Predictors of Performance during a 161 km Mountain Footrace

Training volume and cardiovascular dynamics influence endurance performance. However, there is limited information on the interplay between training volume, cardiovascular dynamics, and performance in ultra-marathon athletes. PURPOSE: We aimed to determine predictors of performance in finishers of the 2023 Western States Endurance Run (WSER). METHODS: Sixty participants who finished the race (49 males/11 females; mean age: 44.7 ± 9.6 y, range: 26–66 y; BMI: 22.7 ± 2.2 kg/m2) completed pre-race surveys including average training volume (AV) and peak training volume (PV), as well as resting cardiovascular measures including resting heart rate (RHR) and augmentation index (AIx), a measure of wave reflection characteristics. Based on WSER completion time, we calculated average running velocity (RV). We assessed associations among 22 variables using bivariate correlation analysis (Pearson’s Correlation for normally distributed data and Spearman’s Rank Correlation if normality was not met). Within our listed variables, normality was met in age and AV. Additionally, we completed multiple regression analyses for predictors. We present descriptive data as mean ± SD. RESULTS: Participants had an average RV of 6.33 ± 0.97 km/h (3.93 ± 0.6 mph), and reported an AV of 91.9 ± 24.5 km/wk (57.1 ± 15.2 miles/wk) and a PV of 141.0 ± 47.2 km/wk (87.6 ± 29.3 miles/wk). We observed significant associations between RV and age (r(58) = -0.57, p r(58) = 0.41, p r(58) = 0.34, p R2 = 0.37; F(3,56) = 12.4, pb1 = 0.013; t(56) = 2.57, p = 0.013), resulting in a 0.33 km/h increase in RV for every 25-km increase in AV. Last, significant relations existed between RV and AIx (r(58) = -0.30, p = 0.022); and RHR (r(58) = -0.26, p = 0.046). CONCLUSION: We found that (1) average weekly training volume is a significant predictor of performance in elite ultra-marathon athletes and (2) race performance was inversely associated with resting arterial wave reflection characteristics and heart rate

EFFECT OF CAFFEINE ON RECOVERY FROM AN ENDURANCE CYCLING EVENT

Aaron Caldwell1, Matt Tucker1, Cory Butts1, Brendon McDermott1, Jakob Vingren FACSM2, Laura Kunces3, Elaine Lee4, Colleen Munoz4, Keith Williamson5, Lawrence Armstrong FACSM4, Matthew S. Ganio1; 1University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas; 2University of North Texas, Denton, Texas; 3EXOS, Phoenix, Arizona; 4University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut; 5Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas; e-mail: [email protected] Muscle soreness is commonly experienced following prolonged endurance exercise, especially among recreational exercisers. Caffeine can improve endurance performance and reduce muscle pain during exercise. However, the effects of caffeine on recovery from a demanding exercise bout have not been elucidated. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of caffeine supplementation on rating of perceived muscle soreness (RPMS) and total mood disturbance (TMD) following the completion of a 100-mile endurance cycling event. METHODS: Males (n=26; 53±10 years old) and females (n=6; 46±11 years old) who were participating in the Hotter’n Hell Hundred bicycle ride volunteered for this research study. Immediately following the ride 20 subjects, in a double-blinded randomized fashion, were provided with 3 mg/kg body mass caffeine; 12 subjects ingested identical looking placebo pills. Participants continued ingestion of their assigned pills for the next 3 mornings (i.e., ~800 hrs) and afternoons (i.e., ~1200 hrs), and abstained from all food/fluid sources of caffeine. Before the cycling event, and prior to each ingestion of pills, RPMS and TMD was assessed via questionnaires. Leg and overall RPMS were rated on a 1-to-6 scale where 1 was the absence of soreness and 6 was severe pain that limited movement. TMD was assessed using the Brunell University Mood Scale and is a combination of self-assessed fatigue, vigor, depression, confusion, anger, and tension. Differences between treatment groups over time were assessed with a two-way repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Changes over time in measures of TMD and RPMS were not dependent on treatment group (i.e., non-significant interaction; p\u3e0.050). However, the caffeine group, independent of specific day, tended to have a lower morning RPMS in the legs [0.9 ± 0.1 vs 0.5 ± 0.2 arbitrary units (AU) for placebo and caffeine, respectively; p=0.084] and overall (0.8 ± 0.1 vs 0.4 ± 0.2 AU p=0.071). The same trend for the caffeine group to have lower RPMS in the legs was present in afternoon measures (1.0 ± 0.2 vs 0.5 ± 0.2, respectively; p=0.070). Afternoon RPMS was lower overall in the caffeine group (i.e., main effect of condition; 0.8 ± 0.1 vs 0.3 ± 0.2; p=0.017). There were no effects of condition on TMD (P \u3e 0.050) CONCLUSION: These data suggest caffeine may reduce perceived soreness following an endurance cycling event. Caffeine was beneficial when muscle soreness was assessed in the afternoon when caffeine levels were higher. Given there were some perceptual benefits to caffeine ingestion, it may be recommended that caffeine be utilized to aid in recovery from an endurance cycling event