Publication detail

Physiological and training characteristics in marathon runners: The role of experience

CHLÍBKOVÁ, D. DOSTAL, J. KNECHTLE, B. NIKOLAIDIS, P.

Original Title

Physiological and training characteristics in marathon runners: The role of experience

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Aim: The aim of the present study was to examine physiological and training characteristics in marathon runners with different sport experience (defined as the number of finishes in marathon races). Methods: The anthropometry and physiological characteristics of men recreational endurance runners with three or less finishes in marathon races (n=69, age 43.5±8.0 years) and four or more finishes (n=66, 45.2±9.4 years) were compared. Results: More experienced runners had faster personal best marathon time (3:44±0:36 vs. 4:20±0:44 h:min, p<0.001, respectively), lower flexibility (15.9±9.3 vs. 19.3±15.9 cm, p=0.022), abdominal (20.6±7.9 vs. 23.8±9.0 mm, p=0.030) and suprailiac skinfold thickness (16.7±6.7 vs. 19.9±7.9 mm, p=0.013), body fat assessed by bioimpedance analysis 13.0±4.4 vs. 14.6±4.7%, p=0.047), more weekly training days (4.6±1.4 vs. 4.1±1.0 days, p=0.038) and longer weekly running distance (58.8±24.0 47.2±16.1 km, p=0.001) than their less experienced counterparts. The number of finishes in marathon races correlated with squat and (r=-0.41, p=0.021) countermovement jump (r=-0.38, p=0.032), and with weekly training days (r=0.19, p=0.030) and running distance (r=0.25, p=0.004). Conclusion: The findings indicated that long-term marathon training might induce adaptations in endurance performance, body composition and flexibility. An interpretation of the lower score of flexibility in the more experienced group might be its relationship with running economy. The negative relationship of the number of finishes with indices of muscle strength (jump tests) suggested a negative adaptation of muscle strength to endurance training.

Keywords

exercise physiology, marathon, flexibility, endurance, strength

Authors

CHLÍBKOVÁ, D.; DOSTAL, J.; KNECHTLE, B.; NIKOLAIDIS, P.

Released

27. 9. 2019

Publisher

Scandinavian Physiological Society, Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Location

United States

ISBN

1748-1716

Periodical

Acta Physiologica

Year of study

227

Number

S719

State

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Pages from

1

Pages to

2

Pages count

2

URL

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336148419_Physiological_and_Training_Characteristics_in_Male_Marathon_Runners_The_Role_of_Sport_Experience

BibTex

@article{BUT159513,
  author="Daniela {Chlíbková} and Jiří {Dostal} and Beat {Knechtle} and Pantelis T. {Nikolaidis}",
  title="Physiological and training characteristics in marathon runners: The role of experience",
  journal="Acta Physiologica",
  year="2019",
  volume="227",
  number="S719",
  pages="1--2",
  issn="1748-1716",
  url="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336148419_Physiological_and_Training_Characteristics_in_Male_Marathon_Runners_The_Role_of_Sport_Experience"
}

Documents

Physiological and Training Characteristics in Male marathon Runners.pdf