Reduced mood variability is associated with enhanced performance during ultrarunnning.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sports Science
• Human Performance

Background:

• Ultrarunning demands exceptional endurance, yet psychological factors influencing success remain unclear.
• Existing research on mood and endurance performance primarily uses data from shorter races.
• No prior studies have specifically investigated mood changes during competitive ultramarathons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine mood fluctuations in athletes during a 100 km ultramarathon.
• To investigate the relationship between mood variability and race performance (completion time).
• To understand pre-race anxiety and in-race mood changes in ultrarunners.

Main Methods:

• Mood states were measured in athletes participating in the Hardmoors 60 trail-ultramarathon.
• Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) scores were analyzed for variability and correlation with completion times.
• Measurements were taken at baseline, pre-race, and during the race (35.4 km).

Main Results:

• Higher variability in Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) scores was significantly linked to longer completion times.
• Athletes experienced increased pre-race tension, particularly less experienced runners, which subsided by 35.4 km.
• In-race fatigue, anger, and TMD increased, while pre-race depression, anger, and TMD were lower than baseline.

Conclusions:

• Mood variability is a significant factor in ultrarunning performance.
• Pre-race anxiety is common but diminishes during the ultramarathon.
• Findings support the Psychobiological model of endurance and have implications for other endurance domains.