Introduction:Runners from East Africa including Kenya,Ethiopia and Uganda have dominated middle-and longdistance running events,for almost six decades.This narrative review examines and updates current understanding o...Introduction:Runners from East Africa including Kenya,Ethiopia and Uganda have dominated middle-and longdistance running events,for almost six decades.This narrative review examines and updates current understanding of the factors explaining the dominance of East Africans in distance running from a holistic perspective.Content:The dominance of East African distance runners has puzzled researchers,with various factors proposed to explain their unparalleled success.Four key elements emerge:1)biomechanical and physiological attributes,2)training characteristics,3)psychological motivations,and 4)African diet.Runners from East Africa often exhibit ectomorphic somatotypes,characterized by lean body compositions which lead them to an extraordinary biomechanical and metabolic effciency.Their sociocultural lifestyle,training regimens beginning at a young age with aerobic activities,seem crucial,as well as moderate volume,high-intensity workouts at altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 m.Psychological factors,including a strong motivation to succeed driven by aspirations for socioeconomic improvement and a rich tradition of running excellence,also contribute significantly.A multifactorial explanation considering these factors,without a clear genetic influence,is nowadays the strongest argument to explain the East African phenomenon.Summary and outlook:To unravel the mystery behind the supremacy of East African runners,it is imperative to consider these multifaceted factors.The predominantly rural lifestyle of the East African population underscores the importance of aligning modern lifestyles with the evolutionary past of Homo sapiens,where physical activity was integral to daily life.Further research is required to explain this phenomenon,with a focus on genetics.展开更多
Objectives The purpose was to directly assess in-competition thermoregulatory responses in recreational runners during a city marathon conducted in cool,ambient conditions using a two-pill ingestion strategy.Methods T...Objectives The purpose was to directly assess in-competition thermoregulatory responses in recreational runners during a city marathon conducted in cool,ambient conditions using a two-pill ingestion strategy.Methods Thirty-two recreational runners(age:38.7±10.2 years,mass:73.9±11.0 kg,height:177±8 cm)were invited to participate in this study.Core temperature was continuously assessed using telemetric ingestible pills.Each runner swallowed two pills:the first pill(Pill 1)11 h:47 min±1 h:01 min pre-race(before overnight sleep)and the second(Pill 2)2 h:35 min±0 h:54 min pre-race(on wakening).Results Pre-race core temperature for Pill 1 was significantly different from Pill 2,with values of 37.4±0.4℃and 37.1±0.6℃,respectively(p=0.006).The mean core temperature during the race was higher for Pill 1 compared to Pill 2(38.5±0.5℃and 37.8±1.0℃,respectively;p<0.001).Peak core temperature was higher for Pill 1 compared to Pill 2(39.1±0.5℃and 38.8±0.5℃,respectively;p=0.03).Post-race core temperature was higher for Pill 1 compared to Pill 2(38.8±0.7℃and 38.1±1.3℃,respectively;p=0.02).Conclusions The timing of pill ingestion significantly impacted core temperature and hence timing of pill ingestion should be standardised(5 h:30 min–7 h prior to measurement).Despite the relatively cool ambient conditions during the race,a significant number of runners achieved a high core body temperature(≥39℃),which was not accompanied by any signs of heat illness.展开更多
文摘Introduction:Runners from East Africa including Kenya,Ethiopia and Uganda have dominated middle-and longdistance running events,for almost six decades.This narrative review examines and updates current understanding of the factors explaining the dominance of East Africans in distance running from a holistic perspective.Content:The dominance of East African distance runners has puzzled researchers,with various factors proposed to explain their unparalleled success.Four key elements emerge:1)biomechanical and physiological attributes,2)training characteristics,3)psychological motivations,and 4)African diet.Runners from East Africa often exhibit ectomorphic somatotypes,characterized by lean body compositions which lead them to an extraordinary biomechanical and metabolic effciency.Their sociocultural lifestyle,training regimens beginning at a young age with aerobic activities,seem crucial,as well as moderate volume,high-intensity workouts at altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 m.Psychological factors,including a strong motivation to succeed driven by aspirations for socioeconomic improvement and a rich tradition of running excellence,also contribute significantly.A multifactorial explanation considering these factors,without a clear genetic influence,is nowadays the strongest argument to explain the East African phenomenon.Summary and outlook:To unravel the mystery behind the supremacy of East African runners,it is imperative to consider these multifaceted factors.The predominantly rural lifestyle of the East African population underscores the importance of aligning modern lifestyles with the evolutionary past of Homo sapiens,where physical activity was integral to daily life.Further research is required to explain this phenomenon,with a focus on genetics.
文摘Objectives The purpose was to directly assess in-competition thermoregulatory responses in recreational runners during a city marathon conducted in cool,ambient conditions using a two-pill ingestion strategy.Methods Thirty-two recreational runners(age:38.7±10.2 years,mass:73.9±11.0 kg,height:177±8 cm)were invited to participate in this study.Core temperature was continuously assessed using telemetric ingestible pills.Each runner swallowed two pills:the first pill(Pill 1)11 h:47 min±1 h:01 min pre-race(before overnight sleep)and the second(Pill 2)2 h:35 min±0 h:54 min pre-race(on wakening).Results Pre-race core temperature for Pill 1 was significantly different from Pill 2,with values of 37.4±0.4℃and 37.1±0.6℃,respectively(p=0.006).The mean core temperature during the race was higher for Pill 1 compared to Pill 2(38.5±0.5℃and 37.8±1.0℃,respectively;p<0.001).Peak core temperature was higher for Pill 1 compared to Pill 2(39.1±0.5℃and 38.8±0.5℃,respectively;p=0.03).Post-race core temperature was higher for Pill 1 compared to Pill 2(38.8±0.7℃and 38.1±1.3℃,respectively;p=0.02).Conclusions The timing of pill ingestion significantly impacted core temperature and hence timing of pill ingestion should be standardised(5 h:30 min–7 h prior to measurement).Despite the relatively cool ambient conditions during the race,a significant number of runners achieved a high core body temperature(≥39℃),which was not accompanied by any signs of heat illness.
