To Be a Champion of the 24-h Ultramarathon Race. If Not the Heart... Mosaic Theory?

Robert Gajda, Aleksandra Samełko, Miłosz Czuba, Agnieszka Piotrowska-Nowak, Katarzyna Tońska, Cezary Żekanowski, Anna Klisiewicz, Wojciech Drygas, Anita Gębska-Kuczerowska, Jacek Gajda, Beat Knechtle and Jakub Grzegorz Adamczyk
Additional contact information
Robert Gajda: Center for Sports Cardiology, Gajda-Med Medical Center in Pułtusk, 06-100 Pułtusk, Poland
Aleksandra Samełko: Department of Pedagogy and Psychology of Physical Culture, Faculty of Physical Education, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Marymoncka St. 34, 00-968 Warsaw, Poland
Miłosz Czuba: Department of Applied and Clinical Physiology, Collegium Medicum University of Zielona Gora, 28 Zyty St., 65-417 Zielona Gora, Poland
Agnieszka Piotrowska-Nowak: Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
Katarzyna Tońska: Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Pawinskiego 5a Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
Cezary Żekanowski: Laboratory of Neurogenetics, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Pawinskiego 5, 02-106 Warszawa, Poland
Anna Klisiewicz: The Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński National Institute of Cardiology, ul. Alpejska 42, 04-628 Warszawa, Poland
Wojciech Drygas: The Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński National Institute of Cardiology, ul. Alpejska 42, 04-628 Warszawa, Poland
Anita Gębska-Kuczerowska: Faculty of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University, Kazimierza Wóycickiego 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland
Jacek Gajda: Center for Sports Cardiology, Gajda-Med Medical Center in Pułtusk, 06-100 Pułtusk, Poland
Beat Knechtle: Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
Jakub Grzegorz Adamczyk: Department of Theory of Sport, Faculty of Physical Education, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Marymoncka St. 34, 00-968 Warsaw, Poland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-24

Abstract: This comprehensive case analysis aimed to identify the features enabling a runner to achieve championship in 24-h ultramarathon (UM) races. A 36-year-old, multiple medalist of the World Championships in 24-h running, was assessed before, one and 10 days after a 24-h run. Results of his extensive laboratory and cardiological diagnostics with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and a one-time cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) were analyzed. After 12 h of running (approximately 130 km), the athlete experienced an increasing pain in the right knee. His baseline clinical data were within the normal range. High physical efficiency in CPET (VO 2 max 63 mL/kg/min) was similar to the average achieved by other ultramarathoners who had significantly worse results. Thus, we also performed genetic tests and assessed his psychological profile, body composition, and markers of physical and mental stress (serotonin, cortisol, epinephrine, prolactin, testosterone, and luteinizing hormone). The athlete had a mtDNA haplogroup H (HV0a1 subgroup, belonging to the HV cluster), characteristic of athletes with the highest endurance. Psychological studies have shown high and very high intensity of the properties of individual scales of the tools used mental resilience (62–100% depending on the scale), openness to experience (10th sten), coherence (10th sten), positive perfectionism (100%) and overall hope for success score (10th sten). The athlete himself considers the commitment and mental support of his team to be a significant factor of his success. Body composition assessment (%fat 13.9) and the level of stress markers were unremarkable. The tested athlete showed a number of features of the champions of ultramarathon runs, such as: inborn predispositions, mental traits, level of training, and resistance to pain. However, none of these features are reserved exclusively for “champions”. Team support’s participation cannot be underestimated. The factors that guarantee the success of this elite 24-h UM runner go far beyond physiological and psychological explanations. Further studies are needed to identify individual elements of the putative “mosaic theory of being a champion”.

Keywords: ultramarathon; mental and physical stress markers; VO 2 max; polymorphism; psychological features; pain resistance; body composition; cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET); team support; winner’s gen (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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