Sprint And Endurance Power And Ageing: An Analysis Of Master Athletic World Records

Main Category: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 29 Oct 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Past analyses of world record data suggest that the age-related decline would be larger for endurance than for sprinting events.

However, all of those past studies were based upon running speed. In this study, by contrast, we have focused on the required metabolic power.

Analysis of the world records from master track runners between the age of 40 and 90 shows that sprinting power and endurance power decline with age in a strikingly similar way.

These findings are compatible with the idea of a single age-related mechanism that impinges equally upon the different physiological systems involved in running power generation.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

www.publishing.royalsociety.org/proceedingsb