Getting the Balance Right

 

by James Skitt - 23.04.10

For the thousands of runners set to take on the challenge of running the London Marathon this weekend, striking the right balance between the energy used and the amount of energy they are able to take in will be critical in ensuring they run the best possible time.

The 26 mile, 385 yard course around the capital is enough to test elite and recreational runners alike, but as English Institute of Sport (EIS) Exercise Physiologist Jamie Pringle explains, the bodies capacity to keep up with the energy demands placed upon it will be crucial for every runner, no matter what level they’re at.

“The common dominator between elite and recreational runners is that they are all striving to get this balance between the energy they are expending and the energy which they are able to take in” he says.

“It’s not so much about the time taken as about how far, for instance an elite runner will use a similar amount of energy to a recreational runners who takes twice as long, however they are simply using that energy more quickly and efficiently.”

Failure to get the energy balance right can have the consequence of resulting in what all runners dread, the infamous ‘hitting the wall’. But exactly what is it?

“Hitting the wall is where the body has run dry either because the muscles have run out of energy or your body can’t deliver enough energy through the blood stream” Pringle explains.

“It results in a drastic slowing of pace, probably in the region of 30-40 second per mile in an elite performer and possibly 2-3 minutes for a recreational runner, which can reduce some to walking pace.”

So what can athletes do to prevent it happening?

“The main strategy that an athlete, whether they be elite or recreational, has at their disposal is to take on carbohydrates and fluids during the event so that the energy being delivered through the body can keep up with demand.

“That could be in the form of sports drinks, gels and occasionally, but less so in marathons, solid foods.

“Some strategies work better than others depending on the individual so the more elite runners in particular will need to give more thought and planning to ensure they have the correct strategy that suits them.”

For elite runners, making sure they have that effective strategy is vital if they are to run at their optimum level.

“If an athlete begins to feel the effects associated with ‘hitting the wall’ during a race it is probably already too late as their performance will have already begun to be effected” Pringle says.

“For a recreational runner however, who may still have an hour or so of running still ahead of them, then the critical thing is to take on carbohydrates in an easily digestible form and to use the drinks and gels given out at the aid stations around the course.

“However whatever pace you intend you run, the critical thing is to go into the race knowing what you’re capable of so that you don’t set off too fast.”

Exercise Physiologists such as Pringle and his colleagues at the EIS can help improve an athlete’s performance by giving important objective information which can help coaches to adapt training programmes and maximise desired outcomes.

Pringles says: “One of the main skills a physiologist has working with marathon runners is getting an understanding of the individuals physiological make up to understand how they can perform over the distance, knowing what pace they can run at and what response their body will give them when they run at that pace.

“Possibly most importantly in a marathon, a physiologist can help athletes with regards striking the balance between energy need and energy intake.”

To see the video of this interview click here