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Thuany M, Vieira D, Villiger E, Gomes TN, Weiss K, Nikolaidis PT, Sousa CV, Scheer V, Knechtle B. An analysis of the São Silvestre race between 2007-2021: An increase in participation but a decrease in performance. SPORTS MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCE 2023; 5:277-282. [PMID: 38314049 PMCID: PMC10831388 DOI: 10.1016/j.smhs.2023.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the trends of finishers in the São Silvestre race in Brazil, taking into account sex, age, and performance levels. A total of 31 775 runners (women, n = 13 847; men, n = 17 928), aged (45.2 ± 16.8) years, finishers in the São Silvestre race between 2007 and 2021, were considered in the present analysis. Data (event year, date of birth, sex, and race times) were downloaded from the official race website. The man-Whitney U test, Spearman correlation, and robust regression model were computed. Participation increased over time for both sexes. Regarding age groups, "31-40 years" (women) and "> 60 years" (men) were those with the highest number of finishers. We found a decrease in performance across the years (β = 2.45; p < 0.005), as well as significant differences in race times for both sexes (U = 42.844; p < 0.001), with men presenting better performances than women. Over time, it was observed an increase in the performance gap between the sexes, but in general, the performance decreased (β = 1.76; p < 0.001). Stakeholders should consider improving the strategies to improve women and young people's participation in running events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mabliny Thuany
- CIFI2D, Faculty of Sports, University of Porto, 4200-450, Porto, Portugal
| | - Douglas Vieira
- Post-Graduation Program of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão-SE, Brazil
| | - Elias Villiger
- Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thayse Natacha Gomes
- Post-Graduation Program of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão-SE, Brazil
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Katja Weiss
- Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pantelis T. Nikolaidis
- School of Health and Caring Sciences, University of West Attica, Athens, 12243, Athens, Greece
| | - Caio Victor Sousa
- Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Volker Scheer
- Ultra Sports Science Foundation, 109 Boulevard de l'Europe, 69310, Pierre-Benite, France
| | - Beat Knechtle
- Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
- Medbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplatz, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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Cook C, Chen G, Hager WW, Lenhart S. Optimally controlling nutrition and propulsion force in a long distance running race. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1096194. [PMID: 37275649 PMCID: PMC10233029 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1096194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Runners competing in races are looking to optimize their performance. In this paper, a runner's performance in a race, such as a marathon, is formulated as an optimal control problem where the controls are: the nutrition intake throughout the race and the propulsion force of the runner. As nutrition is an integral part of successfully running long distance races, it needs to be included in models of running strategies. Methods We formulate a system of ordinary differential equations to represent the velocity, fat energy, glycogen energy, and nutrition for a runner competing in a long-distance race. The energy compartments represent the energy sources available in the runner's body. We allocate the energy source from which the runner draws, based on how fast the runner is moving. The food consumed during the race is a source term for the nutrition differential equation. With our model, we are investigating strategies to manage the nutrition and propulsion force in order to minimize the running time in a fixed distance race. This requires the solution of a nontrivial singular control problem. Results As the goal of an optimal control model is to determine the optimal strategy, comparing our results against real data presents a challenge; however, in comparing our results to the world record for the marathon, our results differed by 0.4%, 31 seconds. Per each additional gel consumed, the runner is able to run 0.5 to 0.7 kilometers further in the same amount of time, resulting in a 7.75% increase in taking five 100 calorie gels vs no nutrition. Discussion Our results confirm the belief that the most effective way to run a race is to run approximately the same pace the entire race without letting one's energies hit zero, by consuming in-race nutrition. While this model does not take all factors into account, we consider it a building block for future models, considering our novel energy representation, and in-race nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Cook
- Research Triangle Institute (RTI) Health Solutions, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Guoxun Chen
- Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - William W Hager
- Department of Mathematics, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL, United States
| | - Suzanne Lenhart
- Department of Mathematics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, United States
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Rodrigo-Carranza V, González-Mohíno F, Casado A, Santos-Concejero J, Galán-Rioja MÁ, González-Ravé JM. Impact of advanced footwear technology on critical speed and performance in elite runners. FOOTWEAR SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/19424280.2022.2164624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fernando González-Mohíno
- Sport Training Lab. University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida y de la Naturaleza, Universidad Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
| | - Arturo Casado
- Centre for Sport Studies, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jordan Santos-Concejero
- Department of Physical Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
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Leslie E, Ducharme JB, Coffey P, Van Horn ML. Pacing and heat stress independently and differentially effect elite marathon performance. SPORT SCIENCES FOR HEALTH 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11332-022-01034-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Relationship between running performance and weather in elite marathoners competing in the New York City Marathon. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21264. [PMID: 36482112 PMCID: PMC9732038 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25901-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that weather and pacing have an influence on elite marathon performance. However, there is limited knowledge about the effect of weather on running speed in elite marathoners. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate potential associations between running speed and weather variables in elite runners competing in the 'New York City Marathon' between 1999 and 2019. Data from all official female and male finishers with name, sex, age, calendar year, split times at 5 km, 10 km, 15 km, 20 km, 25 km, 30 km, 35 km, 40 km and finish and hourly values for temperature (°Celsius), barometric pressure (hPa), humidity (%) and sunshine duration (min) between 09:00 a.m. and 04:00 p.m. were obtained from official websites. A total of 560,731 marathon runners' records were available for analysis (342,799 men and 217,932 women). Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were performed between the average running speed and the weather variables (temperature, pressure, humidity and sunshine). Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions were also performed. The runner´s records were classified into four performance groups (all runners, top 100, top 10 and top 3) for comparison. Differences in running speed between the four performance groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05) for both men and women. Pearson (linear) correlation indicated a weak and positive association with humidity in the top 10 (r = 0.16) and top 3 (r = 0.13) performance groups that the running speed of the elite runners was positively correlated with humidity. Regarding sunshine duration, there was a weak and positive correlation with the running speed of the elite groups (r = 0.16 in the top 10 and r = 0.2 in the top 3). Spearman correlation (non-linear) identified a weak but negative correlation coefficient with temperature in all runners' groups. Also, non-linear positive correlation coefficients with humidity and sunshine can be observed in the Spearman matrixes. A Multivariate Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis showed no predictive power of weather factors. For elite runners competing in the 'New York City Marathon' between 1999 and 2019, the main findings were that elite runners became faster with increasing humidity and sunshine duration while overall runners became slower with increasing temperature, increasing humidity and sunshine duration. Weather factors affected running speed and results but did not provide a significant predictive influence on performance.
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Weiss K, Valero D, Villiger E, Scheer V, Thuany M, Cuk I, Rosemann T, Knechtle B. The Influence of Environmental Conditions on Pacing in Age Group Marathoners Competing in the “New York City Marathon”. Front Physiol 2022; 13:842935. [PMID: 35774288 PMCID: PMC9237513 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.842935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The two aspects of the influence of environmental conditions on marathon running performance and pacing during a marathon have been separately and widely investigated. The influence of environmental conditions on the pacing of age group marathoners has, however, not been considered yet.Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between environmental conditions (i.e., temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, and cloud cover), gender and pacing of age group marathoners in the “New York City Marathon”.Methodology: Between 1999 and 2019, a total of 830,255 finishes (526,500 males and 303,755 females) were recorded. Time-adjusted averages of weather conditions for temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, and sunshine duration during the race were correlated with running speed in 5 km-intervals for age group runners in 10 years-intervals.Results: The running speed decreased with increasing temperatures in athletes of age groups 20–59 with a pronounced negative effect for men aged 30–64 years and women aged 40–64 years. Higher levels of humidity were associated with faster running speeds for both sexes. Sunshine duration and barometric pressure showed no association with running speed.Conclusion: In summary, temperature and humidity affect pacing in age group marathoners differently. Specifically, increasing temperature slowed down runners of both sexes aged between 20 and 59 years, whereas increasing humidity slowed down runners of <20 and >80 years old.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Weiss
- Medbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplatz, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - David Valero
- Ultra Sports Science Foundation, Pierre-Benite, France
| | - Elias Villiger
- Klinik für Allgemeine Innere Medizin, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Volker Scheer
- Ultra Sports Science Foundation, Pierre-Benite, France
| | - Mabliny Thuany
- Centre of Research, Education Innovation and Intervention in Sport (CIFI2D), Faculty of Sport, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ivan Cuk
- Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Management, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Thomas Rosemann
- Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Beat Knechtle
- Medbase St. Gallen Am Vadianplatz, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Beat Knechtle,
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