Do you feel like you have a ghost companion that you can’t get rid of? What it is and who “should be aware that they may start to feel a presence that isn’t there.”

The term “third man factor” describes circumstances when a comforting or supportive invisible, fictitious presence—such as a ghost or the apparition of a deceased loved one—is said to have appeared during terrible events.

According to a new poll, those who exercise alone may be more likely to encounter what is known as a “third man” experience, in which they sense they are being watched over or joined by an imagined presence.

According to recently published studies, endurance athletes who train alone are more vulnerable to the ‘third man factor’.

Hallucinations or being accompanied by a “spiritual guide” are common among people who engage in long-distance climbing, diving, running, cycling, or hiking activities. This is similar to what happened to explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton during his Antarctic expedition in 1917, when he wrote about an incorporeal companion who “joined” him and his crew on their challenging march to safety in the harsh environment of South Georgia.

Dr. Ben Alderson-Day spearheaded the research at Durham University, which found 84 athletes who had sensed an unknown entity. The study was featured in the Psychological Medicine journal.

They issued a call for participation to organizations like UK Caving, the British Mountaineering Council, and Cornish adventure sports firm FreediveUK.

Approximately 20% of respondents confessed feeling as though they were being pursued or observed while training solo. Among these, 30% believed they knew the identity of their unseen protector.

Dr. Ben Alderson-Day discussed the phenomenon at the Cheltenham Science Festival, stating: “Right at the brink, suddenly they feel like there is a ghostly companion with them, just for that period, and somehow they get through (the physical challenge).”

Post his talk, Dr. Alderson-Day remarked: “Weekend warriors who are doing extreme exercise, and trying to push through a physical barrier to complete it, should be aware that they may start to feel a presence that isn’t there.

“The explanation is thought to be that when you are pushing yourself, and when there is not much sensory input, like in a cave, underwater or on a mountain, you lose your internal sense of where your body is positioned in physical space, so start to sense your own body outside of yourself and believe it is someone else.

“It seems to be more common in people doing these sports alone, and in those with an endurance element, but it can also happen during something like a marathon.”

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