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The aim of this study was to analyze and describe the sociodemographic and psychosocial profile, also to identify the risk of injury of a contemporary sample of Spanish amateur endurance runners regarding individual variables, training volume and personality. A total of 147 endurance runners (114 males and 33 females; age: 42.66 ± 11.54 years old; BMI: 22.83 ± 2.47 kg/m2) completed an ad hoc questionnaire designed for athletes older than 18 years old. Significant differences (p<0.001) were observed for the fact of having a personal trainer, with women reporting a higher percentage than men. Most of the athletes (68%) have been injured in the last 3 years, and no significant differences between sexes were found. The profile of the endurance runner is a normotypical 40-year-old male with some anxiety and low mood, who has studied at the university, he/she is married or has a couple. He has been training for 16 years, doing 51 kilometers per week, joining 12 annual competitions, and has been injured 2 times in the last 3 years. The most common injury is tendonitis, being the causes of injuries found in this study the footwear and the personal goal achievement. Keywords: Endurance athletes, runners, injuries, socio-demographics    

This study assessed the effects of a 12-week strength training (ST) intervention on Achilles and patellar tendon stiffness and tendon-matrix blood-borne markers in well-trained triathletes performing concomitant high-volume aerobic training. Eighteen triathletes (VO 2 max: 64.43 ± 4.65 ml kg −1 min −1 ) were randomized into a combined endurance and ST group (3-times/week; intervention) or endurance-only group (control). Pre- and post-intervention assessments included ultrasound-based force-elongation measurements of the Achilles and patellar tendons, blood analysis of selected markers before and after an experimental ST session in weeks 1 and 12, and dynamic strength and endurance testing. Achilles (39.1 ± 31.8%) and patellar tendon stiffness (15.8 ± 8.5%), isometric maximal knee extensor strength (8.9 ± 5.7%), and squat one-repetition maximum (20.0 ± 9.7%) significantly increased in the intervention group (all p  ≤ 0.002). Additionally, serum concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) I (46.30 ± 20%; p  = 0.027) and decorin (30.50 ± 19.94%; p  = 0.015) increased after the first experimental ST session, while after the second session MMP-III (40.77 ± 20.13%; p  = 0.040) and decorin (36.59 ± 37.81%; p  = 0.007) were increased. Baseline tenascin-c concentrations decreased significantly only in the control group (-19.49 ± 20.55%; p  = 0.029). Our data clearly show improved muscle-tendon properties of the plantar flexor muscles and quadriceps femoris, indicating Achilles and patellar tendon stiffness to be similarly responsive to heavy ST despite concomitantly performing high volumes of endurance training.

\"[This book is] set in the exotic locales and extreme conditions that forged an extraordinary athlete from ordinary roots. Known today as the Queen of Pain for her incredible perseverance against all odds, Rebecca Rusch tells her story of transformation to inspire anyone to discover their own greatness\"--Amazon.com.

Peak oxygen pulse (O 2 P peak ) is an important index of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The FRIEND database is a global source of reference values for CRF. However, no reference equation is tailored for endurance athletes (EA) to predict O 2 P peak . Here, we adjusted the well-established FRIEND equation for O 2 P peak to the characteristics of the EA population. 32 (34.0%) female EA and 62 (66.0%) male well-trained EA underwent maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test on a treadmill. V̇O 2max was 4.5 ± 0.5 L min −1 in males and 3.1 ± 0.4 L min −1 in females. O 2 P peak was 23.6 ± 2.8 mL beat −1 and 16.4 ± 2.0 mL beat −1 for males and females, respectively. Firstly, we externally validated the original FRIEND equation. Secondly, using multiple linear regression, we adjusted the FRIEND equation for O 2 P peak to the population of EA. The original FRIEND equation underestimated O 2 P peak for 2.9 ± 2.9 mL beat −1 ( P  < .001) in males and 2.2 ± 2.1 mL beat −1 ( P  < .001) in females. The updated equation was 1.36 + 1.07 (23.2 · 0.09 · age − 6.6 [ if female ]). The new equation explained 62% of the variance and significantly predicted O 2 P peak (R 2  = 0.62, β = 0.78, P  < .001). The error of the EA-adjusted model was 0.1 ± 2.9 mL beat −1 ( P  = .82) and 0.2 ± 2.1 mL beat −1 ( P  = .65) for males and females respectively. Recalibration of the original FRIEND equation significantly enhances its accuracy among EA. The error of the EA-adjusted model was negligible. A new recalibrated equation should be used to predict O 2 P peak in the population of EA.

Applying training practices from other endurance sports, the authors demonstrate that following a carefully designed regimen is as effective for alpinism as it is for any other endurance sport and leads to better performance. They deliver detailed instruction on how to plan and execute training tailored to your individual circumstances, translating training theory into practice to allow you to coach yourself to any mountaineering goal.--Publisher.

Carbohydrate (CHO) supplements such as bars, gels, drinks and powders have become ubiquitous as effective evidence-based CHO sources that improve endurance exercise performance. However, athletes are increasingly turning to more cost-effective ‘food-first’ approaches for CHO ingestion to improve exercise performance. Mixed CHO foods including cooked lentils, oats, honey, raisins, rice, and potatoes are all effective pre-exercise CHO food sources. Caution is advised when selecting some of these foods as a primary CHO source, as some athletes may be prone to gastrointestinal discomfort—especially regarding those foods where the quantities required for recommended CHO intake may be voluminous (e.g., potatoes). Palatability may be another barrier to the ingestion of some of these CHO-rich foods. Although most of these CHO-rich foods appear effective for exercise performance or recovery when consumed pre- and post-exercise, not all are viable to ingest during exercise due to difficulties in the quantities required, transport, and/or gastrointestinal discomfort. Raisins, bananas and honey may be particularly useful CHO foods for consumption during exercise, as they are easily transportable. Athletes should trial CHO food sources before, during and/or following training before implementation during competition.

There are various recommendations by many coaches regarding foot landing techniques in distance running that are meant to improve running performance and prevent injuries. Several studies have investigated the kinematic and kinetic differences between rearfoot strike (RFS), midfoot strike (MFS), and forefoot strike (FFS) patterns at foot landing and their effects on running efficiency on a treadmill and over ground conditions. However, little is known about the actual condition of the foot strike pattern during an actual road race at the elite level of competition. The purpose of the present study was to document actual foot strike patterns during a half marathon in which elite international level runners, including Olympians, compete. Four hundred fifteen runners were filmed by 2 120-Hz video cameras in the height of 0.15 m placed at the 15.0-km point and obtained sagittal foot landing and taking off images for 283 runners. Rearfoot strike was observed in 74.9% of all analyzed runners, MFS in 23.7%, and FFS in 1.4%. The percentage of MFS was higher in the faster runners group, when all runners were ranked and divided into 50 runner groups at the 15.0-km point of the competition. In the top 50, which included up to the 69th place runner in actual order who passed the 15-km point at 45 minutes, 53 second (this speed represents 5.45 m.s super(-1), or 15 minutes, 17 seconds per 5 km), RFS, MFS, and FFS were 62.0, 36.0, and 2.0%, respectively. Contact time (CT) clearly increased for the slower runners, or the placement order increased (r = 0.71, p < 0.05). The CT for RFS + FFS for every 50 runners group significantly increased with increase of the placement order. The CT for RFS was significantly longer than MFS + FFS (200.0 +/- 21.3 vs. 183.0 +/- 16 millisecond). Apparent inversion (INV) of the foot at the foot strike was observed in 42% of all runners. The percentage of INV for MFS was higher than for RFS and FFS (62.5, 32.0, and 50%, respectively). The CT with INV for MFS + FFS was significantly shorter than the CT with and without INV for RFS. Furthermore, the CT with INV was significantly shorter than push-off time without INV for RFS. The findings of this study indicate that foot strike patterns are related to running speed. The percentage of RFS increases with the decreasing of the running speed; conversely, the percentage of MFS increases as the running speed increases. A shorter contact time and a higher frequency of inversion at the foot contact might contribute to higher running economy.

Background/Objectives: Optimal post-exercise nutrition is critical for maximizing recovery and subsequent performance. However, athletes often lack knowledge of guidelines, leading to suboptimal practices, particularly inadequate carbohydrate intake for glycogen resynthesis. This study aimed to assess the adherence of Hungarian endurance athletes to nutritional recommendations, identifying deficits and guiding the development of effective educational strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed 113 amateur Hungarian endurance athletes (mean age 40.04 ± 9.89 years) training ≥ 3 times/week using a self-developed online questionnaire. A ten-item composite measure, the Post-Exercise Nutrition Recommendation Adherence Score (PENRAS, max 10 points), was calculated to assess adherence. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and regression, were used to explore factors influencing PENRAS and nutritional practices. Results: The overall mean PENRAS was 5.32 ± 1.52, indicating room for improvement. The most pronounced deficit was observed in quantitative knowledge, with only 1.8% of participants correctly identifying the optimal carbohydrate content required for rapid glycogen resynthesis. Concurrently, high protein content (58.4%) was mentioned by a higher percentage than high carbohydrate content (52.2%) as an aspect of post-exercise meal planning. Triathletes had significantly higher PENRAS than runners (6.28 vs. 4.97, p = 0.001). Higher PENRAS was also significantly associated with consultation with a dietitian (p = 0.018). Reliance on professionals positively predicted knowledge, while online sources were a significant negative predictor. Higher PENRAS was associated with better meal planning and earlier post-exercise meal timing. Conclusions: Endurance athletes’ post-exercise nutritional practices are suboptimal. The findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions prioritizing education on carbohydrate intake and redirecting athletes towards evidence-based information to improve adherence and performance outcomes.