Rhythmanalysing the urban runner: Pildammsparken, Malmö

Abstract

In this article we discuss the development of urbanized running culture by exploring how the embodied rhythms of running interact with other urban rhythms in a park. The analysis focuses on the timings, sensations and materialities produced through running, and how the rhythms of running intersect with the materialities and rhythms of others. The investigation draws on interviews, observations and a running diary undertaken at Pildammsparken in central Malmö. Our research shows that while the runner, in endeavouring to align with the rhythms of others, may becoming a more disciplined figure, running in the park is more concerned with practising a sharing of space than moving on auto-pilot. Consequently, running is largely a mobile rhythmic practice that negotiates and adapts to co-produce eurhythmic choreographies in this particular urban location.

Keywords:

• Rhythmanalysis
• running
• park
• negotiation
• sensation
• materialities

Acknowledgement

Tim Edensor would like to thank the School of Geography, University of Melbourne, where he has been hosted as a visiting fellow 2016/17.

Notes

1. The observations were made in October 2015 during weekdays, between 9.30 and 15.30, the weather was somewhat cloudy with 10–14 degrees Celsius. In this study we also had help from Gustav Kärrholm.

2. In 60% of the observations of places 1, 2 and 4, people were moving clock wise. In place 3, clock wise could actually be in both directions where, depending which the loop one is following, the ratio was 50–50.