![]() ![]() Unsurprisingly, psychological disorders can occur. One study during a 80.5km treadmill-based ultra-marathon found high levels of the stress hormone cortisol – and mood disturbances – in the participants. Research suggests long-distance events are one of the most stressful activities a human being can participate in. Ultra-marathoners have to dig deep to overcome these physiological challenges. Scholars don’t know if these are good or bad. The scientific jury is still out as to how ultra-marathons affect the heart in the long term, as structural changes to the heart after extended training and competing in ultra-marathons have been noted. This damage is generally reversed within a few days. Elsewhere, runners can also experience tissue damage to, among other things, the heart, the kidneys, the muscles and the joints. The sleep deprivation involved in longer races impairs physical and cognitive performance, and often leads to hallucinations. Symptoms vary from nausea, vomiting and headaches to altered mental states, seizures, and death. These low levels of sodium in the blood have been found to cause hyponatremia in up to 51% of participants in single-stage ultra-marathons, compared to up to 28% for standard marathons. This can cause digestion problems and discomfort. Imagine trying to replace 2.8 litres of fluid an hour while running. Some runners, depending on the environment, will lose up to 2.8 litres of sweat per hour, which results in a loss of salts too. If participants aren’t able to meet their calorific demands through food, they can end up in considerable energy deficit, with the body using its own muscle mass and fat as fuel. This type of distance alone puts immense stress on the body. The Marathon des Sables in the Sahara and the Last Desert in Antarctica each cover 250km. Athletes often compete in extreme conditions. The terrible experiences of those who took part in the Gansu race do however beg the question: just how safe is the sport?Īn ultra-marathon is a race that exceeds the 42.2km distance of traditional marathons. Catastrophes, of course, tend to make the headlines. Across the world there will be tens of thousands. Over 600,000 people ran an ultra-marathon in 2018, which represents a jump of 1,676% in participation since the late 1990s.Ī quick search to find out how many races occur each year shows 355 taking place in the UK alone, between 2021-2022. The last decades have seen a surge of popularity in ultra-endurance events in general. Among them was the Chinese champion Liang Jing, who in 2018 won the Ultra Gobi – three and a half days of non-stop running across 400km of the Gobi desert. ![]() The 2021 Yellow River Stone Forest 100km trail race in Gansu province, China, ended in tragedy in May, when unexpectedly severe weather resulted in the deaths of 21 of the 172 competitors. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |