch Intern Med"},{"issue":"15","key":"pone.0317254.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"898","DOI":"10.1136\/bjsports-2018-100493","article-title":"Is running associated with a lower risk of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality, and is the more the better? 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