Sprinting Ability as an Important Indicator of Performance in Elite Long-Distance Runners

Effect of 6-Week Sprint Training on Long-Distance Running Performance in Highly Trained Runners

PURPOSE

Long-distance running performance has been reported to be associated with sprint performance in highly trained distance runners. Therefore, we hypothesized that sprint training could enhance distance running and sprint performance in long-distance runners. This study examined the effect of 6-week sprint training on long-distance running and sprint performance in highly trained distance runners.

METHODS

Nineteen college runners were divided into control (n = 8) and training (n = 11) groups. Participants in the training group performed 12 sprint training sessions in 6 weeks, while those in the control group performed 12 distance training sessions. Before and after the interventions, maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max), O2 cost during submaximal running (290 m·min-1 and 310 m·min-1 of running velocity), and time to exhaustion (starting at 290 m·min-1 and increased 10 m·min-1 every minute) were assessed on a treadmill. Additionally, the 100-m and 400-m sprinting times and 3000-m running time were determined on an all-weather track.

RESULTS

In the control group, no measurements significantly changed after the intervention. In the training group, the time to exhaustion, 100-m and 400-m sprinting times, and 3000-m running time improved significantly, while V˙O2max and O2 cost did not change.

CONCLUSIONS

These results showed that 6-week sprint training improved both sprint and long-distance running performance in highly trained distance runners without a change in aerobic capacity. Improvement in the time to exhaustion without a change in V˙O2max suggests that the enhancement of long-distance running performance could be attributable to improved anaerobic capacity.

Longer Ground Contact Time Is Related to a Superior Running Economy in Highly Trained Distance Runners

ABSTRACT

Tanji, F, Ohnuma, H, Ando, R, Yamanaka, R, Ikeda, T, and Suzuki, Y. Longer ground contact time is related to a superior running economy in highly trained distance runners. J Strength Cond Res 38(5): 985-990, 2024-Running economy is a key component of distance running performance and is associated with gait parameters. However, there is no consensus of the link between the running economy (RE), ground contact time, and footstrike patterns. Thus, this study aimed to clarify the relationship between RE, ground contact time, and thigh muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) in highly trained distance runners and to compare these parameters between 2 habitual footstrike patterns (midfoot vs. rearfoot). Seventeen male distance runners ran on a treadmill to measure RE and gait parameters. We collected the CSAs of the right thigh muscle using a magnetic resonance imaging scanner. The RE had a significant negative relationship with distance running performance ( r = -0.50) and ground contact time ( r = -0.51). The ground contact time had a significant negative relationship with the normalized CSAs of the vastus lateralis muscle ( r = -0.60) and hamstrings ( r = -0.54). No significant differences were found in RE, ground contact time, or normalized CSAs of muscles between midfoot ( n = 10) and rearfoot ( n = 7) strikers. These results suggest that large CSAs of knee extensor muscles results in short ground contact time and worse RE. The effects of the footstrike pattern on the RE appear insignificant, and the preferred footstrike pattern can be recommended for running in highly trained runners.

IMPROVING SPEED AND STRENGTH IN LONG-DISTANCE RUNNING TRAINING

ABSTRACT Introduction: Long-distance running is a typical physical endurance sport. The athletes’ fitness level plays a dominant and central role in the components of their competitive ability. Whether long-distance runners can win in fierce competition depends mainly on the endurance of their physical fitness. Objective: To analyze the physical training methods of long-distance runners and discuss the improvement of speed and strength of long-distance runners through physical training. Methods: This paper uses literature materials, expert interviews, and experimental methods to research the training practice of middle and long-distance runners in colleges and universities. The data collected comprised an experimental protocol performed on volunteer long-distance runners. The above research determined the effect of physical training on speed and strength in long-distance runners. Results: After the 12-week experimental intervention, the overall strength, flexibility, and flexibility of the long-distance runners were improved, and the data were statistically significant (P<0.05). The aerobic workability and anaerobic capacity of the athletes were improved through the experiment. Conclusion: Physical training can improve the speed and strength of long-distance runners. Athletes can increase physical training with this protocol in their daily training. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

Maximum aerobic speed, maximum oxygen consumption, and running spatiotemporal parameters during an incremental test among middle- and long-distance runners and endurance non-running athletes

Background

Maximal aerobic speed (MAS) is a useful parameter to assess aerobic capacity and estimate training intensity in middle- and long-distance runners. However, whether middle- and long-distance runners reach different levels of MAS compared to other endurance athletes with similar V̇O_2max has not been previously studied. Therefore, we aimed to compare V̇O_2max, MAS and spatiotemporal parameters between sub-elite middle- and long-distance runners (n = 6) and endurance non-runners (n = 6). In addition, we aimed to compare the maximal blood lactate concentration [BLa] experienced by participants after conducting these tests.

Methods

Telemetric portable respiratory gas analysis, contact and flight time, and stride length and rate were measured using a 5-m contact platform during an incremental test at a synthetic athletics track. V̇O₂, heart rate, respiratory quotient values in any 15 s average period during the test were measured. [BLa] was analyzed after the test . Running spatiotemporal parameters were recorded at the last two steps of each 400 m lap. A coefficient of variation (%CV) was calculated for each spatiotemporal variable in each participant from 8 km h^-1 onwards.

Results

Whereas runners reported faster MAS (21.0 vs. 18.2 km h^-1) than non-runners (p  =  0.0001, ES = 3.0), no differences were found for V̇O_2max and maximum blood lactate concentration during the running tests (p > 0.05). While significant increases in flight time and stride length and frequency (p < 0.001, 0.52 ≤ η p 2 ≤ 0.8) were observed throughout the tests, decreases in contact time (p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0 . 9 ) were reported. Runners displayed a greater %CV (p = 0.015) in stride length than non-runners. We conclude that middle- and long-distance runners can achieve a faster MAS compared to non-running endurance athletes despite exhibiting a similar V̇O_2max. This superior performance may be associated to a greater mechanical efficiency. Overall, runners displayed a greater ability to modify stride length to achieve fast speeds, which may be related to a more mechanically efficient pattern of spatiotemporal parameters than non-runners.

Thigh Muscularity and Sprinting Performance of National‐Level Long‐Distance Runners

Long-distance runners require aerobic capacity as well as sprinting ability for superior performance; however, the factors which determine the sprinting ability of long-distance runners remain undetermined. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to examine the association between thigh muscle size and sprinting ability in national-level male long-distance runners. Nineteen male long-distance runners with 5000 m personal-best times of 13:12.63–14:14.87 participated in this study, and transaxial images of their right thighs were collected using magnetic resonance imaging. The cross-sectional areas of the quadriceps femoris, hamstrings, and adductor muscles were calculated from the transaxial images at 30%, 50%, and 70% of the distance from the greater trochanter to the lower edge of the femur; these areas were normalized by body mass. Sprint times for 100 m and 400 m were recorded on an all-weather track. The results revealed positive correlations between the normalized cross-sectional areas of the quadriceps femoris at 50% and 70% of the thigh length and the 100 m (r = 0.666, p = 0.002 and r = 0.531, p = 0.019, respectively) and 400 m sprint times (r = 0.769, p < 0.001 and r = 0.580, p = 0.009, respectively); hence, the larger the quadriceps, the slower the sprint speed. However, no association was found between the normalized cross-sectional areas of the hamstrings or adductor muscles and sprinting performance. Therefore, running motions which activate the quadriceps femoris much more than the hamstrings and adductor muscles should be avoided by national-level long-distance runners.

Anaerobic Speed Reserve, Sprint Force-Velocity Profile, Kinematic Characteristics, and Jump Ability among Elite Male Speed- and Endurance-Adapted Milers

This study aimed to compare sprint, jump performance, and sprint mechanical variables between endurance-adapted milers (EAM, specialized in 1500–3000-m) and speed-adapted milers (SAM, specialized in 800–1500 m) and to examine the relationships between maximal sprint speed (MSS), anaerobic speed reserve (ASR), sprint, jump performance, and sprint mechanical characteristics of elite middle-distance runners. Fifteen participants (8 EAM; 7 SAM) were evaluated to obtain their maximal aerobic speed, sprint mechanical characteristics (force–velocity profile and kinematic variables), jump, and sprint performance. SAM displayed greater MSS, ASR, horizontal jump, sprint performance, and mechanical ability than EAM (p < 0.05). SAM also showed higher stiffness in the 40-m sprint (p = 0.026) and a higher ratio of horizontal-to-resultant force (RF) at 10 m (p = 0.003) and RFpeak (p = 0.024). MSS and ASR correlated with horizontal (r = 0.76) and vertical (r = 0.64) jumps, all sprint split times (r ≤ −0.85), stiffness (r = 0.86), and mechanical characteristics (r ≥ 0.56) during the 100-m sprint, and physical qualities during acceleration (r ≥ 0.66) and sprint mechanical effectiveness from the force–velocity profile (r ≥ 0.69). Season-best times in the 800 m were significantly correlated with MSS (r = −0.86). Sprint ability has a crucial relevance in middle-distance runners’ performance, especially for SAM.

Effect of Resistance Training of Psoas Major in Combination With Regular Running Training on Performance in Long-Distance Runners

PURPOSE

The study determined whether the increase in the cross-sectional area (CSA) of psoas major, which is known as a hip-flexion muscle, by resistance training combined with running training improves the performance of long-distance runners.

METHODS

Subjects were 8 well-trained male long-distance runners. The personal best time in a 5000-m race was 15:10.0 (0:20.5) (mean [SD]). Each subject performed resistance training twice per week with running training for 12 weeks. The authors used 3 resistance training regimens that would train the hip flexor muscles. Training intensity was a maximum of 10 repetitions. The training amount was 3 sets × 10 times during the first 4 weeks followed by 4 sets × 10 times during the last 8 weeks. The authors measured the CSA of psoas major using magnetic resonance imaging and the performance of long-distance runners using a constant velocity running test before (pre) and after (post) the training term.

RESULTS

The combination training significantly (P < .01, d = 0.34) increased the CSA of psoas major (pre: 16.2 [1.5] cm2, post: 16.7 [1.4] cm2) and significantly (P < .01, d = 1.41) improved the duration of the constant velocity running test (pre: 500 [108] s, post: 715 [186] s). Moreover, multiple regression analysis showed that the pre to post change in the duration of the constant velocity exercise was significantly correlated with the change in CSA of the psoas major.

CONCLUSION

The authors suggest that resistance training of psoas major with running training is correlated with an improvement in the performance of long-distance runners.