JOURNAL OF SPORT & EXERCISE PSYCHOUKiY, 1988, 10, 229-235

Profile and Changes in Moods of Ultramarathoners

William J. Tharion, Shelley R. Strowman, and Terry M. Rauch U. S . Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Ultramarathoners compete in footraces beyond the conventional marathon distance of 26.2 miles and are subject to an arduous challenge both physically and psychologically. The participants must often run between 50 to 100 miles over wet and rocky terrain in temperatures ranging from below freezing to above 100°F in the same race. The importance of psychological factors in human physical performance has been well documented (Morgan, 1985). It appears that success- ful endurance performance is governed by both the runner's physical capacity and the willingness to tolerate discomfort associated with hard physical work (Mor- gan & Pollock, 1977). Since the ultramarathon runner must persevere for an ex- tended period of time, his or her psychological state can be expected to have a profound impact on race performance.

McCutcheon and Yoakum (1983) studied a group of ultramarathoners who were matched for age and sex with runners and nonrunners. All three groups were administered the Self-Motivation Inventory and the Philosophy of Human Nature Scale. No personality differences were reported between groups with respect to either measure. Folkins and Wieselberg-Bell (1981) found significant differences between ultramarathoners and normal males on three factors of the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist, with the ultramarathoners being significantly less anxious, hostile, and depressed than male college students. Joesting (1981) tested affective changes throughout a 50-mile race using herself as the only test subject. She reported no differences over time among scores of depression, anxi- ety, or hostility.

Previous studies have examined the mood state of marathoners. Morgan and Pollock (1977) reported that elite marathon runners possess unique psycho- logical characteristics that differentiate them from the normal population. Their findings are based primarily on the Profile of Mood States (POMS), which con- sists of six factors traditionally reported in the following order: tension, depres- sion, anger, vigor, fatigue, and confusion. Morgan and Pollock (1977) found that elite runners scored higher than college norms on the POMS vigor factor in con- trast to the other five mood states, which fell below college norms. The graphic representation of this phenomenon was termed by Morgan as the "iceberg pro- file," since the graphic representation illustrates an iceberg shape.

Requests for reprints should be sent to William J. Tharion, Health and Performance Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA 01760.

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Profile of Ultramarathoners / 231

In the 50-mile race, anyone who did not reach 33 miles by 8 hours or 44 miles by 10 hours was forced to withdraw. In the 100-mile race, runners not reaching 50 miles in 17 hours, 67 miles in 23 hours, or 77 miles in 26 hours were forced to withdraw. Data collectors were stationed at these checkpoints as well as other strategic points to administer questionnaires as promptly as pos- sible to those runners not finishing the race.

Results

The runners were classified post hoc as finishers (those who successfully completed the race) and nonfinishers (those who were pulled or withdrew from the race). There were 17 finishers and 17 nonfinishers in the 50-mile race who participated in the study. The average time to complete the course was 10 hours and 21 minutes, and the winning time was 9 hours and 15 minutes. The 100-mile race had 11 finishers and 11 nonfinishers. The average time to complete the race was 22 hours and 46 minutes.

A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance was performed to investigate the effects of time (prelpostrace), group (finisherslnonfinishers), and race (50-mile1100-mile) on the six POMS factors. Multivariate and univariate analysis revealed no significant main effect for race. The multivariate analysis revealed a significant main effect for time, F(l, 47) = 13.64, p < .001. Subse- quent univariate results showed a significant effect for time on the factors of ten- sion, depression, vigor, fatigue, and confusion. Depression, F(l, 52) = 5.47, p < .05, fatigue, F(l, 52) = 59.53, p < .001, and confusion, F(l, 52) = 12.84, p < .01, increased from prerace to postrace, as illustrated in Figure 1. On the other hand, there was a decrease from prerace to postrace in scores of tension, F(l, 52) = 14.75, p < .001, and vigor, F(1, 52) = 26.05, p < .001.

IC PRE RUN

Figure 1 - Comparison of prerace and postrace mood states on the POMS.

232 1 Tharion, Strowman, and Rauch

No statistically significant difference was observed in the anger scale between prerace and postrace. The multivariate analysis revealed a significant effect for group, F(l, 47) = 2.09, p < .05. The only significant univariate test occurred for fatigue, F(l, 47) = 3.82, p < .05, with finishers reporting greater fatigue than nonfinishers (see Figure 2). Raw score means and standard deviations are presented in Table 2 for the main effects of time and group. Further examination of prerace and postrace fatigue levels between finishers and nonfinishers revealed that the significant difference occurred postrace, with the mean value for finish- ers (M= 19.12 f 6.12) greater than the mean value for nonfinishers (M= 13.44 f 7.50). Prerace fatigue levels were almost identical for finishers (M=6.89 $ 6.96) and nonfinishers (M=6.09 + 7.75). There were no interaction effects. The total mood disturbance score (the five negative items minus the one positive item, "vigor") showed a significant effect for the main effect of time F(l, 47) = 16.31, p < .001. There were no other main interaction effects for total mood distur- bance score.

Figure 2 - Comparison of finishers' and nonfinishers' mood states on the POMS.

Discussion

Ultramarathoners, like runners in general, share a common mood profile. They exhibit less tension, depression, fatigue, and confusion, and more vigor when compared to nonrunners. The POMS mood profile for the present sample of ultramarathoners shows a classic iceberg configuration that was previously reported in other athletic populations (Morgan, 1985).

Running the ultramarathon had a significant effect on ail mood factors, as measured by pre- and postrace values, with the exception of anger. Signifi-

Profile of Ultramarathoners I 233

Table 2

Raw Score Means and Standard Deviations for Mood States for Main Effects of Time and Group

Prerun Postrun Nonfinisher Finisher Mood state M SO M SO M SO M SO

Tension 11.17 7.00 6.67 5.35 8.06 6.00 9.89 7.16 Depression 4.23 5.61 6.68 7.08 6.06 7.31 4.77 5.36 Anger 3.37 4.24 4.43 7.15 4.44 7.13 3.29 3.99 Vigor 18.52 5.78 13.03 6.52 15.66 7.03 15.91 6.42 Fatigue 6.25 6.99 16.25 7.43 9.72 8.37 13.00 8.95 Confusion 4.78 3.72 6.53 4.11 5.13 3.36 6:27 4.58

cantly less tension was reported after the race. Reduction in tension or state anxi- ety following both acute or chronic exercise has been well documented (Bahrke & Morgan, 1978; Dishman, 1985; Lichtman & Poser, 1983; Markoff, Ryan, & Young, 1982; Morgan, 1973; Morgan & Horstman, 1976; Morgan, Horst- man, Cymerman, & Stokes, 1983). There is considerable evidence to suggest that exercise-induced tension reduction is most efficacious when the exercise it- self, or the exercise environment, distracts attention from anxiety-provoking thoughts (Bahrke & Morgan, 1978) or contends with the perception of anxiety symptoms (Orwin, 1973, 1974; Solomon & Bumpus, 1978). The most obvious explanation may be the simplest one, that the reduction in tension from prerace to postrace was due to the unpredictability of the race and one's anticipated perfor- mance, which was alleviated once the race was over.

The ultramarathoners reported a significant reduction in vigor as well as an elevated level of fatigue after the race. These findings are to be expected due to the high metabolic cost of this type of physical performance. Gutman, Pol- lock, Foster, and Schmidt (1984) found similar results with speed skaters during preparation for the U.S. Olympic trials. In addition to the arduous physical na- ture involved in athletic performance, the mentally demanding aspects of compe- tition in the trials or in a sustained effort such as an ultramarathon undoubtedly requires intense mental persistence.

Feelings of depression and confusion increased from prerace to postrace. In contrast, Lichtman and Poser (1983) found that depression and confusion were reduced after 45 minutes of jogging and conditioning exercises. Markoff et al. (1982), Folkins, Lynch, and Gardner (1972), and Morgan, Roberts, Brand, and Feinerman (1970) have also reported similar reductions in depression following exercise. The differences between the present results and those of the previous studies are probably due to the responses associated with a sustained physical effort of over 10 to 30 hours as opposed to workouts lasting less than 1 hour.

No significant differences were observed between race finishers and non- finishers except for fatigue. This finding is consistent with Sacks, Milvy, Perry, and Sherman (1981), who reported no correlation between a low mood and stop-

234 1 Tharion, Strowman, and Rauch

ping in a 100-mile race. The greater level of fatigue expressed by finishers after the race is attributed to running farther and for a longer period of time compared to nonfinishers.

References

Bahrke, MS., & Morgan, W.P. (1978). Anxiety reduction following exercise and medi- tation. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 2, 323-334.

Dishman, R.K. (1985). Medical psychology in exercise and sport. Medical Clinics of North America, 69, 123-144.

Folkins, C., Lynch, S., & Gardner, M. (1972). Psychological function of physical fit- ness. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 53, 503-508.

Folkins, C., & Wieselberg-Bell, N. (1981). A personality profile of ultramarathon runners: A little deviance may go a long way. Journal of Sport Behavior, 4, 119-127.

Gutman, M.C., Pollock, M.L., Foster, C., & Schmidt, D. (1984). Training stress in Olympic speed skaters: A psychological perspective. Ihe Physician and Sportsmedi- cine, 12, 45-57.

Joesting, J. (1981). Affective changes before, during and after a 50-mile run. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 52, 162.

Lichtman, S., & Poser, E.G. (1983). The effects of exercise on mood and cognitive functioning. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 27, 43-52.

Markoff, R.A., Ryan, P., & Young, T. (1982). Endorphins and mood changes in long distance running. Medicine and Science in Sports, 14, 11-15.

McCutcheon, L.E., & Yoakum, M.E. (1983). Personality attributes of ultramarathoners. Journal of Personality Assessment, 47, 178-180.

Morgan, W.P. (1973). Influences of acute physical activity on state anxiety. In C.E. Mueller (Ed.), Seventy-Sixth Proceedings of the National College of Physical Education As- sociation Meeting (pp. 113-121). Pittsburgh National College of Physical Educa- tion Association.

Morgan, W.P. (1985). Selected psychological factors limiting performance: A mental health model. In D.H. Clarke & H.M. Eckert (Eds.), Limits of human perfamaace @p. 70-80). Academy Papers, No. 18. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Morgan, W.P., & Horstman, D.H. (1976). Anxiety reduction following acute physical activity. Medicine and Science in Sports, 8, 62 (Abstract).

Morgan, W.P., Horstman, D.H., Cymerman, A., & Stokes, J. (1983). Facilitation of physical performance by means of a cognitive strategy. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 7, 251-264.

Morgan, W.P., & Pollock, M.L. (1977). Psychologic characterization of the elite dis- tance runner. In P. Milvy (Ed.), The marathon: Physiological, medical, epidemio- logical, and psychological studies. Annals of New York Academy of Sciences (Vol. 301, pp. 382-403).

Morgan, W.P., Roberts, J.A., Brand, F.R., & Feinerman, A.D. (1970). Psychological effect of chronic physical activity. Medicine and Science in Sports, 2, 213-217.

Orwin, A. (1973). The running treatment: A preliminary communication on a new use for an old therapy (physical activity) in the agoraphobic syndrome. British Journal of Psychiatry, 22, 175-179.

Orwin, LA. (1974). Treatment of a situational phobia-A case for running. British Journal of Psychiatry, 125, 95-98.

Profile of Ultramarathoners 1 235

Sacks, M.H., Milvy, P., Perry, S.W., & Sherman, L.R. (1981). Mental status and psycho- logical coping during a 100-mile race. In M.H. Sacks & M.L. Sachs (Eds.), Psy- chology of mnning @p. 166-175). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Solomon, E.G., & Bumpus, A.K. (1978). The running mediation response. An adjunct to psychotherapy. American Jounurl of Psychotherapy, 32, 583-587.

Note on U. S. Army Human Research

Human subjects participated in these studies after giving their free and informed voluntary consent. Investigators adhered to AR 70-25 and USAMRDC regulation 70-25 on Use of Volunteers in Research. The views, opinions, and/or findings contained in this report are those of the authors and should not be construed as an official Department of the Army position, policy, or decision.

Manuscript submitted: January 15, 1987 Revision received: September 1, 1987