Nutrition, sleep, and training habits enhance endurance race performance

Author

Anna F. Breed, University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaFollow

Project Director

Bailey, Andrew

Department Examiner

Peyer, Karissa

Department

Dept. of Health and Human Performance

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

In recent years, marathon and ultra-marathon participation has grown substantially. Past research has shown that a range of variables influence the performance of endurance athletes. This study included participants of the Forgotten Florida 50-mile and 100-mile race and the Chattanooga Erlanger Half-Marathon and Marathon. These athletes were questioned about their sleep, nutrition, and training habits implemented for the races they completed. The results show the significance of carbohydrate consumption throughout the race for energy maintenance and shortened race times. Also, it was found that hill repeats and tempo runs brought about more successful race times for the runners who implemented these training methods. Providing the running community with a template of effective nutrition, sleep, and training methods, this study hopes to encourage the attainment of personal goals for endurance and ultra-endurance runners.

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge the individuals in my community who made this project possible. To begin, I am grateful for the patience, guidance, and encouragement that I was shown this past year from my thesis director, Dr. Andrew Bailey. To Dr. Karissa Peyer, my department examiner, I express my gratitude for her constructive feedback throughout this process. Lastly, I would like to thank the race directors and running community from the Forgotten Florida trail races and Erlanger Chattanooga Marathon who made this study possible.

IRB Number

24-133

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

5-2025

Subject

Long-distance running--Physiological aspects; Long-distance runners--Nutrition; Marathon running--Training; Runners (Sports)

Keyword

Running; Training methods; Nutrition; Sleep; Marathons; Ultra-marathons;Sports

Discipline

Exercise Science

Document Type

Theses

Extent

33 unnumbered leaves

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Date Available

5-1-2025

Recommended Citation

Breed, Anna F., "Nutrition, sleep, and training habits enhance endurance race performance" (2025). Honors Theses.
http://scholar.utc.edu/honors-theses/626