Martin D Hoffman1, Kevin Fogard. 1. Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Department of Veterans Affairs, Northern California Health Care System, and the University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA, USA.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Despite increased 161-km ultramarathon participation in recent years, little is known about those who pursue such an activity. This study surveyed entrants in two of the largest 161-km trail ultramarathon runs in North America to explore demographic characteristics and issues that affected race performance. METHODS: All entries of the 2009 Western States Endurance Run and the Vermont 100 Endurance Race were invited to complete a postrace questionnaire. RESULTS: There were 500 respondents among the 701 race entries (71.3% response). Finish time was found to have a significant (P ≤ .01) negative association with training volume and was generally directly associated with body mass index. Among nonfinishers, the primary reason for dropping out was nausea and/or vomiting (23.0%). Finishers compared with nonfinishers were more likely (P ≤ .02) to report blisters (40.1% vs 17.3%), muscle pain (36.5% vs 20.1%), and exhaustion (23.1% vs 13.7%) as adversely affecting race performance, but nausea and/or vomiting was similar between groups (36.8% vs 39.6%). Nausea and/or vomiting was no more common among those using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), those participating in the event with higher ambient temperatures, those with a lower training volume, or those with less experience at finishing 161-km races. Overall use of NSAIDs was high, and greater (P = .006) among finishers (60.5%) than nonfinishers (46.4%). CONCLUSIONS: From this study, we conclude that primary performance-limiting issues in 161-km ultramarathons include nausea and/or vomiting, blisters, and muscle pain, and there is a disturbingly high use of NSAIDs in these events.
PURPOSE: Despite increased 161-km ultramarathon participation in recent years, little is known about those who pursue such an activity. This study surveyed entrants in two of the largest 161-km trail ultramarathon runs in North America to explore demographic characteristics and issues that affected race performance. METHODS: All entries of the 2009 Western States Endurance Run and the Vermont 100 Endurance Race were invited to complete a postrace questionnaire. RESULTS: There were 500 respondents among the 701 race entries (71.3% response). Finish time was found to have a significant (P ≤ .01) negative association with training volume and was generally directly associated with body mass index. Among nonfinishers, the primary reason for dropping out was nausea and/or vomiting (23.0%). Finishers compared with nonfinishers were more likely (P ≤ .02) to report blisters (40.1% vs 17.3%), muscle pain (36.5% vs 20.1%), and exhaustion (23.1% vs 13.7%) as adversely affecting race performance, but nausea and/or vomiting was similar between groups (36.8% vs 39.6%). Nausea and/or vomiting was no more common among those using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), those participating in the event with higher ambient temperatures, those with a lower training volume, or those with less experience at finishing 161-km races. Overall use of NSAIDs was high, and greater (P = .006) among finishers (60.5%) than nonfinishers (46.4%). CONCLUSIONS: From this study, we conclude that primary performance-limiting issues in 161-km ultramarathons include nausea and/or vomiting, blisters, and muscle pain, and there is a disturbingly high use of NSAIDs in these events.
Authors: Jeremy Joslin; Martin D Hoffman; Ian Rogers; Robert M Worthing; Matt Ladbrook; Joshua Mularella Journal: Sports Med Date: 2015-08 Impact factor: 11.136
Authors: Martin D Hoffman; Ian R Rogers; Jeremy Joslin; Chad A Asplund; William O Roberts; Benjamin D Levine Journal: Sports Med Date: 2015-02 Impact factor: 11.136
Authors: Martin D Hoffman; Andy Pasternak; Ian R Rogers; Morteza Khodaee; John C Hill; David A Townes; Bernd Volker Scheer; Brian J Krabak; Patrick Basset; Grant S Lipman Journal: Sports Med Date: 2014-08 Impact factor: 11.136
Authors: Rhiannon M J Snipe; Anthony Khoo; Cecilia M Kitic; Peter R Gibson; Ricardo J S Costa Journal: Eur J Appl Physiol Date: 2017-12-12 Impact factor: 3.078
Authors: Nicholas B Tiller; Kirsty J Elliott-Sale; Beat Knechtle; Patrick B Wilson; Justin D Roberts; Guillaume Y Millet Journal: Sports Med Date: 2021-01-27 Impact factor: 11.136
Authors: Kevin C Miller; Brendon P McDermott; Susan W Yeargin; Aidan Fiol; Martin P Schwellnus Journal: J Athl Train Date: 2021-06-29 Impact factor: 2.860