Trail and Ultrarunning Dissertation Statistics

The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in self-efficacy scores among trail and ultrarunners based on gender or ACE score, and determine what factors were most influential in contributing to increased self-efficacy in ultrarunners. A cross-sectional Qualtrics survey of US ultrarunners was conducted by emailing the recruitment flyer with ultraracing subscriber newsletters, posting the recruitment flyer on social media platforms, publicizing the project on two trail runner podcasts, and word of mouth. A total of 388 (256 women) responses were analyzed. Women reported lower Pre-NGSE Recall scores and a larger NGSE Change score than men, although the difference was not statistically significant. Women reported a higher ACE score than men with an average standard deviation of 2.1. Findings suggest that while self-efficacy changes over time, neither gender nor ACE score contributed to significant differences in reported self-efficacy; instead, the most significant predictor of increased self-efficacy was a lower Pre-NGSE Recall score. Ultrarunning is a medium in which those with lower self-efficacy experience increased change. Future research should intentionally seek out BIPOC and lower socioeconomic populations and different gender identifications to determine barriers to trail and ultrarunning and if/how trail and ultrarunning contributes to self-efficacy.