INTRODUCTION Loud sounds can decrease reaction time (RT) and increase force generated during voluntary contractions. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the loud starter's pistol at the Olympic Games allows runners closer to the starter to react sooner and stronger than runners farther away. METHODS RT for the 100/110 m athletics events at the 2004 Olympics were obtained from International Asso...

BACKGROUND Although carbohydrate is the predominant fuel source supporting high-intensity exercise workloads, the role of fat oxidation, and the degree to which it may be altered by training status, is less certain. METHODS We compared substrate oxidation rates, using indirect calorimetry, during a high-intensity interval training (HIT) session in well-trained (WT) and recreationally trained ...

The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of two different high-intensity interval training (HIT) programs on selected aerobic physiological indices and 1500 and 5000 m running performance in well-trained runners. The following tests were completed (n=17): (i) incremental treadmill test to determine maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), running velocity associated with VO2 max (vVO2 max)...

April marked the 1-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombings, which brought our city to a standstill as we endured a terrorist attack, manhunt, and subsequent lockdown of the metropolitan area. Twin explosions near the marathon finish line, occurring just minutes apart, left 3 people dead and hundreds injured. In the hour that followed the bombing, the city of Boston and privately run am...

OBJECTIVES To determine if the changes in specific skinfold sites induced by intense athletic conditioning over a three year period were associated with changes in running performance in high level athletes. METHODS Thirty seven top class runners (eight male and five female sprint trained, 16 male and eight female endurance trained) volunteered to participate in the study. The athletes were d...

Critical physiological factors for performance in running are maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max)), fractional VO(2max) utilization and running economy. While Kenyan and Caucasian elite runners are able to reach very high, but similar maximal oxygen uptake levels, the VO(2max) of black South African elite runners seems to be slightly lower. Moreover, the studies of black and white South Africa...

STUDY DESIGN Single-subject with repeated measures. OBJECTIVES To determine if runners can use real-time visual feedback from an accelerometer to achieve immediate reductions in tibial acceleration and vertical-force loading rates. BACKGROUND Stress fractures are a common injury among runners. Previous studies suggest that runners with higher than normal tibial acceleration and vertical-for...

AIMS We assessed the changes in cardiac morphology between elite endurance-trained runners (n = 42) and elite sprinters (n = 34) over a 5-year period. In addition, we studied the relationship between heart size and maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max). METHODS At the beginning of 5 consecutive seasons, all athletes underwent an incremental running test to determine VO2 max and a color-coded p...