Physiological and training characteristics of recreational marathon runners

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the physical and training characteristics of recreational marathon runners within finish time bandings (2.5–3 h, 3–3.5 h, 3.5–4 h, 4–4.5 h and >4.5 h). Materials and methods: A total of 97 recreational marathon runners (age 42.4 ± 9.9 years; mass 69.2 ± 11.3 kg; stature 172.8 ± 9.1 cm), with a marathon finish time of 229.1 ± 48.7 min, of whom n = 34 were female and n = 63 were male, completed an incremental treadmill test for the determination of lactate threshold (LT1), lactate turn point (LT2) and running economy (RE). Following a 7-min recovery, they completed a test to volitional exhaustion starting at LT2 for the assessment of VO2max. In addition, all participants completed a questionnaire gathering information on their current training regimes exploring weekly distances, training frequencies, types of sessions, longest run in a week, with estimations of training speed, and load and volume derived from these data. Results: Training frequency was shown to be significantly greater for the 2.5–3 h group compared to the 3.5–4 h runners (P 4.5 h group (P = 0.004), while distance per session (km⋅session–1) was significantly greater for the 2.5–3 h group (16.1 ± 4.2) compared to the 3.5–4 h group (15.5 ± 5.2; P = 0.01) and >4.5 h group (10.3 ± 2.6; P = 0.001). Race speed correlated with LT1 (r = 0.791), LT2 (r = 0.721) and distance per session (r = 0.563). Conclusion: The data highlight profound differences for key components of marathon running (VO2max, LT1, LT2, RE and % VO2max) within a group of recreational runners with the discriminating training variables being training frequency and the absolute training speed

Artificial Turf Field – A New Build Case Study

AbstractArtificial turf is widely used around the world and is used successfully for many sports and at many levels of performance requirement. Enhanced quality assurance systems set in place by sport governing bodies, such as World Rugby's Regulation 22 require inspection and certification of the installed system, and increasingly testing of the whole pitch build. Monitoring of play performance is then required at intervals to maintain certification for (high level) competition. However, very little published case study data exists that presents the build quality and monitoring data in a suitable form to share knowledge and best practice for the wide range of stakeholders, or for the maintenance provider. This paper presents a (unique) case study overview of the key activities undertaken and the measurement data and observations made during the construction of a full size elite level artificial (3rd generation) turf pitch, in autumn 2014 at Loughborough University. The research team monitored all the construction layers with a variety of specialist geotechnical devices, and additionally instrumented the pitch for drainage performance and thermal heat transfer. In addition play performance related properties and maintenance have been monitored during its first year of use. The test results give a unique insight into the surface system initial state and the early life changes that have occurred. The collective outcomes of the case study findings are considered useful to both academics and practitioners to further our understanding of appropriate methods of effective sports pitch monitoring for quality and performance and the expected early-life in service changes. The geotechnical measurements add to the current (global) debate on design verification and how to specify and monitor a pitch base build quality

How is jump performance affected in male athletes when completed with a visual impairment?

SIGNIFICANCE: High-, long-, and triple-jump athletic events may need to consider whether it is appropriate to group vision-impaired athletes in the same classification with loss of different visual functions, and a greater emphasis may need to be placed on the visual field (VF) within the current classification system used. PURPOSE: Athletes with vision impairment are grouped, based on their visual function, into one of three different classes (B1, B2, and B3, with B1 being the most severe). Athletes in class B2 have loss in visual acuity (VA; range, 1.50 to 2.60 logMAR) or VF (constricted to a diameter of <10°). The current study investigated how loss of different visual function (VA or VF) within the same class impacts jumping performance, a fundamental component in long-, triple-, and high-jump athletic events. METHODS: Ten subelite male athletes (age, 21.6 ± 0.96 years; height, 178.8 ± 2.97 cm; mass, 82.2 ± 10.58 kg) with normal vision who participate in athletics were recruited. Participants completed drop jumps in four vision conditions: habitual vision condition (Full), VA no better than 1.60 logMAR (B2-VA), VF restricted to <10° (B2-VF), and VA no better than 1.30 logMAR (B3-VA). RESULTS: Meaningful differences were observed between Full and B2-VF conditions. After rebound, vertical velocity at take-off was highest in Full condition (2.84 ± 0.35 m · s−1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.68 to 2.99 m · s−1) and was lowest in B2-VF condition (20% reduction; 2.32 ± 0.29 m · s−1; 95% CI, 2.16 to 2.48 m · s−1). Peak vertical jump height was highest in Full (0.42 ± 0.10 m; 95% CI, 0.38 to 0.46 m) and reduced by 40% in B2-VF (0.28 ± 0.07 m; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.32 m). Minimal differences were found between Full and B2-VA, or B3-VA conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Jump performance is compromised in athletes with simulated vision impairment. However, decrements in performance seem specific to those with severely constricted VF. Those with reduced VA (in B2-VA and B3-VA classes) seem to produce performance comparable to those with normal vision