Katherine Buck1, Jack Spittler2, Alex Reed2, Morteza Khodaee2. 1. Family Medicine Residency Program, John Peter Smith Hospital, Fort Worth, TX (Dr Buck). Electronic address: KBuck@jpshealth.org. 2. Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO (Drs Spittler, Reed, and Khodaee).
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: As the popularity of ultramarathon participation increases, there still exists a lack of understanding of the unique psychological characteristics of ultramarathon runners. The current study sought to investigate some of the psychological and behavioral factors that are involved in ultramarathon running. METHODS: We obtained information from participants of the Bear Chase Trail Race via an online survey. This race is a single-day, multidistance race consisting of a 10 k, half marathon, 50 k, 50 mi, and 100 k run in Lakewood, Colorado, at a base altitude of 1680 m with total altitude in climbs ranging from 663 to 2591 m. We correlated information from the Exercise Addiction Inventory and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and demographic information with race finish times. RESULTS: Out of 200 runners who started the race, 98 (48%) completed the survey. Over half of the runners were men (61.2%), and the average age was 39.0 years (SD±8.9; range 21-64 years). A number of respondents (20%) screened positive for exercise addiction concerns. Approximately 20% of our sample screened positive for depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-2 score >3). The majority of participants reported receiving strong social support from current partners with regard to their ultramarathon running training time and goals. CONCLUSIONS: Although only a screening, the number of positive screens on the Exercise Addiction Inventory suggests use of screening measures with an ultramarathon running population. Athletes with positive screening tests should be fully evaluated for depression and exercise addiction because this would enable appropriate athlete support and treatment referral.
INTRODUCTION: As the popularity of ultramarathon participation increases, there still exists a lack of understanding of the unique psychological characteristics of ultramarathon runners. The current study sought to investigate some of the psychological and behavioral factors that are involved in ultramarathon running. METHODS: We obtained information from participants of the Bear Chase Trail Race via an online survey. This race is a single-day, multidistance race consisting of a 10 k, half marathon, 50 k, 50 mi, and 100 k run in Lakewood, Colorado, at a base altitude of 1680 m with total altitude in climbs ranging from 663 to 2591 m. We correlated information from the Exercise Addiction Inventory and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and demographic information with race finish times. RESULTS: Out of 200 runners who started the race, 98 (48%) completed the survey. Over half of the runners were men (61.2%), and the average age was 39.0 years (SD±8.9; range 21-64 years). A number of respondents (20%) screened positive for exercise addiction concerns. Approximately 20% of our sample screened positive for depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-2 score >3). The majority of participants reported receiving strong social support from current partners with regard to their ultramarathon running training time and goals. CONCLUSIONS: Although only a screening, the number of positive screens on the Exercise Addiction Inventory suggests use of screening measures with an ultramarathon running population. Athletes with positive screening tests should be fully evaluated for depression and exercise addiction because this would enable appropriate athlete support and treatment referral.
Authors: Volker Scheer; Nicholas B Tiller; Stéphane Doutreleau; Morteza Khodaee; Beat Knechtle; Andrew Pasternak; Daniel Rojas-Valverde Journal: Sports Med Date: 2021-09-20 Impact factor: 11.928
Authors: Yifan Zuo; Liye Zou; Mu Zhang; Lee Smith; Lin Yang; Paul D Loprinzi; Zhanbing Ren Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-12-11 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: David Méndez-Alonso; Jose Antonio Prieto-Saborit; Jose Ramón Bahamonde; Estíbaliz Jiménez-Arberás Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-03-08 Impact factor: 3.390