Physiological Indicators of Trail Running Performance: A Systematic Review

Waal, Simon J. de; Gomez-Ezeiza, Josu; Venter, Ranel; Lamberts, Robert P.

doi:10.1123/ijspp.2020-0812

Cited by 17 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…This characteristic would mean men are able to show a less accentuated decrease in performance in uphill traits in the later race stages, compared to their female counterparts, i.e., a “less positive” pacing. This hypothesis is supported by previous research findings correlating trail running performance to VO2max and fat mass in both male and female athletes [ 48 , 49 , 50 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…No significant differences were found regarding performance level as a main effect or as an interaction, meaning that no difference in pacing strategy between the top five runners and those athletes placing six to ten was detected. This outcome suggests that the performance difference among top performers is determined by other factors than the pacing strategy (e.g., VO2max fat mass, body mass index [ 50 ] or lactate threshold [ 49 ]). As for downhill running, the capacity to minimize exercise-induced muscle damage during competitions by means of specific training plays a critical role [ 42 ], as well as the musculotendinous capacity to absorb impacts as high as 6G [ 51 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Downhill Sections Are Crucial for Performance in Trail Running Ultramarathons—A Pacing Strategy Analysis

Genitrini

Fritz

Zimmermann

et al. 2022

JFMK

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Trail running is an increasingly popular discipline, especially over long-distance races (>42.195 km). Pacing strategy, i.e., how athletes modulate running speed for managing their energies during a race, appears to have a significant impact on overall performance. The aims of this study were to investigate whether performance level, terrain (i.e., uphill or downhill) and race stage affect pacing strategy and whether any interactions between these factors are evident. Race data from four race courses, with multiple editions (total races = 16), were retrieved from their respective events websites. A linear mixed effect model was applied to the full dataset, as well as to two subgroups of the top 10 male and female finishers, to assess potential differences in pacing strategy (i.e., investigated in terms of relative speed). Better finishers (i.e., athletes ranking in the best positions) tend to run downhill sections at higher relative speeds and uphill sections at lower relative speeds than slower counterparts (p < 0.001). In the later race stages, the relative speed decrease is larger in downhill sections than in uphill ones (p < 0.001) and in downhill sections, slower finishers perform systematically worse than faster ones, but the performance difference (i.e., between slower and faster finishers) becomes significantly larger in the later race stages (p < 0.001). Among elite athletes, no difference in pacing strategy between faster and slower finishers was found (p > 0.05). Both men (p < 0.001) and women (p < 0.001), in the later race stages, slow down more in downhill sections than in uphill ones. Moreover, elite women tend to slow down more than men (p < 0.001) in the later race stages, regardless of the terrain, in contrast to previous studies focusing on road ultramarathons. In conclusion, running downhill sections at higher relative speeds, most likely due to less accentuated fatigue effects, as well as minimizing performance decrease in the later race stages in downhill sections, appears to be a hallmark of the better finishers.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Downhill Sections Are Crucial for Performance in Trail Running Ultramarathons—A Pacing Strategy Analysis

Genitrini

Fritz

Zimmermann

et al. 2022

JFMK

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O 2 max), one of the most commonly reported factor associated with trail running performance (11), would have allowed to better examine the effects of level of performance and sex. An incremental protocol to assess V̇O 2 max would have also been interesting to assess running economy and biomechanics at running velocities closer to maximal aerobic capacities (15).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elite vs. Experienced Male and Female Trail Runners: Comparing Running Economy, Biomechanics, Strength, and Power

Besson

Pastor

Varesco

et al. 2023

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

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Besson, T, Pastor, FS, Varesco, G, Berthet, M, Kennouche, D, Dandrieux, P-E, Rossi, J, and Millet, GY. Elite vs. experienced male and female trail runners: comparing running economy, biomechanics, strength, and power. J Strength Cond Res 37(7): 1470–1478, 2023—The increased participation in trail running (TR) races and the emergence of official international races have increased the performance level of the world best trail runners. The aim of this study was to compare cost of running (Cr) and biomechanical and neuromuscular characteristics of elite trail runners with their lower level counterparts. Twenty elite (10 females; ELITE) and 21 experienced (10 females; EXP) trail runners participated in the study. Cr and running biomechanics were measured at 10 and 14 km·h−1 on flat and at 10 km·h−1 with 10% uphill incline. Subjects also performed maximal isometric voluntary contractions of knee and hip extensors and knee flexors and maximal sprints on a cycle ergometer to assess the power-torque-velocity profile (PTVP). Athletes also reported their training volume during the previous year. Despite no differences in biomechanics, ELITE had a lower Cr than EXP (p < 0.05). Despite nonsignificant difference in maximal lower-limb power between groups, ELITE displayed a greater relative torque (p < 0.01) and lower maximal velocity (p < 0.01) in the PTVP. Females displayed shorter contact times (p < 0.01) compared with males, but no sex differences were observed in Cr (p > 0.05). No sex differences existed for the PTVP slope, whereas females exhibited lower relative torque (p < 0.01) and velocity capacities (p < 0.01) compared with males. Although not comprehensively assessing all determining factors of TR performance, those data evidenced level and sex specificities of trail runners in some factors of performance. Strength training can be suggested to lower level trail runners to improve Cr and thus TR performance.

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“…Trail running participation, particularly in ultra-distances, has grown over the last two decades (1,2). As a result, recent studies have examined the physiological predictors of trail running performance (3,4), in-lab biomechanical changes resulting from prolonged downhill runs (5) and trail races (6), and biomechanics and physiology during outdoor trail running (7,8). Despite this emerging research field, there is a lack of understanding regarding the effects of footwear on trail running.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating footwear “in the wild”: Examining wrap and lace trail shoe closures during trail running

Honert¹,

Harrison²,

Feeney³

2023

Front. Sports Act. Living

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Trail running participation has grown over the last two decades. As a result, there have been an increasing number of studies examining the sport. Despite these increases, there is a lack of understanding regarding the effects of footwear on trail running biomechanics in ecologically valid conditions. The purpose of our study was to evaluate how a Wrap vs. Lace closure (on the same shoe) impacts running biomechanics on a trail. Thirty subjects ran a trail loop in each shoe while wearing a global positioning system (GPS) watch, heart rate monitor, inertial measurement units (IMUs), and plantar pressure insoles. The Wrap closure reduced peak foot eversion velocity (measured via IMU), which has been associated with fit. The Wrap closure also increased heel contact area, which is also associated with fit. This increase may be associated with the subjective preference for the Wrap. Lastly, runners had a small but significant increase in running speed in the Wrap shoe with no differences in heart rate nor subjective exertion. In total, the Wrap closure fit better than the Lace closure on a variety of terrain. This study demonstrates the feasibility of detecting meaningful biomechanical differences between footwear features in the wild using statistical tools and study design. Evaluating footwear in ecologically valid environments often creates additional variance in the data. This variance should not be treated as noise; instead, it is critical to capture this additional variance and challenges of ecologically valid terrain if we hope to use biomechanics to impact the development of new products.

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Physiological Indicators of Trail Running Performance: A Systematic Review

Cited by 17 publications

References 22 publications

Downhill Sections Are Crucial for Performance in Trail Running Ultramarathons—A Pacing Strategy Analysis

Downhill Sections Are Crucial for Performance in Trail Running Ultramarathons—A Pacing Strategy Analysis

Elite vs. Experienced Male and Female Trail Runners: Comparing Running Economy, Biomechanics, Strength, and Power

Evaluating footwear “in the wild”: Examining wrap and lace trail shoe closures during trail running

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