Level Versus Uphill Economy and Mechanical Responses in Elite Ultra-Trail Runners.

CONCLUSION:: This study indicated strong relationships between level and uphill values of net oxygen cost, the time constant of the primary phase of oxygen kinetics, and biomechanical parameters of contact and aerial time, stride frequency, and stiffness in elite mountain ultra-trail runners. These results show that these top-level athletes are specially trained for uphill locomotion at the expense of their level running performance and suggest that uphill running is of utmost importance for success in mountain ultra-trail races. PMID: 30676150 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: Int J Sports Physiol Perform Source Type: research