Explore the physiological and kinematic variables associated with elite runners and sprinters to uncover the key physiological demands of marathon running.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12803,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[452,453],"tags":[111,118,568],"class_list":["post-12717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport","category-running","tag-running","tag-nutrition","tag-running-physiology"],"acf":{"subtitle":"
Competitive running can be thought of as the time taken to run a specific distance, with the baseline measure of performance being the time on the clock as an athlete crosses the finish line. At the elite level, Olympic disciplines range from 100 metres to a marathon, with anything beyond that classed as an ultramarathon.<\/p>\n
These individual events are designed to determine the fastest athletes in the world. However, such variation in racing distance and duration results in unique event demands and associated determinants of performance. Here we look at the physiology of running, with a particular focus on the physiological demands of marathon running and the kinematic (movement) variables associated with elite endurance runners and sprinters.<\/p>\n
The key physiological demands of marathon running have been documented as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n During endurance running, oxygen is taken into the body to facilitate aerobic energy production and exercise performance. As the intensity of exercise increases, so too does the volume of oxygen consumption required to maintain performance levels. The trend continues until a maximal point is reached, at which the volume of oxygen\u00a0 consumption cannot increase further with increases in exercise intensity. This point defines VO2 max and represents the maximum volume of oxygen the body can take up and utilise during exercise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Expressed as millilitres of oxygen consumed per kilogram of bodyweight per minute (ml\/kg\/min), the VO2 max values of elite endurance athletes have been reported at between 70 and 85 ml\/kg\/min (2,3), compared to 43.5 \u00b1 7.0 ml\/kg\/min in untrained runners<\/span>(4)<\/sup>. These high VO2 max values support faster running speeds during long-distance racing and result in winning performances.<\/span><\/p>\n The second physiologic demand of marathon running is lactate threshold, which can be expressed as a percentage of VO2 max and relates to the first increase in blood lactate above baseline levels. Increases in lactate threshold typically result in improved endurance running performance<\/span>(1)<\/sup>.<\/p>\n In elite athlete populations, lactate threshold can be 82.0\u00b16.6% of VO2max<\/sub>, compared to 76.6\u00b16.4% in untrained populations (4)<\/sup>. In combination with a high absolute VO2max<\/sub>, the ability to perform for extended periods of time at a high percentage of VO2max<\/sub> results in an endurance runner who can sustain fast running speeds.<\/p>\n In elite endurance runners, with similar VO2max<\/sub>, running economy is a better predictor of performance (5)<\/sup>.<\/p>\n Defined as the energy demands for a given running speed, athletes with good running economy expend less energy compared to athletes with poor running economy at the same speed (5)<\/sup>. Expending less energy and therefore using less oxygen, at a given running speed, results in a more efficient elite endurance runner.<\/p>\n A number of variables interact to determine running economy, these can be categorised as: training factors, environmental, physiological, biomechanical and anthropometry; shown below. Endurance runners who can combine a high VO2max<\/sub> with good running economy are likely to perform the best in race situations and cross the finish line first.<\/p>\n\n
Oxygen Consumption<\/h3>\n
Lactate<\/strong> threshold<\/h3>\n
Energy demands<\/h3>\n