Running science : optimizing training and performance

Running is a deceptively simple sport. At its most basic, you need only shoes and comfortable clothes you don't mind getting sweaty. Yet each time you lace up, all your body's moving parts must work together to achieve a gait that will keep you injury-free. Many other factors also affect your performance, from the weather and the surface you run on to your shoes, your diet, and even your mental and emotional state. Science plays an important role in most, if not all, of these factors. As a sports scientist and Running Fitness columnist, John Brewer has reviewed hundreds of scientific studies, and he offers runners the benefit of their findings in Running Science. Each chapter explores a different aspect of the sport through a series of questions. Many of the questions address practical matters: Do you really need to stretch? Which running shoes best suit your form and foot strike? Does carbo-loading lore stand up to scientific scrutiny-could a big bowl of spaghetti be the difference between a PR and a DNF? Other questions enhance appreciation for the incredible feats of the sport's great athletes. (What would it take to run a two-hour marathon? Perfect weather, a straight, flat course, competition, and a lot of luck!) The answer to each question is presented in a straightforward, accessible manner, with accompanying infographics. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned runner with many miles and medals behind you, Running Science is a must-have for anyone interested in the fascinating science behind the sport. Contents ......Page 8 Introduction ......Page 9 Chapter One. The Runner's Body - John Brewer......Page 13 Chapter Two. Perfect Motion - Iain Fletcher and Laura Charalambous ......Page 35 Chapter Three. Fuel and Fluid - Bob Murray and Daniel Craighead ......Page 57 Chapter Four. Running Psychology - Andy Lane ......Page 81 Chapter Five. Training and Racing - Charles Pedlar and James Earle ......Page 99 Chapter Six. Equipment - Paul Larkins ......Page 123 Chapter Seven. Running Well - Anna Barnsley ......Page 143 Chapter Eight. The Big Questions - John Brewer ......Page 167 Notes ......Page 179 Notes on Contributors ......Page 189 Index ......Page 190 Acknowledgments ......Page 193 What are the main physiological changes that occur with ageing? Is running performance dictated by nature or nurture? What are the physiological adaptions of training? What is the optimum method for ventilation when running? What are the performance and injury related advantages of a forward lean?