{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Ultramarathon runners and support crew: The influence of pre-race sleep and training profiles on performance in a 217-km mountain race.
{Author}: Daniel NVS;Barreira J;Bastos AM;Dos Santos NE;Franco B;Esteves AM;Belli T;
{Journal}: Sleep Med
{Volume}: 120
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024 Aug 7
{Factor}: 4.842
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.sleep.2024.06.005
{Abstract}: The present study evaluates the effects of pre-race sleep and training characteristics among ultra-athletes and support crew, and the influence of these factors on the athlete's performance in a 217-km ultramarathon. A total of 38 ultramarathon runners and 59 support crew members were assessed. The participants answered questionnaires about chronotype, sleep quality, sleepiness, basic demographics, and pre-race training. The clinical trial registration number is RBR-7j6d23v. The results showed that athletes and support crew had a morning-type chronotype and good sleep efficiency; most had poor-quality sleep. The athletes who finished the race had a higher sleep latency than non-finishers (p < 0.001). The quality of sleep may have impacted performance because the athletes with good sleep quality trained one day more per week than those without (p < 0.001), and training frequency was highly correlated with the race time (r = -0.59). These findings are novel, expand the data about sleep, training, and performance in an ultramarathon, and innovate by addressing the support crew.