Physiological Demands of Running a Marathon Research Example

Abstract

Andrew is a professional athlete who will be competing in the Vermont city marathon. A marathoner needs long training way before the main event. Marathon is an endurance sport, and several factors determines whether the athlete will be successful or not. The athlete needs a perfect quantity of VO2Max which is the rate at which the body takes up and utilizes oxygen. His body should efficiently get high lecate threshold and a good running economy. All these qualities could get improved through training. Andrew will engage in training for a 16 week period, where he will work on improving his VO2 max, his lactate threshold, and his pulmonary functionality.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

According to the assessment, Andrew, who is a 25 year old professional marathon runner aiming to break the record of 2 hours and 22 minutes this year, needs to take lactate threshold tests. He needs to continue training same areas which stimulates 85% VO2 Max. Andrew also requires proper balance diet with 480 to 675g/day of carbohydrates, 0.55-1.0g/day of proteins and 56-70g/day fat. It is crucial to note that the meal plans have been designed with consideration that Andrew is a vegetarian.

The type of training and the time frame in which specific goals will be achieved have been presented. It lays out training day by day, making sure that the athlete is not over-trained. Most importantly, the training suggested follows laboratory and field assessments. The suggestions are personalized according to Andrews needs, for instance, noting that Andrew is a vegetarian, the meal plans do not contain meat. A meal high in a low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrates, moderate in protein and low in fat has been recommended for intake few hours before the marathon. In addition, fluids intake has been recommended to regulate the body temperatures and offset dehydration.

Physiological Demands of Running a Marathon

According to Laursen (2010), marathon running is one of the most robust tests on human endurance. The marathon aims to maintain a constant output over the 42.3km distance, an exercise that requires much physical and psychological preparedness (Gibala et al., 2016). According to (Gibala et al., 2016) running involves the pulmonary, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and the metabolic system. It depends on some physiological, mental and environmental factors (Gibala et al.,2016).

According to Talanian et al., (2003), a high VO2max is the key determinant of the runner's ability to compete in a marathon. VO2Max is the body's ability to take up large amounts of oxygen from the atmosphere and its ability to economically utilize the oxygen in the working muscles at sea level (Perres et al., 2009). The rate at which ATP can be re-synthesized determines the athlete's speed of endurance (Lehmann et al., 1992). Lehmann et al.(1992) states that the VO2 Max in marathon runners is 20% lower than other short races because it is running at lower intensity. With training, an individual can improve their VO2 max through a process dubbed remodeling (Saunders et al., 2006) although some elite athletes tend to have reach a celling. One undergoes remodeling in various ways such as increasing the size of the heart since the heart is responsible for pumping blood to other organs in the body (Hawley & Spargo, 2007). A study involving 25 female athletes aged between 17 and 25 was conducted to determine VO2 max using Queen's college step test and body fat percentage by skin fold calipers. The study indicated that size of the heart can increase twice fold with regular training, thus improving the VO2 max rate (Hawley & Spargo, 2007). The runner must also possess a good running economy, which is the muscle's ability to utilize oxygen economically (Joyner & Coyle, 2008). The amount of oxygen utilized at a given work rate is called the running economy or the metabolic cost of running (Harris, 2008). Resistance training can considerably improve the working economy. Study conducted by National Health Organization indicates that supervised training, proper prescription training designed program with progressive overload, specificity and variation enables effective resistacne training (Kraemer, Ratamess, & French, 2002). This consequently it helps in reducing body fat, decrease blood pressure, increase basal metabolic rate and improve blood lipid profile, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance (Kraemer, Ratamess, & French, 2002).

According to Hazell et al.(2010), the lactate threshold of an individual affects the race velocity. Sprint interval training (SIT) has been proven to improve muscle lactate buffering ability leading to the improved enzymatic functioning and skeletal muscle remodelling (McCarthy, 2011). According to McCarthy(2011), high-intensity interval training (HIIT) also increases oxidative muscle capability. Also, the runner must also have fast recovery rates. This allows the athlete to train more efficiently because recovery has been reached from the previous training sessions (Harris, 2008). Physical strength plays a significant role in maintaining balance, faster recovery and in managing an excellent running shape of the body (Midgley, 2006). Athletes do a lot of resistance training to improve leg strength to achieve speed and mileage. They do this through intensive training under supervision. Strength training is essential to long distance runners because it is essential to maintain a good running technique throughout the race (Coyle, 2007). It is easy to maintain the running technique at the beginning of the race, but this gets extremely hard towards completion due to fatigue (Bonacci et al., 2009).

Nutritional demands for a marathon runner

Carbohydrates

An average runner requires at least 5-7g/kg daily, but this could extend up to 12g/kg depending on training hours (Berger et al., 2006).

If the marathoner practice for under an hour and a half, he/she has enough glycogen left in the muscles (Burke, 2015). However, if the task is longer than one hour, the marathoner should increase carbohydrate intake to 7-10g/kg a day and reduces the amount of training three days before the race. This is known as carbohydrate loading (Iaia et al., 2009). ProteinsAn athlete may require protein to keep up his muscles (Billat et al., 2001).

Comprehend what one require: The average individual needs 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight a day (Runners world, 2017). That is around 88 grams of protein for a 150-pound individual. A quality competitor may require up to 1.7 grams for each kilogram of body weight (Runners world, 2017). That is approximately 150 grams of protein for a 200-pound competitor.

Support sustenance: Getting excessively protein can put a strain on the kidneys (Gladden, 2004). Rather than protein supplements, eat food protein, for example, lean meats, poultry, nuts, beans, eggs, or drain (Spriet, 2007).

Drink up: Drain additionally has both casein and whey protein. The blend might be especially useful for competitors (Hoff &Helgerud, 2004). Research demonstrates that whey protein is ingested rapidly, which can help speed recuperation promptly after an occasion (Gladden, 2004). After an event, casein is digested gradually which helps the body to recover (Gladden, 2004). Drain additionally has calcium, which is critical for keeping up solid bones (Hoff &Helgerud, 2004).

Fluids

Maintaining hydration is necessary during training. An athlete of around 60kg in weigt should consume between 400 and 600mL of cold water before an activity and 150 to 300mL during the activity to repace used fluids (Luden, 2010). During a race, an athlete can lose approximately 0.5-1.5l of fluid hourly depending on the weather conditions (Coyle, 2007). Acute exercise, particularly in a humid climate, can rapidly dehydrate athlete's body. Dehydration, like this, can hurt the athlete's execution and, in extraordinary cases, undermine the athlete's life (Joyner & Coyle, 2008). All competitors involved in intensive activtities should drink liquids early and frequently (Coyle, 2007).

Athletes are advised to drink enough fluids to allow for pale urine, five to six times a day (Coyle, 2007). Urine with light yellow shading implies one is getting enough liquid. Deep yellow or dull urine suggests one is not taking enough liquid (Gladden, 2004). Since serious exercise influences the athlete to lose fluid rapidly, it's a smart thought to drink liquids before and also amid an occasion, (Coyle, 2007).

Experts recommend trainees to weigh themselves before and after a race and make sure to gain 125-150% of the fluids lost, for instance, 1l sweat necessitates 1.25-1.5l fluid intake (Gladden, 2004). Sports drinks solve both fluid and carbohydrate loss during a race (Joyner &Coyle, 2008). They also help maintain the right electrolyte balance in the body that is sodium, chloride, and potassium (Saunders et al., 2006). Runners are advised to avoid fiber before a race to prevent a gastro-intestinal upset in the field (Laursen, 2010).

Runner's Profile

The participant is 25 years old Andrew from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ethiopia is well known to produce long-distance runners including the famous, Haile Gebrselassie who has dominated marathons for 25 years (Spriet, 2007). Andrew is a local athlete who is currently engaging in intense training for a spring marathon in May. He started his training in January. He aims to train at Mt. Entoto as the previous runner Gebraselassie. This kind of environment builds resilience and endurance (Wirnitzer et.al., 2016).The majority of his training volume about 71% takes place in low-intensity areas which offer less than 60%VO2 Max and approximately 70% maximum heart rate. Low-intensity regions are standard training areas such as a field. Moreover, 21% of his training program takes place in moderate intensity zones which stimulates 60-75% VO2 max and the rest of the training about 8% in high-intensity regions such as Mt. Entoto which stimulates 85% VO2 Max.

During his career, Andrew has won 2 Olympic gold medals in minor races in Ethiopia. He is looking to break the record this year. The curret record was set by Dennis Kimetto of Kenya at a time of 2 hrs 2 mins and 57 seconds (Spriet, 2007). He started running as a teenager and has contested in the IAAF tournaments. He also participated in the 2016 Olympic podium contestant but he did not perform well as he became position 15. Andrew is 25 years of age and weighs 60kgs has a height of 1.7m. His record personal best (PRM) is 2 hours and 22 minutes. His average velocity for marathon distance recorded is 17.8 km/h. his VO2 peak is 70 ml/kg. His lactate threshold is still unknown while his maximum heart rate (MHR) has been recorded as 175BPM.

Andrew possesses the perfect body mass of 6.2% an...