How Mood Variability Affects Ultramarathon Performance with Paul Burgam PhD | Koopcast Episode 140
Episode overview:
Paul Burgum is a social entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker, Youth Worker and more recently a PhD researcher at Durham University. Paul has developed a successful strategy for achievement that begins from simply taking on his own lifelong demons.
Episode highlights:
(31:52) Results: anger and depression during taper exceed race day morning, psychological taper
(42:48) Ultrarunning as a team sport: crew-athlete interactions, counterbalancing athlete emotions, realistic optimism
(57:40) Knowledge as power: understanding and course-correcting mood swings, taking action
Our conversation:
(0:00) Intro: managing mood variability, spending emotional energy
(2:17) Research on the KoopCast: representing research correctly
(4:00) Sports psychology: coaching as a logical extension of the research
(5:11) Paul’s background: Durham university, polar expeditionists, experience in ultras
(8:44) Athlete-researchers: generating research questions, connecting with test subjects
(10:02) Measuring mood at Leadville: a theoretical experiment with Justin Ross, regretting dropping out
(12:11) Introducing the research study: psychology trumping fitness, investigating mood mid-race, attrition in race subjects
(15:28) mood variables: tension, pre-race anxiety, the effect of taper, changes in mood
(16:43) measuring mood: pooled survey methods, mood deviation, study results
(18:23) Differentiating athletes: psychological factors separate athletes of comparable fitness
(20:19) Anecdote: expectations for the study, running on anger, wasting emotional energy, emotional efficiency
(23:08) Comparing mood between aid stations: the importance of multiple data points, race coverage anecdote
(26:42) Research methods: pre-race measurements, minimizing race disruptions, survey frequency
(31:52) Results: anger and depression during taper exceed race day morning, psychological taper
(35:09) Taper tantrums: scientifically validated mood swings, spending time outside
(36:35) Tension: measurements and results, using positive self-talk
(39:51) Alleviating pre-race tension: methods and data, support on the start line
(42:48) Ultrarunning as a team sport: crew-athlete interactions, counterbalancing athlete emotions, realistic optimism
(47:28) Crew expectations: athletes versus family members
(49:34) Dissociative enthusiasm: fallacies, revisiting realistic optimism, course correction
(52:37) Preparing your crew: matching athlete goals, planning ahead
(53:54) Memory and recall: mental skills for crew
(56:10) Instrumental support: a bio-psycho-social approach, avoiding a snowball effect
(57:40) Knowledge as power: understanding and course-correcting mood swings, taking action
(1:00:07) Developing mental modalities: selecting mental skills, diversifying your toolkit
(1:02:56) Practicing mental skills: fatigue, training with mental skills
(1:04:26) Natural mood swings: ebbs and flows during the day, knowing yourself
(1:05:14) Environmental mood swings: night running, using your strengths
(1:09:03) Wrap-up: where to find Paul, giving thanks
(1:11:30) Outro: matching crew and athlete energy, smooth course corrections
Additional resources:
Paper discussed- How Mood Variability is associated with enhanced performance during ultrarunning
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