There Is No Global Running Pattern More Economic Than Another at Endurance Running Speeds

Abstract

Purpose: The subjective Volodalen® score (V®score) and the objective duty factor metric can both assess global running patterns. The authors aimed to investigate the relation between running economy (RE) at endurance running speeds and the global running pattern quantified using both subjective and objective measures. Methods: RE and 3-dimensional whole-body kinematics were acquired by indirect calorimetry and an optoelectronic system, respectively, for 52 trained runners during treadmill runs at 10, 12, and 14 km/h. Results: Correlations between RE and V®score and RE and duty factor were negligible and nonsignificant across speeds tested (P ≥ .20), except for a low and significant correlation between RE and V®score at 10 km/h. Conclusions: These findings suggest there is no global running pattern more economic than another at endurance running speeds. Therefore, there is no advantage of choosing, favoring, or prescribing one specific global running pattern along a continuum based on V®score or duty factor metrics, and coaches should not try to modify the spontaneous running pattern of runners at endurance running speed to improve RE.

Current perception and practice of athletics coaches about the modification of footstrike pattern in endurance runners: A survey

“…Indeed, several studies report similar oxygen uptake (for a normalised mass) and net metabolic rate between RFS and FFS runners at different sub-maximal speeds. [23][24][25] Again, Anderson et al 21 do not recommend, following their systematic review with meta-analysis, to modify the footstrike pattern of their endurance runners to improve their running economy.…”

Reporting guidelines for running biomechanics and footwear studies using three-dimensional motion capture

“…Running shoes act as an interface between the foot and the ground and play a central role in running. Running shoes are constantly evolving [1,2], as is the research on running biomechanics and footwear [3][4][5]. Experts agree that comfort, injury prevention, and performance are important factors to consider in the design and manufacturing of running footwear [6]; however, these topics are often complex to investigate due to their multifactorial [7][8][9], individualised [10,11], or subjective [7] nature with no clear evidence-based direction for footwear prescription [3,12].…”

The Relationship Between Running Biomechanics and Running Economy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

“…RE (in mLO 2 ∙kg −1 ∙km −1 ) was 215.7 ± 13.6, 220.4 ± 11.1, 216.3 ± 10.0 for the midfoot group at speeds 3.06 m∙s −1 , 3.61 m∙s −1 and 4.17 m∙s −1 , respectively Stationary gas analyzer (Ergocard; Medisoft Group, Sorinnes, Belgium); 3.06, 3.61, 4.17 m∙s −1 ; 6 min; last 3 min used for data analysis; RER < 1.0 b mLO 2 ∙kg −1 ∙min −1 and mLO 2 ∙kg −1 ∙km −1 ; n.a. ; no subtraction reported Concurrent; contact laser platform; treadmill; shoes not standardized; right side Step length; step frequency; foot strike pattern; contact time; step length; flight time Pastor et al [ 118 ]; correlational 17/0; road runners ( n = 7) 27 ± 4.8; 177.1 ± 6.7; 62.6 ± 3.9; not reported Trail runners ( n = 10) 30.8 ± 8.3; 176.7 ± 6.7; 65.6 ± 5.6; not reported Members of national team; road PB 10 km 29:17 average with times ranging from 28:06 to 30:56 for road runners, trial runners performance index of 864 points; no weekly training distance, running experience, or reported; RE (in J∙kg −1 ∙m −1 ) was 4.37 ± 0.27 for trail runners and 4.09 ± 0.31 for road runners at 2.78 m∙s −1 , and RE was 4.32 ± 0.22 for trail runners and 4.06 ± 0.29 for road runners at 3.89 m∙s −1 Portable gas analyzer (Metamax 3B, Cortex, Leipzig, Germany); 2.78 and 3.89 m∙s −1 ; 4 min; last min used for data analysis; increase in < 100 mLO 2 ∙min −1 and RER < 1.0 b J∙kg −1 ∙m −1 ; Péronnet equation; no subtraction reported Concurrent; optoelectronic system; treadmill; not reported; not reported Flight time; contact time; step frequency; duty factor; leg stiffness; vertical stiffness Patoz et al [ 99 ]; correlational 31/21; males: 31 ± 8; 174 ± 7; 66 ± 10; not reported Females: 32 ± 9; 162 ± 4; 52 ± 5; not reported Trained runners; recent half-marathon times: males 91 ± 9 min, females: 102 ± 9 min; weekly training distance: males 55 ± 19 km, females 50 ± 21 km; Experience: males 8 ± 6 years, females 7 ± 4 years; and RE not reported Stationary gas analyzer (TrueOne 2400, Parvo Medics Inc., Sandy, UT, USA); 2.78, 3.33, and 3.89 m∙s −1 ; 4 min; last min used for data analysis; visual inspection of and and RER < 1.0 …”

“…Several studies reported RE in multiple units, and thus the total is higher than 51. Forty studies described methods used to check for a steady state, which included verification of the respiratory exchange ratio below 1.0 (22 studies [ 24 , 39 , 40 , 80 , 81 , 86 , 88 – 90 , 93 – 104 ], measurement of blood lactate concentration (12 studies [ 23 , 24 , 40 – 43 , 82 , 92 , 105 – 108 ]), and visual inspection of a plateau in the oxygen consumption ( ) and/or carbon dioxide expired data (21 studies [ 34 , 35 , 39 , 80 , 82 , 84 – 86 , 88 – 90 , 94 – 96 , 98 , 99 , 106 , 109 – 112 ]). Most studies ( k = 18) employed multiple methods to check for steady state [ 32 , 83 , 87 , 113 – 120 ], while 11 studies did not report any steady-state verification.…”

“…Most studies ( k = 44) did not report whether such a subtraction was performed, and one study [ 101 ] explicitly stated that no subtraction was done. Four studies used allometric scaling when normalizing RE for body mass [ 97 , 99 , 117 , 120 ] while 47 studies used linear scaling. Finally, six studies used the Péronnet equations to compute the energetic cost from and , one study used the Brockway equation, three referred to Fletcher [ 121 ], who used the Lusk equation, one study used the Jeukendrup equation [ 122 ], one study used a method described by Kyröläinen based on blood lactate [ 111 ], and one used the Weir equation [ 123 ].…”