The purpose of this study was to accomplish three major objectives: to quantitatively understand the applicability of an existing list of characteristics of mental toughness to a population of ultramarathon runners, to establish a new definition of mental toughness specific to ultra runners, and to conduct interviews to understand experiences, examples, and development of mental toughness. A mixed-methods approach was utilized with online surveys and semi-structured interviews. Participants were ultramarathon runners who had completed at least one organized ultramarathon event of 50 miles or more, all of whom were at least 18 years of age. The online survey yielded 408 completed questionnaires and 476 definitions of mental toughness in ultramarathon running. The online survey consisted of an open-ended question on defining mental toughness, and a list of 30 characteristics of mental toughness from Jones and colleagues' (2007) mental toughness study on elite athletes. The survey utilized a 5-point Likert scale, and a Basic Demographic Questionnaire in addition to questions relevant to running experience. The existing characteristics represented limited applicability to the population of ultramarathon runners, with most prevalent attributes on drive towards success, goal attainment, learning from failure, and coping under pressure. In the 476 definitions of mental toughness, the most prominent themes were persistence, perseverance, utilization of psychological skills, and adapting to environmental and duration-related obstacles. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 randomly selected ultramarathon runners. Interviews were designed to verify a raw definition of mental toughness in ultramarathon runners, identify traits of mentally tough ultra runners, understand experiences and examples of mental toughness, and understand how mental toughness could be developed. Grounded theory was utilized to isolate themes; many factors emerged and were categorized based on research questions. The definition of mental toughness was supported with the addition of an emotional and perceptual component. Traits of mentally tough runners supported the traits found in the definitions of mental toughness. Experiences and examples of mental toughness included situations of using psychological skills and witnessing a runner overcome adversity. Lastly, development of mental toughness was most highlighted in social aspects of the ultra culture and experiences both in running and in life. / Kinesiology

No description available.

No description available.

Since its first measurement in 1679, the usefulness of the location of whole body centre of mass (COM) data has progressed from having largely theoretical value into being an instrument with several diagnostic and applied scientific uses. This thesis describes first the biomechanical and measurement theory foundation of COM research and then details the historical development of methods to measure COM location and the various applied uses of this variable. Original research data presented in this thesis then go on to provide the first direct measurements of COM movement in walking humans. A second study quantifies the accuracy of the most commonly used current technique to quantify COM location (the kinematic segmental method) by determining the limits of agreement between it and a direct measurement method (the reaction-board), in lying and running subjects. In the latter studies a novel reaction-board measurement method is developed making use of life-sized projections of subjects in various stride positions and used to place runners into recumbent static running positions. These data demonstrate that reaction-board and segmental methods report COM locations with a mean difference of 1.6cm and agree to within limits of 6.0cm for the location of COM in recumbent individuals. The final study described in this thesis compares single COM measurements made using two kinematic segmental methods (models) to a direct suspension technique of measuring COM location. The suspension technique used is adapted from the original method of determining COM location upon which kinematic segmental methods derive their origin. The data show that both cadaver-derived kinematic models of COM, and kinematic models derived from live human data, differ from a direct COM suspension method, and that cadaver based estimates display greater accuracy (agreement with the direct suspension method). This study also uniquely provides information on the effect of whole body mass, body fat or body water on the accuracy of segmental models in male subjects.

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to identify a deep-water running (DWR) style that most closely approximates terrestrial running. Methods: Twenty healthy male and female intercollegiate (NCAA III) distance runners were videotaped from the right sagittal view while running on a treadmill (TR) and in deep water at 55-60% of their TR VO₂[subscript max] using each of four DWR styles: shod cross-country (SCC), barefoot cross-country (BCC), shod high-knee (SHK), and barefoot high-knee (BHK). All biomechanical data were digitized and analyzed using the Peak Motus® system. Physiological variables of interest were oxygen consumption (V0₂), heart rate (HR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Biomechanical variables of interest were horizontal (X) and vertical (Y) displacement of the knee and ankle, and stride rate (SR). An ANOVA with repeated measures was utilized to ascertain the differences across styles. The alpha significance level was set at .05, and a post hoc pairwise analysis was conducted with a Bonferonni adjustment of the alpha level. Results: Omnibus significant differences were found for all physiological variables: VO₂ (p<.025), HR (p<.042), RPE (p<.000). However, the post hoc pairwise comparisons revealed that only TR vs. SHK V0₂ (p<.005), and the RPE responses for treadmill vs. all DWR styles exhibited significant differences (p<.000-.002). Omnibus tests for biomechanical variables exhibited statistical significance. The post hoc pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences in SR (p<.000) between TR (1.25 ± .08 Hz) and all DWR styles and also between the CC and HK styles of DWR (SCC: 0.78 ± .08 Hz, BCC: 0.81 ± .08 Hz, SHK: 1.13 ± .10 Hz, BHK: 1.14 ± .10 Hz). The CC style of DWR was found to be similar to TR with respect to linear ankle displacement, whereas the HK style was significantly different from TR in all but two of the 16 comparisons made for ankle and knee displacement. Conclusion: The CC style of DWR is recommended as an adjunct to distance running training if the goal is to mimic the ankle linear horizontal displacement of land-based running. However, if the goal is to mimic SR, the HK style is a closer approximation than the CC style. / Graduation date: 2004

Much research has looked into how aerobic exericse is important to physical and psychological well-being. However, research is less sure of the how exercise produces psychological benefits. To explore this, running is a form of exercise that deserves particular attention given its possible usefulness to public policy discussions. Running is one of the most accessible and inexpensive forms of exercise, and its popularity is demonstrated by the trend of more and more people participating in local annual marathons. This study performed a longitudinal test to better define the conditions under which average people might enjoy psychological benefits from exercise like running. From self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985), motivation is fueled by three basic psychological needs: perceived competence, perceived relatedness and perceived autonomy. In this study, key factors influencing psychological outcomes included runners’ degree of motivation, perceived relatedness and the intensity of their training program. The present study had 59 average runners fill in questionnaires before and after a 12 week marathon training program. The results showed that stress and depression levels were significantly reduced, and perceived relatedness among runners increased. Runners’ degree of motivation, which refers to the degree to which runners felt intrinsically motivated, predicts depression and stress levels after training. It suggested that a higher degree of motivation maximizing stress and depression reduction. In addition, higher levels of perceived relatedness among runners also positively predicts stress reduction. The depression reduction of runners who joined only training was significantly higher than those who joined marathon competition after finishing training. The present study found that this competition effect was fully mediated by the number of long runs runners attended during their training. This finding is tied to the question of how much exercise people need in order to optimally reduce depression. Overall, the present study highlights that a threshold of exercise intensity exists beyond which depression reduction becomes insignificant. In the context of the marathon training under study, four or fewer long runs were the recommended threshold. The present study provided a good overview of the psychological benefits of running for a non-clinical population, and also identified how people might maximize such gains. Application of the findings to the promotion of marathon culture for the betterment of public mental health is discussed. / published_or_final_version / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Syfte och frågeställningar Syfte med denna studie var att undersöka löpträningens effekter på välbefinnandet med hjälp av Emotional Recovery Questionnaire (EmRecQ). - Hur påverkar löpträning välbefinnandet? - Hur påverkar styrketräning välbefinnandet i jämförelse med löpträning? - Hur påverkar tv-tittande välbefinnandet i jämförelse med löpträning? Metod För att besvara frågeställningarna användes en kvantitativ metod av experimentell karaktär. Deltagare till studien rekryterades på två träningsanläggningar och 36 vuxna deltagare utförde tre aktiviteter: löpträning, styrketräning och tv-tittande under tre skilda tillfällen under olika dagar. Deltagarna fyllde i en enkät inom 30 minuter före och efter varje aktivitet. Enkäten innehöll skattningsskalan EmRecQ. Jämförande analyser genomfördes för att undersöka: a) skillnader i välbefinnande före och efter löpträning och b) skillnader i välbefinnande mellan löpträning och styrketräning respektive tv-tittande. Resultat Löpträningen visade signifikant högre medelvärden i välbefinnandet för samtliga fem EmRecQ-faktorer (glädje, trygghet, harmoni, kärlek och vakenhet) före jämfört med efter löpträningen (p &lt; 0,05). Inga signifikanta skillnader i medelvärden gällande skillnader mellan före och efter kunde ses mellan löpträning och styrketräningen. Signifikanta högre medelvärden i skillnader mellan före och efter kunde dock ses mellan löpträning och tvtittande för samtliga fem EmRecQ-faktorer (p &lt; 0,025). Slutsats Fysisk aktivitet verkar vara positivt för välbefinnandet oavsett om det är i form av löpträning eller styrketräning.

A number of questionnaires formed the core of the research reported here. Thirteen studies were carried out in order to find out why people run. The main samples used consisted of marathon and half marathon runners. The main reasons found for starting to run were to improve physical fitness, to improve health or feel better and in order to run in a marathon/half marathon. The perceived benefits reported by runners were examined. These were found to be, in descending order of the benefits derived: improved physical health; increased well being; increased self insight; increased self discipline and improved self confidence. The runners' stated reasons for their involvement in running were also assessed. Factor analysis revealed that running shares many of the motives which underlie other leisure activities. The motivational categories identified were, in order of importance: Challenge; Health/Fitness; Well Being; Addiction; Status and Social. These categories are very similar to those proposed by Maslow (1970). The results reported here show that it necessary for running research, and exercise research in general, to be placed within a much wider context than it is at present. Two main costs were noted by runners. Firstly, a small but significant number of runners reported that running had a detrimental effect on their family and social lives. A comparison of the perceptions of runners with those of their non-running partners showed that runners may underestimate these negative effects. Secondly, a large number of runners reported injuries as a result of their running. Class and gender differences were examined. Blue collar workers were more influenced by the extrinsic satisfiers provided by running than were white collar runners but they were not any less motivated by the intrinsic satisfiers. Running appeared to be more important to the female runners sampled and it brought them greater improvements in well being.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 32-33). / viii, 39 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [75]-82).