References

BBC (2024) Why smart people do stupid things. 29 August. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/videos/cz4728rdwlvo (Accessed: 17 July 2025).

BBC Sport (2024) ‘Eddie Hearn: No passion, no point. Hardest Geezer. Russ Cook.’ Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/68737828 (Accessed: 8 October 2024).

Berger, N.J.A., Best, R., Best, A.W., Lane, A.M., Millet, G.Y., Barwood, M., Marcora, S., Wilson, P. and Bearden, S. (2024) ‘Limits of ultra: towards an interdisciplinary understanding of ultra-endurance running performance’, Sports Medicine, 54, pp. 73–93.

Bottoms, L. (2021) ‘Ultramarathon running: how safe is the sport?’, The Conversation, 9 June. Available at: https://theconversation.com/ultramarathon-running-how-safe-is-the-sport-162108 (Accessed: 20 August 2024).

Datta, S. and Bagchi, D. (eds) (2019) Extreme and rare sports: performance demands, drivers, functional foods, and nutrition. Florida: Taylor & Francis Group.

Gajda, R., Klisiewicz, A., Matsibora, V., Piotrowska-Kownacka, D. and Biernacka, E.K. (2020) ‘Heart of the world’s top ultramarathon runner – not necessarily much different from normal’, Diagnostics, 10(2). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7168911/ (Accessed: 8 October 2024).

Gallagher, J. (2019) ‘Ultimate limit of human endurance found’, BBC News, 6 June. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48527798 (Accessed: 16 June 2025).

George, K. (2020) ‘We studied mental toughness in ultra-marathon runners. Mind over matter is real – but won’t take you all the way’, The Conversation, 5 November. Available at: https://theconversation.com/we-studied-mental-toughness-in-ultra-marathon-runners-mind-over-matter-is-real-but-wont-take-you-all-the-way-149447 (Accessed: 16 July 2025).

Kent, M. (2007) The Oxford dictionary of sports science and medicine. 3rd edn. Available at: https://www-oxfordreference-com.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/display/10.1093/acref/9780198568506.001.0001/acref-9780198568506 (Accessed: 8 October 2024).

Knechtle, B. and Nikolaidis, P.T. (2018) ‘Physiology and pathophysiology in ultra-marathon running’, Frontiers in Physiology, 9. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.00634/full (Accessed: 20 August 2024).

Lasnier, J. and Durand-Bush, N. (2023) ‘How elite endurance athletes experience and manage exercise-induced pain: implications for mental performance consultants’, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 35(5), pp. 817–835.

Lin, Y., Mutz, J., Clough, P.J., and Papageorgiou (2017) ‘Mental toughness and individual differences in learning, educational and work performance, psychological wellbeing, and personality: a systematic review’, Frontiers in Psychology. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28848466/ (Accessed 8 October 2024).

Nogueira, A., Molinero, O., Salguero, A. and Marquez, S. (2018) ‘Exercise addiction in practitioners of endurance sports: a literature review’, Frontiers in Psychology, 17(9). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6107830/ (Accessed: 19 August 2024).

Poole, H. (2024) ‘Hardest Geezer: British man Russ Cook completes run across Africa’, BBC Sport, 7 April. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/68737828 (Accessed: 20 January 2025).

Rea, S. (2023) Sports science: a complete introduction. 2nd edn. London: John Murray Press.

Roebuck, G.S., Fitzgerald, P.B., Urquhart, D.M., Ng, S-K., Cicuttini, F.M. and Fitzgibbon, B.M. (2018) ‘The psychology of ultra-marathon runners: a systematic review’, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 37, pp. 43–58.

Robertson, M. (2021) ‘The science of muscle recovery: how long should you rest between workouts?’ Available at: https://shop.bodybuilding.com/blogs/recovery/the-science-of-muscle-recovery-how-long-should-you-rest-between-workouts (Accessed: 5 August 2025).

Simpson, D., Post, P.G., Young, G. and Jensen, P.R. (2014) ‘It’s not about taking the easy road: the experiences of ultramarathon runners’, Journal of Sport Psychology, 28(20), pp. 176–185.

Stevens, C.J., Mauger, A.R., Hassmen, P. and Taylor, L. (2018) ‘Endurance performance is influenced by perceptions of pain and temperature: theory, applications and safety considerations’, Sports Medicine, 48(3), pp. 524–537.

Tiller, N. (2018) ‘I ran 100 miles in a day – this is what happened to my body’, The Conversation, 24 September. Available at: https://theconversation.com/i-ran-100-miles-in-a-day-this-is-what-happened-to-my-body-101640 (Accessed: 5 August 2025).

Townes, D. (2019) ‘Extreme endurance sports – why not just sports?’, in S. Datta and D. Bagchi (eds) Extreme and rare sports: performance demands, drivers, functional foods and nutrition. Abingdon: CRC Press., pp. 3–8.

World’s Marathons (2024) Full marathons. Available at: https://worldsmarathons.com/s/running/ultra_marathon (Accessed: 2 September 2025).

Zhang, D., Li, J., Miller, R., Batraka, M., Effing, S.M.A., Hossain, F., Bernard, A-C., Marillier, M. and Domnik, N.J. (2021) ‘Are your muscles or your brain making you feel tired after exercise?’, Frontiers for Young Minds. Available at: https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2021.578431 (Accessed: 16 July 2025).