Week 9 - Marathon

Question 1

What are the 3 determinants of marathon performance?

Answer 1

1. VO2max
2. Running Economy
3. %VO2max at race pace

Question 2

How does VO2max influence marathon performance?

Answer 2

Increased VO2max:

• Greater delivery of O2 to muscles
• Greater ability to resynthesise ATP aerobically
• Greater aerobic performance meeting the exercise demands

Question 3

What is the lactate threshold?

Answer 3

Intensity at which the lactate accumulation is occuring at a faster rate than removal
–> causes onset of anaerobic glycolytic dominance for energy supply
–> causing metabolite buildup

Question 4

How does going over lactate threshold impact performance?

Answer 4

IT REDUCES PERFORMANCE
- Rise in H+ ions (and other metabolites) leading to fatigue
- Reduced running velocity
- Increased difficult to sustain or maintain the current work output

Question 5

Lactate accumulation for sprinter vs marathon runner?

Where does each occur?

Answer 5

Sprinter - occurs earlier (at a slower speed) –> rapid increase
Marathon - occurs at a higher speed

Question 6

How does running economy determine marathon performance?

Answer 6

Lower oxygen cost per km –> can travel faster at their lactate threshold

HIGHER O2 cost/km will lead to higher amounts of wasted energy –> increasing the physiological demands to maintain the desired running pace

Question 7

What is the best way to predict marathon performance?

Answer 7

IDENTIFYING THE VELOCITY!!

Question 8

Predicting marathon performance formula

Answer 8

Vmarathon = FR x VO2max / RE

RE = Running economy
FR = Fraction of VO2max (%)