Factors Associated with Pre-competition Anxiety in Ironman Triathletes

Ryan Joseph Hudgins

doi:10.7273/000007388

Purpose: Pre-competition anxiety is a critical factor influencing endurance athletes, yet limited research has examined its predictors in Ironman triathletes. The purpose of this study was to explore how competition experience, type of training, and past adverse medical experiences are related to pre-competition anxiety at 7-day and 24-hour time points. Methods: A survey-based design assessed pre-competition anxiety in 144 Ironman triathletes using the Revised Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2R), which measures somatic anxiety, cognitive anxiety, and self-confidence. Independent variables included competition experience (total number of competitions and specific race history), type of training (percentage of outdoor vs. indoor training), and past adverse medical experiences (injuries requiring medical attention). Binary logistic regression analyses determined associations between these predictors and pre-competition anxiety levels, adjusting for participant characteristics. Results: At 7 days before competition (N = 136), competition experience was not significantly associated with somatic anxiety, cognitive anxiety, or self-confidence. However, type of training was significantly associated with higher odds of high somatic anxiety (aOR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00-1.04, p = 0.027), though it was not significantly associated with cognitive anxiety or self-confidence. Past adverse medical experiences did not significantly predict pre-competition anxiety. Athletes with three or more injuries showed a non-significant trend toward higher cognitive anxiety (aOR = 2.01, 95% CI: 0.79-5.11, p = 0.138). 24 hours before competition (N = 113), a greater number of total competitions was associated with lower cognitive anxiety (aOR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-0.99, p = 0.030). The total number of competitions was initially linked to lower somatic anxiety (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-0.99, p = 0.031), but this relationship became non-significant after adjusting for gender and income. A greater number of specific competitions was significantly associated with lower odds of high somatic anxiety (aOR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.84-0.97, p = 0.008) and lower cognitive anxiety (aOR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86-0.98, p = 0.021). No significant associations were found for self-confidence. Unlike 7 days, outdoor training was not associated with somatic anxiety, cognitive anxiety, or self- confidence. Notably, athletes with three or more injuries had significantly lower odds of high somatic anxiety (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.13-0.91, p = 0.033), though this association became marginally non-significant after adjustment (p = 0.057). Conclusion: Competition experience appears to protect against pre-competition anxiety, particularly 24 hours before a competition. Outdoor training was linked to higher somatic anxiety 7-days before competition but not at 24 hours. Contrary to expectations, a greater number of past adverse medical experiences were associated with lower somatic anxiety 24 hours before competition. This study is one of the first to examine these specific independent variables by pre-competition anxiety 7-days and 24-hours before competition in triathletes.

Factors Associated with Pre-competition Anxiety in Ironman Triathletes

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