The primary purpose of the study is to assess for potential health consequences related to the high levels of exercise that is characteristic of this group. We hope to provide practical information to athletes, race directors, and medical providers who care for these athletes during and outside of events.

Key Findings of ULTRA participants:

74.1% of participants answered “no” to the question, “If you were to learn, with absolute certainty, that ultramarathon running is bad for your health, would you stop your ultramarathon training and participation?”

36.9 years is the median age at time of first ultramarathon!

7 years is the median number of years running before completing first ultramarathon

9 (maximum of 352) median number of lifetime ultramarathons completed

Only 48% of participants participated ran track in high school and 38.7% participated in cross-country. Only 69.1% in total reported participating in any competitive sports while in high school.

2,079 miles (3,347 km) median annual running distance in active ultramarathoners. No difference in running distance between men and women!

25% of ultramarathon runners may have 3 years or less of regular running experience at the time of their first ultramarathon!

Prevalence of virtually all chronic diseases and mental health disorders appear lower in ultramarathon runners compared to the general population

64.6% report an exercise-related injury that resulted in lost training days in the previous 12 months. Knee is the most common location of injury.

5.5% of ultramarathon runners report a prior year stress fracture and stress fractures were more common in women than men

Ultramarathon runners have similar annual incidence of exercise-related injuries compared to shorter distance runners, but higher proportion of stress fractures involving the foot. Younger and less experienced ultramarathoners appear most at risk for injury.

Maintaining general health, personal goal achievement, and psychological reasons are the greatest running motivators of the UTLRA participants

Ultrarunners tend to be goal directed and intrinsically motivated, as opposed to win oriented. Ultrarunners score low on boredom susceptibility scales and disinhibition scales, modest on thrill and adventure seeking.  

0.2% report smoking every day

By far, Body Mass Index at age 25 is the strongest predictor of current Body Mass Index in an ultrarunner (more than 10X greater correlation than the other studied correlates of sex, running distance, age, diet, work hours, fat intake, sleep, alcohol consumption). Ultrarunners gain less weight with advancing age than the general population, when obesity is more common

85% of Ultrarunners report a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree

75.5% of Ultrarunners report being married or living with a partner in a stable relationship

Publications:

You may also be interested that the following scientific papers related to the ULTRA Study have been published. Your participation helped make this happen.  Thanks!

Hoffman MD, Krishnan E. Exercise behavior of ultramarathon runners: baseline findings from the ULTRA Study. J Strength Cond Res. 2013;27(11):2939-2945. VIEW FULL PAPER

Hoffman MD, Chen L, Krishnan E. Body mass index and its correlates in 1,212 ultramarathon runners: baseline findings from the ULTRA Study. J Phys Act Health. 2014;11(8):1549-55. VIEW ABSTRACT

Hoffman MD, White MD. Belief in the need for sodium supplementation during ultramarathons remains strong: findings from the Ultrarunners Longitudinal TRAcking (ULTRA) study. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2020 Feb;45(2):118-122. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2019-0238. PMID: 31163112. VIEW ABSTRACT

Hoffman MD, Krishnan E. Health and exercise-related medical issues among 1,212 ultramarathon runners: Baseline findings from the Ultrarunners Longitudinal TRAcking (ULTRA) Study. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(1): e83867.  VIEW FULL PAPER

Hoffman MD, Krouse R. Ultra-obligatory running among ultramarathon runners.  Res Sports Med. 2018;262):211-221. VIEW ABSTRACT 

Hoffman MD. Participant opinions and expectations about medical services at ultramarathons: Finds from the Ultrarunners Longitudinal TRAcking (ULTRA) Study. Cureus 11(9):e5800. Doi:10.7759/cureus.5800.  VIEW FULL PAPER