‘Pushing through the pain cave’: Lived experiences of pain tolerance in male ultra-marathon runners.

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Title: ‘Pushing through the pain cave’: Lived experiences of pain tolerance in male ultra-marathon runners.
Authors: Emeka, Lloyd, Meijen, Carla
Source: Sport & Exercise Psychology Review. Dec2023, Vol. 18 Issue 2, p40-54. 15p.
Subjects: Pain tolerance, Ultramarathon running, Sports psychology, Endurance sports, Coaching psychology, Toleration, Caves
Abstract: Extant research has typically focused on the study of pain tolerance in endurance sport from a psychophysiological perspective, with findings illustrating that ultra-runners can tolerate pain for a longer duration of time than non-running active controls. However, qualitative investigation that explores the lived experiences of pain tolerance in ultra-running has been limited thus far. This research explored the lived experiences of pain tolerance in male ultra-marathon runners and how this evolved over time. Six male ultra-marathon runners were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The methodology and analysis were guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four group experiential themes (GETs) were identified, and these are: building relationships with pain, what is ‘real’ pain? gratification of pushing through pain, and the trajectory of enduring hardship. The findings highlight the challenge of distinguishing between discomfort and real pain and the influence of socio-cultural norms on pain tolerance within ultra-running. The study raises important applied implications for coaches and sport psychology practitioners with regards to developing a holistic picture of ultra-runners’ pain experiences and cultivating environments that facilitate multiple narratives and enhance individuals ultra-running experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Sport & Exercise Psychology Review is the property of British Psychological Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: ‘Pushing through the pain cave’: Lived experiences of pain tolerance in male ultra-marathon runners.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emeka%2C+Lloyd%22">Emeka, Lloyd</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Meijen%2C+Carla%22">Meijen, Carla</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Sport+%26+Exercise+Psychology+Review%22">Sport & Exercise Psychology Review</searchLink>. Dec2023, Vol. 18 Issue 2, p40-54. 15p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pain+tolerance%22">Pain tolerance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ultramarathon+running%22">Ultramarathon running</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sports+psychology%22">Sports psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Endurance+sports%22">Endurance sports</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Coaching+psychology%22">Coaching psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Toleration%22">Toleration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caves%22">Caves</searchLink>
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  Data: Extant research has typically focused on the study of pain tolerance in endurance sport from a psychophysiological perspective, with findings illustrating that ultra-runners can tolerate pain for a longer duration of time than non-running active controls. However, qualitative investigation that explores the lived experiences of pain tolerance in ultra-running has been limited thus far. This research explored the lived experiences of pain tolerance in male ultra-marathon runners and how this evolved over time. Six male ultra-marathon runners were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The methodology and analysis were guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four group experiential themes (GETs) were identified, and these are: building relationships with pain, what is ‘real’ pain? gratification of pushing through pain, and the trajectory of enduring hardship. The findings highlight the challenge of distinguishing between discomfort and real pain and the influence of socio-cultural norms on pain tolerance within ultra-running. The study raises important applied implications for coaches and sport psychology practitioners with regards to developing a holistic picture of ultra-runners’ pain experiences and cultivating environments that facilitate multiple narratives and enhance individuals ultra-running experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Sport & Exercise Psychology Review is the property of British Psychological Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.53841/bpssepr.2023.18.2.40
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 15
        StartPage: 40
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      – SubjectFull: Pain tolerance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ultramarathon running
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sports psychology
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      – SubjectFull: Endurance sports
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      – SubjectFull: Toleration
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      – SubjectFull: Caves
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              M: 12
              Text: Dec2023
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              Y: 2023
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