Changes in Pain and Nutritional Intake Modulate Ultra-Running Performance: A Case Report

Abstract

Ultra-endurance running provides numerous physiological, psychological, and nutritional challenges to the athlete and supporting practitioners. We describe the changes in physiological status, psychological condition, and nutritional intake over the course of two 100-mile running races, with differing outcomes: non-completion and completion. Athlete perception of pain, freshness, and motivation differed between events, independent of rating of perceived exertion. Our data suggest that the integration of multiple sensations (freshness, motivation, hunger, pain, and thirst) produce performance. Increases in carbohydrate feeding (+5 g·h^-1) and protein intake (+0.3 g·kg^-1) also likely contributed to successful completion of a 100-mile race, by reducing the fractional utilization of maximal oxygen uptake and satiating hunger, respectively. Nutritional data support the notion that the gut is a trainable, and critical organ with respect to ultra-endurance performance. Finally, we propose future research to investigate the rate at which peak feeding occurs throughout ultra-endurance events, as this may further serve to personalize sports nutrition strategies.

Keywords: nutrition; running; ultra-endurance.

Figure 1

Panels represent the individual data points for race 1 (red circles) and race 2 (blue triangles). Bars represent the typical error of measurement and values falling outside the dashed lines are estimated to be likely (>~75% chance) substantially off the trend [29]. Asterisks (*) represent data points that are estimated to be likely different from the previous check point. Panels(a) and (b) depict RPE trends between events; (c) and (d) freshness; (e) and (f) motivation; (g) and (h) hunger; (i) and (j) thirst; and (k) and (l) pain.

Figure 1

Panels represent the individual data points for race 1 (red circles) and race 2 (blue triangles). Bars represent the typical error of measurement and values falling outside the dashed lines are estimated to be likely (>~75% chance) substantially off the trend [29]. Asterisks (*) represent data points that are estimated to be likely different from the previous check point. Panels(a) and (b) depict RPE trends between events; (c) and (d) freshness; (e) and (f) motivation; (g) and (h) hunger; (i) and (j) thirst; and (k) and (l) pain.

Figure 1

Panels represent the individual data points for race 1 (red circles) and race 2 (blue triangles). Bars represent the typical error of measurement and values falling outside the dashed lines are estimated to be likely (>~75% chance) substantially off the trend [29]. Asterisks (*) represent data points that are estimated to be likely different from the previous check point. Panels(a) and (b) depict RPE trends between events; (c) and (d) freshness; (e) and (f) motivation; (g) and (h) hunger; (i) and (j) thirst; and (k) and (l) pain.

Figure 2

Panels represent the individual data points for race 1 (red circles) and race 2 (blue triangles), for Urine Score and Δ BW.