Beyond the Wall: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of Metacognitive Strategies, Executive Function, and Psychological Resilience in Ultrarunning Performance
Year: 2026
Type: review
Abstract: The discipline of ultrarunning, encompassing all footraces exceeding the standard marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers, represents a singular intersection of physiological extremity and cognitive endurance. As participation rates in events ranging from 50 kilometers to multi-day endeavors have surged by over 345 percent in the last decade, the scientific community has increasingly turned its attention to the psychological determinants of performance in this domain.1 While physiological metrics such as maximal oxygen uptake and lactate threshold provide the requisite biological platform for endurance, a growing body of peer-reviewed literature suggests that cognitive control mechanisms, specifically metacognition, serve as the ultimate arbiter of success in events where metabolic and muscular fatigue are guaranteed. This meta-analysis synthesizes data from disparate studies to construct a unified framework of the "ultra mindset." It scrutinizes the transition from classical associative and dissociative attentional models to complex metacognitive self-regulation, examines the distinct psychological profiles of elite versus non-elite practitioners, and evaluates the degradation of executive function under conditions of sleep deprivation and extreme fatigue. The analysis reveals that elite performance is characterized not by an insensitivity to pain, but by a nuanced, metacognitive engagement with internal sensory data, characterized by low emotional reactivity and high self-regulatory efficacy. Furthermore, this report identifies significant gaps in methodological approaches, specifically the reliance on retrospective recall, and proposes new directions for real-time cognitive monitoring in endurance sports.
DOI: 10.17615/p8gr-c566
Author: Thornton, Owen R
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7123865648
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