Self-regulated leisure sports for health and well-being: learning from Harbour Runners’ community-based interventions and motivations through Instagram communications during the COVID-19 pandemic

The long COVID-19 pandemic had imposed substantial stress, social and leisure constraints on communities worldwide with respect to daily life, sport, and physical activities. However, many citizens still kept healthy lifestyle and exercise through self-regulation and community-based interventions. This study employed a netnographic design to investigate how a local recreational running community (the Hong Kong Harbour Runners) maintained community solidarity and implemented community-based interventions to encourage self-regulated leisure behaviours that promoted overall health and well-being during pandemic-induced social isolation. Empirical evidences were collected by analysing the community’s Instagram posts and interpreting the runners’ discourses and lived experiences. Collective and connective activities conducted through Instagram communications helped the community’s isolated runners to maintain their fitness and solidarity through self-motivated leisure running and sports activities, and provided emotional and social support through shared values, beliefs, experiences, and empathy to sustain their leisure behaviours and well-being.