How Do Humans Control Physiological Strain during Strenuous Endurance Exercise?
Author Information
Author(s): Jonathan Esteve-Lanao, Alejandro Lucia, Jos J. deKoning, Carl Foster
Primary Institution: Department of Exercise Physiology, European University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Hypothesis
We hypothesize that HR would increase in a manner scaled to the proportional running distance of the event.
Conclusion
The overall results suggest that athletes are actively regulating their relative physiologic strain during competition, although there is evidence of poor regulation in the case of competitive failures.
Supporting Evidence
- Physiologic strain increased proportionally with distance completed.
- Slower runners had similar heart rate responses compared to faster runners.
- Physiologic effort was maintained even after a decrease in pace.
Takeaway
This study shows that runners manage their effort during races, and even if they slow down, they might still feel like they are working hard.
Methodology
Heart rate records of competitive runners were evaluated during races ranging from 5 to 100 km.
Limitations
The main limitation is the phenomenon known as 'cardiac drift', which can affect heart rate readings during prolonged exercise.
Participant Demographics
211 male middle and long distance runners with a mean age of 32 years.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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