A Study to Evaluate the Analgesic Properties of Topically Applied Menthol in Marathon Participants

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Observational: Pain-experience observational study conducted during and after a marathon.

Non-Interventional Study: Non-Interventional Study

Study summary

The purpose of the research study is to better understand the factors that impact pain experience in adult (18+ years) marathon runners participating in the 2026 Chicago Marathon and to better understand if topically applied menthol provides effective pain relief and impacts quality-of-life outcomes when used during the marathon, in the Recovery Zone immediately after the marathon, or during post-race recovery.

The main questions the study aims to answer are:

* Does topically applied menthol (gel and roll-on formats) reduce pain when applied in the Recovery Zone immediately after a marathon?
* What are the sensory attributes (e.g., cooling sensation) of topically applied menthol (gel and roll-on) when used in the Recovery Zone immediately after a marathon?
* How do participants assess the effects of topically applied menthol products used during and/or after a marathon on pain relief, performance, recovery, and sleep-related quality-of-life outcomes? Researchers will evaluate participant-reported pre- and post-application pain scores in the Recovery Zone immediately following the marathon and post-race outcomes to assess analgesic effectiveness, sensory attributes, and quality-of-life outcomes associated with Biofreeze use.

Participants will:

* Provide documented informed consent prior to participation.
* Self-select to use Biofreeze products during and/or after the race.
* Complete one or both of the following:

1. End of Race Questionnaire (includes pain score before and after Biofreeze application, sensory assessments, and demographics).
2. Post-Race Questionnaire (includes retrospective recall of pain relief, product use, sensory experience, sleep-related outcomes and demographic data).

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Mean Change in Post-Application Pain Score (Gel Format) — Day 1 - immediately at the end of the race, assessed within the End of Race (Recovery Zone) Questionnaire
  Mean change in post-application pain score, based on pre-application NRS and post-application NRS when topical menthol gel is applied after the race. Pain intensity will be assessed using an 11-point NRS, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst possible pain, based on data collected in the End of Race Questionnaire (Recovery Zone). Negative values indicate a reduction in pain.
• Mean Change in Post-Application Pain Score (Roll-On Format) — Day 1 - immediately at the end of the race, assessed within the End of Race (Recovery Zone) Questionnaire
  Mean change in post-application pain score, based on pre-application NRS and post-application NRS when topical menthol roll-on is applied after the race. Pain intensity will be assessed using an 11-point NRS, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst possible pain, based on data collected in the End of Race Questionnaire (Recovery Zone). Negative values indicate a reduction in pain.

Trial sites (1)