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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07522307

Psychological Impact of an 80-km Ultra-Endurance Race

Ultra-endurance races (ultra-marathons) take place under extreme environmental conditions, over long distances, involving prolonged physical activity and multiple psychological and physiological challenges.

These extreme conditions expose runners to a wide range of emotions-both pleasant and unpleasant-that can influence their performance, fatigue, and perception of exertion.

Emotional intelligence and emotional regulation appear to be key determinants of emotional trajectories and performance in these contexts. Previous research shows that high levels of emotional intelligence and adaptive emotional regulation strategies are associated with functional emotional trajectories and better performance, whereas maladaptive strategies are linked to dysfunctional emotional trajectories and reduced performance.

Furthermore, defense mechanisms constitute a complementary approach to emotional self-regulation. They can be adaptive or maladaptive and influence how runners cope with emotions and psychological stressors during competition.

Longitudinal studies conducted to date have primarily explored post-race emotional trajectories in relation to emotional intelligence, without examining the impact of defense mechanisms on emotional dynamics during the race. Furthermore, few studies have examined the mediating role of emotional intensity between emotional regulation and perceived performance, and even fewer have adopted an approach that integrates physiological indicators such as heart rate or heart rate variability.

Thus, this study lies at the intersection of sports psychology, emotion, and physiology, and aims to fill these gaps by exploring:

1. the influence of defense mechanisms on emotional dynamics and physical and mental fatigue during an ultra-endurance race, and 2. the mediating role of emotional intensity on the relationship between emotional regulation and perceived performance.

The objective of this study is to examine how certain psychological mechanisms used to cope with difficult situations influence the evolution of emotions experienced by participants during and after an 80-kilometer ultra-endurance race.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy Adult Participants Stomatognathic Diseases Tooth Diseases Tooth, Impacted

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Orléans

Orléans, Loiret, 45100, France

About this study

A descriptive, non-interventional, longitudinal exploratory study of healthy, able-bodied participants of both sexes, based on the completion of self-administered questionnaires on a tablet before, during (kilometers 25, 38, 48, and 56) and at the finish line (80th kilometer) of the "Ecotrail de Paris Ile de France 80 kilometers" ultra-trail race taking place on March 21, 2026

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Individuals who have agreed to participate in the study
  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • Smartwatch capable of measuring heart rate and transmitting this data
  • Smartwatch capable of measuring heart rate and transmitting this data
  • Participation in the "Ecotrail de Paris Ile de France 80 kilometers" ultra trail taking place on March 21, 2026.

Exclusion criteria

  • Persons under legal guardianship or conservatorship
  • Persons under judicial protection
  • Persons deprived of liberty
  • Persons not enrolled in a social security system
  • Persons not enrolled in a social security system

Treatment and study plan

Completion on a tablet of self-administered questionnaires about their emotions/feelings before, during (kilometers 25, 38, 48, and 56), and at the finish line (80th kilometer)

Other

Completion on a tablet of self-administered questionnaires about their emotions/feelings before, during (kilometers 25, 38, 48, and 56), and at the finish line (80th kilometer) of the "Ecotrail de Paris Ile de France 80 kilometers" ultra-trail race taking place on March 21, 2026.

Primary outcomes

  1. Defense mechanisms will be assessed before the race using the Defense Style Questionnaire - 26 (DSQ-26). Emotional intensity will be assessed before the race, during the race (at the 25-, 38-, 48-, and 56-kilometer marks), and at the finish line.

    Time frame: Before, during (kilometers 25, 38, 48, and 56), and at the finish line (80th kilometer) of the "Ecotrail de Paris Ile de France 80 kilometers" ultra-trail race taking place on March 21, 2026.

    Defense Style Questionnaire - 26 (DSQ-26). Scale from 1 to 6, with 1 being "never" and 6 "always".

Secondary outcomes

  1. Evaluation of physical and mental fatigue before, during and after the race

    Time frame: Before, during (kilometers 25, 38, 48, and 56), and at the finish line (80th kilometer) of the "Ecotrail de Paris Ile de France 80 kilometers" ultra-trail race taking place on March 21, 2026.

    Physical and mental fatigue will be assessed before the race, during the race (at the 25-, 38-, 48-, and 56-kilometer marks), and at the finish line (80-kilometer mark) using a visual analog scale. Scale from 0 to 10 with 10 being the worst score.

  2. Exploration of the relationships between emotional regulation strategies and runnners' perceived performance

    Time frame: Before, during (kilometers 25, 38, 48, and 56), and at the finish line (80th kilometer) of the "Ecotrail de Paris Ile de France 80 kilometers" ultra-trail race taking place on March 21, 2026.

    Emotional regulation will be assessed before the race using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ). Scale from 1 to 5 with 1 being "never" and 5 being "always".

    Perceived performance will be measured using a performance satisfaction item during the race (kilometers 25, 38, 48, and 56) and at the finish line (80th kilometer).

  3. Exploration of emotion regulation strategies and runners' perceived exertion

    Time frame: Before, during (kilometers 25, 38, 48, and 56), and at the finish line (80th kilometer) of the "Ecotrail de Paris Ile de France 80 kilometers" ultra-trail race taking place on March 21, 2026.

    Perceived exertion will be assessed using the perceived exertion scale (Borg CR10 - modified version) during the race (at 25, 38, 48, and 56 kilometers) and at the finish line (80th kilometer). Scale from 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst score.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Régional d'Orléans

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A Study of the Psychological Impact of an 80-km Ultra-Endurance Event

Acronym: PSYTRAIL-80

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Apr 13, 2026
Registry last updated
May 26, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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