Ultra-Endurance Race Performance and Muscle Mass as Predictors of Cognitive Capacity

Deina Vilite¹Diana Lismane¹Jelena Raudeniece¹Linda Laizane¹Gita Gersone¹Ilze Barone¹Ilze Justamente¹Kristiana Kovtuna¹Bart Roelands²Maksims Zolovs¹Dace Reihmane^1*

• ¹Rigas Stradina universitate, Riga, Latvia
• ²Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

This study investigated which objective measures best predict cognitive performance in ultraendurance athletes. Forty-three recreational cyclists completed a race of approximately 341 km over 18 hours, with cognitive function assessed using a three-stage Stroop Test before, immediately after, and 24 hours post-race. For each stage, results from the three time points were combined and analyzed using regression analyses to examine their relationship with various anthropometric, metabolic, and performance-related parameters. Higher average race speed was associated with improved simple reaction time, while longer race duration predicted better performance in more cognitively demanding tasks, such as inhibitory control. Muscle mass was the only anthropometric variable significantly linked to enhanced cognition. Other factors—including age, percentage of heart rate reserve, training volume, fat mass, lean mass, bone mass, and metabolic markers—showed no associations. These findings suggest that race pacing and muscle mass play key roles in supporting cognitive resilience during prolonged physical exertion.