ORIGINAL PAPER
The profile of demographics, training habits, and health of recreational trail runners: a comparative study among different distances
1
Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande
do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
Submission date: 2019-07-18
Acceptance date: 2020-05-16
Publication date: 2021-02-17
Hum Mov. 2021;22(3):54-61
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
Despite considerable growth of trail runners’ population, little is known about the demographics, training habits, and health characteristics of recreational trail runners. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe the demographics, training habits, and health characteristics of recreational trail runners as compared between different distances of Circuito Trilhas & Montanhas.
Methods:
The descriptive transversal study involved 167 trail runners of Circuito Trilhas & Montanhas. A questionnaire concerning trail-running practice was applied and the chosen route (short/medium/long) was recorded.
Results:
The trail runners were mostly young athletes (≤ 40 years old, 51.5%), males (66.5%), bachelors (56.3%), and married or in a committed relationship (58.1%). Most of the long distance trail runners were significantly more experienced (p = 0.001; ϕ = 0.230), ran 10–20 km per training (p < 0.001; ϕ = 0.535), participated in club sport (p = 0.004; ϕ = 0.257), and used safety equipment (p = 0.011; ϕ = 0.233) compared with the other distances. The chosen course was not associated with the health status (p = 0.385), but the presence of diseases was significantly reported by most of the short distance trail runners (p = 0.023; ϕ = 0.213).
Conclusions:
The recreational trail runners participating in this study are predominantly young, well-educated, and married. Most long distance trail runners were more experienced, ran average distances per training, participated in club sport, and used safety equipment compared with the other distances. Moreover, trail runners with any diseases ran in short distances.
Despite considerable growth of trail runners’ population, little is known about the demographics, training habits, and health characteristics of recreational trail runners. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe the demographics, training habits, and health characteristics of recreational trail runners as compared between different distances of Circuito Trilhas & Montanhas.
Methods:
The descriptive transversal study involved 167 trail runners of Circuito Trilhas & Montanhas. A questionnaire concerning trail-running practice was applied and the chosen route (short/medium/long) was recorded.
Results:
The trail runners were mostly young athletes (≤ 40 years old, 51.5%), males (66.5%), bachelors (56.3%), and married or in a committed relationship (58.1%). Most of the long distance trail runners were significantly more experienced (p = 0.001; ϕ = 0.230), ran 10–20 km per training (p < 0.001; ϕ = 0.535), participated in club sport (p = 0.004; ϕ = 0.257), and used safety equipment (p = 0.011; ϕ = 0.233) compared with the other distances. The chosen course was not associated with the health status (p = 0.385), but the presence of diseases was significantly reported by most of the short distance trail runners (p = 0.023; ϕ = 0.213).
Conclusions:
The recreational trail runners participating in this study are predominantly young, well-educated, and married. Most long distance trail runners were more experienced, ran average distances per training, participated in club sport, and used safety equipment compared with the other distances. Moreover, trail runners with any diseases ran in short distances.
REFERENCES (30)
1.
International Trail Running Association. Definition of trail-running. 2019. Available from: https://itra.run/page/259/Defi....
2.
Rochat N, Hauw D, Gür G, Seifert L. Understanding trail runners’ activity on online community forums: an inductive analysis of discussion topics. J Hum Kinet. 2018;61(1):263–276; doi: 10.1515/hukin-2017-0125.
3.
Olmedillas H. Performance factors in trail-running. Arch Med Deporte. 2018;35(1):6–7.
4.
Taksaudom N, Tongsiri N, Potikul A, Leampriboon C, Tantraworasin A, Chaiyasri A. Race predictors and hemodynamic alteration after an ultra-trail marathon race. Open Access J Sports Med. 2017;8:181–187; doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S142040.
5.
Ehrström S, Tartaruga MP, Easthope CS, Brisswalter J, Morin J-B, Vercruyssen F. Short trail running race: beyond the classic model for endurance running performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018;50(3):580–588; doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001467.
6.
Scheer V, Janssen TI , Vieluf S, Heitkamp H-C. Predicting trail-running performance with laboratory exercise tests and field-based results. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2019;14(1):130–133; doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2018-0390.
7.
Costa RJS, Knechtle B, Tarnopolsky M, Hoffman MD. Nutrition for ultramarathon running: trail, track, and road. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2019;29(2):130–140; doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0255.
8.
Giandolini M, Vernillo G, Samozino P, Horvais N, Edwards WB, Morin JB, et al. Fatigue associated with prolonged graded running. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016;116(10):1859–1873; doi: 10.1007/s00421-016-3437-4.
9.
Llopis Goig D, Llopis Goig R. Reasons for participating in long distance races. A study with amateur runners [in Spanish]. Cult Cienc Deporte. 2006;2(4):33–40; doi: 10.12800/ccd.v2i4.168.
10.
Scheer V, Vieluf S, Janssen TI , Heitkamp H-C. Predicting competition performance in short trail running races with lactate thresholds. J Hum Kinet. 2019;69:159–167; doi: 10.2478/hukin-2019-0092.
11.
Easthope CS, Nosaka K, Caillaud C, Vercruyssen F, Louis J, Brisswalter J. Reproducibility of performance and fatigue in trail running. J Sci Med Sport. 2014;17(2):207–211; doi: 10.1016/j.jsams.2013.03.009.
12.
Smiley A, Ramos WD, Elliott LM, Wolter SA. Association between trail use and self-rated wellness and health. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):128; doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-8273-0.
13.
Easthope CS, Hausswirth C, Louis J, Lepers R, Vercruyssen F, Brisswalter J. Effects of a trail running competition on muscular performance and efficiency in well-trained young and master athletes. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010;110(6):1107–1116; doi: 10.1007/s00421-010-1597-1.
14.
Balducci P, Clémençon M, Trama R, Blache Y, Hautier C. Performance factors in a mountain ultramarathon. Int J Sports Med. 2017;38(11):819–826; doi: 10.1055/s-0043-112342.
15.
Hoffman MD, Fogard K. Demographic characteristics of 161-km ultramarathon runners. Res Sports Med. 2012;20(1):59–69; doi: 10.1080/15438627.2012.634707.
16.
Chase AW, Hobbs N. The ultimate guide to trail running: everything you need to know about equipment, finding trails, nutrition, hill strategy, racing, avoiding injury, training, weather, safety. Guilford: Globe Pequot Press; 2010.
17.
Girón P. Determinants of self-rated health in Spain: differences by age groups for adults. Eur J Public Health.2012;22(1):36–40; doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckq133.
18.
Dong W, Wan J, Xu Y, Chen C, Bai G, Fang L, et al. Determinants of self-rated health among Shanghai elders: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2017;17(1):807; doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4718-5.
19.
International Trail Running Association. Health policy. 2019. Available from: https://itra.run/page/377/Heal....
20.
Navalta JW, Montes J, Tanner EA, Bodell NG, Young JC. Sex and age differences in trail half marathon running. Int J Exerc Sci. 2018;11(6):281–289.
21.
Wesely JK, Gaarder E. The gendered “nature” of the urban outdoors: women negotiating fear of violence. Gender Soc. 2004;18(5):645–663; doi: 10.1177/0891243204268127.
22.
Lepers R, Sultana F, Bernard T, Hausswirth C, Brisswalter J. Age-related changes in triathlon performances. Int J Sports Med. 2010;31(4):251–256; doi: 10.1055/s-0029-1243647.
23.
Bieuzen F, Brisswalter J, Easthope C, Vercruyssen F, Bernard T, Hausswirth C. Effect of wearing compression stockings on recovery after mild exercise-induced muscle damage. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2014;9(2):256–264; doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2013-0126.
24.
Karlsen A, Nybo L, Nørgaard SJ, Jensen MV, Bonne T, Racinais S. Time course of natural heat acclimatization in well-trained cyclists during a 2-week training camp in the heat. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2015;25(Suppl. 1):240–249; doi: 10.1111/sms.12449.
25.
Boukelia B, Gomes EC, Florida-James GD. Diurnal variation in physiological and immune responses to endurance sport in highly trained runners in a hot and humid environment. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2018;2018:3402143; doi: 10.1155/2018/3402143.
26.
Kerhervé HA, Samozino P, Descombe F, Pinay M, Millet GY, Pasqualini M, et al. Calf compression sleeves change biomechanics but not performance and physiological responses in trail running. Front Physiol. 2017;8:247; doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00247.
27.
Vercruyssen F, Gruet M, Colson SS, Ehrstrom S, Brisswalter J. Compression garments, muscle contractile function, and economy in trail runners. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2017;12(1):62–68; doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2016-0035.
28.
Alvero-Cruz JR, Parent Mathias V, Garcia Romero J, Carrillo de Albornoz-Gil M, Benítez-Porres J, Ordoñez FJ, et al. Prediction of performance in a short trail running race: the role of body composition. Front Physiol. 2019;10:1306; doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.01306.
29.
Berryman N, Mujika I, Arvisais D, Roubeix M, Binet C, Bosquet L. Strength training for middle- and long-distance performance: a meta-analysis. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2018;13(1):57–64; doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2017-0032.
30.
Sollander F, Porzi J, Servant G, Gojanovic B, Dussoix P. Trail running: a challenge for medical support teams [in French]. Rev Med Suisse. 2019;15(658):1370–1373.
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
| eISSN: | 1899-1955 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
