The University of California Institute of Environmental Stress marathon field studies.
*Physical Endurance; *Running; 20th Century; Biomarkers/blood; Biomedical Research/*history; Body Temperature Regulation; California; Competitive Behavior; Exercise Tolerance; Fluid Shifts; historical article; History; Humans; marathon; Muscle; oxygen consumption; Oxygen Consumption; Physiology/*history; Recovery of Function; Skeletal/metabolism/*physiology; thermoregulation; Time Factors; Universities/*history
In 1973, the Institute of Environmental Stress of the University of California-Santa Barbara, under the direction of Steven M. Horvath, began a series of field and laboratory studies of marathon runners during competition. As one of Horvath's graduate students, many of these studies became part of my doctoral dissertation. The rationale for studying runners under race conditions was based on my belief as a marathoner that runners would push themselves much harder while competing than under simulated conditions in the laboratory. Horvath's ready support of the studies likely had its roots in his graduate training at the Harvard Fatigue Laboratory, a laboratory well known for its field studies of individuals working in extreme environments. This report describes the studies of 1973-1975, focusing on how the measurements were made and detailing the learning experiences of a new graduate student. In 1973, blood chemistry and fluid shifts were studied in six runners before and for 3 days after a race. This was the first modern study to systematically examine the recovery process. In 1974, oxygen consumption was measured every 3 mi. in two runners during the race. In 1975, rectal temperature and five skin temperatures were evaluated in the same two runners every 1.4 mi. of the race. The latter two studies were the first to make such measurements under race conditions. The Institute of Environmental Stress marathon studies demonstrated the possibility of making measurements during competition without disrupting performance, enhanced our understanding of human exercise capacity under competitive conditions, and provided new insight into the postrace recovery process.
Maron Michael B
Advances in physiology education
2014
2014-03
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00118.2013" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1152/advan.00118.2013</a>
Maximal aerobic power after competitive marathon running.
Adult; Humans; Male; *Running; Oxygen Consumption; Hematocrit; Exercise Test; *Physical Exertion; Blood Chemical Analysis; Hemoglobins/analysis; Oxygen/*physiology
We evaluated the ability of a group of male runners (n = 4) to do maximal and submaximal exercise before and after they ran a competitive marathon (42.2 km) race. VO2max was determined 3 to 6 times in each runner, on alternate days, 1-4 weeks prior to the race, and again an equal number of times, once the runners had recovered from muscle soreness (avg. 7 days) after the race. Each test consisted of a 10 min treadmill walk (8.6% slope, 94 m.min-1 [3.5 miles.h-1]) followed by a 5 min run (8.6% slope, 188 m.min-1 [7 miles.h-1]). After this time, the speed was increased 10 m.min-1 every minute until exhaustion. No differences in VO2 were observed during submaximal exercise, and no reduction in VO2max occurred. One runner, however, exhibited a substantial and consistent increase in VO2max after the marathon (73.6 +/- 1.5 (SE) to 79.9 +/- 0.7 mL.kg-1.min-1, p less than 0.05). Treadmill exercise-induced increases in hematocrit, blood hemoglobin, and plasma protein, cortisol, lactate and norepinephrine concentrations were unaltered after the marathon. We conclude that, following a period of sufficient recovery from muscle soreness, oxygen delivery and utilization mechanisms remain intact after marathon running.
Maron M B; Horvath S M
Canadian journal of sport sciences = Journal canadien des sciences du sport
1988
1988-03
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).