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Purpose: To verify the affective feelings (AFs) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) responses during a 10-km competitive head-to-head (HTH) running race and compare them with a time-trial (TT) running race. Methods: Fourteen male runners completed 2 × 10-km runs (TT and HTH) on different days. Speed, RPE, and AF were measured every 400 m. For pacing analysis, races were divided into the following 4 stages: first 400 m (F400), 401–5000 m (M1), 5001–9600 m (M2), and the last 400 m (final sprint). Results: Improvement of performance was observed (39:32 [02:41] min:s vs 40:28 [02:55] min:s; P = .03; effect size = −0.32) in HTH compared with TT. There were no differences in either pacing strategy or RPE between conditions. AFs were higher during the HTH, being different in M2 compared with TT (2.09 [1.81] vs 0.22 [2.25]; P = .02; effect size = 0.84). Conclusions: AFs are directly influenced by the presence of opponents during an HTH race, and a more positive AF could be involved in the dissociation between RPE and running speed and, consequently, the overall race performance.
do Carmo, da Silva, Gil, and Tricoli are with the School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. do Carmo is also with the Dept of Physical Education, Senac University Center, São Paulo, Brazil. Barroso is with the Dept of Sport Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil. Renfree is with the Inst of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Worcester, Worcester, United Kingdom.